tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11814166956606636202024-02-07T13:45:35.830-08:00Longboard for LoveLongboard for Love is a team of longboarders who wanted to go on an adventure. An adventure that could help change the world. On April 29, 2013 they rode their boards over 650 miles along the coast of California. The purpose of doing this was to raise money for the Bridge of Love, a charity foundation that helps the abandoned and orphaned children of Romania. Longboard For Love was able to raise enough for the education of these struggling children. Stay tuned for our next adventure!Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-73936078459359342142016-02-04T21:33:00.000-08:002016-02-04T21:33:37.000-08:00Merit Academy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIIS2MYMryGnYtl2IxSHDYknJW1yF1jDXxabbclK1bBLYgMZvMTGRM8-S7f34XvDuCndiaG8Fhyphenhyphenx7idrru6LMptPNGYERLAUJ6nvrGBI3l2W8eF5wSsGJkOlW5uC1XP1YyxnrHiYvzSYX/s1600/merit-monogram-color-297x232.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIIS2MYMryGnYtl2IxSHDYknJW1yF1jDXxabbclK1bBLYgMZvMTGRM8-S7f34XvDuCndiaG8Fhyphenhyphenx7idrru6LMptPNGYERLAUJ6nvrGBI3l2W8eF5wSsGJkOlW5uC1XP1YyxnrHiYvzSYX/s1600/merit-monogram-color-297x232.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIIS2MYMryGnYtl2IxSHDYknJW1yF1jDXxabbclK1bBLYgMZvMTGRM8-S7f34XvDuCndiaG8Fhyphenhyphenx7idrru6LMptPNGYERLAUJ6nvrGBI3l2W8eF5wSsGJkOlW5uC1XP1YyxnrHiYvzSYX/s200/merit-monogram-color-297x232.png" width="200" /></a>A few years ago, right before our 650 mile journey, I had the chance to visit a local school called Merit Academy. I was able to talk about what we do and try to raise some money for Bridge of Love. Recently we were contacted by a teacher at the school, Mrs. Moody, and asked to speak for her class. This opportunity is a dream come true to me. When I was 12 and living in South America, an Englishman came and spoke at my school. He was riding his bike for two years around the entire world! It was inspiring. When Kenton and I did our trip we tried to speak at schools because I wanted to inspire young kids like I had been.<br />
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Merit Academy is a pretty awesome school. The class we were asked to speak at is a service class! I wish I had been able to take something like that in High School! I asked the kids about the class and they said that the school requires students to do a service project or to take the class. What a great curriculum!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNa3BPiAIo9L5lHr8ui_AxVmGG_jn0xPpwzYc0JwrNCL-Qq8lqEEHNTNcJvJ7EMa16mR_nvn717ndZpVPMHtWyI3oCEzDbiN6i1MBpPCE5a3unxL3y_EO6xZgSmE5JRJCghrCS5mORGnl/s1600/Merit+Academy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
Tanner and I went to the class to present. We shared information about who we are and what we do. Our main goal was to teach the kids that: 1. Everyone has something they feel passionate about which can be used to serve others. 2. Service is not always easy nor is it convenient. There are drawbacks and trials will arise which one will have to push through because... 3. Service is worth doing and needs to be done. The rewards, intrinsic and extrinsic, that come from serving others makes the difficulty more than worth it. Also, as human beings, we have the responsibility to help others and lift the collective burden of the world to make it a better place.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNa3BPiAIo9L5lHr8ui_AxVmGG_jn0xPpwzYc0JwrNCL-Qq8lqEEHNTNcJvJ7EMa16mR_nvn717ndZpVPMHtWyI3oCEzDbiN6i1MBpPCE5a3unxL3y_EO6xZgSmE5JRJCghrCS5mORGnl/s1600/Merit+Academy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNa3BPiAIo9L5lHr8ui_AxVmGG_jn0xPpwzYc0JwrNCL-Qq8lqEEHNTNcJvJ7EMa16mR_nvn717ndZpVPMHtWyI3oCEzDbiN6i1MBpPCE5a3unxL3y_EO6xZgSmE5JRJCghrCS5mORGnl/s1600/Merit+Academy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>We loved the presentation although we weren't sure if the kids did. I have a hard time reading teenagers responses, it made me feel old. Mrs. Moody contacted us a few days later and said the kids LOVED us. That made us feel good. She invited us back again and I was able to go present again to another class. After this presentation one of the students came up and asked how he can get involved. I got his info and we are going to talk to him soon. It was edifying to see how the things we have been doing are inspiring other young people to serve.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tanner and Mason at Merit Academy</td></tr>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-67742758524843325832016-01-09T11:32:00.000-08:002016-01-09T11:32:34.479-08:00Push Race Results<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Push Race team. We were sad that Kenton wasn't able to make it because we had a lot of fun.</td></tr>
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Well I would say an update on the Push Race is a few months overdue.<br />
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Back in August our team participated in Provo's first ever Longboard Push Race. We were approached by <a href="http://recyclops.com/">Recyclops </a>who was in charge of recycling and garbage for the event and wanted to sponsor a team to participate in the race. There were two different races happening. A one mile individual race and a five mile team race. Since the prize for the individual race was $2,000 everyone on the team wanted to compete in both events.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tanner speeding along with Scott right behind</td></tr>
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The individual race ran in heats, with the top five on every heat progressing to the final race. I am happy to say that each team member qualified for the final race. The team race was scheduled right before the race for individual finalists. About four teams were signed up to compete and we were confident that we could win. Our confidence must have scared off all the other teams because none of them showed up for the race, and we won by default. I was a little disappointed that we weren't able to showcase our team skills in a competition but when we were handed our prizes I couldn't complain.<br />
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All day the events had run pretty smoothly, with enough time between the heats for competitors to peruse the booths and stands set up by local longboard shops and charities and enough space on the track to race safely. The last race was a little disappointing. Previously the qualifying heats had 10 racers. The final race had about 25 competitors which really crowded the track. Depending on placement in the qualifying race competitors were given different positions on the start line...it was crowded.<br />
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The race began and we were off! Due to the crowding placement was hard to establish. Sadly Danny and Ben Smith crashed into each other and both went to the ground. They quickly got back on their boards and made up for lost ground. Ben ended up getting 5th place with Danny close behind. None of us won the $2,000 but we had a lot of fun competing. The event was well done and I think a lot was learned about how to run a Push Race. We are looking forward to competing again next year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three of the team at the start line</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben and Danny's dad came to cheer us on.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczGKwLYU6JgFN_af7vSVoR8OFIbTHqQphZg4h6S-HpeoB9xDaEanx5m_GCZKtiOJbOW3RqmXjpotFsfRISJuboSPSFfb-YekGT0WVGEPhkH8Zv7DaDCtfp_tOu5k8RWJt1IX81jBwM-5f/s1600/IMG_4325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczGKwLYU6JgFN_af7vSVoR8OFIbTHqQphZg4h6S-HpeoB9xDaEanx5m_GCZKtiOJbOW3RqmXjpotFsfRISJuboSPSFfb-YekGT0WVGEPhkH8Zv7DaDCtfp_tOu5k8RWJt1IX81jBwM-5f/s640/IMG_4325.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our prizes. Despite the win by default we are pretty excited.</td></tr>
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<br />Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-73514556567547943192015-08-25T11:34:00.000-07:002015-08-25T11:34:47.585-07:00The Push Race<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7ByuuFinuXGwy1S3u5OpydtSUx1eaRy450O1vCRubHm0pAgoKCJMxn3yLFIDWFErqIuyhEKi8D43L-5Haa9bq5xYVtXWUrwePKlo3B42P1QhYJkEr3NofmMC1b5Ap1hruczQmcFbQ83D/s1600/11836883_456107661180981_4486760766988602917_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7ByuuFinuXGwy1S3u5OpydtSUx1eaRy450O1vCRubHm0pAgoKCJMxn3yLFIDWFErqIuyhEKi8D43L-5Haa9bq5xYVtXWUrwePKlo3B42P1QhYJkEr3NofmMC1b5Ap1hruczQmcFbQ83D/s400/11836883_456107661180981_4486760766988602917_n.png" width="400" /></a>Big news to all living near Utah Valley. This Saturday is the first ever push race in Utah. The event is hosted by <a href="http://www.jaseboards.com/">Jaseboards </a>and looks like a blast!<br />
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What is a push race you might ask. Well it is basically what it sounds. It is a race on flat terrain with boards that are propelled only by the rider's pushing. This particular event will have two races. There is a one-mile race and a five-mile team relay race.Prizes will be awarded and the winner of the one mile race wins $2,000. The race only costs $20 which also gets you a t-shirt and sunglasses.<br />
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The event starts at 4:00 pm this upcoming Saturday in the North West Utah Valley University Parking Lot. The parking lot provides a 1/4 lap track and races will be run in heats. The event will continue till about 10:00 that night and has other activities like <a href="https://youtu.be/ebqFQfAt2Fc">tarp surfing</a>, vendors, and concerts so even if you don't want to board you can come support everything else! The hope is to have about 200 racers and 3,500 attendees so come and have a party!<br />
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The purpose of this event is more than just having longboard fun and frolic. The event is also intended to help some great local non-profits like UVU Enactus and Help International gain awareness for their ongoing projects.<br />
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If you want to learn more about the push race you can see a news article <a href="http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/first-push-race-in-utah-coming-this-month/article_e87b72ba-77dc-5989-bb2b-3fd4493155e1.html">here </a>or visit the Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pushrace?fref=ts">here</a>. You can also sign up for the race <a href="http://www.jaseboards.com/pushrace/">here</a>. Our team will definitely be there helping to support this wonderful effort and we look forward to seeing all of you there as well!Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-26612475920204489882015-02-24T14:13:00.000-08:002015-03-02T09:32:03.334-08:00Longboard Helps: SlidingFrom new team member Danny Smith comes a little of his wisdom and expertise on an aspect of longboarding that can help take you to the next level....sliding. Foot-braking will only get you so far and may loose you "cool" points (as well as the bottom of your shoe). So here we have it...<br />
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<u><b>Danny's Sliding for Beginners</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBzSW9mGfCxW8bP_miFO_ZRGlk_m8ByMMmZCfmFSHSKc9RW_G0RbraTLA9KCuc5hA-aMtw3JDfPcgCzvy_-z6aijOBKLRB5Eb8kg578rL_aVCnPsXZ8z-pSZnmKzoHXy2oFTRgyE79ZsDV/s1600/ben+slide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBzSW9mGfCxW8bP_miFO_ZRGlk_m8ByMMmZCfmFSHSKc9RW_G0RbraTLA9KCuc5hA-aMtw3JDfPcgCzvy_-z6aijOBKLRB5Eb8kg578rL_aVCnPsXZ8z-pSZnmKzoHXy2oFTRgyE79ZsDV/s1600/ben+slide.jpg" height="190" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother Ben doing a heelside slide</td></tr>
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<b>Who</b> - Any longboarders ready to take longboarding to the next level!<br />
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<b>What</b> - sliding is the act by which longboarders achieve Nirvana. Or if we’re listening to the physicist it is when the wheels loose full traction and the wheel is not only spinning forward, but “sliding” crossways across the asphalt. It is a beautiful sight and an even more invigorating feeling.<br />
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<b>When</b> - In the morning, after brunch, throughout the mid-afternoon and even in dreams.<br />
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<b>Where</b> - In the steepest canyons in Utah, across the flats of Texas, in the middle of a dance combo, or right in front of your girl to impress her.<br />
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<b>Why</b> - What’s all the hullabaloo about powersliding? Well if you haven’t noticed there are only so many hills that you can ride without burning through the soles of your shoes. Sliding provides an alternative to buying new sneakers for every downhill session. A longboarder’s progression can only go so far without the skill of sliding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMSsCdztF_LhhyphenhyphenOHNo09OrkYyZmZjTytDfZAgSCfjTB8WAhdZNADsHHawpRYLr94lVBMuwtff4ZwJQZgOPhbwsX4owdnvzSdyLDuK5woEl4rR25xLBS9tybaJhF47bSagv3hxJvrZV-XF/s1600/IMG_0605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMSsCdztF_LhhyphenhyphenOHNo09OrkYyZmZjTytDfZAgSCfjTB8WAhdZNADsHHawpRYLr94lVBMuwtff4ZwJQZgOPhbwsX4owdnvzSdyLDuK5woEl4rR25xLBS9tybaJhF47bSagv3hxJvrZV-XF/s1600/IMG_0605.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><b>How</b> - Everyone has their own style of learning to slide, but I’ll share my experience. As I was riding I would get the feel for powersliding by placing my hand on the ground with an old work glove <br />
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covered in duct tape which acted as a temporary sliding glove.<br />
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Once I was comfortable with that I started trying to do a standing heelside 180 slide. This did not involve the sliding glove, but rather was a slide starting from my normal stance and ending in fakie stance while standing up. This picture below is the middle of a standing heelside 180 slide.</div>
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After I mastered the heelside 180 slide I began experimenting with speed checks (a quick slide that slows you down but doesn't stop you), front and backside slides, and more. Just focus on the basics at first. In my opinion though, the best way to learn is to just try it. Wear a helmet and when you cut up your elbows and knees just get back on and keep trying. There are countless instructional videos if you need visual instructions, so I’ll finish by giving you a one word sermon - COMMIT. If you don’t throw your whole weight into the slide it may end with a crunch (your body hitting the ground). COMMIT to the slide.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out Ben doing this awesome toeside speed check!</td></tr>
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Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-3089575499861562262015-02-10T21:43:00.000-08:002015-02-10T21:43:01.718-08:00Cause for Hope<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well the team has been talking and we have decided that with our new adventure coming up we would like to reach out and help another charity, <a href="http://causeforhope.org/">Cause For Hope</a>. We are excited about helping this charity and would like to explain a little more about them.</div>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Cause for Hope's mission is to be the most effective organization in helping families in developing countries escape the clutches of multi-generational poverty and achieve lasting, sustainable self-reliance. We offer many services, but the differentiation of the foundation is found in the mentoring services we offer to those families we serve. Meaning…we assist in business development, we teach vocational training, we assist w/ job placement, we occasionally do micro-loans, but the key element is the mentor assigned to each family, local employees of the foundation who commit to assisting these families. This is done with personal one on one visits in their homes or businesses 2-3 times monthly generally between 10-14 months. In this way we can assist them with family and business budget, savings, debt elimination, re-investing in their business and other basic habits needed to break the cycle of poverty. Generally the most common feedback we receive has more to do with the individual customized assistance of the mentors than any other class we teach, and business we help them develop or job they receive. The most rewarding feedback we receive has to do with breaking the cycle of poverty when our families say…”we were in poverty, as were our parents and their parents before them, but our children will not be in that same situation.”</span><br />
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Many of the people Cause for Hope helps are in Latin America. Just like Romania was near and dear to me from my time spent there on my LDS mission I also feel close ties with Latin America, as do other members of the team who served their LDS missions in countries like Ecuador. From the age of 11 to 14 my family lived in Chile and I have to say that those years were very influential to my development and life. They really shaped the person I am today. I am proud that we can be helping an organization as wonderful as Cause For Hope, and I am excited to be helping people who I called my neighbors in a place I called my home.<br />
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Longboard For Love has really enjoyed our association with <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-cause-bridge-of-love.html">Bridge of Love</a> these past few years with our <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/05/life-lessons-i-have-lately-learned.html">650 mile California trip</a> and <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/11/just-dance.html">Dance-Off Contest</a>. You can find out about what they do in the "Charities" tab. Even though we now turn our sights to help Cause For Hope we will still leave a link to donate to <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-cause-bridge-of-love.html">Bridge of Love</a> in the "Charities" tab if you feel so inclined.</div>
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Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-12254374695911438292015-01-13T09:33:00.002-08:002015-01-13T09:33:57.492-08:00And Then There were Four....<br />
With this new endeavour Longboard For Love is expanding our team a little. As you saw from the<a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2014/12/world-record.html"> application </a>we sent to Guinness World Records we hope to have six people. I am proud to introduce the two newest members of the team which brings our numbers to four. They both wrote a little bit about themselves below.<br /><br />DANNY:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />My name is Daniel Smith. I’m named after Daniel in the lion’s den. My friends call me Danny. As far as I know I don’t have any enemies, so they don’t call me anything. Since the time I was a wee lad of 16 years of age any time my friends asked me what I wanted to do the answer was (and is) “let’s go longboarding!” I feel free on a board. And it’s the only way I can impress the women. I’m a full-time student at Brigham Young University, pursuing a mechanical engineering education. The three things I love most are 1) God 2) My family 3) Longboarding or food (it’s a tie). Life is SO good.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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TANNER:</div>
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<br />Hello. My name is Tanner Bennett. I was born in the one thousand and ninety third year of the current era. I was born on a cloudy, rainy day. All I remember of my birth was that when the doctor lifted me up to give me the sacrificial spank on my hindparts, a ray of sunshine parted the clouds and rested upon my face, illuminating my eyes and being. That was when I knew that I was destined for greatness. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPJY6TivHlFHNlCA1ViQ4YbSiQZiRLkFjYk_U42b7mN3Fp0Rcc-GTrYtWn_x2tjJyZwte_OTCt6MVkXeH7HXnQxQC7TepppRryaS_8jf3WhEHFBLB6YOq4vDVfo4NYALY2y1AL-NcoldF/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPJY6TivHlFHNlCA1ViQ4YbSiQZiRLkFjYk_U42b7mN3Fp0Rcc-GTrYtWn_x2tjJyZwte_OTCt6MVkXeH7HXnQxQC7TepppRryaS_8jf3WhEHFBLB6YOq4vDVfo4NYALY2y1AL-NcoldF/s1600/Capture.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a>Mason happens to be my older brother. What anyone did in the world preceding this one to deserve him as a brother exceeds human comprehension. That should give you a little hint of how cool I am. When Mason first crashed his longboard into a parked car, it was me who our grandmother tried to make rub ointment onto his wounds. When Mason, first tried to bomb Fairway Drive all the way to the bottom, it was me who was following his tail on Roxanne (the first longboard we ever owned). Longboarding is what we do, and by golly we do it well.</div>
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When Mason did his trip across California, I was happily serving the great people of Ecuador as an LDS missionary and even though I didn’t get to do the trip with him, I had the greatest experience of my life there. Now it is time to resume my place in world of longboarding. It is time to don once again my helmet of safety and take up my board of long length and help raise money for good causes around this good green globe to better the lives of the inhabitants therein. This is my cause. That is my quest. Heck ya.</div>
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Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-39893121000409650302014-12-24T21:45:00.000-08:002019-04-09T10:40:06.319-07:00World RecordWe are going to set a world record. Early last month Kenton and I submitted an application to the<br />
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<a href="http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/"> Guinness Book of World Records</a>. Here is the application below. We hope to hear back from Guinness World Records by March and then, if we are accepted, we will set the record in May.<br />
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Application:<br />A team of longboarders, Longboard For Love, want to set the farthest distance traveled by skateboard in a 24 hour relay. They will be riding, relay style, along <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_Lake_%28Idaho%E2%80%93Utah%29">Bear Lake</a> bike trails until time runs out. A support bicycle will follow the active boarder with supplies such as water and first aid. The team will carry a GPS that will track the miles traveled during the allotted time, as well as tracking mile markers on the trail. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">The support bicycle will also have a bike computer attached to track miles traveled as well. Longboard For Love is doing this as another fundraising attempt for local charities. The team founders, Mason Bennett and Kenton Durfee, recently completed a <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/05/we-made-it.html">month long skateboard journey</a> along the California coastline and raised over $7,000 for a Utah based charity organization, <a href="http://www.bridgeofloveromania.com/">Bridge of Love</a>, which helps orphaned Romanian children. This money was used to pay for a tutor and computers for the orphans. Bennett also collaborated with friends in New York to do a <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/11/just-dance.html">Skateboard Dance Competition</a>. Funds raised from the dance competition were donated to Bridge of Love. The hope with the relay is to be able to raise funds for charity, as well as spread popularity and awareness for the sport of long-distance skateboarding.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">It is anticipated that the team will consist of no more than six members. We are aware that there currently is a record for the farthest distance traveled on a skateboard in 24 hours by one person. <a href="http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/farthest-distance-travelled-on-a-skateboard-in-24-hours">Andrew Andras</a> holds this record and traveled 261.8 miles in one day. We don't want to challenge his record but instead want to make a similar record. Instead of a solo race we want to do a relay. We believe by switching out boarders every hour or so we will be able to travel significantly further than Andras as well as establish a similar record that other longboard skateboard teams will aspire towards beating. </span></div>
Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-90044582487985669302014-10-28T12:16:00.002-07:002014-10-28T12:16:18.399-07:00Dracula's Dash for Hope 2014<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfCcd3Qg4Pp3px6rlKT-U33gAmPWSr7UY5LordA4QeL0QO1o2xduQ6pw0K1mffFU2Xy6GvszuZ_aRajgG1G9dJqVrL_Tk46Q1RcsNii1kZAeqbIOnoqFlk1YA_4GYMRbFls2I56WFM1rK/s1600/blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfCcd3Qg4Pp3px6rlKT-U33gAmPWSr7UY5LordA4QeL0QO1o2xduQ6pw0K1mffFU2Xy6GvszuZ_aRajgG1G9dJqVrL_Tk46Q1RcsNii1kZAeqbIOnoqFlk1YA_4GYMRbFls2I56WFM1rK/s1600/blog.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>This was another fun year of running for <a href="http://www.bridgeofloveromania.com/">Bridge of Love's </a>annual 5k race, Dracula's Dash for Hope. I am happy to say that I ran much better this year than <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/10/draculas-dash-for-hope-2013.html">last year</a>. I even medaled and got third in my age group! After four years of running cross country in High School and not being very good, this made me feel pretty happy. Here are Jamie's instagram pictures of the race. It was a fun event this year. Lots of volunteers came to help out and the race had a fairly good turnout. Next year we hope to see even more of you there!</div>
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Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-83707387326355133542014-08-23T20:53:00.000-07:002019-04-09T10:37:11.310-07:00One Year (and a Few Months) LaterI had hoped to write this post exactly one year from the completion of our first trip. Unfortunately due to a busy life schedule I couldn't find the time. Better late than never. Here is a little review of what is going on with Kenton and I, as well as Longboard For Love.<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQNnjXSds5cl8STKu1ja4EeBvPXxP1fZscow41inzlScc__zhCU" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQNnjXSds5cl8STKu1ja4EeBvPXxP1fZscow41inzlScc__zhCU" /></a>Life has been crazy this past year. A few days after finishing our longboard journey I went back to Utah and married my sweetheart Jamie. We have had a wonderful year since then. Almost immediately after getting married we moved to Davis, California to research at the California National Primate Research Center. After working there a few months we moved back to Utah where I picked up my schooling again and Jamie started working. School has been crazy. Currently I am trying to pack a full years worth of Organic Chemistry into one summer (...I have dreams where I am studying chemistry...or taking exams...terrible dreams...) as well as preparing two papers for publication based on the research I did last summer. Life is good.<br />
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Kenton went home to Arizona where he worked with his dad's business and tried to find true love. Soon after he went back to BYU Idaho where he continues work on his business degree. He has since been blessed to find love and was recently married to an enthusiastic and adorable young lady, Alexis. They are the cutest couple and I am so happy for the both of them. She is up at school with him and they are just studying away. Life is filled up with school...school seems to be taking the most of our time and energy.<br />
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As far as Longboard For Love well....between new marriages, jobs, and school it has been difficult to plan out another trip or even organized our schedules to decide when we want to go again. Things are in the works though. I am going to do a short trip in celebration of the completion of my final exams. I just submitted an application to the Guinness Book of World Records for another journey we hoping to do. We won't give details yet but it will involve a relay of sorts with a larger team of people coming to Longboard For Love. We will be doing it to raise money for charity again. The big details still need to get hammered out and when/if Kenton and I find time we will do that.<br />
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Just wanted to keep ya'll updated. Thanks for reading!Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-63258802161631196812014-06-30T09:30:00.001-07:002019-04-09T10:41:36.082-07:00Computers for RomaniaCheck out this <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865605450/Computers-from-Utah-blessing-foster-children-in-Romania.html?pg=all">sweet article</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865605450/Computers-from-Utah-blessing-foster-children-in-Romania.html?pg=all">
</a> about students at the LDS Business College getting more computers for the children of Bridge of Love (Podul Dragostei). The business students are learning to refurbish old computers that are just lying around and then donating them to the children of Romania. Huzzah for an education that keeps giving. This will make a huge difference in the education and futures of the Romanian children.<br />
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It is really cool what people can accomplish when they get an idea and follow through with it.<br />
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Read the article <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865605450/Computers-from-Utah-blessing-foster-children-in-Romania.html?pg=all">here</a>.<br />
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<br />Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-54775866278104669992014-03-05T12:43:00.000-08:002014-03-05T12:43:33.328-08:00A Good Man<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenton and I happy <br />
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Throughout my life my cousin Kenton has been one of my closest friends. Each summer my family would drive to my mother's ancestral home in Arizona. There Kenton and I would get into all sorts of boyhood shenanigans camping, climbing trees, swimming in the irrigation ditch, swinging on hammocks, etc.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gathering eggs and catching chickens</td></tr>
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When Kenton and I were about 14 or 15 years old, we went to a summer camp together. During a break I was a little bored and I saw Kenton's journal. He let me take a look at it so I started flipping through. I found an entry he had written a few days before. In it he wrote that one of his heroes was....me. I stopped reading and sat up, frankly shocked. I got my journal and showed Kenton an entry I had written in my journal, where I wrote about my hero...Kenton. We had a memorable moment as we sat shocked and flattered that the person we looked up to though so highly of us as well. Afterwards I was thinking of the irony of the situation and I thought, "You know what. I am right. Kenton is the better one, but I want to live to be as good as he thinks I am." </div>
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When planning our recent longboard adventure I thought long and hard about who I would like to have with me. Who would actually follow through on such a crazy adventure? I thought about it and suddenly it came to me...Kenton! Kenton was the perfect choice for so many reasons. I knew that if Kenton said he would come, then Kenton would stick to his word and he would follow through. I knew the trip would get hard and we would want to quit, but Kenton is one of the hardest workers I know and I knew that he would do all he could to push himself and push me during the hard times.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Building boats to float down<br />
the river on our camping trip</td></tr>
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Another reason I asked Kenton to come is that Kenton is the nicest and happiest people I know. I am often very sober minded, but Kenton always has a smile on his face. Just being around him helps me be more cheery. We weren't always happy and didn't always get along on the trip, but Kenton's sterling example and happy disposition helped me set aside whatever petty thing was bothering me (like maybe we were lost) and apologize or figure out solutions. Kenton's happy attitude was vital to our trip.</div>
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Kenton sacrificed so much to do this trip. He was taking summer classes WHILE ON THE TRIP! We had to buy him an ipad and stop at every library we found so he could do homework. I am sure he sacrificed the quality of his grades for the trip. He gave all this up for people he doesn't even know. Kenton has never been to Romania, he has never met any of the kids we helped out. Despite all of this he sacrificed a month, lots of personal funds, grades, and personal comfort to go on this crazy adventure. All to support his crazy cousin and help people he hadn't met. Kenton is so full of charity and love.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9pe4Eh6I6kQh6WRTH474MwddZDHwi6XQs_MCgK3MrGmIla1tgXqLiwQ3YMr_MTEYUqFP7ia3C-4Kzo3DqE1dk8aDZoSIPR1Rbt9APHN7W-7aScrEp05gyHoLtEhNGmOEUiZ1PCIKmIp9/w960-h720-no/563222_122507157896217_1376061426_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9pe4Eh6I6kQh6WRTH474MwddZDHwi6XQs_MCgK3MrGmIla1tgXqLiwQ3YMr_MTEYUqFP7ia3C-4Kzo3DqE1dk8aDZoSIPR1Rbt9APHN7W-7aScrEp05gyHoLtEhNGmOEUiZ1PCIKmIp9/w960-h720-no/563222_122507157896217_1376061426_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grown up and building <br />
a camping shelter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The most beautiful thing we experienced on our longboard trip was the kindness and giving attitude of others. People who donated. People who gave us something to eat or a place to stay. Newspapers who spread the word. People who gave encouragement. Out of everyone who gave to the trip I think Kenton gave the most. He really is my hero and I look up to him in so many ways. I called Kenton a few days ago to talk about our next longboarding adventure and we ended up chatting for about 40 minutes until I had to go to class. I am glad to have someone so happy, so hard working, so giving, and so kind in my life.<br />
<br />
Kenton recently got engaged and I am so proud of him. I hope his fiancee knows how lucky she is because she is marrying a good man, my cousin and hero, Kenton Durfee.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pVkCDq8QkHDr93JgyJ0waXC6rTddxEqRZ3Gt1K1oIe7fGHOntvvR22wlzPcECbbkWTSajKF-idZoVUe7qRupVbqAT2hyphenhyphen8YdTnkXcKhkSVRkZ5DvFgA-PdKzpi0DH4IKb5bUQlWRg27GW/s1600/Capture3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pVkCDq8QkHDr93JgyJ0waXC6rTddxEqRZ3Gt1K1oIe7fGHOntvvR22wlzPcECbbkWTSajKF-idZoVUe7qRupVbqAT2hyphenhyphen8YdTnkXcKhkSVRkZ5DvFgA-PdKzpi0DH4IKb5bUQlWRg27GW/s1600/Capture3.PNG" height="398" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up to our waists in mud</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8NRaCLcptsvZVPXL1Lc1uHEljqnxRsnFljgVhg_hNcZKsMwcjxOwSOnuKQ1-33qxVyI1aBeSQEGNveAAr-YLkfHcukHsV1QN7uGEy6SaoGkcEwXwZj5OF_GACQmOSD4Dwaee9lXxmqK6/w1145-h859-no/IMG_2635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8NRaCLcptsvZVPXL1Lc1uHEljqnxRsnFljgVhg_hNcZKsMwcjxOwSOnuKQ1-33qxVyI1aBeSQEGNveAAr-YLkfHcukHsV1QN7uGEy6SaoGkcEwXwZj5OF_GACQmOSD4Dwaee9lXxmqK6/w1145-h859-no/IMG_2635.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guess we haven't really grown up that much.</td></tr>
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Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-19986117371323042192013-11-13T07:44:00.001-08:002019-04-09T10:42:02.699-07:00Just Dance<div style="text-align: right;">
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Well, we have a big thank you to Yasmeen! She organized an phenomenal event in New York. The Dance-Off Competition was a huge success. All the proceeds from the event went to Bridge of Love, for which we are grateful. Yasmeen was also able to get donations from a few organizations like Blue Sky Longboards.<br />
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Yasmeen sent me some pictures (you can see some really cool ones <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sportsgal501/sets/72157637498511516/with/10769422104/">here</a>) and the event looked like a ton of fun! I really wish I had been able to attend but distance prevented me. Instead Bridge of Love sent a representative who lived in the area.<br />
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I am looking forward to next year's dance contest. Maybe we should organize one here in Utah too.<br />
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Thanks once again to all the New York boarders. It really is awesome to see great people who want to use longboarding to help others, who want to have a good time and help others out at the same time.<br />
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I put a few pictures below but, you really should check out all the pictures from the competition. The dancing looks good and the fall leaves are beautiful. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sportsgal501/sets/72157637498511516/with/10769422104/">Click here</a> to see them.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NvQL2BwTKOn0vMhaJvK5GcGtf0MuhIWoTDIxNS46NQiY65RCPlWLFb99c7h5VJNKuLeUHiApdbW8H_SVECpnJ41j1E1FFVQf-fKWnrjYolGfqlD05tdTTR-NZl9Obnk96JnCQ4E9gFCK/s1600/unnamed+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NvQL2BwTKOn0vMhaJvK5GcGtf0MuhIWoTDIxNS46NQiY65RCPlWLFb99c7h5VJNKuLeUHiApdbW8H_SVECpnJ41j1E1FFVQf-fKWnrjYolGfqlD05tdTTR-NZl9Obnk96JnCQ4E9gFCK/s640/unnamed+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are the winners from the event. Ian, in the middle, got first,<br />
Steven Vera on the left was second and Jason T. Quinn on the right won third.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQbbFMHx43pesiI_mVRwBRYVyzsLSIOgV3w84i5c-Rz9D103s5t6m-T2xHHzH17-Bly2r29vX-3JRbH5lInFHAb7e5nZE_Z0tXJCrT-oL0etlKk28u6ZHpA4-ZVwNNzVap6yIJsQnMDKh/s1600/unnamed+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQbbFMHx43pesiI_mVRwBRYVyzsLSIOgV3w84i5c-Rz9D103s5t6m-T2xHHzH17-Bly2r29vX-3JRbH5lInFHAb7e5nZE_Z0tXJCrT-oL0etlKk28u6ZHpA4-ZVwNNzVap6yIJsQnMDKh/s640/unnamed+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just chilling and watching the event</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrvV8wE7OBQaoqQpoBhyOMRLVpE0dhy2ghU1yJlt54VgJsmU32VQ1xFMf1hARirc6AA5Oku_sMTACIGC6b7fKAB83Jg5LjliipYS9OA5SE4MxZcuKl36oUAvUt7bnJZ5xHr2I1Vzb5c3C/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrvV8wE7OBQaoqQpoBhyOMRLVpE0dhy2ghU1yJlt54VgJsmU32VQ1xFMf1hARirc6AA5Oku_sMTACIGC6b7fKAB83Jg5LjliipYS9OA5SE4MxZcuKl36oUAvUt7bnJZ5xHr2I1Vzb5c3C/s640/unnamed.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everybody excited about it all</td></tr>
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Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-49195630914025172512013-11-06T08:42:00.000-08:002013-11-06T08:42:33.666-08:00What We Will Do DifferentlyLongboard For Love is trying to look forward to next year. However, in order to adequately plan for the future we need to look back on what we learned from the past. Let me tell you, from our recent trip, we have learned quite a lot. We did our best and got advice from a lot of people, but we were not totally prepared for the trip. After a month on the road we feel pretty confident in our knowledge.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPw3U2DSMiCp1brj7Vr_FDRTOp4D4Iqmhcm3Ru7qCJry2NjYZQGbFN-c09fs40I2K8MlXHNV7atomfC0SKnKK80UumoZKGJ5LgsidPxQAmx6VEEVmbnNZqTNm8NNDberMbZZVauVoMs613/s640/Whole+Trip.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPw3U2DSMiCp1brj7Vr_FDRTOp4D4Iqmhcm3Ru7qCJry2NjYZQGbFN-c09fs40I2K8MlXHNV7atomfC0SKnKK80UumoZKGJ5LgsidPxQAmx6VEEVmbnNZqTNm8NNDberMbZZVauVoMs613/s320/Whole+Trip.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our "Final Map" plan. We were so excited when we<br />
finished the plan....and we threw it out the first day!</td></tr>
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<b><i>Mapping it out</i></b><br />
Last trip I spent months and months going over the route again and again. However, all I had at my disposal was Google Maps. I had to redo the route about eight different times. Then...after the first day we had to throw the whole map out the window. It failed. Thankfully Kenton brought his phone which had a GPS. All we were able to do was each night we planned out what we could do the next day. We only had a few days planned out at a time. I said before I had no idea where we were going, only south. That is the real truth. Next time we will make a rough but realistic plan, and definitely bring a good GPS with a great battery.<br />
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Ben Smith, who went across Utah on his longboard, had a good idea. His support drove the route in a car before he did it on a board. This showed them problem places and allowed them to plan. I think this is a good idea. However if we had done this before we might not have actually done our trip. Some of the roads were sketchy. Although maybe we would have planned a better route instead.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5453433430_803ac532f3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5453433430_803ac532f3.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob Thompson who first<br />
used Longboard Larry's<br />
trailer</td></tr>
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<b><i>Self Supported</i></b><br />
We really wanted to do our trip self-supported, meaning we carried everything with us. We can now say we did it... but we aren't sure we will do it again. The backpacks did save us money on cars and gas, but they really slowed us down. Days where someone took our backpacks for us we went about twice as fast, and we enjoyed life quite a bit more. I still suffer from chronic lower back pain as a consequence to my heavy backpack and the repetitive motion of pushing the board.<br />
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Backpacks are probably a no go. We may look into the longboard trailer idea from Longboard Larry. The best idea, in our opinion, is to have a support vehicle.<br />
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<b><i>Press</i></b><br />
Now that we have done a trip we will definitely contact the press earlier. That helped us out a ton. More people offered to let us stay a night in their yard or home. People donated more, people honked and cheered on the road which helped our moral. Getting the press earlier will really help<br />
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<b><i>Enjoy the Journey</i></b><br />
If we do another long-term trip, we will try to "stop and smell the roses" a bit more. With the backpacks we<br />
were slowed down a lot. In order to make our goal of 650 miles we were always in a hurry. It was stressful. Our schedule was typically as follows: 7:00 wake up, hit the road by 7:45, 8:30 take a break, take a ten minute break every hour afterwards, at about 7:00 pm we would start looking for a place to stay. At nightfall hopefully we were ready to sleep, and then do it all over the next day.<br />
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On a future trip we may try to be less ambitious with our daily mileage, or more realistic, and thus be more free to take joy in the journey.<br />
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<b><i>Homework</i></b><br />
Kenton was enrolled at the BYU-I Business School during the trip. He was doing all he could online. This was stressful for Kenton. We will plan better and take a hiatus from school during the trip.<br />
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<b><i>Relay Race</i></b><br />
In the future we will probably do some form of a relay race. This divides into two trains of thought. One idea is to make it competitive. A couple of teams going 24 hours in shifts. Maybe a 250 mile race with one member of your team going at all times.<br />
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<br />Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-91970150223049610412013-10-27T19:55:00.000-07:002013-10-27T19:55:18.112-07:00Reminder: Dance Contest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Everyone in the New York City area. Do not forget about the Dance-off Contest on November 9th. Be there or be square. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46Zt6fwaXwSib5cQMl6q9hOcVEy8o9r8jBJvklhYg-wx4RgwrbDCRHq2Ykgbwc3CXBACUJKB_RMTGJXENmFmWK5mkdj9d4DBYpI6f974FQLw6rLqTQoHCmEXbMMSMcy9ly2-pZn72Btwt/s1600/1394115_10151937897397888_1012434501_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="637" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46Zt6fwaXwSib5cQMl6q9hOcVEy8o9r8jBJvklhYg-wx4RgwrbDCRHq2Ykgbwc3CXBACUJKB_RMTGJXENmFmWK5mkdj9d4DBYpI6f974FQLw6rLqTQoHCmEXbMMSMcy9ly2-pZn72Btwt/s640/1394115_10151937897397888_1012434501_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-35539723001923606812013-10-27T19:41:00.000-07:002013-10-27T19:41:13.364-07:00Dracula's Dash For Hope 2013<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9giHGY8iNmOtAyfXv-blU9pklMBn-fYYD7Nu3QRnmTK9BuEoRY940M1qaQcETwSlyLkVOwNbzmBFr6B68Lx5RF2cmZ455L4ooyezFdqwbZqMgnJN06sZsAuTQS6T2frfwkb_hOBFJmR4/s1600/IMG_3414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9giHGY8iNmOtAyfXv-blU9pklMBn-fYYD7Nu3QRnmTK9BuEoRY940M1qaQcETwSlyLkVOwNbzmBFr6B68Lx5RF2cmZ455L4ooyezFdqwbZqMgnJN06sZsAuTQS6T2frfwkb_hOBFJmR4/s640/IMG_3414.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sister Sydney, my mom, my beautiful wonderful wife Jamie, and me wearing my hobo jacket Jamie hates</td></tr>
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This year I was able to attend Bridge of Love's annual 5k, Dracula's Dash for Hope. Instead of helping at the booths, like I did last year, I actually ran the race. I was able to convince some of my family to come which was a sweet experience. Before I went on my mission to Romania I would run each morning with my mom so it was nice to run with her again. </div>
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I'm not a fast runner and I haven't been running much lately so my time wasn't that good. I got 32 minutes even. I remember thinking, "Oh awesome! That is the same time I used to get in high school!", then I remembered that I used to get 20-22 minutes. It was a disappointing moment in my life to see I've slowed down by ten whole minutes.</div>
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My family are pretty fast runners though. My mom won third place in her age category. My little sister placed as well. She came to run for my dad who had a last minute problem come up and couldn't make it. Since Sydney was registered as my dad she won first place in the Men's 50-59 age category! We had a good laugh about that and let the race officials know about the mix up. Bridge of Love still gave her a medal which was nice. </div>
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Great morning and great event. Here are some more pictures below.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMQ_Wf9pSKsnzWPHwK4kvgmvJ8v5h0zWE8KspZv354_QvJaXZ9bHvTeOejoBvqCLs6Ax5Wke-bzV8imzzJKi4Cf5rQEkofcL7x3wcWejsRPCw8ShpxuF-pg-PvwcWqL-qGExgunV78DQR/s1600/IMG_3417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMQ_Wf9pSKsnzWPHwK4kvgmvJ8v5h0zWE8KspZv354_QvJaXZ9bHvTeOejoBvqCLs6Ax5Wke-bzV8imzzJKi4Cf5rQEkofcL7x3wcWejsRPCw8ShpxuF-pg-PvwcWqL-qGExgunV78DQR/s400/IMG_3417.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laurie Lundberg thanking everyone for coming to the race</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1fAKroi5-j7rjYgwuJoitbx7o4rVj6gN-WXHOAuTiZXzCYDwgkn0HCea2GNAimPC03kouzWJtHMbTVTD1fcbD8foZ_YQ-m_vHt1azJL2C3mRLKzXXnpkBLMGNeBanBZdCHBbrk3dhE6L/s1600/IMG_3409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1fAKroi5-j7rjYgwuJoitbx7o4rVj6gN-WXHOAuTiZXzCYDwgkn0HCea2GNAimPC03kouzWJtHMbTVTD1fcbD8foZ_YQ-m_vHt1azJL2C3mRLKzXXnpkBLMGNeBanBZdCHBbrk3dhE6L/s400/IMG_3409.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The center of the activities</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkj5SQ5DoZD5UN1h8_SrHwOfBthvwSItqyx0Q0keoDxmyKQRTEYB6o-Rz_TwvpXyAxqWxkWNuGg8tjqDsnMYQUOjcO8S3LtTJdyhuR8cJdv96m4quZQ3tKDtbLKYunreneW3xEl53x5QxS/s1600/IMG_3411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkj5SQ5DoZD5UN1h8_SrHwOfBthvwSItqyx0Q0keoDxmyKQRTEYB6o-Rz_TwvpXyAxqWxkWNuGg8tjqDsnMYQUOjcO8S3LtTJdyhuR8cJdv96m4quZQ3tKDtbLKYunreneW3xEl53x5QxS/s400/IMG_3411.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start line for the kids race</td></tr>
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<br />Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-55074487198929784022013-10-07T09:46:00.002-07:002013-10-07T09:46:32.759-07:00We Can Dance If We Want To...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinbOLuFxn7lZOvdJ8AwrSK-SZ1wNCv985qVp7FpwRE0Sn2z7avbJzpqSbowPidDkPLthcYswE-aIMK8STXUyHRtk3cprcUXn89mdj0XC1G80TVoy8ai1Km7c_eMjq9Dy2eWH7p_RkU8_n/s1600/new+poster+with+sponsors.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="513" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinbOLuFxn7lZOvdJ8AwrSK-SZ1wNCv985qVp7FpwRE0Sn2z7avbJzpqSbowPidDkPLthcYswE-aIMK8STXUyHRtk3cprcUXn89mdj0XC1G80TVoy8ai1Km7c_eMjq9Dy2eWH7p_RkU8_n/s640/new+poster+with+sponsors.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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Good news for those of you in the New York area. Longboard For Love is helping to sponsor a longboard dance-off contest on November 9th. We have been in contact with Yasmeen, a member of the <a href="http://www.meetup.com/LongboardingNYC/events/141645552/">Longboarding New York City</a> group. She is putting on the event and all of the proceeds will go to Bridge of Love in order to help the orphans in Romania.<br />
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Information about the event:</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Skaters will perform a combination of freestyle and dance tricks for a total of 60 seconds. The tournament will be set up as a one on one (one will win, one will lose), tournament style. Through cheers and jeers, the audience will decide who moves on to fight for another day! </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">The last two standing will do a dance off of 30 quick seconds, to show off their stuff!!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Hippie jump contest will follow :)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Helmets are recommended! </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Join at your own risk!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Registration is $5, the money earned will be donated to charity!</span></li>
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We hope that those of you who can will attend the event. I know that it says helmets are recommended but I strongly suggest wearing a helmet anyway. </div>
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Those of you who don't know about dancing on a longboard are in for a treat! Dancing is basically <a href="http://www.simplelongboards.com/trick-tip-the-cross-step/">complicated footwork</a> on the board. Since longboards are large there is room enough to step around, move, shake and boogey. The tricks are really cool to see and so dance competitions are not uncommon. <a href="http://mysabo.blogspot.de/2013/08/1st-european-longboard-dancing.html">Here</a> are some photos from a recent competition done in Berlin. You can kind of get the idea. </div>
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So everyone sign up and go to the event! It will be a lot of fun and you won't want to miss out!</div>
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Here is a video showing what is possible with longboard dancing.</div>
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Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-78408870965985074932013-09-30T08:09:00.000-07:002013-09-30T08:09:57.724-07:00A Goal Realized<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDH3fQnw6gRHckUjgzCC-T3bq2dNmzhUcMIXcL8sFbFPgq3VMJPpr0rhTwaLFr8Wf3EVj2plLMJ-iNHj6pmYXirveOv3YrU1DTyNYTrNwfdNBnxZyNXF2jyhomqDRKLW9-SmodwUusz56D/s1600/BridgeofLoveThanks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDH3fQnw6gRHckUjgzCC-T3bq2dNmzhUcMIXcL8sFbFPgq3VMJPpr0rhTwaLFr8Wf3EVj2plLMJ-iNHj6pmYXirveOv3YrU1DTyNYTrNwfdNBnxZyNXF2jyhomqDRKLW9-SmodwUusz56D/s400/BridgeofLoveThanks.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the picture hanging up in my apartment right now.</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">A few weeks ago Kenton and I both received
a package from Bridge of Love. Inside it, was a letter and a picture. The letter
was from Laurie Lundberg telling us about the visit to Romania that Bridge of
Love made this summer and the picture was from the kids in Romania. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The letter said that when Laurie spoke to those in charge of the sister organization there, Podul Dragostei,
they informed her that, just recently, three teachers had offered their time on
a volunteer basis as tutors for the kids. Isn't that amazing! It is wonderful
that they are giving of their time. It was decided to let them continue teaching on as volunteers since they already have a paying job and are happy to help.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The foster parents told Laurie Lundberg
that it would be nice for the kids to have computers and computer classes. It
would be helpful for their education and help them have the skills needed to
find jobs in the future. Bridge of Love felt that this fit nicely with what
Longboard For Love promoted so the money is going towards a teacher and a
computer lab for the kids.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB">Laurie told the kids and foster parents about our longboard trip which will help make the computer lab possible. They were extremely grateful. To show their gratitude they sent a picture of the kids and had the kids sign it. I was very touched and it is now hanging up in my apartment.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">This whole endeavor and this blessing
would not have been made possible without the help of all of you. Kenton and I
did the trip, </span>but it wasn't enough without the generosity and love exhibited by all who gave of themselves in some
way. Bridge of Love, and the children in Barlad Romania thank you all.</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I had hoped to help other people and
possibly inspire others for good through this trip. Instead I find myself
greatly helped by being inspired, changed, and uplifted by the loving giving
example I saw through this adventure. Longboard For Love, especially Mason
Bennett, wants to thank you all as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Huzzah for Humanity!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-27854484721501418072013-09-28T22:53:00.001-07:002015-03-06T12:12:31.292-08:00The Hero's Trail<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-size: large;">Confessions</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> I
am a bibliophile. I simply love books. I recently realized just how many I have
when Jamie and me moved into our new apartment in Provo. We brought down boxes
full of books, and we only have one bookcase! After three days of organizing, and
reorganizing and sending books back home we finally figured it out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> There
are books from many different genres and subjects. Storybooks: Lord of the
Rings Trilogy, The Hobbit, and My Side
of the Mountain. Personal favorites include: Dante's Inferno, Frankenstein, Les
Meserables, East of Eden, The Neverending Story. We have biographies about
Gandhi, William Wilberforce, Michelangelo, The Autobiography of Parley P.
Pratt. Myths and Fables with Beowolf, The Poetic Edda, Grimms Fairy Tales, and
Anderson's Fairy Tales. Books on adventure and discovery in Kon-tiki, The Lost
City of Z, River of Darkness. Religious books like the Bible, the Book of
Mormon, Quran, Popol Vuh, The Apocrypha, Book of Jasher, Baggiavad Gita, Dammapada, Confession's of St. Augustine. Philosophy and
thinking with Kierkegaard, C.S. Lewis, Viktor Frankl, Buscalia, and Taylor
Caldwell. Poetry from Shel Silverstein to Shakespeare's Complete works, to
Mihai Eminescu, Robert Frost, Paublo Neruda. History with Gibbon's Rise and
Decline of the Roman Empire, and Gardner's Art through the Ages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-size: large;"> Merlin and Barron</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> While
the list is long it represents a very small number of my favorites that made it
into the bookcase. Books and reading really mean a lot to me. One book that has
been important to me is by <a href="http://tabarron.com/">T.A. Barron</a>. In second grade I was starting to feel
that the Bailey School Kids books were becoming too simple and repetitive. I
branched out to the harder books and found myself intrigued by The Lost Years
of Merlin. I read it and loved it. I fell in love with the characters and the
world which was created in the pages. The morals and love of nature spoke to
me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.soentpiet.com/images/TA%20Barron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.soentpiet.com/images/TA%20Barron.jpg" height="227" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><div style="text-align: center;">
In his sweater. Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.soentpiet.com/wheres.htm">www.soentpiet.com</a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> In
the years following I devoured every book Barron wrote. I love how he helped
teach me the impact a good person can have on the world. I followed the Merlin
series to when it was five books. Then eight, then eleven. Until they were
reprinted as a series with new titles. </span><span lang="EN-GB">When I was 17 T.A. Barron came to
Utah with his new book, The Hero's Trail. I took my little brother with me to
go see him. We drove about a half hour to the auditorium where Barron would be
speaking. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> We
sat there nervously waiting for this great man, this creator of worlds in which
we had spent so much time, to appear. He was announced, and up the isle he
strode, skipping up the stage steps...he tripped! My brother and I looked at
each other in amazement. "He's human!" I thought. "He wears funny green
sweaters and trips sometimes!" <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-size: large;">Small and Simple Things</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> As
I listened I thought to myself how he was another person, just like us, who
does wonderful things. That was the message he spoke about. That each of us
walks a trail in life, the Heroes Trail, and by the strength of our character
we can surmount obstacles and make a difference in the world. The book, which I
bought and had signed, shares stories and quotes about people, mostly young
people, who have made the world a better place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> I
look back on my life and see this as one more learning experience that led me
to who I am and why Longboard For Love did what we did. As normal people we
wanted to make a genuine difference in the world, and maybe, at the same time,
our example could ignite the spark of charity in anothers heart. Just as Barron
helped do the same in me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3IiTl77xDhT_rsGavhyEvHTnU4HNNDVTMuJU-tGwcIBzktYNpSkrs2pskKyJPcy4vjo6p-WRvi27UYGZkWIva0eRvWABYlC2fzkQ_GDS7s8lFptavvFMr3Zf425EUDMQfdlaLaEWJL1J/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3IiTl77xDhT_rsGavhyEvHTnU4HNNDVTMuJU-tGwcIBzktYNpSkrs2pskKyJPcy4vjo6p-WRvi27UYGZkWIva0eRvWABYlC2fzkQ_GDS7s8lFptavvFMr3Zf425EUDMQfdlaLaEWJL1J/s320/photo.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-GB"> <span style="color: #6fa8dc;">"This
world of ours is a truly wondrous place-full of great mysteries and great
contrasts. </span></span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span lang="EN-GB">Chief</span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">among</span><span lang="EN-GB"> those mysteries, I am afraid, is how
a world with so much beauty and richness could also be home to greed,
arrogance, and intolerance. How can a world that produces abundant fruits,
inspires timeless poetry, builds lasting friendships, and creates chances for
us to realize our dreams also contain the horror of war and religious hatred?
That is the greatest challenge of our time, my friend; to tip the world's
scale, to find hope where there might be despair, to help all living creatures
live together in harmony" -T.A. Barron<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><br /></span>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> "Just
as the smallest grain of sand can tilt the scale, the weight of one person's
will can life an entire world." - T.A. Barron</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-87730654497485026882013-09-25T08:17:00.001-07:002013-09-25T08:17:19.804-07:00Favorite Photo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have posted a lot of pictures from our recent trip on the <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/05/pictures-for-you.html">blog</a> and our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Longboard-4-Love/103459846467615">Facebook</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Longboard-4-Love/103459846467615"> </a>page. The photo below is my favorite picture from the whole adventure. It was taken by a photographer from the Orange County Register. Early one morning we met with the news, we shared our story with them and then they took a lot of pictures. The "photo-shoot" lasted a few hours but they were really flexible with our schedule and just followed us in their car and took pictures of us on the go.</div>
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As we were talking to them I had my hands on my board. The photographer snapped a picture and I thought nothing of it. Later in the newspaper article I saw it and realized she had noticed what <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/01/with-your-one-wild-and-precious-life.html">I wrote on the bottom</a> of my board. The caption for the picture in the article says,<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> "Mason Bennett, 23, of Utah carries a hand-written question on his long board, "Tell me what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"</span></div>
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I am glad she picked up on that. I wrote a few things that inspired me on the bottom of my board. My hands are covering up the spot where I wrote a name for my board "Impetus" and on another spot I wrote a line from a poem as well, "Home is behind, the world ahead, and there are many paths to tread." All of them wore off by the end of the trip except for this inspiring question:</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWU1GMUzFpjiXN6xkisikhaLWQPHD0nLMpmQondAKVYFRlDViz1WxQs9kZC6LI8h5xes26EYUusgzmYSBw_pQ314vPYs-iOTx3Ie9axS2zvqjou8lRS51Vle5sJdLiD_K2x1gZyyoXw8ta/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWU1GMUzFpjiXN6xkisikhaLWQPHD0nLMpmQondAKVYFRlDViz1WxQs9kZC6LI8h5xes26EYUusgzmYSBw_pQ314vPYs-iOTx3Ie9axS2zvqjou8lRS51Vle5sJdLiD_K2x1gZyyoXw8ta/s1600/Capture.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">photo courtesy of Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register</td></tr>
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<br />Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-47471128026724537162013-09-23T07:44:00.000-07:002013-09-23T07:46:12.840-07:00Dracula's Dash For Hope 2013<br />
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It is that time of year again! Bridge of Love is hosting its annual 5K race, <a href="http://www.bridgeofloveromania.com/index.php/get-involved-side/dracula-s-dash-for-hope">Dracula's Dash For Hope</a>. I went <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2012/11/draculas-dash-for-hope-2012.html">last year</a> and it was a ton of fun. Here is the information from the Bridge of Love website about the race. I hope to see you there!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dear Friend of Bridge of Love,</span><br /><br />We are excited to announce our Dracula’s Dash for Hope 5k and 1/2-Mile Kids’ Run on Saturday, October 12th at the Cottonwood Complex, 4400 S. 1300 E. in Salt Lake City.<br /><br />Dracula is out to change his reputation of doom and gloom by helping to raise donations for abandoned and <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/458524_449185758457842_1282652585_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/458524_449185758457842_1282652585_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;">Photo of the 1/2 children race from last year</span></td></tr>
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disadvantaged children in Romania. This is our 6th annual charity 5k and it keeps getting better every year!<br /><br />For 2013, we’ve added a shorter run for kids and planned fun Halloween-themed changes. There will be refreshments, medals, and prizes. Costumes are encouraged but not required.<br /><br />Visit www.bridgeofloveromania.com to pre-register online or for more information about Dracula’s Dash for Hope. Race-day registration and packet pickup is from 7:00 – 8:30 a.m. Please sign up early!<br /><br />The 1/2-mile run for children under age 10 begins at 8:30 a.m. The cost is $10 and all participants will receive a medal.<br /><br />The 5k starts at 9 a.m. sharp. The cost is $25 through Oct.1st or $35 afterward. Medals will be awarded to the top 5k runners in each age group. All participants will be given a race t-shirt and entered in a raffle for prizes donated by local businesses and volunteers. <br /><br />While not required, we encourage race participants to make an even bigger difference by asking family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to sponsor them in the race by making a donation of any amount to Bridge of Love. <br /><br />We are giving away a 32" LED Color TV to the person who collects the most donations. All others who donate $200 or more will receive a $20 gift card. <br /><br />More information to assist runners who choose to seek out race sponsor donations will be provided following their online pre-registration. </span><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">You can register for the race by clicking </span><a href="http://runnercard.com/e/runner.Main?meet=4944">here.</a></span><br />
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Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-60531622620591137402013-06-23T17:12:00.000-07:002013-09-04T19:55:01.699-07:00Mountain Bike Musings: Our One Escape Before Death<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWlwGfvG3vpxgGtvH_H1XdNV45IXqqkBOJ-GZmMQbGOoQRxOsc3oreDNEorVpFtZzHVVBffSUYyrAgVjedRHrmB4a3rDiOBNqKSEhfSMBmytErJZVMKw5aOxQYOhuwpYtrIZ_uZM1ccV3/s1600/IMGP2443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWlwGfvG3vpxgGtvH_H1XdNV45IXqqkBOJ-GZmMQbGOoQRxOsc3oreDNEorVpFtZzHVVBffSUYyrAgVjedRHrmB4a3rDiOBNqKSEhfSMBmytErJZVMKw5aOxQYOhuwpYtrIZ_uZM1ccV3/s320/IMGP2443.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My buddies and I at our High School Graduation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>When I was in High School my buddies and I had a "secret club". Every Friday our club would meet in this wooded area. There we would talk about our lives, catch up, tell jokes, read poems, build forts, and whatever else we felt like doing. Girls were not allowed because, while being great, they created drama, and this was our little moment to escape from it all.<br />
<br />
In our secret special spot we had pounded a stick into the ground and called it, very ingeniously, The Stick. When we needed to have emergency meetings we would simply tell one another to "Meet me at the Stick" and we all knew where to go. It was our secret spot. At times it felt almost sacred to me because of the brotherly feelings and friendship we developed in that place. I would often visit The Stick alone to think because if felt so good to be there. Now, six years later, I still visit. The Stick is gone, the brush is overgrown but it still feels good to sit. For my group of friends it was a sanctuary of sorts.<br />
<br />
I have my own special place like that. My personal private secret special spot. By my house is a mountain trail, the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, on which I love to mountain bike. If you bike along the trail you reach an incline. Travel up the hill and you will reach some radio towers way up high. Before you reach the towers there is a path that goes right, up a small hill, down a bit, and you find some rocks overlooking the whole valley.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4rHe8Vi0DMrmFZDiIYhsbC3rMPx6hNEQTcA0akWL1E7LSQC8240HfrpGwZ4T3IpkvGeo3Eq8X466xkA7lYWSZMmTrpk_nPhfL780cc-IA6f84DQtg8noDry5bDjNNHljo0B9HvGsx1Ox/s1600/Sydney's+baptism+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4rHe8Vi0DMrmFZDiIYhsbC3rMPx6hNEQTcA0akWL1E7LSQC8240HfrpGwZ4T3IpkvGeo3Eq8X466xkA7lYWSZMmTrpk_nPhfL780cc-IA6f84DQtg8noDry5bDjNNHljo0B9HvGsx1Ox/s400/Sydney's+baptism+004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the end of a mountain bike ride. On this particular day<br />
there was a terrible thunder and lightning storm. The pathway<br />
became muddy and my wheels sank all the way down and would<br />
not spin. I had to pick up my bike and carry it up the mountain<br />
through the rain to reach my spot. But reach it I did. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It is a gorgeous place. That is where I most loved to sit and think. I would take all my biggest questions and thoughts there, and as consequence, on those rocks I decided a lot of things about who I want to be and what I really believe. My hilltop perch was so good for me because it was secluded from the world, but I could still observe the world from a high vantage point. The trip was long. From my house on bike to a trail that wound around the grassy fields to the hill that goes up and up. There have been times I haven't been able to make it to my spot, due to a grasshopper infestation or a snowstorm when I tried to snowshoe up. I felt really frustrated by these attempts and in a silly way it felt a<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">lmost as though I had to pay the physical price to reach my spot where I would be given the answer to the questions I had. I had to make the journey to get my answer.</span><br />
<br />
I feel like everyone needs a sacred secret place. Recently I was reading East of Eden and John Steinbeck explains such a place in a conversation between two characters. Adam Trask is walking in the woods with his father Cyrus. Adam shows his father the little stump where he used to hide. Cyrus replies, <span style="color: #6fa8dc;">"I knew about it long ago. Once when you were gone a long time I knew you must have such a place, and I found it because I felt the kind of place you would need. See how the earth is tamped and the little grass is torn? And while you sat in there you stripped little pieces of bark to shreds. I knew it was the place when I came upon it." </span>Adam, quite astounded, asks why his father never came looking for him there.<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> "No," </span>Cyrus replied, <span style="color: #6fa8dc;">"I wouldn't do that. You can drive a human too far. I wouldn't do that. Always you must leave a man one escape before death. Remember that!"</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bonnevilleshorelinetrail.org/parleystodraper/gallery/images/Heading%20Northeast%20along%20Steep%20Mountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.bonnevilleshorelinetrail.org/parleystodraper/gallery/images/Heading%20Northeast%20along%20Steep%20Mountain.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture of the trail. Courtesy of<br />
<a href="http://www.bonnevilleshorelinetrail.org/">http://www.bonnevilleshorelinetrail.org/</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now to the whole point of this post. So...a few days ago Jamie and I went biking up the trail to my special spot. I haven't been up there for almost four years. I was shocked and not a little upset to see how much home development has been done up there. In place of my field through which I pondered as I rode are tennis courts and over sized homes. You don't feel like you're really in nature until you're basically at the base of the hill! I felt like my special place was being invaded. Not only that, but my mind, thoughts, and ideals were being barged in upon. I didn't like how it felt, like when you have a belligerent acquaintance who loves to challenge your beliefs and feelings and constantly condescendingly tries to convince you you're wrong.<br />
<br />
Just as much as we need to have our secret special place, I feel we must have a sanctuary inside. Where we hold what we know and who we are. Where we should be open to learn and think about new things, but also protect from invading "home developers" who destroy the sureness and serenity that comes to one who "knows" themselves.<br />
<br />
We need to have a special place within and without.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;"><u>When I am Full of Silence </u></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">by Jack Perlutsky </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">When I am full of silence, </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">and no one else is near, </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">the voice I keep inside me</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;"> is all I want to hear. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">I settle in my secret place, </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">contented and alone,</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;"> and think no other thoughts </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">except the thoughts that are my own.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">When I am full of silence,</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;"> I do not want to play, </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">to run and jump and fuss about, </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">the way I do all day. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">The pictures painted in my mind </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">are all I need to see </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">when I am full of silence… </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;">when I am truly me</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<br /></div>
Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-80041803352762588682013-06-22T10:22:00.000-07:002013-06-23T16:31:25.014-07:00Much Gratitude<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnktEfLqcEhgM4hXw_q2Q2UTmPLPwHp6_p0LS78v3fluQ4Sez7KOchpvJrXTmHfTrz5RKK5E-DN-ahFE9yeBZsoqAFtZpMN3wV04g6NXmdM0vZzeMWF2Af2l8LveL-IrS89tPMCC3bHml2/s1600/GOPR0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnktEfLqcEhgM4hXw_q2Q2UTmPLPwHp6_p0LS78v3fluQ4Sez7KOchpvJrXTmHfTrz5RKK5E-DN-ahFE9yeBZsoqAFtZpMN3wV04g6NXmdM0vZzeMWF2Af2l8LveL-IrS89tPMCC3bHml2/s320/GOPR0048.JPG" width="320" /></a>Now that the trip is over and done there are a lot of people I feel the need to thank. This whole endeavor was the effort of many and without everyone it would never have been possible.<br />
<br />
First person I would like to thank is Kenton Durfee. Truth be told without Kenton there would be no Longboard For Love. I would not have attempted this trip alone. It would have been too hard, too dangerous, and too scary. I called Kenton over a year ago and asked if he wanted to go on a crazy adventure. I asked Kenton because I knew that he would be excited about the trip, but also that if he said he would come he would follow through with that. I wanted him to come because he is my cousin and very very close friend, and one of the hardest workers I know. This means we would ha<br />
ve a lot of fun and I knew that he could help push me on the hard days. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPd9No4q142dVlqtZWQh9Y6gpqeo9CfY8QTYCjqJkoYD7w9Fe30HexhgZ-ZiHgvTf1Q74WEeMLWQp9_xpDOj7SVYe_TKO5YxtS8c1hKsHrxQckOkp5lqBps5zQkCkBok2KcjmlwtNkzKQG/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPd9No4q142dVlqtZWQh9Y6gpqeo9CfY8QTYCjqJkoYD7w9Fe30HexhgZ-ZiHgvTf1Q74WEeMLWQp9_xpDOj7SVYe_TKO5YxtS8c1hKsHrxQckOkp5lqBps5zQkCkBok2KcjmlwtNkzKQG/s320/DSC_0012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenton, my mom, and I</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Kenton sacrificed a lot to come. He was taking classes during the whole trip and <br />
had to take time to submit homework and study (I guess I should thank Kenton's professors too. Thanks for being understanding of a few late assignments). Kenton missed some fun family events too, like when his sister graduated high school as valedictorian or another sister got engaged. I'm grateful he came though and this wouldn't have been possible without him. Thanks Kenton.<br />
<br />
Thanks to my parents who supported my crazy idea and helped out so much. For helping me plan, making sure I was safe, getting me out there and back, and helping to raise so many funds for the orphans. I have the best parents in the world.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPih9ua0gwdTyp-TOLI8TJgjQM8yRjF3g8sIIzV8-DbXxGeS9PpExdXyWTPXE3az3lMIVq89Q89Q8vEk3SAaFa79MvgRuqLalKaEiqtfbpLeBhzBge0CS8uR5XAttkWKPtozQRxlYyszzd/s1600/1002714_346226048814482_148498247_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPih9ua0gwdTyp-TOLI8TJgjQM8yRjF3g8sIIzV8-DbXxGeS9PpExdXyWTPXE3az3lMIVq89Q89Q8vEk3SAaFa79MvgRuqLalKaEiqtfbpLeBhzBge0CS8uR5XAttkWKPtozQRxlYyszzd/s320/1002714_346226048814482_148498247_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamie and I</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thanks to my wife, THE <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/02/happy-valentines-day-boarding-for-love.html" target="_blank">Jamie Bennett</a>. A big thanks for becoming my friend six years ago and then marrying me recently. But thanks also for help with this project. Jamie took a lot of <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2012/10/kahuna-big-stick.html" target="_blank">pictures</a>, helped design the logo, and proofread just about every single blogpost. She allowed me to go on the trip the month before our wedding and supported everything so well. <br />
<br />
Thank you to Bridge of Love. Thanks for helping us out by allowing us to help your cause. Thanks for the help with fliers and cards we could hand out on the trip. A big thanks to the Lundbergs for all they've taught me in life. <br />
<br />
Thanks to <a href="http://www.s-one.com/" target="_blank">S-1 helmets</a> for getting us a good deal on your helmets. They saved my brain at least once on the trip. I'm happy that there is a company out there that is so concerned with real helmet safety instead of just making a quick buck with a cheap product. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://boardworkssurfcanada.com/wp-content/themes/bwc/img/product/kahuna/brand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://boardworkssurfcanada.com/wp-content/themes/bwc/img/product/kahuna/brand.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
A big thank you to <a href="http://www.kahunacreations.com/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=longboardad&gclid=CLfC2uX297cCFWJqMgod9hYAfA" target="_blank">Kahuna Creations</a>. Kenton and I loved your products and every single day told each other how grateful we were for the Big Stick and how difficult the trip would be without it. The boards were amazing. Each day we would get a compliment on the board. Not just how good they were but how beautifully designed it was. High quality performance board and a work of art. Thank you so much Kahuna for the support, for sharing us on your Facebook, help with the equipment. We are nothing but grateful and impressed with you guys.<br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you to the people who let us stay at your home or found us a place to stay. My parents, and Roz, the Burgons, the Nolls, the Salden family, the Hesselbeins, the Mathis family, the Wheelers, Durfees, everyone. Thank you.<br />
<br />
And a big thank you to everyone for supporting us by reading the blog, or donating to help the orphans. This was a huge endeavor made possible by many people. I wonder if the kids in Romania will ever really know how many people gave a little love to help them out. It is amazing. <br />
<br />
Thank you.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPzFyF826vfmCkA_WJNwkZamlvIQZ-Akdq8upKtlJFwdqVzpWemSyRScT7MOiByhaIP07ZzvJj-Qjcl-PGbTbjKkq8DEuJ-Pqnp06-B9RKgpm8uRLzeB6DLkI48gwki4kNdZrv-pzTwgT/s1600/996842_10200188818023292_371757278_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPzFyF826vfmCkA_WJNwkZamlvIQZ-Akdq8upKtlJFwdqVzpWemSyRScT7MOiByhaIP07ZzvJj-Qjcl-PGbTbjKkq8DEuJ-Pqnp06-B9RKgpm8uRLzeB6DLkI48gwki4kNdZrv-pzTwgT/s640/996842_10200188818023292_371757278_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture I took from Facebook of the recent Bridge of Love visit to Romania. Looks like fun.<br />
I hope to go sometime.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-43743626596506726942013-06-19T20:48:00.000-07:002013-06-19T20:48:26.590-07:00Mazel Tov To Me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Well, I've been away from blogging land for a while now. Sorry to just end the trip like that and then stop talking to you all. Apparently the world doesn't like it when you leave it all behind for five weeks on a crazy longboard adventure and then a honeymoon.<br />
<br />
Wait...did Mason just say honeymoon? Yes I did. That is my great news I want to talk about. On May 31, 2013 I married THE Jamie Wheeler (now Bennett). Look how cute we are!<br />
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We haven't received all our wedding photos yet but I'm sure that I won't be able to keep from bragging about it cause...I'll be so happy.<br />
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Out of all the things I've ever done, getting married to Jamie has been the best and the greatest.Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-46955719295668504912013-05-27T13:29:00.000-07:002013-05-27T13:34:52.609-07:00WE MADE IT!!!Well...as hinted in the <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/05/guess-where-we-are-today.html" target="_blank">picture previously posted</a> of Kenton and I at the San Diego Temple we....MADE IT!!!<br />
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After 25 days, 650+ miles, $6,000 in donations, <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/05/four-broken-sunglasses.html" target="_blank">5 pairs of sunglasses</a> (yes, it ended up being five...), poison oak, ticks, many roads, three sets of <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2012/10/longboard-helps-how-to-change-bearings.html" target="_blank">bearings</a>, three sets of shoes, and so many wonderful people we met...the trip is done and over, and those kids are getting their tutor!!!<br />
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I have to say that after the very<a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/05/life-lessons-i-have-lately-learned.html" target="_blank"> first day</a>, , I wasn't sure this could be done. To be honest I didn't even know if<a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/05/why-cant-i-grow-beard.html" target="_blank"> I still wanted to do it</a>. When we slowed down our pace in order to survive, I thought Los Angeles would be the furthest we get. Thankfully, we acclimated to the strains of the trip, we got stronger, and we got faster, and we remembered why we were doing this crazy thing. We had four days where family or friends took our pack and we were able to go twice as fast. With all of this, miraculously, we made it!<br />
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I don't know what I'm happier about. That we made it without getting hit by a car, or that I didn't get any <a href="http://longboard4love.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-creature-with-no-purpose.html" target="_blank">ticks</a>.<br />
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Well the trip ended and Kenton and I took our first real moments to relax. One thing we had made a habit of on the trip was to take pictures by signs with city names on them. Our dream was to take one by the San Diego sign. We rode and rode and rode, but there is no sign on the coastal highway. My mom and little sister came to pick us up and they said they had seen one on the freeway, but Kenton and I weren't allowed there. Eventually one was located in the city, and we got our picture.<br />
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We then took some time to relax on the beach and chill in the pool. The next day Mom took us all to Disneyland!!! That was a really fun ending to the trip, what a magical place it is.</div>
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I'm happy we did this trip. We've learned a lot. We learned life lessons, learned our limits, learned things we will do the same and some that we will do differently for next time. The trip was really hard, but totally worth it. We got to help out a lot of people, inspire others, be inspired by others, and just be part of a great adventure. </div>
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Thank you all for your support, and don't worry, its not totally over yet. Stay tuned for more posts and a video from the trip too, and next summer well...who knows?</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">When we finished we wanted to go to the beach...where we collapsed and fell asleep, and<br />
dreamed of more adventures! We look like we just washed up to shore.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">We luckily had enough energy to get up and enjoy the waves. That is me, Kenton and Sydney out there.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Mom made sure we were well fed. See the look of pure joy on Kenton's face<br />
as he carries out a pizza that was almost too big to fit in the car!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me happy as can be at the happiest place on Earth!!!</td></tr>
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Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531062027095216173noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1181416695660663620.post-2362699356627285122013-05-26T22:37:00.001-07:002013-05-26T22:37:53.297-07:00Words and Thoughts for the SabbathFrom Kenton: <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mason folding up his tent</td></tr>
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<br />Well my friends the 2013 longboarding trip has concluded. Being on the road, meeting so many wonderful people of California, and seeing the outpouring kindness from so many of you has made this trip a life changing experience for me. I want to thank all who have helped feed, shelter, pray for, and motivate me on this trip. Thank you! And thank you to all of you who have donated to bless the lives of the Romanian children. You have made a difference in their future, thank you!<br />
<br />One of the major things that I have come to learn from this trip is how much I rely on my home to get things done. For instance having a consistent bed, food, family, and protection relieves the stress of everyday living. Having to focus on my belongings and the protection of my body on the highway absorbs the focus of most of my attention when I would rather put my efforts toward a higher level, such as education.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road to San Diego</td></tr>
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<br />I have found the importance of keeping myself close to God. Mason has done a good job of remembering to start the morning with prayer. I find that I usually begin longboarding by asking Heavenly Father for protection and guidance on the day of journey. It’s not uncommon to see Mason and I standing on the side of the road with our helmets removed, eyes closed in prayer to God. I believe that we have been safe from major harm thanks to the goodness of God; Mason commented that he "Felt that God has guided us to the places we need to be and that he has a plan for us for the rest of the trip." Honestly when I think of riding our boards for 650 miles, I am amazed that we have been so well protected. Since the trip has ended, I have heard how many of you have prayed for Mason and my safety. Thank you for praying for us, your prayers have kept us safe. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still riding even though I fell Day #1</td></tr>
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<br />The first day of this trip, the trucks on my boards were loose and gave me a good turning radius. However, going down a puny hill the board started to wobble and I went down. I landed on my right shoulder ripping the sleeve and roughing up my left leg. It could have been a lot worse but I was still jittery and very gun shy the rust of the day, and for the several days following.<br />
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I tightened my trucks on my board and I have been able to ride much more confidently. The tightening allows me to not wobble and ride down much steeper terrain with my heavy backpack. At the end of the first day, with my 100% crash per day record, I dreamed I was hitting the road over and over again. Each time I hit I would jolt awake. I didn't feel very rested, but I awoke with inspiration to travel at a speed I felt safe. I could carry my board down whatever hill I wanted too. Mason told me that I could walk down any hill and he wouldn't judge me. Thanks Mason! <br />
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<br />A speaker I heard in church quoted the Savior in the New Testament from Matthew 25:40. Jesus said that "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." As I think about this scripture I am filled with gratitude for the kind people who have given for the Romanian children.<br />
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I have seen strangers give money for the Romanian children; ask after our safety, offer direction, food, and their homes for us to stay. The giving of these people affects more than just Mason and I, their efforts bless the lives of the Romanian children and in the process they give back to God. With the conclusion of the trip I hope you will continue to give to your families, to strangers, and to God. <br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378274755515703339noreply@blogger.com4