Headed Out

I’ll be flying out to Denver this afternoon for SIA trade show, then heading up to Aspen to check out the clusterfuck known as X-Games. For those of you unfamiliar with SIA it is the largest, longest running winter sport tradeshow. It was moved to Denver 3 years ago after a nice long run in Las Vegas(the good ol days). It’s not that Denver isn’t fun but when the snow sport industries gather together, it’s much more fun if there’s no snow in the immediate area(reminds people they’re there to work not party, no bueno.) So I’ll be roaming the Denver Convention Center all day tomorrow finding the best of next years snowboard gear, heckling uptight ski company exhibitors and hopefully scoring lots of free stuff I can give out to you, my loyal readers. Friday morning it’ll be time to head up to Aspen to join the circus. Like so many of my fellow winter-sports enthusiasts, I have a love hate relationship with X-Games. I love that it elevates the exposure of our sports. I love that it puts more money in my friends’ pockets for their tireless year round preparation to impress on a big stage. I love the parties. What I hate is the general attitude at X-Games and the insane people it somehow attracts. It’s like instead of water people in Aspen have been drinking a mix of Monster Energy and speed(I’m convinced crack not speed is the active ingredient in Monster). I will go no further in hating on X-Games, I think the photos I take this weekend will do the talking. Despite the extremely high kook factor, X-Games was incredibly fun last year and I’m looking forward to covering it as a self proclaimed gonzo-journalist this year. I’m envisioning something similar to my coverage of Outside Lands summer before last. In addition to the article coming next week I’ll be updating my Instagram and Twitter feeds regularly so if you’re not following those, better get on it. Hope you’ll all enjoy what I’ve got in store for you.

Cheers,

Andrew.

Annnnd We’re Back

Been on a little bit of an internet hiatus this pack week due to the excessive amount of good times had in Denver and Aspen. Highlights of the trip included Burton’s 2nd annual party at Diamond Dolls Caberet(can’t post the photos), firing handguns from my friends hot tub(forgot to take photos), Johnny’s Sandwiches(best in Aspen), arguing with a crusty local who wouldn’t let a bar manager put on the Celtics/Lakers game because snowmobile supercross was on(entertaining), the most excessive sushi bill for two people ever(at least in my experience), my buds Scotty and Louie getting 2nd in superpipe(some guy named Steve White won), Alex Schlopy decimating the field in his rookie debut in ski big air to claim gold(kid is on fire) and of course DJ Z-Trip at Belly Up(thanks Louie). I will tell you what I told my buddy JR, the last time I went to X-Games in Aspen I was 18, drove from Gunnison at 9 at night in a blizzard, watched the Roots perform and ended up sleeping in my friend’s Cherokee(not Grand, just Cherokee) with 3 other people. So this trip was a serious upgrade to say the least. My perspective on Aspen has gone from the worst place ever, to one of the most fun places ever. I look forward to going back in the summer when the town will be free of all the Monster Energy schwilling, Brian Deegan truck driving, Affliction wearing doucher’s that come with the X-Games scene. See ya next year Aspen.

This about sums it up.

Beach Day/X-Games

T-Bone Tyler Emond is in town so blogging is taking a backseat to real world experiences. Beach and X-Games is the program for the weekend. If you’re in LA get with the fucking program! I’ll be Twittering pictures of anything funny I see at X-Games which will probably be everything seeing as it’s pretty much Bro central.