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The best places for freeboard

Freebording is about conquering the asphalt and making the concrete yours. No matter where you live, you can find some great Freebord runs to shred. There are groups across the country and around the world (Germany and Australia love Freebord) with members ranging from beginner to advanced who are dedicated to discovering the best places to Freebord. Once you get the hang of Freebord, you might consider joining one. Until then…

Many of the places that skaters trash are also great places to get off the Freebord. If you like freestyle, go to a skatepark. If you like hill bombing, find out where the longboarders hang out. If you want to do some flatness, go to the parking lots. Keep your eyes open because you can take your Freebord anywhere.

Freeboarding in your own backyard

The best place to start looking for great freeboard racing is in your hometown. Take a look around for gradual hills with some length, long winding roads, especially in parks and city properties, even parking lots can offer an intrepid Freeborder a great run.

College campuses are also a great place to look for careers. There are often large concrete or asphalt swaths and dedicated car-free zones so you don’t have to worry about being picked up by a van. Beware of trespassing laws and campus security – they could quickly put an end to your Freebord career.

The key is to match the terrain to your skill level. You don’t want to shell out too much the first day you get your Freebord, trust me.

Branches in the United States

Free borders are great. When they find a relaxing walk, they most often post videos on YouTube and Vimeo. Sometimes they blog about it. We’ve taken a look at some of the best freeboard races in the United States and here are a few to get you started if you think you’re ready to leave home.

• Bascom Hill, Madison, WI – It’s fast, frenetic and a bit gnarly (watch out for potholes or you’ll eat it!), perfect for the intermediate to advanced Freeboard rider.
• Observatory Dr., Madison, WI – Observatory Dr. to Park St. offers a long, winding hill with smooth pavement, perfect for that long, smooth ride for someone just a few steps from a beginner. Watch out for the buses!
• N. Breese Terrace, Madison, WI – Right next to Camp Randal, this wide, gentle hill gives intermediate riders a great Freebord ride with no hassle.
• Parkside Rd, New London, New Hampshire – A good mix of gentle hills and flat runs. Perfect for grinding and other intermediate aerial tricks. For a more advanced run, try the hill next to the Hannaford supermarket.
• Mount Baldy, CA – A fairly smooth hill with some really hairpin turns that will keep you on your toes (or on your back). Good for intermediate level Freeborders.
• Santa Barbara, CA – This city is filled with a wide range of hills, from the calmest to the most twisted. Whatever your skill level, you’ll definitely find something here worth riding.
• Doak Campbell Stadium, Florida State University, FL – This indoor race is a lot like riding in a parking lot with no traffic. Make sure you know the campus rules on skateboarding/freeboarding and always wear a helmet!

enter the game

If you want to find the best freeboard races in your area, go online. Facebook and MySpace are great places to find dedicated Freebording groups and YouTube will provide you with tons of epic racing videos. Stay tuned here too because we’ll be posting some of the best videos for you to study.

The most important part of finding a good freeboard race is to use your imagination. Don’t just see the sidewalk or the street, or the park path, see it as a snow-covered slope and make it your own.