Snowboarding In Europe: Chamonix Vs. Dolomites

Written by ski on June 25, 2009 – 8:57 pm -

“Snowboarding in Europe” is pretty much synonymous with “blue skies and great snow”; the only difficult part about planning a trip to the European slopes is deciding where to go.  There are many factors to take into consideration when making this decision, including whether to hire a car or book a transfer; is the resort family friendly; nightlife/après ski; self-catered or catered and much more.  Hopefully by the time you’ve narrowed down the mitigating factors you’ll be left with few resorts from which to choose.

Here’s a quick comparison of two of my holidays:

Chamonix:                                                     
9 people                                                        
Hired a van                                                     
Self-catering chalet                                        
Less than one hour from Geneva airport

Arabba, Dolomites:
4 people
Airport transfer (coach)
Self-catering condo
3+ hours from airport

The biggest downside for me in regard to Chamonix is that the mountains are not interconnected.  Each day we would decide which area we wanted to ride, which wasn’t easy with nine people of varying levels, and then we would pack up the van and head to the chosen peak. 

I suppose we made our own error in getting one vehicle for nine people because everyone was on a different schedule.  Some people wanted to be on the hill for first chair, while others were having croissants and coffee at 10am and still hadn’t made it to the slopes yet.

This leads me to the second downside of Chamonix which is that there doesn’t appear to be much slope-side lodging.  I saw very little evidence of ski-in, ski-out accessibility.  The cost of slope-side accommodations likely would not have been in our budget; however this would have solved the issue of at least getting a first run in while everyone else was still wiping sleep from their eyes.  To resolve this, a couple of us got very familiar with the bus system.

On the plus side, Chamonix is a lovely village with plenty of activities for all ages.  After riding for six days in a row my husband and I were looking for a break from the hill.  We filled our day with a fun fondue lunch at Le Monchu followed by a couple hours at the Chamonix Sud bowling alley and game arcade.  Next we decided to walk back to our lodge along a footpath that went through the woods and past some lovely scenery.  We even got to greet some horses and their owners along the way all the while snapping photos of our great day.  For après ski, there is the fantastic Micro Brasserie where you can stop in for a pitcher of beer and some light nibbles or stuff yourself on nachos like I did, YUM!  We also enjoyed a great Italian meal at Casa Valerio on our last night – delizioso!

In contrast, we didn’t have a car in Arabba because our lodging was slope side.  Each morning we would simply walk across the street, strap on our boards and ride down to the lift to begin the day.  In the Dolomites, the skiing and riding is seemingly endless as so many peaks and villages are all interconnected.  Each day we would take one chairlift after another with our eyes constantly on the lookout for good-looking runs or fresh powder.  In fact, we never really paid much attention to where we were until the late afternoon when we would have to make our way back to the condo.  Every village has cute restaurants and pubs and there is also plenty of slope side dining.  Don’t forget to partake in the daily afternoon tradition of gluhwein or mulled wine.

There are two grocery stores in the small village of Arabba.  We did a shop upon arrival and cooked for ourselves most nights.  There were two nights that we went out dinner; one night we went out for a gorgeous Italian meal and the second was for fantastic mixed grill platters.  Both restaurants were walking distance from our condo, albeit downhill, so we had a nice little workout walking uphill after dinner which helped settle our food.

There are a couple pubs in Arabba, one of which we visited and had some tasty pizzas.  All in all however, there is very little happening in this sleepy village and we spent most nights playing cards or watching a movie on the laptop, which isn’t a bad thing after a full day on the hill.

Ideally, I’d like a combination of these two ski area, with the most important aspect being able to get to multiple peaks or areas without having to get off your board.  A little night life is good for the post-hill pitcher of beer and nibbles before heading back to the lodge for a shower and to prepare for dinner.  Also, any town with a bowling alley is all right by me.  In the end, I’m glad to have visited both places and that we had lots of snow and great riding each time, which really is what matters most.

Once you\’ve got your trip booked, don\’t forget a short term loan from Wonga to help with the cost of those pricey lift tickets.

See you on the slopes!


Tags: , , ,
Posted in Ski Stuff | No Comments »

Adventure Travel Destinations

Written by ski on June 25, 2009 – 12:00 pm -

People seeking adventure while traveling will find Canada as the perfect place for action. Canada’s geographic location offers a wide variety of choices for every type of adventure. The snow during winter offers a venue for skiing, snow boarding and snow trekking. It is a place of great lakes and thousands of smaller lakes and rivers which are perfect for recreational fishing, kayaking, canoeing, para-sailing and wake-boarding. Canada’s rich wildlife is suitable for nature tripping while its long and rugged mountain ranges are perfect for trekking, bungee jumping, zip-lining, all terrain tours and even gondola rides.

South America also offers irresistible venues for those who are interested in wildlife adventure. Discovering the thrills in the Patagonia region across Argentina offers a sight that keeps the visitors from wanting to leave. If you are interested in history, you can learn about the Incas, once a glorious civilization whose relics are atop Andes mountains. You can find them by including Peru in your destination list. Amaze and thrill yourself to the richness of wildlife in the great rivers of Amazon by experiencing the adrenaline rush whenever you see huge anacondas and fatally poisonous snakes.

Another place known as the haven for adventure seekers is Africa. Its wildlife forest and the desert is a perfect place for those who love exciting encounters. The Sahara travel adventure is a perfect alternative if you are not fond of the snow. Here you can enjoy African wildlife with elephant and gorilla trekking excursions in the north and southern part of the desert. What more could be exciting than sleeping in a tent together with the untamed creatures of the wilds?

Moving in the east region, you can find the irresistible beaches of Hawaii, the Boracay Island in the Philippines, Bali in Indonesia, Phuket in Thailand and a lot more of perfect places for water travel adventure. The great waves of Hawaii are just what the surfers would love to see. Appreciate the diversity of the seas in Bali with deep water diving and snorkeling. Who has not heard of Boracay Island in the Philippines? Its pearly white sand has lured millions of tourist from all over the world. An enough invitation for you to come as well. Whenever you choose to go for an adventure in the pacific you can always expect a wide range of thrill and fun from sailing, diving, underground water adventure and keep in mind that a lot of things are yet to be discovered.

Discover other exciting destinations by visiting http://www.best-family-beach-vacations.com/top-family-destinations.html


Tags: , ,
Posted in Snow Boarding | No Comments »

dagmar boys – The Cases

Written by ski on June 25, 2009 – 8:08 am -


The Bros battle it out ski-boarding Style


Tags: , ,
Posted in Ski Boarding | No Comments »

BASE jumper/Inventor/Pilot Calvin19 and Annibal: A Family Affair

Written by ski on June 21, 2009 – 8:43 am -

Bill Waterson’s Calvin and Hobbes comic strip was introduce to the public in 1985, a year prior Matthew “Calvin” Hecker made his debut on this planet. Now a strong argument can be made that Calvin19, as he is known on the forum, was mistakenly left here by the Mothership and they will be returning soon to claim him. Adding to this argument are fellow BASE jumpers commenting, “That dude does some crazy shit”; a statement that lures you into thinking “this is someone that I have to meet.”

“Live your life for yourself and not based on popular opinion. Individuals can’t be categorized, they are far too diverse to label. Be not an adventurer, daredevil, or sportsman, be an explorer of all things in life”. Calvin is an explorer of life, embracing every moment of every day with every fiber of his being. He will go ten rounds with despair, he aches with desire, and he is filled with passion to swallow life whole before the universe renders him to ash.

When he isn’t doing, creating or directing an adventure, he is capturing it on film. Thousands upon thousands of photographs freezing his friends and family in the moment within a moment of time- preserved to rekindle the flames of imagination. Boulder, Colorado has provided the scenery for his life, this work of art he is living and breathing. “I love this town, young open minded college women, glorious mountains in my backyard, huge towers, 2000 foot high cliffs, rivers, my family and friends”, he exclaims.

This type of living in the moment is reflected in his jump philosophy as well, “everything you do can only be new to you once. My life is a series of moments. I have a soundtrack. Every time I fly I try to live up to that beautiful music in my head and make the visuals worth the time it took my imagination to compose the ideas. You could compare it to movies; I never was a good judge of movies because I could not see the whole thing in its final value. I kept getting lost in every single moment, every feeling that could be taken from the beauty of the visual and audible sensations. Flying does this for me, I can produce the feelings before I feel them, and I have to follow it in flight. Seeing the line in an airplane or a wingsuit and then riding hard for that hole in the sky.”

“I live the way I do, with flight, and risk, and dreams, and reality, just so that maybe I can live up to the musical score in my head. I cannot write music, or paint landscapes, but I can fly. I can move my body with foils as my tools to make the most amazing feelings and transfer these epic visions of grandeur and adventure to whoever may be watching.”

These moments of time weigh heavily on Calvin’s mind. Lost time steals opportunities to scratch off goals fulfilled on his long list. Oh, yes there is a list titled “Things to Do Before I Die” and reads as such:

1-Break “the” record. (Classified Information) 2-Build a Powered Aircraft 3-Build a Submarine. 4-Sail south, far away.

A rather ambitious list of goals for anyone, then again, Calvin isn’t just anyone, as proven by his list of activities: Wingsuit pilot, Rope Flying and Jumping, Sewing, BASE jumping, Skiing and Ski Flying, Rigging, Sailing, Rafting, Mountaineering, Speed Flying, U.E., Photography, Travel, Aviation, Granite Surfing, Aerobatics, Paragliding, Hang Gliding, H.A.B. crewing/jumping, Kites, Editing, Cinematography, Scuba Diving, ZAGI racing, Slack Lining, and Red Shifting.

He is currently working on his degree in “Flying Stuff” at Utah Valley University via online courses, allowing him to accelerate the process. He was sail plane flying at 13, hang gliding at 16 and earned his FAA pilot’s license at the age of 18. Only to end up currently grounded due to an accident and consequent refusal of the FAA to clear his medical for another 3 years. Calvin sums the situation as an “epic fail” on the FAA’s part and it doesn’t stop him from “bitching” about it in public.

That being said, he has reconciled that the most boneheaded thing he ever did was “fly a paraglide into a rotor leaving me in a coma with a ¾ of million dollars worth a hospital stay, a painful walk and 6 months of my life unaccounted for.” This in turned allowed the FAA to ground him for the time being due to medical. Although those 6 months can be tallied as time spent in a coma, it was wasted time for a man who has places to go, things to do, people to meet. He has little patience for “lost time”.

Like Calvin, of Calvin and Hobbes fame creating the “transmogrifier”, this Calvin has intentions on being an innovator in all that he undertakes. Having no plans to ever retire from doing the things he feels most passionate about in life. “Flying is part of my life”, he states, “The most important thing you have to understand about me is I do not consider BASE jumping separate from my other activities. I fly using aerodynamic foils in so many ways there is no way for me to separate BASE jumping. I use BASE equipment for a multitude of things besides BASE jumping, as well as a multitude of things that are not BASE equipment for BASE jumping. My goal is to innovate; my fear is that I will never help anything from all that I do.”

Calvin lists Damian Doucette, Chris Pope, Jesse Hall, Shane McConkey, JT Holmes, Miles Daisher, Nicholas Kaminski, Max Kuszaj, Kenyon Salo, Mike Steen, Blake, and Brendon as the jumpers he admires. He prepares himself mentally for a jump by, “thinking mostly about what I am about to do and what I am going to do if something goes against what I have planned. Mostly this is just doing a final quick gear check, but the entire climb, hike, or ride beforehand I search for whatever information is available to me. Mostly I am looking for wind and air characteristics. People need to understand that the beauty of BASE jumping and sports similar to it, there is no way to adequately prepare for every jump. Every time you leave an object the conditions are different. My final thoughts are of what I want to accomplish on the jump.” As for the biggest mistakes he believes new jumpers make, “becoming over confident and being ignorant, but this is one of the hopeless things about BASE jumping.”

I pushed him further to explain why he considers BASE jumping to be “hopeless”. “In saying its Hopeless; don’t think that I mean don’t pay attention. I mean that there is no way to please everyone, there is so many different viewpoints it will be impossible to make everyone happy. The important thing to remember is that there are always things to learn, no matter what. Even if what you are learning is how not to act, or what not to do. Thinking about things is a very important part, but you need to get outside perspectives from experienced jumpers to couple with your own thinking.”

Calvin began skydiving in order to get into BASE jumping. He fell in love with all kinds of free falling and flying, but hates the dropzones and skydiver clique’s and clichés At age 19, he was BASE jumping and earned his BASE number in 5 jumps. He was attracted to BASE jumping at the age of 13 years old while watching television with his friend Alex Gilmer. He recounts the day they both discovered BASE, “it was a regular jump from Tombstone, “3…2…1…exit!” Only a 2 second delay, slider down. I remember watching the replay over and over. I looked at Alex and said, “I am going to do that”. We both did not more than 8 years later.”

In talking with Adam Foster, a longtime friend and fellow jumper of Calvin’s, he recounted this story as one of his most memorable “Heckerisms”.

It was Christmas Eve (’04 I think). There was a little bit of a tailwind and I told Matt that it was his decision (as conditions weren’t great, but not horrible either). I was going to PCA him and freefall after. We got everything ready and I set Matt up for his PCA, he exited and opened fine. Upon landing he flared, hit the ground, and did a wonderful PLF followed by his canopy covering him (we were landing downwind). At this time all I could think was, “I think it might be a little too windy for a downwind landing”. I couldn’t morally send Matt off on his first building jump and not follow after watching his less than optimal landing, so I jumped and crashed just the same. All in all it was an awesome night and an eventful one for Matt, as he obtained his BASE number that. Oh, did I mention it was his fifth BASE jump? Matt is probably one of the more amazing people I have ever met. With all he has been through he has still become one of the more talented BASE jumpers (among other things) I am friends with. I could also elaborate on the time he did his first cliff gainer off of the sketchiest cliff I have ever jumped.

Calvin enjoys the “therapy” of a solo jump, sometimes giving him hours of preparation time allowing him to think about what he is doing without interruptions. However, he is more “satisfied” and in a “better” mood when he partakes in a group jump sharing the experience with others. The jump that stands out in his mind, “my illegal big wall jump with my best friend Jesse Hall, the magic of epic relative motion and the sound of vast. Jesse is pretty much the coolest dude out there, Pro Skier, the most naturally skilled BASE jumper I have ever seen. He brought me to the big illegal wall when I had just turned 20.”

His describes his favorite jump object in this manner: “She is sexy, tall with the perfect dark complexion, very wet at the bottom and perfect in size.” Before you go accusing him of taking up writing erotica, take note of what a romantic he is about flight, “the hopeless feeling of leaving an exit point, followed by the hope filled sensation of aerodynamic control in freefall as speed is reached, the fear is replaced by the feeling of control. BASE to me is a challenge; a therapy in an exercise of emotions, reactions and achieving “awe”. How many people get ‘awe’ more than twice a year on vacation? Not many. I get it every day almost.” That sexy, tall, perfectly sized object is “the illegal big wall in Colorado” that he spoke of earlier.

What does a man who loves flying; adventure and exploring the possibilities take time to stop and watch outside his realm of activities? “I enjoy viewing The Red Bull Air races a lot. I do not have the money or skill to participate. These pilots are the best of the best flying the best of the best. There is no argument.” As for the Red Bull Air Force which some consider a detriment to BASE, he boldly made clear in his opinion, “there is nothing wrong with the actions of the Red Bull Air Force. They are all my heroes. They do amazing things and I wish I was a part of their team. They are athletes that have promoted themselves, their skills and are able to have someone else to pay the bill for the things they love to do. I consider them innovators and explorers.”

“Shane, the Red Bull team and the other amazing athletes out there, are pushing the envelope, they watch it bend every time they fly. After reading posts by Shane and JT, (their blogs) I think they enjoy life, jumping and being in amazing places just as old school jumpers did being bandit jumpers back in the day. Miles and Shane explore places that have never been jumped and opened them for all of us to see and follow. They enjoy and take in everything about the place and people when they jump.”

“The (Anti-Red Bull oldies) always say ‘we are jumping on the shoulders of giants’, referring to the people who started the sport. These days, when I jump with Jesse Hall, when I ski-BASE, I am jumping alongside these modern era giants. These guys are the giants of today, pushing the envelope farther and faster.”

“Shane is a hero of mine. Shane is a Giant. Period.”

For Calvin “jumping” is how he grew up. It didn’t teach him about death, but made him think about it a lot. “It made my mind wander to things that I am afraid of, but not ignorant of. Base jumping ‘redlined’ every emotion a human can have for me.” Growing up jumping has added an interesting dynamic to his responsibilities and relationships with his family. In particular his sisters, whom he constantly jib jabs on their Facebook pages with comments, much like in his childhood, often chasing Anne with a mouthful of spit threatening to launch it in her direction.

“I jump because I want too. Anything my family can think or say to me is of no matter. This is not unique to BASE jumping. I feel that if a loved one is slowing down or stopping someone from doing something they love, then they are not loved ones and being selfish. They say BASE is a selfish sport and it is. I have no delusions of that; I don’t know anyone who does. The only thing more selfish is telling someone not to do it. It is not an addiction to drugs or alcohol. I love BASE jumping. Drug addicts or alcoholics don’t enjoy being addicted; they need it and are being delusional. I love BASE and flying, so I fly and jump. Anyone standing in my way of this is selfish. Anyone with my ‘best interests in mind’ would ground crew for me and takes photos. Not tell me I am being reckless.”

Enter Annibal…a student at Colorado University in BFA Film Production. Anne enjoys many hobbies all in the medium of art and media, “drawing, writing, photography, movies, television, and reading”. In the past she has designed artwork for the Bridge Day and claims this as her final thoughts prior to a jump, “Camera on? Check. Lens cap off? Check. Framing? Check. Focus? Check. Oh shit, it’s in video mode. Okay, now…f*@#! There they go. Oops.” She is upbeat about life, listing winning academy awards, traveling the world and being the first human on Pluto as her future goals. If Calvin is the “romantic” of the family, then Anne is the “jester”, the pepper to his salt. Today Anne has her brother, Calvin’s “best interests” at heart despite the indifference they might have shared in their childhood.

“I ran into a tree”, says Anne when relaying her most bonehead move to date. “Matt will love me for telling this. I was outside our home up in Evergreen, just wasting time the way an 11 year olds does. Then Matt came out of the house. This was during those years where Matt was more likely to spit on me or hit me than anything else, so at the first sign of him building up phlegm I took off in a dead sprint. Which, looking back was pretty retarded, especially since I was looking back at the time, at Matt, instead of forward , and well, trees aren’t quite as fluffy as one would hope. I ended up sprawled out on the ground, dazed and in pain, with Matt standing over me laughing his ass off. He went back inside, just left me there. Such a great brother, I think I just lay there for a good ten minutes before I could move. The whole side of my face was bleeding and I had this great big face-scab for weeks.”

She contributes his “being a tyrant and abusive little shit” to her in their youth to making her stronger, “I can take a lot of pain with no complaint”. Which she points out also made her “weaker, because I never ask for help in anything that matters”.

During this interview Calvin/Matt did comment how awful he now felt at the way he treated his sister in their younger days. As well he should, Anne, being the President of the Matthew “Calvin” Hecker fan club, with youngest sister Emily serving as Vice-President. In reversing the question regarding “family responsibilities”, Anne she spoke candidly about her brother’s BASE jumping.

“When I think about how dangerous it is, or how I might get that call. You know the call I’ve gotten in the past. ‘Your brother’s been in an accident.’ The other day Matt went to jump an ‘A’ a few hours away. It’s kind of gotten to the point where I worry all the time. Whenever the phone rings I have an instinctual reaction to think the worst has happened.”

I love that Matt’s a jumper. He is very dashing as a wool pullover. No, seriously, I love it. He’s always so happy when he’s about to jump, jumping or has just jumped. After flying a plane that’s where I see him the most happy. So, would I ever try to make him stop or wish he would stop just to end my personal worry, giving up a vital part of himself? Hell no. I always wonder about jumpers being deemed selfish by others. But how is it less selfish to try to get the jumper to conform to what you want? If I told Matt to stop jumping because he might die, would I really be worried he would die or am I worried that I would have to deal with his death? Furthermore, one of the reasons I involve myself with jumping, jumpers and the community is to avoid the call. I don’t want Matt to die jumping; I don’t want Matt to die, period. But if he does die jumping, I want to be there with him if possible. I don’t want to get the phone call. I don’t want to have the unanswered questions and second hand stories. That’s my view on the matter. All of which is secondary to how cool it looks and how fun it is to be there, but that is reasoning for me.”

Anne has never BASE jumped but she has one tandem skydive and in 2007 she completed a FRASCA rope jump. She does credit being around her brother and his fellow jumpers with contributing to her personal growth. “Well, it had a direct hand in my decision to transfer from a life of lameness as an English major at Colorado State to a life of a movie maker, which is exactly where I want to be. It brought me from a life of dissatisfaction and boredom at 19 to excitement and personal happiness at 21. I actually thought while watching Continuum, these guys, at least in theory, live as though they might not see tomorrow. They do what they love, they understand mortality. Do I want to live life thinking, “I’ll do that tomorrow?” when the thing I’m putting off is my own happiness, my dreams, my life? So I transferred. I’m now doing what I love. My personal growth comes in the form of a reduction in personal lameness.”

In regards to whether BASE jumping is a sport versus stunt in her unique point of view, “In BASE, you just have your own weakness or fears to conquer. You have an apathetic environment to compete with but it isn’t competing back. Now, yourself, your instincts, your mind, your logic, your heart and everything, they’re fighting all the time. To be able to bring your entire body of logical reasoning, your physical body, and place your fears in check as to leap from some immense height into the open atmosphere? That’s not a stunt or sport, that’s art.”

Anne’s contribution to BASE comes in the way that she advocates to non-jumpers’ on the issues of trespassing or how little of an impact jumpers would have on National Parks in comparison to rock climbers and hikers. “Don’t rescue workers get paid? Don’t f*%king hikers get lost all the time? I just don’t get the logic in banning jumpers”, she laments. Another contribution is the documentation she does of her brother and fellow jumpers on film, in photos and her artwork. She considers her involvement with the community as a self-serving one. “I want to know these people; I want to be part of it. If I ever contribute something to community of BASE, it’s because I can and it happens, not because I seek it nor need any recognition for it. I’m a taker. Any giving is purely incidental.”

Not to be outdone by her brother she can be just as romantic about describing what she likes best about BASE jumping. “I enjoy the camaraderie. I also enjoy the psychology, the aesthetic, the fashion, the struggle, and the human flight. The vitality of it all. The way it brings me closer to the feeling that there really is a reason to be alive and we are more than just randomly firing synapses and cells struck together to form a little fleshy pod of goo.”

When it comes to posting on the forum Anne doesn’t let the overtone of “what-the-#@!%-are-you-doing-here?” stop her. “I like to think that I contribute something in maybe just a fresh opinion here and there, maybe an outsider’s perspective on things.” As for changes to BASE jumper.com, “I could say I would make people nicer, but I don’t believe in censorship and I feel that even though no one has to post there, limiting by any large degree what people can post is just that. There are members that are annoyingly abrasive, but at the same time, as a non-jumper, I feel like I am overstepping bounds by posting a comment to them. So much of the time, I keep my thoughts to myself.”

She adds, “thank you, BASE jumping community, for letting a band-aid such as I sit on the fringe and pretend to belong. And let me take photos and be weird and awkward.”

“Oh, the awkward”, she jests. Whatever awkwardness she may feel, her brother doesn’t see it. “Anne is brilliant and always creating. I love both my sisters to death”.

Anne

If Anne is the pepper to Calvin’s salt, then the 4’ 10” ball of energy their parents named Emily is the spice in their lives. Emily, a 19 year old, attending University of Colorado, Colorado Springs majoring in Psychology is “retarded happy” as Calvin describes her. He is quick to point out that “Emily is awesome and can fly without wings”, referring to her gymnastic abilities.

Emily explains coming to terms with her brother’s sporting activities. “I didn’t think about him dying or getting injured as much before the accident. I guess I always saw him as being indestructible. I always trusted his judgment and his systems. But after his accident it became more clear to me that you can’t be safe doing the things he does just by being smart about it. It scares me a lot knowing I could at anytime get that call from family saying he died paragliding, or jumping, or one of the many things his does. But, I guess what scares me more is the thought of him not doing those things. He is the flier, the jumper, the adventurer, the pilot. I know him not doing these things would make him unhappy. What he does is beautiful, amazing, and I love the fact that he does them. I am not going to lie in saying that it feels cool and I like telling people how awesome my brother is. ‘Yeah, that’s right; he’s a pilot, a BASE jumper, a paraglide pilot, a skier, Matt Hecker, he’s my brother.’ I like that fact. Quite a bit.”

As a young child she idolized her brother. She recounts playing on his first jump system at their father’s home. “It was a lot of fun. There was this incident where something crazy happened while they were letting me play on it and I bounced all the way around the rope. My brother and his friends thought it was awesome, but apparently it was dangerous, so I didn’t get to play on it anymore”. Like Anne, she has jumped from Calvin’s FRASCA rope jump along side with their mother. She hopes to one day paraglide and figures that he brother might think that’s “cool” of his little sister. He has never encouraged her to participate in any of his sports, although his friends have suggested to her that she needs to at least skydive one day.

Although she doesn’t frequent the BASE jumper forum and due to her living a distance from her brother while attending school, she still feels that he and his BASE jumping friends have contributed to her own personal growth through the years.

“I have an absolute love for flight, adventure, and the beauty of this world. I would say that being around my brother and his friends, being jumpers or not, definitely shaped my views on life. I have become very adventurous and my brother is the cause of that. I would see him leave the front door countless times and watch him come back with amazing stories and photos that made me want to do more in life. Mostly he and other BASE jumpers made it so I truly want to live the fullest and best life I can, no matter how I accomplish that. The one thing I admire most about my brother is that he accomplishes whatever he wants, in life or in a day, he doesn’t hesitate, he just does it. Whatever he sets his heart to do, he always does it.”

Whereas many jumpers have trouble reconciling their love of the freefall with keeping the peace in family, Calvin has managed to do so. Calvin in the comic strip has his faithful companion Hobbes; this Calvin has the love and support of his two “ginger” sisters. “I think it has helped my parents come to grips with my life also. Anne in particular loves coming to BASE events and things like it. The ’support crew’ is awesome and the memories are always better. I had a great childhood compared to a lot of people, but me jumping and doing the things I love doing made me realize the importance of calling my mother, or hugging her, etc.”

Emily

I asked Adam if he felt that Calvin would achieve all the goals on his “Things to Do Before I Die” list. “As long as he doesn’t die first, there’s not much that could stop him. He is damn resilient and very motivated. I just hope I can be there for some of the brilliance that he thinks up.” As mentioned earlier, “that dude does some crazy shit” and is someone we all would be fortunate to meet and share in his brilliance.

Calvin19. Win. Period.

5 Random Facts, Habits or Weirdness about Anne

Annibal, her online persona comes from combining Anne with Hannibal. I have great apprehension towards a full scale zombie or alien attack. I can’t filter noises like a normal person, so I hear everything within the vicinity. I am a pessimist and enjoying be so, as well as a cynic. I am scared of heights and am drawn to jump off.

Calvin19’s Tattoo

Quick questions with Calvin:

Q: Your greatest achievement in life thus far?

A: Ménage à trios

Q: What type of vehicle do you drive?

A: Subaru Outback

Q: What will your epitaph read?

A: “Audacity”

Q: Favorite Book?

A: Contact by Carl Sagan

Q: What makes you unique to jumping?

A: Nothing I jump off stuff just like everyone else.

Q: Changes you would make to Basejumper.com:

A: “Get rid of all the ginger’s”

Q: What is your biggest weakness in jumping?

A: I only have average air awareness.

Q: What do you feel is your contribution to BASE?

A: I help the willing and capable participant.

Q: Who do you chose as the next interviewee?

A: JT Holmes

Calvin’s Statistics:

Age: 24 Marital Status: Single Children: 0 Location: Boulder, Colorado Number of Jumps: 1000 total parachute openings and landings Year of first Jump: 2002 Container: Warlock Canopy: Blackjack 260

Thank you to Adam Foster and Emily Hecker for their contribution to the article.

All rights reserved. No republication of this material, in any form or medium, is permitted without express permission of the author.


Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Ski Stuff | No Comments »

Park City 09 Party Video – Part II

Written by ski on June 17, 2009 – 10:21 pm -


Park City 09 March 18 – 22 2009


Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Ski Boarding | No Comments »

Awesome Ski Snowboard Vacation

Written by ski on June 13, 2009 – 7:26 pm -

Where To go this winter is on the minds of a lot of skiers and snowboarders. For some riders and skiers picking the right destination resort is not easy to do, but if you are like me then you would trust your vacation plans on Whistler/Blackcomb. Now this place is not just a winter place to but an all year around super resort. From mountain biking to climbing and hiking to the best skiing in the northern hemisphere. Hey if you want a great time almost anytime of the year Ski Whistler.

This past winter the snow was as deep as ever. Seemed like those global warming folks don’t know what’s up. This place is amazing awesome skiing for every level of skier and a great night life. Fly into Vancouver B.C. and just take the bus. You don’t need a car once you get to the Village. Public transit system is great. And all of your shopping , partying and restaurant needs are just a walk away.

With the up coming Winter Olympics in 2010 many events will be held at the resort. Skiing and snowboarding best of the world will be flocking there to compete for the Olympic glory. For many years Whistler has been a destination for many international travelers and skiers and snowboarders as it offers the longest season for winter sports lovers.

Skiing in British Columbia Is always a great experience. Take a class or a local guide and you with find the go to places of the day. There are daily guided tours of both Mountains that are put together by ability and run by volunteers who have a great knowledge of Whistler and Blackcomb. Skiing deep powder may not be for everyone, so there is a lot to choose from at Whistler Blackcomb. Plan a Ski Trip today. Go ski the Great Northwest. Great resort no car needed. Walk to the lift and ski all day. What would you rather do? Live the life of your dreams. Dream, action!

Whistler offers skiing for everybody. Here I took this shot after dropping some great tree runs through the Old Growth Forest. If You are planning a trip you might want to visit the site of the 2010 Olympics. Great villages and great skiing. Oh Yeah if you’re tempted to ski the tree runs…it’s the spaces between the trees we ski. Have a great time this winter skiing.

So maybe you have skied and snowboarded all that you could by using the lifts and doing a little hiking to get to some of the back bowls. Like the Symphony Bowl which has great lift service and some short hikes, that are definitely worth the effort. If money is not the concern you can now take a helicopter to fresh track right from the resort. Imagine taking a run down killer steeps that have not been touched by skier or snowboarder.

Whether you are a beginner or extreme expert there is a lot to offer up in Whistler Blackcomb Resort. Be prepared to have the trip of your life, you may just want to move there. Become A Ski Bum!


Tags: , ,
Posted in Great Place | No Comments »

Make Homemade Snowboarding Videos To Showcase Your Talent

Written by ski on June 9, 2009 – 11:26 am -

Videos can always make your vacation memorable and of course can make it something that never fades away. When your vacation includes snowboarding there are many different things that can be done with them. For those of us who may snow board not so well, the tape could even be submitted to a funny clip show, who knows, you could come out of there a winner as well.

The videos would make a wonderful gift for family members that were not on the vacation with you and they would also be great entertainment for that family reunion. They are also a great way to showcase someone’s talent; this lets them know how much you appreciate them as well to show them that you care and that you do notice what they are capable of. The person who has the special talent can also learn by watching themselves, they can improve on things as well as see what they can all ready do and see where they can add more to what they have done.

It is not necessary to go to the mountains to go snowboarding as it can be done anywhere there is snow. Many places have ski hills that can also be used for snow boarding. Great heights are not necessary and neither are huge amounts of snow. What you need the most in this case is the slant and enough snow to make things a little slick at least.

Homemade videos work to get a professional in the industry to notice a novice in the sport as they can be copied and sent out to scouts. Scouts are always looking for new faces with fresh new talent and a great new discovery. Footage gives a better chance of someone being discovered than trying to describe them through the written word. Here an investment in a high end video camera definitely makes the video better because the picture will be as clear as day.

With a little research you can find the right niche for your snowboarding video and possibly make a little bit of money of it. More than likely it will be best to market it to beginning snowboarders but almost all snowboarders are looking for a way to get better and looking for new ideas as well. It is important to remember to wear the protective gear as well since injuries are always possible and you definitely do not want to be the one that is promoting children to not protect themselves. Helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads are usually recommended.

It is likely that this is something that you have not thought of before but it is certainly worth thinking about. Now that your mind is thinking in this direction, think of all of the other things that have more uses than you have thought of before.


Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Snow Boarding | No Comments »

Outdoorgb Will Stop You Getting Piste Off When Trying to Find Ski Equipment

Written by ski on June 5, 2009 – 9:16 am -

OutdoorGB will stop you getting piste off when trying to find Ski equipment.

As skiers ourselves here at OutdoorGB, we know how important it is to have quality equipment that will last season after season. Ski equipment shouldn’t be disposable, when buying your equipment you should see it as an investment that will last you, not something to be binned as soon as you get home.

Skiing is an ideal way to relax and forget the stresses of everyday life, but with the wrong equipment your stress-less ski session can turn into one big headache. Fogged up goggles, unbreathable base layers and feeling absolutely freezing are just a few of the hiccups that can threaten to ruin your ski holiday.

We have put together this guide to help you select the best products that won’t be binworthy after a week on the slopes.

Choosing goggles

The most important thing to consider when buying ski goggles is whether you will be able to see properly, especially if you wear corrective lenses. For those who don’t wear glasses, regular ski goggles are the best good choice as they are smaller and more compact than the goggles which fit over your glasses. Those who wear glasses should look out for over-the-glasses (OTG) goggles.

Tints are for varying sunlight conditions and the tint determines how well the contours of the mountain stand out. Yellow or yellow/brown tints are the most popular and will work well in all levels of sunlight.

Goggles should fit comfortably over your helmet, they shouldn’t be pinched or tight on your face. Goggles that fit correctly over your helmet should be able to rest comfortable on the top of your helmet. When pulled down to cover your face, they shouldn’t feel too tight. There should be enough adjustment length in the goggle strap to guarantee that the goggles will fit any size helmet. There is a strap in the back of the helmet that holds the goggle strap in place. Make sure the goggle strap has adjustment room there also. If goggles are too loose, they will not keep the snow and wind out of your eyes. If they are too tight, they will be uncomfortable. So, it’s extremely important to find goggles that will fit you when wearing on your helmet.

When it comes to goggles, newbies who don’t know if they are going to make skiing the hobby of a lifetime, should look to the Bolle Sharkfin Ski Goggles. Offering great value for money at £22.66 at OutdoorGB, the Sharkfin Ski Goggles feature a double lens thermal barrier that provide exceptional optics and a superior seal to prevent fogging. The anti-fogging lenses offer full UVA and UVB protection.

More seasoned skiers who will be spending a bit more money should cast their attention to the Uvex Apache Pro Goggles. The Apache Pro Goggles just refuse to fog up. Good enough for the pros these goggles can take some punishment featuring impact resistant construction and scratch-proof lenses. At £78.83 at OutdoorGB, these googles are a professional product at an amateur price.

Featuring a deeper chamber with frame cut-out, the Bloc Spirit 2 OTG Goggles allow you to wear your everyday glasses to give you the best vision for safe skiing. A vented lens air system helps equalise the temperature between the lenses, thus reducing fogging.

Caring for your goggles

Nobody wants to put on their ski goggles and find that they are scratched or scuffed. Your ski goggles need to be clear for optimal vision. The following tips will help keep your ski goggles clean, clear, and scratch-free.

To keep your goggles smooth and unscratched, always store them in the soft bag they came with when you purchased them. This will make sure that your goggles do not get scratched by other gear in your ski bag. If you do not have your goggle bag with you, you could always store them in your fleece gaiter/neck warmer.

When cleaning your goggles, always use a very soft cloth.

When handling your goggles, treat them gently and try not to touch the lenses.

Do not place your goggles lens-down on the table. Instead, place them so the lenses are facing up towards the ceiling.

Choosing a Ski Helmet

There has been much debate over wearing a helmet whilst skiing, some say it is the preserve of snowboarders, but here at OutdoorGB, hopefully without sounding like you mother, we think it is better to be safe than sorry. To put it this way a crash at 30mph is equivalent to falling onto concrete from a second-floor balcony.

Before you buy a ski helmet you will need to find your helmet size or your “hat size”. Finding this isn’t difficult, as most helmets are sized in centimetres based on the circumference of your head. To get a measurement, use a tape measure around your head, just above your eyebrows.

A good entry-level ski helmet to look at is the Uvex X-Ride Motion Helmet, ideal for both skiing and snowboarding, this helmet will protect your head whilst also meeting EN 1077 and ASTM F 2040 standards.

When it comes to children wearing a helmet is an absolute must, the Uvex Jet Ride Flash Junior Ski Helmet is an ideal helmet to protect little heads. Featuring a climate regulating system, the Jet Ride will ensure your childs head is kept at optimum temperature.

Sorting out your Ski Clothing

Your ski clothing has a bigger impact on your ski day than you might think. Skiing in ill-fitting ski clothes is not only extremely uncomfortable, but it can hinder your performance too.

The ideal way of dressing for skiing is to use different layers. In order of importance, the keys to a successful layering system are warmth, weight, moisture management, and packing the right number of layers. Generally, it is advisable to follow the 3 layer system. The first layer is the base layer which consists of thermal underwear . The middle layer is general clothing or a fleece jacket. Lastly, wear an outer jacket which protects you against the elements.

Although not a traditional item, everyone at OutdoorGB thinks Buff scarves are a perfect item to add to your ski kit.

When optimum performance is necessary, the Helly Hansen Prowool Pants are perfect. Designed to provide warmth, moisture control and overall comfort even in the coldest conditions, this bestseller is available for both men and women.
.

With it’s polar bear-like hollow-fibre technology and warm merino wool combination, the Helly Hansen Ice Men’s Crew Top will ensure that you’ll be comfortable and in style all day, even in the coldest temperatures.

The Montane Extreme Jacket is the definitive high-specification soft-shell, lightweight jacket offering comfortable use over a wide range of winter temperatures.

Never think “damn if only I had my gloves and scarf” with the Loki Tak Light Shell Jacket. A sensational high performance jacket, the Tak features integral mittens and scarf that easily stow away when not needed

What to wear “Apres-Ski” – The OutdoorGB guide to fashion off the slopes.

While some skiers choose to stop at the apres-ski scene right after their last run, spending the night in insulating layers, snow pants, and worst of all – ski boots, is not going to make for the most comfortable experience. Consider what you might wear for an ordinary night out, but keep in mind the cold weather. After all, because you’re at a ski resort, you have the excuse to incorporate a few “alpine” pieces (such as what’s already in your ski wardrobe) which you might not be able to get away with at home. As important as fashion might be to your apres-ski attire don’t forget function too. Your apres-ski clothes should be comfortable. Also, if you are coming right from the ski resort, it might be a good idea to remove a few of your layers, because it’s likely that you’re going to heat up quickly in the a buzzing bar or restaurant.

What’s Great to Wear for Apres-Ski

Your Favorite Fleece – A nice fleece jacket is perfect for casual socialising after the last run of the day.

A Vest – Whether it’s fleece or down, a vest can be thrown over the most basic shirt and still look great. Vests are also practical because they can be easily removed if you feel too hot.

A Sweater – A sweater is always a great option for the apres-ski scene. Even if it’s just a sweater that you ski in, a sweater is perfect for the apres-ski scene.

Your Ski Jacket – Especially if your ski jacket fits well and looks modern, it’s great to wear to an apres-ski event. However, if your ski jacket is too bulky to keep track of once you take it off, it might be a good idea to reserve your ski jacket for the actual slopes.

Your Soft Shell Jacket – If you have a soft shell jacket, consider wearing it to the apres-ski scene. After all, it looks great because it just screams “Skier!”

What’s Not so Great to Wear for Apres-Ski

Your Ski Accessories – Ski goggles, ski helmets, ski masks, neck gaitors, and gloves are just too much for a night on the town.

A Ski Suit – If you prefer to ski in a ski suit, don’t wear it for apres-ski, you will overheat, and removing the ski suit will just be an unnecessary hassle.

Heavily Insulated Snow Pants – If you have heavily insulated snow pants, don’t wear them for the apres-ski scene, most likely, you’ll find yourself uncomfortable as they’ll be too bulky and much too hot.

Your Ski Boots – After a long day of skiing, why spend unnecessary time in your ski boots? Indulge your feet and put on a comfortable pair of apres-ski boots, plus, the uncomfortable “ski boot walk” is slightly unattractive and much too awkward in a tight crowd!


Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Great Place | No Comments »