On the weekend of September 30th, Earl Stout III, a remarkable 42-year-old cancer survivor and avid longboard skateboarder from Mercer County, NJ, embarked on an extraordinary journey. Aiming to be the first longboard skateboarder to complete the Capital Trail out and back, he covered an impressive 103.4 miles over 2-days. His story is one of resilience and inspiration. Check out more about his remarkable journey below.
How long have you been longboarding?
I've been skateboarding since about 10 years old. I got into longboarding casually around 2004, started skating longboards more in 2006 before my cancer diagnosis. Then in the spring of 2009, I was invited to a party of a longboard company up in North Jersey / NYC. From there, the rest is history. I started to longboard skateboard more and get involved with the community and industry. It is definitely something that I know I’m supposed to do and connect with people in this life.
What convinced you to tackle an out-and-back on the Capital Trail?
I first came across the Virginia Capital Trail on my way back from Asheville, North Carolina the summer of 2018. I was in Richmond for a few hours and found a taco spot that I do not remember the name of, ended up at one of the trailheads eating the food and came across the trail then. From there, I started to look it up and was very interested in seeing the construction unfold of the trail system. Back then, in my area, I had started doing a scavenger hunt that circuittrails.org had put together on my longboard skateboard and I was the only one on a longboard skateboard doing it. In the greater Philadelphia area, we have the circuit Trails which incorporate some of the East Coast Greenway and Rails to Trails. I love skating on paved trail systems. It's a safer environment than being out in the street or on the road all the time. You're able to lessen your mental focus on dangerous variables around you. What convinced me to take on the trail, discussing it with Cyndee at the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation (VCTF). She mentioned she was not aware of a longboard skateboarder ever documenting or posting doing it, I decided to plan an adventure.
There are many different layers of intention with this plan to take on the trail. Mostly in part to just go out and enjoy some place new. I researched the trail on Google Maps, dropped pins for water, medical places like a fire department or places of interest where I would be able to have a place of contact just in case something did happen.
What was your favorite or most unique experience on the Trail?
I got off the train Saturday morning at about 9:30. I took in the beautiful architecture of the Main Street Station, inside and out. The plan was to hit the trailhead by 11 a.m., not before fueling up at a cool coffee shop. So I had in mind heading to Ironclad Coffee. I walked in and almost immediately was asked if I was the guy skating the Trail this weekend. It was Marci from the VCTF who gave the unexpected warm welcome to Richmond. As for my favorite or most unique experience on the trail, I would say just rolling through history for history while making history, haha. Meeting Deb and Tom randomly on Sunday was another unexpected greeting. It was great to connect with others interested in hearing and seeing my story unfold with the journey. Also seeing some copperheads on Saturday. It was amazing to take in all the scenery; the whole experience was unique to sum it up simply!
Any successes/milestones that you would like to share?
I'm very happy with the whole experience overall, training, conditioning, nutrition, timing, planning. I really focused on just having fun with the journey. Most of all I am stoked on the consistency of my time both days, both days I completed just over five and a half hours. The first day my lapsed time was eight and 1/2 hours, the second day my elapsed time was seven and a half hours. Mainly just focused on being consistent and trying to keep it under 6 hours of moving time each day. Didn't want to really have an elapsed time of over 8 hours both days. Had about 12 lbs in my pack. Most of it was water and nutrition and extra skateboard parts just in case I encountered a situation of repair, which I did not. I would say I was about 85 percent self-sustained besides stopping for water a couple of times each day and having dinner Saturday night, breakfast Sunday morning, and having lunch at Culs courthouse grille, which came highly recommended by Cyndee and it did not disappoint. That was the only nutrition I didn't have on me. It is huge to be self-reliant, in my opinion, for that many miles.
Any tips, tricks, or lessons learned?
I would say for anyone doing a long-distance adventure to plan out your route, places for water, emergency contact spots just in case, and where you're going to camp or sleep. The lesson I learned was regardless of any goal or intention you set out to do, just have fun and make the best of it!
Was there a favorite section or mile?
Honestly, this is the easiest and hardest question to answer. My favorite section I would say was out in the middle of nowhere where all the plantations are, in the farm fields with the rolling hills and having the majority of the trail tree covered and shaded with not much exposure to the sun. I would say my favorite section on day one was going over the bridge into Jamestown and finishing before 6:30 p.m. Then going down to Jamestown Beach and catching the sunset. I really enjoyed meeting Deb and Tom on Sunday, unexpectedly as they were seeking me out that day. Having mile markers every mile was a helpful reminder as well as the safety factor of knowing where you are.
Being your first time on the Trail, what was your initial reaction? Did that change as your journey unfolded?
My initial reaction to the trail the first day, was to just enjoy the ride and take in as much of the scenery as possible without focusing on things that weren't necessary like day-to-day life. Just keep on moving forward. Same goes for the second day just knowing the lay of the land better. I would say that no nothing really changed as the journey unfolded.
Planning the adventure, looking at Google Maps, getting a lay of the land for the most part through that and the elevation in areas I kind of knew what I was expecting for the most part. In June, The Push relay skate across the country started in Jamestown. So I also was able to see that through social media. Watching my friends skate cross country, that was another huge motivation to do an out-and-back on the trail this summer.
Anything else you would like to share?
This adventure had many meanings and layers of intention. Dedicating the first day, the last day of September, which is blood cancer awareness month, to a good friend, Brent Evans, with whom I co-founded carve4cancer.com with. He passed away in July of 2017 from complications of his cancer treatments for a rare T cell Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was in remission after his second allogeneic stem cell transplant. He's one of those people I was supposed to cross paths with in life and create something to help others.
Dedicating the second day, the first day of breast cancer awareness month, to Ann Palmer, who passed away from metastatic breast cancer in July of 2020. The Palmer family has been supportive of my endeavors of the work I do with Carve 4 Cancer/Live Like Brent foundation and a Longboard skateboard charity push race I did for three years in Philadelphia. Anne literally pushed her way through her cancer journey with the energy and mentality of a fearless warrior. She is someone I hold dear to my heart, not just because of her courageous spirit and perseverance but also her benevolent, kind soul. I spoke with her husband, Jeff, about a week before I set out on the adventure.
It's an honor to have known both of you in this life. You'll never be forgotten!
Be your own advocate, follow your passions. I tend to lead with my heart and intuition. As mentioned before, I started skating on the paved trail systems in the greater Philadelphia area of the circuit trails and advocating for longboard skateboarding on those systems. It's been a work in progress. I feel that come the spring/summer of 2024, the vision and dream will start to unfold more. Connecting with everyone at the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation has been amazing, the engagement and support of the community is something to really build off of. It really is refreshing to know that there are organizations out there that have open arms and an open mind to having more longboard skateboards on paved trail systems.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I would like to end with thanking and extending my gratitude to the Friends who supported me with encouragement on this. As well as my girlfriend Lauren, for all her support along the way and to Matt N. and Bob F. for checking in on me. Also major thanks to Tracey and Brad at Riptide Sports for their support, Jeff at Pantheon boards, Orangatang Wheels, Tailwind Nutrition, and Skratch Labs! Also, IDSA, Shralpers Union, Skating in Circles podcast, the Live Like Brent Foundation, and Andy Andras and Paul Kent on some insight and their perspective of the trail from the push relay skate.
I seriously could not have done it without any of these people or companies willing to extend support for this journey. Thank you, I appreciate you ALL so much! I'm already thinking of when I am going to come back, looking forward to it!
Congratulations, Earl! We can’t wait to see you back on the Capital Trail!
Article updated October 22, 2023.
