Phoenix Inline Skating : Session:January 27th 2019 at Prescott

I drove up to Prescott with my wife Alyssa and her friend Michelle.

Michelle was going through a major break up with a long term boyfriend so stepping out of town with Alyssa seemed like an experience that would soften the blow of the final departure. We left town around 10:30 and got to Prescott skate park by 12:15pm.

I changed my socks, grabbed by skates and backpack. Alyssa and Michelle went thrift store shopping as I was going to hang at the skate park and interact with my inline skate friends, peers and associates.
Before I even went into the park, I had to piss like a busted fire hydrant. I made a peripheral glance at an individual. I gave a subtle nod of acknowledgement as I made haste to the pisser. I ended up meeting him a little bit later and his name was Scott, one of Erik’s skate buddies.

Dan Howard

Ben Poling

I guess now is my cue to bring up the occasion for the skate session anyways.

The Session was in recognition /remembrance of a person by the name of Erik Kapec.

I have not made any new skate friends in Prescott about close to 10 years.

The only ties I have with any Prescott skaters was with Nino (Armillio) M. So today, I just met 3 people who were friends with Erik K. These 3 individuals were Brent Trinidad. Scott, and Austin.

I started recording and Brent began to say something about Erik and about the session. The speech was heartwarming along with sincerity of health, happiness, and celebration. After that the session continued.

One of the bladers I met by the name of Austin was asked by myself about what happen to Erik since I had no idea how he passed away. Austin processed the question and redirected me to Scott. I figure to wait and ask.

Scott was setting up Erik’s skates. There is nothing more unsettling than knowing that a pair of inline skates belongs to a dead man. But it was not unsettling, seeing the image of Scott taking his friends skates and skating them; It was almost a transference from one being to another. It was like Scott chose to continue Kevin’s skate legacy by being the vessel for Kevin. It was like the skates and the movement that Scott did on those skates were a symbolic meaning which represented celebration of life. It was like Scott was saying 'Erik, don’t worry man, I got you.' Or 'Erik, don’t worry man, you got this'.
It sort of reminds me of Michelangelo Antonioni’s film 'Laaventura'. Inn the first third of the movie, the story is focused on one character until that character goes missing. The friend of the missing character becomes replacement of this friend. Almost like this friend character took on the missing friend's character. Almost like all of the materialistic of surroundings, from the missing friend continues with the friend who is now in searching for the missing friend. I guess that is applicable to Erik’s family and friend to a degree; We must continue to be a little bit like Erik so he can continue to exist through the people who are currently living now.

Scott - Assembling Erik's skates.

I have my deepest sympathies for the family and friends who are now with out an important person in their lives. And I have my deepest empathetic attitude to everyone out there who has suffered the trauma of losing a loved one. My wife lost Two very important family members from the past few years and I would truly be less of a human or more apathetic of the understanding of loss, if it was not for those traumatizing experiences.

So the session continued. I recorded quite a bit. The memory on my portable camera got filled pretty quick so I caught some shit video on my shit phone. I was pretty pumped it was sunny because the footage is even worse on my phone with low lighting.

Nate Brown - Alley oop X Grind on the quarter pipe

Just on memory without looking back on pictures or video.
Nate did some noticeable maneuvers. I really dug Austin’s Alley oop grinds on the bank to ledge.

Scott had super solid soul grinds.

Dan Howard took some sweet grinds on the bank to ledge along with some noticeable falls.

Mike Taleki is always entertaining to watch, even if it is him cruising around and not really doing anything specific. Lady Bird, Mikey’s Dog was great company and enthusiastic as well..

I got to formally meet Ben Poling’s girlfriend (Amy) who moved down to Arizona a few months back. I did not realize they had such a cute poochie.

Ben did some sweet grinds on the bank to ledge. At one point he was trying grinds from ledge to ledge. I am not sure if he got the trick with satisfaction. (Edit 02/06: He did, you can see it below in Danny Mcquate's Edit)

Ian was trying a fakie to clockwise half cab negative makio on the bank to ledge. I have seen him do that on a few obstacles but it sweet he just keeps working on them.

Dan Howard - Bank to True spin Mizou

I also got to meet Nino’s girlfriend Serina. What champ for coming out. Brent had a gal in his company as well but my shyness overshadowed my introductions since I just met Brent for the first time at that moment. I think Austin had a girlfriend in attendance but I chose to not introduce myself for the same reason as prior.

I am trying to think of anything else that stood out. Oh I had some little shaggy haired teenager ask me if I had permission to take pictures of people. It is good to know that I could hold the image as the skatepark creep.

Alyssa called me around 330pm and we departed the Prescott area and headed home.

Alyssa and I gave her words of encouragement when it came to her choice of moving forward with her break up.