I rode one for almost 9 years, and rode it quite often, on the steep rough roads in backwoods VT, and in 22 states of the union that I travelled to in my youth. It sucumbed to an aggressive redneck pickup truck driver who ran me off the road (in San Andreas,CA),then backed up to run the deck over! I lost two kryptonics C-70 blues, and a Tracker fultrac, plus the deck that day, about 1/3rd of a mile from the motel we were at. The song "If I had a Rocket Launcher" resounds in my head when I recall that little moment in my life.
A second one, that got tossed nose-first off the 3rd story roof of a local store by a punk who was a tad jealous of my owning it. Apparently, it passed the survival test, I got it back (from his brother) about 4 months later, with a nice split across the nose bumper. That one I still have, and hope to one day repair the glass up by the nose. It's probably a wall-hanger, but I kinda hope it can be brought back to rideable condition.
The only other board that really changed my riding as much was my Turner Fullnose. That board made me aware of of the little, but important, tweaks in my style that could allow me handle steeps and perfect a slalom technique that was good enough to place well in a few races. That board, I still have, and still will race with, albeit in the Vintage Class nowadays.
I also have this one old Hobie Parkrider. It has just always 'been there', and I'll likely never get rid of it. It's not my fave, it's not great at anything, but it's JUST FUN, and always has been. If I had to sell them all, the Hobie would go last, but not without one hell of a fight!
