Suez on the NCDH road trip  / Photo Phill Baldwin

About a month ago we received this letter, and we had to read it twice to fully understand that funding for a longboard skate trip had been pulled because 2 female skaters were going to be included. Read on and be prepared to smile after the stuff that will make your blood boil.

My name is Ashley Winecoff and I am I sophomore at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.

 I am contacting you today in search of some help in way of support for a trip me and my friends at NCDH (check us out on FB and Instagram) are planning for spring break in a couple weeks. The trip consists of the NCDH crew renting a van and traveling through the blue ridge mountains skating the best roads they have to offer.

In the past this trip has been partially skater funded and partially funded by a local skate apparel company. However in the past this trip has been only boys due to lack of female downhill skaters but within the past year myself and my friend Suez Hogue have been graciously accepted and encouraged by the boys of NCDH and they were more than stoked to have us join them on the trip but the apparel company did not share this sentiment. 

The owner of the company did not want to see girls on this trip so the NCDH crew chose not to accept the funds from him because they wanted us to feel wanted and included.

Later, the company ended up helping us out a little but not as much as they had given in the past. I'd like to say that in the end it worked out for the better because we were able to get other rad companies on board instead of just having one exclusive sponsor.


WOW. We were stunned and super proud of these guys who stood up for Ashley and Suez, so we asked Ashley to write a little something about their skate trip and get some rad pics of her and Suez that we could post. It's our small way of showing this apparel company that girls do have a voice and people are interested in seeing them skate.


Here is what Ashley had to say about the trip.

Ashley doing what she loves.  / Photo Phill Baldwin

Two weeks out from Shine Run and I'm still stoked. 

Suez said it best,  "It was an awesome trip to be on with such a wide range of personalities. Every person that you skate with adds something different to the experience and every new experience becomes somethings you've learned from. You can experience a lot in a week when you're shredding with some of the best skaters NC has to offer." 

Suez having the trip of her life   / Photo Phill Baldwin

I only have good things to say about my experience. Skating with people with so much more experience means always having people to help you get better because they have likely faced the challenges you are facing and the NCDH crew is always stoked to help you get better.​ 

This was my first skate trip and it has left me itching for more!


So stoked for these girls and love their story!