WORDS & PHOTOS Khaleeq Alfred ARTWORK Carla G. Javier-Brea
Something every discipline of skateboarding has is the feeling of being in the “zone”. Whether you’re dipping into a right on your favorite downhill run, pushing between two buses in your city, or even focused on nailing a trick at the skate park, you get in this undisturbed mood of energy and zen. A mood filled with high anticipation and energy, but oddly enough also packed with calmness.
I took a trip back home to the Concrete Jungle, New York City, and linked up with some of my skate family. There are always positive vibes when lurking or hitting the streets with this crew of people. Over the course of three days I skated with a number of individuals on a number of different avenues ranging from calm to chaotic. As diehard traffic surfers I took to the streets with homies Leon, Victor, Anders, Kiefer, and Ian on separate days and documented the journey through the city.
Traffic surfing is all about finding that line, the gap in pedestrians, timing the passing car, not stopping unless you absolutely have to, but ultimately it’s flowing with the city. Not the traffic or the people, but being one with the city and being comfortable with anything that can happen or will happen. Shooting while in traffic is no different, you have to know when to shoot and when to pay attention. Sometimes you sacrifice stopping to capture a shot. Other times I get so much in the zone that shooting falls short to fun.
NYC locals Leon, Victor, and David making it through the first set of cars and looking before pushing into the next lane.
Regardless of the discipline, you find yourself in a pinch at times, hit or road-rashed, or outright not feeling it; but once you find that line or become submerged in that “zone”, there’s no stopping it and no wanting for it to stop.
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