"Honey, don't tell my mom about the skateboard!"

It's bad enough that Mom doesn't like me riding a motorcycle. I hope she doesn't find out that I'm still riding a skateboard. I had to warn my wife not to tell her. The poor woman worries too much already.

As it is, my wife kinda freaked out when she found out I was riding it. She told me, "You're going to have a heart attack!" The truth is that I need the exercise so I won't have a heart attack, and with my bum knee I can't jog, but amazingly I can still ride a skateboard. For short periods anyhow...I forgot how much work it really is, and particularly when you're pushing around about 210 lbs.

The kids in my neighborhood were a bit amazed. 53 year old fat guys are not supposed to ride skateboards, and they're certainly not supposed to ride them on two wheels without falling off; but I learned when I was 8 years old, and some things you just don't forget.

Some of my fondest childhood memories were of riding the hills in Duluth. It was a total obstacle course. The pavement was all scarred and broken from the severe winters, and it was a challenge just to weave your way through it all.

I am going to have to get a long cruiser board though. This short stunt board of mine is too twitchy for any real street riding.