Sketchy Saturday

Song for Sunday

So this is a bit late but these guys are a sick little treat for your ears! Check out their myspace, The XX.

AG in AB

OF INJURIES AND CRAIG

The past month in Banff has been eventful to say the least. Only a chronological approach will allow the story of March to make any sense at all. Wind the clock back around 2 weeks and position yourself mid-afternoon beside the first medium kicker in the Sunshine Village park. Who's that skier hammering down the run-in without the slightest sign of a speed check? He's going to go big whoever he is! It's a backflip attempt! Is it a single? Is it a double? Who knows? The only obvious fact is that he's in bad shape after hitting the ground. The crowd of Sunshine instructors rushing to attention suggests he is one of them. Why it's none other than Aberdeen University's Alumni legend Sam 'you're making a scene' Cowie, and he's fucked himself!


Continuing the relationship between those named Sam and horrific season-ending injuries, Cowie went and broke his femur. Clean in half in fact. He broke it so cleanly that they pinned it in Calgary and he'll be walking in 4 to 6 weeks. Regardless of that he'll be heading home to Scotland at the beginning of April so it's curtains for 09/10 for Sam. Wherever you are shredding, spare a thought for the boy who's having to sit in his Banff apartment, with his arse of a Landlord telling him to cleanup despite his obvious problems with movement, for the rest of the month. If one thing is to be learned from his fall it would be that you should never, no matter how ballsy you feel, go straight for a big trick without speed checking a kicker. Remember that and your major bones should hopefully stay intact.

The lengthy description of Sam's fall was unnecessary as there is a video of it in all its glory. Watch and be glad it wasn't you!

Moving swiftly on... before Sam could even get back from hospital in Calgary I decided he could use some company in his recovery so I went and separated my shoulder. After a morning of sweet fun in the park working on a bunch of new rail tricks and always hitting the first kicker switch to improve my cabs I was on a high. All that went out the window the second a massive error resulted in a toe-edge catch at the lip of the kicker. I tucked and flipped to save my face and came down on my shoulder. After riding for an hour or so more I figured a trip to the doctor may be in order. Most of my work colleagues thought it was dislocated which to my relief it wasn't. I paid a measly $95 for an appointment and a sling rather than the $1000 it would've cost for X-RAYS if it had been any worse. 2 weeks later I'm feeling nearly fine, just in time for the family coming out this weekend. Pretty stoked about how that one worked out, will have to make sure I refrain from any more mistakes like that this season!

Rehab. Check the bruising on Sam's left leg!

Typically Mother Nature decided last week would be the perfect time to end Banff's 2 month snow-drought. Not much to report on the riding front from me for obvious reasons. However if you bump into Craig Donald any time soon he can fill you in. Craig was out for 10 days starting around about when I binned myself. We didn't shred together but we got a few good nights out and some serial chillin' in the playboy mansion-esque grotto-style hot pool at the Fox suites where he was staying. Cheers Craig!!

Me and Craig on a snowy Banff Ave.

That's the story of March so far. Still to come, a visit from my whole family, Sam's family and a handful of other noteworthy shredders and piss-artists. Should be a belter! Plus I get back on my board after nearly 20 days of annoying recovery time. As promised here's an edit of when I went out to kicking horse in early march with a great crew of riders and skiers (Sunshine park action to come when I stop hitting the ground with my body and start hitting it with my board).

WHAT'S GOLDEN? from Ally Gray on Vimeo.

AG

Duthie's Diaries: Gettin' sick. Not like that.

After the good times riding powder in Tignes, I was hoping for more of the same back in the Three Valleys. There hadn't been any dump to speak of since Hamish left back in early February, and we were due. There had indeed been a decent fall the day I got back, but all it did was go some way to repairing the damage of the previous days' rain. Still, there were runs to be had: a short hike up above Courcheval led to two barely-touched gullys of deep, lightly crusty powder. After an afternoon of fresh tracks in the sun, I couldn't wait for the next dump.

before....

....after

And I'm still waiting. In fact, since that day, there's not been as much as a dusting anywhere in the Three Valleys. The snow cannons barely have an impact against all the traffic on the hill, and the scraped slopes are showing the strain. At their best, the runs are similar in quality to the Braehead snowdome. At their worst, they are more like the Braehead ice rink. The scenic shred down to les Allues is no longer an option, unless you like walking through mud. Even the path to la Raffort is out of the question, so there's no way to miss out any of the return gondola.

It's got to the point where the 2 whole centimetres forecasted for Thursday will feel like Christmas come early. If it comes, that is, and if I'm ready to ride it. Since Saturday I've been confined to my pit, spending the days guzzling cold remedies and watching Catholic scandal on CNN. All the while, I've been dwelling on the days last week where, citing the poor conditions, we didn't head up til the afternoon, or headed home early.

the gondola station: a sorry sight since mid-February

Missing the last few days has given me some much needed perspective, a kick up the arse if you like. We may only have a month or so before the powers that be close the Brides gondola, and I'm determined to get as much out of that time as possible. Every day on the hill, even those spent dodging rocks in flat light, is another day to look back on when we're forced to hang up our boards for good. Whether it's due to climate change or bad knees, that day is coming for all of us. Until it does, let's get out there and ride.

Pretty sure my phlemy presence is putting most of the people in this restaurant off their dinner, so I'll sign off for now.

Duthie

Song for Sunday

Epic Norsk band, Check out Ungdomskulen! Their sound is pretty hard rock with a twang of funk.

Sketchy Saturday

sunday Song

sketchy Saturday

Duthie's Diaries: Back to the well

thumbs-up moments from Andrew Duthie on Vimeo.

While the snowfall records at Scottish resorts continue to tumble, out in Brides it's been nothing but thaw and rain. Even in the heights of Val Thorens, it's resembling late April at the 'gorms. High time, then, for a change of scenery....

Ever since I spent a season there in 2004, Tignes has always been, for me, the resort to beat. The memories of the thankless dogsbody job fade away when reminded of the great people, great times and still the best all-round terrain I've come across. As soon as I heard that the Three Valley season pass gives you two complimentary days in Tignes (as well as another two in the Paradiski area), I knew it wouldn't be long before I made the pilgrimage. When a particularly bad run of weather at my end coincided with fellow season survivor Paddy Dunleavy's visit, I dropped everything and headed Killy-wards.

A train and two buses later, I met up with former Garthdee stalwart Ben Kinnear (regular Unbezzers will need no introdution) at his base in les Boisses, just below Tignes and right on the piste. It was snowing heavily as I arrived, in a way that the Three Valleys hadn't seen in weeks. After dinner and some unidentifiable booze (cooking brandy, we later discovered. Definite thumbs down) we headed out to Alpaka and the Loop to take in the sights of a knitting circle and a sponsored chest wax, respectively.

Calvados: non!

The next day on the hill passed by all too quickly, but we definitely made the most of the good conditions. Among the many highlights were the tree runs down to les Brevieres, discovering 'Coz's Corner' in Val Claret, lapping the Val Park rails, a pit-stop at the notorious Folie Douce and a hilarious, hair-raising adventure down the Lost Valley. With regards to the latter, thanks are due to the man in the flourescent pink ski jacket, whose many pratfalls on the perilous descent just about had the tears streaming from our eyes.

Corrine, Ben and Lucy negotiating the Lost Valley

Paddy arrived the next morning to blue skies and even more fresh powder. Sadly, it didn't last, and by the time we met Ben in the afternoon the visibility had become pretty poor. Lucklily, in Tignes there are always trees to explore, so we headed back down to les Boisses and les Brevieres. Before long we were finding lines that even the locals hadn't ventured down yet, complete with all the drops, pillows and jibs that anyone could ever want. It seemed we were finding new features on every run, and once again it was all over too soon. To anyone looking for the complete resort, offering the best in everything from park, powder, sidehits, glaciers and trees, Tignes is the number one choice. Hopefully I'll be back soon.

Corrine on home turf, les Boisses

Cheers to Ben and Corrine for putting me up, and to Paddy and the rest for a great couple of days' riding. A special thanks to 'Rachel' for the supreme effort after I missed my train. I owe you one....

Duthie

Wills Westbeach Wednesday

The Westbeach European Airtimes Episode 2 from will nangle.