Skateventure: 2 Kiwis, 60 Days, 3200kms
Meet Huw and Troy - two Kiwis with an insatiable appetite for adventure, undying passion for longboard skating, and deep desire to inspire others to chase after their dreams - no matter the terrain or mode of transportation. On January 15th, they embarked on their skateventure taking on the hills and straights of Southeast Asia. Their itinerary does not consist of tourist destinations and resort check-ins, but the number of summits they must overcome before dusk. Now on day twelve of their eight week journey, the two have already dealt with lost luggage, encountered coconut-heaving monkeys, and endured bloody blisters from their insane uphill battles! Here is a taste of 'Day 2' written by Troy:
Gravity was against us, but the encouragement of the Hill Tribes pushed us up the gargantuan mountain. I began to steam as the sunlight flooded the valley before us. My shoes began to rub my feet as if they were protesting the ongoing torture of skating uphill. Blisters formed and began to bleed crying for me to stop. With my feet numb we accelerated towards the smell of Thai food at the top of the summit. Again, photos were taken, autographs signed and chicken and rice was eaten. Alas the mountain beckoned, calling our names; lying before us was 10 km of spectacular downhill with magnificent seal. We attached our sails and surfed gracefully down the concrete wave. The Hill Tribes' cheers and the urethane on our wheels hummed appreciatively as we began our decent. The scenery was brilliant and we smiled as the perfect run unraveled before us - 30 kmph, 40 kmph, 50 kmph, 60 kmnph - deploy! We cruised around hairpins at 35 kmph and tucked into long straights holding precious momentum. The pain of skating uphill was little compared to the joy of skating downhill. The unbridled freedom that downhill longboarding possessed flushed our minds with adrenaline and during those 10 km, nothing else in the world mattered. As if their story alone doesn't make you want more of these guys, they are also dedicated advocates and supporters of a charity called CanTeen, an Australian/New Zealand based foundation helping young people living with or affected by cancer. Learn more about it on our Do Good Things blog and donate through the Skateventure site. If you happen to be in SE Asia, namely Thailand, Malaysia, or Singapore, drop these guys a line. You are bound to have a good time hanging with these two thrill seekers. If you're anywhere else, make sure to check out their blog, give them a thumbs up on
facebook, and connect with them on
Tripping - who knows, they may be skating through your town soon. -Lauren
