Vancouver Olympic Preview - January 5, 2010
Hi Folks! My sincerest apologies for not having updated for almost three months! It’s was a busy and productive fall and winter as I completed my 1st semester in graduate school in Boston. I could not be happier with my decision to go back to school, though it forces me to put some of my hobbies on hold.
Despite having not carved a turn this winter, I am happy to spread the Olympic spirit by sharing some links to some great videos introducing some of the nicest, hardest working, an inspirational athletes in the world. Cheers to all the alpine snowboarders out there!
MTV Canada put together a series called Over The Bolts which follows snowboarding athletes in their quest for Olympic qualification.
Watch episodes on the Canadian Olympic Channel.
A few US alpine riders joined forces to up their Olympic preparation: America's Snowboard Team
Article on US Olympic Alpine Snowboarder, Michelle Gorgone
Profile of US Olympic Alpine Snowboarder, Tyler Jewell :
Also the link to Tyler Jewells YouTube Channel.
More US Olympic preview: TeamUSA.org
Fixing for an update...
June 29, 2009
Yes, so am I. Sorry for the lack of changes/updates/interesting things on my site. I've been undergoing a major redelopment of Pro Voca Design. Trust me, it needs it. I'm hopeful because I've come a long way since building this site two years ago. I've got some new tricks up my sleeve, that I hope you'll like, and make your surfing experience more enjoyable.
I have uploaded a few snowboard racing videos on YouTube. So if your bored to bits, please check them out.
It's summer, so you should be playing outside anyway!
Mount Bierstadt - 14ah
June 20, 2009
Over the weekend, as a birthday present to my friend, Jeff, I agreed to climb one of Colorado's renowned 14er's, Mt. Bierstadt. Having read the description of this ‘beginner’ hike, I thought it’d be a good idea to kick it up a notch by carrying an 8-pound watermelon to the top of the 14,060 ft peak. I’ll tell you I was never more ready to toss that melon down the hill as I ascended step-by-step higher in the snowfield that covered much of our hike.
It was a very foggy day, so we missed out on a spectacular view from the top. The sky was relatively clear by the end of our hike letting us admire our conquest from the parking lot. I’m happy to say that all the patrons of our climbing group made it to the summit (most of whom were able to rejuvenate with watermelon!). The trek down was a blast, as a half-foot layer of soft snow provided the means to frolic, butt-slide, gallop, and traverse down to the dirt trail. Enjoy the pics.
Driving above Georgetown.
The guard of Guanella Pass.
Mt. Bierstadt, 7AM - Covered in Fog.
The climb.
A rare break in the fog.
About 200 ft vertical to the peak.
14,060 feet and plenty of watermelon refreshment.
The descent.
Is this a Patagonia advertisment?!?
The trail.
Jeff and Dan at the trailhead.
Mt. Bierstadt, 1230pm - The peak on the Right.
Whoops
June 7, 2009
Well I really screwed up this time. The minimal efforts I put in to understand my Wordpress blog came back to bite me today. In a fit of pulsing mouse clicks, I deleted the database holding all the content of my blog. I had spent hours uploading, dating, and tagging each blog entry a month ago. Oh well, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? I was haphazardly trying to figure out how MySQL worked, when I got hung up trying to recall the password for the database. Not knowing the user name nor the password, my temper rose leading me to delete the database altogether. An idiodic thing to do, that I really regret right now, as my blog is gone, my worpress account screwed up, and my desire to fix it all waning. Sorry for the inconvenience, thankfully I didn't delete the contents of my old blog, as shown below.
Maker Faire
May 30, 2009
Bigwing.
Bike powered band.
Fantastical Transit.
Fire Flower.
Fun.
Coke & Mentos fountain show.
Mechanical Art.
My favorite: The speaker in a bucket.
The Telsa Motors electric sportscar.
Mystery Product
May 16, 2009
Putting Ponoko to work.
Producing & Designing
April 29, 2009
I’ve been spending a lot of time in front of this computer screen recently. I finally submitted my very first product designs to the Ponoko factory. I learned about Ponoko a while ago in a Wired article called Manufacture and Sell Anything - In Minutes. To submit designs to be cut on the Ponoko laser cutter, you have to submit the cutting plan in a file format only supported by a few programs. I finally got myself to download the Inkscape program which allows you to save files in the approved format. Little did I realize how challenging it would be to adapt to this new program. As stubborn as I am about reading directions, I had to suck it up and read through the manual for this program, before I could do anything! The extra reading certainly paid off, as I was able to benefit from the new design tools provided within the program. I had to learn about raster graphics and vector lines and bitmaps and png’s, stuff that I’ve dealt with in the past, but never focused on enough to figure them out. It’s definitely stuff I should have known prior to building a website, but I’ve got some new ideas to spruce up my website, so that’ll come soon, I hope.
So what did I have cut by Ponoko? Top secret. You’ll hear about it when it hit’s the streets! Let’s hope it works out better than the mess of concrete that I have in my basement. Ya, my ‘future business plan’ as mentioned in my previous blog entry, didn’t turn out as expected. The consistency of the concrete mixture wasn’t quite what I needed to shape what I wanted. Have no fear, I’ve still got 79 pounds of concrete left to experiment with!
Other than that stuff, been keeping a sharp eye on the Sox and Celts. While playing some soccer at beloved Wash’ Park, and running laps around City Park. I think a marathon may be in my near future.
Enjoy the weather.
USASA Wrap-Up
April 16, 2009
The snowboard racing season has come to an end. It was a great finale last week at USASA Nationals at Copper Mountain. The weather and snow conditions couldn’t have been better! I continued to tell competitors that this was the best snow we’ve seen all season. As for my results, I finished 13th in Slalom and 9th in GS. I was satisfied with my riding, but I know that some gate training would’ve gone a long way this season.
It is typical Colorado for the flakes to keep falling long after the lifts are shut down for the season. In fact, there is a storm brewing in Colorado, as I write this. Predictions of 12-24 inches of heavy snow have been made for elevations above 6,000 feet. As the resorts throw their signature end-of-season events rallied around the blazing sun, 12 ounce curls, and upbeat music, we all might be in for an event that no one but Mother Nature could have planned: Powderfest.
On another note, my creation and design attributes have been in full swing the last few weeks. I’ve got some (crazy) ideas of things I want to make using concrete. These ideas are setting up to be a future business plan, so I have to keep the details hush hush. Anyway, stay tuned for some updates to the design and create pages. Also with snowboard season coming to a glorious conclusion, it means one thing: travel season begins!!
Copper Mountain - Dan & Karl @ USASA Nationals 2009.
USASA Nationals
April 3, 2009
It’s that time of year again! Time for USASA Nationals at my home resort of Copper Mountain. Just like last year in Colorado’s high country, as spring hits, so does the snow. This past week has dumped multiple feet of powder on the slopes all over Colorado. With just a week or two left of operation for most ski areas, it will be bittersweet to see the lifts stop turning despite the ample base remaining on their slopes. It is customary for these resorts to abide the laws garnered by the National Forest Association and, in a sense, give the mountains back to their natural inhabitants, the critters.
Back to my point of the USASA nationals…I’m excited to be racing in the Slalom and Giant Slalom snowboard events on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Another storm on Saturday should leave a cover of snow that, when groomed over a few times, will provide for a robust yet forgiving (what is this a harvard bar?) racing surface on the Copperopolis trail.
I’ll fill you in next week on how I performed. I’m feeling confident, despite not having any gate training or coaching all year. Oh well! I’ve enjoyed a heightened sense of awareness while riding, building upon the coaching I’ve received and the racing I’ve watched over the past years.
Thank You, Denver...
March 26, 2009
For keeping the slopes empty this past weekend! A combination of summer-like temps on the eastern slope and rock-hard snow conditions have kept the Denverites on the golf course and left me with the groomers. Of course I still have to share with my spring break comrades from TX, NE, and OK. That is alright with me. As long as I can cruise the open slopes without skiing over someone’s tips and then hit the road without idling in tunnel traffic for 2 hours, I’m a very happy camper.
As I write this however, it is snowing. In fact it has been snowing in the mountains all week long, and it’s finally made it to the foothills and Denver. It’s exciting to see the snow fall, and have a reason to stay inside and do nothing….well I can’t do that, so I tuned up my snowboards instead!
I’m looking forward to some soft booting this weekend to enjoy the fluff and see some parts of the mountain that I don’t get to frequent on my hard boots. It’s a joy to slash through the powder and cut my own line through the trees and moguls. Ahh, I’m getting anxious just thinking about it. See you on the hill!
Spring Ahead
March 10, 2009
This past weekend, I had my final regular season races of the winter up at Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs. It was a good day on the hill, having snowed a few inches overnight and with bright sunshine softening the rock-hard race hill. These were USASA races, so we race by age-group and compete in both Slalom and Giant Slalom in the same day. We began the day with Giant Slalom on a firm and turny course. I had a bit of rough time through the ‘saddle’ section of the slope. This is where the hill makes a pitch transition while channeling riders between two knolls. This section particularly challenges racers because we traditionally focus on keeping our bodies in line with the fall line of the slope. In the saddle of Howelsen, all bets are off. Your body wants to go one way, your board needs to go another way, and the ice wants you to fall down! Needless to say, I struggled around the same gate in both of my runs, which kept me from the podium.
I performed much better in the afternoon Slalom race, partly because the sun had quickly softened the cover to slush. I was proud to lay down back-to-back flawless runs in which I was able to aggressively pressure the board in and out of each turn. It was my first complete Slalom performance this year, as I have struggled with my endurance and balance in at least one run of each previous competition. At the end of the day, I was on the podium with a second place finish in the open class division.
Next up are the USASA Nationals held at Copper Mountain the April 5-10. I’ll be competing in both Slalom and Giant Slalom on my home turf. I’m looking forward to fine-tuning my riding style in the next few weeks. I’ve made leaps and bounds since fixing the cuff strap on my boots, and some minor binding adjustments and mental revelations have gone a long way in terms of my performance. I hope the snow lasts till April!
Business Plan
February 25, 2009
Zazzle is running a St. Patrick’s Day special for $4 off all T-Shirts. So if you want to show off a Pro Voca Design T-shirt on the beach this summer, now is definitely the time to buy!!! Use code PATTYSHIRT09 at checkout. Shop my selection of shirts and other items at Zazzle. Hurry up an order before the offer ends next week.
In other news, you may not have noticed, but my site is now fully supported by a Cascading Style Sheet. That means all of the style elements of each page are scripted in a separate CSS file. It might make your viewing experience more pleasurable.
Also some of you may have found my secret page featuring my experimental music project. Seriously, I just wanted to complement my fake company with an equally fake band. The first instrument acquired for my group is a Magtone Karaoke Key & Echo Mixer. I thought that this would jump start my home recording studio, however, there are some technical issues holding me back…like the fact that I bought it at a thrift store. In my search for answers on why I purchased this karaoke machine, I stumbled upon the following website... VocoPro karaoke. Suddenly everything made sense.
Construction Zone
February 11, 2009
I’ve been working diligently on upgrading this here website of mine. I like working in HTML, because there are so many quick and useful resources on the web to assist in the development stages. It’s exciting to learn new features that can be incorporated to make a page look just a bit more professional. Last week I realized the layout of a page in Internet Explorer was totally messed up. Sorry for those of you who use IE to view my site, I promise to check-out my work in IE from now on….as for users of Safari or Chrome browsers, you’re on your own! I’m hooked on Firefox for now.
Since my Create, Design, and Travel pages have been pretty stagnant for quite some time, I’m planning on a creative excursion in South America. Ha, I wish. It being snowboard season, I haven’t indulged much in destination travel, except for the jaunts back to the east coast...where the weather hasn’t been suitable for outdoor adventure or photography. I am planning to digitize some of my “chicken-scratch” ideas that I doodle on magazine pages and post-it notes. I hang on to these because they represent the ‘ah-ha’ moment of an idea, which I treasure. Stay tuned for some new content.
Thanks for your interest, as I become a successful(??) web, graphic, and product designer right before your eyes!
Cheers!
January Dry
January 24, 2009
Hi everyone,
It’s been a pretty dry January up in the mountains. It’s just starting to snow again following a 2 week dry spell. We enjoyed some record high temps down in Denver, mid-60s and even 70 one day. It’s a pretty nice seasonal tease, reminds me of the good things to come, but also wakes me up to the winter wonders that will soon melt away.
I finally got the Howelsen Hill slalom racing video uploaded to my computer. As I mentioned before I had major camcorder problems…particularly the tape, so I was unable to shoot the GS race…I’m hoping to be able to scrap together some footage from various cameras. I hope to have those vids on-line by weeks end.
I’ve been reading this book called “Explorers of the Infinite” by Maria Coffey. It is a compilation of stories and attempted explanations of the near-death and spiritual experiences of extreme athletes. It focuses on how extreme athletes thrive on fear, focus, and suffering. I could relate to the focus part, as it refers to what I commented on last entry about snowboard racing….and how my mind has trouble focusing on the race. The conclusion that was made is that the brain normally does a million functions at once, and it is only in the times of intense fear, stress, and challenge that the whole brain is focused on a single task.
That explains why time seems to slow down when you are in a panic scenario. Want more!? Check it out!
Steamboat Springs, CO
January 13, 2009
Ahh, Steamboat Springs. It is always a refresher to make the 3 hour trek from Denver up to Steamboat Springs. The grind of the I-70 traffic followed by on-slope skiier congestion mixed with the irritating “slope watch” police, takes a toll on the mind and body of the weekend warrior. Steamboat is different. It’s a quaint town, offering a quiet and friendly ski experience at Howelsen Hill, as well as the champagne powder of Steamboat Mountain Resort.
Just to update you, I raced Slalom under the lights on Friday and in my first run I took a ‘superman’ spill just as I transitioned onto the final pitch. Despite the fall, I was able to make it around all the gates and make it through the finish line. I went into my second run feeling slightly more confident, having knocked the stress of competition out along with my dreams of making the finals. Similar story in the following days GS race. A slip onto my butt on the first run, allowed me to be more confident and aggressive in my second run. I came to the conclusion that I am not an individual athlete, but rather the quintessential team player. I grew up playing team sports, such as soccer and basketball, and I frequently reminisce of my (many) moments of great performance in which my inner self took over my body and I was driven by the experience. My attempts at playing tennis, track, and snowboard racing have all left me yearning for that loss of self-awareness in which my body takes over. I know I’m not explaining this feeling accurately….but it’s when you stop thinking about the people in the crowd or what you ate for lunch and you become completely present in the experience.
Two more notes: My good friend and former teammate, Dustin Sysko, had a miraculous 1st place finish in the GS race. He threw down 10 of the most confident and composed race runs that I have ever seen. While all the other competitors were sketching out in the tricky sections of the super fast GS course, Dustin let his body drive and equipment steer. Congratulations to him for an amazing performance that reaffirms all his hard work and dedication over the years. As fate would have it, I had major technical difficulties despite a perfect filming location midway up the front face of Howelsen. My camcorder decided to spit out the only tape that I had and refused to accept it until after the race was over. So I scrambled to get some video on my digital camera. I hope to be able to put together a decent montage to Dustin for you YouTubers to enjoy. Steamboat Pilot Article.
The other note is that I spent my final day in Steamboat at the Mountain Resort, or Mt. Werner as the locals call it, free riding with my friend, Kellen. I opted for the softboots so that I could enjoy some different terrain, and I was quickly reminded of the feelings that made me fall in love with snowboarding in the first place. As we picked our lines through the trees, I felt the sensation of slashing turns around the trees that felt like I was surfing in a turbulent sea. I was invigorated and expect to reinvent myself on softboots in the future.
Cheers, keep warm!
Happy New Year!
January 4, 2009
I hope everyone enjoyed a fun and relaxing holiday season. I have a confession to make: I haven’t snowboarded for three whole weeks! I spent the holiday’s on the east coast, and was not about to check all my gear for a day or two of riding. Also, I’ve been sick for two weeks straight and haven’t had the energy to do much of anything. Following a fantastic New Year’s celebration in Albany, NY, I’m back in Colorado and ready to get back into the routine of working, working out, and snowboarding. I decided not to snowboard this weekend, hoping to get rid of the remnants of my cold. Ugg. I go back to work tomorrow, and am dreading not being able to sleep in until 10AM. That is something that I got accustomed to during the holiday’s and certainly needed.
I’m hoping to be charged up for the next set of FIS races next week at Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs, CO. The races at Howelsen are always a great time, featuring a ‘Friday Night Lights’ slalom race followed by a Saturday morning GS race. Howelsen Hill is a great venue for races as the race run is the main pitch of the hill, and all the racing action can be seen from the lodge.
Having not snowboarded for a while, I betting on my ‘Aussie luck’ to carry me through the races. I’ve always felt that feeling fresh and relaxed has made for my best racing. Hardboot snowboarding takes a toll on your body, brutalizing leg muscles, shins, and feet. After a weekend of riding, I seek to restore my body with a swim and long stretch. I’m sure my body will feel fresh, but I’ve got a lot of work to do this week, to ensure that my fitness level is back where it was prior to my holiday. That said, I plan on being in the gym all week working up some stamina, lifting both upper and lower body, while working on the rowing machine and doing plyometric exercises. I’ve got a lot of work to do in just 4 days, but I’m sure getting back into a routine will be best for my health.
Happy December!
December 7, 2008
Winter is in full effect here in Colorado. A Thanksgiving storm dropped 40+ inches of snow on ski areas across the state. It was a great surprise and nice way to kick start the season. Ski areas went from having only a few open runs with man-made snow to a solid base cover on all of their terrain.
I didn’t have as good a performance at my Nor-Am races at Copper as I would have liked. There was an incredible field of athletes representing, which made the race feel like a World Cup event. The large contingent of national team members were from the US, Canada, Switzerland, and Japan. This was quite a field for a race that is usually dueled between the US and Canadian national riders.
Nonetheless, I made the most of the experience and captured some video of the final head-to-head heats. I compiled these into YouTube
friendly videos, and I tried my best to identify each rider. The FIS results appear different from the actual results that we witnessed, so there may have been a DQ in there that was implemented after the race. Regardless, there’s some awesome racing and I hope you can learn a thing or two about racing from my videos. Sorry about the shakes and poor zooms!
Race Cruising
November 16, 2008
Hey Shredders,
I was back on the slope(s) of Copper Mountain over the weekend – enjoying great weather and great snow! First chair for the public goes up at 8:55 AM, so it is crucial in my game plan to be ready to ride by then. I’d prefer to get on the slope earlier, usually lifts open at 8:30 on the weekends, but there all sorts of National team race training that overtakes the mountain from 6-9 AM. I’ll get to partake in the 6AM madness this week as I compete in Copper’s Race To The Cup snowboard event. Wish me luck!
It hit me as I was riding the lift that I had never posted the video I took at Mt. Hood Meadows during last years Race To The Cup. Look for these vids on my Racing Page. I’m happy to make the sport more visible to the public eye through my site and You Tube.
Also check out the latest, and slightly better, snakeboarding session that I had at the Denver Skate Park. I love pumping the walls of the bowls.
Shredding
November 9, 2008
I was back on the slope this weekend, for the opening days at Copper Mountain. Also opening this weekend were Breckenridge and Keystone Resorts, joining Arapahoe Basin and Loveland ski area. And by “open” I mean they’re operating at least one lift and have an 18” deep landing strip down the face of the hill. But, hey, it’s linking turns in early November, so I can’t complain. I had a good few hours on the slopes this weekend, got to really power through some carves on the wide open Main Vein run at Copper, even got to partake in some gate training thanks to the Copper Mountain Race Department.
I also drove up to Steamboat Springs, CO, to see some friends and puppies. I always enjoy the drive up Route 40 to Steamboat…you see horses, cattle, mountains, plains, reservoirs, and Rabbit Ears. Check out my Travel Page for pics.
Keeping Busy
November 4, 2008
Hi Everyone,
I hope you are enjoying November. I think it’s been a pretty warm autumn across the country, so I hope you’re enjoying the beautiful weather. I’ve posted some pictures that I’ve taken in the last month or two. Check out the newest post on my Travel Page for a taste of some of the beautiful colors, reflections, and man-made fluff that makes autumn so enjoyable.
Also, I’ve got my new Donek Snowboard - a sleek, shiny, custom-designed slalom racing snowboard, I’ll post a pic of it soon. I’m hoping to get up to Copper Mountain’s opening weekend this weekend. The pic to the right shows the progress the crews at Copper have made in getting Main Vein ready for opening. That pic is from November 1, 2008. Mother Nature may help the cause this week with some natural fresh and fluffy.
Working Hard
October 20, 2008
Hi Folks, thanks for continuing to check out my site. I've been busy with work, traveling, car selling/buying, and preparing for the snowboard season.
I’ve been enjoying going to the skate park and riding my snakeboard in the big bowls there. It’s so much fun ripped it up on the walls and imagining I’m in a boarder cross course tackling the banked turns.
I've posted a mini-workout video ion my Athletics Page. It gives you an idea of the exercises that I kinda sorta enjoy doing these days. The plyometric stuff is doing wonders for my endurance and strength. Also, I enjoy the whole video editing process, so that's why I put together these clips. I think it has a little Napoleon Dynamite feel to it. That’s probably just me, though. Enjoy.
Got It
September 24, 2008
OK, I’ve selected a top sheet graphic for my 08/09 Donek slalom snowboard. Pop the Bubbly! Check out the development on my flickr page. Hopefully I’ll have this board ready to ride by the end of October, sorry to all of yall who’s winters don’t start till December (East side) or February (PA)! Ha, just kidding.
I’m also working on posting some of the videos I shot during the last snowboard season up on Youtube. Check them out! They'll be posted on my racing page soon enough, otherwise just view my channel on Youtube. It is a great way to learn what separates racers - hand movements & line through the course. It’s also a super way to hopefully add to the visibility of the sport. The revolutionary that I am, I hope to publicize alpine snowboard racing as best I can, so that the athletes are rewarded in a way comparable to the amount of effort that they put into the sport.
That’s all for now. I hope to get some Pro Voca Design Winter Gear on the Zazzle catalog. Stay tuned!!
September
September 4, 2008
We've made it through the summer! Yes, I know the summer is not all that bad, but for winterphibians like myself, I get giddy when the cool air starts to nibble. I've been way too busy lately, getting immersed in web design, graphic & product design, traveling, and doing a little video production on the side.
I'm working on a topsheet graphic for my 08/09 slalom snowboard. I'm using some of the graphics that you've seen throughout the site, to try and produce an attractive and one-of-a-kind art piece for my board. It's always exciting having the snowboard as the canvas, and making my ideas permanent on an object that will be in the publics eye quite frequently. Click the spastic graphic to the right to link to my flickr page to check out the absolute latest design ideas that I'm working on. Also feel free to give me feedback on what you like or hate.
I've spent countless hours re-designing my "racing" page. I've been toying with the layout and content and have finally published a satisfying product. I scaled down the colors a bit in my racing results, and created a profile feature similar to a baseball card. I've also posted one of the videos that I took during last seasons snowboard races. Give it a look to witness the excitement of alpine snowboard racing.
Red Rocks Monolith Music Festival
September 13 & 14, 2008
This past weekend, my sister and I took in an amazing collection of performances at the Monolith Festival held at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado. The music was great, the artists genuine and friendly, and the workout traveling from stage to stage fit for Lance. Below are some picts from the show of some bands definitely worth checking out. For more reaction and pictures check out the Second Doubles Blog.
The Red Rock Wonder.
Cloud Cult delivering a stimulating performance of music and art.
Port O'Brien taking crowd participation to new heights.
The Fratellis drummer, savage.
Vampire Weekend, contrary to popular belief this is not a goth getaway.
Silver Sun Pickups rockin.
The Devotchka spectacle, strings, horns, and even tuba.
The well dressed Avett Brothers.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - a high energy funk flashback.
Del The Funky Homosapien, I know right!
Band of Horses green with envy.
TV On The Radio reaching out.
Red Rocks Night scene.
Rockies Participation
August 5, 2008
I'm at the Rockies v Nationals game on Tuesday night, watching the battle for last place. both teams well under .500 and just a single batter on each team hitting over .300. I've got great seats, first base side about as deep as the right fielder, and a few rows back from the field. As I take my seat, I notice some old folks with baseball gloves on their laps. I reminisced my childhood days of bringing my glove to every baseball game, with the hope of catching a foul ball, I was glad that has passed.
Fast forward to the fourth inning. CRACK! A Nationals batter careens a line drive in my direction. Time slows as stand up to watch the incoming projectile. A white blur growing larger as it races toward my section. From that point on my instincts took over. I impulsively took of my hat. Then I was suddenly torqued as the ball rocketed into my hat, twisting my whole body around. The ball flipped out of my hat like a freshly caught trout, I remember focusing so intently on grabbing the ball, wanting to make a clean catch, probably thinking the player would be called out because of my play! I had caught it, and hung on! I recovered the ball from my hat and turned to face the crowd, rejoicing at the events that just transpired. I pumped the ball and hat in the air and received cheers and high fives from surrounding fans. Thankfully no little kids were close enough to pester me for the ball, so I was at full liberty to keep the ball.
I watched the rest of the game with a grin on my face. I had just caught a foul ball at a professional baseball game. And it was a damn good catch, at that! I sat there gripping the ball waiting for the scouts to approach me.
Australia
July 23, 2008
So on another note, I will be competing in the World Industries National Snowboard Complementation at Mt. Buller in the Victoria province of Australia on August 1, 2008. I'm really excited to get back on the snow soon. I've also machined some 1-inch riser plates to mount between my snowboard and my bindings, so I should have a slightly different feel on my board. The whole snowboard racing industry has been taken over by Kessler boards and the Hangl riser/dampening plate system. So it's time to experiment. I am also excited to see if any of my training has contributed to my abilities. If my legs are stronger, core more stable, or hands less wavy. We'll see! And based on the results, I'll be able to augment my off-season routine leading up to the November ski season.
Blog
July 22, 2008
Ok, sorry, keeping a daily blog is way too much work for me! Especially when I have a job and am trying to mix in hours of extracurricular with a somewhat-social life as well. I've been trying to decide what would make this blog most effective and what the purpose of it is to me. Is it to keep me motivated? Is it to inform my fans? Ha, yup I said it, fans! Because if it is, it's gonna get boring as I start doing the same routines over and over again. It was good at the beginning because it was fresh and I was discovering new things. I do like reflecting on the struggle of the previous day, and where I was mentally, physically, and emotionally. Ultimately, I would like to keep track of what I am doing and set weekly goals and monitor my gains. So I think a weekly log that totals all of my activity for the week will be the next step in my blogging journey to professionalism. Once I start writing it tends to flow, it's just getting myself to start that is the hard part.
Have I mentioned how damn hot it has been in Denver. I can't wait for the cool of fall.
Mile High Music Festival
July 20, 2008
I went to the Mile High Music Festival at Dick Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO. 5 Stages, 50,000 people, 100 degrees. It was a blast, I couldn't believe how many good acts there were. However, with so many people there, it was a hassle fighting my way to a good viewing/listening position for each act. But it all sounded good, regardless. Here are some pics in order of when I saw them. Enjoy!
Colbie Caillat
Rodrigo y Gabrielle
Flogging Molly
The Flobots
John Mayer
The Roots
Black Crowes
Dave Matthews Band
Hey Folks!
July 13, 2008
I’m going loco! I’ve been exploring the breadth of web design and have incorporated a few new features into my website. I’ve explored a t-shirt design company called Zazzle. It’s a pretty good site that allows users to design, buy, and sell custom apparel. Check out the link to my t-shirts, I’ve actually bought a few for myself to do some self-promotion around town!
Also, I’m trying to better serve my graphics and designs, so I have employed Flikr to showcase my works. I saw this done on a freelance graphic designers website, and it seems like a smart idea. It provides the interface to display all of my work, track views, and allow for comments. It will make the process of adding content easier too.
And thirdly, I have finally posted a video of my Street Shredder test drive on YouTube. Check it out! It’s just a tease showing the unique style and fun movement of the one and only Street Shredder.
Please bear with me, as I continue testing applications on my site. It will continue to grow and frequently change, and hopefully I’ll be able to weed out some of the stuff that doesn’t work and focus more further developing the stuff that rocks. Feel free to email me with your feedback.
Hardbooting
Spring 2008
Snowboard racing is a costly venture with little reimbursement.
After browsing threads on BomberOnline.com, I was shocked to read a post elaborating the fact that some top-tier Canadian racers had to fund their own way to national competitions. In addition, one of the Canadian racers who had taken 1st place at a NORAM event in Park City, was forced to quit the team because he could no longer afford it. It is a real shame to see kids who are diligently pursuing their snowboard racing dreams are being held back because of the sheer expense of the sport. If the sport is to progress, it is essential that there be sponsors who are devoted to the development of the athlete and the ability for them to compete at the highest level.
Why would a national athlete invest so much time, money, and sacrifice into something that promises no end reward? There are no hopes of fame and wealth, instead these athletes are motivated by the thrill and excitement of competition, the opportunity to see the world, and the focus of their talents, skills, and determination. These are athletes, sleeping in their vehicles, working two - three jobs all summer long to reserve enough money to survive the winter.
I propose a not-for-profit business model (Pro Voca Design) in which we sell products and services in that raise money to sponsor snowboard racing events and its elite riders. We will provide athletes the hope that by working their hardest they can succeed and make a career out of snowboard racing. The branches on the snowboarding tree include hard goods - snowboards, boots, bindings; accessories - helmets, goggles, gloves, underarmour, outerwear; tuning equipment - wax, files, irons; events - USASA, USSA, FIS, World Cup; and these all collect back at the trunk of the tree which is the athlete. the athlete allows for the snowboard maker to dream into the depths of speed and performance...
there's coaching fees, training space fees at each mountain resort, transportation and travel fees, maintenace fees for tuning gear ...
to be continued...
Abasin
October 2006
Today I made my first turns of the season. They were much less fulfilling than I had hoped. I was quite fatigued on the hill and will need to go through the usual adjustments to get used to my new equipment.
As A-basin is just one of two ski areas currently open, I expected heavy crowds at the lifts and on the slope. With this in mind I wasn’t going to buy a lift ticket just so I could sit in line for a half hour each run. Therefore, I decided I would hike up to the mid mountain lift and ride it up for a few runs. The hike up was pretty good. I didn’t struggle at all, my boots footed well in the packed powder trail edges. The pitch of the slope was not too demanding, so I ascended the hill at a steady pace, taking a respite at the mid-point of my climb where there were some terrain park features. I sucked in some water and tried to stretch out my legs a bit while watching the grommets slide a box. I continued on my climb, trying to blend in at the mid-mountain point as too not be noticed illegally jumping into the lift line. Although, it would be a crime to deny someone lift access after waiting in that agonizing lift line. So a half hour passed and I hook up with another single rider and cruise in the antique double chair to the summit of A-basin. After some snow and ski banter with my lift mate, he praised me for sticking it too the man and not purchasing a lift ticket. I think I made his day.
I was feeling weak in the lift line and my stomach and bowels weren’t enjoying the altitude. So I chilled out in the summit lodge to try and psych up my body and prep my mind and muscles to shred the hill. I tend to be weary when riding new equipment. I cant explain the feeling of being in complete control of your equipment. It provides such piece of mind and confidence that the body and board can sincerely rip down the hill. On new equipment, especially early in the season, equipment, snow conditions, body, and balance are all out of synch, fighting each other for control. I want my board to feel like cleats grasping the terrain and slicing through the hard packed snow. The first run was awkward at best. Another half hour lift line wait, where my feet were chilled and uncomfortable, was not improving my motivation. At the summit, I had to sit and rest again, still fatigued and wondering if I was really that our of shape. I surmised that the events of the weekend (24 hour trip to boston followed by drive to mtns) had contributed to my weakness and lack of concentration. I suppose the 45 minute mid-mountain hike had taken a lot more out of me than I had hoped. So I made my way down to the base, one turn at a time. I felt some good turns, certainly not race caliber, but clearly better mechanics than last year. I was feeling some G’s that were annihilating my quads. My attempts to stay low in and out of each turn put a ton of strain on the quads.
In assessing the day, I think I could adjust my stance a bit wider to distribute my weight onto my hamstrings. As for my body, I wish that I had been involved with more aerobic exercises in the off-season. My training routine was strong through August. The strength training was successful, however, I felt my routing fell apart as I became less strict in my activity and implemented some soccer and snakeboarding. In the future I would like to better separate my routine, perhaps a month of strength training followed by a month of activities, sports, and competitions. This will keep my mind sharp and my body refreshed and rejuvenated to keep training. As for my boots, the mondo size 27 proved to be a snug fit and the hike caused some swelling and sweating. The sweat chilled during my lift line waits, causing circulation problems that contributed to my fatigue. So despite any positive feelings today, it was exactly what I needed. A day to get the bugs out. Last year it wasn’t until January that my Head boots started feeling comfortable, if I can accelerate that process on this new equipment, I hope to be feeling comfortable and charging by the FIS races at Copper right before Thanksgiving.