“While Snowboarding I feel like I’m aligning myself with the universe.”
Craig Kelly about to align himself with the universe
Craig Kelly was, is, and always will be the man. The most influential snowboarder of our time, Burton would not be where it is today had Craig never ridden for them and given his input on the product. Even Terje refers to him as the best snowboarder to ever live. Before the pro snowboarding scene became a scene – back when we were still more make blog than Perez Hilton – Craig was evolving his game, kicking ass and taking names. And he took a lot of names on his way to influencing a lot of future names.
Craig Kelly represents the MBHC at the US Open
Baker Banked? Yup. In fact won the first one ever.
US Open? Yup. He won the slalom event. Oh, and the halfpipe. Oh yeah, and the overall title. In multiple years.
World Championships? Yup, seven of ‘em.
After tiring of the contest scene Craig evolved his game by going back to riding’s roots and spent most of his time riding backcountry powder, and using his acquired knowledge to continue to move the industry forward.
“Snowboarding is something that I think should be done on your own terms as much as possible. Society is full of rules and I use the time I spend in the mountain as an opportunity to free myself of all constraints. During the past winter I decided that competing on the World Tour restricted the freedom that I found from snowboarding in the first place, so I decided to try a year with very little competing. Now that I have recaptured the feeling that made snowboarding special to me, I am not about to give it up. This is not retirement. I am simply revolving my snowboarding professionalism around freeriding rather competing. It sure feels right.”
Sadly a piece of snowboarding’s conscience and soul was taken from us in a large avalanche near Revelstoke on January 20, 2003.
Obviously a nobody snowboarder writing a nobody blog can’t do Craig Kelly’s legacy justice. But hopefully by bringing a little bit of awareness to him on this day, what would have been his 43rd birthday, some kid will stumble across this and Google his name and learn there’s a bit more to snowboarding than what they are force fed every day.
Happy birthday Craig Kelly, and RIP.
Craig Kelly was killin' it the first time Oakleys were cool
Just saw this vid of skier Steinar Nes triggering, than avoiding, an avy in Norway. Notice how it starts as a small slab around :35 in, almost looks like it’s just his sluff, but than moments later he acts as trigger for the HUGE slab to release. Shart factor: 10+
OK, paradigm shift may be a bit overstating it, but depending on your current BC coffee configuration maybe not. Like most that grew up in the Northwest I’ve got love for a few things – the outdoors, good beer and good coffee. Hell, I’ll settle for marginal coffee as long as I’m getting some. For me it’s not even the caffeine (though anymore I get headaches if I haven’t had a cup or two by 10AM),, it’s more the smell and the warmth in the morning, and there’s certainly nothing better than climbing out of your bag in the AM and whipping up a cuppa joe.
I’ve tried a few ways to make coffee in the backcountry and in surf trips to Mexico (coffee choices in mainland Mex consist of Nescafe and Nescafe, which is odd given there are coffee beans to buy everywhere) , all with their plusses and minuses. A few that I’ve used are:
This is basically a french press screen that fits into your Jetboil PCS turning it into a backcountry french press (or is that freedom press?). Quick and easy, lightweight, and stores inside your Jetboil so doesn’t add extra clutter to your pack. The biggest downside with the Jetboil press is that as your Jetboil than doubles as your coffee mug you’re SOL on cooking any breakfast to go with your coffee.
Jetboil coffee press
The Preva portable espresso maker
No, I’m not kidding on this one, and will probably lose all street cred once you see this best. I’ve brought this $2 REI used gear sale find with me many times. Yes, it’s bulky and has absolutely no other use once you’re in camp, but it honestly makes a damn fine shot of espresso. Two shots of espresso and some warm water = the best backcountry americano you’ll ever have. Downsides are that it’s bulky and has no additional use, so you’re basically lugging this beast in for 10 minutes of use in the morning. However, when you’re an addict and you need your fix….
I’ve yet to actually try this yet, but did actually pick one up on the cheap just to try out recently. Made by the same guys that brought you the 80s wonder frisbee the Aerobie, oddly enough. Basically just another method of forcing water through ground beans under pressure, and Backcountry magazine gave it rave reviews awhile back. Downsides are again bulk and lack of additional use for the contraption (hell, it’s made by the Aerobie cats, you’d think they could make it double as some sort of superflying object), but also you need to bring the paper filters with you for use. They aren’t that large, but again it’s one more piece of garbage to pack in and pack out.
Aeropress
So anyways, onto the latest and greatest, the Starbucks Via instant coffee. Ordinarily I wouldn’t give instant coffee a chance given my experiences in the past, but as this was recommended to me by Ben over at Tabascogeek.com (btw Ben, please get your site finished, I’m tired of looking at that template), and as Starbucks was giving away free samples I figured I had nothing to lose. Comes in little single serving packets (not sure if they are recyclable, but I’m guessing not…), to make just add 8 oz. hot water. I guesstimated my water, and after a first sip had to add a bit more as the coffee was a bit thick. Overall not a bad cup of coffee, a bit sludgy on the bottom, but nothing worse than the last cup out of a french press.
Starbucks Via
Flavor wise it doesn’t compare to the Preva, but as the Preva is pumping out a shot of espresso v. a cup of drip they aren’t really comparable. There’s always that tradeoff you make between flavor, weight and space, but for fast and light trips it will definitely be my new cup of choice
Recently called up Burton to get a replacement Speed Zone lace for my Driver X boots as the lower left zone was on it’s way out after only a few days of riding on it. Called up Burton and was told they don’t think they have any laces for this year’s Speed Zone boots yet, but they’ll take my name/number and get back to me the next day (it should be noted that everytime I’ve dealt with Burton’s customer service team they’ve actually been GREAT – friendly, etc. – and this time was no exception, just thought it odd they wouldn’t have laces in yet for their new boots). Call comes in the next day that they’ve got the laces, let’s get your address and get them out to you. Done and doner, lace is in the mail. Little did I know they ship by a method that requires a signature to deliver, and as FedEx drops off during the day I’m not usually (exception today as I came down with a gnarly allergies/cold this weekend) around to sign for things. Here’s the rub though: they require a signature on warranty parts they send out, but NONE of the proform stuff I got from them required a signature – my board and other goodies just sat on my front porch!
So, opened up the folder I just signed for post-earthquake (we had a small quake this AM, I ran outside in my boxers as I thought someone drove into my house!) to see what all was included. Packing slip and the laces were it. I assumed there’d be some sort of instructions on replacing the laces as I’ve never (and assuming most others haven’t) replaced Speed Zone laces. Nope, no instructions, you get your invoice and your laces, figure out the rest rocket scientist!
Replacement lace and an invoice
So, I was going to make a vid to help out anyone else looking to replace their Speed Zones, but found the below video on Youtube. Looks pretty easy actually.
(It should be noted that between my pounding headache and coughing up blood that I’m being a bit of a bitch, so if this post reeks of bitchy rant, well…it is)
Once again it’s time to reward yourself for another week of slaving to the grind so you can afford the sports you love, and once again I’m going to make a recommendation to help you reward yourself. Odds are this week’s lucky winner is going to be a little harder for you to find, but I assure you the search will be worth it if you’re able to secure a bottle. So, without further ado
*drum roll*
Telegraph Brewing Company California ale is the flagship beer for Telegraph Brewing out of Santa Barbara, CA. They say:
California Ale (Alcohol by volume: 6.2%; O.G.: 15° P / 1.059):
Telegraph California Ale is our flagship beer and is our interpretation of the unique ales that were commonly brewed up and down the West Coast in the 19th century. It is an unfiltered medium-bodied beer, with a rich amber color and a rocky, white head. The beer is crafted using domestic American ingredients and fermented with a unique yeast strain that accentuates the hoppy spiciness, while also imparting fruity and subtly tart flavors. The aromas are spicy and earthy, reminiscent of the rich agricultural valleys surrounding Santa Barbara.
I say: best description would be a cross between an Anchor Steam and a Belgian ale. A scent that says “craft beer”, smooth, with a touch of spice and a balanced Belgian yeast flavor. Bottle conditioning results in head that would make Jenna Jameson blush. A bit on the spendy side though, I’d be afraid of chucking it in the snow pre-tour and having someone else find it.
So there it is, hoist one to yourself and celebrate another week of work, and a weekend of play.
Holy shit, 39 year old freeskiing legend Shane McConkey died today in a BASE jumping accident while filming with MSP. When we see films with the incredible stunts these guys do I think we become desensitized to just how f’in crazy the shit is that they are doing, and making it look easy. RIP to one of the good guys, and thoughts/prayers/vibes/karma to his wife and kid.
So as mentioned in my Westcomb Rampage pants review my not even one year old Four Square pants lost a battle with my Black Diamond Contact crampons up at Lassen last Memorial weekend. The worst part about it was that the crampons weren’t exactly necessary, but as the boots I brought up there (Burton Hails) were so flexible I put on the crampons just to stiffen up the sole a bit to help me dig into the snow and walk. I was pretty bummed about the pants as I’m a bit taller and it’s hard to find pants that fit, but also because I’m cheap and had no desire to buy new pants. Yes, I know these pants are 99% fashion and 1% function and were way out of their element, but it should be noted that my first pair of Four Square pants circa-1996 or so from when Peter Line and Ingemar Backman still owned the company and they had a lifetime warranty on their clothing lasted me until ‘06 (with an annual re-DWRing and a bit of thread on a zipper once)! Of course they never faced a cage match with crampons.
Anyways, on to my one picture how to. I wish I had the before picture so you could see how my pants had been disembowled and were puking their mesh liner and gaiters, you’ll just have to imagine the tauntaun scene from Empire Strikes Back.
To help you visualize my pants...
They looked shredded, but thanks to a sewing genius I’ll call by her secret agent name ‘mom’ they were salvageable – in fact they probably have more street cred now with the uber-steezy exposed stitching. Basically they were patched with one of those iron-on/adhesive backed patches from the inside to hold everything together, than stitched up and down over the exposed fabric shreds to tie everything together. Good for at least a few more years of resort riding with just a regular re-application of DWR.
1) A lot of these companies that skew towards a younger audience were (in many circles) assumed to be more or less impervious to the economic downturn as their audience has a large amount of discretionary income. However, as SouthoftheNorth pointed out earlier, that’s not always the case
2) They’ve only got 962 employees total. I would have assumed more as there are dot-coms out there with similar employee numbers that are just accumulating losses hand over fist.
3) Jake and his wife both eliminated their salaries altogether.
Content of the Burton press release below.
BURLINGTON, Vt. (March 25, 2009) — Burton today announced that due to the challenging global economic situation, the company must cut its annual spending by reducing salaries in North America from the top down and laying off a small percentage of its North American staff. Burton is the world’s leading snowboard company and owns other top boardsports brands, including Channel Islands Surfboards, DNA Distribution (Alien Workshop and Habitat Skateboards), Analog, Gravis, ANON and R.E.D.
“This has been a very painful process for us, and considering the global economic situation, we’ve done everything in our power to save as many jobs as possible,” says Burton CEO Laurent Potdevin. “Our goal this entire year has been to cut as many costs as possible on a global level, like sales meetings, travel and new hires so that we could avoid cutting people. Instead of a much larger number of layoffs, we decided to take a different approach, which is temporarily reducing salaries on a sliding scale from 0-15% for employees in North America.”
Burton owners Jake and Donna Carpenter have chosen to eliminate their own salaries. Burton employees who have the highest salaries will face the biggest percentage of pay cuts, while employees who make less will experience smaller cuts. In order to save even more jobs, Burton has cancelled all bonuses and merit increases for North America this year and temporarily reduced the company’s 401K match from 4% to 1%.
In addition to salary reductions, Burton laid off less than 5% of its staff in North America, bringing the company’s total headcount in North America to 663. After staff reductions, Burton currently employs 418 employees at its headquarters and factory in Vermont, 17 employees at DNA Distribution in Ohio and 154 employees at its California offices. Globally, Burton employs 962 people.
Cost reductions across all brands were necessary because Burton is by no means immune to the global economic downturn, which worsened at an unprecedented pace during the company’s prime business season. However, as the global market share leader in snowboarding and with strong brand recognition around the world, Burton is well positioned to weather the economic storm.
“The shareholders at Burton are my wife Donna and myself,” says Jake Burton Carpenter, Founder and Chairman of Burton. “Our goals for Burton are not short-term, but the long-term prosperity of our brands, boardsports and the people involved. Donna and I want to thank our dedicated employees for their contribution to the company’s cause through a temporary pay reduction. The bottom line is that their sacrifice is preventing a far more significant layoff and will allow us to come out of this economic downturn stronger than ever.”
About Burton
In 1977, Jake Burton Carpenter founded Burton Snowboards out of his Vermont barn. Since then, Burton has fueled the growth of snowboarding worldwide through its groundbreaking product lines, its team of top snowboarders and its grassroots efforts to get the sport accepted at resorts. In 1996, Burton began growing its family of brands to include boardsports and apparel brands. Privately held and owned by Jake, Burton’s headquarters are in Burlington, Vermont with offices in California, Austria, Japan and Australia. For more information, visit http://www.burton.com.
So to continue my eco-rant from yesterday and bring things totally off-topic had this exchange in the office the other day. One co-worker (who leads a fairly active outdoors life) walked into the kitchen and saw a Dixie straw sitting on the counter by the coffee maker and went on a mini-rant about people not throwing away their stuff when they are done with it. One of us stated how it was the straw used to mix their coffee and as they are planning to have another cup he put it there to reuse. “It’s just a straw, just grab another one” was the response he got as his straw met the garbage can.
The exchange got me thinking as I try to be conscious of my output and have been using the same red “ghetto pimp cup” here for a few months, just rinse and repeat. I’ve also seen the aftermath of beach cleanup days, and how many cigarette butts (BTW, everytime I see a smoker throw a cigarette out the window I want to punch them in the face. One day I’ll get my opportunity…) make their way to the beach. I’m sure each smoker thinks “it’s just a tiny butt”, but it adds up.
In fact, cigarettes are the most littered item in America and the world. Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate tow, NOT COTTON, and they can take decades to degrade. Not only does cigarette litter ruin even the most picturesque setting, but the toxic residue in cigarette filters is damaging to the environment, and littered butts cause numerous fires every year, some of them fatal.
So, anyways, back to straws, I decided I’d try and figure the volume of straws making their way to the North Pacific gyre if everyone in the world threw one away as the thought of head high, straw infested barrels is unappealing to me. It should be noted that the math > me, and I had to make some unscientific assumptions, so if you see anything amiss point it out.
Coming to an ocean/landfill near you
Straw size: 5.25″ long. I’m assuming that it three straws crushed down will be 1mm (1/254″) in height and width (very unscientific guesstimates, and yes I mixed metric and standard measurements). So that means the volume of three straws (L x W x H) would be 5.25 * 1/254 * 1/254 = .00008138″. The population of the world at 8:35 this morning was estimated at 6,768,982,726. So taking that times the earlier number we get 550,827 cubic inches. Dividing that by 1728 we get 318.8 cubic feet. Yup, that’s a pile of straws a football field long, a football field’s length wide, and a football field’s length deep.
I realize that there are parts of the world not throwing away straws, but I also realize that the package of straws we have in the cupboard comes with 1000 of them in it and it’s not the first package our company of six has used in the past year. Will not throwing away straws save the world? Of course not, but can your finger or a wood stick achieve the same end goal as a non-degrading straw? Yes. As people whose recreational pursuits are dependent on the environment continuing to work in the way we’re familiar with it’s worth considering little things you can do to help out.
/end rant, we now return to our regularly scheduled snow stoke
Brian Pattee at Down the Middle custom splitboards recently got the call from Mr. T. Rice, who was looking to get a few boards split before he headed to Alaska to film with Jeremy Jones and the ‘Deeper‘ crew. The fact that Travis had to call up Brian means that obviously the long rumored Lib OEM split is still at least another year out. This guy does INSANE work (check the middle edges), I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves….
