With winter coming to a close in Mammoth Lakes, California, it’s officially skateboarding season. The skatepark is fully melted out and our gears have shifted. I caught a few early morning laps on the hill before the snow turned to complete slushy mush, grabbed a bite to eat, and packed my backpack to get ready to head to the skatepark for the rest of the day.
Things I always keep in my pack:
- Water
- White Claws
- Snacks
- Skate tool
- Camera
- Fresh Clean Tees (complete with a pullover hoodie for when the sun goes down)
Having spare t-shirts in my pack is crucial, especially if we get into a heavy session. Fresh Clean Tees are my favorite because they’re incredibly soft, which means you don’t chafe when sweating bullets trying to land a trick.
There’s also something to be said about changing out of a thrashed tee covered in dirt, sweat, and maybe even blood into a freshie. That’s a huge confidence boost, and sometimes it’s the burst you need to put down whatever you’ve been trying.
When I first get to the park, I always aim to spend some time warming up. Kickflips, tre flips, and just cruising around and carving are my go-tos. After sneaking in a few stretches, I’ll start formulating a plan to land a line.
I’ve been trying to land a huge backside air in the deep end of the main bowl at the Volcom Brothers Skatepark for a few weeks now. After a heavy battle that included ripping through a tee, I was able to land it and get a rad sunset pic to prove it.
The last hour of light at the skatepark is known as Power Hour amongst the locals, as the entire crew gets together and sessions the main bowl one after another. Music blaring, we all drop in one after another, feeding off of each other’s energy — stoked on good times and fun laps.
As the sun finally sets and the session winds down, I throw on my pullover hoodie for my bike ride home. We chill at the park for a little bit longer, joking around, sipping on our White Claws, and enjoying the moonlight.
When the temp really starts to drop, I say my goodbyes. It’s not for long, though; tomorrow, there’ll be a new sunset session that closes out with another memorable Power Hour.
— Neev Zaiet
