Maine East alumni finish 900-mile skateboarding journey

They made it!

Victorious but exhausted, the suburban skateboarding team rolled into New York's Times Square early this morning, completing a 36-day, 900-mile journey from Chicago.

They embarked on the cross-country trip as part of a documentary film titled "Shred America." In the process, the Maine East High School alumni got to see America, push their physical and emotional limits, and accomplish something few people would ever dare to do.

"It's been the toughest and funnest experience of my life," said Mike Kosciesza, 20, of Niles, who did the trip on a skateboard along with his childhood friend Arthur Swidzinski.

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James Lagen of Des Plaines and Tony Michael of Park Ridge rode along on bicycles and worked as cameramen.

As they approached New York Monday afternoon, the New Jersey State Police kicked them off Route 1, putting a crimp in their plans.

But at 10 p.m. Monday, they boarded a train to Lower Manhattan and would skateboard to Times Square from there. Fearing that the train ride was "cheating," they stood on their skateboards while on the train, Swidzinski said.

"There was no other way to do it," Swidzinski said. "It was really dangerous on (Route 1). There was no shoulder."

Upon arriving in Times Square, Swidzinski and Kosciesza planned to hold their skateboards over their heads, hug and share a "Shred America High-Five."

"It's not an actual high-five. It's just something we say," Swidzinski said. "We're too tired to give high-fives."

On June 2, the foursome left Millennium Park and began their adventure- and drama-filled trip. As they zigzagged across the country on small roads and bike paths, they faced painful wipeouts ("The Appalachian Mountains were brutal"), one hospital visit, scorching heat, a tornado, mechanical problems with the bicycles, and at least a dozen encounters with police who were not impressed with their plans.

"Ohio was the worst," Swidzinski said.

But they also made new friends, visited places they've always wanted to see - including Love Park in Philadelphia, a mecca for skaters - and learned how to fend for themselves in the middle of nowhere.

"It feels surreal," Swidzinski said. "You look at the map and say, wow, we started here and we're all the way here. It's hard to believe."

Their muscles are toned, their skin is tan and the bottoms of their feet are covered in bruises and blisters. (The bike-riders have blisters on their hands.)

Lagen says he never wants to ride a bike again. Kosciesza can't wait to wake up and not have to skateboard for 50 miles.

"I wouldn't mind doing it again," Swidzinski said, "but I'd do it differently. We wouldn't bring the bikes. The flat tires, messed-up gears ... they created all sorts of problems."

As they got closer to New York, local skateboarders started rooting for them.

"It's actually pretty amazing," said A.J. Steadman, manager of Warp Skatepark in Lake in the Hills. "People don't realize that skateboarding is a lot harder than riding a bike. Riding a skateboard on a crappy road is almost impossible. It's harder to do than walk or run."

While he doubts it's related to "Shred America," Steadman said he's seen a spike in sales of "cruiser boards," which are for long-distance rides.

Swidzinski and Kosciesza say they're done with skateboarding for a while and plan to go home via Amtrak. Swidzinski's mom, Maria, can't wait until they're home.

"I have to tell you, this month was kind of hard for me," she said. "Every night, when it got dark, I always worried about whether they had someplace to stay. I called every night, but sometimes they wouldn't pick up."

Now, she feels a mixture of relief and pride. "I'm just amazed that they had it in them to go so far," she said. "And I'm glad they did it safely."

Kosciesza's father, Adam, added that he is very happy for his son.

"He's a very good boy and a very good student," he said. "I think this will be a good movie."