Stuck in Blizzard and Told "Good Luck"

     I should have wrote this on Monday when I got home so all my rage would have come out in the article.  Oh well, too bad.  What ended as a great day at Mt. Snow, aside from the fact that I landed knee first into a rock off a jump.  I was jumping all day and having a blast until I hit this one lip and the right side of it dipped under my weight.  Threw me off balance and ate it lovely.  So now I have two knees on my right leg.
     Anyway, it started snowing mid day there, and I knew the storm was coming but I rode the day out until 4pm.  Leaving Snow it was snowing (haha) but the roads were not too bad, good time was being made considering the conditions.  I made it to the end of Connecticut just outside of Port Chester on I95 by 8:30pm.  Considering visibility was a joke, winds and snow sheets hitting the windshield, not to mention the expressway completely covered in snow 4 hours so far so bad.
     So now it is 2am we still have not moved.  In the meantime I called 911 twice to let them know that I'm running low on fuel and stuck in the blizzard with a child in the car as well. Long story short they sent me to an automated machine for the Thruway Police which put me on hold.  I mean are you kidding me? I was trying to get information about what is going on up ahead so I could plan my mode of survival and you place me on hold with a machine?!
      So, there we sat, until the tank was almost on empty.  In the meantime I was shutting the car down for periods to conserve fuel, and I guess thank God I did.  At this point it is 5am on Monday morning! No, I still did not move.  Finally like 5 minutes later Troopers are coming down the lanes on quads (how fun!).  So I blow the horn and flash my lights to get the attention of one of them.

     "Morning Trooper quick question how long until we get out of here because I have a baby in the car and not very much fuel.  Not a good combonation."

     "There are a lot of people out here without gas.  Just go as far as you can and good luck." The Trooper replies.

     "O.K. Well, what happened? I've been stuck here for almost 9 hours!"

     "Umm, There was a bus accident."

     Now between you and me his story is a crock of, well you get the idea.  Pure scum.  What type of human responds like that? I'm not here to rant and rave so, moving on.  I finally made it back to Long Island around 8am.  Funny thing is Meadow Brook Parkway was completely plowed.  However the exit on and off ramps were completely plowed shut.  Genius.

Most Snow in America: Syracuse New York

     So yesterday my good friend mpdsnowman posts that Syracuse is leading the nation in snowfall as of that day on Snowboarding Forum.  Now I am not going to lie, I did not know that, although I feel like I should, but that's what friends are for right? I did know that we are definitely getting record snowfall here in New York, but had no clue I was going to be so shocked when I saw the list of top ten.  So here is the list:

1. Syracuse, NY
2. Rochester, NY
3. St. Paul, MN
4. Minneapolis, MN
5. Spokane, WA
6. Buffalo, NY
7. Anchorage, AK
8. Salt Lake City, UT
9. South Bend, IN
10. Akron, OH

     The original article can be found at Golden Snow Globe here.

     And in due East Coast/ West Coast rivalry I must point out that the Rockies are not on the chart.  Well all I can say is that I guess I'm lucky I live in the East at the moment.  I will be going to shred some of this pow this weekend and will report on it.

Drift Session: Evo IX Inside View

  
     Here is the second video from the same sesh that I posted earlier.  Same car, cam and driver.

Drift Session: Evo IX

     I was sitting in my room watching snowboard vids (shocking) when I get the call at 11:30pm.  "Dude, look outside...we're going drifting, I'm cleaning the car now."

     So here is a little footy I shot of my homie Matt taking first drifts of the season in a certain part of town.  Car is a Mitsubishi Evo IX tuned by E-Spec Tuning and the camera is my trusty cell a Motorola Defy.

     He pulls a nice close pass at :44 and a sweet huge donut at around 1:07.  It felt great to get the first snow around here!!!

     To see more footage and shots of Matt and the car Check him out on his Facebook Page.  Next post will be a vid shot from the inside of the car.

First Pass

  
    
    

Here is another quick vid from outside the car.  Love the angle on this shot!!

Snowboarding and Wearing Helmets

     I know you've heard it a million times "wear your helmet."  That right there is part of why people don't wear helmets when snowboarding.  I mean when you've heard something that many times, it actually becomes annoying, right?  Promotions to wear helmets also suck and they are afraid to discuss the real issues.
     You don't wear a helmet because you suck, or are a beginner.  I wear a helmet every time I ride so that I don't crack my skull and die, or worse end up having to wear diapers and get tube fed all my life while consistently slobbering.
     Right I know, you have a style, and "Yo, I can't lock into my steeze with a lid, bro..I need to feel free."  Don't you dare be that guy.  That is the lamest thing any real snowboarder, or human for that matter has heard.  Just get used to it and expand your steeze.  At a minimum it's more sticker space.  You are doing it for yourself so that you can ride tomorrow, remember that.
     Now if you don't wear one because in all honesty you can't afford one or it is not in the budget you are lying. A one day lift ticket is more expensive than a lot of helmets out there.  So is a night at the bar.  Next time you see a helmet for a wicked deal think about that.
     I've experienced two concussions, while wearing a helmet both times.  I had a headache that felt like a boulder was using my head as a punching bag for a week.  Not cool.  I was lucky, because I think to myself, what if I didn't have a helmet?  Well pretty much every day of riding after that might not have happened.  Scary, but that is the truth.
     If you are boarder that people watch, and especially if you are taking shots and video, wear a helmet, because kids love you.  Knowing little Maxwell is sitting in a hospital saying "but Your Name Here doesn't wear one probably won't feel to great.

"Let's all stop making excuses and live to ride another day"

Here is a great article on a new update on the statistics that was in the LA Times. Take a read it's worth your time, and good job fellow riders/skiers stepping up and doing the right thing!

Snowboarding/Skiing Clothes: The Right Way to Dress

     So you get to the mountain, you have a whole new wardrobe of snowboarding clothes and you think you are going to be the most comfortable rider out there.  After the first lift ride up you start feeling the cold and start to curse.  "These clothes are supposed to keep me warm, what the.."  Then you go and put more clothes on and are now sweating.  So the cycle goes on....

Waterproofing your Snowboarding gear and clothes: Nikwax

     Besides GORE-TEX®  and other waterproof or water resistant materials, sometimes there is a need for more waterproofing.  Or maybe you just don't have all this cloud nine tech material.  Either way if you are looking for the easiest and most versatile way to waterproof things, Nikwax is the way to go.
     From my experience this stuff is pretty much the easiest to apply, and there are a few options on application also.  For footwear (your skate shoes, snowboarding boots) you can choose either a spray on or sponge on application.  For your clothes and other outerwear they make a laundry detergent and you can use the spray on as well.  I personally use the spray on for everything I own from my backpacks, gloves, & boots to my jackets and hoodies (sometimes even my boxers).  
     If you wash your jackets and pants a lot it is a good idea to use their laundry detergent.  Regular detergent actually deteriorates waterproofing and breathability in your gear.  I'm sure we have all noticed how your gloves are watertight the first few days and then they become a frostbite trap.  Even just from simple usage gear loses its  protective qualities though.
     What I do is bring a bottle of Nikwax with me on trips and then spray it on my gear if needed at the end of the day.  Usually by the next day it is ready to ride but your best bet is to let it set in for at least a day and a half though.  I think you will find the most help from this stuff when using it on your gloves.  They always tend to leak water so any help keeping water out I'll take!
     When applying the spray though, I would advise outdoors or in the garage/shed with minimal wind.  This stuff is sticky and will probably ruin clothes so watch yourself.  Other than that you can figure the rest out on your own.  
     Nikwax is definitely cheap considering that it delivers.  There are other waterproofing alternatives out there but I'm telling you don't waste your money.  A bottle of Nikwax spray costs about $12.00 and it is enough to cover pretty much all your gear with spray left over.  Now that you will stay dry the excuse to be lazy of "I need to go in and dry off" is  off list.  

Nikwax Website 

     

Lift Tickets: Liftopia

     Whether the season just began or you are half way through the months of pow, lift tickets are always an issue.  We always find money for lift tickets but that's not the point.  We get ripped off enough for our addiction to powder.  Liftopia knows that and comes through heavy!!
     With winter approaching right now they have lift ticket deals for up to 85% off.  Exactly, Ridiculous and hard to believe.  But it's no joke, and not only that, they have literally all the resorts you could want or can ride covered.  All you have to do is put a little thought and planning into your trips and you'll score big.
     The process is so simple too.  It's like shopping for days on the mountain.  Sign in, go to town on your card, pay and BAM!!!!  Your only issue will be that the amount of lift tickets you buy will be way more than your alloted time off of work.  At this point you are totally allowed to just not show up to work, we won't judge you.
     If you haven't checked them out already get on it!!!  Link is below.

LIFTOPIA

Update

     Well I haven't posted in a while and I guess there are a few reasons for that.  For one I don't like to write material just to fill this blog.  The whole point is that everything here holds some kind of value.  The other reason is that I have been neck deep in an earth shattering project.
     Myself and my crew have decided to finally put our foot down and make a change.  Not only in the boarding industry but all over the world!  Right now as things are still in the works the details I can release are limited.  That is because it's top secret information.  As in like Pink Panther stuff.  Simply because today there are so many scumbags that steal ideas.
     In the next few weeks keep an eye out for the news and don't worry you will know when you hear it.  The season is almost here though and it is closer that it feels.  I mean last year Sunday River in Maine had enough snow as early as the second week of October.  I personally wasn't there that week but according to their newsletter I just go that is the case.
     Other than that, I'll be writing and finishing some more articles this week and next.  Until next time.

Fire In Boulder, CO: Fourmile Canyon

     As of 10am this morning a wild fire was reported in Fourmile Canyon in Boulder County, CO.  This one is worse than the Olde Stage fire according to residents.  Containing it would be easy and quick if it wasn't for the winds that have been relentless all day.  Thanks to the wind the fire keeps growing and has currently destroyed around 3,000 acres and counting, but only a few homes.  Thank God for that.
     They say that it could take days to contain this blaze and in my opinion that is a long time.  I'm not saying I could do any better, but if 3,000 acres are already incenerated that means that 10,000 acres of destroyed land, trees, nature and houses is quite probable.  It was also reported that the county's emergency evacuation system wasn't working properly.  A fire truck even burned in this debacle, ironic.  What are these people doing in these mountains?  As a Mountaineer, Snowboarder, and Environmentalist this is unacceptable.
     We have to find a better way to fight these fires.  I commend the people that are out there and my heart is with them, but they don't have the tools they need to get the job done timely.  Whoever is in charge of doing research and implementing tactics need to step their game up.  Over the past few years, these fires pop up more and more; we have to find a way to prevent this.
     Now I know, how is this going to affect my season you ask.  It's O.K. you are not insensative, it was my first thought.  So far it doesn't look like this should affecting riding in Boulder County too much.  Sugarloaf is closest and there is no news that anything there has been affected.  They say the city limits of Boulder are safe as well.
     The Daily Camera has been doing a great job covering the events.  Take a look at their report and pictures here.

Snowboarding New York: Hunter Mountain

Hunter Mountain is arguably the most popular in the Catskills.  They have a little bit of everything, and pretty much any rider will have a good time.  Except for that sourpuss in the group that will complain just to assume the position of "that guy."

Sierra Snowboard Bankruptcy: What's the Story?

     For some this is news but many of you reading this have heard these rumors since the beginning of the summer.  Either way it's pretty crazy.  They were a great place to scoop gear, not the best but they did the job.  So what happened and where did things go wrong?

Whistler to Ban Bottled Water: The Right Decision?

     The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has made some changes to their parks and mountains.  According to their article, bottled water will not be sold at mountains.

Gas Powered Snowboard by Hammacher Schlemmer

     Ok so I was about to go to bed, when I just decided to do some more surfing when I came across this ridiculous snowboard!  Now whether that is a good or a bad thing is up to you but the bottom line is that This bad boy is gas powered and will cost you about $2,000.  Seems a little dangerous no?

Picutre is a link to where I found it

Snowboarding Gear Buying Guide: Strap In Before Carving Your Wallet

     Looking for new gear huh? Trust me when I tell you I feel your anxiety.  I mean between all the stores, promotions and online sites you're just waiting to get shafted.  If you are (or were like me I should say) there have been too many times you've bought gear, just to get to the mountain feeling jerked.  "Four people..same bindings as me...but they paid $80 less."  Well I've put together a list of my experiences purchasing from pretty much anywhere you can find gear.  They are ordered from best to worst overall. You will literally find all the options you have probably considered below:

     This is the Bro of all Bros in your life. Brociety even has a flying elephant! Can't beat that.  Or can you?  The key to taking full advantage of Brociety is to start Early!! If you don't mind buying gear in the summer preparing for shredder months then you are golden.  You'll find $2 shirts, $20 bindings, and snowboards you would actually ride for under $200 freakin' dollars (granted most of the stuff is last season, but who cares?). Wicked.
     The only thing is is you have to be on your game and keep an eye out, because Products are posted until they sell out or time runs out.  That's it dude, you have one shot to send it. 
     To help you out though (I use it, it's legit) they have alerts.  I use Email and the desktop alert.  So everytime a new deal arises, a little window pops up with a pic, price and quick description.  All the info you need to pull the trigger.  Don't worry it's not annoying, and doesn't randomly pop up in the middle of the screen.  Bottom right hand corner above your clock is where he'll throw you the sign.
     I've dealt with them a lot and loved every purchase.  First off buying is so simple and fast.  Straight to the point. Click, Pay, Shipped.  Now they come in strong here as well.  I was sketchy at first and thought it would probably take FOREVER to get my gear.  Not with that flying elephant.  That bad boy will get your gear to you faster than they claim 75% of the time.

BONUS: They also send you cool stickers with every order, and a nice personal message from the actual people who work there.  Not a BigWig with a desk. Good touch, always puts a smile on my face.

   

     Pretty much same deal as brociety.  Only difference is that Whiskey is more a "summer" sports type site.  However the reason why I have it listed here is because snowboarders also where clothes, and during the winter they obviously focus on snowboarding.  At least most of us, most of the time.  Well for those times we tend to choose a lot of the products Whiskey sells.
     For example I'm sure you wouldn't mind getting a Quicksilver watch for 90% off or Anon Sunglasses for 70%.  Again make sure that you use the alerts they offer to your advantage.  Just think, lets say you needed sunglasses and because of that email you just saved $80.  That's an $80 email dude!!
     Whiskey Militia is another one of my favorite places to buy.  I have dealt with them regularly as well and it's the same experience as Brociety minus the stickers if I remember correctly.  I believe they share a parent company.  Take a shot and join the Militia!


     You are probably familiar with Evo.  When I need something specifically and right away this is my first stop.  If you don't care how much you are spending continue on the site.  However, if you're on a budget, and most of us are, click on the outlet first and I promise you will find some killer deals.  Best part is that there is tons of them!  Also a Green company, so I feel good spending here.
     Another key tip with Evo.  Make sure you look at all the riff raff on the homepage.  Most of the time there are coupon codes, and if it applies to your order you score big.  Right now if you use code: PB&J you receive $25 of $125 order from the outlet.  Not a Double McTwist of a deal, but I'm sure it works for you. 
     On the topic of ordering.  Don't worry, they have everything you can think of regarding snowboarding.  Accesories, apparel, and all types of gear are covered.  They've got stuff from everyone from your 3 year old boarder to his grandpa.  They've got backcountry covered pretty well also.  Good to see as this type of riding is becoming ever more popular.    

     As can be expected, their customer service is amazing.  Fast order processing, email updates, and shipping that is always on time or early.  They send you an interesting letter about their founding and stickers as well.  If you are ordering from Evo you're set.

      Still not satisfied?! Hunt's not over!

     You have to at least take a standard look at Amazon and Ebay.  There is always a good shot you can run into something good poking around there. 

     You can even find some sick deals on new gear on Craigslist as well.  I once found a new board bag for twenty dollars that would have cost me seventy in the store.  Believe me there are more people than you can imagine that buy all new equipment then never ride or just never use it.

     Random opportunities must also be stomped on.  If you are at the mountain or anywhere and find a wicked deal take it! I don't care if you only have $30 for the week.  You will thank me the next time you take out your new Never Summer SL-r and only paid $200.  True story; that is how I ran into mine.  I was driving leaving a mountain I was riding up in Maine last November, and saw a shop.  Walked in just to look, sprinted out, and book stayed another day at the mountain! Never underestimate your luck.

     There are many different promotions you can take advantage of out there.  How do you find them?  It's simple.  Get on email lists.  Where it asks you "do you want to recieve promotional emails..." click yes.  I know spam.  You have a point however in my experience from doing this I've found that it's not that bad.  In fact, almost all emails I get from snowboarding stores have value.  Now whether I need/want that particular product, well life can't be perfect.  But I'll tell you one thing I have found some of my best buys that way too. 

Start with this guide and you should be fine.  In fact you will probably end with it as well.  I know there are so many other places/companies I did not mention, but like I said I meant this to be a quality guide that is consistent.  I've dealt with these places personally for multiple years.  They do things right.

     Now that all the hard work has been done for you, go shopping and don't make yourself, or me look bad.

We Are Now On Twitter

     Yes folks, we have given in.  Became addicted.  Followed the trend.  You can now find us on Twitter @snowpedia.  As pretty much with everything else around here we have kept our user handle short and simple.  We are tweeting now not because of trends or curiousity but because we see the value.
     Once the season kicks in Twitter will help us have real time contact with you, our reader and this will tell us what to write about.  We want to know what riders want to read now, not last week or last month.  I mean, let's face you probably forgot what you were into last week anyway.  You can find the Follow button on the right hand side above the pages list.  Tweet Tweet.

Snowboarding's Reputation: My Take

     I was just thinking about snowboarding and it's reputation.  Or more importantly our reputation as snowboarders.  I mean granted we didn't exactly enter snow sports in the most acceptable manner (there is a great short rundown of the history of snowboarding here).  I mean we basically hit the mountains like rebels.  Have to give it to the founding fathers though, they had balls.  I mean let's face it, back then it was a suicidal idea.
     Once board innovation settled down enough for some type of fundamental  blueprint to be established boards started reaching the public.  We used to call them Snurfers!!!  Our reputation really begins here, where the boards reach the mountain.
     

Image Credits

     When this did happen obvious problems arose. In my opinion childish but hey, skiiers became territorial. As natural human tendency goes, they were afraid of what was different. I just don't get that. If you see something new, why not be curious to learn about it. Give it a shot, you just might like it. Anyway, long story short at first mountains banned snowboards to keep snowboarders off. It wasn't helping that almost all snowboarders were the young, hippy, all about life type crowd, while skiiers always had a pole up their ass.  This is also how "back country" riding came to play.  Because they couldn't go to resorts they had to find their own lines.

     After the intial introduction period if you will, snowboarders were slowly starting to be allowed to resorts.  Since then it has pretty much been all uphill.  Our presence on mountains is beastly.  We've been doing pretty well. 
     Until these "boarder thugs" started multiplying like cockaroaches.  Now I know I'm going to get ripped for this comment because many reading this are that guy/girl.  If it's you, you know who you are, but I'll throw in a description anyway.  Those people bullying around the mountain, littering, causing destruction and inconsiderate of anything. 
     Great you're a snowboarder, we get it. No need to go cursing up a storm in lift lines just because kids are around.  Or cutting people off, skipping in line, or the worst: running into people and not even stopping to see if they are alright.  You're not tough, punk.  It's because of scum like you that we get treated differently. You're not helping the sport.   I'm not saying that skiiers don't act the same way, but I'm a boarder, and this is about snowboarding.
     The whole point is our future.  These people need to realize that we have the power to take over any mountain we chose as long as we act civilized and not cause counter pressure.  I mean I can't begin to tell you how many times I've heard negative things about snowboarders in my career, and I mean just walking around.  This has to stop.  We want places to be snowboarder friendly.  It helps a lot. Grow in a positive way.  Small wake, big line.

Need To Find Snowboard Gear Deals!!

     This season should be interesting.  With the way the economy is going, but more importantly the fear that controls spending will definitely have an impact on our sport.  I mean let's face it if anything companies are just going to take advantage of the situation and cry "overhead costs are rising."  That only means that wicked deals now are necessary to life.  Like the "Summit Bar."
     Well, all I know is last season steals were to be found. I'm scrounging as I type.  I'm sure I'll find something, but this one will be tough.   I'll cover Brociety, Whiskey Militia, and Evogear just to name a few. Keep you posted.  Oh and you're welcome.

East Coast Season Is Almost Here. Time To Think About Your Gear.

     You know it is still only August, but it sure feels close to snowboarding season on the East Coast.  I mean guys in Northern Vermont are saying it is in the 40's at night already.  How exciting does that sound!? Pretty lame, but we are addicted to snow, and that is pretty close to thirty.  Fahrenheit that is.
     Anyway, it is also that time of year where great deals on new gear can be found if you know where to look.  Over the next week or so I will post regarding some of the best deals that can be found, and my experiences with the companies. 
     But also remember one thing, don't get caught up in spending all your money on new equipment.  With the way things are going, lift tickets, travel, and lodging are only getting more expensive every year.  Really assess your gear inventory and if you are only going to ride 4 or 5 times this season, you might not need new goggles.  Have an extra day on the slopes instead.
     Now is the time to buy equipment though.  The closer we get to mid September,  the harder it is to avoid paying full MSRP.  Well until next time, keep day dreaming and watching Youtube.....we're almost there.