What’s in a name ?

I’m not the only one who names their boards right ?
From my pivoted pulpit, I regard it as utterly impersonal to not dignify your broad with a name. Unless it means nothing to you. I got my robot a few weeks ago and I’ve been falling deeply in love with her riding to work and back everyday.

Critical Mass was like an awkward first date, but by the next day we knew how to get the best out of each other. I’ve always been an advocate of organic nomenclature - don’t force a name on your board, one will come naturally. Sounds very Harry Potterish but it’s true. This is the story of how my boards came to be named.

As you remember, I was lucky enough to go to Madrid for the best weekend of longboarding on offer to man. There I encountered Moyano, sweet Moyano. With comparison, the best spot I have ever skated. Halei (my sector9) was not quite suited to it with her chunky cored wheels and her too-loose sidewinders, but we made it work. By the last night in Madrid, I was bombing that hill with my new bros and I knew I had to get a free ride board. Madrid changed me, as a longboarder more than anything else. I wanted to name my board Moyano. But I couldn’t. I thought about it, but it didn’t stick. It didn’t feel right.


Bombing the hill to the train station this morning I thought about just how I ended up in Madrid and the kindness of a very dear friend, Sonso, for putting me and 8 other Longboarders she hadn’t met up in her lovely home. I wanted to name my board Sonsoles. But I couldn’t name my board after her, as fun as saying “I’m riding Sonso” would be, it wouldn’t be true to myself.

Going further back I remembered how I had started speaking to admins of other groups in europe early spring and how I had wanted to organise a trip to Madrid for a few of us. Over the months this lead to the monster/super crew that is Longboard Europe. Then I smiled and thought about the many new friends I’d made through LE. LE… ? LE ! Ellie !!! Yes ! It felt so right. LE, the reason I had gone to Madrid, the reason I went to the longboard loft to meet with Push Culture, Ellie, the reason I was smiling. I thought about naming my board Ellie, Ellie Sonsoles-Moyano.

And I did.

7 months ago  /  19 notes