Blogs Results

Day 1
I was pretty nervous when I left home and took a flight to Vancouver BC. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to snowboard as good as the others, but when I went, you're organized into groups depending on your level. It was silly of me to worry, but when i did go, the campers were pretty chill so it didn't even matter anyways. Well anyways, when I landed in Vancouver, I met so many people at the airport going to Whistler Summer Snowboard Camp. When we all boarded the camp bus/shuttle I met even MORE people. During the evening, we were to meet at the mountain room (a huge room with a big screen tv). There we were introduced to all the coaches and info about the camp, like camp rules, schedual, and activites. When i got to my room, there I met my 2 roomates! They were the same level as me at snowboarding and same age too! They were also in my group which was cool. I made friends really quick.

Day 2-6

The park is siiiiiiiick. They have their own terrain on Blackcomb Mountain, with jumps, rails, boxes, and a tent that you can just chill at if you're tired or hungry. The weather felt like it was 20 degrees, it was so hot! I think that's really cool, the weather being really warm and being able to snowboard. I know what you're thinking, but no! The snow isn't all slush! There's plenty of snow and the groomers of their camp groom it everyday so it's all good. I got a pretty sick goggle tan.

Activites

Out of all the activites, I've got to say that bungee jumping was my favourite! You're there with all your friends going bungee jumping! There's other activities like wakeboarding, paintball, mountain biking, driving range/miniputt, skateboarding, indoor rockclimbing, games room/movie lounge, pool/hot tub at the hotel, tennis/volleyball/dodgeball, or just chilling at Whistler Village!

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The countdown is on and the party begins this Friday. The TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival kicks into high gear April 17-26, 2009. The only thing to do is get yourself to the centre of the action. Here are some highlights of what's on the adjenda, including some new events you'll want to check out.

The best things in life are still free. Zune Concert Series line-up promises 10 days of pilgrim-worthy free outdoor concerts, featuring Ozomatli, Ten Second Epic, The Stills, Metric, and DJ Ztrip.

Grenade Games lobs into town. Snowboarding’s infamous end of season party is by the riders, for the riders. Giving Canadians the chance to become Grenadians for the first time in its history, the Grenade Games’ line-up includes a Poker Run, dual slalom moguls course, pipe and slopestyle comp, and entices legends of snowboarding out of retirement to ride alongside current pros and up-and-comers.

Discover tomorrow’s artistic superstars. Debuting at this year’s Festival is the mutant sibling of the Pro Photographer Showdown, the ThreePointOh Multimedia Challenge. Plus, State of the Art, the Canada-wide Designer Search and Expose, and the new Chef Challenge.

Skate comes to the party. The new Festival opener, Skate & Deploy, followed by the Skate of the Art Opening party offers the perfect segue from winter to spring for fans of flow.

Graphic mastery gains momentum. Enter year four of the open crowd-sourcing collaboration that introduces graphic design talent to snowboards as canvass. Masterpiece in Motion entries are due March 1.

Ticketed events are known to sell out in advance so avoid disappointment and get your tickets early. Get yours online now at the Festival E-Store.

Faces of the Fest prepare to face-off to be the Festival’s 2009 on-air video host. Our very own Alex Hearn, voice of the Whistler Blackcomb snowphone, is one of the five finalists! "VOTE HARD, VOTE HEARN" VOTE NOW! Last day to vote is today, Monday, April 13th.

Looking to come up and enjoy all of the action? There are some awesome deals on now, including 2 day lift & lodging from just $82 pp/pn. MORE INFO

Another sweet deal...Buy your 5 or 10-Day 2009.10 EDGE Card now to ski at Whistler Blackcomb from $57 per day next season plus get unlimited spring skiing NOW for just $79! BUY NOW

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Just four weeks until the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival rolls in to take over Whistler for 10 days and 10 nights of adenaline packed sports, arts, and music events.

The Zune Concert Series line up is set and ready to rock the valley of Whistler with live music from Thornley, The Stills, Ozomatli, The Arkells, 54 40, DJ ZTrip, and Metric to name just a few. For more info on the Zune Concert Series visit: wssf.com

This year marks the return of the Orage Masters, World Skiing Invitational's Big Air and Superpipe, and the addition of the Park'n'Fly Skate Jam and Monster's Grenade Games.

Also returning this year and bigger than ever are the infamous arts events including the Olympus Pro Photographer Showdown, 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown, Schick Fashion Exposed, State of the Art, Whistler Chef Challenge, and the new ThreePointOh Multimedia Challenge.

The festival doesn't stop there. When the sun sets the party is just getting started! The Kokanee Freeride Club Series, along with an onslaught of legendary parties, offers party-goers endless opportunities to rub elbows with the who's who of the industry. This year the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival really lives up to its modo: Party in April. Sleep in May.

TWSSF is also offering one lucky person the ultimate VIP status for this year's festival with the Face of the Festival Contest. To find out how to apply visit: wssf.com/faceofthefestival





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Hi all
  I busted my right distal radius into multiple pieces(comminuted)about two wks ago which led to other issues: stiff and unusable primary hand. I wasnt able to find any blogs out there that went thru the day to day recovery so i hope i can be there for anyone in the future who might want more info. Its hard to type so thats probably why there are few blogs chronicling this.
 
How it happened: Some might feel indestructible blasting down or jumping up as fast without a worry in the world and have a glory accident story. But my story is very pedestrian. I basically modified the way i fell due to a series of crashes(high speed near bottom of the mountain on the rear right deltoid). So the day of the injury my shoulder was so sprained i couldnt raise it above my head.. But I still went boarding the next day (mlk wknd at squaw valley) and it was my toe edge on ice near kt22 lift traversing to red dog in the afternoon that did me in.

    After the incident I knew right away something was wrong since the wrist was deformed,swelling,  and my fingers I couldnt move them. After the doctor onsite 'reduced' it(pulled it back into place) I felt better although far from normal.
    Fast forward to vicodin/naprosyn and a surgery to correct everything. By wednesday after I was in surgery in which the surgeon put a titanium plate and screws. Post surgery, I did not feel like myself at all(low energy sleeping too much eating simple and not desiring meat/wine, X games were inspiring tho). It has now been 10 days since surgery. It is a real bitch to sleep at night since the pain is throbbing and unending. I went off the meds though since it was making me wake up super late and groggy although I was beginning to get addicted to the vicodin.
      I guess my right hand still works a little bit as I can grip some items but it feels robotic slow and stiff. Pressing buttons is even a strange experience. I started typing but it is still very foreign. Doc says I will start pt after the splint comes off 6wks post surgery.. And advises me to move as much as possible.. I dont know but Im more focused on writing/using my hands than getting back on the slopes. I do still have a season pass tho that I need to utilize.   
      I am really hoping that the pain will go away so I can sleep at night, and that I can type more proficiently. After I would like to write. No idea how many days that will take though.. I wonder if I will be able to brush my teeth before beingable to write normally again. Cheers.



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Come out and see if your skills measure up to Celtek's top snowboarding Pros! Skier's division will compete against Stefan Thomas, Team Athlete of The Canyons Resort. Women’s Open Snowboarding will compete against Celtek Team Rider Iris Lazzareschi and Men’s snowboarding divisions against a Celtek Team Rider TBA. Go head-to-head in the first heat matching the Pro's tricks! Top riders jam out to see who will reign supreme! For more info visit thesluggames.com.

 

 

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

The North Face Masters of Snowboarding 2009 Tour Dates Announced by The North Face and Mountain Sports International

The North Face Masters of Snowboarding is the largest big mountain snowboarding tour in the country, with a prize purse of $45,000 and two new world-class venues

 

Registration is now open on www.thenorthfacemasters.com

 

Salt Lake City, Utah, December 17, 2008 – Now in its sophomore year, The North Face Masters of Snowboarding (TNF Masters) has become the largest cohesive competitive big mountain snowboarding tour in the country. A three-stop tour, TNF Masters is designed to cater to the motivation, talent and skill of world-class big mountain snowboarders. The 2009 tour visits Snowbird, Utah, Crested Butte, Colorado, and culminates at the ultimate big mountain competition venue of Kirkwood, California.

 

“The North Face Masters tour is going to be off the chain this year,” said TNF Masters Alyeska, Alaska, 2008 champion Rob Kingwill. “I am excited to be a part of the movement toward giving big mountain snowboarding competition the recognition it deserves. All three 2009 venues are world-class, and I can't wait to see what happens.”

 

TNF Masters features a $45,000 cash prize purse and serves as a qualifier event to the Freeride World Tour. Winners from the Snowbird and Crested Butte TNF Masters events will have the opportunity to compete in the Nissan Tram Face at Squaw Valley, California.

 

"Freeriding, the use of natural terrain, fall line, and innovation from riding style is the essence of big mountain snowboarding,” said TNF Masters Head Judge Tom Burt. “The TNF Masters series is designed around this and that is the reason why I agreed to become the head judge. The terrain will be delivered by Snowbird, Crested Butte, and Kirkwood. All have different flavors of terrain so each will bring its own challenges for the riders, and every rider will bring their own style and innovation to each venue. When the two mesh the best freerider will emerge.“

 

TNF Masters gathers big mountain snowboarding tribes from all around the world. All male and female snowboarding competitors above age 18 are welcomed to participate. Registration is now open on www.thenorthfacemasters.com.

 

The North Face Masters of Snowboarding 2009 Series Schedule

Stop #1 – Snowbird, Utah.                  January 29-February 1, 2009

Stop #2 –Crested Butte, Colorado. February 12-15, 2009

Stop #3 –Kirkwood, California         March 5-8, 2009

 

Fans of big mountain snowboarding can catch same-day coverage of the Semi-Final and Final rounds of each TNF Masters event on www.thenorthfacemasters.com where there are complete videos, photos, athlete profiles, detailed event schedules, registration information and more.

 

For more information please visit www.thenorthfacemasters.com.

 

Special Thanks To:

The North Face

Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort

Crested Butte Mountain Resort

Kirkwood Mountain Resort

Primaloft

Snowboard Magazine

Mountain Sports International

 

REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND ATHLETE INQUIRIES CONTACT

Sara Pinsoneault

Athlete Communications

Mountain Sports International

801.349.4650

sarap@mtsports.com

 

MEDIA INQUIRES AND FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

Cara Williams

PR, Communications & Media Manager

Mountain Sports International

801.349.4608

cara@mtsports.com

 

Pamela Bennett

Communications Manager

The North Face

510.618.3654

pamela_bennett@vfc.com

 

About MSI

Mountain Sports International (MSI) is a private company, founded in 1997, to develop and produce action/adventure sports events and programming in North America. MSI owns and produces the U.S. Freeskiing Series, the U.S. Skiercross Series, and the Freeskiing World Tour, in addition to several other properties and concepts.

 

MSI provides event management services for Burton, Salomon, and Red Bull and has provided infrastructure and expertise for the NBC Gravity Games and ESPN Action Sports Projects, including the Tony Hawk Gigantic Skatepark Tour. MSI specializes in matching clients with events for brand penetration into target demographics, developing product identification and loyalty. MSI matches brand and culture, company and credibility to create sought-after events that help to define the action sports culture.

 

About The North Face

The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in San Leandro, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company’s products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.

 

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Is anyone heading out to the X Games in Aspen CO. this month? Jan 22-25@ Buttermilk Mountain or the Dew tour in West Dover VT. this week January 8-11/ Northstar-at-Tahoe-Trukee CA Feb 19-22? I heard there was a new company looking for boarders to sponsor...what do you think?


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dave,
the truth.
the truth is, im totally crazy for you. I broke up with my boyfriend because i dont like him, i dont want him. I want you. And that not really fair to do to him. It's always gonna be you dave. always. thats something thats just not going to change. Ive spent many many days crying my eyes out because the one thing i want, i can never have. I dont know how you truly feel about me, and i probably never will. To me, it seems like you've been playing games with me for the past 2 years. You know ill always come back to you, even when i have an amazing guy. You wants some, just call me cause ill be by you in a second. You have so much power over me its sad. Then new girls come along, forget about me. But when thats over, you come back to me, cause you know ill be here. Im not dumb, if you think i am. I know how it works. I just suck at this game and fall for it everytime. Its a pretty jackass move tho, to play with peoples feelings like you do. I mean what inconsideret a**hole would ever do that to someone, knowing how in love with them they are. Knowing that every night their waiting for him, to call, to text. And every night, they wait and wait.  And every morning when they wake up, nothing. Breaking their heart, slowly, one by one. And in the end, what happens? Absolutly nothing. They spent their whole life waiting, being played, broken hearted, and they never gained a single thing. Just love a hell of a lot. Dave you know damn well that were not just "friends". Were never gonna be and never can be "friends". Cause ill always be in love with you. And you, you'll always just want some from me, cause thats probably all im good for. You'd think id be used to it by now. I guess i am, i know whats gonna happen, and im still in love with you.

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 Russia, I’ve always wanted to go there!! And here I am, landing in Sochi designated host of the 2014 Olympic games. The small airport stands by the black sea and I m quite surprised to see palm trees through the plane window.. We made our way through the taxi drivers  scrum, chose one of them by the size of his car and drove up towards Krasnaya Polyana.. It s a 45 minutes drive.. this place looks like a remote and small European resort.. but 40 years ago. Oakley is always a fun crew! Grete Eliassen, Gretchen Bleiler, Angeline who has missed her flight, Marie-France Roy who had some visa issues and will arrive a couple of days later and I.

 

The lift is sketchy!! You sit on that red metal 2 seater chairlift while the chairlift guy holds it by handcraft for 1 second.. your board on your knees as well as your backpack, gloves, ipod etc.. you are hanging about 40 or 60m off the ground and the lift makes weird noises.. or stops and runs the wrong direction for 10 seconds.. the way out is even sketchier! Same thing, the guy grabs the chair and you have 1 second to jump off and run with your gear in your hands…

 

Everywhere nearby the chairlift you can find some tough Russian body guards.. they looked scary.. but Gretchen got them to be our friends by getting them into our photo albums! So everyday.. they looked just mean and tough.. but when we showed up, they gave us their biggest smiles.. with hardly any teeth appearing or maybe a couple golden ones..

Never mind, it’s sunny and the snow looks epic.. but it’s really warm.. and yep it has been really warm and sunny a full day already, you should have been there YESTERDAY! It looked like fun hot pow but my board got glued so hard to the ground that I couldn’t even turn or keep my nose up! That snow was pretty much the worst you can get! No way to work it.. and worst was to come.. it rained for a week.

And still we went up and got a couple of jibs done.. there was no water in the house (no showers) but all was good..  cause the girls were soo fun to hang out with! While the skiers were building a wall ride, Gretchen and I took the lift to the top.. Super sketchy avalanches went down on the whole mountain! Wett heavy huge avalanches all over the place..  but the top stayed good.. cause it was just cold enough to keep it together.. That night we decided to drink it blue witch is an easy thing to do in Russia.. Anna showed Gretchen and I a couple breakdance moves, I painted on Shin’s face while Marie-France was holding him and thanks to Grete who puked that night cause it worked and got sunny the next day!

 

It had snowed and blown quite a bit on the very top.. and that was our chance to make it happen.. we hiked 2 bowls behind the top chairlift and found a couple lines, slashes and cliffs… the snow was super fun in the shady spots.. I was stoked to finally get to ride! And to slash pow YEAH!! The last run down was soo fun!! And then we had to traverse for about an hour and hike another hour to get back to the slopes.. it was  close to dark, all lifts were closed and there were both of Grete’s fans!! Waiting for her to appear out of the woods. What a good day!! It s funny how 1 good day makes it up for ten bad ones.

 

That was our last night in the mountains and we all went to the Russian Sauna to get  naked and beaten with branches by a Russian type of Tarzan!! The best thing ever!

We left to Moscow the next day and that was super fun too! The Red Square was on my to see list.. pretty mind blowing!  Thanks to Oakley, Shin, Anna and Marie for making this trip a trip to remember!

annefloremarxer.com

 

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What is the hardest thing about Snowboarding the first day of the year?  Putting down the board and taking pictures. The mood was epic on the afternoon of the 11th, boards and shovels in hand we embarked on a journey that would bring friends of all types and styles together.  While most kids were playing video games and sleeping in we were playing in the snow that friday nights storm left for us.  Matty McInnis, Chris Bartowski and I headed up there around 11 and met up with the heavy hitting crew including Brandon Cocard, Nick Visconti, Joshua Parker, Niki, Brandon Dury, Who, Brandon Hays, Andrew Brewer and RV. Check out these photos from our long trip to our patch somewhere above the greater Reno/Carson City area.

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Snigggty snap boom crack….ahh yEAAA….  THE MESSAGE is BACK!!!

Summer, Summer, Summmer tiiiiiiiiiime is finally winding down, there have been some kickass concerts going down in Tahoe all summer I saw Pato Banton, Andre Nickatina, Rebelution, The Pyrx Band, and many others,  4th of July was off the hook! For those of you who caught the fireworks, than you know that Tahoe and Big Bear offer some amazing fireworks shows, if you didn't make it to the lakes this year, you better plan on it next year!!!! And then we had Labor Day, Thanks to everyone who came out and partied last weekend! Both Hotels were SOLD OUT and it was an amazing time!!!  IF you can't wait to get away, check out these upcoming events that you don't want to miss!!!

In LAKE TAHOE,

Tuesday September 16th – Living Legends – (Eli, Sunspot Jones, Luckyiam, Scarub, Aesop, Bicasso +more TBA) along with The Bayliens and Rise of the Revolution.


Tues September 23rd - Eek-a-Mouse

Wed Sept. 24th - Sweatshop Union

Nov 28th - "Blizzard" Pray for Snow Party at Vex Night Club


And X-mas with THE GROUCH!!!


All of the above shows are at Whiskey Dick's Saloon a few miles from THE BLOCK. Cept the "Blizzard" Party at VEX.

Coming up in BIG BEAR,

Weekends, September 13 - October 25th - 38th Annual Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest, located at The Convention Center at Big Bear Lake.

AND THEN, the 1st SNOWBOARD CONTEST OF THE SEASON is BACK!!!! September 20th – Hot Dawgs and Hand Rails returns to Big Bear! Pro Jib Contest with over $15,000 prize purse!  Vendor Village, weenie roast, raffles, FREE ADMISSION! 6,000+ people showed up last year, so Book your rooms at THE BLOCK early to insure you got a spot to crash!!



Big Bear is also getting ready to open a new skate park at the community center,  be amped on that!!

SO with the 1st contest coming our way that means winter is just around the corner, and THE BLOCK has been busy preparing for THE BLOCK BOOTCAMP 2008!!  This year's BLOCK Bootcamp will be held once again in Big Bear from Nov 10-22.  We have been receiving numerous applications from all over the world and will be selecting 100 recruits to participate in THE BLOCK Bootcamp of which only 20 will be hired! The Bootcamp is a HIGH STRESS Environment and will be intense, so start training now! If you have any injuries that prevent you from completing physical tasks (ie. push-ups, pull-ups, running and general calisthenics), please refrain from enrolling as we will not be making any exceptions for any physical and mental handicaps this year!  If you were not hired last year and can physically complete the course you are welcome to re-apply for Season 3.

However, This year we are going stern on snowboarders, you MUST BE ABLE TO SNOWBOARD! We don't want non-snowboarding actors trying to get the job, just because it's a TV Show. SO if you don't own your own snowboard and gear and cant ride down the mountain, don't even bother applying!!!!!!  Snowboarding will be part of The Bootcamp, so your skills will be put to the test!

If you have already applied, don't worry your application has been received and we are in the process of reviewing them, All accepted recruits will be notified atleast 30 days prior to Boot Camp Departure Via 1st Class Mail from Marc Frank Montoya and Liko Smith.

IF you think you have what it takes to work for the Dopest Hotel on the planet, Please send a resume (include work history, address and phone #), 2 pictures, your myspace link (if you got one) and a paragraph on why you would be good for THE BLOCK to bootcamp@theblockhotels.com

 This year is going to be the best year to date at THE BLOCK, Liko and G4TV have been throwing around all types of rumors for Season 3, will we be going to Japan, Whistler, LAAX or somewhere else equally as cool, we will just have to wait for this next upcoming season to find out!!! THE BLOCK Season 2, is downloadable on iTunes and X-Box Live so if you ain't seen it, go check out all the debauchery that goes down at our Hotel!! Everything from bootcamp to Aspen X-Games, Vivid Porn Stars and Spring BLOCK!!!

Also if you missed THE BLOCK, when it premiered on 4-20 you can catch it again when it re-plays again this winter or download it on i-Tunes, V.O.D., or X-Box Live.

Click to Watch NOW!

Click to Watch NOW!




Sundays at 8pm PT 11pm ET ONLY on G4



AIGHT thats all I got for ya this time, WE will be having more updates closer to bootcamp, so keep yo eyes and ears peeled!!



Dirty D Signing OFF



Check out these flicks from the Summer...





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 On October 18, 2008, McCovey Cove will be the site of the fourth annual Esurance ICER AIR, an action sports, music and lifestyle event featuring the world’s best Olympic and X Games skiers and snowboarders. The event will also feature freestyle motocross, skate, BMX, headliner music acts, interactive exhibits and a beer garden.

Esurance ICER AIR 2008 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 18, from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at McCovey Cove’s Lot A, adjacent to AT&T Park, on the San Francisco Embarcadero waterfront.

General admission tickets are $28.
VIP tickets are on sale for $48.
Save $24 by purchasing the Family four pack which is $88.
Purchase your tickets online at http://www.icerair.com.

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The first weekend of August is a busy one.  Three things you should know about this upcoming weekend.

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’ve never been exposed to military life, and I’ve certainly never been in a combat zone - until last week.



I spent a good part of my summer vacation in Afghanistan. Danny Kass, Grete Elliassen, and I spent 10 days in the Middle East, visiting our troops on an "X Games themed meet and greet." Our mission was simple: boost moral. If you’ve ever hung out with Danny, Grete, or I you’d know not only did we accomplish our mission, we went above and beyond the call of duty. It was a small sacrifice compared to what the servicemen and women of the Armed Forces are doing for our great nation.

I went over to Afghanistan with an open mind, to see first hand what was going on and how the troops were doing. I came back humbled and with a true understanding of sacrifice. I mean, I know how trying “the road” can be, but giving yourself for 15 months of your life, away from family and friends, is one hell of a sacrifice and a test of a true patriot in my book.

Our Middle East tour started in Qatar, a small but very wealthy country on the Persian Gulf just off of Saudi Arabia.

Qatar is the hottest place I’ve ever been to - including the sauna at your local health club. The temperatures ranged from 120 degrees during the mid-day heat, and would drop to around 90 degrees at night. Needless to say, we spent the majority of our time in doors soaking up every ounce of air conditioning we could before bolting to an air-conditioned car, and off to the next air-conditioned building.

Other than the heat being almost unbearable, the troops were amazing. The base in Qatar isn’t only a fully-functioning military base, it’s also a rest and relaxation base for solders to get out of the combat zones in Iraq or Afghanistan for four days every six months. This was their R&R time. The feeling in Qatar was pretty light hearted. The solders were allowed three beers a day, which loosened them up enough for Danny to olli four of them laying down - including Col. Cotter on his skateboard.



From Qatar we boarded a C130 military plane flight into Afghanistan. Once we arrived in Afghani air space the plane blacked out completely into the night sky. A young soldier with a thick Kentucky accent leaned over and said, “We're going to drop in fast, they have a tendency to try and shoot these things down.” That’s when the realization that I was in a war zone fully hit me.

He was right, too, the C130 plane dropped like a rock out of the night sky from about 20-30 thousand feet up to the runway below. A “combat landing” is one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced. My face was glued to the window praying I didn’t see a rocked fire out of one of the many clusters of lights seen below. Thankfully nothing “exciting” as another soldier put it happened.



Once we were “safely” in Afghanistan, Grete fell ill with salmonella poisoning. She was hospitalized and our tour was put into a holding pattern. Not only would Danny and I visit Grete in the Afghanistan Hospitals but we ventured around a met most of the Doctors, Nurses, Staff, and of course the injured and sick. Carmen our guide practically lived at the bedside of Grete, what a guide! My experiences of Hospitals are that they always have an eerie feeling to them, and this one was no exception. My heart sank as we toured room after room. Everyone had a different story to tell why they were there. A group of local Men were all smiles getting routine check ups, so they were able to get a job on base. Then there was an American Soldier awaiting hand surgery after his armored vehicle was rolled during a roadside attack. The most disturbing was by far the small children. One little girl lost her leg from an old Russian land mind, and in the very next room a little boy laid out dressed in bandages healing burns from an explosion. Experiences like these are reinsuring my thoughts and wishes to have peace on earth.



Danny and I carried on and entertained ourselves by exploring the rest of the base. While checking out the base we met a group of armored truck guys who called themselves “The Reapers”. These guys were cool as hell and had story after story to tell Danny and I about their life in the military and their tour in Afghanistan.
While hanging with The Reapers I felt safe - these guys were the bad asses on the front lines. They gave Danny and I a full tour of their armored vehicle, including sitting in the gunner’s chair. Spinning around in that chair armed with a 50 cal and a grenade launcher was quite a feeling.

Grete wasn’t getting any better after a couple of days so Danny and I left her and our tour guide Carmen behind as we ventured to a FOB (Forward Operating Base) named Solerno - better know as Rocket City.

While in Rocket City, the Air Calvary gave us a tour of the Heli pad holding Blackhawks, Apaches, and a smaller surveillance chopper. We took shooting lessons from a sniper and visited an artillery group of guys who are responsible for shooting back at the Taliban after Rocket City is attacked by, well, rockets. Danny and I were reminded that we were at a FOB nicknamed Rocket City at about 2 am by our guide McKnight. I was abruptly awoken my McKnight’s deep voice saying, “come on, get your sh*# on, get your sh*# on, we got to get to the hard building.” I looked over at Danny while he was throwing his bulletproof vest and helmet on and started to do the same.



We all grabbed our blanket and pillow and ran across the street to the hard building, aka a bunker. It was thought that we may be getting attacked by rockets that night so we all spent the night tossing and turning on the concrete floor wearing bullet proof vests and Kevlar helmets. Let me tell you that was one hell of a night. Let’s just say I wasn’t missing my flight out of Rocket City.



After our Rocket City adventures Danny, aka Afghan Dan, and I met back up with Grete and Carmen, did one last signing in Afghanistan and started our trip back home.



Although our trip was short and sweet, I think I got a pretty basic taste of military life in a war torn country. The highs of hanging out with the gung-ho soldiers and their weapons, to the lows of visiting a four year old girl who lost a leg from a land mine are just two extreme emotions I felt in just one week.

Again my hat goes off to the servicemen and women who sacrifice so much to protect this great country we all love.

www.porterstahoe.com


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