Puerta Vallarta y Sayulita, Mexico

Immediately following Superpark I packed my bags and headed south to Mexico for some much needed R&R.  My leg had been killing me all week at Superpark due to an injury I sustained snowboarding a few weeks prior.  I landed my ass and leg on a stump and nearly broke my femur.  Basically I got lucky and ended up with a really sore leg and huge hematoma.  Needless to say I was a bit over the snow world and needed some sun and beach time.  My girl and I flew into Puerta Vallarta to meet up with Gunson and some other Breck people at Gunson's really, really nice condo overlooking the beach.  This was our home for the next few days.  The party period of our trip was here.  Not the best for my leg, but what can you do.  After some long nights, rough mornings and margaritas on the beach, my girl and I headed to the small town of Sayulita, 30 miles north.  Sayulita is truly a gem of a place.  Very low key and relaxed.  A mix of fisherman, surfers and American dirt bags, it has a really cool vibe.  We ran into some friends down there but mostly did our own thing.  Sleep in, mellow mid day breakfast at the Choco Banana with some cafe con leche and some form of burrito or scrambled Mexican bowl of goodness.  Then straight to the beach for some all day sun and beers, and then a late dinner and usually to bed.  No, we really didn't party too hard and that was nice.  Straight up rest and relaxation!  Just what I needed.  After 10 long days it was back to Breck, where the weather has actually been decent since arriving home.  I look forward to returning to Sayulita in the near future.  Such a  sick spot.  And because I was fairly injured I didn't get to surf.  Another reason to return sooner than later.  We stayed at Casa Los Arcos in Sayulita and highly recommend it to any one taking a trip down that way.  A bit more expensive then some places but well worth the extra dough if you are trying to have a relaxing vacation.  If you main objective is to surf and bum around there are much cheaper options, however, this place for the price was legit.  WiFi faster than at home, 5 minutes to town and the beach, small kitchen with full fridge, pool, etc.  No complaints execpt that I had to leave!  Till next time.....

Mini Pacifico

The View from Gunson's spot in PV

You don't see that many working pay phones in the US any more

Church

Tourists

Zap

El Gordo

Typical street trash

On the job

More pay phones

There is just something about this.  Can't put my finger on it...

Mural in PV

PV sunset

PV toilet

PV party

OXXO food

Cab rides home in PV

Taxi anyone?

Gunson ready to set sail

PV from the sea

Clouds, duh

Lunch spot

The view from our room in Sayulita at Casa Los Arcos.  Not bad, eh?

Sayulita street

I would hate to work for the electrical company here

VW

Juice stand

Wash them hands

Tacos

Crab

Sailboat with Sayulita in the background

Hummer

Horses on the beach in Sayulita

The Choco Banana.  The jam for Breakfast

Walk in barefoot, buy a beer for 10 Pesos and drink it on the curb out front.  Doesn't get much better

Fresh fruit

The same sailboat in Sayulita

Thing

Door

Another door

And another door

Cool table

Cool house

Kids & OXXO

Laundry day

Typical afternoon in Sayulita

Dance Dance revolution

Last night in Sayulita

Goodbye paradise!

Superpark 14

Its that time of the year again.  Yes Superpark.  Hard to believe that this event is now 14 years old.  And yet it still does not get old.  Lago spotted here blasting on the hip.  Th features include a slue of step downs, ranging from about 40' to 80'.  A 100'+ gap, a tranny pool contraption with hips, jumps over hips and 1/4 pipes to 1/4 pipe linkage, rhythm section, another 80' step up and a 30' 1/4 pipe.  Its going to be a good week.  Stay tuned for more or log on to Snowboarder Magazine for daily updates.

Edit, edit and edit some more

Well its that time of the year for most snow photogs.  Time to edit the years pics down to the bangers and doctor em up for the magazines.  Came across this little self portrait I took on one of my many trips to the midwest.  Its funny what you find yourself doing in the down time between shots.  This is one of those moments passing the time.

Women in Wonderland

I got the call in the middle of my Sims shoot to head down to Silverton to link up with a Roxy/DC all girls crew consisting of Robin Van Gyn, Raewyn Reid and Erin Comstock.  Amber Stackhouse was there to film, and Heikki Sorsa came along too for support.  Super fun crew!  Its been awhile since I've been able to focus on the women's side of snowboarding and I must say I was impressed.  It was great to mix it up and I couldn't have asked for a better crew to end my season with.  Well, I have Superpark in Mammoth and then thats it for me, but essentially this was my last trip of the year.  Time to head back to Summit County, get my edit on, and relax a bit!

This coyote was curious what we were doing in his zone.  Luckily he didn't front too hard. 

I'm an ELK-AHOLIC

I just wrapped up a week long shoot with Sims Snowboards in Crested Butte, CO.  This is my third shoot with Collective Licensing out of Denver and easily one of the best.  I huge thanks goes out to Marc, Carly, Gabe and Chris (along with the entire team) for taking care of us all week and helping create another successful shoot.  Also, a huge thanks to Tom Sims for...well being Tom Sims.  Tom is the man, and it never gets old making turns with him and hearing his endless vault of stories from the good old days.  Next stop Silverton for another week long shoot.  This time with DC and Roxy.  Looking forward to it!  Stay tuned....

Chalk another one up for Lago

Stoked Whitelines Magazine out of the UK decided to run this shot of Lago on the cover for their Spring Issue.  The kid deserves it!  I think this is my fifth major cover.  Slowly but surely they are stacking up.  Stoked....

Working Outta My Second Home

Yes, even though I don't have a first home I do somehow have a second home.  After Idaho I drove straight down to my Cabin to link up with Pashley and his crew of misfits, Scotty Arnold, Zach Siebert, El Doug and Tom Pelly of Australia.  Our plan was to spend a week at the Bonnie Bell cabin, compile enough shots for a Feature in "Australia and NZ Snowboarding Magazine", while of course stacking shots for Snowboarder Magazine, my first priority.  It was a successful week to say the least.  Good times with good friends, and about half way through the week a storm rolled in and dumped over a foot of fresh.  It was such a blizzard all we could do was take laps all day.  Not a bad "day off" and a real boost for the crew to get the stoke on.  Not that anyone was bummed, it was just a nice change of pace to put the cameras away and remember why we all do this thing called snowboarding anyways.  It was the best turns of the year for me easily.  Hasn't been the best year in that department, but non the less it was some epic riding right out the front door.  It was good to finally experience my spot in some really good conditions too.  It still blows my mind that this is "my spot".  I couldn't be happier with my purchase.  Private Property is the future.  By the time it was all said and done, no one was ready to leave and Scotty had already assured me that he would come back and live here if I would allow him to.  Sorry bud, nice try, get your own damn spot!  That was that.  Another week of my winter done.  Where to go next?

So we just have to get up there.....

Yup right up there on that ridge....

I miss it already....

Headed up to "The Circus"

Good steez Pashley.  Are those Ugg Boots?

From one woodsman to the other Scotty, "you're doing that all wrong."

Snow day.  Lets take the day off and shred pow.  Sounds good to me!

Cool Boarders 2010

Idaho is a wrap.  After sessioning one of the bigger jumps I've seen hit in person, our trip into the Idaho BC is done.  This jump measured somewhere in the ball park of 80+' in length with a similar or longer drop.  I felt that the angle shown here makes the jump look a little bit smaller than that but at the same time it really worked so I went with it.  This is Lago's first hit, where after he stopped yelling and screaming in a state of pure excitement he said something to the effect of, "that was the most amazing thing I've ever done.....that was some cool boarders shit."  A pretty strong statement consider he just took home the bronze medal in the HP at the Vancouver Olympics a mere month ago.  After this he stomped two B/S 360's and we were out.  Such a good way to end the trip.  A huge thanks to Cory Smith at Smith Optics for putting us up at Smiley Creek Lodge.  I will greatly miss the home cooked meals, country hospitality, and general good vibes of this amazing place.  Until next time.....

Lago, flying like an eagle....

"That was some Cool Boarders shit!"

U Da Ho

Actually its pronounced Idaho.  Made it to the lovely land of potatoes in one piece and am glad to be back in this neck of the woods after not making it up last season.  Cory Smith has some big things going in his backyard zone of Smiley Creek, but don't think you can just roll up here.  The zone is on private property and without the proper credentials you could get messed up quick!  Trespasser's beware!

This is not a line you want to cross if your not invited.

Cabin 5 is treating me good so far.

Robot Food was here.  Well actually Pierre Wikberg and Eddie Wall are in the crew and working on content for their new website www.videohypershred.com.  Keep checking in as it should go live any day now.  Its gonna be sick...

Just put it on my Master Charge card.

Tunnel Vision

The rafters

Lago is the shit.  Congrats to the best damn bronze medalist I know.  USA!!!

CB

Made a quick pit stop in the Crested Butte region of Colorado before heading out to Idaho.  Otterstrom said he had the inside track to some new zones in the area, and the weather looked good.  So we made the call and B-lined it over for a quick one and a half day mission.  I have to say it has been a few years since I have been to Crested Butte, and it is as sick or sicker than I remember.  Its kinda like a mini Jackson.  Also very similar to Aspen, but without all the bullshit.  The mountain is for real, and the backcountry is just as for real if not much realer.  Not sure that's a word, but it's a dope spot to say the least.  Lots of pillows, cliffs, big lines, and even some kicker zones all in the mix.  One interesting thing too is the fact that they are really feeling the recession here.  No one can find work so everyone is moving out of town.  This in turn has made property extremely cheap.  I found a 3 bedroom, 3 bath, two car garage condo for $175,000.  That is unheard of in Colorado, and on top of it, in a mountain town.  I mean that is cheaper than Denver.  Makes me wonder if I could pull off living here.  Hmmmmm.....

Otterstrom hiking to the goods.....

The locals have a real good thing going out here.  10+ acres with this sick Airsteam trailer.  Not a bad way to kick it in the BC if you ask me.

Home Sweet Home

I've been hunkered down at home the last few days wrapping up some work for Vail Resorts.  It has been beautiful weather and I have been able to get a lot done just getting out for a few hours each morning.  Yesterday was especially early.  Up at 5am.  The reward was watching the moon set while the sun came up on the Ten Mile Range.  Needless to say, the shot I needed came together well with these conditions.  Below is a photo of Steve Fisher in the Freeway Halfpipe from later that same morning.  Next Stop Utah, then Idaho.  Until next time...