“I call bullshit. You didn’t grow up – you just grew older.”
Adrian is a bit of a legend. His reputation as an all-round good guy and mentor to younger kids (and some grownups too) into skateboarding and other gravity sports is equal to none. We stumbled across his store when we visited Townsville and were looking for a skateboard for our 11 year old monkey. Little did we know we were talking with skateboarding royalty! What we did cotton on to straight away is what a cool guy Adrian is and how much he loves the sport of skateboarding. Unfortunately it’s something he’s had to give up since fighting prostate cancer (and winning) so to fill the gap, he’s taken up street luge instead. From the frying pan into the fire, some might say! At speeds getting up to around the 113km per hour mark, this is not a sport for the faint of heart. But listening to Ado (as he’s affectionately known), he’s never been one for half measures.
Adrian came to Townsville to study marine biology at James Cook University. Upon graduation, he got a job with Centrelink and decided that wasn’t really for him in the long run. Opened in 1999, his skateboard store is genuinely oldschool – Adrian told us how he changed his opening hours when he realised kids were wagging school and coming to his store instead – you can only access the store after school hours, on Saturday mornings or by appointment.
At 58, Adrian isn’t so much old as much as he is an old fart but wisdom comes in all sorts of packages. Adrian’s pearl for us? Don’t stress. “There are 2 things I don’t stress about any more – shit that doesn’t matter and shit I can’t do anything about and that makes up about 99% of the shit I used to stress about.”
p.s you can find his skateboard shop cre8tive sk8 online here
“I object to the term Grey Nomad – I’m fitter than most 30 year olds.”As we waited for the petrol pumps to work at Barkly Homestead, we got talking with Rudi and Liz from South Australia. They had 11 pugs with them and were travelling to dog shows across the country. Liz really disliked the term ‘grey nomads’. Liz had gone back to Uni when she was in her fifties and was the proud holder of a Bachelor of Social Work. Not only that, she told us about a class member who was in her eighties!
“Don’t stress too much about stuff” was Phyllis’ advice for living life to the full.
Phyllis, from England, is a very active and fit 82 year old. Travelling to Australia for a family wedding, we met Phyllis while she was on a break from a cruise ship (where coincidentally, she bumped into The Ageing Revolution friend and erstwhile videographer, Adam W at a Gatsby night – small world)!
Phyllis also wholeheartedly recommends dancing, especially bootscooting for both exercise and the social, fun aspect.
“I love bootscooting and my teacher is just wonderful, she’d love a mention,” said Phyllis.
Phyllis’ teacher Gaye Teather is quite well known in the bootscooting (or line dancing as it’s also known) world, choreographing dancing and holding classes regularly.
Phyllis is one of the many inspiring people we met when we set up in the Queen St Mall, Brisbane with COTAQ and Brisbane City Council for Queensland Seniors Week 2016.
“Never too old to play with balls.”
We met Lyndsay in Hervey Bay when her friend Marlene introduced us to all the tennis club ladies. Again, style doesn’t suddenly abandon you once you’re over 35! We thought Marlene had style and pizzazz and a cheeky sense of humour. Inspiring ageing humans really are everywhere.
The only true Australian sports are AFL and Stock Drafting…..and maybe Speedway!”
In his late 60s and from country Victoria, John is a keen horseman, a sport he only got into when he was about 45 after he gave away motorbikes. We met John on our way to Townsville.He told us all about stock drafting (something we knew nothing about) and Polo Cross. John was travelling solo in his high top van, with his two dogs Dusty and Bobby
“There were only two options – either join the army or work in a mental home. One of my friends who was a really gentle soul chose the latter and he saw terrible things and ended up taking his own life.”