Porters Sports

Hawai'i Part I

elysesaugstad@gmail.com (Elyse Saugstad) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:33:00 +0000

Standing on Hookipa Beach, a great place for surfing, windsurfing, and kiting

I know that as you view this post you must be thinking this is really odd to see a blog update on something that isn't related to snow or skiing at this time of year, especially by a pro and extra especially because there is some record breaking snowfall happening right now in the Northwest and B.C. However, by the end of this week (when I leave) I will have spent a month on the beautiful island of Maui. Along with Cody, Mike Douglas and his family I have been fortunate to leave the doldrums of fall by tagging along to watch a long anticipated dream project come to fruition. The special project that I am referring to is Mike D and Cody's long aspiration to 'ski big waves'. Of course that meant coming to Hawaii! So lucky me I have found myself in tropical paradise.
It is not exactly a place to come to get ready for winter, because for sure I will be freezing my bum off when I return to Cali (the irony is astounding- returning to Cali being a cold affair!). But I definitely have not treated this trip as a typical vacation where mai tais at the swim up bar are the norm. Instead, I find myself taking advantage of the great weather and warm water to try new sports and get better at the ones I already do. I also got a gym membership at the local fitness center in Haiku. There's no lounging around on this sojourn! But really, Maui has so much to offer laying around seems so boring...

The view from our place in Haiku, not too shabby!

Another view from the area we are staying in

A little relaxation time- this seems to be a fairly normal sight in Hawaii... but we've been so busy playing, however, that I think this is the only picture I have caught of Cody actually doing the typical "beach lounging"

Finally trying out S.U.P.ing. Heaps of fun and a great workout! But this doesn't mean I can't stand the SUPers in Santa Cruz any less

I swear I'm on a wave

Mike Douglas and Cody heading out to SUP-IT-UP

I'm not sure Cody has ever tried to catch a wave this small

A typical view from a beach in Sprecklesville

Watching some of the best windsurfers in the world take advantage of the great conditions at Green Trees at Hookipa

And yes for those of you wondering, I am thinking and dreaming everyday about the skiing to be had on my return- bring on winter!!!

Northstar-at-tahoe set to open!

Zak.Shelhamer@gmail.com (Zak.Shelhamer) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:44:00 +0000

Northstar at Tahoe announced that they will be opening this saturday the 21th with features.. boo yeah get ready to shred!

Photoshoot w/ Me.Glad Brand

Zak.Shelhamer@gmail.com (Zak.Shelhamer) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:26:00 +0000

Me.glad brand is a progressive company that I did some work for a while back, one of these photos ended up running as a full page ad in AllUs mag so I was stoked, but when you buy any product of ME.GLAD, 10% of proceeds go to clothing their orphaned friends. They have a strong passion and love for the youth so when you buy ME.GLAD Brand, you're doing more than buying cloth.... you're changing a childs circumstances, while leaving a legacy. Its another Awesome company that I am really stoked on and everyone needs to support in any way possible. "Liv'n peace & Lov'n life"

Spyder Sales Meeting - Party After

noreply@blogger.com (Errol Kerr) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:53:00 +0000

Here are some great pictures from the party at the end of Spyder’s annual sales meetings. Check them out.

Porterstahoe.com day on the slopes

Zak.Shelhamer@gmail.com (Zak.Shelhamer) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:49:00 +0000

Porters Tahoe Day on the Slopes from Get in the Van on Vimeo.

So some of the warehouse staff/Porters snowboard team decided to hit the slopes on a sunny day in November. Needless to say it was a great time. Featuring Porters team memebers Brandon Cocard, Chris Bosco, Brendon Drury, Zak Shelhamer, and Alex Horgan.

Spyder Sales Meeting in Boulder

noreply@blogger.com (Errol Kerr) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:39:00 +0000

I had a chance to go out to the Spyder sales meeting this Fall and meet the new group of people that are running Spyder, and the new face of Spyder that is coming. Here are some great pictures of the trip. It is really exciting. Look for some new fun.

- Errol

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Get your own

Skydiving

noreply@blogger.com (Miles Honens) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:05:00 +0000

Some would argue that jumping out of a perfectly good plane is absolutely insane. But just a few weeks ago, my dad, sister, cousin, and I, did just that. It was a day that changed my life forever and one that I will never forget.

As we headed out onto the tarmack, my nerves were uncontrollable and the thought of what I was about to do was overwhelming. But with my trusty instructor Ned by my side, I convinced myself that there was nothing to worry about.

This was my first taste of the fresh air at 13,000 ft, and it was the single greatest rush of adrenaline I have ever experienced, and may well be the greatest I will ever experience.

Thumbs up t0 the camera.

Freefalling.

And I'm down safe and sound... Finally!

Super thug cliff jumping

Zak.Shelhamer@gmail.com (Zak.Shelhamer) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Maui 2009 Cliff jumping from Zak Shelhamer on Vimeo.

When I was sleeping in my car all summer I realized what it was like to be a gangster... this video is a behind the scene look at the underground living of a thug, or just a cliff jumping video with a gangster song.

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

noreply@blogger.com (jeremy) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:58:00 +0000

The final leg of my trip to Peru started in the city of Cusco. Located in the mountains southeast of Lima, it is a 24 hour bus ride to get there. 23 hours less and fifty dollars more to fly, our decision was an easy one. StarPeru was offering the cheapest flight and we arrived in Cusco 2 days before our scheduled departure for the Inca Trail. The city of Cusco is the most beautiful city that we visited in the country of Peru. There is a lot of history in this region, Incan ruins surround it, and Cusco itself was once a great Incan city. There are many archaelogical museums and sites to visit, as well as lots of old churches. The streets are old cobbled roads, many of which are for pedestrians only. Other than the ever present hassling by street vendors and pushy local business people I'd say this is my favorite city in Peru. The picture above shows the Plaza de Armas in the city of Cusco.
The Inca Trail is one of the most popular treks in the world. For this reason strict government regulations have been put into effect to try and reduce human impact on this historical treasure. 500 permits a day are issued for people to go on this trek, 200 clients, 50 guides, and 250 porters. During the busy season you need to reserve a spot 6 months in advance. We were going in the slow season and we had to reserve our spots 2 months in advance. All clients must have a guide and camp in designated areas. The porters carry your tent and food, and in many cases they carry all of the clients belongings, making for a very easy journey. The photo above shows one of the campsites, a virtual tent city in the middle of nowhere.
The Inca Trail is the classic route that the Inca's used to travel between agricultural and military outposts to and from the city of Machu Picchu. These days it is one of the biggest draws for tourists to the country of Peru and sees 500 people a day pass over its ancient stonework 10 months of the year. The photo above is an example of the masses of people you might encounter on the trail. At times it felt kind of like walking on the sidewalk in the city. The 33 km. (20 mile) length of the trail was easily completed over the course of 4 days. While that may not sound like a great distance to travel, the majority of the first day was spent getting to the trailhead, and almost the entire last day was spent at Machu Picchu, leaving the bulk of the hiking to the middle 2 days. The trail was very steep at times and consisted mostly of steep rock stairs straight up and over a pass at 13,900 feet and straight back down just as steeply. At one point there were 3,000 consecutive downhill stairs. It was not uncommon to hear some of the other trekkers say that this was the hardest thing they had ever done in their lives.
Throughout the course of the trek the trail passes through many ruins and different ancient Incan agricultural or military sites. These ruins are incredibly impressive, most built on the steep side of a remote Andean mountain, completely out of stone and constructed well enough to withstand the passing of 500 years. When you see these sites in person it is hard to grasp what drove these people to live in this place and build these incredible structures. Then, on the fourth day of the trek you pass through the "sun gate" and see the grand daddy of them all. The ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu is such an impressive sight that every ruin you've seen prior to it seems tiny and insignificant. The photo above is Machu Picchu viewed from the Sun Gate. The steep peak behind the city is called Wayna Picchu, and there are huge rock terraces and lookout buildings built on the top of that too!
After a short hike down from the Sun Gate you arrive here. Possibly photographed more than even Emerald Bay the view from this spot is so amazing that it almost seems fake. Built high upon this ridge the ancient city of Machu Picchu was never discovered by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas back in the early 1500's. Due to its remote location the city wasn't destroyed like most had been, the city looks exactly like it did 500 years ago, minus roofs and Incas. Having arrived at this spot at 8 in the morning we had plenty of time to check out the city. After a 2 hour guided tour we decided to hike up to the top of the Wayna Picchu (the mountain behind the city) and after the incredibly steep scramble up the nearly vertical trail our minds were blown again by the complete insanity of the structures built on the top of the cliffs. It was at precisely this time that our camera battery ran out of juice, oh well.

Finally home after almost a month in Peru. Just enough snow on the ground to ruin the biking, and not nearly enough to go skiing.... I hear Mt. Baker is good right now......

Snowbomb "Ski Wine Brews Boards" Festival & Sale - Santa Clara Convention Center Nov 14-15 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Chappy) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:50:00 +0000

Hey there south bay peeps. Do any of you love Tahoe in the winter? Love to ski or snowboard at one of the fine resorts around our neck of the woods up on the north end of the lake like Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Northstar, Mt Rose, Boreal, etc?

Well then head on over to the Santa Clara Convention Center for Snowbomb.com's Silicon Valley "Wine Ski Brews Boards" Festival and Sale. You'll find over $1 million dollars worth of winter ski and snowboard inventory on sale up to 50% off. You'll also find booths from all the major Tahoe / Eastern and Southern Sierra resorts. And that will only cost you $20 to get in.

But why not enjoy a little wine or beer while you're shopping? Literally. For an extra $20 - so $40 total - today on Saturday you get to sample wine from dozens of wineries....and walk around and shop!! Tomorrow on Sunday it will switch to all beer and there will be upwards of 100 breweries and brew pubs pouring.

So head on over to the convention center, get a ski or snowboard or some boots, bindings, jackets, pants....whatever you need for the upcoming El Nino season!! There's lots of good stuff but it will go fast at these prices and with the amount of people here boozin' and buyin'

Whatever you do....pray for pow!!

The Levitation Project Video

elysesaugstad@gmail.com (Elyse Saugstad) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:34:00 +0000

Here is a video edit of The Levitation Project's ski team... It's awesome and makes me want to ski lines IMMEDIATELY! Come on winter!!!

So Much To Say- Full Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Brendon Drury) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:06:00 +0000

Here is Vaca-Films new movie So Much To Say in Full Length! Don't hesitate to download it for free at vaca-films.com in HD! Hope you all enjoy!

Team Week!

Zak.Shelhamer@gmail.com (Zak.Shelhamer) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:58:00 +0000

Porterstahoe.com team week from Zak Shelhamer on Vimeo.

Join the porterstahoe.com snowboard team adventure from the snow, to the streets, to the sea... world. What better way to get your team riders pumped up for the upcoming season then to treat them to "team week". Team week was filmed on location at boreal mountain, Reno Nv., Tahoe City and Vallejo California. Porterstahoe.com has a progressive team including Andy Finch, Chas Guldemond, Brandon Cocard, Chris Bosco, Zak Shelhamer, Tim Eddy, Alex Horgan and Brendon Drury. These guys love to do activities and push the level of the sport, including Golfing. So if you want to watch the best golfing, snowboarding, roller coastering, sea world and skateboarding edit ever you've come to the right place. Team Week is all about bring a group of riders together that like to have a fun time on and off the slopes, to start the week off they headed up to Boreal mountain to do some preseason snowboarding action watch as Chas goes huge and Brandon gets stunted on the rails, The next day the crew got together for some golf in Tahoe city. The links was full of fun and action as Zak falls on his face and Tim shoots a solid 36, After an epic day of golf and some good sleep the team headed down to Reno to do some skateboarding at the Mira Loma skate park joined by friends Dcon and Donkey the footage is filled with progressive tricks and fun team snake runs. What better way to sum up team weak then to head down to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom down in Vallejo and celebrate the birthday of team riders Alex Horgan and Tim Eddy, they captured some great POV action of Shamoo and crazy roller coaster rides with their gopro camera. Get ready for some adventure!

we hope you like it

<3 http://porterstahoe.com

Toast to Tahoe Skiing

noreply@blogger.com (Timy) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:29:00 +0000

: Timy Dutton does a little turn on the catwalk at the 2nd Annual A Toast to Tahoe Skiiing event held at the Resort at Squaw Creek (credit: Sierra Sun)

Check out this Sierra Sun official photo of Unofficial's own Tim Dutton as he "wows the crowd" at the second annual A Toast to Tahoe Skiiing, a benefit dinner for The Squaw Valley Institute held to kick off this years winter season. More than 300 people attended the event Saturday night.

Held at The Resort at Squaw Creek, the event brought together entertainment and great speakers, gourmet food, some Tahoe history, an auction, and a showing of some Lake Tahoe segments from Warren Miller's new film, “Dynasty.”

Blasters, Ingrid Backstrom & Timy Dutton where amongst the elite group of athletes including Mike Wilson, Tamara McKinney, Cory Carlson, Kent Krietler, and Errol Kerr. To top off the show, locals Debie Dutton, Hansi Standteinr, Nancy Cushing, Savanna Cowley, Dax Willard, and many others strutted their stuff down the runway showing off this years gear from local shops. It was an awesome night full of love for the sport of skiing.

More details about the night can be found at the Sierra Sun.

Bella the Bitch......RIP

noreply@blogger.com (Chappy) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:20:00 +0000

It's been a sad last 24 hours here at Porters. We're a family in sooooo many ways – figuratively, literally, passionately, emotionally, etc – and we just lost one of our dear members.

You might raise an eyebrow and chuckle when I say it was a 15 pound, runt-of-the-litter pug named Bella, but I tell you that little dog meant a lot to a lot of people around here...including yours truly.

Bella the Bitch's First Steps with Booties On from Chappy on Vimeo.

Bella Gets that Back Bootie Off from Chappy on Vimeo.

I got so attached to that little thing I have to admit that that I've used this cutest and most hilarious photo of Bella as my online avatar / persona for several years now. Ultimately, though, Bella belonged to my mom...and my mom is even more devastated than I am.

But the story of Bella goes back even before my mom.

Rewind to Curt Fry – aka Big C – who is an icon in our surf / snow / skate industry and the current sales manager for Von Zipper. Here's an awesome photo for those in the know of (from left to right) the Heckler, Johan Malkowski, and Big C at Johan's now infamous 40th Birthday Bash at Java Sushi in Truckee.

Well Big C was a longtime Northern California sales rep in the 90's and the first part of this decade. Big C had had a pug prior to Bella so he knew what he was getting into, but from the start there were issues with Bella. Besides being the runt, she also had hip and respiratory issues. A few years into Bella’s life with the Fry household, Big C went through a divorce. The ex couldn’t take her into her new living arrangements, so Big C had to leave her for stretches at his house and have people check on her or just take her on the sales rep road. Here's a pic of Bella in her younger years.

Well in January of 2004 Big C came up to Tahoe to do a quick loop before heading down to the Action Sports Retailer (ASR) convention in San Diego and then straight into the SnowSports Industries America’s (SIA) trade show in then Las Vegas. He was staying at my house as usual back then when he still made loops through the area, and we also were going to hit up our local Java Sushi for some fish and sakebombs. At first we thought we'd just leave Bella inside my house while my two big malamutes kicked it out on the deck, but then Big C said that from time to time when he left her alone that she'd get "mad" with him and pee on the rug and take a dump on his pillow.

So we called up my mom and asked if she'd watch Bella for the evening while two bachelors went and had fun. The fun carried on well into the night so we called and asked if she could keep her all night. The following morning Big C was a real trooper getting up hung-over to go see some accounts in Reno, and the pug-setting favor continued. Later that day Big C asked me if my mom wouldn't mind watching her for the next couple of weeks while he was on the road and at two trade shows....

And yep you might've guessed it by now, but that puglet never left Tahoe again :)

Bella was a stubborn bitch at times. She would sneeze and blow snot bubbles at you. She snored like a lumberjack. But she had the most spunk and personality you could ever want out of a lap dog. I grew up with "big" dogs – German Shepherds, Labs, Goldens, etc – and always used to laugh at little runts like Bella.

Chase and Bella Playing Nice with a Bone from Chappy on Vimeo.

Bella Jealous of Mocha's Long Legs in the Snow from Chappy on Vimeo.

That dog more than just changed my opinion – it melted my heart and leaves me now with a broken one. At the same time, though, I really can only put on a big smile with tears rolling down my face and chuckle at some of the photos and video that I dug up of her over the years.

Rest in peace there Bella...we’ll all truly miss you

Finch Appears Today on Fuel TV

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Asistin) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:04:00 +0000

Airing Wednesday, November 11 at 9:00 pm Eastern Time (6:00 pm Pacific Time) and telecast three additional times, Andy Finch and musical guest The Antlers will appear on “The Daily Habit.”
Today, the winner of the Big World Heli Challenge, halfpipe aerialist Andy Finch is back on The Habit. Plus, actor and original Lost Boy and Goonie Corey Feldman drops in to tell us about his Halloween project, Splatter. Also, musical guest, The Antlers, perform on The Habit sound stage.

Andy Finch’s sponsors include: Giro, Rip Curl, Palmer, Monster, Go211.com, Northstar, and PortersTahoe.com

JT climbing El Cap

noreply@blogger.com (unclepotatohead) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:58:00 +0000

Finally, I am back in the Yosemite Valley to finish the mission that I set out for this May. I will be climbing "the Nose", El Cap's most classic popular route. I will be following my Bulgarian friend Ivo Ninov, he knows what he is doing. So do my friends Bjarte Bo and Eiliv Ruud. They are visiting from Norway with Tom Erik Heimen who, like me is a rookie. This makes our team a team of 5. Looking forward to some vertical camping with good friends.

Yesterday, we fixed the first mini pitch and hauled one haul bag of gear up there. Today we will continue that process, so that once we get a good weather window, we can charge up the mountains with the first 4 pitches fixed (ropes set up for us to easily ascend). It takes some time to organize all the gear and food and everything for these climbing operations. Fascinating stuff.

Something for the Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Timy) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:12:00 +0000

SKIing and snowboarding for Disabled and underprivileged Children and older Kids

SkiDUCK is a national organization dedicated to enriching the lives of disabled and underprivileged children by sharing the joys of skiing and snowboarding.

We are committed to partnering with local organizations with similar goals of serving disabled or underprivileged children. In areas where similar programs exist, we’re not looking to reinvent the wing. Rather, we seek to assist other organizations fulfill their goals by providing additional funding, coordinating with other providers, and sharing best-practices.

If you are interested in making a donation to the organization or want to see if skiduck is available in your area visit skiduck.org

My 2010 Salomon Ski Review

elysesaugstad@gmail.com (Elyse Saugstad) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:59:00 +0000

A huge perk of being a professional skier is the amount of gear we will receive from our sponsors. Salomon is no exception and in fact are one of the better companies in making sure their athletes have exactly what they need. Thus, I basically have the entire Salomon Freeski line in my garage with a whole range of skis to select from. So what do I choose? This is the question that I would like to discuss and give my personal review of what I ride and why.

Basically I ride the Geisha 75% of the time, the Czar 22% and the Lady or Mai Tai the other 3%. Here is my explanation as to why...

The GEISHA
dimensions: 128-99-118 mm
lengths: 164, 173 cm
300 mm of rocker in tip
Full woodcore with a layer of bamboo
Basalt dampening system

The Geisha is the twin sister ski to the men's Shogun. The skis are exactly the same except for the graphics. This ski is a replacement of the Gun and Scarlet, a ski I would ride a lot, but with much needed improvements (like a switch to a full woodcore instead of a foam core). I ski on the 182 length, which isn't going to production due to the lack of interest by the buyers, but if you're a charging female that wants a longer ski just opt for the Shogun. If you can't find the Geisha in your size, get the Shogun because you don't want to miss out on this ski.

This is the ski I choose to ride about 75% of the time. The reason I prefer this ski the most is it is the most all-around ski in my quiver. The ski is playful from the bamboo giving it a pop-like response yet it's still stiff enough due to it's full woodcore, I know this sounds like an advertisement but both of these components of construction really make a difference. I find that the Geisha rallies really well off the groomers (off piste)- in powder, crud, ice, whatever- and totally rips on groomers/hard pack just as well.

When I compete on the Freeride World Tour I never veer away from this ski. This is due to the fact that if I was to hit an icy or more hard pack section in my run, I am more confident that these skis will hold.

When I film I choose the Geisha the majority of the time because I can stomp cliffs better than on the Czars. Due to me being lighter in weight I have a hard time sinking the Czars thus being more prone to either wheeling-out or back-slapping, neither of which I want to do. The unfortunate side to choosing the Geisha over the Czar, however, is the potential to really butter turns or float quite the same way you can on the Czar or other reverse camber skis. The Geisha has a little bit of reverse camber in the front of the ski, which makes it better for powder than the traditional camber ski, but it's not the ski I choose for the ultimate deep powder day. That ski would be the Czar...

The CZAR
dimensions: 131-111-121 mm
lengths: 166, 174, 182, 190 cm
670 mm of rocker in tip
Full woodcore

I believe the Czar is an approachable reverse camber ski that just about anyone can have fun on. I admit, the first run I ever took on these skis a few years ago I wasn't that excited, but then I adjusted to the ski and found them opening up a side of skiing I wasn't accustomed to, the reverse camber. The reason this ski works for all skiing abilities is the fact that there is only reverse camber in the front half of the ski, thus allowing the ski to be able to handle hard pack, groomers and crud much better than a full reverse camber ski. I'm not fond of feeling like a gaper when I hit groomers or a funky patch of snow that was affected by the sun in the backcountry, so I particularly like the reverse-camber-only-in-the-tip feature because it makes the ski more versatile. Another factor of versatility that I have found is the dimensions of the ski, it's not ginormous underfoot so I'm able to manage the ski, not let the ski control me.

I also find this ski to be very playful. It's a ski that is really easy to maneuver. The Czar took my potential to throw my ski sideways and butter a turn to a level I had never experienced before, so much fun! The skis seem to have a lot of pop to them as well. I feel like I can bounce and catch air off of anything.

I ski the Czar on different lengths, depending on the circumstances. I generally ride the 174, but when I get lucky and head up to Alaska to ski bigger lines I ski on the 182. I feel that since I am smaller in size the 182 Czars are like my version of the big daddy Rockers.

The LADY:
dimensions: 128-86-114 mm
lengths: 153, 161, 169 cm
210 mm of rocker in tip
Full woodcore

The Lady skis are great all-around skis, but I don't ski on them very much because I prefer the beefier Geisha. The Lady skis feel lighter and less stiff than the Geishas and thus turn easier. I think this is a good ski if someone chooses to ski groomers a lot more than off-piste. They do not handle speed and crud like the Geishas do, but I expect the female that would like these skis better does not prefer to ever ski the crud or be the fastest person on the groomers. The times I choose to ride this ski is when it's a softer spring day and I plan to go in the park to hit the pipe or jumps. This ski is a little stiffer than a park & pipe ski due to its full woodcore, and thus a more all-around ski than a park specific ski.

TC Preview

nickyb5323@hotmail.com (Nicky B son, aka Turka Lurk) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:25:00 +0000

So heres a little preview of what to come from the Traveling Circus stop in Tahoe. I didn't want to give too much away so this is really short preview. To see pictures Rom took click the Title or the link below. Rom nice shots and thanks for the photos.

FYI: The Traveling Circus loves Porters.

TC Preview from Boreal from Nick Baron on Vimeo.

SF "Wine Ski Beer Brew" Festival & Sale - Day 1 Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Chappy) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:09:00 +0000

If you're within a couple hour radius of Fort Mason in San Francisco reading this with your feet kicked up, fresh coffee to your side, straight maxin' and relaxin' on a Sunday morning.....well my strong recommendation would be to get out of lounge mode and into shopping mode.

That's because yesterday, Saturday, here at Snowbomb's "Wine Ski Beer Brew" Festival & Sale was hopping busy with lots and lots of people walking out with new skis, snowboards, bindings, boots, jackets, pants, goggles, gloves, and everything else snow related. They also seemed to have a a pretty good smile on their faces - especially by about 6pm - after a full day of sampling from a lot of local Napa and Sonoma wineries.

That was the "wine" portion of the weekend, and well today is the "brew" half. So here's how this works. $20 gets you into the event with the mega sale and the killer deals and most all the California resorts with their booths and "show special" ticket and pass deals. For another $20 you then get a beer glass and access to all of today's awesome breweries and micro and craft beer proprietors.

So let me recap. Fort Mason, San Francisco across from the infamous Marina Safeway. Snowbomb "Ski Wine Brew Board" Festival. PortersTahoe.com's $1 Million sale. And all the beer you want. $20 + $20 gets you here.

Maybe you'll get to see Chappy....or maybe another Tahoe legend athlete like Daron Rahlves - our good friend and most decorated skier in US history.

:)

Traveling Circus Episode 2

nickyb5323@hotmail.com (Nicky B son, aka Turka Lurk) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:03:00 +0000

LINE Traveling Circus Episode 2 - No Snow? No Problem from Line Skis on Vimeo.

Snowbomb SF "Ski Wine Beer Brew" Festival and Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Chappy) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:11:00 +0000

If you're anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend, November 7th and 8th, swing on by Fort Mason across from the infamous Safeway in the Marina. Our friends over at Snowbomb.com have put together an awesome follow up to last's years inaugural "Ski, Wine, Board, Brew" Festival & Sale. It's a pretty cool concept as wineries and breweries have booth displays right along side all the Lake Tahoe and Mammoth resorts....and us....PortersTahoe!

For the $20 price of admission you get:

* Mammoth 2 for 1 Lift Tickets
* Free Dodge Ridge or Bear Valley Lift Ticket
* Free burrito at Wahoo's
* Free year's subscription to either Freeskier or Snowboarder magazines
* Access to our $1 Million worth's of last year's ski and snowboard equipment and clothing all at 40% to 75% off!!

And for another $20???

* You get a glass and all the wine or beer you can taste test :)

So as Cal Worthington used to say, "C'mon down!!" We've got tons of snowboards, skis, boots, bindings, clothing, and accessories for you to choose from...and you can get sloshed while doing it!!

Event goes from 11am to 8pm today on Saturday, November 7th, and from 11am to 6pm tomorrow on Sunday. Enjoy the little photo montage of the journey of some of the very same Burton Snowboards gear and clothing that you might be buying from us at this sale!!

:)

Off to the beach in Peru

noreply@blogger.com (jeremy) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:35:00 +0000

After a week in Huaraz and our trek through the Cordillera Blanca we took a night bus to the city of Trujillo and cruised ov er to the neighboring beach town of Huanchaco. Huanchaco is a small fishing vilage that has become popular recently with tourists. It boasts plenty of easy surf, and local fishermen who still use "caballitos" which are reed boats that they ride out to their nets. They say that they invented surfing on them too.... I´d attach some photos, but the computer that I´m currently using doesn´t even have USB ports, so maybe later. In any event, I tried to surf, they key word being "try", since I´ve tried to surf about 7 days my entire life I´m not all that great at it as you might imagine.
We hung outin Huanchaco for about three days and lounged on the beach, caught the sunsets, and tried not to let anyone steal our stuff. It seems like almost everyone wants a piece of tourists in this country... We visited some cool ruins called the Huacas del sol y de la Luna. Part of the history of the Moche culture which goes back more than 2000 years. Some of their buildings are still standing, and excavation has revealed original paint and intricate artwork. Pretty cool.

From Huanchaco we headed north almost to the Ecuadorian border to a town called Mancora. A nice hippy beach town with a small point break that is crowded, but great for beginners. It was also Peru´s Kite boarding capital, and it was cool to see tons of people out there throwing down. I´d like to take the time to learn how, maybe with some of those cool waterskis that Cody got to use on those big waves...
After a day in Mancora it hit me, what´s a trip to a third world country without a crushing intestinal virus? I wouldn´t know because I got hit with some of the worst stomach problems I´ve ever had, including a sweet fever that lasted for three days. I was stoked. I couldn´t do anything but tear up the bathroom and pop advil like candy to get rid of the body ache that I had.

Unfortunately I didn´t get to enjoy Mancora as much as I would have liked, but it is a cool town and worth visiting especially if you are into kite surfing. We loaded up and headed south on a bus to Lima, and caught a flight to Cusco. The bus ride to Cusco is 24 hours, the flight is 1 hour....worth the extra 50 bucks for sure. Cusco is the starting point for treks to MachuPicchu, one of the 7 wonders of the world. Probably the most beautiful town we´ve been to by far, too bad everyone here wants to sell you something, everyone...

Today we´re going white water rafting. Apparently the water levels are low since it is the end of the dry season. Should be fun anyway... Tomorow is the start of out four day trek on the Onca Trail which ends in MachuPicchu. I´m excited to get back in the woods and away from pushy vendors that is for sure. Hopefully there will be a computer that I can use to upload photos.

All for now.

Jeremy

Ski Cross starts in Glenshire

noreply@blogger.com (Errol Kerr) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:43:00 +0000