TEAM LBLDs Carla Javier

I had the pleasure of interviewing our TEAM LBLD ambassador / boarder last night. She is so fun!

We wanted to know a little more about Carla and asked her a few questions, enjoy!

Alisa: Hi Carla how are you?

Carla: Ohhh all is good, working hard. Hahaha so excited about this ;)

Alisa: YAY! You are the 1st LBLD Ambassador to be interview for our blogspot , so I am very excited too. So Carla lets get to the questions. When did you first start LongBoarding?

Carla: Well, I first started LongBoarding exactly a year ago.

Alisa: What inspired you to try it?

Carla: Well, it all began with my boyfriend and I and our curiosity for surfing. So we started investigating about it and found out it was a little too expensive for us ( despite living in the Caribbean, where you have the ocean all around you, it would take a lot of road trips to go to the really good beaches to learn, and with the price of gas, transportation and cost for boards, we got to the conclusion that our pockets couldn't take it),so, as an alternative (some people said it was very similar) we bought ourselves some LongBoards and just started learning. Good thing about it is that you can board almost everywhere!

Alisa: Nice, LongBoarding around the Caribbean sounds amazing! What were some difficulties while you were learning?

Carla: Well, it was very very different for me, because I had never ever gotten on a board before, so the feeling for me was so new and refreshing. One of the first difficulties I had was that I got the bad habit of placing my hind foot a little too much out of the edges of the board causing wheel bite on it! (Sucks I know, thankfully I corrected that!)

Alisa: A year into it and you make it look really easy! Couldn't ever tell you had a wheel bite issue :)
What was the first tricks that you tried?

Carla: When it comes to first tricks I learned; 180 toe-sides and 180 heel-sides, coleman slides also! (Classic)

Alisa: Yeah we have a pic of you in motion! What's your most notable injury?

Carla: Well, I have been lucky enough to have not suffered from a very nasty fall. All I have are some road-rash marks on me (like every other boarder) and, that's all. The falls I've had have been nothing thanks to my safety gear! (Which you should always wear no matter what!)

Alisa: Besides being a bad ass LongBoarder, what do you do for work? (Company and such can be kept anonymous)

Carla: Ahhhhhhhhhhh well, I am a graphic designer/illustrator who works in an awesome design studio on weekdays, and some days set out with my camera to capture how life flows in my environment. I also love video games and reading (any kind of topic, I think it's good to learn about different things out there). But, when it comes to sports, I also ride and train horses for show jumping and eventing. Random, huh?

Alisa: Not random at all I am a country girl too and have friends that do similar things with horses. Sounds like your job is fun & makes you happy! Are there other girls that you board with?

Carla: Uhmmmm I really don't ride with girls, my crew is all guy crew (except for  me of course!) We have a few girl LongBoarders in the country. It's mostly a guys scene here.

Alisa: Well I'll have to go down there someday with the other TEAM LBLD riders and we'll have to show 'em what girls are made of! :) Do you collect anything, if so what/why?

Carla: Oh I have profound obsession with animal bones. I really have no idea why, I think it's because it is all that remains in the end. And pencils. I need to pick up pencils whenever I see them on the floor. And keep them. Just in case I need to quick sketch something out!

Alisa: Animal bones and pencils! I just imagined you sketching on animal bones for art. ;) Since we are in the midst of the holiday season, what's your favorite holiday?

Carla: My favorite holiday? Well, I'm pretty much head over heels about Halloween due to it's historical value and how it came to be. ( Costumes and candy also, hell yes!)

Alisa: Gotta give it to you it is a super fun holiday! Over all the years what was the best present you ever got?

Carla: Best present I've had over the years? well, I've had the chance to travel a lot in my life, I think those experiences are very fulfilling and profound, at least for me.

Alisa: Agreed, ever since I started traveling and seeing other countries and experienced other cultures it's humbling and moving. Do you have tattoos? What, where and why?

Carla: Ohh no, I'm thinking about getting one though. I do have piercings though! Why? Well, I think they look beautiful, somehow like a body adornment ;)

Alisa: Make sure to take a pic of your tattoo when you do get it! Body piercings are very beautiful. What's something that most people don't know , or would never guess about you?

Carla: That I can be a very sensitive person who likes quiet and toned down places.

Alisa: Calming <3 What movie(s) can you watch over and over again and never get sick of?

Carla: ANY Hayao Miyazaki film! Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke! Burtons "Big Fish", Fight Club, Amelie.

Alisa: O yeah girl! Howls Moving Castle & Fight Club are two of my all time! I'll have to check out the other ones! Finish this sentence..........I can't leave the house without?

Carla: My pocket sketchbook and a pen.

Alisa: Yep, here too. Artists in the house! <3 What would I find on your playlist?

Carla: Mostly the following bands: Goodspeed You!, Black Emperor, Deftones, Mars Volta, At The Drive IN, Bon Iver, Circa Survice, Jorge Drexler, Kow Otani, Led Zeppelin, Pooma, Daughter

Alisa: Ahhhhh <3 it! What's your most over used word or phrase?

Carla: Well, I'll owe you this question :p

Alisa: Hahaha fair enough. What's the last book you've read?

Carla: H.P. Lovecraft's complete shortstory compilation <3

Alisa: Ooo, I'll have to check it out! What was your very 1st set of wheels?

Carla: I think they were Bustin Swift Freeride Wheels, 82 A

Alisa: Sweet! What's the biggest hurdle that you have overcome?

Carla: Well, for now it would be moving out of the country to keep on going with my education and career, keep growing as a professional.

Alisa: I hear that! How fun and magnificent it must be there! List 3 things you wish to accomplish?

Carla: Go road tripping around the world. (freeride and bomb every hill I can) Capture every significant moment, either with my camera or a sketch, you name it! Rider faster and faster everyday as a way to surpass myself, and most important of all: Live a happy, simple life. Enjoy every step of the way!

Alisa: Indeed, living a simple life is something I wish to achieve as well. That first one will be happening sooner than later with LBLD! Carla you are quite the interesting woman! We are so proud and honored to have such a talented roll model and TEAM LBLD Ambassador. Thank you for your time!

Carla: Ohh why thank you Alisa! Again, my best wishes go out to you, I think its absolutely awesome what you are doing! I just can't wait for what's around the corner! Again thank you so much! Hope to chat again soon!

Carla was such a pleasure chatting with and very inspirational to me as well as I hope she will be to you. Keep you eye for her in the LongBoarding circuit for Down Hill! As always #SpreadPositivity #SpreadLove

Alisa Cruz
Founder / CEO
LongBoarding LadyDudes Inc.

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