I remember getting sponsored like it was yesterday. All at once, I had Z-Rollers, Cell Block III Risers and Bird 2 copers knocking at my door. I was conflicted, though...rollers or copers? Was it possible to affix copers over Z-Rollers? I tried it, but they'd just fly off. Once my coper flew over the fence and hit the lady next door on the head while she was gardening. What a scene! LOL
Eventually all of my sponsors and I came to a compromise. I had two set ups. One with Z-Rollers and one with *unnamed* trucks with copers. To be honest, the rollers were my fave. There was nothing like the feeling of just rolling across the coping on my favorite pools and half pipes. That was real freedom. None of this icky scraping that happens when you grind stuff; YUCK! Copers were neat though because they'd leave behind a colored streak wherever you were shredding. I'd put on some pink ones and then do a 5-0 and everybody would know that I had been the last to shred that spot. Like a dog pissing on its territory, copers provided me a calling card I could leave, and all the locals knew to leave that spot alone for at least 3 weeks if it had the mark of GAY on it.
It wasn't long, though, before all this glitz and glamour wore off. I was tired of being the center of attention everywhere I went. It was exhausting! So I gave it all up. I turned my back on both the Z-Rollers and copers. Sometimes on a sunny afternoon when I see a spot that's just beggin' for a shreddin' I regret my decision, but I took up Bikram, Ananda, Hatha, Ishta, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Anusara, Kundalini and Naked yoga and put all that regret to rest behind my third eye.
I never gave up the Cell Block III risers though.