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A farewell note
Sep 22, 2003 by Tanner

Well kids, I'm leaving. Don't get me wrong, it has been an interesting 5 year ride on the SOAP roller coaster. As much as I want to continue, I can't. Soaping has taken a toll on me physically (my knees) and emotionally (its hard to stop something you've loved for 5 years). From the days of pre-brooksfsw.com, to broox.com, to solidgrind, I've seen it all here. From Greg C's soapshoe.com the way it was meant to be, a tutorial site, to the video site, again, I've seen it all. The rise of DEOS, the fall of PEI-SOAP/Footsurfer. From the humble beginnings of UKFSW, to the little known NiS soapers, I salute you. I'll come here from time to time to contribute to the bike section, the only thing I can do now. I guess I'll see you guys aroung, and look forward to whats next in the 2003/2004 soap chapter. Grind on everyone, and keep up the good work.
Replies

Sep 22, 2003Mart

Y'know... biking's gonna screw with your knees just as much as Soaping

Sep 22, 2003Tanner

Ah, but you are wrong. Trials and BMX racing haven't fucked up my knees like soaping did. And I've raced bmx for about 7 years..

Sep 22, 2003Benji

Hey tanner, have you ever raced against someone named troy plemons?

Sep 22, 2003Mart

Ah well, I guess my knees are just fucked in general

Sep 22, 2003Smokey

Hey, you didn't say anything about us! you suck!

Sep 22, 2003Mart

Ahahaha!

Sep 22, 2003alexei

sad to see you go man, best of luck with BMX

Sep 23, 2003Mart

NiS were oooold skool... even though they weren't. But they rocked anyway because their video was sext

Sep 23, 2003Smokey

or maybe NiS was a typo for BiS? eh? Ah, fuck it.

Sep 23, 2003dunk

you wish! NiS rocked it all the way! Whatever happened to DeV anyway?

Speak to you online Tanner.

Sep 24, 2003mike

Dude, if biking doesnt fuck up your knees, it will fuck up your shins. Wear shin guards bro. Ride on.

Sep 24, 2003Spartan_117

tanner i never knew you but i wish you good luck in biking and always remember to rock hard and never give up. good luck

Sep 24, 2003Mart

That sounds weird coming from you, person who is too scared to grind a curb

Sep 24, 2003derek

quitting is so lame.

Sep 25, 2003Spartan_117

he i did get over that so ......yeah give it up dude i am getting better and when i get a decent pic i will post it ok but untill then well lay off. also mart i saw that pic of yours and it was hella sick =)

Sep 25, 2003Tanner

Yeah Derek, you're right. I'll ask you about quitting in 5 years and then we'll see what your views are on quitting. Thanks to everyone for the kind comments. Who knows, maybe I'll be biking one day and see a kid with soaps grind past a ledge? I'll miss it, but, hey, in my book of life, I'm in a new chapter. It was time. I have some soap shoes for sale. Size 11 Scorchers, Size 11 Cleans, and Size 9 Mr. Wilsons. My size 12 squeaks are not for sale just incase I decide to come back...not likely though. E-mail me for info/pictures about the shoes. Thanks again everyone, and expect some biking media from me in the near future....

Sep 26, 2003Spartan_117

hahahahahhaa nice mart =D

Sep 26, 2003Tanner

Actually Derek, I think my peak was a year ago.

Sep 26, 2003Mart

I'm almost certain that he's reffering to a peak that you could have got to if you carried on... your peak was a year ago cause you lost interest after that point

Sep 26, 2003derek

dude, in 5 years i'll be 27, you're like 15 and quitting. but it's cool, it just sucks to see you quit before you peaked. i'm not quitting until a) i get hurt really really badly (worse than my knee injury that had me limping for 5 months) or b) i get a sick ass video put together and ... wait i won't quit then either.

Sep 26, 2003derek

however, i do have one plan for the next 5 years. i'll be buying some land and building a skatepark for kids n stuff for wherever i end up living.

Sep 26, 2003Mart

And everyone can call you Uncle Derek, and you'll give milk and cookies to the kids who bail, so they don't sue you

...yeah, I can see it all so clearly :D

Sep 26, 2003Tanner

No Mart, it's not that either. Last year was my peak because I was hitting higher rails, biggest in my town, and consistenly getting them. Yes, while I DID lose interest, I still think that was my peak

Sep 27, 2003Tanner

Simple Mart, my knees wouldn't be able to handle it.

Sep 27, 2003dunk

i'm not quitting until b) we get a sick ass video put together. And when we get a sick ass video put together, we'll do it again.

Sep 27, 2003Mart

Mine are starting to cope with all the stress and strain I put them through... they stick click like an epileptic in tap shoes, though

Sep 27, 2003dunk

...and then we'll dissappear for a few years, live the rock and roll lifestyle, grow our hair, take copious ammounts of drugs and sleep with beautiful women... and then make a comeback with our best video yet.

Sep 27, 2003Mart

I'm liking the sound of that Dunk...

Tanner, how do you know your peak wouldn't be in 2 years time from now if you've given it up? If you continued at hit a 'new' peak... that's the peak Derek is talking about

Sep 28, 2003Tanner

Well, take today for instance. I've been walking with a limp for 2 days because of running! I think I'm missing some cartilage in my knees. Also, today I woke up with sore ribs and muscles from biking. It used to be shin splints and tweaked ankles weekly for me in soaping

Sep 30, 2003C.Strife

it seems liek soaping does more bad things then good things. over all what have u gained from soaping?

Sep 30, 2003mike

good times and one broken ankle

Sep 30, 2003C.Strife

i agree with the good times. so far with the little stuff i have done i have been having fun. does any one have links to videos? ive never seen any and i want to see how they look

Sep 30, 2003mike

http://www.solidgrind.com/article.php?aid=59&cat=4 click aroudn the site a bit, there are videos here

Oct 5, 2003Mart

I've got the last bit to look forward to...

Oct 5, 2003Tanner

What have I gained? Hmm, probably the most fun I'll have in my life, tons of friends, new experiences, and some tweaked ankles.

Oct 15, 2003derek

gaining rules so much....

...

alright i've been sitting here for a good amount of time (since i wrote those first 4 words) pondering all the stuff that i've gained from soap... here is what i came up with:

  • learned html on my first website (about soap)
  • made better soap websites
  • met tons of cool people
  • made bigger websites
  • got asked to work for soap by the inventer/CEO himself
  • got lots and lots of free shoes
  • ran successful demos and showed tons of other people the fun that these shoes bring
  • got interviewed by the BBC
  • made it into 3 newspapers
  • got interviewed by a local radio station
  • got into YM magazine (oh yeah!)
  • soaped with some of the relate guys
  • got free heelys
  • got into more extreme sports
  • got a funny reputation
  • met more cool people
  • learned cool tricks and great balance
  • several extremely fun soaping trips
  • attention from girls
  • learned how to edit videos
  • got better at programming
  • got better at videography
  • got better at photography
  • got better at imaging
  • met more cool people
  • got several jobs due to my new skills
  • landed a full time job making cash like half of your parents! BOMB! (well maybe not, but i got a really good job)
  • everyone knows me as "the soap guy" or "the guy that grinds down rails" or "the skater" ... which is sorta fun in a corporate environment.
  • continue to get better and see people join me.
  • i'm sure there are a few more but the last and most important... fun.

    • Oct 15, 2003derek

    oh, shit... don't think i'm quitting because i said all that... no way man.

    Oct 21, 2003Mart

    ...great, waste more of my time Derek

    NOT REEEEALLYYYY. Now bend ova, itz time for anal seks
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