Westbound Boarder

Action sports enthusiasts everywhere live, think, and breathe their own respective sports… but how often do they think about discussing, or even trying, other sports, just for thrill’s sake?

About two weeks ago, Danielle and I had a chance to catch up with Simon Jeremy, creator of The Conch.  Launched into public beta on March 30 (Danielle and I tested the service for two weeks while it was in private beta, too), The Conch is a social network that brings together action sports enthusiasts nationwide.

Danielle and I spoke with Simon initially a couple of months back because he wanted to gather perspectives from people actively involved in different action sports and use their outlooks in the development of his social network.  After months of development and weeks of tweaking the site to perfection, on Monday March 30, the Conch was born.

Simon started the Web site on the foundation that people involved in various action sports frequently talk with each other about their adventures, but don’t really venture into conversations about other action sports.  As an avid action sports enthusiast a la board sports myself, I would have to agree with his initiative – I talk to people about snowboarding, surfing and wakeboarding all the time, but I can’t remember the last time I spoke with someone about rock climbing.  Many people try new sports without ever returning, and The Conch provides members a support structure in hopes they’ll try new sports on an ongoing basis.

“We aim to bring together everyone with a passion for adventure and the outdoors,” Simon said during our conversation when describing The Conch.  I really feel like the site needs no further explanation – its a place where action sports enthusiasts of all types can congregate and converse about where to go and what to do, and their different experiences as participants in the adventure arena.  Members are encouraged to create a profile describing their hobbies and interests, join groups, upload photos and podcasts, create a blog, find “friends,” and more.  There are also interesting opportunities for businesses, including the ability to connect with advertisers and audiences they’re attempting to reach.  It’s the perfect landing space for the action sports industry to join as one.

One of the site features Danielle and I found most interesting while talking to Simon and testing the site was the adventure rating application, which is a tool that takes into account the adventures you have taken and assigns you an adventure rating.  “We wanted to create an application that encouraged people to, not just find new adventures to do and different adventure sports to try, but also to keep coming back and doing them on a regular basis,” said Simon.  Your adventure rating is based on factors that make the sport more or less adventurous; for example (with snowboarding) do you snowboard at resorts, or frequent the backcountry? (Obviously the latter being more adventurous).  But of course, the overall goal is to help you keep track of what you’re doing and the adventures you’re pursuing and encourage you to share these moments with others.  Simon noted that while researching the development of this application and talking to people across different industries, it was interesting to find and compare how different people define the blanket theme “adventure.”

Overall, the Conch is a neat site, and it really fits into a trend that we’ve been seeing a lot more of as online social media becomes more prevalent in our everyday lives – the rise of niche networks that serve to complement offline groups, conversations and activities.  Its really a neat concept, and while it has caught on in several other personal and business areas, I’ve noticed this theme has been fairly absent from the action sports industry until fairly recently.  I’m excited to see this concept come to play in the industry I, myself, am passionate about, because it really opens up so many doors and possibilities in the way of people connecting and supporting a common initiative.

So with that, go check out The Conch – and be our friend while you’re at it!  You can also join our group page here.

I talked to my mom briefly this morning on my way to work, and she told me quite the sad story.  She was at Mt. Hood this past weekend for the Pond Skim (great event, BTW; keep an eye out for Danielle’s post coming soon).  My mom had heard of a traffic accident somewhere near Sandy, so instead of sitting in traffic she decided to make a nice, long (overnight) stop at a friend’s cabin in Government Camp.  Well, turns out, the traffic accident was a triple fatality… and the next day, my mom received a phone call informing her that one of the persons involved in the accident was a friend of hers from work; Pam Benson.

According to my mom, Pam and her 11-year-old daughter were driving home from a baseball game in Sandy, her son and husband in a separate car, and an 18-year-old driver ran a red light and hit the pair from the side, killing them both instantly.  Sources at the scene say the driver ran two red lights in a row, and was obviously driving recklessly.

My heart and deepest sympathy goes out to the Benson family.  Though I did not know Pam personally, my mom says she was a kind, caring human being with a good heart.  She always practiced proper safety procedures, right down to buckling her daughter in the back seat at all times just to be extra safe.  The irony pains me to think about.

So why am I telling you this?  Accidents happen all the time, especially near the mountain.  Sometimes just a fender bender, but sometimes more serious, and in this case, even fatal.  I know Danielle and I often discuss safety on the hill, but don’t often talk about (or really even think about) safety off the hill.  In reality, driving in unpredictable conditions can be dangerous, and its important to be cautious at all times.  Please take this accident as a small reminder to always follow the posted speed limit and traffic laws, and to be well-aware of your surroundings and drivers around you.  In this case, Pam couldn’t have foreseen the situation; but you can.

If you have a spare moment tonight or this week, please feel free to leave a comment below in sympathy of the Benson family, or say a silent prayer in their memory.

UPDATE: I stand corrected – I just learned that the driver walked away from the crash.  Unharmed.  He was arrested shortly after for robbery and wreckless driving.  This really hits my former point home – it seems that it is always the innocent who pay for others’ mistakes.  I truely hope that this driver does not go unpunished.

The economy’s affecting more than just the financial world; the bad news has even spread to America’s favorite snowboard brand.  This week, Burton announced that it would reduce employee salaries to minimize layoffs.  I think its very admirable that the company chose to go this route (the founders chose to eliminate their salaries all together), and I hope the best for, not only Burton, but every action sports brand in these tough times.

It is hard to believe that winter has already come and gone. The good news is that spring is hear and so is the Mt. Hood Meadows event of the season! That is right, the 3rd Annual Sno-Kona Pond Skimming Competition will be here April 25th (or the 26th depending on the weather!).This event is brought to you by Kona Brewing Co. and All About Hawaii Travel, which means, Hawaiian music, drinks, food and costumes! Costumes?

All participants will receive one attempt to cross the 80-90 foot pond successfully, those who do so will advance to the ‘skim-off,’ where if more than one contestant makes it to the other side during the ‘skim-off’ the winner will be based upon the following: best skim style, best Hawaiian costume, best showmanship, best Best crowd reaction. Second and third place winners will take home their very own longboard, a skimboard, two backpack coolers and two beach chairs.

Haven’t convinced you yet? Well leave it to the grand prize. The top three skimmers, the best splash, best impression made by a women contestant, and best Hawaiian costume will walk home with a prize, one of which is a round trip vacation for two to Hawai’i!

Registration is $25 and includes your comp fee and a Sno-Kona towel, so hurry up as space is limited to 100 participants! I will be there, costume and all. So let me know if you plan on attending the event by leaving a comment or shooting me an email, (westboundboarder@gmail.com) because I would love to have a ‘skim-off’ with YOU!

As I was sitting at my desk today, counting down the minutes until my weekend, I came across an old email I never opened.  An email that made my Friday and I am sure will make yours! The pictures speak for themselves; but nonetheless – here is the story…

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The bizarre event took place back in January when a male skier, 48, and his son loaded onto Vail’s Blue Sky Basin Lift. Unfortunately, the fold-down seat on the lift was not lowered all the way down, causing the man to fall through the resulting gap.

As you can see, the poor man, his pants, his skis and pride were instantly caught in an embarrassing tangle with the chair lift. As the nude man was hanging upside-down from the lift for nearly 10 minutes, with his young son (who is surely, scarred for life from this incident!) and now an entourage of entertained passerby’s watching, the lift began to reverse as the onlookers gathered ‘round to save the day.

The struggle continued as it took the innocent bystanders quite some time to, as The Smoking Gun puts it, ‘successfully dislodge the unidentified man.’

If this does not make your Friday afternoon after a long week, well, then you are your own!

Does the thought of the dwindling winter depress you? Is the spring slush and disintegrating parks getting you down? Well we understand – and boy do we have some great news! Westbound Boarder spoke with the gals at MGT last week and the land of the endless winter has been unveiled. So wipe the tears away and dust off your passport, because we’re taking you to the deep powdery slopes of Bariloche, Argentina.

The reasons are never ending as to why you should attend a South American Summer Session (SASS). To name a few – the unique Argentine cultural experience, free Spanish lessons, tours of the nearby cities (including Buenos Aires), transportation to and from the airport, the resorts 15 minutes from a private world class hospital, you get to learn for the industries very best boarders and skiers while experiencing world renowned backcountry terrain, the mountain is their park and the endless winter would be all yours. But wait there is more! With a 5:1 camper coach ratio you are guaranteed to take your skills to the next level, whether it is your board skills, Spanish speaking ability or your avalanche safety skills (because you will get it all at SASS!)

On top of the endless perks that SASS brings you, this resort has over 40 lifts and 1,500 skiable acres (and that’s not even including the endless backcountry stashes!) With 4 summer sessions, there is bound to be one that fits your schedule and your pocket book (if you start your saving now ).

So Instead of riding the slushy (albeit enjoyable!) parks of Mt. Hood and Whistler Blackcomb during the USA summers, hop that plane you never thought your would to Argentina for an experience of a lifetime at one of the South American Summer Session’s.

As I just spent most of my Saturday afternoon hanging out with two of Exit’s longtime employees, Josh and Anna, at the NW 23rd Exit Real World location, it is clear that Exit Real World is like no other board shop in town, maybe even in America!

What sets Exit apart form all of the other board shops around? As NW 23rd Manager, Josh Bond puts it, “this store was founded on the premise that this industry can be intimidating and unwelcoming for beginners and women.  Missy Samiee [Exit Real World founder] wanted to change that reputation.” So Enter Exit Real World! 

The Exit Real World legacy began in 1993 when Exit’s founder, Missy Samiee, was determined to introduce to the world a board shop with both stellar service and a welcoming environment, for all people, at all levels. This crew is doing something right as over 15 year later Exit is still in operations, and with FOUR different locations. Exit Real World began with one shop in Salem, OR, expanded to Government Camp, OR, then to Downtown Portland and about two years ago Exit opened up a 4th store in Tualatin, OR.

In addition to Exit’s excellent service, knowledgeable and experienced employees, this shop has the best selection in town, offering gear for the men, women and even for the kiddos! When I asked Josh what this shop has to offer the ladies, he without hesitation boasted that, ”no other board shop in North America will have near the selection of women’s gear as we do. As Exit is owned by a women, it has more of feminine influence and offers one-of-a-kind items that you can’t find anywhere else in the area.” On top of a killer selection, Exit, ‘strives to present the most avant-garde offerings from the core purveyors of these board sports.’ In other words, Exit supports the little guy by carrying new and emerging brands that you can’t buy anywhere else in town.

Just when you thought your local board shop could not get any cooler, well it can. Exit is also known for their sweet events, parties and premiers! 

• Demo Series: Exit kicks off each snowboard season in the Fall with a Video Premier.  Lookout for the local shop reps, sweet give aways, the earliest screening of the seasons new videos and sometimes even a pro or two will show up.
• Ladies Night: Around each February 14th (Valentine’s Day!) Exit brings you ladies night. The male employees are sent home, and discounts and prizes given to all you beautiful women!
• Bridge the Gap: By far the most exciting event. Exit’s very own skateboard team wants to visit your school. Why you ask? Because Exit Real World is launching ‘The School Tour.‘ Exit is hoping to, “promote skateboarding as a healthy, positive after school activity for youth.” Exit Real World feels that skateboarding, like any other sport builds both strong bodies and instills the determination necessary for achieving success in all aspects of life.
• Greasebus: Exit supports the Greasebus, as it is Portland’s only waste vegetable oil powered shuttle service. For only  $10 buck this bus will take you to Mt. Hood Meadows any day of the week (they even have Gnu and Lib-Tech gear on the bus that you can demo for free!)

Through hanging with Josh and Anna, and watching them interact with their customers (who many they even knew by name!) it is clear that Exit Real World really is a local board shop that has it all. As Exit’s very own Anna Riegel puts it, “Missy Samiee is above and beyond loyal…and this place feels more like a family than a job.” So on top of great deals, service, selection and fun, Exit has employees who love what they do and truly take pride in their store; and it really truly shows.

If you love Exit as much as we at Westbound Boarder do, let us know about your great experience there! In the meantime, get to Exit and shop because all of their Winter gear is 30% off. OH, if you buy a board from them, they will hot wax it for life!

So it’s your last chance! That’s right, another Mt. Hood Meadows Women’s clinic is upon us, and it’s the lase one of the season. Don’t be shy – get on the hill and perfect those tricks that you have always dreamed of doing. This Sunday March 8th is the day! So call Mt. Hood Meadows Ski School @ 503.337.2222 ext 222 to secure your spot!

Well it’s Wednesday, and for those of you who don’t know, it’s time to talk snowboard camp. We warned you a few weeks ago that each Wicked Wednesday Andrea, Rochelle (our NEW contributing blogger!) and myself are going to be giving you all the dirt on upcoming snowboard camps. Last week Andrea told you all about HCSC and today it is all about Windells!

As a Windells alumni myself, I am here to tell you that this camp is legit. It is all included – from unlimited professional coaching and video review, a weeks worth of lift tickets, unlimited 2009 snow and skate demos, 3 square meals a day, all of your transportation & lodging, state of the art skate facilities - these guys will even pick you up at the airport!

On top of all of the aforementioned perks, there is more. This place is truly known for their quality terrain parks and dedicated coaches. The camp diggers work tirelessly to groom, sculpt, salt and perfect the snowboard park of your dreams, so you can really take your riding to the next level. With a low coach to camper ratio – you are assigned a coach that will work with you every step of the way, wherever it is on the hill that you want to focus your improvement.

Have we convinced you yet to get off your home hill and visit the nations only year round ski resort yet? (That’s right, Windells takes place at Timberline Lodge in Oregon, the USA’s only resort open all year long!!) Well, wait, there is more. On top of having state of the art terrain parks at your disposal and access to a plethora of coaches, you will have the opportunity to ride with the best snowboarders in the industry! Pros that we know you admire, such as Eddie Wall, Danny Kass, Todd Richards, Hannah Teeter and Kelly Clark frequently stop by camp to ride with you and show you how it is done!

Whether you ski, snowboard are young, old, boy or girl, man or woman, like spring, summer or winter riding, there is a Windells session that is just for YOU!! So take your riding to the next level and join those who for the past 21 years have made Windells the breeding ground for the best snowboarders around! (Oh! FYI, 92% of X-games medalists have attended Windells) That is right, the pros – before they were so – came from near and far to attend Windells and gain the skills and confidence in order to put themselves on the snowboarding map!

So check out the Windells home page, and get your butt to camp, because who is to say that you can’t lead the same path the pros have been blazing for the past 21 years?

The crappy economy got you down? Is your bank account dwindling as you refuse to give up your boardsport lifestyle during these tuff times? Well worry not – you don’t have to make any sacrifices - you just have to shop at Whiskey Militia.  Until last weekend I had only hear the rumors. Then I stopped by our buddy Dan’s site, Boards and Decks, and the proof was in his blog…

So here is how it works. Whiskey Militia features one item every 30 minutes, marks it down about 75%  and starts the clock. The site provides you with the details, quantities and reviews on the featured product and the buying begins. Don’t like what you see? Worry not, another item will be up shortly!

As most of us don’t have time to sit around and check out the new steal every 30 minutes, that is okay. Whiskey Militia has a variety of plug-ins and alerts so you can custom set the perfect way for to regularly receive the, ‘featured item update.’ Whiskey Militia has great deals and an awesome return policy if you must. So hurry up, go get the current steal and let us know what you got by leaving us a comment! Happy Buying

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