by Maggie Miller

Created on: August 27, 2009   Last Updated: August 30, 2009

After spending the winter bruised up and mangled from snowboarding mishaps, I wasn't expecting any good to come from longboarding. Surprisingly, longboarding turned out to be one of the best investments I could've made this summer.

The first time I hopped on a longboard was with Amanda and Andrew at Hillshire Park. Hillshire is famous for its steep hills and almost vertical drops through the woods, both which eventually spill you out onto a straight plain that loops out and offers a spectacular view of the river, the strip of Seaside Avenue plowing along the rock wall, and the ocean beyond. This park probably inspired the panorama camera shot. As for longboarding, probably not the best first venue for a girl who can't balance on one foot in a flat parking lot.

Amanda told me that it'd be surprising if I fell off my longboard. Apparently, no one really falls off these things; they're designed for easy riding, not tricks, and they're easy to balance on.

I fell off just as I thought I was getting the hang of it. I tried to turn, and I don't even know what happened. My ankle was twisted and I scraped my palms on the pavement as the board kicked out behind me. I was coming down a hill (and by hill I mean slight incline, maybe a centimeter grade at most) and I heard Amanda shout to Andrew, "She's doing a turn!" Then I was on the pavement and she was asking if I was OK. I laughed and made fun of myself before limping off on my swollen ankle.

BUYING A LONGBOARD

That afternoon, with the help of Andrew, I ordered a longboard online. It totaled $150, but it was worth it. I'd ridden Amanda's at the park, and she rode a 37" board assembled my Andrew. He'd purchased the board, the trucks, the wheels, and the parts separately, including the grip strips taped on the surface. I found a board online that was 33", but the same general shape (wide board, pointed front) as Amanda's. I was wary about trying a shorter board, but Andrew explained that a shorter board gives the rider more control over turns, and that was my main priority. I scored a board with Revenge trucks, which lend themselves to tighter, more controlled turns that are very similar to heelside/toeside turning essential to snowboarding. The wheels were a little smaller than Amanda's, but when the board came in I fell in love with it. The entire surface was black with a bright design, and it was all rough and granulated, kind of like an entire surface of grip tape.

We started off in a relatively flat parking lot

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