Just rolling along
For 3,162 miles, Chad Caruso (USA) kept one foot planted on his skateboard, the other pushing against the American pavement. Cars would whizz past, bugs would fly into his face and the soles of his sneakers would wear out, but still he trekked East towards the Atlantic. “I kept thinking back to the teenage version of myself who dropped out of school to pursue skating and fought through all the voices telling him to quit over the years,” he continued. “Hearing from viewers that this skate helped them leave behind drugs and alcohol and turn their lives around made every bit of foot pain I had ever felt worth it.” A skateboarder for 25 years, Chad completed the trek to raise awareness for addiction and mental health problems, and he credits the sport with giving him an outlet for his own struggles. Although he’s been sober for ten years now, he compares his journey with sobriety to his journey across America. “Sobriety helped me turn my entire life around and brought me back to what I truly love to do,” Chad said. “I also believe that introspection and silence are essential for improving mental health, which was part of the reason I chose to do the trip alone.”
Although he spent ages planning out his route and tracking his movements, he knew there was only so much he could do before the journey. He practiced building up his stamina by going for long skates in the six months leading up to his attempt, and focused on his health and flexibility (particularly his knees, as he’s torn just about every ligament we’ve got). He also rarely knew where he’d be sleeping that night until he chose a hotel on the road, and he had to refuel and recharge by accepting food and conversation from friendly strangers. “Those short but meaningful conversations were incredibly impactful,” he said, perhaps also because they’d provide him with some warm food instead of Slim Jims and granola bars.
His travels gained thousands of views online, with viewers watching Caruso’s 14 hour daily live-stream and keeping up through his website, called ChadTracker.live. Chad Caruso made the journey of more than 3,000 miles from Venice Beach, Calif., to Jacksonville, Fla., between May 1 and June 8, averaging 72 miles a day. Chads first skateboard trip earned him the Guinness World Records title for the fastest crossing of America on a skateboard. He said this latest trip was about both breaking his own cross country record and celebrating 10 years of sobriety. That trip earned him the Guinness World Records title for the fastest crossing of America on a skateboard.
Rolling records
What is the hardest thing in skateboarding?
Concrete.
What are the most common skaters’ last words?
“Hey, dude. Watch this!”
Nothing can stop skateboarders.
Well, except pebbles.
People always tell me to wear a helmet while skateboarding…
I can’t even remember the last time I hit my head.
June 24th Birthdays
1969 – Jennifer Lopez, 1971 – Minka Kelly, 1982 – Raven Goodwin, 1979 – Mindy Kaling
1988 – J. J. Redick, 1947 – Mick Fleetwood, 1991 – Max Ehrich, 1980 – Lionel Messi