Some Other Planet

What am I getting into!?

Unearthly. That's the only way I can describe Death Valley. After a series of mountain ranges, including one that holds the largest in the lower US, how could any rain possibly make the journey from the sea. The word 'desert' doesn't even start. To step out of your car is to make a serious commitment. Fuck around out there and it's your ass. I went through a litre of water and I never ventured far, no hikes, no impromptu calisthenics. Maybe a maximum of 20 minutes before retreating back to the conditioned air of my automobile. Speaking of which, the '1' setting on the dial didn't even make a difference. The sun mocks the '1' setting. You best be turning it up to '11.' Then, when you start climbing the next mountain range, you can feel like your car is going to spontaneously combust from the engine compartment. All of this is a huge disservice to the majesty that is Death Valley. The views and geology are unique and astounding. If you ever get the chance, check it out. Just not in the summer. See what I mean...

The journey begins

...and continues

Bullwinkle's friend

This thing was buried way in the shade,
It's 109° in Vegas right now and it wasn't even close there.
More like 120°


It was so hot at this point I was delirious

And to make matters worse, I was attacked by a gun-toting alien.

As I said, now I'm in Las Vegas, housing the No Limit cash games. I've got some friends who are really good at this game and are playing in some WSOP events. Some have cashed, others weren't so lucky. Stay tuned for some poker pics and more words from the road as I move east through Utah and Colorado.

Entering the Valley of Death

Such an ominous name. The sun should really be blazing by the time I get there, too, given my late start. My body wasn't made for 120° heat. Humans in general shouldn't dally in conditions like that. It's so dry here that I woke up feeling hung over and I didn't even have a drink last night. Oh yeah, I should mention that I'm in a hotel (thankfully), in Lone Pine, CA. Camping again last night would have been the end of me, so I opted for a shower and a mattress. The continental breakfast was pretty sweet, too.

I'm not sure how long my computer will last (I had it plugged in all night and it reads 0% on the battery meter, I've never seen that), so I'll hit you with a quick photo update. Tonight I'll be around computer-savvy people, so maybe this little problem will pass. Anyway, here are some thousands of words...

The trip's official motto and phrase all decisions must pass through.

A mid-elevation shot of Kings Canyon looking across the river

This is a low-elevation shot looking down the river

Giant Sequoias in Sequoia NP

Crystal Cave in Sequoia NP

Mt. Whitney (from the hotel parking lot)

That brings us to the present. Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks have the greatest diversity in the smallest area I've ever seen. The climate goes from lush river bottom to high desert in a couple miles. More giant sequoias than anywhere else. Vast networks of marble caves. Every animal from rattlesnakes to tarantulas to lizards and even mountain lions. Shit, I saw a black bear almost directly across the street from one of the visitors centers. That was enough to make me lose some sleep.

The designations are odd. Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park are apparently not the same park, but entry to one gets you the other. An hour's drive might see you cross any number of boundaries to national monuments, national parks, national forests... basically the area is so rad that people just keep setting aside more of it. That's OK by me. The pictures don't do it justice. Get there and see it. It is surely among our nation's most awesome. And I mean that as in it will inspire awe. Your jaw will go slack, you will pause mid-thought, you may be overcome with emotion. This is not the same 'awesome' you would use to describe a rail trick on a snowboard, no matter how many stairs.

I feel like I need to devote more words to these past few days of mine, so don't be surprised when I do. At the very least, I'll share some more pictures. Now, I'm off to Death Valley where it's probably over 100° already...

The Route Firms...

Work is done. Many bugs were squashed along the way, some were just ignored. They'll get along just fine without me. A phone call might be in order to see if everything got finished. That call will have to wait.

Right now I'm in Santa Cruz, CA. It's 80° and sunny. I don't miss Portland weather. Soon I'll be in the Seirras; Sequoia National Park to be sure. Something about trees the size of 30-story buildings feels like the proper perspective. After that, Death Valley. There's a contrast. From 20-foot wide trees at 7000 feet to 120° desert at -200 feet. But it's a dry heat...

Las Vegas comes next. I have friends there and probably internet access again, so I'll drop an update on you then. Maybe I'll even have some pictures ready. Maybe I'll have them tonight.

The path out of Vegas goes through Cedar City, Utah and Glenwood Springs, Colorado. (I won't make SLC on the trip out, Benny, but you're first in line for the return.) Not sure what's between Glenwood and Williston, but I'm sure I can find something. My only concrete date is July 3 in Williston, North Dakota. Quite the get-together awaits. Thus far, the journey has been most enjoyable. This morning I ate breakfast with friends at a bakery called Emily's. The sign out front said, "Relax, you have plenty of time." Fully. Words to live by. Or at least road trip by.

Road Rollin'

I know things have been slow around here for a bit, but I'm on the road. Currently, I'm working in San Francisco, but in another day or two I'll be in Sequoia National Park, followed by Death Valley, Las Vegas, etc. etc. Destination Williston, ND and my 10-year high school reunion. If anyone has suggestions for stops between here and there, let me know.

The great outdoors is such a wonderful thing, especially when you get to see something new. I took a day off on Tuesday and instead of sitting at the machine and updating my blog, I went out to Muir Woods for the day and hiked among giant trees. Truly awesome. Here's a sampling.

Self-explanatory

The Kent Tree, once Muir Woods' tallest, now feeds the forest floor.
Note how small the fence posts (and other trees) look.
Also about 2/3 of the tree's 'height' is out of frame.

It's hard to get a good shot of a 300-foot tree with a 2-megapixel camera phone. I'll post more when I have time to look through my camera. For now, back to work. Oh yeah and anyone with suggestions for stops on the long road through Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and such, fire away. I've got some serious blacktop to burn...

How the Northwest Was One

This one came out a few months ago, but it's not to be missed. Just in case you've been out riding instead of combing the web for shred flick teasers. Description below by Kurt Jenson via Vimeo.

"How The Northwest Was One" teaser from kurt Jenson on Vimeo.

This is the snow project I'm working on this year, enjoy!...

After years of aspiring film makers and riders in the Northwest struggle to Make it. They have come together and formed a new company "Wild Card". Join the new alliance on their journey through another epic winter of powder, progression, passion and of course comedy......

...It's 2012, and the economy has crashed completely. The snowboarding industry is non-existent, and Washington is brought back to the times of the wild west. Outlaws and renegades struggle to survive. In the Pacific northwest there is a small band of riders who's passion for riding and filming still fuels there will to live, and there is a bounty out to collect footage of these outlaws. But bounty filmers are few and far between, and the competition to film is deadly. Watch the riders push there skills to new levels, in a quest to film a video part. It won't be easy, as their is more to filming now than just riding. They must face each other in fierce competition for a filmer, and end up in a unforeseen twist of fate.......this is "How The Northwest Was One!"

They Came From...

I'm a huge fan of snowboard films and it's never too soon to start watching some teasers. This one's from Factor Films. They even have a 3-D version for those of you who held on to your blue and red glasses from the 80s. You might not have heard of them, but they brought you Notes in 2008 which was a big improvement over Up in the Sky the year before. (Psst... Click those links and you can watch the films in their entirety) Judging from the teaser, they look to continue that trajectory and come through with a great one this year.

Sunburn and Sponsors part 1

Scaffolding in the city in May usually means construction. In this case, the folks at Cricket constructed a rail slope in Pioneer Courthouse Square and trucked in a few tons of snow for the slip 'n' slide. Hungry amateur riders have been hunting on the tour for months at various college campuses in the west. This was their final chance for fame and glory or at least a jackalope trophy and a briefcase full of cash.

It was a hot one in P-Town. The usually gloomy skies rained down unfiltered UV. Speaking of raining down, the riders were bringing it. Noses were pressed, spins were spun and backsides were lipslided. OK that last one sounded dirty, but you know what I mean. The weird thing, the crowd wasn't that into it. Maybe the resident street walkers didn't know what was going on. Maybe it was the impending heat stroke, but they got louder for the thizzle dance contest than for the riders. Todd Richards did his best to keep folks awake, but in the end he too bent to sun and booze and looked comatose in the MC tower. Not before gratuitous spread eagle jokes aimed at the skiiers and multiple free boards given away for quintessential Portland props: tightest pants, longest hair on a dude and the first person with a fixed gear bike. He even gave away a Sheckler backpack for the worst tattoo. Classic.

When the setup got shoveled off at the end, the real winners were, well, the sponsors. That's what this is all about, right!? All the views for all the sponsors. I won't name them individually, but you'll see their logos in my pictures, no doubt. I guess I'm pretty stoked that they could put their money into a snowboard event instead of just another TV ad. Props for that. The actual winners were Mt. Hood loc Randa Shahin for the ladies and Josh Bishop for the guys. Check the pics for more action.

A sweaty summer crowd.

Spring foliage and an antique streetlight. Right, and a front board.

Tim Windell casting judgement.

This lady busted out a thizzle dance win for some free gear.

Right back at ya, Todd.

Portland MC, Luck-One kept the ladies' attention.

Your winner: Randa Shahin with a fat stack of cash.
Left: Erika Vikander (2nd) Right: Madison Blackely (3rd)

Winner: Josh Bishop with the goods.
Left: Seth Hill (3rd) Right: Kyle Martola (2nd)