Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Three more pix by Shem



Shem and I hooked up one afternoon last winter and shot some photos near Bolton and Camel's hump. Basically all the images I have to use right now are from those five hours, although we should be getting some new ones soon, as long as el nino doesn't spank us too badly. We found some insanely fun spots that day, and we'll be heading back there as soon as there's adequate cover. This was a super fun day, and Shem is a really good friend and photographer.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Cold rain and snow

We had a snow/wind/sleet/rain day yesterday, and the boys felt the need to brave the weather to get in some shredding. We plodded out across the field into stinging sleet, and Oscar weaved himself through 500 waiting burdocks for a first ever run on his PowderJet. Grabbing the board came onto his radar recently, but he's not trying to hear my explanations on what constitutes acceptable grab locations. Good for him!
We're looking at two to three inches of snow and ice, sleet driven by 45 MPH winds, and a 9 year old on a wooden snowboard built by his old man. That's some country punk.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009


I know this is a snowboard jam we're working on here, but I get a lot of inspiration from surfing. I'm kind of a surfer in the mountains...an earth surfer out there Surfing the Earf. The surfing world is going through some major identity crisis right now, with companies like Abercrombie&Fitch (Hollister) totally hijacking the image of the sport, and dudes are just turning their back on the whole gig. This New York Times article talks about people making their own backyard wooden surfboards, and guys like Tom Wegener in Australia who are producing kits for building your own Alaia.
There are a couple of things I love about this. First, I love the notion of building your own board, based on your own ideas, and then taking it out and learning to surf all over again. It doesn't matter if it isn't perfect. Perfection is an impossible ideal. The point is to experience the sport in a new way, one where the surfer is able to experience the future, present, and long history of surfing all in one ride.
I also love this quote from the editor of the Surfer's Journal: “They’re essentially swimming surf culture into deep water and saying, ‘Let’s see if you can handle this.’ ” Basically taking the poseurs and money men to task. While the soul of the sport is at risk, core surfers are taking refuge in the benevolence of the Polynesian surf Gods of Yesteryear, or something.


http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/travel/escapes/04alaia.html

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Constant Inspiration



Some of the best people we know build wooden surfboards in Maine.