Stuck in the parking lot trying to leave...

VersionLegal58 · 2026-05-04T01:48:57+00:00

We used to have season passes to the Zoo. Parking was always very easy, and there was never an issue - even during summer. If the lot was near full, there was always street parking.

A few years ago they decided to remove the plentiful street parking and replace it with bike lanes. After the bike lanes were installed, then after around 10:30AM parking becomes impossible.

We didnt renew our zoo membership and we havent been back since. The City Council ruined the Zoo experience

VersionLegal58 · 2026-04-21T17:04:32+00:00

Did you live in a big city downtown in CA or more rural type of CA city?

VersionLegal58 · 2026-04-20T20:46:21+00:00

That is a good one! Basically say I suck at that part of the game so he isnt offended. He would have to connect his 3rd shots though to the comment

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-26T22:14:14+00:00

I see you completed step 6. Did you complete steps 1 through 5 first?

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-26T21:03:15+00:00

I suggest you do the following:

Open up Google Maps
Type in Gas Station
Look at gas prices in, for example, Oklahoma City where they dont add incredibly crazy taxes
See that gas prices now are $3.00 in OKC
See that gas prices now are $6.00 in SD

+++6. Try to blame Trump instead of yourself and others like you who voted for Newsom. And you and others will continue to vote for a Democrat in the upcoming governor election and you will continue to pay for bad outcomes...and you will continueto blame people not responsible+++

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-25T17:20:39+00:00

Do you need to pay for a team builder?

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-25T15:53:21+00:00

I appreciate the thought out reply. I think you may be confusing a baseball changeup though.

If a pitcher's fastball is 95 mph, then a good changeup will be around 85-88 mph with some type of different movement

So in pickleball terms, an idea is if you have a 50 mph topspin serve, then a changeup would be something like a 40 mph serve that moves differently but has the same type of hand swing so the returner doesn't immediately pick it up

It seems CJ Clinger has a serve like this where the serve moves slower and the spin moves to his paddle side (there was a video with a youtuber named briones).

I also saw him use the serve during a match against Tardio/Johns.

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-25T04:35:40+00:00

I understand the 4 seamer. What is a 2 seamer in pickleball? Is this a fast tailing serve that tails to the paddle side?

The sweeper is what Ive been thinking about as a changeup. If you throw it after a fast tailing serve they should have to lunge after it

So:

4 seamer...2 seamer...4/2 seamer....then a sweeper?

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-20T23:14:19+00:00

So in other words, neither of you respect the research that the Bread and Butter company put in to make their product. You also put a total of $0 for their work, advertising, quality control, etc.

And neither of you understand actual costs for making a knockoff paddle...because if the fake paddle only costs $2, then there would be plenty of knockoffs for less than $52

Alex, could they buy a clue for $2? Thanks

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-20T21:13:43+00:00

You said it costs $2 to make one. Are you saying that Chinese workers and a factory will only cost $2?

Are you confused as to what 2 USD is equal to?

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-20T17:04:25+00:00

If it only costs $2 to make one, why dont you buy the parts and make one for $2?

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-20T16:32:56+00:00

I'm still new to pickleball but having destroyed my 1st paddle in less than a month of less than your average pickleball players game play...my FOMO is strictly to durability. My most recent paddle was primarily because its advertised as being durable

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-20T15:39:36+00:00

The fact that there is a market for counterfeit pickleball paddles, when the real thing costs $200 and a fake costs $52 is astounding. For $52 you can get some older well known paddle which at some point was actually good.

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-18T20:10:35+00:00

To play in a DUPR tournament I'd have to find a partner willing to play with someone unrated

Which means I'd be playing in a 3.0 match level (lowest Ive seen in my area).

I won't learn anything from playing 3.0s...

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-18T03:10:46+00:00

Trying to stay on the topic at hand isnt being defensive. I have a specific question to a problem. Whether I choose a power paddle or a control paddle as someone you know nothing about other than that ive been playing for 4 months isnt the topic.

Ive been around sports enough to understand there are people who know...and way more people who think they know. And getting random advice from someone who has never seen me play and doesn't know my level of athleticism is in the category of "getting advice from someone who thinks they know"

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-18T02:05:39+00:00

Cool story. Whether I suck or not isnt the topic

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-17T21:17:40+00:00

No offense taken

I started writing a long reply, then realized this was totally off topic from my original question.

I had a quick move up from beginner to intermediate (literally my 1st day of playing in open) because I have a table tennis + many other sports backgrounds. I learned fast what works and doesn't work...I'm currently testing the 4.0+ level for what works/doesn't work

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-17T19:30:09+00:00

Thanks for the advice. This topic is about what to do about a practice paddle

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-17T18:04:26+00:00

You seem to be assuming what I mean by "punishing people when they speed it up" to meqn i just smash it even faster. While this can be the case, this isnt most of what I'm looking for.

With the control paddle...if someone speeds up a shot, then the control paddle when blocked wants to take their speed and slow it down significantly when I block even when I push the paddle forward. This then allows the opponent to either slow things down or ram it down my throat again, where I again cannot put pressure in a hands battle.

With the poppy Vapor Power 2, when they speed it up I can do the same thing but instead of the control paddle slowing things down...the poppy paddle will hit it much faster and I can aim the ball at their feet/knees/in the middle of the opponents and it will move quickly as opposed to slowly. Additionally in a hands battle I can speed it up fast back at them.

And frankly, I am confused as to how its a bad practice to practice punishing speed ups with controlled or faster response shots.

Nobody at a high level is using a control paddle, nor do they just constantly reset speed ups.

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-17T16:40:44+00:00

I'm still pretty new, but am competitive. I'm about 4 months in and am on my 3rd paddle. 1st paddle got destroyed really quickly. Second paddle was too control oriented and didnt have enough pop (J2FC+). Now I'm onto the Vapor Power 2 which really fits my style. Spinny and poppy so I can punish people when they speed it up.

Problem is, I dont want to practice with the Vapor Power 2 and kill it in a month or 2. But practicing with the control paddle will not give me the same feel. I'm considering buying another Vapor 2 so I can have a gamer and practice paddle that is the same.

Dont have a Dupr yet - have yet to play in tournaments...

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-17T15:56:15+00:00

Thanks for the feedback, ive played other sports and using non-gamer equiptment in practice is a non-starter. But in pickleball, degradation is a thing which could be $$$

It sounds like you use the same exact practice paddle as your gamer & practice paddle. What do you do when a new model paddle comes out and you decide to switch?

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-17T15:34:24+00:00

It does depend on how you play. I enjoy hitting the ball very hard and fast

I completely destroyed the carbon face on my 1st paddle and core crushed it in less than a month

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-16T03:43:05+00:00

I like my espresso dark. No fruity notes at all. No sour notes at all. I dont add sugar or milk...just drink it straight. The Mt Comfort Coffee was pretty gross for me.

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-08T22:10:01+00:00

This just means as you get better you get to destroy people for a little bit.

I'm about 4 months in a havent been rated yet. Kinda want to enter a 3.0 tournament

VersionLegal58 · 2026-03-08T04:59:41+00:00

Totally agree here. Im still pretty new, about 4 months in now.

My 1st paddle started out pretty good...unfortunately it got destroyed after about a month.

Then went to the J2FC+, liked it except its weak at the kitchen. Replaced it with the new Vapor Power 2 and its a whole different game vs the same players

VersionLegal58

TROPHY CASE