NATAS|SATAN

In 1988 my next door neighbor used to come visit his father every summer and over the holidays from Texas. I used to watch him skate in front of the house for hours. But I never had the nerve to introduce myself to him. One day it happened. I got up the nerve and decided to go downstairs and meet him. We quickly became close friends. At the time I didn't have a board and he would let me roll around on his. His parents really spoiled him was and he would kinda rub it in my face that I didn't have one and get mad when I was riding his. I remember it like it was yesterday. A black Lance Mountain (the one with knight seal) Independent trucks and Bones wheels. When summer ended he returned to Carollton, Texas and knew I wouldn't see him again till the next holiday. After he left, I knew it was time to get my very own. I circled every combination I could possibly make within the budget I had at the time. Definitely couldn't get the Swiss bearings and had to stick with the German. For some reason one board stood out to me more than any other in this CCS catalog. I think maybe because it was his name or the aggressiveness of the graphic, but I knew at that moment I had to have it. My first real board was The infamous NATAS KAUPAS. It was the natural wood color with Black Gullwing trucks, Schmitt stick rails and a set of Black Powell Mini Rat Wheels with German Bearings. This was my first TRUE LOVE. Skateboarding was a little different back then. It was seen as rebellious activity. Most of the kids that I grew up skating with used it to get away from their shit households and their friends and tribe became their new family. We made a family from our love for skating. Over the years of skating I've made my best friends through it, traveled, experienced the wrong side of the tracks, late nights, laughs, beers, more beers, blood, sweat, tears, lost friends, celebrations, photos, sponsors, contests, more laughs, more beer, big pants , little pants,big wheels.little wheels, duct taped sneakers, long adventures, crazy women, music from every angle, more blood, more tears, cheers, the wind in my face, and 26 years of true love. From the first time I stepped on a board I knew what defined me. Until today I never really thought about how much it meant to me. Today I received my first skateboard again The infamous NATAS. Ive been on the hunt for this board for 15 years . This is my Holy Grail!! My church!! I held it in the hands for the first time in over 25 years and all the great, bad, amazing, trippy, and beautiful memories filled my mind and should once again I am reminded.........I FUCKING LOVE SKATEBOARDING.