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nick Island Rat
Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 14553 City: Honokowai
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 5:42 pm Post subject: This Has Everything To Do With Wakeskating... |
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As most of you know, I'm a bit of an eccentric who grabs hold of ideas and doesn't let go of them until they've been turned into what I want them to be. I spend the majority of my time with a backpack, a wakeskate, and a camera, exploring the world with my friends. If I'm gonna do something, I want to do it right. A few years ago, I moved to California on a few days notice, then came back later that year to Anna Maria Island where me and some friends built a houseboat to live on.
As almost none of you know, a year and a half ago I latched onto a new idea that had been on the backburner since around 2006... On November 9th 2010, I found myself in south Florida on a little surfing/winching road trip and I met up with a friend down there named Erik Montgomery. After a rad little surf session and some italian food with Erik & his brother, we were watching the gopro footage when I noticed a drawing on Erik's wall. I told him that I also had a little short stack of those kind of drawings of my own.
Hours of brain-storming/number-crunching conversation later, we decided that night that it was about time wakeskating had it's own full-scale winch park, and we decided we were gonna be the ones to build it.
The next 6 months were spent searching the land-for-sale websites, doing laps around Florida checking out acreage, and making more stacks of drawings of our dream wakeskate gaps.
The afternoon of May 10th 2011, me & Erik drove up to Suwannee County, FL to check out 12.62 acres that claimed to have a forest full of 200 year-old Live Oaks.
On June 21st 2011, I signed the papers and paid in cash.
This tree knew Mark Twain and Tobias MacIvey
This song is called Resurrection Fern
Since most of the property is under canopy cover & there's no asphalt for miles, it stays 10°-15° cooler than in town in the summertime
Sometimes if you wake up early enough, you can hear Fleet Foxes echoing through the woods
Until I build myself a real cabin, we've been living in apartments made from shipping containers we bought from the port of Jacksonville
Erik and his girlfriend Alexa have really made theirs into a sweet little home
When autumn came, the maple forest turned vibrant gold then dropped it's leaves
By the beginning of winter, we had the winch park mapped out and it was time to start clearing
With TJ Giesey joining the crew, there were now 4 of us living & working full time in the forest
The hippie & Indian in me was crying, but I knew it would be worth it once the winch park was built
It's really easy to appreciate a giant bonfire that lasts 3 weeks in the middle of a North Florida winter
With the clearing done & the grades set, the idea of a winch park in a forest was one step closer to becoming reality
Only a single Oak was taken out for this project, the rest was maple, gum, and scrub brush- TJ getting cosmic under the newly opened skies
Happy New Year
Building a winch park is much more manageable when you have the proper toys... er, tools
We've already moved several hundred truckloads of dirt, clay, sand & earth - Erik perched on the moon
With the first setup nearing completion & everything coming together exactly as we imagined, I've been mindskating this thing non-stop while we work on it
Worktime always has to be balanced with chillin time - TJ & Keith branching out
The past 6 months have seen the hardest work of my life, but I've enjoyed every minute of it. There's something so gratifying about working towards the sickest idea I can imagine... Having a fun-loving hard-working family living & working day in & day out to make our big dream come true has been crucial. There's no way I could have taken on this project by myself and I couldn't be more stoked on the crew I've got beside me- Erik, TJ, & Alexa.
I'm not gonna show everything that's going on right now, being at a midpoint of one very important process in the construction, but you'll see it all soon enough... When it's ready... I have kept this project under wraps for long enough & I wanted to share with all of you what's going on up in the forests of Suwannee County...
After all-
This is for wakeskating.
much love,
`nick t
_________________ √ |
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electricsnow cassette
Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 10735 City: Jefferton
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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Amazing! Congratulations nick! I have all of the respect in the world for you guys...this was a brave move and an amazing accomplishment. _________________ *The opinions expressed are on my behalf and not those of wakeskating.com* |
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supermanotorious Backside 180
Joined: 05 Apr 2010 Posts: 518 City: Phoenix
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overstreet31 Frontside 180
Joined: 26 May 2009 Posts: 415 City: Lumberton
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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Wow...such an amazing journey. Thanks for sharing!
Best of luck to you! _________________ www.backyardrailpark.com |
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nick Island Rat
Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 14553 City: Honokowai
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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At the risk of sounding SUPER cheesy-
This is seriously just the beginning.
` _________________ √ |
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DRAGON88 Dragoon
Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 1020 City: Portland
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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electricsnow wrote: | Amazing! Congratulations nick! I have all of the respect in the world for you guys...this was a brave move and an amazing accomplishment. |
2nd. _________________ The aforementioned postings and musings are the opinions of myself in their entirety and are not the opinions of wakeskating.com |
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Gnarly Dancer 42 360 flip
Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 5121 City: kalamazoo
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spowell Frontside 180
Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 320 City: munchester
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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so good, blew my mind |
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scott a "a" is for angel
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 4126
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masi Backside 180
Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Posts: 1992 City: Deerfield Beach
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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nick wrote: | At the risk of sounding SUPER cheesy-
This is seriously just the beginning.
` |
If you have the balls to go pay for land out of your own pocket to build a winching wakeskate park for the sport, i think its safe to say that is only the beginning! so stoked for you nick! The property and the idea suit your personality completely. your generosity is a blessing for the sport. I have always known you had something like this up your sleeve and i am excited to see the final product! _________________ -andrew- |
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texasT Backside 180
Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 1886 City: HOUSTONNN
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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wow...
nick you are one crazy talented person and it's awesome to see that you are finding even MORE ways to give back to the sport.
keep it up mayne! _________________ You had me at meat tornado. -Ron Swanson |
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fastgreens Kickflip
Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 3563 City: baytown
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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that's really cool nick... you're living the fvcking dream! _________________ north jones |
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TannerC Backside 180
Joined: 17 Mar 2005 Posts: 1694 City: Nanaimo
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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Dang Nick,
So good to see.
Can't wait. |
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G.K.D. Frontside 180
Joined: 31 Dec 2009 Posts: 404 City: Sydney
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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yeah Nick!!!... When you first showed me all the pics of your new place, I was amazed at the little wonderland you were creating... good to hear you're making progress. |
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poopiepantz Pop Shuvit
Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 122 City: of Roses
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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It's official... I have a man-crush on Nick T... You have realized a long-lived personal dream of mine. You guys got BALLZ! Sooooo much respect. I hope I speak for all wakeskaters when I say "thank you". What a huge step for wakeskating!
If I can put two and two together, I am REALLY looking forward to the Suwannee Pro stop of the wakeskate tour.
Cheers and Congrats Nick!!!!!!!
btw, did you guys operate that big equipment? Looks fun. |
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jeff Frontside 180
Joined: 16 Jun 2008 Posts: 361 City: Philadelphia
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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Totally Awesome! |
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carive Frontside 180
Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 403 City: Manila
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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nice one! _________________ R.O.T.S. Familia
-love,respect,devotion- |
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bob. America
Joined: 29 May 2007 Posts: 4282 City: Lake Pickett, Orlando/The Keys
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah!!! You guys are killin' it up there! Awesome photos as well, I can hear the Fleet Foxes echoing through them. I can't wait to shred up there and adventure through that forest _________________ Team Dream Sleds
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Sagittorious Backside 180
Joined: 12 Jun 2009 Posts: 571 City: Montgomery
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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Wow! Truly innovative, first the houseboat now this! Kudos to you sir. _________________ You make me want to punch a baby!
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EASTWOOD Pop Shuvit
Joined: 12 Nov 2009 Posts: 213 City: NorhtPalmBeach/Tallahassee
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Posted: Jun 12, 2012 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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<3 |
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