Sunday Shreddin'

Our instructor training got cancelled yesterday, so we decided to go shredding anyways! Dustin, Niles, Susan, and Lisa joined me for a stroll up Eaglecrest to get some good turns in. This was the second time using my Burton Spliff splitboard, and man oh man is that thing fun! I was worried about the float, since it's short for a split, but I guess Burton's 'nug reduction' technology works pretty well afterall. Although the fresh layer wasn't that deep, only a few inches, I could tell it will float just fine through the waist deep shred days ahead of me this season. It's getting easier going uphill in split mode. I've conquered some pretty steep pitches without my Sparks skins failing me. Only one tumble so far, but that was my bad technique at fault. I can't wait for the shred adventures this winter! I really wish Dustin had one too. If Santa is anywhere reading this post, then you know what I want most for Christmas... a split for my man! :) Oh, and lots of snow if you can make that happen too :)

I GoPro'd the ride down, but I was just holding it in my hand so pretty much all the footage is worthless for a video. My goal today is to hopefully get a few decent still shots out of it. I lost my one and only attachment clip for my GoPro, so I can't attach it to my telescoping pole I use most often.

I got a few photos to share though!

Street Skinnin'

So yesterday we had these big plans of meeting some friends at Eaglecrest, hiking, and getting some awesome face shots from all the fresh, fluffy snow that was dumping on us. We were in the car, ready to roll, pulled out of the driveway (that we had to shovel 30 min just go get the car to move) and what happened? We went nowhere. We sat and spun, slid, and slung snow everywhere just trying to get more than 15 ft away from the house. Usually I have no problem in the snow with my car, but my tires aren't the greatest this season, and they hadn't plowed the road yet and the snow was above the bumper, so essentially I was plowing the road. Once we managed to 'slide' the car back in the driveway and realized we were going nowhere fast, it was time for beers. Oh wait, we didn't have any beers! :(

This is where the next plan of action was born. Why don't I just split to the beer store? Yeah, why not?! So I did. It was interesting. I had people waving and yelling with excitement as they passed. I guess they were stoked SOMEbody was enjoying the snow lol. I also managed to capture on my GoPro an Evergreen taxi van going way too fast on the snowy road, then pulling a 180 and slamming into a concrete retaining wall. By the time they hit the wall, they weren't going very fast at all and it was really only a light 'tap'. Just enough to know nobody was hurt and it was ok to laugh. They were obviously going WAY too fast for the turn they were making.

When I finally got to the Breeze In, about 2 miles one-way, this guy from the Juneau Empire just so happened to be hanging out taking snowy photos and asked what I was doing and if he could take my photo. Sure, why not?! So he did. He said it would be in the newspaper tomorrow (today) but I haven't gotten one yet to check. It was on the Juneau Empire website though. My 15 minutes of fame...

And for the record, I was skinning, not skiing. And I bought beers. Plural. Not a beer. Think I would go all that way for a SINGLE beer? Does a bear shit in the woods?

Dustin took this one of me as I was leaving the house...

Overall it was a fun adventure. I love my split, even though I've only used it in split form. I'm sure it rides like a dream though when in snowboard form! It took me a few minutes to get the hang of skinning. It's a weird feeling, like I have to drag my toes almost. And man, was it a workout! By the time I got back to the house (with a heavy backpack full of beer) my legs and feet were on fire. Definitely one hell of a workout! And I like it! :) 

I can't wait to go on a REAL splitboard adventure!

First Ride

We finally made it out to ride our new boards for the first time. It was a really fun, good day! The hike up was a bit tiring in spots because our friends that we hiked with took us a different, steeper route. I actually liked that way better since it's more of a straight shot up the mountain. It was definitely more of a workout, but well worth it! Hiking up really makes you appreciate every turn on the way down.

Starting Thursday, Eaglecrest will be open every day through the first week of January. It will be good to get on a regular schedule, make some money, and ride every day! Having normally two days off a week will be a change for us since we were used to working 7 days a week throughout the whole winter season at Beech. When you love your job though, you look forward to working every day possible!

Here are some shots from today's hike. It's mostly just scenic shots, because once we started riding down the light was so flat that it was hard to see much from the GoPro footy. It was a super fun ride down and I can't wait till the next storm to really test my board in some deeper snow. 

Boots, Boards, and Karma

I got new boots! They are last years model Burton Mints.

I find that staying a year behind on buying new gear really saves some money, and tech really doesn't change that much in just a year.

I do need a new board. My old faithful Burton Blender is on her last leg. My top 3 picks for new boards are the 2012 Smokin' Vixen, 2011 Burton Blender, and the 2011 Niche Minx.

Maybe if I put enough positive thought into getting a new board, karma will be on my side and the cosmos will make it happen!

I'm a firm believer in the 'Law of Attraction' and know that it does work! The positive energy and thoughts that you put out into the world will be returned to you in one way or another, usually with what you want! That's why I try to stay away from anything negative or anything that will make me sad, mad, or angry that would cause me to send out negative vibes. Ever woke up in a bad mood? The rest of the day seems to go bad as well. Nothing goes right, and little things that do go wrong pisses you off when it normally wouldn't. That's the Law of Attraction in action. So if you wake up in a bad mood, change it immediately! Think happy thoughts, do something that makes you happy before the negativity takes over for the day!

Now how this post about getting my new boots in the mail turned into a philosophical view on positive energy and good vibes is beyond me! Haha.

Hope everyone has a great, negative-vibe-free day!

What I want...

...is THIS:

Not only does the graphic rock, but the tech on this board is awesome.

Seems like it would be a super fun park board!

Or THIS:

Burton Blender... just a newer version of what I've already got. The tech on this one is so amazing. Lots of goodies to make park laps fun!

So who's gonna get it for me? ;)

Just kidding. I am getting one of these boards before winter though.

A girl's gotta dream, right? :)

Deja Vu!

It's August. Yeah, no chance of snow for a while, but I'm going through some major withdrawals. It's getting closer to shred season and I'm getting antsy... I wanna ride!!

Burton's new website has been up for a few weeks, and I'm really pumped about their new Deja Vu V-Rocker snowboard. Here it is...

I want it! Lot the graphics and the tech on this board is awesome. Total park board.

That's all for now folks, pray for snow!

Review: Burton Feelgood 149

So this is what I will be riding quite a bit this season - 2009 Burton Feelgood. It's paired with 2009 Burton Escapades.

I've gotten a few days of riding in on it, so I figured I might as well do a review on this board!


Weight: This board is definitely one of the lightest boards I've ridden. Light swing weight makes spinning a breeze!

Edge hold: I've ridden this board on hard packed snow, light pow, and slush, and I have to say that it holds an edge extremely well on almost any snow condition. Carving on this board is SO fun!

Pop: Doing an ollie with this board is as easy as cake. Definitely good for jumps.

Flex: Not as soft as my Blender, but not stiff either. This board has a medium flex, making it very stable at high speeds but yet pressable at the same time.

I love the graphics and it's an all round awesome board. I would not recommend this board for beginners, but it's perfect for intermediate to advanced riders who want to progress their skills and have a board that will keep up as well.

Thanksgiving Snow? Lets hope!

Well... looks like Ski Beech's opening date of November 21st is only a dream. As well as the rest of the southeast region's ski resort's opening dates. BOO warm weather! Come back in the summer time when you're wanted! There's a cold front supposed to move through starting next Monday or Tuesday, bringing good snowmaking weather and a few snow showers to the area. Hopefully. God please be correct on this prediction Mr. Weatherman.

I got my new board and bindings a few days ago. I love it. Now, if only I can find some snow to try it out on. Here's my setup:


+


Feelgood and Escapades. Oh yeah. They are both last years model, but the design and tech didn't change much for this year, so why pay more?! Next season I want to get either the 2010 Never Summer Infinity-R, 2010 Burton Blender, or the 2010 Burton Feelgood with rocker and est. Unless I win the lottery or come across some major dough I will continue to stick with the previous years models to save money. Still brand new though! I will need some new boots by next season though. My Burton Mint's have held up good so far, so we'll see how long they make it this season. May be gettin' some new kicks before the end of this season, depending on how they make it.

That's all for now. There's a meteor shower tonight and I gotta load up on coffee so I can stay awake for it!

Happy Shredding! :D

09/10 Season :: Links

With winter getting closer we all want to know what our favorite companies are going to have on the new 09/10 line. Here are a few links to some of my favorite companies that specialize is some sort of snowboard gear.

Ride
Dakine
K2
Rome
Burton
Nikita
Neff
Special Blend
Roxy
Billabong
Thirty Two
DC
Foursquare
686
Betty Rides
Coal
Vans
Volcom
Dragon
Anon
Skullcandy
Von Zipper
Electric

Review: Burton Mint

These boots have gotten me through most of the season. I got them in December as a Christmas present from my boyfriend, and well, these are the best boots I've ever had. I was skeptical at first... I was used to the Boa system that was on my old boots - Vans Encore.

I like my boots SUPER tight, and the first week of wearing these had me worried because I couldn't get them anywhere near as tight as my Vans. Well, after that first week I got them good and broken in, and now they are AWESOME. I've worn them at least 80 days on the snow, more than that counting days at work, and put them through hell and they still look brand new. My feet stay dry, they are comfy, not too soft or too stiff, and have awesome grips on the bottom for those icy hikes.

Here are a few features:

• Snowboarding's Best Selling Women's Boots - 5 Years Running
• True Fit Design
• EVA Cushioning
• Grip Fit Backstay
• Imprint 1 Liner
• Molded EVA Footbed
• Rubber Ice Spikes
• Soft Flex Thin Profile 3D Molded Tongue
• Speed Zone Express Lacing System

I definitely recommend these boots for any level rider! The quality and the price can't be beaten.

Review: Burton Blender 148

So the season is well over and it's time to review the board that's gotten me through it.



Burton Blender 148

Weight: This is definitely one of the lightest board I've ever ridden.

Edge Hold: Very good edge hold. You can make super tight turns and it sticks right in there.

Pop: Super poppy! I love it! You can pop off pretty much anything rather effortlessly.

Flex: VERY flexy. This board is like a noodle, which is exactly what I wanted. Also, the Scoop Technology in the nose and tail makes buttering SO much easier and almost impossible to catch an edge.



The graphics on all these boards are awesome. Who doesn't like polka-dots?! =] It has some of the latest snowboard technology: Sintered Vision base, Rail Ready Park Edges, and Scoop Technology nose and tail shape. With all these, plus the boards true twin shape, you can rip the park a new one with ease.


With all that said, I give this board a definite 2 thumbs up!

Design your own custom Burton snowboard!

Create your own one-of-a-kind personal shredding masterpiece! With Burton's Series 13, you can design your own custom board, guaranteeing that you will be the only one on the slopes with your rad design! Use your own personal artwork or graphic by uploading a picture from your computer, or choose one of Burton's themes that you can customize.

First, you can choose from 15 pro models, though they only offer 3 women's boards - Feelgood ES, Stria, and Avenue. After selecting size, stance, and flex options, you can upload your graphic or choose one of Burton's customizable themes. Then, after choosing sidewall color and base (you can put your own words on the base for an extra $25 bucks), you're ready to shred!

For $824.95 I can get a Burton Stria with the 'Safari' theme. Come on, who doesn't like animal print?! I can even show off my 'shredbetties.com rocks' base while throwing down some style in the park!

Burton Headphone Beanie

Tired of those earbuds falling out of your ears? Those bulky Skull Candy's not staying in place? Well Burton has a solution. The Burton Headphone Beanie plugs right into your iPod or music player and comes in many different styles and colors, and even offers amazing sound quality! Other features include a volume control on the cord, and earpieces that come out if you want to just sport the headgear.

With the built-in headphones, this beanie integrates music and snowboarding to give you shredding joy. =] This is definitely a must have for the snowboard music junkie!