Middle-aged skateboarders defy family skeptics, and a few falls

Scott Hostert, 51, a tax consultant from Brea, does a front-side grind in the bowl at the Cove in Santa Monica. Hostert says he has heard it all: You’re too old. You’re nuts. You don’t want to live the rest of your life being fed through a tube, do you? Hostert scoffs, then smiles. Too old to ride a skateboard? Just watch. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Jan. 16, 2014 1:55 PM PT

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Folks in their 50s are shredding old-school, even pulling rad moves, as a growing number of grayhairs take up skateboards.

Eddie “El Gato” Elguera, 51, of Palm Desert, carves the tile while roller skater Duke Rennie airs over him in the bowl at the Cove in Santa Monica. Elguera is a two-time world champion skateboarder and senior pastor of the Rock Church of Coachella Valley. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Elguera drops into the bowl at the Cove as friends watch: John Woller, left, Chris Rennie, Eddie Hadvina, Scott Hostert and Duke Rennie. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Eddie “El Gato” Elguera of Palm Desert does a hand plant. He still competes in masters skate competitions. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Chris Rennie, 49, of Manhattan Beach does a classic lay-back at the Cove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

El Gato does a “fakie ollie,” a trick he invented in his youth. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Mary Mills, 50, of View Park practices kick-turns on her backyard ramp. She’s also a surfer. Skateboarding can be an excellent strength and conditioning workout. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Hostert practices slalom skateboarding down a hill in Brea. He recently won a national championship in slalom in an amateur division. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Michael Serna, 51, a printer from Upland, credits Jesus Christ for his health, family and skateboarding successes. Here he eyes his next trick at the Montclair Skatepark. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Serna cheers on his life-partner Sandra Canett, 53, a deli employee from Upland, as she does a backside turn off the rail at the Montclair Skatepark. Canett started skateboarding after watching Serna have so much fun. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Sandra Canett bails from a trick at the Montclair Skatepark. Canett is in the Skateboard Moms/Sisters of Shred club. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Michael Serna leads a group of skateboarding friends to skate in a large drainage pipe known as a legendary spot. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Serna crosses a gap to skate with friends in the Angeles National Forest. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Serna leads fellow skaters Randy Flores, Dan Hughes, Alex Gongora, Barbara Odanaka, Scott Hostert and Victoria Serna as they walk deep into a drainage pipe. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Dan Hughes, 50, a Salt Lake City school custodian, makes a high turn inside a drainage pipe near Upland. He and his wife, June Ranschau Hughes, also 50, spend their vacations traveling the country to skateboard together. “When I’m on my skateboard, I feel like I am doing what I was meant to do,” Dan says. “I may not be the best or even close. But, it’s a feeling ... there’s nothing like the feeling of skateboarding for me.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Scott Hostert zigzags his board through a drainage pipe as the group watches. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

From left, June Ranschau Hughes, Randy Flores, Dan Hughes, Alex Gongora, Barbara Odanaka, Michael and Victoria Serna, and Scott Hostert celebrate after skateboarding. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)