It's better than bad, it's Good.

New:

2015-01-07T11:56:00.001-08:00

Year.

Opportunities.

Toothbrush.

Optimism.

Perspective.

Underwear.

Paths.

Adventures.

Personal Records.

Goals.

Favorite.

Oil.

High Score.

Roll of Toilet Paper.

School.

Wax.

Fan.

Batteries.

Hope.

Beginnings.

Rest

2014-12-30T12:44:00.000-08:00

Slow start to the season. Barely open by Christmas. Rode Christmas day. Leg burner day two this past Sunday in a couple inches of pow. Inversions feel better when you land on your board and not your head/neck. Should probably be more patient with longer run-ins, bigger jumps, and softer landings. Day three yesterday lapping groomers and searching for in-bounds powder with new friends and old. Spent last night sitting on the foam roller. Running is not the same kind of conditioning I was hoping for. Legs are toast.

Exhaustion is still not enough to stave off the nightmares and crazy dreams. Bed time at 10, awake by 2, back asleep 330, awake again before my alarm at 9. Taking a day off today to avoid the winds and possibly icy conditions while we wait for new snow. Taking care of "Thom, Inc." this morning: laundry, bills, bank, etc. Will probably go for a run after a meeting with a buddy this afternoon. Stay busy, stay happy.

Tomorrow is New Years Eve. Working til 10. Friends playing a show directly after. Mountain hike or a long trail run on January 1 to ring in the New Year. Not sure about the need for resolutions. Goals to pursue: taking care of mind, body, and spirit. Patience. Perseverance. Sending love into the Universe. Harmony.

Battles and Juxtapositions

2014-12-28T00:13:00.000-08:00

For the insomniac - sleeping.

For the smoker - quitting.

For the adventurous - a "normal" day job and lifestyle.

For the extrovert - silence and solitude.

For the introvert - sales.

For the romantic - birthdays and holidays.

For the hopeless romantic - dating and courtship in today's environment.

For the rambler - setting roots.

For the dependent - avoidance of clinginess.

For the proud - admitting fault.

For the honest - the art of tact.

For the compassionate - objectivity.

For the trustworthy - faith in humanity.

For the confident - over-apologizing.

For the hard working - idle.

For the glutton - self-control.

For the active mind - meditation.

For the active body - stillness.

For me - all of the above.

Back in the Proverbial Saddle

2014-12-20T22:48:00.002-08:00

It has been a very long time since I have written a blog post, hence the chosen title. This is the beginning of my 33rd year walking the Earth and I am hopeful and optimistic about the future. The Winter has been off to a very wonky, wet, and lackluster start leaving me a lot of time to cross-train in order for my legs and body to be in prime shape for long days of snowboarding and hiking. Mt. Baker is finally getting some much needed snowfall (which I attribute my personal blessing as seen in the photo above). 2014-15 is the worst start to a season in about 40 years. Fingers crossed for cold jet-streams and big dumps!

About eight months ago I got back into running and it has been a difficult transition back due to old injuries and general body mechanics. At first I was satisfied with 1-3 miles at a time and now I am currently up to running 5 miles without serious or lengthy time in recovery. I definitely had some help and encouragement through the beginning from a special lady and I am extremely grateful for the extra push I needed. I don't plan on getting to a point where competitive running will be a goal or hobby, but you never know what could happen in the future. I am just excited that I have been able to persevere through the process of getting back into a way of being healthy and fit. I am still not eating the way that I would like to, but one thing at a time and a commitment to being a better me is all I can focus on.

This is my personal philosophy. Feel free to apply it to your own life if you should so choose!

The past few months have been quite a change to my normal approach to taking the easy road in life. A difficult relationship transition forced to re-examine my future, goals, aspirations, and methods of achieving them. Although the relationship ended in an unexpected amount of heartache I have taken this as an opportunity to consider my options and focus my attention and energy on a life-long dream. It is a long road to hoe and I am up for the challenge. At this juncture I am taking the necessary steps researching ways to fund the training and to get to a financially solid position to make the dream a reality. See above photo for my outlook and approach.

Mt. Baker Season Opening Day 2013-14

2013-11-19T18:42:00.000-08:00

Mt. Baker Website

The snow God's have spoken and we were listening. It has been written.

OPENING DAY FOR THE 2013-14 SEASON IS THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21!

If you are one of the less fortunate and have a "real job" hopefully this weather system will continue to bring us more heaps of "Cascade Concrete" for your weekend warrior way. You could always take one of those coveted paid sick days and, "cough, cough," not make into the office. If you are a Western student may I recommend sending your lab or group partners that aren't into the cold and deep pow to pick up your assignments, take copious notes, and GET YOUR ASSES UP TO THE HILL! For all of you "Washington State Ski Team Members," (i.e. seasonal workers collecting unemployment), UP YOURS. There is no doubt your slacker asses will be in line waiting for Chair 6 to open.

I happen to have an early morning appointment that I cannot miss and will be desperately trying to find a ride up once my duties are complete. Follow the links below to see for yourself, but I promise you this is not a lie. I repeat, this is not a lie. If I don't see you there on Thursday we shall ride on Friday! Hope to see all of my ski-bum friends up shredding the gnar pow-pow VERY soon!

Winter has Come!

2013-11-15T17:28:00.002-08:00

Today marks the day that I feel the chill in my bones, the rain on my face as I ride my bicycle around Bellingham, WA, and snow begins to drop in heaps on Mt. Baker and the North Cascades.

What does that mean for you?

Bundle up, find a cuddle buddy for these long, cold Winter nights, and start waxing your snowboards and skis, and most importantly - REPLACE YOUR TRANSCEIVER BATTERIES!

NWAC has posted their weekend forecast and it is looking like this weekend will be the beginning of huge dumps and the base stacking in the local ski areas. Get ready, my Friends!

This year is going to be a huge change for me from the icy "mountains" of Vermont and New Hampshire. I hope to see you all out there shredding the gnar and submarine-style shredding in the White Room.

2013-05-06T09:44:00.002-07:00

Older brothers were made to champion your successes and help guide your way. This kid is the best!

You can become a Believer here: Mr. Feelgood and the Firm Believers.

The Laundry List

2012-11-30T10:40:00.001-08:00

I've compiled what I believe to be an accurate account of all the US States that I have done my laundry. I have marked the approximate locations. I one day hope to hit all 50. Just a few more to go!

The Most Important Map of the United States for Thom Mooney

On the road again. Destination: Vermont.

2012-11-27T19:18:00.000-08:00

Well, hello there. I am writing to you live and direct from Vermont. I have made my way back to the East Coast, and up. After a short stint visiting family, weathering a hurricane, visiting my parents homes in North Carolina and Alabama, I have made my way up to the "Green Mountains." It is my goal to ride them when they turn white!

I moved back to Virginia in August in hopes of working for a friend's construction company. Things didn't go quite according to plan and after a few weeks I knew that I had to be back in the mountains. The only question at that point was, "which ones?" I called up my buddy, Gregory Brown, who I had met while we were both volunteering for Eco-friendly companies (Protect Our Winters and RAMP) at the Gorge for the Dave Matthew's Band Caravan, and asked him if he knew of any work opportunities in his area. I knew that he was in the snow scene up here and figured he would be a good contact to touch base with to see about mountain living in the North East. Having lived in the Pacific Northwest for the past six years it only made sense to try out the other side of the country for a seasonal comparison. Greg said come on up and check it out, so I made my way here this past Friday after my first Thanksgiving with my Mother in over 12 years.

Friday I traveled. I actually missed my first flight due to a delay, complications figuring out when the new boarding time was, beers in the lounge, and a lack of attention to the overhead paging system. I guess they still have them, and apparently they will try to call you over it several times. I didn't make the flight but I somehow managed to get booked for a later flight through a completely different connecting airport, and I was bumped up to first class. Greg met me in Manchester and we drove the final hour and a half to the house. All-in-all a very long day of traveling and drinking on my way to a new state for the first time.

This Winter I will be living up here in the farmhouse with Senior Brown. The first night was pretty chilly. Second night got much colder. Last night was REALLY cold and I could see my breath when I woke in my room, which is the upper floor of the house. We decided that the current situation would not do once the snow starts to fall and heat is a big deal after being on the mountain all day. This morning we embarked on a simple insulation replacement. That was until the small scampering across the drywall the past couple nights went from an assumption of a few field mice to a gang of flying squirrels. We were opening up the ceiling and from the amount of debris and animal shit there were a lot more than a couple. What neither of us knew is that there were over 14 calling the roof area their home. We had removed a decent amount of insulation, then packed it back with new insulation. Just as we were putting up plastic on the hole we heard a lot of commotion from the new zone of pink. Greg pulled the plastic down and as he was pulling out some of the new stuffing one of the little dudes flew at him, bounced off his chest in my general direction, I screamed like a little girl and ran as the little sucker ran laps all over the room. Freaked me out!

For the next few hours Greg battled the squirrels. Initially the plan was to achieve a humane relocation for the little guys, eventually the plan was impossible and "The Great Flying Squirrel Massacre of 2012" ensued. We left the house at about quarter to nine with the ceiling open, windows open to air out the mess, the door to the room closed, and a much larger project to complete before the house is habitable again. Tomorrow we will take the findings to the landlord and see what we can work out as far as a solution. Not too bad for my first few days in the North East. One thing I can say is that this has been anything but uneventful.

Update: Landlord returns from hunting Friday. We finished cleaning out the baffles in the ceiling and removed all of the old insulation today. This evening we had a funeral for the Flying Squirrel Tribe. May their souls rest in acorn and fiberglass heaven.

PS: Leave me a note to say "Hi" if you stopped by. =D

Summer Trip to Vegas - Freehub and Voke Tab to Interbike

2011-09-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

Riding shotgun in a large bus containing a couple dudes, some good tunes, and a mission. The goal is to make it to Vegas for Interbike 2K11. This morning I woke up at 615 to Brandon Watts at my bedroom door. Kalen Caughey was already outside with the Voke Bus and getting ready to go. We loaded up the boxes of Freehub Magazine into the back of the bus and hopped on the road. By noon we were entering Portland to pick up shirts and hats from Oregon Screen Impressions. A few more stops to drop off tabs and meet with Mark, the owner of West End Bikes. We grabbed some hot food to go and started our travel over to Hood River to store some cases of Voke for shipping. We are on the road again headed as far as we can get towards Boise before calling it a long day.

Some highlights of the day:

I forgot the Flag Pole and the American Flag for when we are camped out at the RV lots. (Not really)
Eating a gyro at the food carts in Portland.
Watching a 14 color screen printing press.
Hairpiece or Herpes
Sitting and watching the sunset on a deck overlooking Hood River in White Salmon, OR.

I've been doing a whole lot of thinking these past couple weeks. My life has become busy again and I have been behind the wheel. I picked up more work, went to the Gorge for the Dave Matthews Band Caravan to table for Protect Our Winters. The purpose of the tabling was to introduce Coal Kills Snow to the people of Washington and her surrounding areas. Also, to raise awareness for the organization. We were able to score over 200 names to support the opposition of a 1.5 mile coal train bringing 48 million metric tons of coal from Wyoming to Western Washington's proposed export terminal at Cherry Point, with the help of some great ladies at the Sierra Club. I have also been busy with the construction of the Freehub HQ. I will be in Vegas for the next week, and once I get back to Bellingham I am sure that we will have lots to do. Interbike follow-ups and the finishing touches on the HQ before Volume 2.2 of the magazine will be coming in from the presses. Then shipping begins!

I Suck at Mountain Biking

2011-03-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

For now, that is.

Last week I took a day off from snowboarding and ended up going on a bike ride instead. My homey has a Transition Bottlerocket in his possession that another friend won and put together last year and is cool with loaning it out. I haven't had too many opportunities to rally around the awesome trails that have been built here in Bellingham. For the longest time I was so busy with school that I had to make serious choices about which fun activities I would allow to consume my time. The majority of my free-time was used snowboarding. When the weather got better I would ride road bikes. The other major limiting factor was my fear of becoming injured. If I were to become seriously injured while taking classes my life would have been hell. Now that school is complete I have found that my snowboarding has improved and I have been increasing my skill level. The other reason that I wasn't too big into the biking scene is that it is an expensive habit. Bikes aren't cheap and to use a friend's bike and wreck it would have put me in a bind. Once again, I have a lot more time on my hands to take care of such issues. Here is the first of my soon to be many biking videos. In this video you can see my buddy take-off and leave me in the mud. The snow had only been gone for about a day or two and the trails were really sloppy. Towards the end of this video you will be pleasantly greeted by a tree.

A word of advice: trees are stronger than you. Go around them.

Seneca Reis Mooney

2011-03-10T23:40:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Universe little Sister.

Born 2:16 AM March 7, 2011.

We are going to have some fun together!

Can't wait to see you!

Congratulations, Kathryn and Dad!

Warren Miller Photo Contest

2011-03-10T16:34:00.000-08:00

http://www.skinet.com/warrenmiller/photo-contest/heli-contest/photos/all/18470

Check out this shot of me dropping the line on Mt. Herman Monday March 7, 2011. Please go to the linked page and click on the 'like' button to vote for us by May 1, 2011. We could win a trip to Alaska to go heli-snowboarding if our photo gets the most votes!

Thanks!

Big Monday Cliff Dropping

2011-03-09T23:09:00.000-08:00

Monday I went up to the mountain with a couple homeys to get some morning runs in. We found a couple of hits that we wanted to go for and did some major work on them. Carl and I hiked up to the drop spots and had our way with Mt. Herman. The first spot that we hit was pretty close to the ski area. Check out this video. I stomped the drop to the pillow, then it felt like my board grew a pair of wings.

After the first hit we went out and looked for some other things to ride. There wasn't much to get down on where we were at and the Sun was disappearing behind the storm clouds that were coming in. As we were searching for something fun to hit I saw a cliff band that looked pretty sweet. I decided on a line and went on a 45 minute hike up the mountain. The snow was getting pretty warm and setting the boot-pack was not very easy. At one point I thought that I was going to slip down the mountain backwards. The worst part about if that were to happen is that it would have been quite a ride, but a really bad spot to get pulled out of. I made my way up to the cliff band that I had wanted to ride and the guys mentioned that it didn't look as fun from where we had initially seen. They were able to guide me over to another spot to drop. The drop through the chute looked like it was about a 10-15 footer, but could have been rolled through without leaving the snow. As I started my turn down the chute I decided that I was going to pop an ollie. The jump ended up being about 30-40 feet from the point of my ollie to the landing. Check it out:

After that the clouds really came in and we headed back to town. It's beginning to look and feel a lot more like spring around here. Carl and I took a good walk through one of my favorite spots in town, Boulevard Park. The Sunset was pretty chill and made for decent conversation. Still a couple more weeks before the Ski Area at Baker goes to Weekends only. Then it will be time for hitting up the lakes and the bike trails on the regular!

Snow at Mt. Baker

2011-03-04T22:42:00.000-08:00

Carson Artac Photo

It's not really good up there.

Don't come to ski at Mt. Baker right now.

I jumped off of stuff into snow.

I did that yesterday, too.

I shall do it again tomorrow.

There was actually an avalanche rescue up at the snowmobile zone.

Helicopter, too.

Hopefully no helicopter tomorrow.

And perhaps some blue skies.

That would be nice.

March 4th Marching Band

2011-02-28T03:31:00.000-08:00

Kills it every time. I wish I could end this post with "Nuff Said" right now. That wouldn't even begin to touch you in the way that I was felt up by the super sexy sounds of this group. First, I must say that Lynx was also very rad. Not exactly the way that I would have anticipated the lead in to March 4th, but still very good. The performance felt a bit slow but in hindsight I am glad that I was able to save my dancing feet and listen to some wicked beat-box action!

When I saw that Boogie Universal was putting on his show I knew it would be a blast. The last time that March 4th came through Bellingham I believe that I had prior engagements and was unable to attend the show. Either that or I had to do homework. One or the other, doesn't really matter. The last time that I DID see them was in Portland at the Hopworks Brewery Bike Fest. I had seen them once prior to that here in the Ham and just happened to be in town and we didn't even know that they were going to be playing before arriving at the bar. I also saw Acorn Project that same night at a totally different bar. Also without having knowledge of them being in Portland prior to showing up at the venue. Sometimes the stars line up like that. Funny situation, Acorn Project is playing a free show this coming Saturday March 5th at the Buffalo. (Free until 1030 that is.)

Tonight was one of the best performances that I have seen in a long time. The gang has serious style and quite a bit of panache. From the start of the first set my feet were moving to the grooves and didn't stop until the intermission. Local bad-ass, Joel Ricci of Lucky Brown, was with the band for the show tonight on a couple different instruments, too. The dancers on stilts are boss. The "High-Chair" dance by the ladies to start the second set was phenomenal. The grooves kept on coming and the dancing didn't stop until the final five miuntes before the bar HAD to be empty. Not last call, the last five. So rad. I danced my snow-tired legs off. If I didn't have to ride my bike back home after the show I don't know if I would have had any inclination that my legs were so beat. Look this band up. If they are coming to your town, DON'T MISS IT! Dance your butt off and love every second of it. Please, remember to hydrate before you go to the show or make sure to consume as much water at the show as possible. You are going to need it!

Time to hit the sack. Yoga in the morning. Such a great life.

Winter All Over Again!

2011-02-23T21:04:00.000-08:00

The past couple of days have been absolutely stellar. Snow has been falling not only on the mountain but also in Bellingham. It is currently snowing in town and I had a great day up on the hill today. Yesterday I rode Mt. Baker with my homey, Avi. He is from the Ham and has been living in Hawaii for the past year and a half. We met a couple of years ago and he was my riding buddy. He leaves in four days so I have been trying to get as much time in with him as I can. This is a picture of Avi setting up his board in the back of his rig:


Mr. Avi Schwartz

We rode from about 10 until the final bell of the day. The snow was great and deep, but still very unstable. Baker had received over 8 inches and it was cold and fluffy. The pow turns were plentiful. At one point we had considered going for a hike but as we were heading out onto Upper Elbow we witnessed two slides. The first slide came from above onto the hiking path. There was a crew ahead of us and as they continued through the sluff another skier/snowboarder traveled above them and set off another slide. The second slide came down and almost buried the crew as they stood there watching. As two of the guys dug out a third we turned downhill. That was the end of our thoughts on hiking for the afternoon.

We lapped a couple choice lines and had a really great day. Here's a little bit of a run that we took through some deep trees:

Later on in the day we rode some other fun lines. Here's a wreck for your enjoyment: (please feel free to laugh)

After riding all day we decided that it would be a good idea that if I were to catch a ride back up with him in the morning I should crash at his rent's pad. It would cut off a bit of the morning commute and make for a much easier travel day. I came home, packed up all of my things for the day, and put together the things that we needed to be able to wax our boards. We hit the sack while watching a snow-porn. Over the course of the night it got pretty cold in the basement and I was lacking in the blanket department. On top of trying to solve problems and waking from very busy dreams several times through the night I was also a bit chilled. I awoke this morning a bit sore from riding, yoga on Monday, and a great workout Sunday night. It has all been adding up over the past few days and my body is ready for a rest. But not until after we rode today!

As I was getting ready to head up to the mountain this morning I unpacked my clothes and realized that I had forgot to put a key ingredient into the bag: MY THERMAL PANTS! As I told Avi of this fact he mentioned that he had an extra pair that I could borrow for the day. I am 5'9" 1/2 (the 1/2 matters) and Avi is about 6'Large". I have a 28" waist and assume that Avi's is not in the same area code. This was proven by the amount of times I had to roll the waist of the thermals like a teenage girl rolls her booty shorts before going to the swimming pool. It was actually quite humorous.

We got up to the mountain after a very long drive. The roads were icy and people were having a lot of trouble getting up the hill at a decent traveling speed. At one point we were driving 25 mph before we even hit Glacier. Once we got to the hill we scraped our boards and headed out to the hill. I honestly believe that having on Avi's "Big-Boy Pants" helped me do this:

Did you notice the skier crash? Stop laughing. It's not nice to laugh at skiers. They know not the error of their ways. =)

The day was a success and riding with Avi was a blast. It will be sad to see the homey take off in a couple of days, but hopefully we get to ride again before he bounces back to the islands. As for now, I am beat and need to get some much needed sleep before a long day of work, webinars, and business meetings tomorrow. Life is pretty great when you think about it. I am blessed to be in this wonderful place and have so many great people to share it with. Thank you for reading and enjoying my life as I put it out there.

A Great Week

2011-02-20T12:55:00.000-08:00

What a week it has been. A lot of snowboarding. A little bit of business. A whole lot of growth.

Monday was the Del show, and also Valentine's Day. Bummed we couldn't get into the Bellingham Circus Guild performance, then heading to Del for a less than stellar performance started the week of to an interesting foot. By the end of the week Del had announced that he felt super bad about the show and is going to make it up to Bellingham by throwing a free show on March 18th. What a guy?!

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were awesome days up on Mt. Baker. There was fresh snow everyday and nothing was sliding. The visibility on Tuesday wasn't good enough for any real killer hiking, but the snow in the ski area was great for shredding all day long. Wednesday the weather got a little bit better as far as visibility. I was riding with some good friends and we managed to take a couple of sketchy lines down some fun stuff. Here is a little bit of a run from that day:

Thursday was by far the best day on the mountain for me. Visibility was great and got better as the day moved on. I hiked around and got fresh tracks all day long. In morning my friend Jessica and I rode mostly in-bounds, but by the afternoon it was all backcountry riding. The snow was mostly stable with only a few surface slides in steep places. I saw a few friends taking some pretty aggressive lines, but it was in my best interest to just have fun riding the lines that I was comfortable with. My knee has been giving me some problems lately, so I took it pretty easy. On my way out the Arm the third or fourth time I hiked up a little bit higher and took the back way down. This is probably my favorite hit on the mountain right now:

Here is a bit of a line that I took Thursday afternoon with Stone Malone and JP:

Friday I spent the morning trying to clear my head of some negativity and irrational thoughts. I went to Yoga with Guy at the La Vida Dance studio on State Street in Bellingham. When I arrived Guy was the only person there. Shortly after I had changed out of my gear into the proper attire another lady came to the class. Guy kept a really good pace and tried very hard to keep me in the mix. He could sense that my mind was troubled and that I was not as present as I could/should have been. Sometimes it's hard to compartmentalize all of the things that I have going on in my mind. I am working on it and sobriety is helping.

Yesterday I went back up to the mountain with my married friends and we went for a nice hike out towards Table Mountain. T is about ready to quit smoking cigs and it showed. He was having some trouble with his breathing as we were hiking. I have noticed that my hiking and overall energy level and endurance has skyrocketed since I quit the cigs. I set my completely tobacco-free date and have all of the supplies that I need handy to help with the transition. The power of positive thinking is going to help me out with this one. That and the fact that I know how good I feel right now! It was a beautiful day and here's proof:

Look at the love-birds hiking together. So stoked on these two marvelous friends!

This is me smiling!

Today is a mental health day for me. I am going to head down to the waterfront and get some much more needed vitamin D and read a book for a while. I have some work things to accomplish this evening, but today is just way too nice to sit inside. =)

Banked Slalom Weekend Wrap-Up

2011-02-15T02:27:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was the 26th running of the Mount Baker Legendary Banked Slalom. Every year it is expected that there will be a grand party and friends, old and new, will shred the majestic and world renouned ski area. This weekend was just that.

Friday I rode with my friend and we were able to take some pretty fun runs. The weather turned out to be pretty cold and wet, which made for less people than I had expected. There were still quite a few people up on the hill taking their best shot at the course. The course has had a new twist this year. In years past there had been a loop or a full turn, but this year the trick was that you had to pick either a right line or a left line about halfway through the course. It didn't seem as though too many people had issues with indecision. I think that might have been an issue if I were to have been in the running.

The day ended pretty early due to the weather and the sheer discomfort of riding in really warm, wet snow. The runs that I did take were fun, but the cold and snowy conditions weren't the most optimal. We met up with a crew at Chair 9 for some food before heading back to the cabin in the rim. That evening I took some time to get my stretching and yoga in while the rest of the house partied. I was even able to read a couple of chapters in a book that I have been enjoying. A few of the people that were staying in the house headed over to another cabin to party down and I stayed behind. It is pretty rad knowing that I can do whatever I want to even if people are doing their own thing. I tried to go to sleep at 11 but the party was making it pretty difficult. At points people would walk into the bedroom, turn on lights, have conversations, kick my feet and legs. At 2 AM the guy that was sleeping in the bed was kicked out so that two people could do their version of the drunken horizontal mambo. They actually tried to do their business with me in the room but I wasn't about to just lay there and TRY to sleep through it. The gall of some people really surprises me sometimes. I spent the rest of the evening trying to fall back to sleep in the livingroom with several other people snoring and one guy had the best teeth-grind noise that I have ever heard. The best was when the dude that had taken over the bed came down and on his way to the bathroom kicked me in the head. Drunk people.

Saturday was a little bit better for weather, but it was still pretty cold. The morning runs were good and I took a few laps on the side-country for powder sake. We considered hiking around but made the determination that it was a no-go. I felt really good about that decision based on the low-light, fog rolling in, high winds, and ultimately nowhere near enough sleep. Apparently the course conditions weren't as good as they had been Friday, but some of the riders still managed to lay down pretty good times. I met some pretty cool people in the lodge while I was eating and waiting for one of the Wildcard / Mountain Militia riders to finish his run for the day. I saw some old friends, made some new ones, and tried to make the best of it. As I left the mountain I had a feeling the conditions on Sunday were going to be much better.

I hit up one of the beds in the cabin for an afternoon nap, then headed over to Chair 9 to hang out, get some food, and do the socialization thing. It was the night of the Frequency / Mervin (Lib-Tech, Gnu) party. There were a lot of people and it turned out to be a really rad time. The music was a lot of fun and the vibe in the house was pretty upbeat. I noticed at one point that being at bars sober you tend to notice a lot of shenanigans that go on. More so than when you are partaking in the shenanigans, too! The Tea-Baggin Bandits played a mean rockabilly set and it was pretty cool to see a lot of dancing. There was actually a rockabilly mosh-pit for a few of the songs. I met a few new people and had some good conversations with other people. Throughout the night the sheriffs came through the restaurant and made sure that things were staying moderately sane. I took off at about Midnight to head back to the cabin and rest up for the coming day.

Sunday was the best day of the weekend for snow conditions. The sky was blue and the powder had stacked up pretty nicely. There was about 8 inches to two feet in spots. The morning runs were great and as the day progressed we tried to avoid the masses. At one point I counted 35 people hiking up the bootpack up Hemispheres and out the Shucksan Arm. The snow got pummeled, the people kept hiking, and some really dumb moves were made by a lot of people. I also saw some of the most unsafe backcountry practices that I have ever witnessed. Overall the snowpack was variable and a few slides were set off by backcountry travelers. I got a couple good runs in and had a very good day. Also ended up picking up some schwag from a couple of the vendors and booths. I drove my friends truck back to town, stopping for a bite to eat at one of the restaurants along highway 542.

Another banked slalom weekend in the books. Congratulations to the riders that took home the golden duct tape. Next year I will be better suited to have my way with the mountain.

Tonight I tried to catch the Bellingham Circus Guild's special Valentine's Day show. The show had sold out and we ended up heading to the Green Frog to hang out with a couple other disappointed friends. I made a list of some things that I want to accomplish over the next year or so. On that list is the prospect of getting a dog. I have been avoiding the responsibility of owning an animal for a few years. I had been telling myself that school took first priority and to be able to do it with an animal wouldn't have been fair. I think that since I have made this shift in my outlook about the necessity of being able to go out every night and my decision to stop drinking I have a lot more time and energy to put into taking care of another living being. I had also thought that to have an animal would limit the amount of travel that I can do. Now that I think about it deeper it seems as though it has all been a cop-out and that I just wasn't ready to grow up and be that responsible. That and it really isn't too difficult to have a friend or a family member take care of an animal if you make it happen. We met up with one of our friends that had performed at the Circus after the show ended and had some dinner with her. We hadn't hung out in months due to her travels and my busy school schedule. It was really great to reconnect with her and I soon hope to be able to visit her in Hawaii!

I then made my way over to the Wild Buffalo to catch the Del show. Del the Funkee Homosapien has played Bellingham a few times since I have lived here and I caught one show a couple years ago. At that show he seemed a bit unenthusiastic. Tonight was no different. At least tonight his hype-man was claiming that Del was sick but still wanted to do his best for the fans.

Take-aways from the weekend:
1. 10 year-old children should not be subjected to the party that went down in the cabin.
2. I still love to party.
3. I can do it sober and have just as much fun.
4. I want my own cabin.
5. Del is overrated
6. I'm ready for a Dog.

26th Annual Legendary Banked Slalom

2011-02-10T09:27:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again, boys and girls. The time when some of snowboarding's most talented riders descend on Mt. Baker Ski Area and take to the Natural Halfpipe to race in the longest running snowboard competition in North America. I have had the opportunity to be present at the past three or four of these events and I must say it is a really good time.

The events begin on Friday and go through til Sunday when the final race is held. There are two qualifying days in which the top 25% will go on to the actual race on Sunday. It is a one shot, one kill kind of race so there is a lot of pressure to do well on your one or two runs of the weekend. Each day ends with a bonfire in the parking lot. Saturday there is a party of sorts and a Baked Salmon BBQ, maybe a little bit of debauchery, too. This Saturday will also hold the 10th Anniversary Party for Frequency, The Snowboarders Journal at Chair 9 Woodfire Pizza. Tickets are $3 and there will be music and raffle prizes, and don't forget all of your favorite people.

After the last rider has sent the course on Sunday and a little bit of down time the awards are bestowed on the top riders. It wouldn't be fair or just to leave out the most important part of the competition - The Golden Duct Tape! The golden duct tape is the highly coveted award that goes out to the winner and most highly regarded snowboarder in all of the land, perhaps even the WORLD! There also happens to be a little bit of an underground thing we like to call, "The Banked Sleddem." That one is a little bit more difficult to locate. It is kind of an annual cap to the event, but we shall see how that goes down this year, too.

I am finally getting back to life after my three week escapade. The Super-Vaca followed by SIA, then the long drive back put a toll on my mind, soul, and body and I am just now getting back to reality. This week I picked up a little bit of work and have been busy staying focused. I took some time last night to head over to Mountain Militia HQ and helped out while the boys cranked out gear for the weekend. They will be up on the hill taking donations in return for T-Shirts and will also have games for the kids. Make sure to stop by the booth and say what up, check out the gear, and trade in a suggested $10 donation for a T!

The parking lot is going to be crazy and I highly recommend carpooling with your 27 closest friends in that clown car Subaru. The weather outlook is pretty sweet and there might be a snow storm on the way for the Finals, too. Make sure to remember that drinking and driving is a serious deal, especially on 542! The cops will be out in full force and they don't mess around. Designate a driver, or invite a friend that doesn't drink and pay for their lift pass. It's a lot cheaper than a DUI! Also, drinking in the parking lot is illegal, so do your best to fly under the radar if you must.

See you up on the Mountain and hopefully shredding the gnar. I might just take a little walk up on top of the mountain and catch the race from a little perch up on top of Hemispheres!

Post SIA11 Brief Re-Cap

2011-02-03T00:28:00.000-08:00

SIA was a great time. For my first experience at the trade show it was almost overwhelming but got a lot easier to manage as the days passed. Some of the booths at the show were set up for just having fun while doing your business. Who is this hippy?

I met so many radical people and had some awesome friendships develop. I also had some really interesting things happen on the journey. First off, I lost my wallet. I went out to a couple of parties after the Transworld Rider's Poll Awards and ended up at a strip club. I have never really enjoyed strip clubs. I have been to my share over the years and to tell you the truth I find them to be quite depressing. Nothing that I want to spend a whole lot of time doing. I managed to stay longer than I had intended because I was hanging with a couple people that I found to be full of information about the industry and chose to talk to them about some of my ideas and gain further insight. By the time that I got back the hotel that I was staying in I noticed that my wallet had gone MIA. I honestly think it fell out of my pocket while I was sitting having a conversation, but it could have fallen out getting out of the cab, too. Losing a wallet sucks, but the worst is when you are trying to be good and sober only to end up with a very important part of your life has disappeared.

That was on Friday night/ Saturday morning. The following two days at SIA were cool, but I was finding it hard to focus on my goals due to the fact that I had a very serious dilemma. I hung out with the Mervin crew for a while those days and got to know the Mervin family pretty well. I say family in the strongest sense of the word. Those guys and gals are a riot and have one hell of a culture. Lots of fun and lots of business. It was a lot of fun helping out breakdown the booths and I made a couple of t-shirts in the process. I did manage to make some new connections during the last two days of the show and that was pretty sweet, too.

Monday and Tuesday were the On Snow Demo days at Winter Park. I ended up riding with the Wildcard and having a whole lot of fun. I tested out a few different boards and have to say that my favorite of the two days has to be the 11/12 Attack Banana (2010/11 Specs). It has the EC2 camber set-up and holds an edge like a dream. I didn't particularly enjoy the lack of pop, but it was still a lot of fun on the Colorado hardpack while also very maneuverable in the park. I tested a couple other LibTech and Gnu boards and they were just as enjoyable. The only board that I didn't ride from Mervin was the 11/12 YESnowboard Basic w/ CamRock. It was a lot more playful than the Attack Banana in the park and had really good pop. I would have to say that I would choose the Banana over the YES board in Baker Pow due to the stiffness, but they both have great qualities and excellent construction.

I will add more pictures and videos of the show and the demo later on.

Today I took advantage of the free lift tickets to other Colorado resorts that came with the SIA package. I rode Copper Mountain with a couple of friends, old and new. The weather was really good as far as clear blue skies, however, the temperature left a lot to be desired. At one point the temp dropped to -22. It was really tough going back to my Nitro Team that I picked up last year, especially after really enjoying riding the GNU Mutant bindings for two days. I still hauled ass all over the mountain and was having a ton of fun getting brainfreeze while keeping up and racing my skiier friends down the smooth, fast groomers. I think my eyelids froze shut during one of the mach 10 descents. It would have been a totally different day had there been some fresh pow but I still had a great time racing the tracks, throwing up slash plumes, and hitting the park. I even hit up the ice pipe a couple of times. The last run down I took a pretty sweet fall from the lip of the pipe down to flat on my noggin. I also slammed my knee during the same fall and it is already bruised and kinda painful to walk on.

After we left the mountain we got some grub and headed over to the local Breckenridge airport for some fly time with a new friend. He owns his own plane and took us up. We flew over the Rockies and buzzed some mountain tops and ski areas.

We also played with gravity. Check out my nasty snag in this video. This is how you catch a clipboard whilst it flies weightlessly through the air!

All in all I have had one hell of a ride. Tomorrow we begin our journey back home on the road. I am very excited to sleep in my own bed for the first time in two weeks. The only thing standing in my way at this point is a good nights sleep and a 25 hour drive with Matarik!

SIA Pre-Show: Part Duex (Mostly About the Jones Line)

2011-01-27T11:22:00.000-08:00

I spent last evening working on the Jones, YES, and Nidecker booth with the crews. I intended on just saying hi, but ended up working all night with the guys. I met Jeremy Jones and Forrest Shearer while helping these guys out with the arrangement and management of their booths. This was around 6 PM, so I was already feeling quite out of it and not much of a conversationalist. I had the opportunity to go and check out the Big Air Competition that was held outside of the Convention Center but: A) I didn't want to pay to see dudes snowboarding downtown and listen to crappy music, B) This is the industry that I want to operate in and to be able to be behind the scenes working on the setup of a booth for a company and people that I really admire was awesome. Jeremy has a passion for this sport that I have always held a very high regard for. It was a real treat to check out the line super early and see what the company has in-store for the consumer 2011-2012 season.

This year Jeremy has been working with a new company called KarakoramBC. They are based out of Colorado and Washington and have created a proprietary splitboard binding system. Last night the dudes were at the booth setting up the Jones Split line with their technology to be on display. I talked with the guys and found out that the system is completely different than the Voile and Spark systems in that it actually creates a base that does not require moving pins and feeling like a glorified Tele or AT Ski. This year the Hovercraft comes in either a solid or split, and the artwork was done by Mike Ennen. The split will retail at $649. The Mountain Twin split will retail at $749, while the "business" of the line, The Solution is going to be priced at $799.

Here is a look at the Jones' Booth from last night:

Wall of 2012 Boards to Touch

Boards with Descriptions and Inspirations

I also worked on the YESnowboard booth, too. I have a shot from the pre-set and will have more to come.

On an amusing note: the Nidecker guys are crazy and made a board with tons of QR codes all over it. Have you ever heard of a site called WickedWeasel.com? Well, sorry to spoil the fun but that is only one of the QR codes. You have to get over to your shop that carries Nidecker to use your smart phone to see the rest!

Nidecker THU

We got out of the convention center at about 1130, then went to the hotel. Dropped off our bags. Went across the street. The dudes got some beers. I got a coke. We all had perogies. I finally passed out at about 145 AM. Another crazy long day running on almost fumes for half of it!

OK, so here's a little bit more of an in-depth look at why I am really here. I am looking for a job. Not so much a job, but a career in the action sports industry. Ultimately I would like to stay on the snowboarding side of the house, but at this point I know that I can make my skills kill it in any industry. I don't want to just sell someone's widgets, I want to sell something that I know, use, can get behind, and promote with a passion. So, there you have it. Tomorrow is the job fair and I will be doing the rounds for my search, but I would really like to get down with a company on a deeper level. I am also kind of picky about where it is that I am going to end up. I would like to have my home base somewhere near. . . wait for it. . . a Mountain (or three!)

Time to get back to the show and see some more things. Today is the actual day one. I don't have any appointments, and I like that!

SIA 2K11 Pre-show

2011-01-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

We got in to Denver this afternoon after a very, very long drive. Evan and Justine picked me up in Bend last night at approximately 5 PM and we hopped on the road. After about four hours of driving we decided that we were going to head straight on til morning. We switched off and on all night and drank about a million cups of coffee, each. Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, to Colorado. There was fog, snow, ice, large animals (both on and off the road). To be quite honest with you it was a very crazy night.

We finally arrived in Denver this afternoon. I was able to catch about an hour of sleep, and it was not the most comfortable and bad dreams plagued me, as Evan drove on. Justine also caught a little bit of shuteye while we were trekking across the land. Once we got into Denver we parked on the street and decided that we were going to try and catch a bit of time with a speaker presenting about Increasing International Social Media Presence. By the time we made it to the convention center they had canceled the presentation, so we took a couple laps around the exhibition floor.

Right now I am about to head back up to the exhibition area and check out what has transpired while I checked my emails and made some phone calls. I am planning on checking in with some of the guys that I know setting up a couple of booths and get some info on what is happening later this evening. I am almost totally drained and need to find out what I am going to do about my sleep situation, too. The Denver Big Air Competition is starting and goes until about 10 or so this evening. I would really like to catch some of that. Perhaps a little nap is in order first!?

Super-Vaca 2011, Elk Lake and Bend, OR

2011-01-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

For the past three or four years a few friends and I have been trying to arrange a meeting of greatness. A couple of years ago two out of four made the trip. This year we finally managed to pull it off. We started planning in Summer of 2010 and got the plan of attack down. Chris, Johnnie, Phil and I were all to meet in Bend, OR and spend a few days out at the Elk Lake Resort. Phil has a buddy from work that is good friends with one of the owners and arranged the lodging.

As the time to head to Bend was closing in I was unsure of how I would be able to make the trip. I tried to figure out my travel arrangements with some other friends to Bend, but we couldn't manage. I ended up cashing in some air-miles and got a flight out of Seattle for pretty cheap. Phil and Chris were scheduled to get into Redmond at 8 PM on Thursday, so I made my flight plans to arrive at 630. I told my old friend Evan when I would be getting in so he picked me up at the airport and we went to his place in Bend for some dinner with his lady, Gena (pronounced Jenna.) She owns a cute place right near 14th/Century which made it quite easy for Phil and Chris to scoop me up when they arrived.

From Gena and Evan's place we took the cab the rest of the way out to the Deschutes National Forest around Mount Bachelor. We were dropped off at approximately 9 PM at the Dutchman Flat parking lot to await our chariot. Phil, Chris and I hung out and watched the snowmobiles get loaded onto the trucks and trailers as the riders came back from their moonlight rides.

After about thirty minutes at the snowpark we saw the floodlights and the headlights of the Snow-Burban. What's a "Snow-Burban" you ask? It is a fully tricked out, lifted Suburban with Quad-Track designed to carry passengers and gear on snowy roads. Pretty much as bad-ass as it gets. The drive into Elk Lake took about an hour and we still had no idea what we were really getting into as the website hardly covers what to expect.

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We arrived at the cabin and unloaded the gear. As we walked into the pad we were greeted by six or seven of the already drunk dudes that had been at the site since earlier in the day. The other guys had already been out snowmobiling, had dinner, and started on their binge. Actually, a couple of the guys were already to the point of passed out. We went to one of the other cabins to say hi and meet the guys that were still up. Chris, Phil, Mike and I hung out for a while and finally retired at around 1 or 2, after going down to the lake and doing the 7 second echo. It is pretty sweet. You can actually shout from a point at the side of the lake and the echo will travel all around the lake bouncing off of the mountains 7 times.

The next morning we woke up and got on our snow gear for the day ahead. We walked down to the Lodge for some breakfast before our day of fun in the snow. The menu is pretty decent for being a one-man kitchen show. I had an order of biscuits and gravy that was excellent. A bit spicy and very hearty. The other guys were drinking fresh squeezed citrus juices with a splash of soda and vodka. I opted for the juice and soda. I loved how they had a real juicer on the bar! After breakfast Chris, Phil and I had to fill out the necessary rental paperwork for the sleds, just in case we wrecked them or killed ourselves in the name of fun. Apparently there is a $7,500 replacement cost for any of the rental sleds. Probably a little bit more than the actual cost. Phil took a single sled and Chris and I rode the Two-Up out to the snowpark and recreation area with the other 10 dudes. We did a little bit of hill climbing, trail riding, played a little bit of high-mark, and got some air. We tried to get up to the top of one of the mountains in the area for a view of the surrounding mountains, but as we climbed higher fog rolled in and the sleeting rain killed all hopes of seeing the range. We rocked the sleds back to a small glen half way down the mountain. We ripped around the area and took turns jumping the sleds over a small roller. A couple of the guys had been drinking and one of the dudes lost control of his sled and took it straight into a tree. The sled wasn't damaged but it was pretty nice to have that reminder of why I don't drink. About six of us dug the sled out of the tree well and everyone was ready to get out of the rain. We hopped back on the sleds and went back to the lodge.

Chris and I hung out at the cabin reading while the other guys hung out at the bar and drank for a while. I read some more of the book that I have been reading, "A Million Little Pieces." It is a great story about a man that had hit rock bottom and decided to quit drugs and alcohol. I can see a few similarities in the main character and myself in how he tried to avoid his emotions and run from his feelings. Johnnie's flight got in at 315 and Phil, Mike, and I hopped back on the snowmobiles to pick him up. We rode out to the Dutchman and waited for his taxi to arrive. On the way to the parking lot the extra helmet that we had brought for Jay fell off of Mike's sled and I ran it over. It was ok, but the visor didn't make it. We got to the parking lot and this is the greeting:

I drove Johnnie back to the cabin while Mike carried his bag on the back of his sled. We raced back in the sleeting rain and made some pretty good time. I actually got the sled up to 70 with Johnnie on the back. At one point he said that he thought he was going to fly off the thing. I'm glad he didn't, but it would have been pretty funny!

We got Johnnie settled into the cabin we all went over to the lodge for dinner and some socialization. The rest of the crew was already there and pretty saucy. I actually decided to take a night off the wagon to hang with the bros and drink a couple beers. The night was going pretty well until Mitch (The Owner) and Rob were playing a game called "Root" in the snowy parking lot in front of the lodge. The game is played by trying to knock the other person off balance to the point that they raise a leg and set it back down or take a step. Mitch was in the process of falling down and there was a loud pop in his knee. We weren't sure how bad it was but the way that he laid on the snow for almost half an hour it couldn't have been good. We all tried to get the big guy up off the ground but he wasn't having it. I pulled his sled around so that he could get back up to his cabin. Mitch got up off the snow using a shovel and my shoulder. I helped him board his sled and he went back to the cabin. Mike walked and brought the sled back after he got him into the cabin and settled into his recliner.

Here's where things got really silly. Johnnie doesn't drink very much anymore and we had been bought shots to accompany the beers. When Mike returned with the sled Johnnie hopped on it and took off. He hadn't ever driven a sled before and bounced sans helmet. At first I thought he was just going to the cabin to crash out due to sleep deprivation and alcohol. Not the case. He actually took the sled out to the main road and hauled down the snowy road. I guess he hit the kill switch on it and not knowing how to start it back up was stranded. We sent a search party out to find him. They got to him after about half an hour of being out in the cold with no lighting or idea where he was. The two guys that went after him got the sled started and as he tried to get the sled back to the resort he rolled the damn thing onto himself when he drove it up the embankment. Luckily he is a big dude and it didn't do any damage other than a bit of a scratch on his back from the ice. They got to him and pulled the sled off and when they tried to start it back up the plugs were wet. They towed the sled back to the resort and Johnnie crashed out in the cabin. No one was hurt but after that I decided that there really isn't any reason for me to consume booze. Too many friends have been destroyed by the stuff and I have had too many close calls myself. I had been 18 days sober, had a few drinks, then swore it off altogether once again. This was pretty much the end of day two of Super-Vaca. Stay tuned for more to come!

Near Death Experience

2011-01-20T00:14:00.000-08:00

Tonight I was riding my bike home from my friends' place after hanging out for the afternoon. They made a nice dinner and I had to come home to get my things in order for my trip out of the Hammy (aka Bellingham.) I have been riding my bike all over town a lot lately and it is pretty sweet, minus the fact that I broke the front fender last Summer and still have yet to get the part that I need. The taste of the sandy pavement spray is comforting for the first couple minutes. The crunch can get a bit annoying, especially when chewing gum.

Anyway, tonight I was hauling at a pretty good clip. I like to go fast. I think I end up going really fast even when I start out just taking it easy. Since I quit smoking cigarettes my lungs have had a really solid capacity and if I get into my breathing I just get lost in the ride, which in turn gets me up to a decent speed. As I was riding tonight I saw a car pull up to the intersection of 32nd Street and Taylor Avenue about 150 feet in front of me.
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I have flashing Cateye lights on the front and the back of my bike that I assume are bright enough to be seen from that distance. I kept my speed and as I closed in on the intersection I saw that the girl driving wasn't paying any attention and started to pull out in front of me. I grabbed my brake handles the hardest that ever have had to. My wheels locked up and I skidded sideways for about 20 feet. I shouted at the top of my lungs (which are pretty strong these days) and the girl stopped. I slid up to the driver-side front fender and bumped it lightly with my front tire. The two girls looked at each other, looked at me, looked at each other and knowing how to read lips I saw them say "That was close. Where did he come from?" Just goes to show you how much attention you need to pay when driving.

I usually try to wear bright clothing but all of my rain gear is black. The Ortleib bags that I carry on my Surly Cross-Check also have reflective spots on the sides. I am seriously considering getting a much brighter light for the handlebars. I am also seriously thinking about picking up a bright yellow rain jacket. If you ride bikes in the Northwest or anytime at night always have flashing lights and wear a helmet. My little brother was in the hospital after a collision with a car this past year for four days. Thankfully he was wearing a helmet. He is still going through the motions with the legal proceedings. The driver only had $10,000 in personal injury and the bills amounted to over 20. If he hadn't been wearing a helmet he would not be with us today.

Ride hard, but ride safe!