SKATEBOARDING & NOTHING ELSE

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Sublimited.net was a blog for the Sublimited chain of skateboard shops. But since the first store, let alone a chain, has never gotten off the ground and may remain a dream forever, it's now about whatever I feel like writing on any given day.

If you want a little bit more about me, my name is Joshua Steimle, I was born in 1975 which means I'm about as old as Danny Way, but he's in slightly better shape than me, despite his many surgeries and having a broken neck. Yes, I do skate. Not several hours per day like I did when I was a tike, during a good week I might put in a good 8 hours. I mostly skate in parks because I don't have the will or the time to drive around to spots when I can drive five minutes and have fun on some tranny or skate a flat rail. Although old and 50 lbs overweight I can still do most of the basic flip tricks, slide and grind rails, do a few simple ledge tricks, and have a good time. I figure I'm about as good as Lance Mountain without the vert skills.

Since 1985 when I first got into skateboarding I've broken my right arm twice and had more folded ankles, swellbows, bruised palms, and serious cuts, scrapes, and bruises than I can count or remember. I've quit several times for up to two years at a time, but I've never been able to get skateboarding out of my head or quit permantently, despite parents, living in the Amazon jungle for two years, seven years of college and getting a master's degree, being married, and running a web design and search engine optimization business full time. Maybe when I have kids I'll have to give it up, but if the past is any predictor of the future it just won't happen. Skateboarding is in my blood, I love it, and I don't think I'll ever get rid of it.

One note, I like to write about controversial things in the world of skateboarding like Nike and blank decks. Sometimes my ideas may make you mad, sometimes you may agree with them, and sometimes they may seem at odds with each other. One thing to understand is that I think out loud here, and what I think one day may not be what I think another day, because like everyone else I change my mind based on the information I have. For example, as I write this, I haven't skated a real pro deck in years because I've been getting blank decks for free from a friend of mine who manufactures them in China. They seem to be as good as pro decks, but who knows, it's been so long since I rode the real thing. So I tend to defend blank decks because the quality seems as good, they're cheaper, and that means more kids can skate more, which seems like a good thing. On the other hand, maybe if I went out and bought a pro deck or somebody sent me one (hint, hint) I'd realize the difference and start claiming they're better than blanks, even really good blanks, and then you might see me change my tune.

On the other hand, I'm against Nike's involvement in skateboarding. Maybe I should be against blank decks for the same reasons I'm against Nike, but I haven't gotten that far in my thinking yet. Or maybe I should be in favor of Nike for the same reasons I support blanks, but again, I haven't thought things all the way through yet. Anyway, what I'm saying is that if you disagree with me, post your comments. Who knows, you might convince me of the error of my ways.

Why do I run this blog?

Because I like skateboarding, I like writing, and I like having a soapbox from which I can spout whatever I think. Whether anybody is listening or not is of less importance to me. I just like doing it. But it wouldn't hurt if a company would give me some product now and then in exchange for me writing a product review. C'mon, there's got to be some material benefit to all this work, right? Hasn't happened yet though.