Adventures of a Viking...

Snowboarding Bulldogs

2011-12-03T15:59:00.001-08:00

Kitten Mittens

2011-11-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

Rum Runners Oct.29.2011

2011-11-12T12:49:00.000-08:00

steel wool

2011-10-22T16:21:00.001-07:00

http://youtu.be/ngQKnc9tZeE

I miss trailer :(

2011-10-17T21:48:00.000-07:00

This is my little trailer I bought from a friend a few years ago. My parents helped me renovate the inside and I still have future plans for it. Its a 1957 Kurman. Its now lined with cedar, copper and granite. I've spent a few summers in it at Hood, but left it at home this year.. Its a lot of fun, I hope to make some great adventures in it soon.

Fire

2011-10-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

Ride Outerwear "Pick your Fit"

2011-10-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

"PICK YOUR FIT" Ridesnowboards Outerwear 2011 30sec from Ride Snowboards on Vimeo.

A couple weeks ago, Brennen Swanson, Sickels and myself hung around the office in Seattle doing this commercial for Ride Outerwear. It was pretty fun filming it besides that it was waaay to hot to be wearing outerwear under hot lights in summer. Check it out.

Lights

2011-09-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

Seattle

2011-09-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

Cozumel, Mexico

2011-08-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

Little late, but I finally just put photos on my computer. I went to Mexico for the first time ever in March. I was lucky to get invited to a little place called Casa Rosada in Cozumel. The house was massive with 3 floors of decks and the best backyard of ocean I've ever seen. The water was crystal clear blue and so warm. But.. it is Mexico and all its beauty was accompanied by lots, and lots of drinking. Mostly of tequila and shitty Mexican beer, but the highlight was definitely picking coconuts straight from the trees for morning drinks.

Windells Sessions 3 & 4

2011-08-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

This summer Windells asked me to coach for a few sessions. We had good weather both weeks and big groups of 8 people from all over the world. I got to meet and ride with some rad people. We even had sushi night in Portland with a late stop to Sassys. Keepin it classy .

Mend your Holes

2011-06-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

Holes are gonna happen. A good trick I've found(besides ducktape which is great is so many ways) for stitching up outwear, and luggage after its ran the airport gauntlet, is to stitch that shit up with fishing line. Its a lot stronger than string and will resist the wear and tear better.

Coffee

2011-06-09T09:55:00.000-07:00

I Love Coffee. I love waking up to the smell of it. I love the little chocolate covered beans. I love the home brew and the fancy white chocolate mochas too. I find it funny that Seattlelites are so obsessed with our coffee. I've traveled a lot of places and no where else have I seen the ridiculous amounts of coffee stands or Starbucks anywhere but here. There's even titty stands where girls will serve you wearing nothing but scantily clad panties in the middle of the day (stay away from those..) When you get used to having coffee stands on every block, it makes it difficult to find good coffee spots once you leave the NW, unless of course you're in New Zealand where they have delicious flat whites.

(Coffee contains antioxidants that may offer some cardiovascular protection, and research is showing that it reduces the likelihood of developing diabetes, which is itself a major heart disease risk factor. But it also increases homocysteine levels and may have negative effects on the aorta. In general, when a risk factor has been carefully studied and the results flip back and forth like this, it often means that if there is any harm or benefit, it’s pretty minor. ) Everything in moderation right?

Woodward At Copper

2011-06-09T00:11:00.000-07:00

I'll be flying out to Colorado in July 17-23 to hang out for a summer session at Woodward at Copper. I got to check it out just once last year and the place is pretty crazy. I wish I had something like this when I was younger. Monkey children. There's a dry ride slope into a giant foam pit, tons of trampolines you go ridiculously high on and skate bowls. Plus yoga and I think there might be actual snowboarding of some sort.. I haven't done backflips on a trampoline in a looong time, so I've been trying to learn on my friends tramp before hand so I don't embarrass my self. Come check it out. http://www.woodwardatcopper.com/site/summer/snow

What's in your sunscreen?

2011-06-08T22:50:00.000-07:00

Summer is upon us, and even though most of us in the northwest have yet to see the sun in months it will be sure to pop its head out soon. And I can't wait. Being on snow is like walking on a mirror. I dont want to have a goggle tan looking like a raccoon or alligator skin when I'm older so I am a pretty regular applier of sunscreen. I used to just buy whatever the cheapest one was. Then as I got older I've dropped the couple extra bucks for ones that have better promises or claims of better ingredients. But there's a lot of misleading info about sunscreen that I feel we all get lost in the jumble and dont really know what were buying and putting on our skin everyday. Here is some info I stole from nomoredirtylooks about whats really found in most sunscreens.

It's been a bad couple of weeks for sunscreen. A few days ago, the Environmental Working Group released its fourth annual Sunscreen Guide, and the verdict is a little unsettling. Scientists rated 500 sunscreens based on the safety of their ingredients and the effectiveness of the SPF. Of those, they will only recommend a measly 8 percent of them.

So why do most sunscreens suck so badly? For the same reasons they always have. For one thing, the SPF rating system is misleading. As it stands, the term "SPF" only factors in UVB rays—and not cancer-causing, premature-aging UVAs. Meanwhile, many don’t last very long, and require frequent reapplication, which companies won't tell you. And finally, most sunscreens also contain an array of gnarly ingredients, from potentially hormone-disrupting actives like oxybenzone, to the phthalates hidden in their beachy scents. But recent research is even more troubling. Last week, FDA data revealed that vitamin A, touted as a stellar anti-ager, may actually increase skin cancer risk. It's worth noting that the FDA doesn’t usually run these kinds of studies unless there is already serious concern. Turns out, they’ve had vitamin A on their danger radar for over a decade, with little action. Dizzy yet? Here are some easy guidelines to set you straight:

	1. Don’t rely on SPF ratings. As we said, SPF only accounts for UVB-ray protection, which means the higher the number the more likely it is that you’re being misled about the protection. Part of the reason the EWG slagged this crop of sunscreens is because many are making claims of SPF 50 and over. In fact, some are promising SPF as high as 100 this season. (sure...)
	2. Avoid chemical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens absorb the rays so you don't have to, and then they sneak into your body and mess around with your hormones. Oxybenzone, a hormone-disruptor found in 97 percent of Americans according to the CDC, is one widely used active to avoid—and if you don't want to do it for yourself, do it for the planet: Every year, 4,000 to 6,000 tons of chemical sunscreen comes off our bodies (and into the ocean), destroying the coral reef in the process.
	3. Zinc is your new best friend. This is the cleanest and most effective active ingredient you can find in a sunscreen. It offers broad-spectrum protection—that means from both UVA and UVB rays—while posing absolutely no health threat. And fear not: Advances in technology mean the zinc on the market is nothing like the stuff you used to see striping your lifeguard's nose.
	4. Titanium dioxide is your new second-best friend. As an ingredient, it’s not as clean as zinc—you won’t find it in your multivitamin since it’s dangerous when ingested or inhaled—but it offers the same meaningful protection and isn’t absorbed through skin. All of the 39 EWG top-rated sunscreens featured zinc and/or titanium.
	5. Beware of nanoparticles. Used in some sunscreens to make titanium dioxide appear less white on the skin, nanoparticles are a hot-button issue right now. By making them that small, there is evidence that the particles can then migrate to body tissue, where they may wreak all kinds of havoc. In Europe, companies using nanos have to say so; not so over here, though.
	6. Avoid vitamin A in sunscreen like the plague. While animal studies never represent conclusive evidence for humans, when other mammals are getting cancer faster—as was shown in the FDA’s study of vitamin A and sun exposure—it’s a good idea to avoid the suspected culprit. It's packed into a lot of anti-agers and sunscreens, and should be avoided at all costs.
	7. Be wary of the other ingredients in there. Fragrance (which contain phthalates), chemical preservatives like parabens (which may or may not mess with hormones), and a host of other questionable things are found in most mainstream sun products. We'll cover these in more depth in future columns and in our book, but in the meantime, remember that the fewer ingredients the better.
	8. Don’t count on sunscreen alone. Even if you’re using the good stuff, most of us tend not to apply enough, or reapply it like we should. The false sense of security offered by sunscreen is thought to be one of its biggest threats. Which takes us to…
	9. Protect your head. The EWG and any doctor with a brain will tell you as much. Hats, protective clothing and shade are still your best bet when it comes to avoiding sun exposure. But…
	10. Get a little unprotected exposure. While it goes against everything we’ve been taught, some doctors are recommending we get limited exposure to the sun without any sunscreen to ensure healthy vitamin D levels. If you don't want to risk it—and we don't blame you if you don't—make sure to get your vitamin D in other ways, through diet and supplements.

This is the second installment in a series inspired by No More Dirty Looks: The Truth About Your Beauty Products and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics, a book by GOOD's features editor Siobhan O'Connor and her co-author Alexandra Spun

McD's

2011-06-08T20:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Meal Project

I stumbled across this on the web and a found it kind of interesting, and quite disgusting. I try to never eat fast food and have been making great movements to trying to always eat healthier, but I can't deny that the occasional late night drunken cheeseburger doesn't happen. I'm sure a lot of us are guilty of that one.

With over 64 million people served daily in over 30,000 restaurants in over 120 countries thats a lot of happy meals stacking up green for ol Ronald McDonald. A New York photographer names Sallie Davis has been photographing a McDonalds Happy Meal for 137 days as an art project, and experiment. In this photo taken on the 137th day, theres no mold, no disintegration, nothing. This is nasty, food shouldn't be made with so many chemicals that it won't decompose for months. Or not at all. McDonalds claims to not use preservatives so why do their burgers and fries look almost exactly the same after 137 as day one? Think about that the next time you order a double cheeseburger.. To check out the slide show http://www.refinery29.com/happy-meal-art-project/slideshow?page=1#slide-1

one month after surgery

2011-02-27T15:08:00.000-08:00

Today its been a month since surgery. I feel very lucky that I have still be able to ride and I have actually gotten some of the best pow days of the year in the last two weeks.

3 weeks post surgery

2011-02-18T09:33:00.000-08:00

One week after surgery I went riding for the first time. Two weeks after surgery I flew out to Utah and rode through the Dew tour course to keep my points and see my friends. Three weeks after surgery I got some of the best pow turns I've gotten all year. It sometimes takes having something taken away from you to remember how much you appreciate it. Yesterday I fed my soul in only a way a foot of fresh on a sunny day can.

video.php

Ol' iron arms

2011-02-18T09:24:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately the second day of practice my second run I made a stupid mistake and broke my left humorous. Sadly I know the pain all too well as I have broken both sides now. My break was clean but all the way through. I can't tell you how horrible it feels to have a limb only attached by skin and soft tissue. I was rushed into surgery in the Aspen hospital where I had a really good surgeon and an awesome nurse named Amanda. I now have matching plates in both arms and 10 screws, bringing the total count of screws in my body to 27 and 3 plates :( ouch.

checking out x games

2011-02-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

random sights of the airport

2011-02-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

Killington Dew Tour

2011-01-26T17:10:00.000-08:00

So the second stop of Dew went fairly well. I ended up placing 2nd in semis and 4th in finals. The weather cleared up nice and sunny for the last day and got down to -12.Cold! Heres a front3

Getting to.. Killington Dew Tour

2011-01-20T17:52:00.000-08:00

The last week of rain was a real bummer. It ruined shredding fun and basically turned the valley near my house into a giant lake. I almost had to bust out my arm floaties but I made it to the airport and on to Vermont for the second stop of Dew Tour.

The last stretch of my flight I boarded this tiny 8 seater plane and flew into Rutland. It was like flying in a pop can.

Today was our first day of practice. The weather held out, just mostly overcast which left for a lot of flat light and a bit of wind but the course is okay. Three rail features and three jumps. The temperature this week is suppose to get to -26 at night on Sunday! So cold. More pictures of Killington and the course to come.

Northwestboarder.com Interview

2010-10-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

An interview with NW Boarder. Thanks Landon

Megan Ginter Interview | Northwest Boarder | Portland Oregon Mt. Hood Snowboarding Skateboarding Sur

www.northwestboarder.com

With a bronze medal win at Winter X Games 13 slopestyle, a 2nd place Canadian Open win, Two 5th place finishes in the Dew Tour before an ankle injury, and 9th overall after not even competing in the final slopestyle contest at Northstar, Megan Ginter’s list of podium standings are more than impressi

Canada ShakeDown

2010-10-21T18:12:00.000-07:00

http://fresh.snowboardermag.com/ticker/ride-shakedown-finals-video/

Ride Shakedown Canada Finals Video | Snowboarder Magazine

fresh.snowboardermag.com

This video proves that Canadians know how to have a snowboard contest and Zak Hale knows how to have Canadians.

Milner Photos

2010-10-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

A small recap of some of photos from mid season taken my an amazing Mr. Dan Milner. Some have been used for Ride Outerwear ads and also a OnDeck article in SnowboarderGirl mag.

Editorial%20Report%20SNowboarder%20Girl%202011

2010-10-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Editorial%20Report%20SNowboarder%20Girl%202011

AREA 241 PHOTOS

2010-02-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

Stacey q- Two of Hearts

2010-02-19T11:41:00.001-08:00

In honor of (late) Valentines day, and one of my favorite movies Hot Rod.. bump it

L Marie , Seattle

2010-02-19T11:11:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite parts of the northwest is Seattle and Lake Washington. One of my best friends and his dad have one of the sweetest boats I have ever been on. A few weeks ago I got to check it out, including going up the 60ft mast pole. Next ... sailing far this summer!

X Games 14

2010-02-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

The journey to X Games this year was a lot more fun for me than it had ever been before. Sickels and I started our road trip the first week of January and headed to Utah for the second stop of Dew Tour at SnowBasin. After a good week there we headed to Park City where his friend Josh Kaufman who owns the Click snowboard shop hooked us up with a comfy couch to sleep on. We were hoping to get a little practice in before X but it just kept snowing that light fluffy stuff so we mostly just rode pow for a few days. Park City to the Canyons and a day at Steamboat with another good friend of Sickels. We got into Aspen and I rolled up for an inspection and finally got settled into our house in Snowmass. Our house was pimp! it had a bridge deck, indoor hot tub with super cool wall and a beautiful view. I was stoked because it meant my parents and friends were all coming to stay, party and shred. I wish I had gotten a few more photos of riding there and the course but its ok. I really wish I had a bit more practice before had but I walked away just missing finals in 7th. Very proud of Jenny for her 2nd gold and wanted it mentioned that Janna's run ( nearly landed) was one of the most progressive womens runs I have ever seen. Good job ladies... Till next year.

Oh and the worse fall I took all week was cruising some trees at snowmass after xgames got closed line on a rope haha. f it

Lovely Randa, Jeffrey and Little C
Cheers mom

the crew jeff, joe trav, family

road trippin!

Winter Dew Tour, Mount Snow Vermont | Ride News | Ride Snowboards

2010-02-09T19:06:00.000-08:00

Winter Dew Tour, Mount Snow Vermont | Ride News | Ride Snowboards

Mount Snow Photos

2010-02-09T18:59:00.001-08:00

some donni snigal photos from mount snow

Dew Tour - Snow Basin Mega Post | Ride News | Ride Snowboards

2010-02-08T13:07:00.000-08:00

Dew Tour - Snow Basin Mega Post | Ride News | Ride Snowboards

Golden Eagle

2010-02-08T12:20:00.001-08:00

SnowBasin Photos

2010-01-26T22:44:00.000-08:00

A few photos Mr. Sickels took from the 2nd stop of Dew Tour.

ESPN Story

2010-01-26T22:43:00.001-08:00

http://espn.go.com/action/xgames/2010/wx14/countdown/blog/_/post/4754731

Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Finals Highlights, Wendy's Invitational 2010, Snowbasin | Alli — Alliance of Action Sports ™

2010-01-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Finals Highlights, Wendy's Invitational 2010, Snowbasin | Alli — Alliance of Action Sports ™

Frozen

2010-01-19T11:10:00.000-08:00

haha.. this is funny. filmed where our snowbasin slope course was

Dew Tour 2010

2010-01-19T09:49:00.000-08:00

After starting the season with some good pow days, packed up my bags and headed to Breck for the first stop of Dew Tour with Sickels, Juuso, and P-Nut. Our first few days riding were awesome we had alright weather and breck's smaller park was really fun. We also hit up Keystone a day. Practice started a little rocky for me as I really hadn't been able to hit hardly any jumps before coming here. I knucked the 2nd jump the first time I hit it just straight airing so landed on my back foot really hard and bruised my heel and bottom of my foot pretty good. It was a real pain to put on my boot everyday after that but I still rode but didn't qualify.

Then it was home for Christmas. Washington has been pretty icy before I left because it had rained and then refroze.. and was icy when I got back. Not the funnest year for Steven's but hopefully the weather will improve as the season goes on. Finally got a few good pow days and enjoyed my time at home with my family and sleeping in my own bed.

Jan. 12 packed up Sickels truck in Seattle and started our road trip. Drove straight out to Utah and posted up at the Marriot in Ogden for the second stop of Dew Tour. Snowbasin was a pretty cool mountain. We had to take a 20 min gondola to lap the park which was a super fun long rally run down to the course. Jumps were weird and a pretty tight together but practice went well and weather cooperated. There were 12 girls at this stop, cutting prelims down to 5 plus Jamie for winning at Breck. I made 4th in finals and was pretty surprised to make it but very thankful. Had another day of practice and finals sunday. I f*ed my first run, but was able to put my second run down. not the prettiest ever but got it around. I ended up in 3rd and got my first Dew podium. Later that night we went out to what was suppose to be the after party to a very hillbilly bar. Almost saw an old man fight, some very comical strippers and partyed about as hard as you can in Utah on a Sunday night. On to SLC ate some Shivers and MolcaSalsa watched the boys hit a street rail and now chilling on a couch watching the snow fall in Park City. Got a few more days here to watch the Grand Prix and then on to CO for X Games..

Baker Opening Day Nov 12th 2009

2009-12-23T21:07:00.000-08:00

Mt Baker Opening day was one of the best opening days I have ever had. Blue sunny skies and plenty of freshies. Our crew consisting of Joe Bosler, Jeff Rudinski, and Tony Richards rolled out crack of dawn to be there first thing. After a lot of coffee and tending to the boot we started our day. This was for sure a great opening day and a great start to the season. Hopefully I'll be getting some more pow days at Baker this year.

Quotes for Today

2009-09-19T17:04:00.000-07:00

The key to happiness is having dreams... the key to success is making them come true...

If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got..

Reading Rainbow

2009-09-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

I remember when you were suppose to read in school. Occasionally you might stumble on a book you actually liked, but for the most part it was a continuance of more homework and time spent reading material you could have cared less about..

In the last two years I suddenly found myself growing up a lot. Getting stuck in an airport once I decided to wander through a book store and came across a title a friend had mentioned to me before and with entirely too much time to waste I started reading.

Books are good. They can distract your mind. Create their own little world to escape into. These are the books I've read in the last few months and would recommend any of them. Although I actually haven't finished 'The Shack' I am still reading it.

I don't know what I like to read yet, its still a quest to find something I enjoy. But its nice to be able to enjoy more than one genre. There is so much out there that is written and so little read.

I think I mostly read now because I can sit and distract myself from my thoughts. Its a inclination into another persons mind, or into life and what else it holds besides our own surroundings. I haven't watched TV in months. Occasionally I will, to spend time with my parents or if I am ridiculously bored. But I have found it hard to sit in front of my TV, maybe because most of cable is horrendously whack, but more so because I don't have Shy to sit and cuddle with me anymore. Well anyway, here are the books I've read in the last couple months. Check them out,

*I really admire these books. Even more do I like the author Ken Foster. I picked these up a few weeks after having said good bye to my baby. Nothing helps ease pain but time. But these helped me too. Ken Foster is an awesome writer and even more so I admire him for what he has done rescuing many dogs. These are his stories. If only more people in the world could be like him.

Check him out at www.ken-foster.com and www.dogswhofoundme.com

Quote of the Day

2009-09-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes shit just happens, even while you're just walking down the street, so its better to go for it- you never know what will happen next- Marc-Andre Tarte

Destiny is not a matter of chance. It's a matter of choice. It is not something to be waited for. It is something to be achieved . - William Jennings Bryan

Icicle Hiking

2009-09-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

It was kinda cool to go from a week on the farm, to a nice hotel in Queenstown my last night before leaving NZ, all the way to the middle of no where in the Pacific NW mountains. Its kinda like my back yard though I've grown up backpacking with my family always in the fall. No matter where I go I still think our Northwest has some of the most beautiful spots of anywhere.

In 3 days my Mom, Dad, Uncle Carl and I hiked 31 miles from the end of the Icicle rd in up Chatter Creek to Lake Edna, which was like camping on the Moon.. We hiked through surprisingly snow patches that were left from last winters snow and saw some of the first dustings for the year. It was pretty warm for September which was nice. We saw Lake Florence, Mary and Margret. Next night we got to fish in the sun and have a campfire that I slept by for part of the night and seen too many shooting stars to count... I need to get some hiking boots, I did this trip in my Supra high tops, which are by the way the best shoes I've ever had, but my feet are beat. Steaks on sticks, wild mountain blue berries, campfires, wine in the mountains, cougar sightings ... Overall a very good trip.

   Bridge vision.
   Mosstachio.
   Real trees.
   Sierra vs. Toad
   Steak stick. and my dad's wonderfully crazy facial expressions.
   Fuzzzzy.
   Lake Margret
   My beautiful lil mom.
   Lake Florence.
   Dropping next.
   Florence.

   Fanny Pack.
   Signage.

   Rocks.
   Lake Edna.


   Rocks I want to jib.
   Snow left from last year!
   The fam minus a Jessi and a few animals...

Where the wild things are...

2009-09-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

Remember this book from when you were little... it was one of my favorites and I just discovered there is a movie releasing this October. Does anyone want to see it with me...?

Check out the trailer... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NOkQ4dYVaM

Last Week in NZ

2009-09-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

The last week I spent in New Zealand was one of the best there. I got to stay and see what its like to really live there.. With most of the crew gone JJ, Biff, Boydy and I embarked out into the country for a little farm living. I even did a little sheep herding! Benji and his parents were more than generous to have us all stay and fed us some of the best food I've ever eaten. They actually own a catering buisness called Flying Trestles and have catered for huge projects like Lord of the Rings and many other movies. We were lucky enough to have them cook some amazing dinners everynight with some new foods I've never had before. Benji's Mom would pack us up vension sandwiches and meat pies everyday for lunch and dine on lobster, fish, lamb, awesome vegis and all kinds of deliciousness everyday accompanied by the finest local NZ wines... And the best was "tree tomatoes" that we would put on ice cream and eat with breakfast, they were the texture of tomatoe but so sweet! I wish we had them in the states. If you are in New Zealand and want to eat some amazing food check them out....

http://www.flyingtrestles.co.nz/

I can't wait to go back next year......

NZ West Coast Rain Day

2009-08-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

After a long drive past a lot of water falls and over many one lane bridges, we made it to a tiny town on the west coast. It poured rain for most of our trip making stopping minimal unless you wanted a shower but our trip was definitely worth it. We had a good lunch and then hit the beach. A little rain and cold weather couldn't stop us! We got soaked, went in up to our waist, Brady lost his shoes in some quicksand and we went jungle climbing to the top of cliff. Overall an epic day off.

New Zealand

2009-08-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

Note * most of these photos I jacked from everyone else here.. so photo credit to whoevers. Thanks a ton : ) more photos to come

New Zealand has been amazing. After breaking my ankle I have had a rough few months. I'm stoked to be in another country on pretty much my first international travel. Leaving Seattle on August 8th it took 2 days to get here. Flying into Australia was so pretty, I really wish I had time to stay a few days and check it out, see some kangaroos or something. But on directly to Queenstown where I realized they had lost my board bag.

After getting into Wanaka and realizing I had no where to stay either I was pretty down. I got a room and by the next day I was sitting on my only bag in the rain wondering what the hell to do.

Luckily I met some of the coolest guys down here that took me in and helped me so much. ISTC ( International Snowboard Training Center) took me under their wing. Ben Boyd and Brady McNeil are some of the best coaches out there and I am so beyond thankful that they were here to help me out. Boydy loaned me his boots and JJ's binding that were way too big. Our qualifying day for the Open was awful weather. It was hard for me because I really hadn't hit very much jumps yet since my surgery and amongst other personal issues I was dealing with I was trying to ride in horse shit weather in gear that I wasn't used to or fitting in. Our qualifying got cut short due to fog and wind, but I still managed to get into 2nd that day. They gave us another run on Friday and well I choked and didn't make the cut, but its all good. I placed 21st over all, the lowest contest placement I have ever gotten. In ways it made me really sad but I know that I was not to full capability of my riding. Since then I've been here almost three weeks riding Cardrona everyday. There is a super fun jump line although we have mostly been hiking the first jump to get some of my tricks back.

Wanaka is an awesome town and I couldn't have asked for a better crew to be here with. The first few days I got to stay with some awesome girls. Indigo Monk is 14 now and I remember her shredding when she was just a tiny grom. She is killing it now getting 5th and the world cup slopestyle and nice features article in the local newspaper. Brennen Swanson and JJ Thomas shredding the pipe and some shredders Daino, Matt and Ten Pack ( Grant). We've had some good times on the town, creeping Queenstown, rallying the luge carts and spending entirely too much time on facebook.

Today it is raining and the lifts and park are shut down on wind hold. I thought I would take a minute to update because it had been a long time.

You never know how fast life can change and how quickly things can be ripped out from under your feet. and at the same time you never know when you might just get on a plane and fly half way across the world and somehow everything just works out. I finally after months have started to find a little piece of my happiness again. You never realize how much snowboarding means to you sometimes until you have that day that you can't help but smile while your riding.

A huge thanks to Boydy, Brady and everyone with ISTC. Thanks for taking me in.. you've helped me get through one of the hardest points of my life whether you will ever know it or not. Thank you...

More NZ updates to come as I have just pushed my ticket up to the 5th leaving me another 12 days here..

Pit Bull Truth

2009-08-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

GIMME SHELTERThe Plight of Homeless Pit Bulls
by Lorrie Kalmbach Ehlers, President and Founder of BullsEye Dog Rescue, Seattle Pure Bred Dog Rescue Bully Breeds RepresentativeIf you haven’t been down the halls of one of Puget Sound’s animal shelters recently, you might be surprised to learn that the predominant breed of dog currently found in our local shelters is a pit bull or some sort of pit bull mix.Although there are no accurate or even near accurate census records for dogs in the U.S., much less specific breeds of dogs, there are far more pit bulls in our nation than most people realize.In some areas, pit bulls are estimated to comprise between 30-40% of the dog population. Even in our nation’s animal shelters, it’s not unusual for pit bulls to typically make up “at least one fourth” of the total number of dogs in their kennels at any given time. Space constraints alone result in 90-100% of pit bulls ending their lives on the euthanasia table.These same statistics ring true in the Puget Sound region. In the year 2006, three of our local shelters euthanized 1,375 pit bulls — roughly three to four pit bulls each day. This staggering number does not even begin to touch upon pit bull euthanasia rates for the area’s 100 other shelters and rescue groups.SPDR’s statistics show a similar trend: For the last 10 years, American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers have been near the top of SPDR’s “top ten” list of most frequently handled breeds; last year, the number of pit bulls handled by SPDR was equal to the sum of the next eight most handled breeds on our list.Because SPDR’s mission is to prevent unwanted purebred dogs from overloading the region’s public shelter systems, the Board of Directors decided that something had to be done to address the sheer number of homeless pit bulls. In a partnership with The Humane Society for Seattle and King County, Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue is sponsoring the free spay and neuter of any pit bulls living within the Puget Sound region.Why are there so many pit bulls in the shelters these days? How has the homeless population of this breed reached such an alarming level? Are there just that many being bred? Or is that simply the proof of their “bad dog” behavior that we keep hearing about in the media, forcing them to be turned into the shelter far more often than the “nicer behaved” breeds?In order to answer these questions, we need to take a look into the history of the pit bull.History of the Breed
A cousin to the pit bull, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, descended from the old English bulldogge, or butcher’s dog — an animal bred since the Middle Ages to participate in the cruel “sport” of baiting large animals like bulls or bears.A baiting consisted of confining or restraining these large animals and then allowing fearless dogs to attack and immobilize them, giving the people of the time both entertainment and source for gambling.By the 16th Century, baiting events had garnered the enthusiastic support and patronage of royalty—including Henry VIII and his daughter Queen Elizabeth, who reportedly took great delight in the sport in which the bull-dog was often killed or thrown severely injured into the crowd.As public awareness grew to acknowledge the suffering of the animals caused in this display of barbarous cruelty, animal baiting was banned by law in 1835.Baiting enthusiasts satiated their need for a barbaric sport by then turning their attentions to training their bull-dogs to fight each other. As time went on, breeders began selectively breeding their dogs for dog-aggression and greater athleticism. Cross breeding of the bull-dog with the English black-and-tan terrier produced the strong, agile, intelligent “bull and terrier”.In 1832 Sir Walter Scott acknowledged his beloved “Wasp,” a product of the bull-dog cross breeding, by citing him “The wisest dog I have had was what is called the Bull and Terrier,”

Although fiercely competitive with other dogs in the fighting ring, these same dogs were stable and trustworthy; often living in their master’s house as family pets where their reliability with children earned them the nickname “nanny dog”. To ensure dog handlers in this sport would not receive a redirected bite when leaning into the pits to pull the battling dogs apart, breeders would cull any dogs showing reactive aggression towards humans immediately.It this point in the breed’s development, England’s Bull and Terrier began to be known by a new name, the Pit Bull Terrier. History also shows that as Englanders began settling the New World, the pit bull terrier also made the crossing of the Atlantic with them.America’s Yankee Terrier
The pit bull originally came to the shores of America with English families who were beginning a fresh life in the new world. Soon after arrival, the breed became a common sight in wagon trains and on farms. Although the cruel sport of dog fighting had also made the crossing with America’s pioneers, bull and terriers also began playing an important role in the development of the country.Because of their reputation as a loyal, intelligent, and courageous they were often used in protecting children and the farm from predators, rounding up livestock, and bringing down hunted game. An invaluable asset for the taming of a wild country.As the country matured and cities sprung from farmland, the Pit Bull Terrier became rooted in the fabric of America. At the turn of the century, the breed’s likeness was used in advertising, novels, and even a stamp that depicted Helen Keller with her dog “Phiz”, patiently waiting at her feet. It was during this time that an official registration was developed for the breed and the name once again converted to the American Pit bull Terrier.Icon’s of early 20th century American culture featured this pit bull dog prominently in their ads; Levi jeans, Buster Brown shoes, and the infamous black and white RCA dog. Meanwhile tales of American Pit Bull Terriers were featured by such infamous authors as John Steinbeck who wrote about Jigg; James Thurber’s Rex; and even Mark Twain described Andrew Jackson, a Pit Bull pup in The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. The American Pit Bull terrier even made a debut on the television as the beloved and ever patient “Petey” of Our Gang fame.As our country entered World War I, so too did the American Pit bull Terrier. Affectionately nicknamed the “Yankee Terrier”, a name given to liken the breed’s courage and loyalty to the American people, it was featured in posters wrapped in an American flag spreading the word of patriotism with a caption of “I’m neutral, but not afraid.”The most decorated dog in U.S. History emerged from this war. A brown and white pit bull terrier named Stubby. Mascot and member of the 102nd infantry, the dog had served his country in 17 battles in France. His courage was infamous, having saved hundreds of lives, solitarily capturing a German spy, all after being wounded twice but refusing to quit his countrymen. At a parade celebrating the end of the war, it is told that as Stubby marched alongside his infantrymen he raised his paw in salute to President Wilson. At Stubby’s passing, he was to remain a part of history when he was preserved and put on display at the Smithsonian.Though Stubby gained the most notoriety of any dog fighting in war time, there have been other pit bulls serving just a notably in other wars. Sally Ann Jarrett served valiantly in the Civil War, facing some of the heaviest battles such as Bull Run and Pope’s retreat. Another pit bull named Jack also served in the Civil War, where twice he was captured, and then perhaps even more notably, was then exchanged for a Confederate soldier.It is no surprise then, that when America entered World War II, poster sprang up depicting a U.S. Marine and his American Pit Bull Terrier, declaring them “Defenders of Old Glory.” The time where pit bulls were considered heros and symbols of the good in America has sadly passed.The Pit Bull Today
The historic fighting ability of this All American breed has been attracting a bad crowd recently. During the 1980s, after the novelty of German Shepherd, Rottweiler, and Doberman “tough dogs” wore off, the Pit Bull became the next target. Within a decade, this once-beloved breed began to be exploited by the darker side of civilization — representing poverty, crime, drugs, thugs, and newspaper headlines featuring back alley dog fighting rings.With that new reputation came disturbing accounts of aggressive attacks on humans by badly bred, severely neglected and abused pit bulls and pit mixes. For the first time in history, the public view of this breed was one of fear and panic brought on by sensationalist reporting and irresponsible criminal owners.The scheme of a quick buck by these low life owners quickly contributed to the epidemic of unwanted pit bulls. Craigslist and the Little Nickel overflow with $100 ads for “Big Headed Monster pit bulls”. Look in the Free or Give Away sections and you will just as many pit bull ads featuring the remainder of the puppies that could not be sold.And it’s not just criminals or backyard breeders causing the problem either. Anyone seeking a “tough” look, status symbol, or controversial fashion statement is likewise irresistibly drawn to having a Pit Bull.And yet as fashions change, so do the loyalties of these “casual” Pit Bull owners. This is how the pattern of pit bulls purchased for breeding, fighting, or novelty, then later discarded and duly euthanized by our overcrowded shelters, has erupted into a disturbing ‘business as usual’ cycle with no discernable end in sight.Breed Under Siege
While irresponsible breeders, drug dealers and dog fighters neglect and torture these dogs, the public media has been having a heyday with the breed. Today the pit bull is under siege.A few years ago a New York Post story told of a man who was attacked and severely bitten on the leg by another breed of dog. He called the local media, but they didn’t find it exciting enough to report. A few days later, out of curiosity, the same man falsely told the same story to the same media, but this time he said that the dog was a Pit Bull. Three television news stations and four newspapers sent reporters immediately. (1)Even typical dog and dog owner mistakes that are normally tolerated by the public, if done by a dog even marginally resembling a Pit Bull, are often turned into the “breaking news” story of the day.Yet the very sensationalism that is the media’s hallmark can sometimes be a positive thing, as seen by the largely publicized animal cruelty case against well-known football player Michael Vick.For years, the Pit Bull was always seen to be the criminal, and due to the nature of its breed, was blamed for the atrocities forced upon it, rather than blaming the people behind the true crimes.Thus it was that Pit Bull rescuers, advocates, breeders, and law enforcement officials who have known for decades about the injustices and cruelty leveled against this breed were pleasantly surprised by the nation’s sudden outcry over this case. In fact the uproar has been so fierce and unrelenting that critics have condemned the response as too high for the crime. Clearly, the root of the public’s fury over Michael Vick is the shocking brutality of the dog fighting world. A world that very few of the general public in America had previously had even ventured a peek into.Surprisingly, there’s also a negative side to the public’s recent awareness, something that at first glance would not appear to be an obstacle that the breed now faces. This is the well meaning but misguided efforts of certain animal rescuers.The Few Who Are Worthy
An evolving trend our society of plenty has encountered in recent years is the “death row” and “last chance” guilt type animal rescuers. Motivated by good intentions and a love for animals, many of these people have but a casual relationship with dogs. But, because their message of urgency plucks our heartstrings, people fork over huge amounts of money and time to support their well intended, but often misguided efforts.While it’s easy to be led by emotions and feel susceptible amidst the daily barrage of appeals from irresponsible owners threatening to turn their dog into “the pound,” having these situations result in knee jerk reactions to “save them all” is one of the worst things that can happen to pit bulls.The pit bull breed, more than any other breed at this time, does not have the luxury of surviving ill-informed, inexperienced rescuers, much less unsuspecting, well-meaning, but inexperienced adopters. Given the way many of these dogs are still bred — for money rather than for temperament, or worse yet, for aggressive temperament rather than stability — every Pit Bull entering rescue should be an exceptional model of correct Pit Bull temperament, and should be placed in only the very best and most knowledgeable dog owner homes.The goal of SPDR’s American Pit Bull Terrier Breed Rep is not to rescue as many pit bulls as possible. It is to restore the image of the breed — to bring it back to its original purpose and intent — through careful selection, scrupulous adoption, and non-sensationalized education.Fact Versus Fiction
Let’s start with the easiest misconception: the term “pit bull.” Is it really a breed, or a conglomeration of breeds, or is it just a shortened version of American Pit Bull Terrier?The evolution of the term ‘pit bull’ no longer represents a breed of dog, but rather a generic term used to describe dogs that display similar traits and characteristics. These dogs typically have breeding comprised of either American Pit bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any mix of the three.No matter what you call them, the pit bull Terrier suffers from false information probably more than any other breed. The image of this breed as a natural human aggressor is attention grabbing, but false. pit bulls were never bred to attack people.The typical American Pit Bull Terrier, the true ambassador of this breed, is stable, reliable, and loves people, as supported by a yearly study of dog breeds by the American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS), where pit bulls achieved a passing rate of 83.9%. That’s better than Beagles at 78.2%, and right up there with Golden Retrievers at 83.2% — both of which are breeds typically viewed as wonderful family dogs.This temperament score is in stark contrast to the “monster myths” that perpetuate the image of the breed for a large part of society today. Locking jaws, unstable personalities that are prone to “snap” resulting in attacks on their owners, biting power beyond any other breed of dog — the list of myths goes on.But wasn’t this dog originally bred to fight other dogs? The answer is yes. And like other types of terriers, some pit bulls can be aggressive towards other dogs. This is where responsible breeding, rescue and ownership becomes key.A common phrase you will here relayed by responsible pit bull owners is “Set your pit bull up for success.” Just as we strive to set our children up to succeed in today’s world, so too does a pit bull owner their dog. Socialization in a controlled manner early on, spaying/neutering at a young age, monitoring dog play, and clear but fair leadership are just some of the a responsible owners guidelines. Not breeding or rescuing the overtly dog aggressive dogs, but rather choosing them for the plethora of also typical great traits they should exude. Still, some amount of dog aggression is typical and can be expected. Pit bulls often do not seek the fight, but true to all terriers, they don’t back down from one either.Yet animal aggression is very different from human aggression. If animal aggression translated into human aggression, many dog breeds would be at risk of the “monster” label — the beloved Snoopy, a Beagle, bred to track and rip apart fox; the gentle Irish Wolfhound, bred to kill wolves; and nearly all of the terriers, of which Miniature Schnauzers are grouped with, that were (and are) deadly rodent hunters.So who it the “real” pit bull? A fun loving, spunky and affectionate dog that is also impressively loyal, bold, and courageous. They are natural “court jesters,” amazing athletes, and perfect family companions.Bred for athleticism and adaptability for hundreds of years, they are easily one of the most versatile dog athletes of current times, participating in a variety of dog sports including Agility, Weight Pull, Obedience, Flyball, Frisbee and even Herding. With their tenacious work drive and strong desire to please their owners not just 100% but 200%, they are natural competitors and win impressive titles wherever they’re worked.As the reality of the breed’s capabilities has begun to be acknowledged, so too has their use in public service. Currently, just in the state of Washington, there are six pit bulls working as very successful K9 officers for the State Patrol bomb and drug sniffing units. Two of the countries most successful and noted search and rescue dogs are pit bulls, Dakota and Tahoe, who were called upon to participate in the recovery of the crew member remains from the space shuttle Columbia explosion.Meanwhile the soft side of the breed shows up in their overflowing affection for humans — a desirable trait that was very important to the original breeders of this animal, and remains so today. For this reason, many pit bulls work as Certified Therapy Dogs in hospitals and nursing homes. A pit bull named ‘RCA’ was Alaska’s first certified Hearing Dog.However the favorite place of any well-loved Pit Bull is in the lap of their adoring human or close by their side. There are hundreds of family homes right here in the Puget Sound who know the breed and continue to seek them out as their dog of choice because of their amazing tolerance and love for families and children.The Future
Many people deeply embedded in the pit bull world are at a heightened state of alarm for the future of this amazing breed. As public misconception continues, the plight of the breed as a whole is in jeopardy.As the media continues to misreport and sensationalize pit bull incidents, as other breed of dogs continue to be mislabeled as pit bulls, and as irresponsible owners, backyard breeders, and criminals continue to neglect and abuse this breed, their plight seems to be in a unending downward spiral towards an all-out ban.In just the last decade, Breed Specific Legislation — rules that govern whether or not you can own a specific breed of dog, of which pit bulls are only one on the list — has become rampant not only in the United States, and not only in our own state, but in numerous other countries around the world.The best argument against breed bans is that they are costly and ineffective. Breed bans are often a knee-jerk reaction from politicians who want to say they are “doing something” in response to a highly publicized dog attack (of any breed). This is a useless exercise.I would argue that it is also not a very intelligent choice. What message are we telling society about these abusive and irresponsible owners when legislation makes the dogs pay the price for their action? Criminals habitually break laws. If their dog is confiscated and killed, they will just get another one because Breed Specific Legislation punishes the dog, not the owner. Criminalizing a breed only makes them appeal more to the criminals.To end this trend, the public as a whole needs to respond. Demand conscientious breeding. Recognize media hype for what it really is. Thoroughly research and hold rescue groups to stringent standards, recognizing that not every Pit Bull can, or should, be saved. Report cruelty and neglect, knowing that abuse victims can be become dangerous out of necessity. Request, demand, and insist on responsible ownership of the Pit Bull. Do not support the “get out of jail free” card of Breed Specific Legislation.But most of all? Give one of the true ambassador dogs of this breed a chance to show you who they used to be, and who they can be again, if we take the responsibility to treat them humanely, intelligently, and with great responsibility. You’ll be rewarded 200%, and then some.1.The Ultimate American Pit Bull Terrier, Jacqueline O’Neil

Please Read. Take a stand, have a voice..

2009-08-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

I took this from another blog from the Sula Foundation. Please read it and if you love your dog or feel strongly about it like I do please take the contact info at the bottom. Its a lot to explain but just read it. If the NFL would stand against animal abuse and dog fighting it would help our beloved creatures so much. But if its ignored and Michael Vicks is allowed back into the NFL again what kind of message is that showing? Little kids could hear/ watch that and this that its fine to get away with criminal acts especially ones as horrendous as fighting and killing dogs. I believe he should be punished so much harder than legal action will allow. He viciously tortured and killed many many dogs. We should let him play football again cause hes sorry? Fuck that

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Could Michael Vick become a Saint?

Early this week, news broke of Michael Vick's reinstatement with the NFL. He can play ball immediately, although the initial terms stipulate that he must sit out the first six games of the season. In justifying the reinstatement, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell cited Vick's remorse and his work with the Humane Society of the United States. Yet many have pointed out that at his most recent trial, on state charges in April, Vick pled not guilty to animal cruelty even while entering guilty plea on the charge of dogfighting. Is it possible to be remorseful for something for which you still avoid taking responsibility? And, while Vick and HSUS do, indeed, have an agreement to work together, that work, so far, has been limited to press releases promoting their partnership.

There has been speculation, going back to last spring, that Vick might make a "great" addition to the New Orleans Saints. On Tuesday afternoon, Saints player Lance Moore told WWL-TV that he would love to have Vick join the team. "He'd bring a whole other dimension to this team that we don't really have," he said. "I think he's more than paid his debt to society," Moore continued. "He's done everything that's been asked of him and I would assume you are not going to see any problems. I'm sure the damage that it has done to him mentally is plenty for him to have learned his lesson." Elsewhere, one online report even sketched out a scenario of how to reintroduce Vick to New Orleans, with a joint press conference featuring the Louisiana SPCA.

Certainly Vick deserves a shot to return to society and earn a living; but does that mean that he is fit to serve among the elite of the NFL, among athletes who are regarded as role models to millions? Some argue that denying him the game is robbing him of his livelihood; others say that he can find a job doing something else. Yet what is often missing from this debate is a careful look at the actual facts of the case: one still hears the words "alleged dogfighter" or comparisons to hunting. Vick was involved in an illegal dogfighting operation that included gambling; he and his cohorts admitted to killing dogs that didn't perform; among the methods used to kill the dogs, they electrocuted some by attaching car batteries to their live bodies; these electrocutions were performed at the bottom of an empty pool, where it was possible, months later, to see the claw marks made as the dogs frantically tried to escape; during the investigation, Vick lied to law enforcement, to federal agents, and to his employers and teammates; and, in April of this year, while still serving time in a federal prison, he pled not guilty on state charges of animal cruelty.

Of course, the Saints and the NFL can choose to do what they feel is appropriate, and already they have heard from many fans and players who feel Vick should return. But wouldn't it be something if the teams actually took a vocal stand against dogfighting and animal cruelty this season? If you want to make sure they know how you feel, here are some helpful contacts:

NFL:
Roger.Goodell2@nfl.net
212-450-2000; 212-450-2027

New Orleans Saints:
New Orleans Saints
5800 Airline Drive
Metairie, LA 70003
(504) 731-1080

SPSS Rail Jam July 5th

2009-06-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Tight Panters,

2009-05-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

For all you boys out there who like to wear your sisters jeans... Chuck Norris Action Jeans, stretchy stretch for all your shredding needs

08/09 Season Recap Photos

2009-05-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

So as usual.. I am terrible at doing anything on the computer especially keeping up on this. I've had been wanting to get some photos up from earlier in the season that I just got. I really wish I had the opportunity to get more photos this season but its difficult when you are traveling so much for contests. Here are some photos from my adventures over the two and half months I got out of this winter between injuries. For the little bit of time I did get back on snow I got to go to a few awesome places, ride with some of my favorite people and meet some rad new shred buddies and made a couple bucks. I can't wait to be healed enough to be able to really ride again. I have had my first few days back on snow since my injury. Its amazing how much you miss the mountains when you stay away for awhile. Even the snow has its own smell.

Now the winter season has come and gone and once again I feel I am in the same place as last season. Easier in ways but also so much harder in others. It sucks to be injured at the same time of year twice in a row. There was a lot I missed out on .. but I guess like always... everything happens for a reason. I have had a lot of time to spend with my family and friends, and with my doggie so for that I am very grateful. A good friend of mine a while ago asked me a question casually.. but it put a lot of thought into my head. He asked me what I do?.. besides snowboarding... just what I do in my life for fun or enjoyment. There really wasn't too much I could come up with besides snowboarding.. It has consumed my life so much. And I love it. But it also got me thinking... What if we had 5 things in our lives that we love as much as snowboarding. 10 things. How much greater would life be? So in this time that I have had to stay away from the snow I have taken on many new projects and hobbies adventuring into new things I can enjoy. My advice to you today my friends.... is to get out and discover some new things that you can do and enjoy, and LOVE. Find things to put work and effort into, something you can be proud of. Life is better that way. :) Cheers.

Canadian Open- Calgary the funnest city in Canada.. ( well that I've been too at least)

Vegas from Sickels phone

Redman Show
My lady Katie
Joe Bosler, Mikey Basich, Austin Hironaka- some of my favorite boys of shredding
tall ass bitches....! and a short mikey
The beautiful Jenny Jones.. Congrats to her on killing it everywhere this season.
Shred Betty lady crew late night

X Games.. Aspen, Colorado 09 3rd place baby :)

My NW crew.. Much Love.. SPSS top phlight holdin this corner down
Haha...
Do the Dew dude..

Weird Shoes

2009-03-27T18:08:00.001-07:00

In honor of all the time I've spent on the couch lately, I figured I would get good use out of google and find the weirdest things I could.... Thus.. the weirdest shoes.. ( I must say the rebok tennies and the nipple clogs are my favorites)

I think I'm bored...

lifestyle pics

2009-03-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

My boy Jerry Patty who is becoming quite the skilled photographer came out to our Carnation pad a few days ago to help shoot some lifestyle shots. Heres what we came up with for the day.

Maui

2009-03-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

So much has happend in the last few weeks but nothing too notable. I took my parents to Maui for their birthday/anniversary and to help get over the grief of the week before. We had an awesome time though the weather didn't cooperate.

I started walking about a week before my Doc estimated I would be. Healing seems to be going fast and I try to stay as up beat and positive as I can but there are always those few days that sneak up on you and you can't help but feel a little depressed. Its hard to watch the open live or chicken jam from your computer when you know you should be there. It wouldn't be as bad I feel, if I hadn't had all the time off last year it just all adds up to feel like so much. But I will heal in half the time my arm took and I will be able to ride, actually ride, without worrying about falling all summer. I can't wait for some sunshine :)

The worst week of my season

2009-02-25T14:58:00.001-08:00

Amazing how quickly things can change. Sometimes I think you have to have these really low times in life so we can truely appreciate the good ones, though regardless it sucks when you're there. Its hard. Sadly, last week I broke my right ankle. It was a normal day, nothing to give me any inclination that anything would go wrong. I was riding alone at Steven's just lapping the park, hitting the same jumps I've hit a thousand times. I did the same line twice and was going to settle off with one more good line, take a cruiser and split for the day. I popped a little extra corked on " junks jump", the bottom jump, even though its ridiculously flat boarder-cross steeze on a back 5. The thing that is really screwing with my head is that I really didn't even fall, I landed at such an extreme degree on my toes that I just felt my ankle fold and snap. Its crazy how instantly you know something is broken. It's this horrible hot sick feeling that washes over you and makes you feel clastraphobic in your own body. I was thankful that some local shreds that I didn't even know stopped and helped me crawl off the landing and made sure no one hit me. I appreciate that if any of you ever read this.

That day was pretty much the one of the worst days I had in a long time. I've worked so hard and have gone through a lot of mental anguish to feel as comfortable on my snowboard again as I was. I really only got 2 and half months back on snow since breaking my humorous, and for that I am at loss of words. I miss snowboarding, but such is life and you gotta take it as it comes.

Two days later I had surgery in Bellevue Overlake Hospital. My mom stayed with my the whole time which I was truely greatful for after my first surgery experience in Tahoe all alone. It was a long night but everything went smoothly and I'm already a week in. It will be a month before I am able to walk on it again, and my goal for riding will be April 20th in Whistler. Thats roughly about 55 days from now, and I will be going crazy dreaming of snowboarding until then. I wish I had just gotten a pow day in :(

The second part of my horrible week was even worse than all of that. February 23 marks one of that saddest days I will probably ever experience in my life. When I was about 11 years old my mom got my sister and I each a dog. My doggies name was Molly and though over that last few years I've become so busy with snowboarding and traveling that she pretty much became my moms shadow. Following her everywhere she went. She was one of the sweetest dogs I've ever had the pleasure to know. She was tiny, only about 6 pounds, but had the heart and soul of a big dog, and lived the life of one. She hiked more miles, travels to more states and did way more than any 6 pound yorkshire terrier should ever do. She was attacked last spring by a friends pit bull and although she was strong enough to survive the attack she obtained many complications afterwards. She had an enlarged heart and her kidneys were starting to fail. She had lost her eye sight when she got bit and her breathing wasn't always the best. In the last week she took a turn for the worst and despite my moms relentless efforts to save her, we had to let her go before she started to be in pain. She was one of the best dogs I will ever know. She was loved beyond words and will never be forgotten. We miss you Molly...

2009-02-11T19:02:00.000-08:00

The Canadian Open was by far one of my favorite events of the year. I had an awesome time in Canada, always do. Good people, good weather, good jumps. I had to qualify but qualified with ease in first and made it all the way to finals. This was definitely some of the most progressive women's riding I have ever witness first hand. Girls doing 5's and 7's and rodeo's. And the guys were killing it as always, double corks, crazy shiat going down. I was stoked to land both runs I had planned. The jibs were fun, started my run cab boardslide, over this up gap to down box, to frontside.. then 50-50bs 180 out a down street rail steeze, to cab 5, to bs 5 my first run and cab 5 to bs 7 my second run. So I was stoked on my riding this contest more than anything. Plus the mini park was sooo fun and I learn about 5 new tricks on this huge boxes and in the mini shred pipe. A huge thanks to Raewyn Ried and her parents for letting me crash out and takin care of me all week.

Canadian Open

2009-02-04T16:18:00.000-08:00

After a few long and crazy days in Vegas I escaped alive.. Saw Snoop and Redman, missed my flight, and drank entirely too much liquor. I got one day at home, which was not nearly enough. And now I am in Calgary, Canadia for the Canadian Open. I've been staying with Raewynn and Laurie, at Rae's house. Its an awesome place and her parents are incredibly nice. I'm pretty stoked to be staying with them because other wise I would be entirely lost in this place. The hill, and I do mean hill, is only about 15 minutes away from downtown. Its a pretty cool little spot I can see riding here all the time would be fun as long as the jumps were good, which I hear isn't very common. But you could get so many laps in a day! There is an awesome mini park we have been shredding the last few days.. rope ollie, wide dance floor boxes, mini pipe.. its pretty sweet.. Boys had first round today, we poached their practice for a few laps before it got shut down because of wind.. Hopefully tomorrow is fast and wind free for us ladies....

X Games Finals

2009-01-26T21:47:00.000-08:00

So after everything I am stoked to leave Aspen with a bronze metal. I was stoked to get to stand on the podium. The morning started off sketchy and definitely wasn't very motivating to see all the skier girls getting taken out on the course right before we were suppose to go. Fresh snow made the course a lot slower and the freezing rain the was falling and fog really didn't help the visibility. By the time we got to our practice we were already running late so we had to bang out a few laps really quick. Mine went pretty well, my speed stayed pretty consistent besides the last two jumps. The channel was super fast and it was hard with how close together the were to check off enough speed in between. And the last jump was pretty slow because no one had been hitting it. I sprung off some back fives but hit the knuckle about three times so I was a little weary I would even have speed to get it around. In my runs everything went pretty smoothly. My first run was my winning run. Pretty basic but I wanted to stay steady and strong without risking much,.. 50/50 down the street rail, gap to the down, straight air off the cannon box a couple back threes ( i know i'm lame for doing two of the same trick in my runs but shit, its better than a straight air and thats just how it goes) into back five and I tried for a some back sevens, but just didnt get them around right. All in all I am stoked with how everything went and I'm proud to say I got 3rd place and X Games 13.

X Games Day 3

2009-01-24T08:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday went surprisingly better than I would have thought. Started my day off a little rough , I just spaced and forgot the first jump was cut after and slipped to fall 15 -20 ft to flat. Practice went ok, and as much as I thought I liked the last jump the least it actually ended up being pretty fun. I got a couple back 5s over it in practice. Speed seemed like it was going to be slow but held out pretty consistently for me, besides the poor visibility in the fog, conditions were actually pretty good. I qualified for finals in 3rd place. Pretty stoked with that. Hopefully I can hold my podium spot today.. I would really like to be up there. Well... we'll see how today goes...

X Games Day 2

2009-01-22T15:51:00.000-08:00

After a sketchy morning and lot of nerves I made it through my first day on course... Practice went fairly smoothly, no knuckles. The bottom jump is the only one with an optional small side, I tried the smaller left side first was okay, actually took it pretty deep. Last run of practice I tried the big side and went even deep. I swear I thought I was going to hit the crane camera thing. It was pretty wild. Not really sure on how I feel things will go, but I feel a lot better than I did this morning so...we'll see tomorrow...

X Games Day 1

2009-01-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

So... after a long day of airporting yesterday, we ( my parents and I ) got diverted into Denver instead of Grand Junction.. which was fine but we ended up having to wait forever for our bags, that came in on a different flights. Our condo is super nice right on slope side at Snowmass. Unfortunately I got some sort of food poisoning or something and started puking last night on our drive up and kept going all the way through this afternoon :( no fun.. plus today was super nice so I missed a day of practice... bummer.. o well.

Course looks huge from below.. didn't get to actually go on the hill and inspect it but tomorrow will be my first day riding those kickers so hopefully everything goes smoothly...

January 6-13th

2009-01-13T22:27:00.000-08:00

January 6th- 13th.. Spent and interesting week at Mount Snow, Vermont. It was my first time ever riding on the east coast so it was pretty cool to get to see some different terrain. Thankfully it wasn't too icy.. actually got a little bit of a pow day and it kind of sucked because it made practice almost impossible to clear all of the jumps before prelims. The course for the second Dew stop I liked a lot better than the first, more features and some more options. Prelims had some pretty crazy weather so I was stoked to hang in there and qualify 3rd for finals. We got lucky with some sunny weather last day and the course was actually super fun to ride when you had speed to clear everything. I met a ton of super cool people on that trip which was pleasant too. Also I had flown out with a fresh Ride DH 55 that I had never ridden before and brand new boots so I was a little hesitant hoping all my gear and everything would fit and work out okay and I was so super comfy and happy so that was a plus too. I ended up holding my 5th place down..

Monday the webcams looked like crap at Stevens but you would have never of guessed that it was probably one of the funnest day I've had yet this season. It was a nice NW sprinkle, soft snow, no one around but a few good homies.. days I live for. But we just had a rad session together.. today would have been sick too but they added crazy unnessicary pop to the kicker and it was bullet proof firm ...soo I hit it a few times but I figured I would keep my self safe for more important priorities. Hopefully it is good tomorrow...

new years week @ stevens

2009-01-04T20:29:00.001-08:00

The last few days have been amazing at Stevens.. minus the insane amount of people. Stoked Christmas break is finally over. Got yodelin and tunnel creek finally for the first time this year. Jumps been okay.. still only one really.. really wishing I was on a bigger board not just for pow runs but jumping too, and its been slow lately. Packing tonight for VT, I leave on Tuesday.. Doin the dew 2nd time.. yea duder. Its still snowing at my house, though most has melted. Theres still a huge mound in my front yard that my dad had pushed up. Boots that hurt really suck. And I would really like to find some of those little sausages on a stick with a pancake around it that looks like a corn dog.. maybe they have them in VT.. maybe really good syrup too...

2008-12-27T21:28:00.000-08:00

my car buried ..most snow ive ever seen this low
christmas eve/sled towed flat ground pow turns/ one piece day
wish you were here...

Back in WA

2008-12-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

So the rest of Colorado went well, stayed amazingly cold the entire time. I ended up getting 2nd in prelims and 5ht in finals. not bad for weak my runs were, but oh well I really didn't have any time jumping before hand for months. Finished out the week with a sick last day getting sometree runs and seeing a little more of breck than just the slope course. flights home were long and interesting but I actually made it home surprisingly well considering Christmas and the weather. Rode the day I got back without really sleeping in between, it was a good day though, always is at Stevens. Its crazy the amount of snow around the cities right now. I think we got more new at our house than the mountain. I heard coldest and most snow this low since 1951.. record shit. Dani brought out the sled on Christmas eve and we rallied my roads hard. made a tow rope and got freshies all along the sides, was by far one of the sickest Xmas Eve's I've had in a long time. Christmas day was pretty rad too just opened presents with the fam and then rallied the sled some more. My dad constructed me a 10' tall mini halfpipe in our front yard with his escavator... it warmed up and has been raining most of today but I think that pile will be around for awhile.. Stevens was sick yesterday.. parks fun waterfalls small but good enough to practice on right now. Today was weeet and heavy but we got some of the first chairs on double d and got super sick (heavy) but sick lines. Its nice to be home...I've missed my bed...

2008-12-15T18:41:00.000-08:00

Today was our second day in Colorado. Got up at 4 am to make our flight. Rode Keystone yesterday and today, was colder then shit.. -7 degress last night. Yesterday was blizzarding but today was sunny and hit jumps for the first time since February. Good day...

2008-12-12T15:45:00.000-08:00

So I am not very good at this blogging crap... Last Wednesday night I left for Utah with Dani, drove straight there and rode Snowbird on Thursday and actually got some freshies. Super low cover though, lots of rocks. And we rode Brighton on Friday. Picked up our new snowmobile and and drove home. We stayed with Dani's sister Gabe and her girlfriend Megan who are super rad people. Had a day at home and then went to Whistler. It was like the Ride sales meeting so there were a ton of people there and we did some modeling of the outerwear one day. Rode blackcomb park was pretty fun. Jumped for the first time since February really even spun a little bit. It feels crazy getting my legs back.. Ive never had to come back from anything before so I guess I feel a little rusty. I smacked my wrist a little is sore and I came home with a broken laptop.. dont know how that happend. But over all the trip was super fun. The hotel even had underwater music in one of its pools. I rode a machete 55 and contrabands and ful's in 8s... sick setup.. Well only a day at home and leaving for Colorado for Dew Tour..

2008-12-01T12:30:00.001-08:00

First of December and still massive lack of snow. I went to Hood for the weekend, got shut down on Saturday with rain and the mountain was closed but Sunday was amazing. Blue skies and about 50 degrees, definitely felt more like summer than winter. A lot meltage happend since last weekend too. I would say the highlight of my trip was this giant rock at the bottom of Palmer, parkcrew threw snow on it and basically had it set up like a big wall/stall. Super fun, would have been some rad shots if only I had someone to take pictures....

Prettiest sunset, should have stayed for Monday but the weather forecast looked like crap and I woke up this morning to bright sunny south skies and the webcam looked sick but oh well, many more days too come. Possibly out to Utah this week....

2008-11-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

Sitting..waiting.. please make it snow... I started this page today so I can keep tabs on my snowboarding over the season. Right now I am in Washington waiting for snow to fall, but that seems to be the case mostly everywhere. Last weekend I bought a Fusion Pass to Timberline and Ski Bowl in Oregon, rode on Friday was nice, scratchy but a few boxes were up and Saturday went to PDX for Backyard Bang. It was a much better than last year, in my opinion, probably just because I got to hit it more than twice and it wasn't raining. I got first but it was my first time hitting a rail since February before I got broke off so it felt good to connect with a little metal.

Stevens Pass has roughly 8"-10" and needs quite a bit more to open but some of my crew and my self went up on Wednesday and played on a giant tire we found in the parking lot. Recovering from Thanksgiving turkey hangovers today... Till next time.. Cheers.