Hoon

Truth

2011-09-13T18:32:00.000-04:00

Thanks New Yorker.

In honor of Sunday and every day

2011-09-10T23:26:00.001-04:00

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

New York, New Wave

2011-09-09T09:09:00.000-04:00

Silent Auction, Fundraiser, People Watching.

Art of Flight Premiere = Marketing Awesomeness

2011-09-08T12:13:00.000-04:00

Just taking a moment to toot my own horn. Red Bull's Art of Flight movie premiere was awesome at the Beacon Theatre in NYC, but seeing the latest Red Bulletin with the new 2012 Creative for the Cannondale Jekyll ad on the back cover really stoked me out. Sharing space with Travis Rice on the cover is a true honor. BTW this issue will be available at every Art of Flight premier in addition to the usual newstands, subscriptions, Sunday newspaper insertions and digital format. In the immortal words of Hannibal Smith, "I love it when a plan comes together".

More to come shortly on Art of Flight and the Beacon.

Rumble in the Jungle of Vegas

2011-09-06T13:35:00.002-04:00

So the crew at Rapha cooked up a brilliant (brilliant!) that pits former teammates Tim Johnson and Jeremy Powers against each other at Cross Vegas, the official, unofficial start of Cyclocross season in North America. It's the Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld, former National Champion versus the Rapha Focus upstart.

Tim looked pretty strong at World's last year and is a nine-billion time National Champion while J-Pow won the USGP series and would have won Nationals if not for a poorly timed crash and foot to the rear cantilever brake.

Tim will be racing the CT-based, Cannondale SuperX while Jeremy will be piloting the German-based, Focus Mares CX.

CrossVegas will also feature the likes of Trebon, Wells, Driscoll, Chris Jones and a bunch of other dudes. I'm personally excited to see Marco Fontana race on US soil as well as Nicole Duke, former DH'er and of course, Mo Bruno-Roy.

Regarding Tim and Jeremy, I'll leave it to you to tell me which one is Ali and which one is Fraiser.

Look for the full report Post-Interbike.

Here's the assembly vid from Portland Design Works on the Circulus to get you stoked.

Circulus build from PDW on Vimeo.

Jake Blauvelt is Snowboarding

2011-09-05T17:06:00.000-04:00

Check this out from TransWorld Snowboarding. What makes this part supremely epic is that this video makes you want to grab your deck and go ride. In many ways, Jake Blauvelt's time "off the grid" surfing in Costa Rica and shredding with Nicolas Muller paid off. And that result is this video. The terrain and tricks aren't earth-shattering. What really makes this video shine is Blauvelt's ability to combine the terrain, next level tricks and style that can only be classified as smooth, surfy and natural.

Jake Blauvelt Naturally Exclusive Full Part | TransWorld SNOWboarding

A visit to Misquamicut

2011-09-04T10:53:00.000-04:00

With the power back on, we decided to take a day trip to the beach. Surf's up!
Looks like there could be some potential in the Fall...

After Irene

2011-08-30T16:49:00.001-04:00

Snapped this after my morning run (yes, run). Looks like we may be without power for a bit longer.

Irene, Irene

2011-08-27T11:34:00.001-04:00

Hoping things will clear up by Monday or Tuesday for surf. May explore the "amazing" breaks of the Long Island Sound depending on the wind.
Reports coming in stating that Newport is mobbed (big surprise in August) and that LBI and MTK are blowing up.
Glad our friends in PR are safe and sound.
Looking forward to some couch time with Magoo and Bean.

Yes, We're Open.

2011-08-23T08:51:00.000-04:00

After a long hiatus, the Hoon blog is back in action. More to come soon.

Cannondale Scalpel 29er Full Suspension MTB

2011-04-16T22:45:00.001-04:00

Woo hoo. Straight from Sea Otter. Cat's out of the bag. Been in the works for a while. More details to come shortly, but a 21.7 lb FS 29er is pretty bad ass. Can't wait to see the Cannondale Factory racing guys rip it up on this. You can find more at Bike mag.

Cannondale Scalpel 29 from Bike magazine on Vimeo.

You know this was coming: Burton Snowboards X Tron Raptor Boot

2010-11-22T19:20:00.001-05:00

As reported by the LA Times. Collaboration Nation: Burton Snowboards gives 'Tron' the boot

The Last Couple of Months Have Been A Blur.

2010-10-10T21:59:00.000-04:00

It's no surprise. The last couple of months have been a blur. A great example is that we expected to be in a new home, our new home by Memorial Day. Then it we said, Labor Day. Now we're targeting Thanksgiving. Here are a few quick photos from August, September and the beginning of October. There's been some traveling, a little bit of hiking/biking and a few exciting twists and turns. Hope you enjoy.

Shit. That Was Hard. AKA My Trip On Stage 17 of the Tour de France

2010-08-25T21:52:00.001-04:00

Ever wish you could go back in time and make that one fateful change? Instead of saying "yes", you would have said "no" and all would be good in the world. That's how I felt as I climbed, very slowly, up the Category 1, 7.5% average grade, 1474m mountain called the Col du Soulor. What was more disheartening was the fact that in a few days, I would watch the pros ride up this mountain like it was flat as a pancake, seemingly not even breaking a sweat.

During these moments, you also realize that giving up is not an option. Walking may be an option for some, but it's not an option for me. Cursing is ok. Crying is not ok. Setting up your bike for maximum comfort with the easiest possible gearing is ok. Thankfully I was rocking what I think was a pretty optimal set up (for you bike geeks):
Cannondale SuperSix HiMod Frame and Fork
SRAM Red with a compact crank and 11-28 cassette
FSA OS-99 Stem, Wing Pro Compact Bar and K-Force Light Seatpost
Speedplay Stainless Zero (Liquigas) green pedals
Fizik Arionne saddle, nicely broken in and bar tape
Mavic Kysrium SL wheels

The trip itself was completely amazing. A little business in Pau and afterwards in Bagneres de Luchon, and some exquisite riding in between. When you're dying on the bike, it is pretty cool to soak in the view. Or the first moment that you realize that the roads that you are riding are the EXACT same roads that you've seen on TV so many times and that the pros have ridden and will ride... For the TOUR DE FRANCE.

Sadly like many domestiques and wanna-bes, I was swept up by the broom wagon 12kms from the finish. So I made it up a portion of the Tourmalet, but not the critical portion at the ski resort. Of course we had an additional 30km to ride to get to our pick up spot after the day. It was fucking hot (90 degrees F), but pretty rad.

Like any good roadie, I already have my excuses set.
Excuse #1: I don't ride my bike much because I now work for a bike company.
Excuse #2: I crashed two weeks before the race landing on my left shoulder and slamming both my wrists (and yes, it hurts like a mofo after 100 miles).
Excuse #3: I'm built like a squat brick shithouse. Which is not optimal for climbing large hills. Have you seen Lance Armstrong or Andy Schleck or Contador. I'm pretty sure I weigh as much as all three combined.
Excuse #4: I'm too egotistical to ride a Synapse so I was the dumbass on a full-on race bike.

So below there's some images of the stage profile, the route and a slide show of a few shots from the road.

<a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/aq/pau/606127946767899434">iMapMyRide+: Jul 18, 2010 17:40</a> <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/france/aq/pau">Find more Bike Rides in Pau, </a>

7 months and counting

2010-08-21T12:35:00.001-04:00

No. It's not a pregnancy tally although one might view this as my new "baby." That's the tally of months since I started my new gig. Since then the blog posts have been infrequent, short and often only a repost of a biking related event or news piece.
Is the adventure a dream? Reality? A huge pain in the ass? Alex, what is: D all of the above. No lie, it's phenomenal to be working on something you love, especially when your mental playground is some of the best possible toys in the world. On the flip side, the airport is my new "home away from home" and a regular exercise routine is a fleeting memory.
I've confirmed that home is truly a mental not physical construct as we continue to try and find our own house, but seeing Magoo, the Bean and the pups tells me I am always home.
Ironically with the best "gear" at my fingertips, I cling to the items I know will never let me down. As when you're in Switzerland one day, France the next then Utah, it's gotta work because you don't have time to hit Best Buy or REI. C'mon, who am I kidding? There's always time for the Apple Store though.
Never fear, once the winter itch ramps up, I'm sure I'll post those 2011 board reviews you're looking for or some juicy gossip about snowboard or surf team trades.
In the mean time, here's my current view: a brief respite from the madness while lounging in VT.

Marco Fontana drop

2010-07-24T17:55:00.001-04:00

Training at Champery for the UCI XC race

The Bean's First Surf

2010-07-11T21:03:00.002-04:00

The Bean's First Surf in Newport, Rhode Island. Surf Report: Waist-to-Chest (out there) with a ton of stoke. Here's to many more.

Sales meetings, press camps and more!

2010-06-22T01:01:00.001-04:00

Jekylls, Lexis, Claymores, Scalpels, Scarlets, CAAD10s and more!

Mailin' it in: Yah Manuel nailed it at Houffalize

2010-05-09T11:15:00.000-04:00

For more love, check out the article on www.cannondale.com

From Sea Otter: Roel Paulissen talks about his Cannondale Flash 29er

2010-04-25T10:33:00.002-04:00

Courtesy of www.cannondale.com

A new friend for the Bean from Vancouver

2010-04-15T11:25:00.000-04:00

Remember Jorge Alvarado

2010-04-11T19:42:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of Veloimages.com

Some more shots from the US Open 2010

2010-04-08T21:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Magoo for the shots.

Yep. US Open 2010.

2010-04-05T22:00:00.000-04:00

Feelin' It in California with Bahati Foundation Race Team

2010-03-22T12:44:00.003-04:00

_DSC2455
Originally uploaded by RockStorePhotos.com

In the midst of the Bahati Foundation Race Team launch ride up Rock Store climb. This is the final stage of the Tour of California from May 16 - May 23. Feelin' it up the climb!

Congrats to Scotty Lago: You Made Us Proud

2010-02-19T23:01:00.000-05:00

Congrats to our homie, Scotty Lago for boosting an amazingly sick run to make all of New England proud. Bronze in the Vancouver Olympics is pretty impressive. You did us proud.

Making TMZ for some party photos then getting the express ticket back to NH, only makes us prouder. What's that saying? You can take the rider out of the EK, but you can't take the EK out of the rider.

Interesting that TMZ photos of Lago showing his stomach and a (sort of) suggestive shot of a women biting his medal resulted in a quick trip home and an apology to the US Skiing nazis.

Honestly, those photos aren't that bad in perspective. Have you seen any of those Lindsey Vonn photos from SI's Swimsuit issue? Shudder. I didn't hear any apology from Vonn to the USSA (or us) for these.

Linchpin or Lynchpin? Are You Indispensable?

2010-02-06T22:35:00.000-05:00

About two months ago, I signed up to receive an advance copy of Linchpin by Seth Godin. In return for a donation to the Acumen Fund, I was able to preview a copy of Linchpin about a month before it was released to the public.

Coincidently, during the same time, I was/am going through a major upheaval in my career and life. When the book arrived, I had recently received an offer for employment for what could be termed a "dream job" directing the marketing/brand for a well respected player in the sports industry. This new job also required a relocation from our comfortable home in Massachusetts to the unknown of Connecticut (not that far, but yet far enough). It also brought with it a bunch of unknowns:

Where would we live?

Would we sell the house?

Would we find a new house?

Would we be happy?

How long would I be away from the Bean, Magoo and the boys?

Could I succeed in this new "dream" role?

The pressure was certainly on.

I immersed myself into Linchpin as I was curious to read Godin's new book. This book was a bit different than his previous marketing/business reads as it focused on the employee instead of the company, the industry or the brand.

The book is titled Linchpin after a fastener used to prevent a wheel or other rotating part from sliding off the axle. In the book (I'm only halfway), Godin states the premise that everyone is a "genius" yet that a combination of factors such as the Industrial Revolution, school, our Lizard Brain and The Resistance strive to keep us restricted, restrained and pigeon-holed into "safe," standard jobs which ultimately result in a downward spiral of unhappiness and obsolescence. I found the first few chapters a bit heretical and evangelistic in its proclamations. I half expected Karl Marx and Lenin to rise from their graves to lead the revolution.

As the book continues, it provide real-world examples (a la Malcom Gladwell or was it Godin that Gladwell used as inspiration?) and practical applications with individuals who have transformed their work. They changed their perception of the situation, not for money, not for titles, not for glory, but to reshape their world for the better. Because the book seeks to inspire and engage, the tone is always upbeat and optimistic. At times, it may feel preachy, but it works (so far). Much has been written about the Lizard Brain from its ability to make us buy SUVs to Godin's application of it to keep us from reaching our full potential.

In my two weeks at work, I went from meeting to meeting, and had to make some (seemingly) important decisions after only working a few short hours at the job. I spent more time in the office than out, and when I wasn't under fluorescent lights, I slept in a shabby motel with only a few spare changes of clothes. Godin's book remained (and still does remain) a helpful beacon.

Godin seeks to inspire us to strive for more, to unlock the inner genius in all of us. His goal? To shift the paradigm of work and career from drudgery and 9-to-5 to passion, inspiration and success. Can it be achieved? Is this a vain quest for the Fountain of Youth or Eldorado? After reading 119 of the 226 pages, I'm onboard with Seth. I've been trying to apply some of Godin's words into my new career as I bring myself up to speed, panic (yup, there's that Lizard Brain rearing its ugly head) and soldier onward/upward.

Once I finish the book, I'll complete my review. Of course with everything going on, it may take a few weeks.

Some reviews from others (courtesy of Amazon.com):

"It's easy to see why people pay to hear what he has to say."
-Time

"Thousands of authors write business books every year, but only a handful reach star status and the A-list lecture circuit. Fewer still-one, to be exact-can boast his own action figure. . . . Godin delivers his combination of counterintuitive thinking and a great sense of fun."
-BusinessWeek

"If Seth Godin didn't exist we'd need to invent him-that's how indispensable he is! You hold in your hands a compelling, accessible, and purpose-filled book. Read it, and do yourself a big favor. Your future will thank you!"
-Alan Webber, Founder, Fast Company

"This is what the future of work (and the world) looks like. Actually, it's already happening around you."
-Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.com

My new office

2010-02-06T12:18:00.000-05:00

It's the Little Things

2010-01-25T22:43:00.000-05:00

Just a friendly reminder from the cubicle. Nothing beats this combo:

Installing a Noboard: Trippy, Giddy, Can't Wait

2010-01-24T08:29:00.003-05:00

So I'm making the jump to Noboarding. Surf the snow: for real. Look for a report back when there's pow on the ground.

Key pieces of equipment: A snowboard and the Noboard hardware.

Make sure to line up the pad where you want it and mark it with a pen or pencil.

Peel off the 3M backing. Watch out! That adhesive is sticky.

Place the pad down correctly. You still have a little time to move it around.

Once it's where you want it, press firmly and let the adhesive stick.

Screw down the webbing using the provided screws and washers.

Loop the red webbing handle/leash thing through the front of the Noboard pad over itself.

Check it! Ready to rock.

Let the board "set" for 24 hours before ripping it up!

Question to Noboarders out there? What's with the dog leash? Is it a powder leash? It's so damn heavy. I can't imagine actually putting it in my jacket pocket.

Note: Going forward, Noboard will re-take distribution of its products from Burton. But for now, you can find the Noboard pad at Burton.com, Burton retailers or Noboard.ca.

Burton AK LZ Down Jacket Review: A Haiku

2010-01-20T12:18:00.000-05:00

AK LZ Down.
So warm. So functional. Rad.
Many thanks this winter.

Pictures courtesy of FYI Design.

A close-up of the locals in the line-up

2010-01-16T16:44:00.000-05:00

Watch out! The locals have teeth.
Hola from Isabela.
Quick summary:
Lots of scattered showers (AKA downpour)
Head high waves (HI measurement)
Locals are very friendly
Bean went swimming in the ocean
Pretty awesome so far with two requests: sticking my bottom turn and a
little bit of sun

Eastern Boarder x Oakley: Two of my favorite awesome brands

2010-01-13T09:12:00.000-05:00

Eastern Boarder and Oakley have collaborated (again) for some stylin' crowbar goggles. I picked up their last version (EAST with black iridium lenses, see ugly pic of me) about two or three seasons ago, and I still run heavy in my goggle rotation.

The goggles come with either a Black Iridium or Hi-Intensity Persimmon lenses, plus an limited EB goggle bag. Quantities are limited to 50 of each style, so if you can grab a pair, you'll be probably one of the only people on your local hill running these great goggs.

Here's the info from EB for more details, plus a chance to win some limited EB collab Frogskins too. Sheesh these guys are busy.

Click here to enter.

Glimpse of 2011 YES Snowboards: Lurking in the Office

2010-01-12T14:48:00.001-05:00

Check out the 2011 YES snowboards in the corner office. The white one is the Tadashi Fuse pro model, called the Hand Sign. Yep, he's on YES too. YES is where amazing, ex-Burton riders go to be cool, I guess. The board is reverse reverse camber (man those swiss really have the coolest shit). Check out my review of the 2010 YES 154 on Southofthenorth.com.

Yah, we're lurking in your doritos.

Updates from Da Creek: Mountain Creek Brings the Rain

2010-01-11T17:31:00.002-05:00

Check it. If you live in the NYC/NJ area and you shred, you gotta make a stop at Mountain Creek.

And since all of us truly suck at park (oh you're awesome then why aren't you on the Dew Tour), Mountain Creek has upgraded their famry park features and offering prizes every Sunday to the kids.

And on Tueday nights, they'll be conducting female-only shred sessions. No males so don't think about going cross-dressed as a tundra wookie like in that horrid Sorority Boys flick to grab some tail.

Details are listed below, courtesy of The Double H (Hugh and HaLLey).

Because Mountain Creek is completely dedicated to progression, we've launched 2 weekly super fun jam sessions. Allow me to introduce "Twisted Kids" and our "Girls Only Shred Sessions" nights.

Twisted Kids: Our Park Crew tossed in a few VERY beginner friendly boxes on Twist, a trail located on Vernon Peak. Every Sunday at 1pm, our Switch Academy freestyle coaches will host a relaxed jam session for all kids ages 16 & under. It's a great way for the park-curious grom to dabble in the park realm without diving head first into the parks at South. We'll have prizes for all those involved and we encourage everyone to come out and have a good time!

Our Girls Only Shred Sessions is similar to Twisted Kids as it's also a pressure-free, low key fun event. Every Tuesday night, all girls are welcome to register at 5pm in the South base lodge and join us to shred on hill at 6pm. We'll session 1 or 2 features for an hour and hand out some swag at the end. This is the girls' chance to get acquainted with the park, learn a new trick or dial in an old one in a supportive, like-minded environment.

Yowza! Quick Step's new recruit: Stephanie Clerckx

2010-01-09T20:00:00.000-05:00

Well, it's that time to announce the team rosters for the UCI Pro Tour teams. I know that Team Quick Step was making some changes, but evidently Tom Boonen had a special request: model Stephanie Clerckx. Yowza.

Special thanks to Embrocation Cycling Journal for passing this along.

Check the video at Clint.be.

W48 Pulls Through Again: Burton AK 3L Hover Pants

2010-01-09T10:26:00.003-05:00

So I thrashed my 2009 AK 3L Burton Hover Pants. I bought them last year as my staple Gore-tex pants. The pants that would get some snow days when I'm hiking, but also to be used snowshoeing, snow camping, shoveling the driveway, etc. on shitty, snowy days.

I only probably got 6-7 days of actual snowboarding in them, but they had the wear. Duct tape kept some slashes on the thighs shut after a few close-calls in the trees (yah I like it tight).

I was worried that Burton wouldn't help me out as I've heard there's been some questionable calls with some gear over the last few years. But W48 came through like a champ. Full review to come soon.

Zipper closure issues on the RiRi zippers. Snow straight to the inside of your pants.

Ghetto slits "frozen" in the up position. No chance to run it slim style and prevent parking lot destruction.

Ghetto slits (other leg) frozen in up position. More carnage.

New 2010 AK 3L Hover Pants, courtesy of W48 and Rider Services (thanks G-money). Ahh there's nothing like the smell of new outerwear in the morning.

Easy Livin Flying V Snowboard Review now up

2010-01-07T08:37:00.003-05:00

Easy Livin Flying V aka the ELFV review is now up on Southofthenorth.com. Summary is that it's a solid board, but it wasn't what I expected. I hear that the Flying V rocker (hybrid rocker which is a mix of camber and reverse camber) has been upgraded for 2011. We shall see.

I have to say my niece and nephew loved the board when we backyard shralped in the middle of the NYE snowstorm.

This is what love looks like

2010-01-06T17:35:00.000-05:00

xoxo

Ski Market, Ski Market, More than Skis. We're Bankrupt

2010-01-05T12:25:00.001-05:00

According to press releases, on December 29th, Ski Market filed a voluntary petition for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week, citing financial problems that were exacerbated by the downturn in the economy and consumer spending in 2008 and 2009.

Now I am never one to take delight in the misfortune of others, but I have to say, good riddance to bad rubbish!

I've been a Boston-area resident for over 10 years. Whenever I went into this chain of stores from my days in Allston-Brighton to our time in Framingham to our now home on the South Shore, Ski Market always provided a consistent service experience. Mind you, it was a consistently horrible customer service experience. I could regale you for hours on the misinformation, the lack of caring and general stupidity of their staff. When a friend or family member would beam with delight that they purchased new ski or snowboard equipment... from Ski Market, I would put on a forced smile, knowing that they were probably ripped off and now riding the wrong equipment for them. "You're a beginner? Of course a Burton Vapor and c60 bindings are perfect for you..."

From BicycleRetailer.com: According to documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Ski Market owes $5.2 million to its four secured creditors—South Shore Savings Bank ($4.2 million), The Burton Corporation ($426, 409), Tecnica Group ($437, 954) and Bell Sports, Inc. ($145, 016). The top 20 unsecured creditors include several bike companies such as Scott USA with debt of $195, 253.43—although much of that may be related to Scott’s ski business—Raleigh with a claim of $124, 295.10 and Marin Bicycles, which is due $93, 351.77. Oakley and Smith Optics are also on the list.

On the upside, Ski Market did support local organizations like NEMBA and consistently was a home to the Burton movie tour year-after-year.
The company and its assets are to be sold to an undisclosed company. Needless to say, this opens up a large opportunity for local retailers such as Eastern Mountain Sports, Bob Smith's Wilderness House and Easternboarder. If I was EB, I'd be looking at A/B real estate stat for a store. And I can only remind consumers, retailers and manufacturers, you reap what you sow.

DOH! Sales aren't looking so hot for Action Sports brands

2010-01-04T15:01:00.002-05:00

Doh! Not looking so good. From ActionWatch and TWBiz: November’s comparable year-over-year sales in the ActionWatch core shops continued October’s double-digit negatives. As I stated last month, this is unfortunately again a decline on top of last year’s decline, pushing retailers into sales levels that are dramatically lower than two years ago.

Does this spell huge discount sales in Q1 2010?

Biggest Trend for 2010: So Hot Right Now

2010-01-04T14:29:00.000-05:00

I hear Louie Vito is all about it.

Hoon Summary of 2009: The High School Superlatives

2009-12-31T12:00:00.000-05:00

We're going to try something new here at the 'ol Hoon blog. It's often called the Year in Review or the Oscars or in this case, the High School Superlative Awards for three categories: Snow, Surf, Bike. So take the time Cue the music.

Underdog Brand
Never Summer Snowboards
Grain Surfboards
Spooky Bikes

Takes a lickin', but won't stop tickin'
Burton Franken Cartels
Billabong Platinum shorts
Mavic CrossMax wheels

Best Ever
Burton Uninc 09

Why aren't you more durable?
Snowboard bindings
Channel Islands EPS Flyer and Wetsuits (tie)
Mountain bike body armor

Outerwear Innovator 2009
AG Tactic one piece suit
Quiksilver Cypher shorts
Rapha (anything)

Failure to Launch
Burton Camber vs. Rocker campaign
Jordy vs. Dane vs. ASP
GT Golden Bike

Most hyped tech
Reverse Camber
High volume, short little fat boards
Carbon wheelsets

Biggest trend for 2011
Hybrid camber
Alaia
Aero carbon everything

Biggest trend by 2014
Camber
Thrusters
Aluminum

Most over-rated pro
All of them

Hardest working am
All of them

Biggest props for "putting it all out there"
Louie Vito
Keala Kennelly
Tyler Hamilton

Best disaster to revert
The former Uninc team
Nike 6.0
Cadel Evans

The "next" award
C3 Super Corp
Insight
Transition Cycles

Most entertaining
Soap Opera of Lance vs. Contador vs. Kazakstan bankers

Biggest "I didn't realize that we needed that"
Rocker
Heated wetsuits
Electronic shifting, DI2

Most overplayed theme
PBR collabs

The "I don't get it"
Under armour campaigns
Pull-in underwear
Nissan ads with Chris Carmichael

The "pour out a little liquor for my homies"
Eesa and Uninc (tie)
Kelly Slater's proposed contest tour format
Matty B leaving IF

Biggest threats
O-matic
C3
Ergo
Felt

Hardest working man in show biz
Jonavon Moore
Bobby Martinez
Christian VandeVelde

Blog of the Year
Board as Fuck
Daily Donkey
BSNYC and Fat Cyclist (tie)

What I Tweeted About in 2009

2009-12-29T23:00:00.000-05:00

Graphical version courtesy of http://tweetcloud.icodeforlove.com. Evidently it was a lot of love, thanks, hope and awesomeness for some of my favorite things, including: Bean/Callen, snowboarding, surfing, cycling, home, hoon (myself) and the weekend.

The Today Show Goes Snowboarding: Shred the Rad

2009-12-28T11:40:00.003-05:00

A nice shout out to the US Snowboarding Boardercross team via NBC. Natale Morales seems so bored... but she gets to wear a tie-dye t-shirt. Because tie-dye is so hip and steezie.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

2009-12-27T17:05:00.000-05:00

Yes Snowboard Review on SOTN

2009-12-27T09:08:00.002-05:00

Yup. Got a chance to rock it with some Cartels up at Stratton. Review is up on SouthoftheNorth.commmmmmm.

BTW you can see the whole YES crew in Absinthe's Neverland.

The future is knocking

2009-12-23T16:48:00.000-05:00

Are you listening?

Definition of PRO via Team Liquigas

2009-12-23T16:47:00.000-05:00

Textbook from @rorymasini on Twitter

A PSA from Our Good Friends at Mountain Creek: Snowboard for Free

2009-12-18T16:51:00.001-05:00

CELEBRATE THE FIRST DAY OF WINTER - GO SNOWBOARDING DAY!
Free Entry to a Lifetime Lifestyle – A Holiday Present For All

Note: I was lazy so cut and paste the press release. Please direct all love or hate to Mountain Creek. Thanks.

Winter means everything to Mountain Creek, and there’s little doubt that winter weather in all its stormy glory is here and all the indications are that it’s going to be a solid season of skiing and snowboarding ahead.

In the spirit of World Snowboard Day and in honor of the first day of winter, Mountain Creek has declared this Monday December 21st – Go Snowboarding Day! Says Mountain Creek VP Bill Benneyan, “We’re known for our snowboard culture, and believe it’s not only a great sport, but also a great, social and fun-loving lifestyle that transcends all ages. We’re so excited about opening this weekend and the winter ahead, we want to share it with anyone who wants to learn; so much so, we’re doing it for free!”

You’re reading that right. On Monday December 21st Mountain Creek will teach any first-timers to snowboard for FREE, including lift ticket, rental equipment and a lesson. The package usually runs around $100.

Prospective ‘shredders’ are asked to call Ski & Snowboard School at 973-864-8128 to make a reservation so that instructors can take care of everyone that wants to learn.

“There’s a ton of snow at The Creek right now, and my instructors are primed and ready to get into action.”, said Ski and Snowboard School Director Chris Heidebrecht. “With the prospects for a strong season ahead, now’s the time to get those first turns under your belt and be ready for the next 3 months of fun. Give us a call before Monday to set up a time for your lesson. Those who make a last-minute decision to play sick from work that day, we’ll take on a first-come first-serve basis as we can. We’re looking forward to a fun day!”.

For those intermediates that already know how to snowboard but are curious about terrain parks, Mountain Creek’s SWITCH ACADEMY coaches will be at South (Terrain Park) all day to give free tips and pointers on your first feature-sliding experience. All South riders will need to obtain a FREE Park Pass at South Lodge first, which involves a short on-line tutorial and quiz at our special kiosks located in the lodge. Helmets are required for anyone engaged in SWITCH clinics at South.

For those that might wonder, Mountain Creek’s largesse isn’t limited to snowboarders. “In this case, there’s some precedence with World Snowboarding Day, and this is our way of celebrating a world event, the start of our season, and the first day of winter”, said Resort Chief Frank DeBerry. “This month we’ve also offered all our local Vernon kids in Second Grade free learn-to ski or snowboard lessons, for similar reasons. There are a lot of us who feel fortunate to combine our work and our play in a sport that has given so much back to us. We want to share this, introduce families to a winter activity that they can do together, and start the first step of a lifetime of fun, challenge and exuberance.”

Go Snowboarding Day takes place Monday, December 21. More information can be found at: http://www.mountaincreek.com/.

The Haters are Right

2009-12-17T21:37:00.000-05:00

The Hater are right. Yup, you heard me. They've got all of our numbers. Snowboarding is serious business. There's no fucking around here. If you don't have the right snowboard, the right boots, the right bindings and the right outfit, you might as well be skiing. Oh snap! You don't have the right beanie because you're wearing a helmet? Just give up now and go roller blading.

Wait, does your outfit have color in it? You're running banana? Or you're still on that Burton Custom from last year? LAST YEAR? SERIOUSLY A CUSTOM? And did I see you smile when you took that last run? Smiling is for little children and clowns. Are you a midget clown on that Sierra snowboard rocking a Burton System coat? WTF?

No, thankfully you're rocking the latest kit. It's so new, it's sample gear from your time machine set to 2024. It's bangin' with just enough swagger. Pants just too tight or with the right enough snag, or both. With a jacket that screams "go bite me," and your goggles cocked perfectly to the left (or was it the right?). And of course, your board has all the matching diecut stickers. Your boots have highlights that accent your bindings and match your gloves. And of course, you've got that snarl perfected underneath your Neffhole beanie.

The haters are wrong. It doesn't matter if you're rocking a 5150 snowboard from 2000 that you picked up at Dick's Sporting Goods with Burton Freestyle boots and some Bent Metal binders from Craiglist as you do the falling leaf down the bunny slope. As long as you're out there and having fun. Smile with pride, and you can...

in the immortal words of Bikesnobnyc tell them: All You Haters Can Suck My Balls.

Win Stuff from Burton - Web Presents: Watch and Win

2009-12-16T20:28:00.000-05:00

When I received this press release, I wasn't sure if they were talking about Web_Presents (like santa claus or your birthday) or Web Presents (like PowerPoint presentation). Turns out that the Web Presents contest is 240 hours of interactive 2.0 loveliness. Time will tell if this is going to be the next killer thing or a complete flop. One thing that's guaranteed is that there'll be a lot of potty talk on the "live chat" feature.

Step 1: Watch the webcast on Burton.com

Step 2: Interact, chat, post stuff on Facebook

Step 3: Check the Twitter, visit a retailer, win crazy shopping sprees

Step 4: Shred in your happiness

Some of the prizes include: Build your own BMC board, Series 13 board, copies of the B, face masks (yawn) and season passes. Clearly some gifts are better than others. Watch, do shit and win.

Burton Snowboards is proud to announce “Web Presents,” a holiday-themed Internet extravaganza. The 10 day webcast, slated to begin Tuesday, December 15 at 12 pm EST will feature live video 24 hours a day from various locations in and around the Burton office in Burlington, Vermont.

Come for the webcast, but stay for the prizes. Giveaways will range from t-shirts and stickers to custom Series 13 boards, season passes, shopping sprees, and special trips—this is one webcast that you won’t want to miss.

From prizes, team interviews, and haircuts, to challenges ranging from sending faxes and searching your local shop for hidden treasure, the entire webcast is sure to insight a riot. The exact details concerning size and scale of giveaways and promotions are still secret at this point, but all clues lead to big doings.

Stay tuned to Burton.com for more details.

Baby-Fu stronger than Analog Belt-kwon Do

2009-12-15T21:34:00.001-05:00

So.... I was super excited about my faux-preppy, nautical skull-n-cross bones belt from Analog Clothing, owned by Burton Snowboards. I wore it all the time, including out to lunch with friends.While there, I had our little Baben aka the Bean "standing" on my lap. While she "danced" around, she accidently tapped my new, slick AG belt.

When I got up, to my surprise, my pants slipped another few inches lower. There was a very loud "thud" as the AG belt buckle hit the floor. My first thought was "damn I ate a lot."

I quickly realized our baby with her cat-like reflexes had Shaq-Fu'd my belt. Damn. I wonder if Burton's warranty (W48) covers crazy baby feats of strength. Stay tuned for the answer.

Forum x Bob Ross- Super Killer Insane Collab

2009-12-12T21:42:00.000-05:00

Forum x Bob Ross

With collaborations in snowboarding (ya think?) becoming a little out of hand over the last few years, Forum Snowboards has come up with a true artist collab (artist is a loose term according to my RISD friends). Featuring original selections from the private Bob Ross collection, Forum (moving to Burlington VT) has created a series of boards, boots, bindings and apparel that live up to the legend of the original Do-It-Yourself (DIY son) art master. This limited collection of “happy little products” is available in the finest shred shops worldwide.

Happy Boarding!

The Forum Crew (minus Jake Blauvelt plus Andreas Wiig)

What do I get my favorite snowboard for the Holidays? Deals from Sierra

2009-12-11T09:03:00.001-05:00

A big question each year: What do I get my favorite snowboard for the holidays? On the other hand, is my snowboard Christian, Muslim or Jewish? In any event, during the typical holiday craziness, Sierrasnowboards.com is going to always be blowing out all sorts of stuff! It started with black Friday then cyber Monday, and I guess you can all this Red Friday?

Jump on the deals that they're thrown' your way. This came through my email and I apologize for the annoying image, but I couldn't get all the HTML to fit properly without some serious work.

Great gifts for traveling with your lil snowboard love or getting him/her a friend to shred with or hang in the basement with! For more details, click here.

Legal mumbo jumbo: Prices mentioned in this email are subject to availability, there are limited quantities available.

Contact Sierrasnowboard.com 1.800.401.1751 or email Help@sierrasnowboard.com

The Eddie is On!

2009-12-08T14:09:00.001-05:00

In case you didn't hear:

Do you have what it takes to be a pro cyclist on Team Radioshack?

2009-12-03T13:14:00.000-05:00

This is probably one of the best blogposts I've read this year from Fat Cyclist. Find out if you too have what it takes to be part of Team Radioshack with Lance Armstrong. Here's a quick blurb:

I am willing to travel, within reason. I completely understand that this job requires some travel, and you have my assurance that this will not be a problem for me, as long as I am able to keep my “away” days to a maximum of three days per month, with the understanding that I need to be home with my kids on the weekends.

The full article can be found here. Interested in supporting Fat Cyclist and purchasing some of their 2010 kit. Head to twinsix.com for more details.

Another awesome video: SUP + Big Wave = Boom

2009-12-02T15:49:00.000-05:00

From DailyDonkey.com. Set to the Dave Matthews Band. If you don't visit this site on a daily basis, you're missing out. Simply awesome.

The State of Bicycle Frame Building aka Moving to Portland

2009-11-30T12:56:00.000-05:00

Originally found on CompetitiveCyclist.com, via YouTube. Some helpful tips if you are looking to move to PDX (that's Portland for the unaware) and want a new career in cool, bike frame building

Surfing and Biking go together like sea and monkeys

2009-11-25T20:27:00.000-05:00

Two of my passions in life are Surfing and Biking. On the surface, they have next to nothing in common. Surfing conveys an image of counter-culture, too cool for school, So Cal, bro-brah speak and baggy shorts complete with busty blondes in bikinis. Biking (let's take road biking in this instance) is the province of Euro-dweebs in tight underoos, geeking out on shaving grams or shaving their legs.

Taking a deeper dive, one starts to see some striking similarities.

Surfers wear skin tight outfits, wetsuits, to stay warm and enhance performance. Cyclists wear skin tight spandex to enhance performance, and tights to stay warm.
Surfers spend inordinate amount of time, agonizing over minute changes in rocker, widths, board material, etc. Cyclists spend a scary amount of time, debating frame material, components, wheels, gear ratios, etc.
Surfers have their own esoteric language designed to alienate and confuse the casual observer. Cyclists have a similar strange language, which no one seems to really care about.
Surfers are a strange mix of notoriously traditional yet amazingly willing to accept new technology. A great example of this is the continued prevalence of the P/U Thruster while alternate construction and shapes continue to grow on the fringe. Cyclists swear by storied brands such as Campagnolo and Pinarello while embracing Zipp Carbon wheels.
Pro surfers continue to push the age boundaries with Kelly Slater, racking up a record-winning 9 ASP world championships. Pro cyclists also continue to push the age boundaries with Lance Armstrong, tallying a record-winning 7 (to-date) Tour De France titles.
Surfers can be notoriously secretive and territorial. Mountain bikers also have been known to protect their turf whether in freeride or cross-country circles.

Those are just a few similarities that come to mind. I guess what I'm trying to prove is that seemingly different sports often have a lot of commonalities. Just a little blather before Turkey Day.

Thoughts? Ideas? Wants? Needs? Reviews?

2009-11-24T09:17:00.000-05:00

As it begins to get cold and mountains begin to open, I'm going to start making the rounds and trying to test boards and product as I go. Hit me up and let me know what you'd like to see, and I'll try to focus on those items. I've got a short-list myself too, but would love your input. Cheers.

On my radar:
Burton Malavita EST
Burton Easy Living Flying V
Yes 156 asymmetrical reverse camber
Nitro Swindle
Nitro Rook
Capita Green Machine
Ride DH2
Forum Dreamboat
Rome Pusher

2010 Burton Ozones Boot Review: Everything you need, Nothing you don't

2009-11-20T08:37:00.000-05:00

There's that old marketing message that's used for everything from cars to ketchup that goes like this: everything you need, nothing you don't. After testing a pair of Burton Ozones, this slogan kept coming to mind.

The Ozones fall in the middle of the Burton lineup with a cost of $279.95. Pro riders testing, defining and riding the Ozones are: Mason Aguirre, Jussi and Dave Downing. The boots feature such Burton innovations such as Speed Zone lacing, EST optimized soles with B3 gel, articulating cuff and Park-Specific Soft Flex 3D® Molded Tongue.

In the past, my go-to boots have been the iconic Burton Sabbaths, which have been remade into the Grails, and the Vans Andreas Wiig pro model boots. You'll notice that both boots offer similar features: stiffer, freestyle flex, adequate cushioning and laces.

The Ozones are a different animal. Lightweight, Lacing system and medium flex. Kudos go to Burton as the Speed Zone system has continually evolved for the better. The boots are also ridiculously light yet have sufficient cushioning to handle many a flat, icy landing with my thrashed knees. Articulating cuffs are great, nuff said. And I have a size 9 foot, but the footprint reduction really helps when I happen to jump on a smaller deck or Women's board. The EST optimized sole seemed to offer better feel when paired with an EST binding, but I can't offer a definitive answer on this. Of course Burton's boot are compatible with anyone else's binding but always have that glass slipper feel with their brethen binders.

Complaints? Worries? Jabs? After about a few months of riding, I started to notice a tear in the back of the boot around the calf as well as some wear and tear, usually consistent with a longer length of riding (6 months). It could possibly be he killer calf bite of my Cartels. I can only speculate that the light weight of the boot comes at the cost of long term durability. Or that the size 9 boot wasn't designed for a 185lb dude.

All in all, a sick super fun boot! It felt like a skate sneaker (and I think weighs the same) and cushioned like that goose down pillow on your bed. If you're rotating boots each season, I suggest that you add the Ozones to your line-up. But if you want a boot that lasts a few seasons (a tough request by most standards), I'd look elsewhere.

How to Handle Facebook Phishing Scams

2009-11-16T13:43:00.001-05:00

Normally this blog isn't about dispelling useful advice or relevant information, but this was too juicy and hysterical to pass up. My friend, Ryan, sent me the link that provides a "Conversation with a Hacker" from a friend of his who was recently Facebook hacked. This is priceless and perfect for a Monday.

Be careful on the interwebs kiddies. That recently turned 18-year old virgin ASU hottie that wants to be your "friend" is probably some chain-smoking, 65 year-old dude with a bad back sitting in a Mumbai basement.

Teton Gravity Research Launches Snow Lab, complete with monkeys!

2009-11-14T16:14:00.000-05:00

TGR aka Teton Gravity Research aka those dirtbag, ski bums in Jackson in the orange truck aka the heirs to the Warren Miller throne have launched the TGR Snow Lab. In the Snow Lab, you get weather, snow reports, resort news, avalanche safety videos, avalanche news and opportunities to discuss all about this geeky, yet important stuff.

To be honest, I went to the link which points you to http://www.tetongravity.com/community/, and I didn't see anything different than a standard, news, content, online community-based site like sierrasnowboard.com or Fuel.TV. But I just did a quick roll-through and didn't bother to wait for all the banner ads to rotate by.

According to Todd Jones (yup one of those brothers in the orange truck): “This is a great resource and gathering spot for like minded backcountry users who want to know what it going on in the snow universe.”

The Snow Lab is presented in partnership with The North Face so you know there's gotta be some solid content kicking around there somewhere. And the TGR forum is legendary for its knowledgeable community, especially on the topics listed above. Perhaps it will all slowly be rolled out as the 2010 season fully gets underway.

Cédric Gracia goes out on his own: CG Racing Brigade

2009-11-11T21:00:00.000-05:00

According to Bikeradar.com, Cédric Gracia is leaving sponsor, Commencal, after 2.5 seasons, to go his own way, creating the CG Racing Brigade. Gracia rose to fame as part of the fabled Volvo-Cannondale squad from 2001 to 2005.

Gracia told Bikeradar, "I will start this year with myself, a full-time photographer, a team manager and a mechanic." Evidently the photographer is on staff to capture the intersection of racing, freeride and the lifestyle of the pro mountain biker. Time will tell if Gracia's move is the right one or if he's been lulled by a combo of ego and bravado.

More info can be found at the CG website or on Facebook. Impressively, CG Brigade already has about 2,400 fans.

The Undisputed 5 Year Champ: Burton Cartel 2010 Bindings

2009-11-10T22:22:00.000-05:00

What can you say about the binding that can be found on more pros, joes and ho’s then any other binding over the course of the last five years. Yup, that’s no typo. Count ‘em. Five years at the top of its game. I bet you can’t think of another snowboard product that can claim that title. Here’s a brief sample of some of the riders who are riding or have ridden Cartels: Travis Rice, Aaron Bittner and Mark Landvik to name a few. Oh, and did you notice those riders listed aren’t Burton-sponsored?

The truly phenomenal success of the Burton Cartel derives from its “everything you need, nothing you don’t” philosophy. It was originally build as the park and freestyle domination machine, utilizing Burton’s solid, time-tested chassis and a highback that just won’t quit. No wedgies, cinches, FXT’s, cable-activated BOA’s or other useless crap can be found on this binding. Aside from the steezie and slick color schemes year after year, the Cartel offers solid features such as smooth glide ratchets and ultra capstraps. Plus it has consistently had one of the tallest highbacks in the game. Up front, it’ll bite you in the calf until you get a few days under your belt, but like that dominatrix down the street, you’ll be beggin’ for more. Also for all you non-EST converts, the Cartel comes in both an EST and disc version. Perfect for those missions that find you on a 3D or 4x2 snowboard.

For 2010, the Cartel has received a bit of a facelift. Burton has backed off the height of the highback (ever so slightly) and also included full baseplate padding (about damn time!). You’ll note that it comes in lift-line arresting bold colors like purple and orange, with only a few subtle accents. In a world where bindings seem to have more flair than your local TGIF, it’s refreshing to let the colorway to the heavy lifting.

As you probably can gather from this post, I’m a Cartel junkie. You’re probably asking yourself: Why the undying devotion to these bindings? There’s plenty of awesome bindings out there. So true, but I haven’t ridden any other binding where after five years, the baseplates are just starting to show a bit of wear and tear. Granted I’m frankenbinder’d the shit out of these guys over the years, but those baseplates are still the original Polarized White. Until I can find a binding that can perform like the Cartel and stand up to that abuse, the Burton Cartel will always be my go-to binding in a pinch.

Original catalog copy from 04/05
Rule the freestyle underworld.The all-new Cartel™ is today’s standard in freestyle capability. For an insane snow feel, we removed some of the material from the baseplate but added Pressure Distribution Feet for improved weight displacement. This purifies the interface between board and body and reduces damage to your precious ride. The redesigned Team Skyback® is 13% lighter than last year and maintains the same amazing strength, response and stompability of the tallest hi-back in our line

Andreas Wiig leaves Nitro and goes to Forum: Rockstar girlfriends aren't cheap

2009-11-06T11:12:00.000-05:00

After many years with Nitro snowboards (ok just three) and a very successful (and kick-ass) pro-model board, Andreas Wiig is leaving to join The Program, specifically Forum. 100% of the Forum team is head-to-toe affiliated brands, so it'll be interesting to see what happens with Mandreas. I wonder if he will retain long-time sponsors Vans and Pro-tec and new, yet enthusiastic sponsor, Matix.

I guess that hottie, super rockstar girlfriend ain't cheap. More details can be found at: Whitelines.com.

How to effectively get your press release blogged

2009-11-05T17:48:00.003-05:00

On South of the North, I recently let the cat out of the bag on how to be a PRO snowboard blogger. Yup I didn't follow the first rule of PRO snowboard blogger club: there is no PSBC.

To follow up, I wanted to give some helpful hints to our friends, our compatriots-in-arms: the glorious PR agents, managers and specialists. With these tips, you and your clients will be the toast of the blogosphere.

1. We get it. Your client's product or event is the bestest thing
evar. It's like iPhone of the action sports world with less glitches. But help me help you by giving me some true differentiators or in your language, some Reasons to Believe. Remember to answer the question: Why do we care?

2. Make it easy. If you want me to post a picture, check out a website or email you, give me the tools. Send me some pics, URLs and for all that is holy, in the name of Tony Hawk's toupe, please don't use words when there should be ellipses or numbers. Alicia dot Doe at dos tres Brand dot com is NOT COOL. I repeat: NOT COOL. At the heart of it, bloggers are lazy. If we weren't, we'd be journalists or marketing execs.

3. Make promises... And keep them. It's nice to feel loved and appreciated (read: bribed), but it's not a mandatory. If you make a commitment, stick with it Like Mom said, if you make a promise, keep it. Or at least email me to tell me they ran out of the Action Sports iPhone.

4. Stay in touch. I don't need you to be my best friend (accepting that friend request would be nice). But stay in touch. Add me to that BCC distribution list of what's up at Extreme Hardcore Drinks, and shoot me an email on a monthly basis. Don't email me once every 12 months and expect a three blog spread.

5. We're people too. A lot of (read: all) bloggers have zero social skills. Bloggers were the drama dorks and newspaper/TV show, mascot geeks in high school. Make us feel cool with insider info or a VIP
pass to an event, even if the event is free.

With these 5 simple tips, your client's product or event will be rolling in blog posts, Facebook shares and retweets. And the beauty of it is that the ROI is invaluable. Essentially for free, your client gets coverage to the masses from an industry mover and shaker. You can thank me in advance by sending gobs of stuff to my mountain lab in Jackson Hole in the winter and to my Kauai beach complex in the summer.

A sample of what not to do can be found here.

Justin Brock goes PRO: Celebrate by buying some Ltd chinos

2009-11-04T20:50:00.002-05:00

Who the hell is Justin Brock? Sponsored by Real, Thunder, Spitfire, Nike SB, Quiksilver, Roughneck Hardware, CCS, Huf, raised in the mountains of North Carolina, Justin Brock is a Hellraiser with a capital "H". The boys got balls bigger than the bull's heart that his team talks about when referencing his riding-style.

To celebrate Justin's upgrade to the pro team, Quik has Justin-zed (or is it Brocked) a pair of their Union chinos. The Brock Custom chinos feature an enzyme wash and a North Carolina-tweaked flag (Oops I thought it was Puerto Rico) to celebrate Justin's roots.

Act quick as there's only 60 pairs in existence, and the only spot to get them is Quiksilver.com.

According to Quik and Slap Magazine: “After decades of being overshadowed by the West and East Coast scenes, the South has finally been starting to get theirs in recent years. 2009 finds a new generation of Southern Gents with the spotlight aiming their way, and Justin Brock is helping lead the charge from his base in Atlanta. In just a few short years Brock has gone from Mountain Dew-fueled grom to power am for Real, Nike, Quiksilver and more, and with two big video parts.”

Hot damn!

The Mountain and The Wave: Choices, Choices, Choices

2009-10-31T16:49:00.000-04:00

It's that magical time of year again. The days are getting shorter, the air is getting crisper, Brown Santa is coming... Hey, did I just see a snowflake?

That's right. Winter is on the way. I always get super excited as it's time to wax the snowboards and pull out the outerwear. Nowadays, we live on the coast. The mountains are a bit farther away (not that far), and the ocean is right around the corner. I struggle with my decisions. Surfing technology has advanced so far that I can easily drive 15 minutes to the beach and surf to my heart's content. There's super thick suits that are pretty flexible (but still feel like 10lbs of lead weights), gloves and booties. Rip Curl and Quiksilver have upped the ante with heated (yes heated) suits and vests that are meant to keep you out there for longer in thinner rubber. Nothing beats a bit of time in the green room (even if you have to crouch on your knees), no matter the ice cream headaches. With the new tech, it's a very compelling proposition! But you still like some sorta evil condom that has sprung to life.

On the other hand, my first love is snowboarding. It kept me going for all those years in the middle of nowhere NY and CT. It also gave me soul, an identity, friends, and a true reason to start traveling the world. I get to dress up like a complete fool in neon and crazy colors that are louder than Public Enemy and that have more energy than an Iranian nuclear energy project. I get to frolic, bounce and act like a little kid again, bouncing around the mountain, raining chaos wherever I go. So every time I grab the foam instead of the p-tex, I feel a bit of remorse and guilt. It's like cheating on your favorite girl with that new Swimsuit model who just happens to live next door.

At the end of the day, it's all moot. I can continue my dual personality to my heart's content, playing these mind games as I shred the rad. As my homosexual, Boston-born, English teacher in high school used to say, "it's a hahhhd life, chheld." Until I sort it out, I'll be forever held by the dual siren songs of the Mountain and the Wave.

Shred Union: Updated!

2009-10-26T13:23:00.001-04:00

Winter must be coming as I just received a notification from Shredunion.com. What's Shred Union you may ask? It's for riders by riders. It's got none of the typical BS or happy-go-lucky sunshine that you may find in other online communities or messageboreds (yet) and has a crack team of shredployees who have created a fun little website in their spare time from their day jobs.

Shred Union's focus is less on Todd Richard's new haircut or Louie Vito's latest dance moves and more on functional info such as reviews on shops, resorts, gear and stores. Check out their nifty photo gallery section and "heart" my photos!

So in recap: Shred Union. Snowboarding. Website updated.

IAMSNOWBOARDING: A collaborative art project in honor of our brother, Jeff Anderson

2009-10-21T20:42:00.001-04:00

What is snowboarding to you? Do you remember the good 'ol days when everyone hated us? Did you wear sorels and hike for your first turns because the ski resorts wouldn't sell you a ticket, and the two-plankers would spit on you anyway?

Whether you do or no, it doesn't matter. Snowboarding is here, and it's here to stay. This is in a large part due to pioneers who paved the way. Pioneers like Craig Kelly, Brushie, Palmer, Guch, the Ride and Joyride boys and countless others.

Before Shaun White was a household name with Red Bull and Target bulls eyes, there was Jeff Anderson. Jeffy was the super grom. The next "it" rider, yet who refused to be a corporate stooge. Yes, he had the corporate sponsors, Burton, Analog, Grenade, Oakley, and Volcom. But he had style, marched to the beat of his own drummer, and was one of the catalysts of the (now) legendary Seven and Uninc teams. Sadly, he was cut short before his prime.

In honor of what would be Jeff Anderson's 30th birthday, I AM SNOWBOARDING, pairs photographers who have shot pictures of Jeffy with an innovative group of artists to create collaborative pieces. You may recognize the names from the world of skateboarding and snowboarding. The funds raised from the pieces will go to the JLA Memorial Fund.

Prints will be available shortly from ASYMBOL. The first gallery showing will be in Mammoth on Sat, November 14th to kick off winter in style.

For more info, check the site or their facebook page. JLA is Unity.

Peep the list of partners:

Danny Zapalac – Bryan Iguchi
Cheyenne Ellis – Matty Thompson
Chris Brunkhart – Matt Donahue
Jane Baer – Mark Gonzales
Tim Zimmerman – Mike Parillo
Jared Eberhardt – Michael Jager
Jane Baer – Jamie Lynn
Billy Anderson – RYNo
Shem Roose – Scott Lenhardt
Patrice Miller – Dustin del Giudice
Jeff Curtes – Nick Russian
Todd Hazeltine – 2jaws
Ryan Boyes – Ben Brough
Dean “Blotto” Gray – Shane Charlebois
Jane Baer – Devon Weniger
Stan Evans – Robert “Sticky” Shaw
Jamie Mosberg – Jojo Whitmarsh
Trevor Graves – Adam Haynes
Chris Owen – Tyler Lepore
MMSA/Steven Brown – Stormriders crew
Billy Anderson – Jamie Heinrich

2010 Burton Jeremy Jones boots: Nothing says love like a new pair of kicks

2009-10-17T22:11:00.000-04:00

A few days ago, I got a delivery that included a pair of 2010 Burton Jeremy Jones boots. If you've seen any of Jeremy Jones' (the jibber not the big mountain guy), you know that he puts his gear through some serious paces. Love him or hate him, you gotta admit that he's got a lot of variety in his bag of tricks from some crazy next level shit in Minneapolis to the burly mountains of AK. A friend of mine was rocking these boots last season, so I was curious to try them myself.

The boots are footprint-reduced to prevent any toe or heel drag and have EST-optimized soles for a perfect fit with the Burton EST bindings. They also include some new features such as a Soft Edge Tongue which includes a Medium Flex Thin Profile 3D® Molded Tongue, tailored to Jeremy's specifications. They incorporate lace locks similar to the ones that were made popular on Burton's iconic Sabbath boot.

Slipping them on my feet in our den, they were buttery smooth. They locked in on my heel right away. The sole is aggressive but not overly so. The boots are almost as light as my Ozones.

I still haven't got out on the snow yet, but once I do, I'll make sure to give a full write up on this one. But for $230, you've got a really solid performance, workhorse boot: refreshing in this day and age when boots can cost upwards of $500.

From the Burton website:
Jeremy Jones embodies everything that is snowboarding, and his boot is no different. Challenging the engineers to build a boot to his exact specifications and demanding that the suits keep it affordable, Jeremy’s creation has quickly become a legend in itself. Jib mobility meets cheese wedge stability in a low-profile design that brings you closer to the action; snowboarding doesn’t get much better than this.

Comfort

Aegis™ Antimicrobial Coating
This antimicrobial coating inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Your feet [and your friends] will thank us for sure. Look for Aegis™ on select liners and footbeds.
Shrinkage Footprint Reduction Technology
Shrinkage™ reduces the boot’s overall footprint one full size, meaning a size 10 boot fits like a size 10, but has the footprint of a typical size 9. Shorter, lighter, and less bulky, with Shrinkage you can finally ride the board of your dreams.
Shrinkage Footprint Reduction Technology
com.demandware.beehive.core.capi.domain.SimpleMediaFile@1628528

Flex Response

Flex Spine Backstay
Our Flex Spine backstay is designed to flex more easily both laterally and medially for maximum mobility while providing ample edge-to-edge support for when it’s time to throw down the landing gear.
pdetail-boots-flex-flex-spine.jpg
Medium Flex Thin Profile 3D® Molded Tongue
Adjusting the profile of the tongue’s thickness controls its flex, enhances its ability to wrap the forefoot, and reduces shell/liner stack-up for improved comfort. Offered in soft, medium, and firm flexing options based on the ride style of each boot.

Cushioning / Trac

B3Gel
Formulated just for snowboarding, B3 Gel’s advanced dampening properties allow it to withstand repeated impacts without breaking down.
pdetail-boots-cushioning-b3gel.jpg
Low-Profile EST Optimized Midsole
Lower-profile, lighter weight, and with a reduced ramp in the heel, the EST™ Optimized midsole brings you closer to your bindings by lowering your center of gravity and improving brain-to-binding connectivity. Feel and control your setup like never before without sacrificing an ounce of cushioning thanks to ultra-dampening B3 Gel inserts.
Low-Profile EST Optimized Midsole
com.demandware.beehive.core.capi.domain.SimpleMediaFile@979c54
Optimised mid sole.flv

Liner

Flex™ 2
1. NEW Flex Cuff Heel Hold System
2. Plush Cuff 1.0 [WMS Only]
3. TaiPanel™ Technology
4. Velcro Liner Closure
5. NEW Park 2 Molded 3-Layer EVA Footbed with ESS Support Shank and Aegis™ Antimicrobial Coating
6. Heat-Moldable
Flex™ 2
com.demandware.beehive.core.capi.domain.SimpleMediaFile@1b6ac00
pdetail-boots-liner-flex-2.jpg

Support

5
Every boot we build rides differently. From the buttery-soft, progressive flex of the Hail™, to the lightning-fast response of the Driver X™, we fine tune the ride of every single boot to provide the widest range of performance in snowboarding.
We determine a boot’s support rating based primarily on the flex characteristics of the shell, outsole, and liner materials. Additional features like articulating cuffs, strategically placed shell paneling, 3D® molded tongues, and backstay constructions allow us to adjust the overall support. Based only as a comparison between the boots within our line, a rating of one is more relaxed while ten is more responsive.
Boot Support - 5
com.demandware.beehive.core.capi.domain.SimpleMediaFile@1c407b9

Other Features

ESS Support Shank
NEW Park 2 Molded 3-Layer EVA Footbed
NEW Soft Edge Tongue
Traditional Lacing

The Morning After

2009-10-16T12:37:00.000-04:00

Caught the swell. Got beat down, but good to get out there.

An interesting mix of surf and family life. Look familiar?

Courtesy of Mashable: CMP.ly

2009-10-16T09:42:00.000-04:00

With the new FTC guidelines, CMP.ly provides an easy-to-use service for all the blahgers out there. Simply cut and paste one of their handy dandy links onto the beginning or end of your post, and BAM, you're compliant. Choose from 4 pre-made CMP.ly's or create your own.

cm·ply (kem-pli) To act in accordance with another's command, request, rule, or wish.

Thanks to their team for making a really, simple and helpful way to stay legal. We wouldn't want to run dirty with da F_T_C! Learn more about CMP.ly here.

4DAFTC - DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/0

Prepping for Dawn Patrol

2009-10-15T22:49:00.005-04:00

Going surfing at the crack of dawn is a carefully prepared task, especially when the temperatures dip into the mid-30s (F). You can't just roll out of bed after partying all night and meet your brahs shoreside like it's Blue Crush or something. There are some critical steps required to be ready to surf big, nasty, Nor'easter waves when the wind is howling at 15 knots and the water is like 50 degrees.

Step 1: Grind coffee and set the auto-on. The most important step is making sure you have coffee available.

Step 2: Gather your wetsuit, booties and a towel. Hopefully all this stuff is dry.

Step 3: Go to the garage and select the quiver. Getting to the beach and realizing that you brought the wrong board sucks.

Step 4: Get all that stuff into the car. So at 5:30/6:00am, you can get your coffee and get on the road.

Step 5: Double check the forecast online. There's still no guarantee that the wind, swell and your alarm clock will cooperate when morning rolls around.

Step 6: Try to go to sleep early. But realize that you're going to bed late because you got sucked into watching some crap on FX.

Step 7: Do a little gig, say a little prayer and get ready for some good times. Be prepared to curse out your ancestors because the wind is onshore and blew down the waves.

4DAFTC - DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/0

Great Brewers Cup at Gloucester: Why Cyclocross is cool

2009-10-10T22:05:00.000-04:00

For the second year in a row, Megs and I traveled up to the North Shaaah, more accurately Gloucester, to watch the Gran Prix of Cyclocross. The race is held at an old Fort turned state park, which over looks the harbor. We're always excited to see our friend PVB race and watch the excitement and chaos from the beer tent. Note: PVB and I first watched the Gloucester race after a long night of drinking on a Halloween boat cruise (a story for another time)

When we mention these plans to friends and co-workers, people always respond with the same comment "Cyclo-what?", and we politely respond "Cyclocross. It's like road biking with knobby tires." I've also added that "it's the European version of mountain biking before mountain biking even existed." To be honest, I really don't know how to describe it. It's an amalgamation of a rally race, a bike race, roller derby, a trail run and Okotoberfest. Are you intrigued?

As a spectator, it's a win-win. If the weather sucks, you get to watch a bunch of men and women in tight skinsuits scramble, crash, teeter and thrash themselves to win bragging rights, a hot shower and may be some measly bike trinket. On a sunny, crisp fall day (like Sunday was when we went), you get to soak up some of Nature's last rays of glorious warm sunshine while you drink beer, watch some fast racing and go deaf listening to the commentators scream their guts out.

Unlike other forms of biking, it's hard to accuse anyone in a cyclocross race of being some spandex-wearing fairy. These men and women are pretty hardnose and have the cuts and bruises to show it. The racing is also super accessible. Spectators can watch from multiple vantage points or follow the race from point-to-point. I prefer to play it cool and sit in the beer tent, while the racers come to me. I leisurely sip on a nice hefeweizen, looking like an Asian Adonis.

Last year we went to Gloucester, Callen was a bump in Megan's tummy. This year, she got to experience all the sights and sounds. Perhaps in a few years, her old man might get off his ass and race one of these things, and may she'll participate in the kids race. Until then, you'll find us all camped out in the beer tent, rooting on Tim Johnson, Jonathan Page and other New Englanders (and of course PVB).

To learn more about 'cross, check out Cyclocrossworld.com or Embrocation Cycling Journal. They'll point you straight.

Tidal Bore Surfing in China

2009-10-07T13:51:00.000-04:00

Truly impressive and a testament to the adage: Surf is where you find it. Check out the latest issue of Surfer's Journal for more shots.

Surfing China 2009: Episode One from GSM International on Vimeo.

Checking in from the field

2009-10-01T07:48:00.003-04:00

Well I first have to apologize for my tardiness on this blog. I haven't done a very good job of keeping anyone updated on anything recently (arguably I never really did before either).

As you can imagine or know, having your first newborn child (we found out a year ago today!) is quite the experience, especially if you try to be somewhat environmentally conscious about the whole thing. Our whole society is geared towards me, me, me and consume, consume, consume. When you had another mouth to the table, it shifts to a singular focus on the child, child, child and consume, consume, consume.

Thankfully you have friends and family who will give you all sorts of hand-me-downs which you then politely and discretely donate them to Goodwill. Craigslist becomes your savior, and you find yourself saying things like "we need to go to Baby Gap today for cute onesies." Who knew there was so much baby stuff? Three different types of diapers, strollers for every occasion, a shit-ton of toys, and our daughter isn't even walking yet!

Yes, we've got the books, the emails, the blogs and a ton of advice, but we're still feeling our way through it. There's no book for "Daycare called, and you need to pick up your sick kid, but you have a big presentation tomorrow" or "The surf is amazing, but you're at Babies r Us (BRU for those in the know) picking out a humidifier."

But we're figuring our way through it, and it is true that one of the greatest joys is seeing your child shoot you a huge, beaming smile when you walk in the door.

Thanks for the Props, Kanye!

2009-09-17T08:55:00.002-04:00

This was recently forwarded to me. I didn't watch the VMAs but evidently Kanye had some more to say about Beyonce and her superlative talents.

Little Miss Molly Fund: In Memory of Molly Rowlee

2009-09-05T17:08:00.009-04:00

Usually, we reserve this space to talk about snowboarding, surfing, bicycling, marketing or some other random crap. Today, I want to talk about something truly and really important.

In February 2009, while most of us were focused on our next powder fix or spending a day in the park, the Rowlee family suffered every parent's worst nightmare. Their child, Molly was diagnosed with non Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Cancer with a big capital C. In many cases, non Hodgkin's is very treatable, but even though Molly was a true fighter with more courage than most of us, it became extremely aggressive in June, and she passed away in July. Within five months of her diagnosis, she was gone.

Throughout her treatment and afterwards, the New England scene rallied behind the Rowlees with their shop, Pioneers Board Shop as the HQ to support Molly and now to remember her. There were auctions, benefit concerts, and now sadly, a memorial fund for this special little girl.

Often I've told you to vote with your wallet when it comes to product, shops, etc. Now more than ever that is the case. The friends of the Rowlees have created a memorial fund for Molly, which will go to help defray the huge medical bills as well as create larger awareness and help the Rowlees communicate with the greater community.

We all talk about how tightknit the board sports community is, and I cannot see any greater demonstration than this in New England than the Molly fund. A lot of local (and not so local) companies like Oakley, Burton Snowboards, Griffin Technology, Eesa, and Vans, surfers, skateboarders, snowboarders and New Englanders have stepped up. Now it's your turn.

On the website, you can donate directly to the fund, but they've also received many donations and are offering products such as diecuts, buttons and 3G iPhone cases (sick) with all proceeds going to help the Rowleees.

Show your support and get involved. I hope to see Molly stickers and buttons as I travel to shred and surf. I'll make sure to get some shots of my various snow and surf decks in as many locales as I can, but I invite you to join in your support by showing some love on your most prized real estate.

Send me photos, and I'll throw them up here and elsewhere, letting everyone know that you care. And for the person who sends me the most "exotic/remote" shot of a Molly sticker, well, let's just say I've reserved a sick care package for you brah.

Learn more at: http://www.mollyrowlee.com

A tale of two Torahs (Bright): Transworld Business bit my interview!

2009-08-31T22:13:00.010-04:00

oSo I've become solely an online voyeur of Transworld Business now that they are charging $50 a year to subscribe to the monthly print industry publication. One assumes that ad sales are down, the economy is in the toilet, and even pimps need to get paid.

Harmlessly I clicked on a link to read an interview with Torah "my future's so" Bright "I gotta wear shades" and much to my shock, shagrin, amazement and a bit of pride, I realized that I was reading an almost carbon copy of my interview with Torah (new link to the Google doc here) published on March 30, 2009. Holy space continuum, Batman! What gives?

As I read more and more, I couldn't help but suspect that something was amiss in Whoville. I even saw my trademarked, incorporated, muther-frakin LLC, word associations coyly dressed up in the form of questions. One cannot describe the feelings that welled up inside me. To the Internet to complain!!

I received multiple confirmations from other wiser snowboard interwebs peeps that my reactions were not the usual paranoia. Sure questions about the Olympics, signature products and the ailing economy are commonplace these days right? Come to think of it, I haven't seen any other major interviews of snowboarders which reference the economy. And to top it off, I truly did see my beloved, snarky, inane word association (Brad Stewart, JMZ, Nate Bosshard, Torah Bright, Kjersti Buass, Thomas Meyerhoffer, the list goes on) staring me right in the face even with the same lead-off line.

I must have missed something. I don't remember talking to anyone from Transworld Media. Did my pesky doppelgänger sign a release waiver? I'll have to check with Rumorator on that one. Or with the stroke of a key and a bit of Google, a "new" interview was born.

I know that the interviews are not 100% the same. And I know we are talking about the Internet where nothing is secure, but this smells more rotten than a top 10 snowboard test/shoot out. C'mon at least give a link shoutout to the little people. Or call me and bribe me with a free subscription and some diecuts.

I will leave it up to you the reader to compare with a few choice sections below. I guess at least the interview was easy for Torah: cut & paste.

I'll just say: Transworld Media watch your back! I'm reposting all of your content and not attributing it. Shoot, you mean I'm already playing sloppy thirds as their content was already ripped from somebody else?

Screw this. I'm going to surfing. To quote one of my heroes, BSNYC: all you haters can suck my balls.

Compare and Contrast (a random sampling):

Hoon (03/09): How has the recent economic downturn affected you?
TWBiz (08/09): (H)ow has the recent economic downturn affected you or changed the way that you are conducting your career and the choices that you are making for the future?

Hoon (03/09): Looking back, what were the 06 Olympics like? Representing Australia?
TWBiz (08/09): ...you had to go through for the ‘06 Olympics. What are some other unique experiences from the Olympics that stick out in your mind?

Hoon (03/09): I know that you helped design your own line of Roxy gear including your snowboard.
TWBiz (08/09): I know that you helped design your own line of Roxy gear including your snowboard.

Hoon (03/09): So picture this. It’s right before the big contest. Any pre-competition rituals?
TWBiz (08/09): Do you have any lucky pieces that you always wear for big competitions like this one?

Hoon (03/09): Tell us the first thing that comes to mind (followed by a list of quick, random word associations)
TWBiz (08/09): What’s the first thing that comes to mind... (followed by a list of quick, random questions on how awesome Hoon is)

Ski resorts in the summer: A time for pause, reflection and anticipation

2009-08-22T17:44:00.005-04:00

I always have a secret love of ski resorts in the summer. It's like the feeling you get when you peer behind the curtains of the play or peek into the projection room of the movie theatre. You feel like you're part of something secret and special that no one else knows about; sneaking a glimpse or peek behind the scenes. At the same time, you can sense the power that emanates from within the sleeping giant.

This weekend, while everyone is at the coast either whooping or cursing Hurricane Bill, we're spending some family time at Stratton mountain, home of the US Open. It's quiet and slow here unlike the crazed masses in the Manchester outlets (today is tax free day in VT). It's a good time to pause, reflect and consider that this will be one of many sites that our daughter will come to love over the years as she gets her ski or board legs.

You get to have some nice conversations with the cook at Partridge Deli or catch up with one of the gondola lifties and learn that his son is a few weeks younger than our 10 week old daughter. As we took our lil girl up her first of many gondola rides, we pointed out some of the key sites: there's where the family park is, and that's where the quarter pipe goes, this will be your first official run from the top (Mike's Way), and this is how you scrape your snowboard across the grates and bang each step on the way down to the snow.

After we checked out a few chairlifts, a fire tower and a few trails that would make excellent singletrack, we made our way back down the gondola, aimlessly strolled the village in the 75 degree humidity. Come November, it'll be a different story with loads of driven-families loaded down with ski poles, snowboards, gear bags and loud voices. But for now, we just soaked in true ambiance, reflecting and preparing for the next of many winter adventures.*

*Yes I saw the wave cam. I'll be out Sunday PM I promise.

Calling all scribes: South of the North accepting guest bloggers

2009-08-13T07:55:00.011-04:00

Was talking with my fellow blog buddy, Jonny, from SOTN, and he was telling me the exciting news about South of the North. If you haven't heard, they're accepting applications for guest bloggers. So for all you William Shakespeare's in Goretex or Emily Dickinsons in tight skinny jeans, now's your chance to hang with the big dog.

Interestingly when I typed "scribes" into my handy dandy iPhone gadget, it changed "scribes" to "rubes." That's pretty philosophical for Thursday AM. For more info, click here.

PS - Stay tuned for more snowboarding 2010 commentary on this blog. I promise.

Annoying commuter boat moment # 204

2009-08-07T07:36:00.001-04:00

Had a nice commute to the boat, about 9 miles in 60 degree with bluebird skies. Legs and back had finally started to stretch back out post-PMC. Made it there with 5 minutes to spare (this never happens).

Go to put my bike in the back of the boat in the open air where the diesel fumes would choke a trucker. Politely ask a rather heavy-set woman to move slightly to the left or right so I can place my bike next to her. Explain last time bike got soaked in salt water and don't want to have it happen again.

Her response: "No, that's why I stand here so that I don't get wet."

I say: "just a little to the left or right?"

Her response: grunts and drinks coffee but does not move.

As I leave I touch her arm gently and sweetly say: "Thanks for your kindness and consideration. Have a great day."

Ahh the kindness of people on the Hingham commuter boat! It truly warms the heart.

I should spit on her head from the top deck. But she's already probably thrown my bike into the harbor.

Burton and Rome Host Snowboard Summer Sales in VT

2009-08-05T13:11:00.009-04:00

If you needed an excuse to head to VT for the weekend, I'd say this is it. Both Burton and Rome are hosting summer sales this weekend. Typically, these sales offer discounts from 50% - 90% off items, and you can often score past year jems to add to your archives. These weekends also include local shops joining in on the fun in Burlington so if you're not a Burton or Rome junkie, you can score some other sweet deals (ahem... skiers).

Both sales run from Friday afternoon (8/7) to Sunday (8/9) or whenever product runs out.

My wife: My hero

2009-08-03T18:35:00.001-04:00

We're about a little more than halfway through 2009, and it feels like that we've already accomplished so much! Not to brag, but it's been a great year so far. At the top of the list is of course the birth of our daughter, Callen. Like every other child, a true miracle (in a non-cheesy, but really cheesy way).

Quickly following that accomplishment, and directly related, is Megan's riding of the Pan Mass Challenge only 6 weeks, 5 days, 2 hours and 23 minutes after giving birth to Callen. When we agreed to re-up for the PMC in January as a couple, we were both a bit cautious, and there were plenty of incredulous looks as we discussed our plans. It is an awfully big commitment to the organization, Dana Farber, our family and our friends to not give it your all. Often women have
enough going on post-birth just sorting out their newborn and themselves and couldn't even consider adding 84 miles to the mix.

Megan was spinning into about 8 months of the pregnancy to the point where she was unable to grab the drops on the handlebar. We worried with Callen's late birth (thanks Bean) that we'd be ill-prepared for the PMC.

With the help of our families, Megan was able to slowly get back on the bike with some slow, 10-15 mile rides around Martha's Vineyard in July at about 11 mph (about 5-7 mph off our 08 PMC pace). Within the next few weeks, the training miles grew slowly as did the donations.

PMC Saturday came like a blur with lots of logistics and calculating rest stops and meetups with her mom and Callen for feedings. Suddenly it was 4am, then we're in Wellesley, and we're off!

Riding with my wife those 84 miles, I have to say she looked like she never left the bike. Comfortable, poised and even a few bits of no-hands riding. And lots of passing others. So PRO.

We motored to Wrentham with the help of Josh, our other teammate then Megan went to Dighton solo to get there for Callen's feeding while I backtracked to Wrentham with mechanical issues.

As you might imagine, riding in itself is quite a feat for 84 miles. Add coordinating and calculating feeding a newborn in sweaty, spandex under a tree, surrounded by bikes to the mix, and it's almost inconceiveable. I don't quite think that the MMA baseball team's dugout ever was designed with feedings in mind.

When we crossed the line at Bourne, it was such a joy to do it with my best friend, lover and wife. Now I also add hero to that list of descriptors when talking about my wife.

The power of Lance: Livestrong goes X

2009-07-25T08:43:00.001-04:00

With the Tour de France in the midst of it's penultimate stage: Ventoux and the recent announcement of Lance Armstrong to race again in 2010 with Johan Bruyneel, Trek and Nike under team Radioshack, there's been a lot of talk about the Lance effect. Increased viewership and spectators at Le Tour, increased donations for his charity, Livestrong in a down economy and increased biking participation have all been attributed to the Lance effect.

To me one of the most telling examples of the pervasiveness of Lance and Livestrong, for the two cannot be separated, is the embrace of Livestrong and "yellow" by X-TREME bmx and motocross athletes as seen below. Those representing yellow this summer have included Ryan Dungey, Dennis Enarson, Garrett Reynolds, Nigel Sylvester and Mike Spinner.

Now I know that a lot of athletes cross train on road bikes, whether or not they admit it, but it is a very different thing to embrace the Livestrong spandex-dominated campaign. But wait a minute... Has Livestrong now transcended Lance with a whole slew of Nike athletes involved?

Kudos for Lance and the Livestrong te to expand the exposure and message to other venues. But upon closer examination it appears that a lot of the doors are being opened through sponsor, Nike.

I think this is a huge step forward for Livestrong and, by proxy, spandex-clad road bikers, but I'll really stand up and cheer when we see non-Nike athletes in "cool" sports like Andy Irons or Tom Brady embrace yellow. A pipedream in today's sponsor, contracts world but that certainly would be something.

Pffft it's mega: Lance moves to second in the TDF and announces Team Radio Shack

2009-07-23T23:04:00.004-04:00

It can only be summed up with Pffft it's Mega. Lance obviously wasn't stoked with his 16th place finish in the individal Time Trial, but the announcement of team Radioshack trumps all. Radioshack agrees to have Livestrong be its exclusive charity and also means that there will be three, count 'em, three UCI ProTour teams fielded from the US of A. That's pretty impressive. Trek and Nike will also be on the sponsor list. One can only speculate that SRAM, Giro and Oakley will not be far behind. I won't question Radioshack's choice to join the pro cycling ranks, but it does follow a list of "interesting" sponsors from the US: Motorola, 7-11, USPS, Discovery Channel, Chipotle, Garmin, Columbia.... Here's the official party line:

"This is an exciting time at RadioShack," said Lee Applbaum, RadioShack's Chief Marketing Officer. "We are re-launching our brand with a new creative platform in early August, and now having Lance on our team -- an American icon who embodies the spirit of mobility, connectivity and philanthropy -- really allows us to accelerate our brand's evolution."

Tour De France Drama! Lance cuts Contador deep, “Cuddles” Cadel Evans misses the break, Sastre is pegged as “cat-like”, Cavendish hooks up with Farrar

2009-07-07T20:17:00.007-04:00

As promised, this year’s Tour De France is already a nail-biter with more drama and explosions than the latest Michael Bay Transformers flick. The only thing that could make this any better would be Megan Fox with a suite of podium girls racing in their birthday suits in the Team Time Trial (now called the Triple T) followed up by a champagne shower and pillow fight!

Lance is back, Slipstream is a force to be reckoned with, Farrar has prime-time coverage in The Wall Street Journa l, and Hincapie is in his 14th Tour…. Damn it’s good to be an American in France… Well except for Chris Horner who got bounced for some Spaniard to keep Contador happy. Sorry dude.

Onward and upward! In Stage 3, we saw some serious fireworks. The TDF organizers got serious and fined Astana the extravagant sum of 65 Euros (that’s like $92 US) for being late to registration. Blame Mr. Ben Stiller who evidently was having coffee with Armstrong. Interestingly this story has been spun via NYTimes that the team was late due to signing fan autographs. I smell Dodgeball 2.

Along those lines, NYTImes correspondent Julie Macur tweeted earlier today that Carlos Sastre’s helmet read “cat-like” as an apparent reference to his cat-like reflexes or superhuman climbing abilities? Hey may be the guy has a serious soft spot for Tabbies or is into that whole Furrie thing? Or may be it’s just his helmet sponsor Julie… Thanks for playing. Oh and I guess you deleted the tweet out of embarrassment, but nothing ever dies on the interweb!

"Carlos Sastre's Cervelo Test Team is about to take off. His tear-drop helmet has the word, "Cat-like" on the side." - Juliet Macur (@JulietMacur)

Stage 3 also saw a serious, jaw-breaking, cream my pants break of the wild in the crazy hard Mistral winds, as Columbia dropped the HAMMER with only a few riders from the other teams responding with 10km to go in the stage. In the break was Mr. Armstrong with two of his LTs, Popovych and former rival Zubeldia. Seriously who isn’t on this team? I hear Astana is in talks with Shaq and Tiger Woods to join for 2010. The rumor mill was buzzing that former teammate, good buddy and all-around superdude, George Hincapie tipped off LA or even juicier is perhaps Cav (that’s Mark Cavendish, call me, to you lot) was the one to tell his bestest buddy Armstrong about the break prior to it happening. Watch the tape. I’ll let you be the judge, but my hats off to Lance (and Johan Bruyneel) for being savvy enough to stay at the front with some peeps to cover this type of situation.

Of course when there are winners there are always losers. “Junior Racers” Contador, Cuddles and others were left with their pants down in the final stretches of the stage. OOPS. I heard Cuddles still sleeps with the stuffed lion from last year, sucking his thumb. He needs to take a page from Ronnie Johns and “harden the fuck up” (yes I know he is a much better biker than I will ever become, my tongue is firmly in my cheek).

Tyler Farrar. Tyler Farrar. You’re like the Great White Sprinting Hope that America never asked for, but man, you rock! Keep it up and I hope to see more Argyle in the front with DZ, Millar and CVV.

Until I get a chance to watch the Team Time Trial tonight (nahnahnah not listening), I leave you with images of Megan Fox and her sugar plum humps dancing through your head.

Design a snowboard graphic: Win $2,500, fame, fortune and a board

2009-07-01T14:17:00.003-04:00

ATTENTION art geek/design nerds who need some cash and a free board:

Nidecker Snowboards has partnered with Core77 to produce an international design competition inviting designers to create custom snowboard graphics. The Grand Prize winner will be included in the Nidecker 2010/11 line, and the Top 4 will be produced in a limited run and receive a snowboard with their own design.

The prize:
The Top 5 designs will be applied to Nidecker snowboards and displayed at the international SIA Show in Denver and at the ISPO Tradeshow in Munich in February 2010, along with profiles of the winning designers. The Grand Prize winner will receive a $2500 cash award, and their design will be included in the 2010/11 Nidecker line. The 4 Runners Up will each be produced in a limited edition run. All top 5 Finalists will receive a Nidecker snowboard produced with their design, and the designer's name will be featured on the side of their board.

More details can be found at: http://www.core77.com/nidecker2009/

Hurry! Competition Deadline: July 12th

When the going gets weird...

2009-06-24T18:05:00.002-04:00

So! The last couple of weeks have been an insane whirlwind of caffeine, tense moments, a few freakouts, the most phenomenal joy and surpise, some more anxious moments, more caffeine and then a bit more happiness.

Having our dogs, I had an inkling of what it means to be responsible for another life, especially at a fragile young stage. But it doesn't prepare you for this latest craziness: a baby.

Take 1/4 cup of insanity, 2/3 quart of unpredictablity, a gallon of responsibility and a heap of sunshine and cuteness. Mix it all together, and you've got the coolest and scariest thing of all time! I keep reminding myself that people much stupider than me have successfully raised healthy children in 1542 nonetheless.

You also are not prepared for the onslaught of crap, literally an figuratively. On the figurative note, as who wants to talk about poo, there is so much gear. For a gearhead like me you think it'd be Nirvana, but it's not. The stuff is heavy, expensive and not very well designed (sorry Mr Graco and Mrs Bugaboo). Every time I break out one of the said baby items, I wonder how these passed any sort of usability testing. Plus to find anything cool is like looking for the hot blonde chick in the dark wood-paneled, frat, meathead bar. Why can't Burton make a stroller?

But on the plus side, it's pretty friggin amazing how stoked people and family about your little bundle of joy. I'm truly touched by everyone's caring and generosity at this time. The little tyke is also super rad. She's 50% me and 50% the wife. One can only hope that she has her mom's looks and smarts. And may be she inherited my love of board sports and the outdoors.

Every day is truly an adventure, and I can't wait for the next one. Next step, ordering a pair of baby Dunks.

Say hello to our latest addition: Callen Katherine Hwang

2009-06-16T21:36:00.003-04:00

Let's raise a glass and give a HUGE round of applause to the latest edition to the family.

We just wanted to say a heart-felt thank you for everyone's support and well wishes. After over 36 hours in the hospital and about 13-14 hours of labor (including an epidural), we are proud to welcome Callen Katherine Hwang to the family.

The little grommet was born on June 15, 2009 at 10:37pm. She weighs in at a solid 8lbs 5.2oz and is 21.5 inches long.

Mom and little ripper are doing well, resting up before we head home to introduce her to the pups: Casco and Lambert.

Burton Snowboards Binding Review 2010: Malavita and Infidel

2009-06-15T16:10:00.009-04:00

Ok. This is a quickie. I've been procrastinating for way too long, but my wife is about to have a baby so this review is extremely short and will tell you next to nothing. Tested the Malavita and Infidels at the US Open.

First up are the Malavitas. I gotta say the bindings are sweet. I matched these up with the Jussi and the Custom Vrocker... And once in a blue moon, the glass slipper fits. These bindings were the awesome:

- Clean overall design
- Nothing super special or fancy pro about them
- The highback hit just right to give solid support and flex
- Nice clean graphics
- Worked like a champ and gave me confidence as soon as I rode them
- Some people may not like the grip tape on the highback and it might not have enough tech for the price for some peeps.

The Infidels were pretty good for a 3-hole binder. I took them out on an X8 with vrocker, spoon nose/tail and some other bells/whistles. Also tried it on a Love. I haven't ridden a 3-hole binding on a burton board in years. Well technically I guess this is a 2, 3 or 4-hole binder depending on how you look at it. Anyway, I didn't really notice much "improvement" with my buttering from the wings, but I like the idea of the winged binding, especially when paired with a non-rockered, jib board.

- Good solid dependable binding
- I'd rock these on my non-Burton, 4-hole boards, especially since I'm in need of a new set of 4-hole binders
- The one love color way is pretty awesome and a head turner fo shuuure brahhh
- As I said above, didn't really notice any special improvement when buttering with the wings, but also didn't notice any downsides
- For some reason the construction of the highbacks made me a bit queesy. I'd be worried that they might break or shatter, but I'm just being a nervous nelly. Or it could just be that I've been on a big breakage streak for 2009

Ok... now back to our regularly scheduled baby-programming.

Baby Hwang Monday Afternoon Update

2009-06-15T16:01:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to provide everyone with a quick update. We went to the hospital at 7:30 last night after a yummy dinner of Thai with Megan's mother. Things went pretty smoothly at the hospital until about 11pm when things got busy/rough contractions wise. Megan decided to put in an epidural around 7:30am so she could finally sleep. The induction has been a slow and gradual process based on her great contractions and mellow pregnancy to date. Our midwives and the nurses have been great. To relax, we were watching Superbad this afternoon so if the baby comes out spewing "McLovin", we'll know why. I'll try to write another update in a few, but until then I'll leave you with this amazing photo from the bathroom. Be careful ladies: pregancy, electricity and water do not mix.

David Millar switches sports? Giro toss!

2009-06-15T15:49:00.003-04:00

A great clip from the Giro d'Italia which shows some of the raw emotion and passion that can come from a tremendous effort on the bike. I'll set the stage. Former World Champ, reformed doper (his story actually makes sense and he paid the price), David Millar is less than 1km to go after 180km breakaway with a bunch of lesser riders. Then... BANG your chain snaps. What's a man to do? Throw your shiny, expensive road bike of course! Me thinks Mr. Millar should consider the discus or javelin for the 2012 Olympics.

Top best thing evar or a list of random things I sorta like

2009-06-06T17:16:00.007-04:00

So we're patiently (actually really impatiently) waiting for the baby to decide it wants to come out. It's June 6, and it's technically the due date. Yes, we know that the first baby is usually late, but I have faith. Come on Baben! In the mean time, I was reading a magazine (big surprise, right?) and saw one of those "Best of" lists. So I thought I'd do a brief one of certain things that I'm really digging right now. You may completely disagree, but you know what? Get your own blog and write your own list. Otherwise, feel free to read, comment or fall asleep. Oh, this image was the only good one I could find when I bing'd Best of the Best.

1. Noreaster Surf Shop. This is my local surf shop in Scituate MA. The owner is this guy named Mark, and they were recently featured as a shop in Transworld Business (pretty cool). Of course I've been going there for a few years (ever since we moved to the South Shore) and never got a discount. But it doesn't matter. The guys there treat you right, helped my wife find the perfect board for my 30th, and they're great with the repairs.

2. Circe's Grotto. This is also in Scituate, a stone's throw from Noreaster and has some amazing sandwiches and baked goods. The line is always out the door, and I can never seem to get there when they're open. But when I do, man oh man, such good food. Perfect thing to do is hit it pre- or post-surf or when you are about to cruise to the beach. Oh and it's cash only.

3. Quiksilver Diamond Dobby tech shorts. I got a pair of these earlier in the spring and finally got a chance to break them out. They were that new-fangled, yet retro, old school style of shorts that aren't below the knee so I was initially a bit skeptical. I've heard the same crap before "no rash, super light, dries really fast" so I wasn't sure what to think. Honestly, these things rock! I can't wait to get them in some tropical, gross, humid conditions and wear them for a week straight. Plus if you don't believe me, check what Nikki Swiss did with the samples that were given out in Surfer mag (banned on YouTube, yowza).

4. Rocky Mounts. Great dependable bike racks. Cheaper than the competition and come in 8 colors, including pink. The pair I had did start to loose their powdercoat paint, but that was after about four New England winters of solid riding. I just wish they made some that would work with downhill or freeride bikes.

5. Twitter. Yah I'm addicted. But I'm also 31. A great way to share information, links and have concise, two-way conversations. I find Twitter much more efficient than an RSS feed or Facebook. There I said it.

6. Spooky Bikes. Have you ever emailed or talked to these guys on the phone? So rad. So mellow. You wouldn't believe it's the little bike company that could based in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. I pick up my Darkside frame in a few days. So stoked.

7. Epoxy surfboards. Yah it's epoxy. Yah it feels like shit. Yah it's killing the industry, and it probably means the death of the backyard shaper (not really). But honestly after having to repair boards or snap boards and leave them in a trash can, I really think that people have to have an open mind about the stuff. Fact #1: Surfers travel. Fact #2: Traveling beats the crap out of PU surfboards. Fact #3: I am a cheap bastard. So I come back to epoxy. Not quite the same as a PU surfboard. Not full of soul or heart. But it'll survive the JetBlue baggage handlers to Central America and back. Of course, the magic combo might be ...Lost's XTR boards, at least according to Biolos.

8. Never Summer snowboards. These dudes in Colorado are tough as nails and really know their snowboards. If you're a fan of the little guy, check 'em out. I've started to see more and more of them here in the east coast so watch out Rome and Burton.

Ok, Wall-E's on TV. Gotta run. Let's hope we get a baby soon to put at the top of this list.

Volcom says recycle those stanky board shorts!

2009-06-03T20:36:00.004-04:00

Volcom is offering a two'fer:
1) Recycle your board shorts at a participating Volcom retailer then
2) Enter the contest.

If you're lucky, you'll win some new V.Co-Logical, environmentally friendly, hippy-approved schwag like board shorts, creedler flip flops, etc.

For rules and details and participating shops like Pioneer's in NH, plus a great video of Gavin Beschen trip out and explain the contest, click here.

Board shorts will be donated to great charities like:

* Boarding House Mentors
* LA Surf Bus
* Hidden Waves Foundation
* Open Hearts
* Surf Nicaragua
* Surf Sanctuary
* Clothes to Kids

Lance Armstrong goes 2.0

2009-05-28T22:15:00.003-04:00

For the Giro D'Italia, Lance Armstrong has gone 2.0. He has stopped talking to the traditional media and is only providing press coverage through his Twitter or through the Livestrong site. This gives you the viewer/reader unprecedented access to Lance Armstrong and most importantly learn when he might consider cutting his hair. Rumors are flying from the NYTimes that Lance is just "testing" this 2.0 thang in a bid for the 2014 Texas Governor's race. Check this sample from after Stage 15 which kicked everyone's ass.

Lance and Levi Postrace Recap After Giro's Stage 15 -- powered by http://www.livestrong.com

Rumorator interviews Hoon

2009-05-22T14:15:00.008-04:00

If you haven't heard, I'm famous in Milwaukee evidently... At least according to the Rumorator. No he's not some infomercial kitchen appliance that steams and dehydrates at the same time, he's a snowboard, celebrity gossip guru. Who is he? What's his real name? Does he actually snowboard? No one knows. He's like The Spirit, Batman and Boy George all mixed in one person.

The infamous Rumorator recently caught up with me for one of his classic Sidebar interviews. Of course he shamelessly praised me to agree to do it and then picked the worst possible picture.

Here's an excerpt, but I highly recommend that you favorite, RSS or set your home page to the Rumorator blog. I hear he/she is blowing up faster than Perez Hilton's gerbil or 2 Girls, 1 Cup.

Sidebar interview #4: Hoon

Posted by: rumorator in Interviews

Name: Hoon

Current Gmail Status: REALLY wants to be in the water

Location: Boston-ish

Jobby Job: Blogger, Master of Hoon-o-nomics

I was at the Brewers’ game on Tuesday night and people were asking me about you. How did you manage to build a Brew City following?
For realz? I employ a series of doppelgangers who travel the world proselytizing the gospel of Hoon. Plus I use twitterTruly it’s amazing.I hear we’re big in liberia

What’s this shit about you hard-rockin’ the nike 6.0?
You know how it is. they say, hey we’re targeting the mass youth with some sneakers and t-shirts. i say sweet. they say can you help us get the word out? i say how many free diecuts are in it for me.

But you’re 36?
hey now…. you’re not going to publish that… are you? my internet age is 16… or at least that’s what i tell the ladies on facespace. grom4lyfe
nike6.0 is trying to reach out to anyone who acts like their 16, even better if they’re trying so hard and they’re 42… i mean 36 with a huge fat wallet to buy this stuff on steepandcheap

My internet age is 112, so we’re cool.
oh nice. so we like cancel out.

You’ve got a Hoon jr. on the way. Any chance you’ll name the wee one Rumorator?
Dude… you can’t let the cat out of the bag. if we have a girl it’s definitely named rumorator. if it’s a boy Shayboarder.

That kid will hate you!
sadly it probably will anyway. Mr. Bob Klein told me his kids think he isn’t cool. Bob friggin’ Klein, former Burton team rider and Agent to the snowboard olympic stars!you don’t get much cooler than that.

Read the rest of the scintillating interview here.