It's been years since we've been in town for this Gasparilla thing they do every year in Tampa. Before the Contest today, I wandered through a little bit of the mayhem that was just about to get going on Bayshore Boulevard in Downtown Tampa
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At noon there were already hammered people everywhere at Gasparilla. Wish I was one of them. Can't today. I have to go to the empty wooden swimming pool thing
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Well there was no water in the empty wooden swimming pool, but turns out it was a pretty fun time. Binky here is getting the frontside grind party started
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Some common old guy stereotypes include early grabs, slob, laybacks, enough gear to keep S-One in business for another year, Indy 215's, and colored wheels. All this guy is missing is the colored wheels
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I spy plenty of colored wheels and enough giant wheels to bring the urethane industry out of recession
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I think the person that invented smith grinds was probably skating today along with the person that invented the wheel itself. There was some amazing history in skateboarding at the empty wooden swimming pool today. If you take care of yourself, you really can rip until you die. I believe this young whipper snapper here was in the 30's Division with me
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Wow, you're never too old to beam. Mike Rogers is shooting the Superman lasers at the crowd on this front rock
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Boly is one of the grandaddies of Puerto Rican skateboarding. Thanks for coming to the wooden pool. Good times and back d's
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I think this simple photo sums up the entire afternoon at the brown pool. Great friends, great session, all smiles, and not that hard of tricks being done. Schaefer got second in the young people division
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More old guy stereotypes include Rambo lacing and Peter Cotton Tail rabbit ear loops. I spy a SPoT ankle tat
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Buck Smith won the 40 and Up Division. He's got a real empty swimming pool in his backyard. When he arrived at the wooden empty swimming pool, it was easy for him to slash it to pieces. I hope I can skateboard like that if I grow up
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Will's pony tail is older than most of the kids who skate at the Park. It's a wrap on the frontside grind festival. Time to move on to the Awards
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After the Contest, there was an awards ceremony in the Snack Bar. People also got inducted to the Florida Skateboard Hall of Fame. With the 22 people in the 40 and up Division, there was over a thousand years with of skateboarder in this room
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Alejandro's mom was on the sauce all day and was given some kind of intervention award. I think when someone does that, instead of an intervention award, they should get a participation award. Everyone needs to join in
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Craig Dupree won the 30's Division. I guess he's moving up to the 40's next year, which means Schaefer, Clements, and I will all do one place better
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One last old guy stereotype: they have way more fun skateboarding. Thanks everyone for a good time today. I had fun and I think it's super sick that there's something like this for the guys with wristguards
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The night before, we hung out with one of the most quality old guys I know, Jimmy Hurn. He's a partner and my former boss in the CPA firm I used to work for before I dove into the sketchy skateboard industry. Jimmy now does all the tax and accounting work for all our businesses. He's on the Skatepark of Tampa Business Team
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