Happy New Year!

How do you measure a good year? By all accounts, 2011 was good to me. Since this blog is about snowboarding, let's review that.

Last winter was all-time. Snowfall was plentiful, the trips I took mostly panned out and I got a few firsts that blew my mind. Watching the gnarly sessions at Superpark 15 at Mt. Bachelor won't easily be topped. The highlight of the season was still my first heli trip as part of Tailgate Alaska, but I also had some of my best days at Mt. Hood Meadows, just finding new zones with my friends. When June rolled around, I was ready to hang up the gnar boots and lace up the hiking boots.

The one thing that bummed me out last year was a trip I took to Mt. Bachelor over Martin Luther King Jr. Day where it rained on the mountain the whole time and none of us so much as touched our boards. I even had a friend up from Colorado. And I forgot the shred flicks at home. We drank so much beer... During a normal year it would have been far more depressing, but last year turned the corner, just like this year is sure to do. Like Joe Walsh said, "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do." 

In the young 2011/2012 season, I've already had firsts. My first ever snowboard race was a couple weeks ago at the Dirksen Dirby. My result was as bad as it gets, but it was still a super-fun experience that I look forward to doing again in the coming years. Also, a couple months ago I wrote my first ever published snowboard article for Transworld Snowboarding magazine (Halldor Helgason's Pro Spotlight, Dec. 2011). Following that were two in their January issue (Ethan Deiss and Austen Sweetin interviews) and one in frequency: The Snowboarder's Journal issue 9.3 (Mike Parzialle profile). Theses I hope will be just the first of many gigs with the big mags and finding ways to get money for things that I like to do anyway.

The three best magazine issues yet!

The riding this year hasn't been amazing, but the season is long and just taking off. Starting in the new year, a friend gets a weekday off, so last year's Method Mondays will be this year's Tindy Tuesdays. Even as I mash this keyboard it is dumping snow both at Mt. Hood and my New Years destination, Mt. Baker, so things are turning around quickly. Maybe that Nina chick is going to show up after all.

Here's hoping that 2012 greets you with nothing but powder and smiles. Happy New Year from Boredyak!

Dirksen Derby: Survival

What it's all about

The Derby is demolished. The courses took 10 guys six days to build and brought over 300 riders to town to rip it up over three days. Why? Tyler Eklund, that's why. In 2007 he broke his spine practicing at USASA Nationals and is now paralyzed from the neck down. This year the Derby raised over $18,000 for him. The stoke he gets from it is immeasurable. He even takes runs down the courses with the help of Oregon Adaptive Sports. I'd imagine it's a weekend he looks forward to all year.

Parrilla, chowdering the masses

Terje and Dirks with super-secret tech

This year the Dirksen Derby was bigger than ever. More riders, more money and more buzz. Terje made the trip, but the deafening roar at the top of the venue was the chant for Curtis Ciszek. Haakon missed the mens' podium by a scant .04 seconds to speed racer Dustin Anderson who took the bronze glove. Bellinghamster Blair Habenicht had something, breaking the beam in second, but Norway was not to be denied as Knut Eliassen Nitro-boosted his way to the top. These top three will now compete in the Derby Elite division whenever they return. Speaking of the Elites, Curtis was getting so much noise because he was the defending champion. Scotty Wittlake and Austin Smith put down Ridgemont High-style fast times, but Curtis wasn't flinching. Repeat champ, fastest time of the day, bragging rights for another year. For all the complete results check out mtbachelor.com. Also, quality video on Yobeat and ESPN.

Austin Smith and Bryan Fox trying to catch Curtis

Knut, "This has been the coolest event I've ever been to."

If you're looking for my name, go ahead and skip to the bottom. I didn't belong in the finals (sneaked in on a timing error) and I went out and proved that. My run on the red line was as slow as possible without falling and then I fell twice trying to make up for it on the green line. You're welcome, Donny. You weren't last. The courses were super-tight, but also fun as hell, like Baker's squirrely little brother.

For the record, Jake Blauvelt qualified on a timing error, too.

If only we could get something like that together on Hood to benefit Snowdays. Did I mention they raised over $18,000 for Tyler? How rad is that!?

None more rad

As for the rest of Bachelor, they've got a hell of a mountain open right now. Yeah, there are some 'unmarked obstacles' (rocks and treetops, like those seen in the middle of the Derby courses), but they also have legit parks. We're talkin' real jump lines, not just rails, but some nice 40 to 50-foot booters in there. Also, they're only two lifts from being 100% firing. No Summit, no Northwest. Outback is a go for all your dingo- and kangaroo-chasing pleasures. For what it's worth, Saturday was 10-times busier than Sunday. All that only a three hour drive from Portland. Problem is, that's twice as far as Mt. Hood.

Dirksen Derby Day 2: Carnage and Tribute

I just got back from the A-Rob movie premiere and it put me in a bit of a funk. For his part in Manifest, Aaron Robinson could have been the next big thing. Or at least the next underground, cult 'big' thing. For those of you who don't know, Aaron died before the movie wrapped. His friends finished the movie for him and did their best to end it on a positive note. I can't help but think about the one guy who wasn't in the room, but should have been. The guy everyone was talking about, but not one said a negative word. The guy pictured on the commemorative snowboard up for silent auction (if it went for less than a grand, it's a travesty). I just can't help but wonder why.

In more amusing news, I made the finals of the Derby. Amusing because I fell on the right course and almost fell on the left. Timing error, they said. Come back tomorrow. OK.

Also, it was a demo day at Mt. Bachelor. Does it sound like a good idea to ride four different boards on race day and have some guy who is not you set it up before you race? I'm just sayin'. Keep an eye out for reviews of this year's Arbor Wasteland, K2 Turbo Dream and Lib Tech Travis Rice. All good rides, but my favorite was the Wasteland. Get to Meadows tomorrow (12/18) and get your own board swapping. I don't know where the demo tour goes after that, but if you live in Washington or Oregon, you might want to look it up...

Dirksen Derby Day 1: Practice

View from the cone's summit

Not much to report from day one of the 5th Annual Dirksen Derby. I only got here in time to scope one of the courses. It's quick and the berms are large. They cram 20 turns into a 30 second course. Gnarly. It was pretty shaded by the time I took any pictures, so I'll leave you with the following and say better luck tomorrow.

Bank swallows man whole

The big accomplishment for the day was climbing the cone at Bachelor for the first time. It was a mostly sunny 33°F outside, so the hike was tame and the view was endless.

Stay tuned for more Derby action tomorrow as I try to stay off my ass and wiggle my way down the dragon's back. Also, the premiere of Aaron Robinson's movie 'Manifest' is tomorrow (7pm at the 7th Mountain Resort near Bend). I'm looking forward to that and I'll let you know how it goes.

Holiday Gifts for Your Favorite Blogger

Hey kids! You know what time of year it is. That's right, time to give gifts no matter what religion you do or don't ascribe to. If you want to buy your favorite blogger something special this year, buy Ed Segovia a combination VCR/DVD player. He seems like the kind of guy who watches a lot of old shred movies. Let's get him a little update to the digital age.

Yes, it should also have a remote control and lots of space around it

If you're too young to know what a VCR is, well, it's like a DVD, but the size of a book. A big book like Harry Potter. If you're too young to know what a book is, it's like a Kindle, but made of dead trees. May I not live to see the day that you don't know what trees are...

Anyway, if you want to buy your eighth favorite blogger a present, go ahead and buy me an Airblaster Ninja suit. No, I didn't get one last year (or the year before or before that). I'm a size medium and I prefer the black, merino wool kind. Yes, the one with the hood. If you ask me, they should have named the hoodless kind the samurai suit.

What kind of ninja doesn't have a hood!?

God bless us all, every one! If you're too young to know who Charles Dickens is, ah hell, just look him up on Wikipedia like you kids do with everything else. Now go play outside!

My Gear This Year 2012: Pants in Review

They keep your ass dry. Directly - you can sit down in snow and stay dry - and indirectly - they connect to your jacket in such a way as to keep snow out of that seam. They are pants. 'Pant suit' is a fun phrase to say, but I don't know what a pant suit is. Here is my stable of leg coverings for the year.

Homeschool, DC and Burton Ronin (L to R).

Far left is the 2012 Homeschool Snowboarding Line Up pant in Night (black). I got these at the beginning of the year in exchange for a review and haven't worn them on snow yet. They are 10,000mm water resistant and a booming 30,000gm breathable. Cocona fabric, ladies and gentlemen. My first impression is that the fabric feels supple, not cardboard stiff like some other highly waterproof gear. They have a reasonable four pockets and an accessory holster on the right leg. Basically it's a place to put your hat and/or gloves when you take them off, so you don't set them down and lose them. One possible negative is that they took the whole asymmetrical pockets thing a step too far as they have just one back pocket, one cargo pocket (and the holster) and one hip pocket zips on the side and the other on the top. I'm looking forward to seeing how the Homeschool kit performs, this stuff could really be the future. Keep an eye out for more reviews as I ride with these.

In the middle of the rack is the DC Baker pant. The bananas. They are last year's model (2011) and samples. They run 15k on both stats. (they call it Exotex, I don't know why) The fabric is flexible if a little thin. Given that, they feel a little drafty on snow. Also, semi-translucent and a light enough color that they were instantly and irrecoverably dirty. Six pockets is borderline too many. They have a nice bungee cord in the cargo pockets that you pull up to keep your cuffs from dragging as you walk. This is a nice feature because they are baggy. They are also the only pants I have that are Large instead of Medium. A good pant. The water resistance and breathability are both on-point. Cold on a windy day, though. 

The brown bibs on the end are Burton Ronins that I bought off one of those deal-a-day sites in spring 2008. I think that's when they stopped making the Ronin line. Anyway, 20k x 20k, but started to lose their resistance to the wetness last year. The spray-in Nikwax isn't reviving it either. I love me some bibs, though, and quality bibs are harder and harder to find. So good in pow. Maybe this is the year someone finally buys me a ninja suit for Christmas (merino wool, black, size medium, please). Anyway, this is the baggiest of the three. At medium it's almost as big as the DC large. The bibs, which are removable, keep it up. It's got six pockets and snap up cuffs. One cool feature is that it has venting on the inner and outer leg. All the other pants only have venting on the inner leg. All are mesh backed (none have insulation, either). The other bummer about these is that the right leg ripped when I tried to pull them out of a buckled binding. I had to Shoe Goo them back together. They were good while they lasted, but the writing's on the wall.

Pants, with the possible exception of gloves, are the outerwear piece that wears out fastest. Don't get caught with your pants down, always make sure you have a backup if you can. Nobody likes a soggy butt and your first defense against that uncomfortable ride home is some quality pow trousers.

Check the other "My Gear This Year 2012" gear review pages: Jackets and Boards.

Limited Edition Milosport Oakley Crowbars

This just in from the good doods down at Milosport. That's in Utah, if ya don't know.

Check the strap. Sickest.

Winter Driving Prep

Inherent in the grand adventure of snowboarding is this paradox: the better the powder day on the mountain, the worse the roads will be on the way there. There's just no way around it. The plows can only keep up for so long. Inevitably, compacted snow and ice will send many would-be snowboarders for extreme closeups with guard rails or worse. But it doesn't have to be that way. Enter Paul Eklund, pro rally driver and car builder, 27-year rally veteran and three-time Alcan 5000 Winter Rally competitor. More importantly, Paul is a long-time rally school teacher. Who better to advise you on matters of traction and get you up and down the mountain without a visit to the guard rail?

Bored Yak: When did you drive in your first rally? 

Paul Eklund: 1983

BY: What inspired you to start?  

PE: I worked at a rally and saw John Buffum in a Group B Audi Quattro spitting fire.

BY: How long have you been making your living working on cars?

PE: I've been making parts for 13 years.

BY: When did you drive in your first snow rally?

PE: That's a good story, first real snow experience was driving and ICE RACING on the Alcan 5000 Winter Rally in 2000.

BY: What are the major differences between driving on snow and ice, wet pavement and gravel?

PE: The levels of grip, but more importantly the consistency of the grip, which actually makes ICE easier than GRAVEL (it is usually consistently poor grip).

BY: Have you had any accidents or close calls on snow and ice, be it rally or civilian driving?  

PE: None yet (except while racing which I had a few wild spins after the finish in sprint races on ice).  I watched a few people spin out in front of me, so it was easy to predict by watching them.

BY: This time of year, shops start talking about 'winterizing' your car. What do I really need to do to get my car ready for the cold months? 

PE: Check your battery (age/condition),  get proper tires and make sure your antifreeze is less than 5 years old.  For EXTREME conditions or overnight on the mountain, synthetic fluids (oil and tranny), a battery blanket and block heater may be advisable.

BY: You always say things like 'making yourself a better driver is the most important thing you can do for your car' (disclaimer: Paul runs a rally school where he can turn your money into driving skills), does this hold true for winter driving? 

PE: Absolutely.  Cars and tires come and go, but YOU stay with you so knowledge is power when it comes to winter driving.

BY: What should I do if my car starts to slide? Should I be worried that my car will catch dry pavement and roll?

PE: Steer into the slide and add a little power to stop the drift then ease up on everythin (gas, brake and steering) and let the car settle before driving it to a safe spot.  Your car will not catch traction and roll,  just LOOK to where you want to go.  Getting out of a SPIN just requires a little PRACTICE which is why I recommend a school (ed. go to www.get-primitive.com for the rally school schedule)  

BY: What's the number one thing you see drivers do that makes them lose control? What should they do - or not do - instead? 

PE: Number one mistake is to panic and slam on the brakes and to look at the spot that they do not want to go. The car will almost always get there (like a guard rail).

BY: Past skill, a good set of snow tires helps, right?

PE: Nothing beats studs for traction on ice, but they do chew the roads.  Good studdless tires work well and some are even better than studs on the snow.  Snow and ice are different - remember that (different traction).

BY: Any recommendations? Studded, non-studded, chains?

PE: Personal preference, but for the money the Cooper WeatherMaster WSC is a great multi-purpose winter (or all year) tire.  It can be studded for those who need it.  Chains are great for the occasional user.

BY: What do you keep in your car's winter safety/emergency kit?

PE: I use Subaru's Extreme Weather emergency kit with shovel, water, space blanket, little first aid, matches, flashlight and a few other perfect goodies in a little case  $39.95.

BY: Is there any other piece of equipment (past driving skill and tires) that I could buy, or look for when I buy a car, to make my drive to the mountain safer? 

PE: Get a Subaru... 'nough said

BY: Do you see people buying or modifying their cars in ways they think will help them, but actually will hinder them? 

PE: Worst mod is to stiffen the suspension in any way or restrict its movement (lowered, stiffer, big swaybars, or low profile tires)  Soft is good for the winter.

BY: What's the difference between AWD and 4WD? Is one better or worse?

PE: It is really a matter of semantics and not really very different.  Typically AWD is considered 4WD all the time where a 4WD can disconnect the drive to the front wheels.

BY: What about front vs. rear vs. AWD/4x4 in snow? 

PE: AWD is best because you get drive to all the wheels, but a good FWD car does extremely well in the snow too, it just may be a little tougher to get going. RWD is tricky in the winter and the worst for safely getting around.  AWD/4WD can be deceiving as it can get any (even an ill-equipped) car going, but stopping is a whole different matter and then it comes down to the tires.

BY: Is there anything else you would like to add about snow and ice driving?

PE: Learn a little theory on weight distribution in a car and handling characteristics then practice, practice, practice.

BY; How do you maintain sanity while driving 500 miles per day in the dark across Canada and into Alaska in the Alcan Rally?

PE: Get a great co-driver (essential) and you really have to enjoy driving.  I look forward to 2012 Alcan Winter Rally.

BY: Any run-ins with Ice Road Truckers?

PE: In 2000 while driving up the HAUL ROAD to Prudhoe Bay, the truckers were none to happy to have us on "their" road and made it clear with white outs (rubbing the edge of the plowed road with their huge trucks, often with 3 trailers and creating a snowstorm) and also creeping over towards us as we passed them.  In 2008, we saw them filming IRT while we drove on the frozen Mackenzie River north of Inuvik. Our Forester Turbo hit 123 MPH on the frozen river.

Yes, 120mph. No, you should never try this.

BY: Any wildlife encounters, maybe they're all hibernating?

PE: I saw 4 wolves in 2000 which was spectacular and we always see bison, moose and caribou along with the ocasional fox and ever-present ptarmigan. Close calls in general? We had a young moose break out onto the road and run just ahead of us one time, then disappeared instantly into a group of stunted evergreens (they only grown to about 10 feet tall way up there).

BY: Any tips for ice slaloms?

PE: Ice slalom is a special animal as far as driving challenge and the key is to be extremely smooth; initiate turns way, way, way, way in advance; use the throttle to modulate; keep suspensions and tires soft; look way the heck ahead and be sure you are in a Subaru.

BY: You've seen the sport of rally go through some changes, much like the changes snowboarding  has gone through. What do you think about the evolution, complete with energy drink sponsors and X-games?

PE: I see why organizers are heading towards closed-course-type rally (so they can charge an entry fee to watch) but it is diluting the true sport and I'm not sure if it will really catch on.  Seems to be eroding, not growing, the grassroots base which is essential for the sport to continue.

BY: You've been racing since before Travis Pastrana was born, do you have any good stories about him or Ken Block, arguably the two who brought about much of the 'X-games-ification' of rally?

PE: Thanks. They are both really great guys and I am surprised that they even remember me when we meet at SEMA or other events. I don't have a lot of juicy stories, but Travis did get excluded from Day 1 of an Olympus Rally one time and entered the regional rally the next day in my class to get some practice.  The very first stage found him off the road, on his side, after tumbling the car and he was screaming at everyone to go faster and urging us on as we went by, within inches of his stricken car.

BY: Thanks, Paul. Any shout outs?

PE: Subaru NorthWest Region, Exedy Clutches, T-Scandia Motors, Cooper Tire

5th Annual Dirksen Derby Dec. 17-19

Here's what you need to know-

This is not a tightly regimented event, so details are still in flux.

The GOLDEN rule: All proceeds from everything go to Tyler Eklund, a friend and rad kid who was paralyzed while snowboarding. Paralyzed. Think about that when you reach for your wallet.



Dirksen Derby Kickoff Party: Friday, December 16th. Doors @ 7pm, Band at 8. Location: the Poet House in downtown Bend. All ages. Music, Drinks for 21+, Raffle, and “Broken Board” art auction.  All proceeds go to Tyler.

Racing: The whole weekend! Depending on weather, snow fall and poor planning, the schedule of the event will remain flexible. All participants are expected to be on-hill both Saturday and Sunday ready to either race the course, cheer on their fellow competitors, bash some windlips or stuff their faces with Parilla clam chowder. If everything goes perfectly as planned, Friday the course will be open for timed practice, Saturday we will hold both the Mens qualifier and the Splitboard race, and then Sunday will be everything else (the top Mens qualifiers from Saturday, Derby Elites, Womens, Older and Wiser, Groms and Sit-ski). But remember, the actual schedule can change quickly!

Registration: $25 per racer, per event. All proceeds go to Tyler. Racers can register online at MtBachelor.com or at Mt. Bachelor`s West Village lodge on Friday afternoon, Saturday morning (8:00-10:00) or Sunday morning (8:00-10:00). There will NOT be a limit to the amount of competitors allowed in the event. Discounted lift tickets will be available at registration.

Sponsors: Our exclusive list of sponsors include: Salomon snowboards, Patagonia, Dakine, GoPro, Mt. Bachelor, Hydro Flask, Oregon Adaptive Sports, Boneyard Beer, Smith Optics, Drink Water, Spark R&D, Rebound Physical Therapy, Parilla, Gummi Love, Skjersaa's, SideEffect, Aspect, Exit Real World, Mt. Hood 26, DeckTech, BAF, Mountain House, and Skull Candy.

Salomon Team Vacation Hits Hood

Catch them TODAY, like NOW, at Timberline. Also, tomorrow 12/2 - that's right, we're in December now - they'll have a demo at T-line. Saturday and Sunday, they're moving on to Meadows. When I say 'they' I don't mean some bunch of jabronis, 'they' includes Jed Anderson, Bode Merrill, Louif, Grenier, Dirksen and more. Go check out Salomon and get your slalom on.