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I’ve been wanting to interview Patti Hurst for a while now because it’s not every day you find someone who goes from complete beginner to riding bowls and ramps in their late 30’s/early 40’s. Patti also takes the time to help out other skaters who are just starting out when the opportunity arises and is proof that skateboarding is so much bigger, so much more, than a sport for young kids in high school. Skating will grow with you, will give back as much as you put into it, and Patti is a beautiful reminder of this. Also, she’s just plain badass and has so much style.

Here’s what she shared with us:

1. How old are you and where do you live?

I’m 42 and I live in Arlington, Virginia, just outside of Washington DC.

2. How did you get into skating? How long ago?

I watched Shaun White win his gold medal on the halfpipe at the winter Olympics in Nagano. He looked like he was having so much fun! He was always laughing and joking around, even during the stiffest competition of his life.

I was 39, and I was tired. I had spent my whole life working 60-80 hours a week, volunteering in my off time, and raising my kid. I rarely laughed, and I yelled at my 6-year-old daughter more than i wanted to admit. I wanted to have more fun, and be silly like the Flying Tomato! I thought about learning to snowboard, but there’s no snow here. Then I saw Shaun do a McTwist on a skateboard, and that’s all it took! I wanted to know what it was like to fly in the air like that. I knew I’d have to work hard. I figured it would take about a year to learn to skate like Shaun White.

One day, I asked my dad to take care of my daughter, and drove to the local skate shop. I parked the car and took a deep breath. I prepared myself for ridicule. I didn’t know anyone who skated, and I was sure there were no adult skaters in my area. I walked in and told the 17-year-old street skater behind the counter that I wanted to learn to skate ramps and bowls. I had no idea what to buy, I had never set foot on a skateboard. The store clerk stared at me for a good minute (or what seemed like it), and then went to work. He showed me different boards, trucks and wheels. He explained the virtues of each, and let me choose after narrowing the selection down to two or three. An hour later, I had a really nice first setup. He suggested that I buy a helmet and some pads, as well as some special shoes. I thought all of that might be unnecessary, but followed his advice anyway. The store owner rang me up. He said that i’ll fall a lot at first, and that most women prefer longboarding.

I took my shiny new board home, and stood on it for the first time in the living room, on the carpet. I fell almost immediately, and my dad laughed. My wrists hurt! I laughed too.

See? It was already working.

In the last three years, my job has been on autopilot, I’ve quit most of my volunteer work, and I’ve suffered more injuries than I have in all my other years put together, all the direct result of skating. It makes me sad sometimes when I think of what’s gone, but I can’t say that I regret any of it. For the first time, I’m being true to myself. I’ve laughed more, learned more and loved more than I have in all my other years put together. And I don’t yell at my daughter anymore.

3. Were you intimidated, or was it no big deal?

I had no idea how difficult it would be to learn. I figured I’d have all the basic skills in about a year. If I had known then how challenging it really is, I don’t think I would have started. But, now, I’m hooked. One of my best friends says, “skating will ruin your life, but it’s so fun, you should do it anyway.” That’s sort of how it’s turned out for me. Almost every aspect of my life is different now, but better.

4. Do you have a crew of friends you skate with? Men, women, a mix? What’s the crew like if you have one? Do you ever skate alone?

I skate with anyone and everyone who will skate with me! I travel a lot for my job, and I take my board with me wherever I go. I’m really lucky to be a part of OldKookSkating.com, an online forum for adult skateboarders who never take themselves too seriously. There are men and women there of all skill levels, and they are my skate family. I’m also a member of the Skateboard Moms, which is a forum for women who dare to skate. I’ve met some really cool people through both forums, and session with them whenever I can.

At home, I have a regular group of guys I skate with, they range in age from 21 to 57, and they’re all much better than I am. They push me to try new things, and I benefit from their years of experience. We have early morning weekend sessions at our local park, and we get together to skate my miniramp when the weather isn’t cooperating.

5. What kind/style of skating do you prefer? What kind of terrain do you usually skate?

I skate anything and everything! Sometimes a parking block can be the best place on earth, you know? But, I’m most fond of concrete bowls. They send my heart racing, and I seek them out, over all other terrain. I love to carve fast and flow. I like the grippy feel of my wheels digging into the concrete. My goal this year is to take my skating to the next level: lip tricks.

6. How do you fit skating into the rest of your life? What’s a typical skate day or skate week like for you?

I skate whenever I have a minute. Sometimes it’s just a run or two at the park on the way home from the grocery store, or a quick ollie session in my office parking garage during lunch. I keep a board under my desk and manual on the carpet in my office to relax. I have a board in my kitchen, and I skate while I make dinner and load the dishwasher.

I try to preserve as much of Sunday as possible for skating. I meet up with friends at my local in the early morning, and we inevitably head out after a couple hours for other spots. Sometimes I head up I-95 to New Jersey to skate with the rad Skateboard Moms who live up there.

7. What’s your preferred set-up?

In the bowls, I ride a 9″ X 32″ old school style deck with Indy 169s, 59mm 100A Rainskates Stinger IIs, Rockn Ron ceramic bearings, and a strange combination of red, blue and orange Khiro bushings that works for me.

8. Tell us about that ramp in the house?

My miniramp is sooo fun! It’s the best home improvement project ever! We built it in a storage room in my basement; it’s 2 feet high, 8 feet wide, 20 feet long, with 2-foot wide decks and 7-foot transitions. The surface is masonite, and it has steel coping. When it’s cold and rainy out, you can bet that there’s a session going down, complete with ice cold beer, really good tunes and lots of silly fart jokes. The door’s always open to new skaters, come join us anytime!

Thank you Patti. Now I want to go skate instead of to work!

Okay guys, if ever there is someone we’d all like to meet, it’s got to be Laura Hatwell of Happy Skater.
She was nice enough to answer a few questions about her life, skating, and her projects for us via email.  Check out her site, contribute to it, and keep an eye out for whatever she does next!  Thank you Laura!

D-mar has been a friend of mine for almost a year now, we actually met on Sk8site. When I met him, he had been skating for awhile, but still had no sponcors, so I tryed my best to help him out. Now a year has passed and he has made so much progress, and will be making even more. I believe with given time he will be the next star in skateboarding. Take a look at this interview to get to know one of my really good friends D-Mar.

1. Where are you from, and how long have you been skating?
I’m from Wylie, Tx. And have been skating for 11 years now.

2. What got you interested in skating?
I was taking out the trash back in ‘97, and saw my boy Joey J skating around, and I thought it was crazy when he was pulling off some legit, so I asked him if he would teach me and from there, POW!

3.Who are your major skateboarding influences?
Kareem Campbell, Joey J and Chris V.

4.Its been a long road for you, but you are now sponsored, what is your advice for guys or girls that want to get sponsored?
Just get out there and have fun, cause that is what sponsors like to see in a skater, and skate at your own pace, don’t worry about whose better than who, cause in skating, we’re all one big family.

5.Who are you sponcered by?
Crucial Skateboards, Airspeed Footwear and One Man Revolution Clothing.

6. Do your prefer skating street spots or parks?
Mos definitely the streets, but recently I’ve been practicing at parks, so that I can get myself ready for competitions.

7.What are some of your favorite skate sport and/or parks?
I love skating in Texas, it’s a big scene out here. The whole vibe and everything out here is amazing.

8. Do you like competitions or do you think they have become to commercialized?
Oh I love competitions, they help get alot of careers going and have alot of top notch skaters being known very well. The only thing is that there are so many skaters out there that are way better than me and pros you’ll probably see on Tv. And I can understand if some of them don’t like how the whole skate industry is now-a-days. cause you got some skaters that aren’t even having fun with skating, they take it too serious and let little stuff get to them and now you got another Ryan Sheckler. No disrespect to Ryan at all, but his attitude is whats hurting him.

9.What do you think of the talk of skateboarding going into the Olympics in 2012?
That is crazy…..Just crazy man. They should do it for reals, seriously. Cause look at it, Snowboarding is in the Winter Olympics, why not Skateboarding in the summer? They’re both the same thing just about, with a lil difference on the side.

10.What set do you ride? and what would you recommed for thos beginning in skateboarding?
I ride my board sponsor, Crucial Skateboards deck, with Kareem Campbell Destructos, Fast Forward (R.I.P.) wheels, Bones Reds bearings, Jessup Grip, and some unknown hardware. And for the beginners, I recommend getting the cheapest skateboarding products, trust me. Blank decks, blanks wheels, raw colored trucks, plain bearings, and any other part I missed out on thats cheap.

11.Finally, if you could hangout with a pro for a day who would it be and why?
I’ve already done that, my homie Kareem Campbell, he’s down to earth for reals, we’ll hang when he’s not busy, but he’s got City Stars skateboards running again, so be on the lookout for that.

Want to get sponcered? Think you got what it takes? Well check D-mars sponcers: Airspeed and Crucial Skateboards.

Liked D-Mars interveiw and want to get to know him a little better and get advice on skating? Check out his myspace: D-mars Myspace

As we look at girl skateboarding today, we are seeing a big progression.I have met a women, who has definitely helped that progression happen. She’s won the x-games, she’s started her own clothing line, and even went to Ohio for M.T.V.s Made, and helped a girl that loved skating, learn how to skate. She has become a big inspiration to me, and I hope by everyone reading this interview, she will have influence on you as well.

1. At what age did you start skateboarding and what was the main influence you had to start skating?

I was a teenager when I started, but I don’t remember the exact age.  I started skating because my sisters friend was going out with a pro skater and he had a mini ramp in his garage.  They were a group of guys, so our group of girls would go over and watch.  I have always loved sports and being physically active so I wanted to learn and not just watch.
2.You have your own company called Sk8Grl. How and when did this start? Any advice for people that want to start their own company?

Yeah, I had the idea in Spring of 2006.  I created a website, got the re-sale number, trademarked the name, and manifested the first tops by Jan. 2007. My advice is if you have a desire to start a business and you feel a pull then go for it.  Put forth your best effort everyday, then no matter what happens you will have learned a lot and grown as a person which is something nobody can give you or take away from you.

3.Where do you hope to see the girl side of skateboarding go within the next year?

I think it is going to keep getting bigger and better.  I just got an e-mail saying how girls in the X Games will now be winning the same amount as guys for 2009.  This is huge!  Girls keep getting better and pushing the level up.  The possibilities are endless.
4.What was being on M TVs’ made like dealing with the drama with the mom, and trying to teach a girl that in the beginning didn’t know what she wanted?

I feel like it was more of an experiment in human behavior that it was in actually teaching a girl how to skate.  She cried everyday but three in the five weeks I was there and her Mom cried and yelled eight times.  I was only there for mom’s outburst the two they showed on TV.  There were a lot of fun and funny moments, but they just focused on the drama.  Alex had watched skating on TV and thought it looked cool, but there was nothing inside of her that had any interest in doing it physically.  I was difficult for sure, but again I feel like I learned a lot about dealing with different kinds of people than myself.  Alex and I never were upset with each other, but her Mom was a bit much and not supposed to be around, but I guess she couldn’t help herself.  Of course they cut and sliced a lot of stuff, because a lot of it was out of context and order.

5.What other products can we expect from Sk8grl in the future?

We aspire to be the ROXY of girls skateboard clothing, so we plan on making everything under the sun.  Along with skateboards, safety gear, and more.  Not only will we have product, but we want to make yoga DVD’s and various other trick tip DVD’s for action sports girls. We will also have a page were girls can design tops and then anyone can vote on whose top will be made and sold.  Girls can be a part of our community called ‘Sk8Grl’s Worldwide’ where they can post a photo, paragraph about them self and have a way to connect with each other. http://sk8grl.com/sk8grlaroundtheworld.shtml We want Sk8Grl to be the place that girls goto if they are into skating and finding out about other girls like them self.  Girls are empowered and inspired by each other, can help each other, make new friends, and realize they can do and be anything they put their minds to.
6.Do you wish that girls had more exposure in some of the top skateboarding magazines?

Yeah that would be great.  Everything takes time and slowly but surely I think we will see more girls over the next years.

7.Before becoming a pro skateboarder what had you planned to become when you where in college?

I graduated with a degree in Business Economics because I have always wanted to own my own business and not let other people tell me what to do.  After college, I moved to Lake Tahoe and thought I would own a snow/skate shop.  I talked to some owners and realized I didn’t want to do that, but I knew it was something in skating.
8.What skateboarders do you look up to in this industry and have any of them helped you become who you are today?

That’s a hard one because everybody I meet adds something different to my life.  I look up to anybody who is following their dreams and have fun doing it.  Everybody I talk to is really helpful, and are stoked I have a company for the girls.  I’ve been told I can contact them and ask questions whenever about Sk8Grl.  I also think lots of people have influenced me to be who I am.  Whether I liked them or not, I learned from them and that shapes me and my decisions.

9.What are some of your interests outside of skateboarding?

Sk8Grl is my first interest.  Even though it’s a business it’s like my baby and it’s a labor of love.  It’s a lot of fun and a great creative outlet for me.  I absolutely love being with my Chihuahua Rerun.  I walk with him a lot and think or clear my mind of thoughts.  I love nature and being outside. I do yoga, hang out with friends and I love reading about metaphysics and quantum physics.

10.Lastly, what are your plans for the future?(examples: expanding your company, any new projects in the works etc.)

Yes, expanding Sk8Grl is 1st on my list.  Learning more about metaphysics along with energy healing and transformation.  It’s so fascinating to me.  Traveling and exploring the world and my mind.

SPONSORS: Sk8Grl, Airspeed, Nixon, Sweenie, B4BC, Guayaki, GO211.com, Manitoba Harvest

Everyone go check out www.hollylyons.com and www.sk8grl.com/ for more information on Holly Lyons and her clothing company. I hope you guys enjoyed the interview!