This is my wave baby
Wow, I'm still stunned and pumped (Stunned on being pumped?) from our visit to Mike Mchue's backyard paradise this evening.  Yeah, I have dirt jumps and some ramps but homie has a friggin' pool in his backyard!  

I don't need to explain that it's not a swimming pool.  I heard it was pretty nuts, but it was even gnarlier than I imagined.  I was afraid to drop in at first, but by the end of the session I was hyped on getting some little grinds in the shallow end.   Since I couldn't fit my bike in my van on this trip, I promised myself I would skate as much as possible.  I skated the Ft Wayne park yesterday and left depressed at how crappy I had skated.  

 

My rep friends Todd (carving the deep in this pic) and Thom had never met Mike before and were blown away by both Mike's pool and Mike's stories.  I love Mchue and it has been too long since I've even talked to him, let alone hung out.  He's a true individual and definitely lives "My Life My Way" as is tattooed across the front of his neck.

Pitchfork reigning over the deep end...

Todd, FS grind.   Nice.   That little cement quarter in the background was really fun too.  Mike's also working on some trails.  It's a total haven for adult children like us.

He's mid-story right now, telling  tales that seem impossible.  They are all true.

The inside of this seemingly (from the front of the outside) nice, suburban home, features a museum of classic skateboards.  The Neil Blender (the blue one on the right) deck changed skateboarding forever.  Up until the point of it's release, it was all semi-slick art.  The Blender "rocking dog" was the breakthrough "pro skater doing his own graphic" and set the precident that holds up even now.  No suprise that Neil Blender is one of my biggest influences ever.   Mark Gonzales too.  Shocker.

  This shot is from the go-kart track on friday.   That's my wife behind the wheel.  You can't see Noah sitting next to her, but he is.  I have to say I felt really weird and irresponsible having him sit next to me while driving.  He dug the karts.  Me too! 

 

  This is my current place of residence, the Hyatt Place hotel in Livonia, Mich.   Todd suggested I try Priceline.com to find a cheap hotel for the night.   I paid $45 for a super nice room, huge flatscreen TV, nice couch.  I can't believe it.  The catch is that you have to book the room within like eight hours or it will be the normal, high price.  I'm over Super 8!  Especially if I can find places like this for way less.