Lloyd Kahn (age 76) on skateboarding

I love this video of my friend Lloyd Kahn (founder of Shelter Publications) talking about his joy of skateboarding. He's 76, and started boarding as a wee lad of 65.

Lloyd in 1½ min skateboarding video

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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jnordb

I met a similar gentleman skiing once. I rode the chair with him…he was in his mid 70s, and told me he had started skiing when he retired around his mid 60s. He had been buying season passes since then and using them nearly every day the lifts were open. When we got off at the top, he jumped off the chair and rocketed down the mountain much faster than I am comfortable skiing. I hope he is still at it… (that was about 8 or 9 years ago.)
Gulliver

Kahn!!!!!!!!!

I hope I can still ride my board at his age. 76 used seem a lot further off…

We need more people chipping away at the stereotype that all boarders are slacker kids with asscracks on display.

@ Anon #5

I’m only 43 and but I’ve been skateboarding since I was 8. I’ve only been doing short boards, though. This guy has inspired me to try the long board.

I’ve always found longboards to be easier on long downhills like this gentleman is into, or any distance traveling. They’re just easier to balance. Plus, I’ve never been much for tricks having taken it up in college to get around campus without getting my bike ripped off.
- Jake0748
  
  Khaaaaahhhhhhhhnnnnn!!!
nanner

my husband just started skating on a longboard at 39 and they call HIM old on the forums! Lloyd rocks :D
Anonymous

I skated street from about 13 up through my mid-twenties. Then after a hiatus, I started longboarding when I was 34. Not downhill, though, just cruising around town. It is incredibly fun and relaxing, not too hard, and zen as hell. It’s a fast way to get places, especially if you ride the bus or train, and it’s great exercise too. I’m now 39 and I’ll skate til I die…

I would encourage anyone to try it – the longer board is more stable than a shorty, and the big soft wheels roll over small rocks and sidewalk cracks easily.
Anonymous

started skating in 1963 …maybe i`ll start again now that medicare will pay for anything i break…
- Gulliver
  
  maybe i`ll start again now that medicare will pay for anything i break
  
  Um, you might want to turn on CNN :-/
jfrancis

Reminds me that I’m way to sedentary.
rewhu

Lloyd / Mark,

thanks for sharing this video. I’d like to know if Lloyd is also a longboard surfer? If so, how long has he been surfing?
OoerictoO

*cringe*

FYI, “boarding” is not a verb in this context. it does not make one sound like an insider, but the very opposite.
pKp

Good on him. Longboarding is great, way less dangerous than shortboard skating, incredibly relaxing. I hope I’m still at it when I’m his age.

Other end of the spectrum : Termite is a longboard brand that sponsorizes little kids. See pics at http://www.termiteskateboards.com/catalog/kids.php
Anonymous

Hey, I got those funny glasses. This is Awesome. You Kahn do it.
Eye Open Doors

Hell Yeah, thatâ€™s inspiring!
turn_self_off

Ah, the ability to disconnect from the expectations of the world and take things at ones own pace.
Stefan Jones

OH!

So that’s who that is . . .

At Maker Faire, I took a hundred or so stereo pairs. Just wandered around and snapped pictures. One showed Mark (I think) showing off a great big skateboard to who I now know is Lloyd Khan.

Here is a anaglyph. You’ll need those funny glasses:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefan_e_jones/5944679276/in/photostream
Anonymous

I expect that when I am skating at his age it won’t be a deal. Skate till ya die!
Anonymous

I’m only 43 and but I’ve been skateboarding since I was 8. I’ve only been doing short boards, though. This guy has inspired me to try the long board. Go Lloyd go!