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Westbeach is proud to introduce the industry’s first UV-responsive jacket. The YVR’s discreet white design features a default suitcase print; as UV exposure ncreases, so does the visible contraband in the suitcase. Just like the variety of planes that pass through Vancouver’s International Airport, the YVR is available in a wide array of sizes, from S -XXL. Westbeach does not condone the use of contraband substances… unless it’s maple syrup.

Westbeach Peak to Creek Thermostat Jacket

 

 

Westbeach Introduces Temperature-Regulating Jacket

Named after the legendary Peak to Creek run which stretches 7 km from mountaintop to valley floor, the Peak to Creek is our highest performance jacket, boasting built-in climate control. The shell is comprised of C-Change, a revolutionary fabric from Schoeller, which reacts to body heat, becoming more breathable when you sweat, or sealing in warmth when it’s cool. Tested and triumphant at Whistler, this jacket will deliver optimal comfort anywhere you ride, important when you start in knee deep pow, come down through a fog band and end up in rain—four times in one day.

RPL pocket
Classic pocket package: Music, goggle, cell and key clip pockets
Pit zips with mesh lining
Passholder pocket
Fixed waist gaiter with GCS
Fixed hood
Peripheral hood adjustment
Inner lycra cuffs with thumbhole
Hem adjustors in front pockets.
Laser cut waterproof zips on cuff and left chest
“Blow Me” Whistle
RPL pocket – cell radiation reduction lining
Safety whistle to make noise
Fixed powder skirts
GCS – gaiter connection system
Fixed hoods.
Inner lycra cuff with thumbhole
Classic Series inner pocket package: RPL, mesh goggle, cell phone, music pocket with key clip
New and improved peripheral hood adjusts
Pitt zips with mesh lining
Hand warmer pockets
New and improved hem adjusts through front
Mesh lining

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There's a war going on for my mind. The various factions want it for it holds the key to something they seek: my spending power and potentially yours. I'm comforted by the knowledge, however, that if I'm thinking, I'm winning; and right now I'm thinking, are you?

Every day we are bombarded with advice on how we should live. We call this advertising, it's the blueprint for modern life. We need better music, faster cars, greener grass, and bigger penises. Fortunately there are many competing blueprints to choose from. It is still a matter, however, of choosing one of the pre-defined options; free thinking people need not apply.

Snowboarding is one way to stay out of the war's line of fire. It's an endeavour that, while you are doing it, all that matters is you, the mountain, nature and your friends. The snowboarding industry itself, however, is not so pure. This was evident during this year's Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival (and festivals past I'm sure). The most visible things in Whistler village from April 11th to the 20th were: Schick (to look good), GM (to get to the place where you need to look good), Kokanee (to make those people look good to you) and of course Telus (to tell people how good you looked). The most important element of the festival seemed to have been forgotten, or at least was not immediately evident: the snowboarding. If you looked hard enough, however, you would quickly see that it was there lurking beneath the surface.

One of the reasons that I like snowboarding is because I like snowboarders, and by that I mean REAL snowboarders. Not those with fake goggle tans and orders of magnitude more time riding mahoganee ridge than actual play time in the snow. In many ways, snowboarders are much more genuine than most people. They have experienced the harshness of winter head on and walked away with a smile. They might not face this with incredible skill or style, but it does not matter how good they are at snowboarding only how much joy the get from it. Though it may be hard to distiguish a goggle tan obtained in a tanning salon from one obtained while hiking up a steep aspect to earn some turns, if you look into a snowboarders eyes, you should have no problem identifying the true ones from the rest. Rest assured, contrary to the message in their add campaigns, Expedia has no idea how those snowboarders feel about winter. They'd probably just as soon take a vacation to somewhere with snow in the middle of summer than go somewhere tropical in the middle of winter, counter to what is customary.

Although true snowboarders represent something quite contrary to the industry itself, they would be nowhere without it. For this reason, it's important to remember that you vote with your dollars. Make sure when you buy your gear, that you aren't supporting something that you don't believe in. Certainly not because that product has a flashier ad than another. You probably wouldn't let me tell you who to vote for in a democratic election, so don't let me, or anyone else, tell you what to ride or what to wear. By avoiding monoculture, we ensure that snowboarding remains a feeling rather than a look or an attitude. Admittedly, people look up to me for advice on snowboarding, this follows from being a teacher. I always try, however, to make sure to only provide factual information. You should always synthesize any advice with your own needs and desires, otherwise eventually, every snowboarder will be a clone of every other snowboarder. Then the sport will become yet another victim of the corrosiveness of conformity.

Indeed there is a war going on for my mind and it has been for some time now, but the warring factions are engaging in an excercise in futility. The real prize, the item of the most value, is my heart and they'll never be able to take that away from me, I've already given it away.

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Westbeach unveils the Emperor’s New Collection

VANCOUVER, BC, April 1, 2008 – Today, Westbeach, the Canadian Snowboarding Original,

presents the Emperor’s New Collection, a limited edition late-season line injection boasting

sensational performance and ballsy design.

“The first time people witness the Emperor’s New Collection, they’re shocked by the beauty

and power of the design—sometimes even speechless,” says Jon Cartwright, Westbeach’s

GM. “This is gear fit for a king.”

Created by world-renowned designer H. C. Andersen using ultra lightweight materials, the

Emperor’s New Collection allows maximal movement and features the industry’s best

breathability rating. Though not intended for extreme conditions, each piece incorporates

strategically placed insulation in areas prone to hypothermia or frostbite.

Extensive prototype testing concludes that consumers will find the Emperor’s New Collection

liberating to wear. “The fabric is so light, it’s as if you’re not wearing anything at all,” says

Westbeach team rider Matt Belzile.

Industry leaders have already voiced their appreciation for Andersen’s grassroots approach,

which embraces minimal design elements without foregoing serious wow factor. “The lay factor

is asstronomical,” according to team rider Dick Flapper. “This Collection brings women to their

knees. And it keeps men honest.”

In addition to terrific performance and styling, the Emperor’s New Collection requires little care.

Washing is seldom required. On those odd occasions when you get really dirty, Westbeach

recommends handwashing garments from the Collection in warm water, as using cold may

result in shrinkage.

See attached picture for details.

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TOP OF THE WORLD: Whistlers Tyler Mosher carves over a roller in Firday's adaptive snowboard World Cup. Photo by Scott Brammer. www.coastphoto.com

Published 2008-03-20 11:25:10

By Andrew Mitchell

If you build it, they will come — at least that’s what organizers of the first ever adaptive snowboarding World Cup event, sanctioned by the Canadian Snowboard Federation and World Snowboard Federation, are counting on.

The race took place on Blackcomb last Friday, with racers making three solo descents of the snowboardcross course — a format that was chosen because it combines elements of racing and freestyle, and because all of the athletes prefer soft boots to hard boots.

Although organizers were hoping for a larger and more international field, everybody knows you have to start somewhere.

“History was made — it was done and done well,” said Christian Hrab, head coach for the Canadian Snowboard Federation’s adaptive snowboard program. “The event was perfect, it was really safe and fast, we had a good course set, and good work on the course, and the athletes rode the best I’ve seen all season.

“It’s a beginning, but it’s also the culmination of two years of work, while it’s also the beginning of another 20 years of hard work. We’ve got the athletes, we’ve got a classification system for all the different disabilities, there are camps and programs, and there are starting to be more coaches. (Adaptive snowboarding) is also getting a lot of attention, because snowboarding is really for everybody — not just the elite World Cup athletes, but also for people with physical disabilities that can still participate and be very good at it too.”

There are plans to host three World Cup snowboarding events next season, including a competition at Cypress Mountain during the World Cup test events in February, and events in Italy and France.

However, while the sport has momentum it’s extremely unlikely that adaptive snowboarding will be included in the 2010 Olympics. But Hrab says things are looking better for 2014, providing all of the organizations involved internationally can work together to increase participation and create an international series.

While that may be discouraging for some athletes, Hrab says his athletes are in it for the long haul.

“I’ve worked with able-bodied athletes with the national team for years, and I can say that these (adaptive) guys are the most positive, constructive, forward-thinking athletes I’ve ever met,” he said. “They’ve overcome some huge obstacles to be here already, which make the little things easier to overcome. They can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and they know that this is just the beginning and where the sport is heading.”

The next challenge for adaptive snowboarding, which was addressed at a conference and workshop surrounding the World Cup, is networking.

“We have to reach the people who snowboard recreationally with a disability, and get them into a competitive frame of mind,” said Hrab. “Events like this create awareness, and get a buzz going. People who never thought of competing will see it and say ‘I’ll do it.’”

Ian Lockey, who was second in the men’s event with a time of 59.15 seconds — almost three seconds back of Whistler’s Tyler Mosher — was excited to be part of the event.

“I really enjoyed the race, and having us race in a time trial instead of a boardercross was much better and much safer in the end,” he said. “I think the format is a little more spectator friendly, definitely more interesting than watching us wiggle down the course in a parallel giant slalom, and you can actually see people snowboarding, going up, coming down, and ripping around corners.”

Lockey is classified as an incomplete paraplegic, meaning he sustained a spinal cord injury that has reduced his feeling and mobility below the waist.

Riding a snowboard around the corners without full feeling for your edges can be a scary experience, he said.

“It is scary going onto your edge and being on edge, and having to rely on what you don’t have to hold on,” he said. “You can only hope you adapted well enough to survive the turn and not wind up in the fencing.”

Lockey plans to race in the U.S. Amateur Snowboard Association nationals at the end of the month, where he is the reigning PGS and freestyle champion, and will race all three World Cup events next season. If there’s a chance that snowboarding will be in the Paralympics in 2014, he wants to be there.

“Having events like this is great incentive for me to train more and do some off-snow training,” he said. “I’ve always relied on my snowboarding abilities, but as our coach said it’s one thing to get beaten by a better snowboarder than you, but it’s another to get beaten because you’re fat or unfit. It’s tough love, the only way to go.”

Bibian Mentel came from Holland to race in the first World Cup, winning the women’s category.

“I loved it, it was so much fun being here and riding the course,” she said. “It’s really, really nice for the level we’re riding at right now, and it’s just fun.

“Now we may have three World Cups next year, which would be exciting. I think it’s a good thing that adaptive snowboarding is getting more attention, that people with disabilities are going out and having fun, and I think we need more and more competitions to get into the Paralympics.”

Mentel is 35, and is not sure she’ll still be racing if snowboarding is added to the schedule for 2014, but she’s definitely not ruling it out.

“I love riding, and if I feel the same way then as I do now, I might have to race,” she said.

With a classification system, each competitor’s time was adjusted slightly to compensate for their specific disability. This was the first test of a classification system for snowboarding, and judging by how close the times were it went well.

Tyler Mosher posted the top time of the day, 56.3 seconds, making good use of some time off training for the Para-Nordic 2010 team to get some runs in on the snowboardcross course. Lockey was second in 59.15, and Mike Fisher placed third in 64.78.

For Mosher, winning was less important than showing up.

“I feel like a million bucks, it was really a dream come true,” he said. “After my accident (in 2000) there wasn’t anywhere for disabled people to compete. I’m so happy right now — not so much for winning, although I trained hard and I’m proud of it — but because we were laying the groundwork for all the children in the future that want to snowboard and that are living with a disability.”

For adaptive snowboarding to be successful, Mosher says the important thing is to get national organizations around the world involved and supporting their athletes.

“The hardest thing is that it’s not a Paralympic sport right now, so the athletes are pretty much on their own and we’ve had to take a bottom-up approach to getting people involved. All we can do is keep having events, get more people out each year, and sooner or later the sport will be recognized.”

As for the quality of competition, Mosher said that there were no recreational riders in the group and that everybody was out to race and win.

“It’s not just about how many people with disabilities you can get snowboarding, but how many people in that group can be athletes,” he said.

Mentel’s best time was 61.62 seconds, followed by Emily Cavallin in 63.5.

Zach Beaumont raced alone in the youth category, posting a time of 69.82.

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Ok, let's just get down to nitty gritty (or as gritty as I can get): I've been watching horrible movies lately. So, here's my reviews of  horrible movies that you should avoid at all cost, unless suicide is on your top list or you are just really bored. But if you're that bored to watch this mindless pap, you should consider if you really have anything to live for. I kid, I kid. A little.

  I will say that just because these movies are horrible, this does not mean I didn't like some of them...just a note...

JUMPER

Jumper is not really a serious, feature film. It barely qualifies as a film. But I enjoyed it, for all it's flaws. It's the kind of movie you watch at 2 AM on TNT when you're up on a boring Friday in April. Bonus points for Samuel L. Jackson, who amazingly is not tired of playing The Angry Black Man in every movie, and for that wooden actor from Star Wars, for doing something different in every film (but yet always acting the same.)

Grade: C-

THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES

I'm not a fantasy. Yeah, I read Lord of the Rings, but I skipped many parts of the book (mostly boring elven songs). I do like the Hobbit. Best fantasy book ever written. But this movie? Nah.

  Three things I can't stand in films: kids saving the world, divorce sub-plot, and the always tiresome situation that I call the "But I Swear!" cliche'. How does this work? You know in every movie where a kid sees something and nobody believes him, and he spends the whole movie trying to prove it but stuff keeps getting in the way? Some call that "delayed tension", I call this "annoying boredom."

  Spiderwick has all three of these, plus ridiculous fantasy elements that are too scary for young children, and too goofy for everyone else. I should have watched Step Up 2 the Streets instead. At least there's dancing, and the fantasy is funner anyway.

My Grade: D

MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM

One word: dreadful.

 Only watch it if you enjoy getting kicked in the head repeatedly and spit on by tobacco chewers.

My Grade: F

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Words: Gerhard Gross Images: David Rouleau

Friday the 15^th marked the beginning of the first annual Westbeach Chinese Downhill and an effort to reconnect with the spirit of shredding often lost in the myriad of publicly traded companies, profit margins and share-holder accountability that make up the current snowboarding landscape. Although all in the name of fun and beer drinking, a definite air of competitiveness was present amongst the 35 or so contestants vying for the title of fastest shred.

Westbeach's Dave Short and posse, pre mayhem gondy ride.

Notable attendees included, Shin Campos, Rube Goldberg, Kevin Sansalone, Jon Cartwright, Colin Adair, Ryan Tiene, Steph Just, Beau Bishop, Wiley Tesseo, Robjin Taylor and all the local shreds that made this event great. The rules were simple: first person to reach the Creekside Underground skatepark from the top of Million Dollar ridge and successfully finish a beer would win the affections of his peers and $500.

Weather? Dude it was epic...of course.

Brian Hockenstein and Robjn Taylor. Check out the polar opposites of emotions.

In the end it was a mix of veterans Kevin “Snacksie-pants” Sansalone and Shin “Getsu” Campos racing spring-chickens John Caulfield and Anthony Weglan to the finish line. Their shred skills had brought them to the bottom in a possible record time of 4 minutes 53 seconds but the contest was ultimately decided by the beer chugging skills of Shin. Who says professional snowboarding doesn’t teach valuable life skills?

A couple peaches in a big pot of dude stew, Alison Pesemko, Jenelle Pritchard, Steph Just. The only girls brave enough to roll up on this shi*t.

Can i get a lens wipe? Filmer Corey G's rig under attack from the elements.

Perhaps the best part, and the intended effect, was the sense of camaraderie felt by everyone there. It was a great reason for people who are often segregated by work and busy winter schedules to come together and snowboard for the sake of snowboarding. Thanks Westbeach, see you next year.

Don't f*cking film me....ok, ok, just one photo. Nitro, Billabong's Rube Goldberg, shunning the paparazzi

"CCHHHHYYYYYeah! I think i see Caulfield coming -over." Brocklebank on race patrol.

kind of smells like updog around here.

Gnarcore.com's Willey Tesseo and Beau Bishop with Lucas Ouellette.

The man, the myth the legend, gnarcore.com's John Caulfield accepting the "hey-you-tried" award from Cartwright... and talk about shnetworking, is that a business card exchange?....call me we'll do lunch.

DC Canada team manger Gerhard Gross and DC am Ryan Tiene may not have won the race but they won a spot in our hearts. "Its ok ryan, it's not all about winning, its about having fun... i love you man." they would later hug for an hour straight.

Looky, looky who we ran into. Annum's Ian Gauthier, with homie Matt Macneil and Stepchild's Eman Anderson.

Women, clothing, money and beer.......folks Westbeach is in the house.

When younger legs have you beat, it comes down to good old fashion beer drinking skills, Shin Campos...aka the Creekside King.

why did we cover this event?

gnarcore.com fully backs companies like Westbeach and any activities dedicated to preserving the soul of snowboarding.

Stay up for the video. coming soon to gnarcore.com.

Now go f*ck shi*t up.

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For the kids at home, what do they need to know if they want to become a professional photographer?
Never give up.  This industry is really tough, brutal sometimes, and people will toss you around like yesterday’s garbage.  If you’re not a strong person who will stick to their guns (especially about payment) it’s not the industry for you.  More and more companies are getting free shots out there from the “kid who just bought a digital SLR”, and it’s ruining the industry.
Think of it this way.  You’ve invested x amount of money in camera gear, x amount of time refining your style, x amount of time getting and editing photos, why shouldn’t you be paid fairly for it?  Do they get a paycheck? Do they pay for a dentist? They’re doing work just like you are.  You need to stick to your guns about being paid.  Don’t be the person who degrades the photo industry by giving away photos for free, if not, you’ll be stuck starving on the side of the street while some company has a slick new looking website.

 

Paul Welters - Mount Washington

What are some career high lights for you?
Every time I get out into the backcountry a feeling of Euphoria overcomes me.  The hour or so it usually takes to get to the alpine with the constant “braaaaaaaap” from a sled is actually quite calming.  I rather throw in ear plugs than headphones.

Who do you enjoy working most with?
I think I enjoy shooting the most with one of my best friends Aaron Shapiro.  He reminds me of a Tom Penny for snowboarding.  Basically, whenever I’m out shooting with him, he’s just riding, and you can see it on his face.  Whether he’s in front of a camera on a bluebird day or in front of me doing pow slashes in fog, he’s not out to prove anything, he’s out to have fun.  If you watch his style, you’ll see what I’m talking about.  It’s like he uses the mountain as a skate park, and just destroys it every time.  9 times out of 10, I’ll be ripping around with him and he’ll do something that’ll blow my mind and I’ll say “Give me an hour to go home and get my camera gear so we can shoot that”.

Eman Anderson - Vancouver, BC

What are some the challenges you find working with snowboarding instead of a studio?
My fingers get really cold, and I mean really cold.  That and changing angles is usually a lot tougher than people imagine.  Sometimes you have scale the side of a mountain that could take over an hour just to get a certain viewpoint.  Half a dozen times it doesn’t work out.  One thing I’ve learned is that you want to shoot your wide angle shots 2nd, and your telephotos first.  That way, there are no foot prints around the jumps from you walking around trying to find the right spot.

What are your favourite magazines?
Magazine’s are really a funny thing with me.  I have a subscription to snowboarder, I buy every issue of SBC off the shelves (from a local snowboard shop to support them), and I usually buy some issues of Future, Transworld, and Snowboard Mag when I’m shopping for groceries.  Truth be told, I never really read any of them.  I’m really weird that way, I have over 300 magazines, some dating back to the 90’s, but I’ve maybe read like 10% of them?  I usually use them for the eye candy.  I flip through them a few times and pick out the photos I like.  Remember them, and file the magazines away for a rainy day.
Images speak louder than words in my head, and technique plays a huge part in my mind.  9 times out of 10 when I see a photo I like, whether it’s technically sound or creatively genius, I go straight to the photographer credits to see who it is.  It’s kind of funny; most snowboarders can pick out a rider from their sponsors and their style.  I can pick out some photographers based on their lighting and composition.  There are the seasoned vets who absolutely kill it with every photo like “Yup, that’s a Zapalac photo”.

Myrosha Daley - Hemlock Valley Resort

 

Who do you think are the best photographers from last year?
There are so many that have, and will always stick out in my mind, whether or not they shoot snowboarding is another thing.  Here they are in no particular order:
Ian Ruther, Tim Zimmerman, Jordan Manley, Crispin Canon, Jon Scarth, Danny Zapalac, Andy Wright, Jeff Curtes, Kevin Zacher, Dorothea Lange, Cole Barash, Colin Adair, Blotto, Jess Mooney, Oli Gagnon, Jordana Meilleur, Russel Brown, Dano Pendygrasse, Dice K Maru, Scott Serfas, Ansel Adams, David Lachapelle, Annie Lebovitz, Charles Garcia, Owen, Jimmy Greeley, Jon Kirby.  There are some not mentioned, but that’s because I can’t brain fart them all out at once. 

What started you in photography?
My friend Mike from elementary school bought a Yashica FM SLR and I was fascinated by the split focus screen.  It just boggled my mind on how the damn thing worked.  So, after playing with focus for a solid 4 hours (with no film in there) I forgot about cameras for a good 2 years.  Then one summer I made friends with this crazy Mexican who was in town with his family for a month.  Their parents bought a new camera, and gave me their old one. (a nice wall mart special point and shoot).  I began shooting wall mart film on this point and shoot of me and my friends skating.  That phased out after I ran out of money.  I mean, for a 10 year old kid, $10 a roll with processing wasn’t really worth 24 photos.
So high school came along, and I made friends with a guy named Eric, and one day he showed me his Grandpa’s old camera.  And that’s what did it.  After I picked up that Minolta X-GM with a split focus screen, all I wanted to do was take pictures with it.  So, after a $200 shutter repair to the camera, I borrowed it for about 2 years and made every mistake you could possibly make with an SLR.  I then went back to my friend Mike to get some help and learned a few things, and borrowed his flash for a solid 6 years.  I finally gave the camera back to Eric and went out to buy my very first digital SLR, a Canon 20D.

What was the moment that made you decide that you wanted to take photos of snowboarders as a career choice?
The very first time I sent a photo to Colin Adair.  He was the nicest dude I had ever dealt with, and after I sent him a preview jpg, he asked for the RAW right away.  I sent it to him and kept pressing the refresh button for like 30 minutes until I heard back from him.  I got word they were going to run the shot in the upcoming issue.  But 2 weeks later, I got an email saying it wasn’t going to run, but that he wanted to see more in the future.  It didn’t matter to me that they weren’t going to run it, the only thing that mattered was that someone actually kind of liked a photo of mine.  It became my mission to impress this dude who worked at SBC.
Later on that year I get an invite email to the 24/36, and decided to do it.  When I picked up the roll of film and stuck it in my camera I had decided that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.  I have an extreme obsession over snowboarding and love for photography that this just seemed to be the right thing to do.

What's a perfect working day for you?
Having a Leica rangefinder with 3 rolls of TMAX 3200 in my pocket shredding pow with some close friends.  But I have to go buy a Leica first…

What is a favourite photo of yours that has not been published?  What's the story behind it?
The shot of Myrosha Daley I have here on Mount Seymour.  I just like how everything is in the red/orange hue and you can see the oil tankers in the Burrard Inlet.  It’s one of those things that everything was going wrong that day, and my flash kept mis-firing.  I crossed my fingers and told Myrosha to drop in.

Myrosha Daley - Mount Seymour

What is one of your favourite photos in general?  What's the story behind it?
Probably my favorite photo of all time is a photo done by Dorothea Lange called “White Angel Bread Line”.  It’s a photo taken in 1932 during the depression era near her studio in San Francisco.  There was a wealthy woman known as “White Angel” who set up a breadline to help cope with the 14 million unemployed in the country.  The photo is very simple, yet extremely powerful and has always stuck out in my mind that there are people less fortunate out there, and that I have to live my life to the fullest and be thankful for everything I have and work for.  Here’s a link for the photo: http://www.gtphoto.ca/whiteangel.jpg

Your name is not too common, do you find you get a lot of different reactions from people?
Oh ya.  Tons of people never believe me when I say “Hey, I’m Gonzo”.  They think I’m making up some nick name or trying to avoid telling them my real name.  Sometimes, when I’m really lucky, chicks dig the name.  They think it’s cool and hot, two things I definitely lack.  There is a disadvantage though.  Everyone remembers your name, and it’s hard to remember all the Jons and Nicks out there.  Usually I remember someone by their face, and not their name.

Shout outs?
I hate shout outs.

Aaron Shapiro - Grouse Mountain

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Surfing Day
Current mood: sore

As of Saturday the 28th of April I got up around 7am in the morning to pack for the first surfing day of the season. I was hoping today that there will be a bunch of surfers and good weather. Otherwise I brought two surfboards(one longboard and short board) depending on size of waves. It was pretty chilly morning with no sunrise in sight and I drove off around 7:30 to Florence. Got there around 9. One hour and half drive dude!! Yeah I have a ghetto Honda so no speeding tickets. I got there to South Jetty and was surprised that I was first to show up. Took a look around testing the wind and air temperature. Gotta love the ocean breeze and air. I stripped down all of my clothes except my top layers. Took on my rental wetsuit from Boardsports. Grabbed my longboard and took a short walk down to the water and tested how cold it was. 50-55 degrees I predicted. Same as air temp. Brrr. Took a pause to find the spot to paddle in. Beforehand I have to wet my face to get used to it then head deeper as waves hits me repeatedly. I figured out that the waves weren't flowing as well but against another which makes is harder for surfers to settle with the board. It looked rough and treacherous with too many waves at once I guessed. I grabbed a few for good to get in shape for the season. My body did not panic with water elements which is good becuase I spent a lot of time riding in the winter up in snow. Second surfer who is from Washington came. Then surfed till lunch and headed home. Newport's most popular surf spot Otter Rock could be my next stop to surf next wkend or so. We'll see.

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What does Christianity, 9/11, & the Federal Reserve have in common? 

 

 

 

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"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace."
-Jimi Hendrix

 "The Christian religion is a parody on the warship of the sun, in which they put a man called Christ in the place of the sun, and pay him the adoration originally payed to the sun."

 - Thomas Paine

 

"They must find it difficult....those who have taken authority as the truth, rather than the truth as authority."
-G. Massey, Egyptologist

 

"Religion can never reform mankind, because religion is slavery."
-Robert G. Ingersoll, 1833-1899

 

"There is something behind the throne greater than the king himself."
-Sir William Pit, House of Lords, 1770

 

"The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes."
-Benjaman Dislaeli, English Statesman, 1844

 

"The real truth of the matter is that a finacial element in the large centers has owned the government since the days of Andrew Jackson."
-Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.S President, 1933

 

"If you want to remain slaves of the bankers and pay for the costs of your own slavery, let them continue to create and control the nation's credit." -Josiah Stamp, 1880-1941  

 

"Power Corrupts; Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely." -Lord Acton, English Historian, 1834-1902

 

I belive that the banking institutions are more dangerous than standing armies.... If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency.... The banks and corporations that will grow up arownd them will dprive the people of their property until their children wakeup homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
-Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826 

 

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ZEITGEIST, The Movie - Official Release - Full Film

1 hr 56 min 23 sec - Jun 26, 2007
Average rating:   (14201 ratings)
Description: ZEITGEIST, The Movie - Official Release - Full Production (including the 'Overture') What does Christianity, 911 and The Federal Reserve have in common? Overture: 0:00-9:34 Part 1: 9:35-35:53 Part 2: 35:54-1:09:16 Part 3: 1:09:17-1:56:23 Please visit www.zeitgeistmovie.com for information and the full source list for this work.

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Every day we are faced with a myriad of decisions: paper or plastic, beer or whiskey, left or right hand, cracker or toast; life certainly is complicated. Even in snowboarding, an activity pursued as a means to escape daily life, we are constantly making decisions: frontside or backside, groomers or glades, powder or ice (some decisions are much easier than others). How often, however, are you faced with a decision that will impact your future ability to ride? You might just be surprised at just how often we are faced with just such a choice and by some accounts make the wrong decision. When it comes to making choices about the environment, as snowboarders we should probably tend to those that won't make the planet warmer. We like snow, so global warming should be a severe pain in our collective asses. Although when faced with certain choices, that decision isn't quite so easy. The answer might not be obvious, so how do you come to a decision?

Recently a colleague sent me an article explaining how, by reducing our consumption of meat by 10%, we could reduce our CO₂ footprint by up to 25%. The premise being that factory farming practices are responsible for the creation of massive amounts greenhouse trapping gasses via the release of methane from bovine bungholes. Who knew our ability to shred could be so affected by flatulence (fart jokes: they're not just for the juvenile anymore). This idea of reducing one's carbon footprint by eating less meat is by no means a new idea, vegetarians have been arguing this fact for years. There is a gaping hole in this argument, however, which is often overlooked, namely the point of origin of our food.

I have much respect for people who choose to be vegetarians. In fact, for a period in my life, I myself was vegetarian although it caused me to become under weight and sickly (I'm too lazy to want to spend two hours a day cooking good vegetarian meals that will keep me from losing weight). If being vegetarian works for you, that's great, there are many advantages to a non-meat diet. A smaller carbon footprint, however, is not necessarily one of them. The reality is, that pretty much anywhere where you snowboard there's winter. This means that for a good part of the year, the basic elements of a vegetarian diet are not available locally and must be imported. This usually involves trucks which are heavy emitters of greenhouse gases thus negating the reduction in cow farts.

For more significant reductions in your personal carbon footprint than cutting meet out of your diet, you should look to buying locally grown food whenever possible. I'm pretty sure this would have a much greater impact on the environment in general as well as bolster the local economy. Besides the real culprit is not diet but mass consumerism and the lengths industry goes to in order to support it. By eliminating factory farming, Adam Smith's invisible hand of the market would do what it should and give beef it's proper natural price (which ought to be much higher than it is now). Increases in the cost of beef would be a significant step toward reducing our daily intake of it (in developed countries, people typically eat about 224 grams of beef per day whereas in Africa most people consume only about 31 grams per day), not to mention a decrease in cow farts thus ensuring a continued state of winter.

I realise that this is straying somewhat from the topic of snowboarding, however, this relates back to the old adage of thinking globally and acting locally. This can be interpereted as meaning that the global impact of your daily decisions should be taken into account. For example:

• Left or right hand? Try the stranger, it feels like someone else is doing it.
• Cracker or toast? Here's an idea, avoid the circle jerk in the first place.
• Frontside or backside? Surprise me.
• Powder or ice? Jeeze is there really a decision to make here?

What's important is that these are things that should be kept in mind when faced with choices, namely the more global impact of even the smallest decision. I'd like to be able to keep snowboarding for many years to come, so I'd hate to feel even partly responsible for the disapearance of winter thus negating my ability to...

Keep Shreddin' the GNAR!

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Full Name: Carlo Jose Wein
Location: North Vancouver
Favourite Quote: "It's go time"
 
Your first Alterna snowboard movie came out in 2000, The Struggle.  Is it still a struggle today?

It’s always a struggle but we always find ways to overcome our challenges.
Creating snowboard films is definitely not the easiest of tasks, you have so many variables that need to come together for a film to be successful. Good light, snow conditions, crews that mesh well and solid sponsorship are only some of the various elements that need to work well in order to create a solid film.

What is a typical year like for you?

We pretty much film and travel from when the snow hits until around May of the following year. I guess that also depends on the type of snow year we are faced with, when we filmed Shrediquette a few years back we had the challenge of having hardly any snow, we were forced to go to Argentina in July to make up for lack of footage.

This year we traveled to Norway in July to get some "on the road" footy because we pretty much spent the whole season in Whistler.  Look out for the save of the century which took place on this trip care of JF FORTIN in the beginning of his segment.

As far as going to Vegas for the asr trade show we have been more successful gaining sponsorship outside of the show it seems its more of a good time than a time to do business.

 
Do you think the internet is killing the video star?

I know that more people are watching our films because of the internet and less people are buying them. When I was in Finland last year all the up and coming finnish groms all had burned copies of almost every snowboard film. Europe is always a step ahead with this technology and North America will follow.  We are hoping that added value to our packaging like the insertion of an Apples & Oranges bandana this year will encourage people to buy the DVD.
 

What do you see for the future of snowboard films?

In my opinion, online distribution is definitely the future of snowboard flicks. People want to see movies right away and if you have your computer connected to your TV like most will in the future buying and viewing your favourite film will be one click away.

The latest project coming out of Alterna is Apples & Oranges.  What can we expect?

We shot the film in true HD so that is also a new element. Expect a 20 plus video layered intro that will have you re-watching it for sure. This year in some of the segments especially in Matt Belzile's part we miked Matt for his entire part.  Apples & Oranges also has the most cable cams and dolly shots that we have ever employed in any of our productions.

 
How large is the crew that put it all together this year?

During the winter there are seven production people together and we also contract out additional help during the winter for certain sessions. Myself and Bryant Bell are full time in the office on the North Shore.

I noticed that you popped the question if people would prefer Blue-ray vs. HD-DVD.  What are you thinking of going with?

It looks like Blue Ray for North America and HD DVD for Europe. 720p Downloads were also a big request. We will be releasing an HD downloadable version of Apples & Oranges closer to Christmas.

What would you like people to take away from watching Apples & Oranges?

Hopefully after watching Apples & Oranges you get stoked to go out and shred for yourself.
 

Where and when can people come out to the premieres?

All premieres will be listed on our website www.alternaactionfilms.com

Any shout outs?

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Full Name: Carlo Jose Wein
Location: North Vancouver
Favourite Quote: "It's go time"
 
Your first Alterna snowboard movie came out in 2000, The Struggle.  Is it still a struggle today?

 Add/View Comments (0)