stories of the shred

Wild Weekends on Shasta

2009-06-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hey there, It's been awhile since my last post. I've been super busy working on Shasta. As it's our busy time of the year, full open season for all arm chair mountaineers from the large climbing communities of Berkley, Palo Alto and Marin. These bay area mountaineers punch the short 4 hour drive up the I5 in audi wagon loaded down with the newest REI titanum cups and 7000 meter mountaineering gear, and whole food organic groceries. With the overall goal of a weekend on the bay area's Everest. A weekend of touching their void. So come Monday when they return to their job in the city they can tell of their wild adventures and glorious ascent of Mt. Shasta.
I often know it's friday with the sounds of crampons and snowshoes on the pavement of bunny flat the launch off piont for many of these armchair mountaineers. The first step in there summit goals. With rescues happening weekly, myself and the other Rangers have to keep out for those junk show climbers, who are going to fuck up and make out lives a living hell. Nothing like dealing with stupid city people who think because they are members at REI and own there own crampons and ice axe and have climbed Whitney, have "keep tahoe blue" sticker on the Audi they are mountain people.

Back in the Office

2009-05-19T17:13:00.001-07:00

So in the last few weeks I have moved home to Mt Shasta and started my summer job. I work for the U.S Forest Service as a Climbing Ranger up on the 14,162 ft. flanks of the cascade volcano Mount Shasta. All I have to say is that the skiing is firing right now and the spring corn on the mountain is super good.

As part of my job, I spend weekends up at Lake Helen. Lake Helen is the base camp for many of the people who intend on summit Shasta. Here are some shots from life at the base camp.

At 6 a.m on Monday morning, I left the comfort of our ranger tent and my down sleeping bag with the goal of climbing up to the Red Banks, a rock outcropping at 12,400 feet. The Red Banks chutes are often the crux of the climb up Shasta and is where most of the climbers are likely to fuck up and get hurt. This is where we climbing rangers come into effect, we take the lead in the rescue operations and move the hurt climber down to an LZ so a rescue helicopter can fly them off the mountain and down to the hospital in Mt. Shasta City. After hanging out for a few hours at Red Banks and making sure everything was okay, I decided to climb up to 13,000 feet and drop in to ski the Trinity Chutes.
The Trinity Chutes is one of the coolest ski descents on the south side of the mountain but as I dropped in on center chute it soon became apparent that the howling south wind had kept the snow super firm. I gingerly worked my way down the chute getting to the soft creamy corn where I could open it up and shred back to camp. As I said, not a bad day at the office.

Looking down from the Red Banks at four thousand feet of corn that needs to be shredded.

Spring time in Shasta = Time to get back on the bike

2009-05-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

I'm back in Shasta and spring is in full gear. It has rained almost everyday since I got back home sometime last week. All of the rain is getting pretty old, but on a positive note the mountain biking is firing right now so sick, all of the trails are so fast and the dirt is super tacky. Truly the best time to ride.

Party time

2009-04-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

Let the night begin !!
A little Norwegian Club time

The after party, in a barn? Why not it's Norway

Some people don't know there limits.
Some of the HH athletes kicking it in the VIP room overlooking the party

The harmonic man, Killing it !!!

My walk home in the Norwegian twilight

I have to say this is one of the biggest afterparties that I have ever attended. From the main party that turned in a club to the after party up in the hills of Roldal in a 300 year old hay barn. Which had a live blues band, people swinging from the rafters, fighting, hooking up and in the hay as the band layed done a smooth blue sound, it was crazy. Before I know it the sun had come up and I had partied all night long. Not to bad for my first trip to Norway, I will for sure be back to Roldal.

norway day 4 continued

2009-04-26T23:48:00.000-07:00

NORWAY!!!
No big deal a waterfall next to the chair lift.

Norway Day 4

2009-04-26T23:11:00.000-07:00

Norwegian energy drinks
The heli. with the venue in the background
The worst booze in the world, but the Norwegian love it!
A Norwegian Booze fairy

Team HH in the refection

So, I didn't make the the cut, I ended up 23rd. I guess all still score some points. All be back next season, I need to find my narr switch over the off season. Here a some shots from the finals day and the post party, and after party. More photos to come. Of the party party.

Norway Day 3 comp day

2009-04-26T10:26:00.001-07:00

My comp run and a few photos from the days events

Norway Day 2 Photo essay

2009-04-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

My home for the next few days
It could be this slope for tomorrow, too, (have to wait and see)

Sunset in Norway
Your little Apartment, in Roldal Team Helly Hansen
Chilling out, Ted and I watching the days events
Maybe a face in the center that I will ski on tomorrow,
Looking down from the resort to the little town of Roldal

Norway Day 1

2009-04-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

Norway, view from the window.

Waiting for the Bus, after 20 plus hours of travel.
Still waiting,
Here it comes, only three more hours.
Hello all,
So, where would you end up if you hopped on a plane in Utah and five planes, a taxi, a train and a three hour bus ride later? In my case central Norway in the small town of Roldal. After 31 hours of travel and four of those trapped in a small bus station watching Norwegian teens hang out and smoke ciggs. I made it to Roldal. I'm in Norway for the Roldal Freeride Challenge, the final stop of the world freeride qualifying tour for this season. Keep checking back over the week for updates.

Moab: a few more photos of the mountain biking

2009-04-13T17:34:00.001-07:00

Check out the photos from through the lens of Adam Barker , from my recent trip to Moab.

Moab-a skiing and mountain biking mission photo essay

2009-04-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

Morning ! my favorite time of the day. (Not really)
Sunrise over the desert, it's going to be a long day
Max on the track.
Barker, Killing it in the morning light.
A handful of line to come back for someday.
At the snow line gearing up for the biking, with a shot of jager too.
The crew checking out Castle Valley.
Desert trying to fight off winter. Spring time is the desert is the best time to be their.
Down in the dust and the rocks, but was up in the snow only hours ago.
Doug and Max in the last light of the day.
Barker, shooting the landscape at canyon lands
Sunset with a storm on the horizon.
hey there, just got home from a fast and furious trip down to the desert our mission was to shred the corn and or powder (or in our case breakable crust) and hop on a mountain bike and then rip the Porcupine rim trail back to the little desert town of Moab. The crew was myself the token "athlete talent", Adam Baker the man behind the camera lens, Doug Schnitzspahn the master of pen and paper, and our local guides Max Forgensi local backcountry skier and US Forest Service Avalanche forecaster, and Kirstin Peterson of Rim Bike tours. With snow still falling here in the SLC, I have to start to get ready to go shred. Before repacking and heading off to Silverton for the weekend.

April in like a lion

2009-04-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

Blowing through the trees at Alta
Solitude can be fun on a powder day.
Punching it at Solitude

The tram deck a few days ago, Spring time in Utah.
April really?
Barker getting some turns, between shoots.
The Big Dumps, love Spring time in Utah.

As the old saying goes, "April comes in like a lion, and leaves like a lamb." This has been true for the Wasatch where it has snowed everyday since my return from Europe. With 120 inches of snow in 10 days, winter has once again returned to Utah. With more snow forecasted again tonight, it looks like another great day in little cottonwood. Here are a few photos from the last week's shredding and shooting with Adam Barker.

Magic March in Utah

2009-03-31T21:20:00.000-07:00

Winter is back in Utah, it has snowed like 4 foot in the last week since returning back from Europe. I was able to take out next years dynastar Legend Big Dumps the last few days, their new monster rocker big mountain ski. All it have to say is that it is sick, so stoked on it. Check out the POV video of the spring time shredding at the bird

Forrest's POV Dynastar Big Dump Test from Forrest Coots on Vimeo.

Back to Dry Fork

2009-03-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

Morning blower powder,
Drew Setting up for the shot,
"A rock and a hard place"
The cliff
The pack: Rock 1, pack 0

You know that old saying "between a rock and a hard place"? Well, I've been to that exact place. And it's in the Dry Fork area in the Alta backcountry. Let me explain. Friday, the first bluebird day after Utah's latest storm, I went out shooting with photographer Drew Stoecklein. We were making good powder turns all day and hitting small cliff bands. At about 2 pm, we decided to hit a 40-foot cliff that I'd hit once before. I stood on top, lobbing snowballs to estimate my trajectory. Drew probed the landing. I tightened my spine protector just to be safe and launched off the edge. Usually, I'd hottub the landing and lay it out on my side, but at the last minute, I decided to try to stomp it and land on my feet. It turned out that decision might have saved me. When I hit ground, I heard a solid bang and felt rock beneath me. A shock shot through my heels and into my lower back. I double ejected and ragdolled about 20 feet below. When I looked up at my bombhole, I saw that I'd landed on an extended rock shelf below the cliff. If I'd been one foot in either direction, I would have hit bottomless powder. I ripped my Ogio pack apart, broke the zipper on my Helly Hansen Odin jacket, but miraculously, my Dynastar Big Dumps (which I'm currently testing) were unscratched.

As Drew and I hiked out of Dry Fork, we talked about the air, and how lucky I was, and of the beer we would be drinking down at the Goldminer's Daughter. It was a successful day of shooting, with a little added spice to it.

Back in Utah, Snowing again

2009-03-26T16:16:00.000-07:00

So, I've been back in Utah for several days and have yet to do anything productive, like unpack, or do laundry or even eat. With twenty plus of new snow and a twenty more forecasted the night I got back into town, laundry would have to wait. With my sister and her boyfriend also just arriving into Salt Lake the same night on her way to Moab, it was even more of a reason to go shredding and unpack later. We ended up heading up to big cottonwood canyon to the resort of Solitude. Still feeling a little jet lagged in the morning I quickly came back to life as I made my first turn in the 30 plus inches of fresh utah powder.

A afternoon in Geneva

2009-03-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

best pastry shop in Verbier, a must stop for me.
Are those rockered?
A quick shoe shine before hitting the town, Maybe ?
Do I need to say anything?
sexual predators that way,
Lake Geneva,
The ancient buildings of Geneva
Well,

made it back to the good old USA, yesterday afternoon I was a tourist wondering the streets of Geneva checking out the city. Found a hotel near the train station while it was in the red light district of all places, it was a clean room, I can't say that about the streets, sex shops and hookers everywhere. Classic swiss charm. Looks like Utah is getting it, so bring on the magic March of snows.

Verbier Xtreme

2009-03-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

The bib draw, fake snow, a giant TV, and Swatch GoGo dances

Standard European hat
Athletes signing posters
The Swatch girls
The biggest show in freeskiing. 2000 people come watch
The crowd, with the venue in the back 800 m. of the sickness
The men's podium, all Dynastars
Yesterday in Verbier was the Nissan Xtreme the largest big mountain freeride contest on the planet, as well the grand finale to this year's Freeride World Tour. The freeride world champion was also crowned. Dynastar killed the event by sweeping the men's podium, and the overall world title. Here are several photos from the weekend event.

Got into Geneva tonight, flying home to Utah in the morning, checking the NOAA weather page, it looks like Utah is getting snow.

A trip to the Dynastar Factory Chamonix

2009-03-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

The wall of fame

some of the first skis
In the race room.

more race room,

Getting the new XXL mounted, Sweet!
Mount Blanc, racing back to Verbier for Apre at the Mount Fort Pub

While yesterday was a rest I still made the best of it, and took the oppurunity to make a run back to Chamonix to the Dynastar factory to replace a pair of my XXLs I cracked the edge in the Nendaz Comp a few days before. Thinking to myself, when would be the next time I could just swing over to the factory a few valleys away and make a quick exchange? And after talking with some of the fellow French Dynastar athletes in Nendaz, and sending a few emails to the French team manager, I was set. I could meet up at the factory and make the swap, and maybe as I hoped, get a little tour of the factory. The coolest part of the factory is Mount Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe, looming on the sky line forming. In the factory, check out Dynastar wall of fame ski collection, seeing the first pair of skis Dynastar ever made to the skis past Dynastar World Cup athletes have used to win Olympic medals and World Cup Globes. Very cool.

Lunch in France, Dinner in Switzerland, and some skiing

2009-03-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

Partying Switzerland Style
Jess getting ready to drop into 3000 of swiss powder
Cool Dam, Huh ?
A lifetime of lines to ski in one valley.
Cham. This place of extreme. or lunch for me.
hello
so, in the last few days I traveled over to France for lunch twice while stayed the nights in Switzerland. Team American made the call to head over to Chamonix two hours away in France after the Nendaz comp. The plan was to ski there for a few days before having to come back over to Verbier. But after arriving in Cham. and wandering the streets for a few hours and with no real goal, no place to stay, the team made the call to return back to Verbier and get some serious shredding before the weekend. Oh, we also went pretty big on saint Patrick's day partying, photos to follow.

Chamonix and beyond

2009-03-16T04:10:00.001-07:00

Brightly colored freeriders
Nap time after the qualifier day
Team America !!! Apre style
Sunset over Nendaz,
Loading up for a trip to to Chamonix
The crew loaded up and ready to hit the road
On the road,
Coming into the Valley, of Extreme; Chamonix
In Chamonix,
So,

After not making the cut, after skiing two strong runs. (A little bitter at judging skiing) but life goes on. While I met up with the rest of team Nor Am, Jess McMillian, Jen Aston, Griffen Post, and Drew tabke during the event, we make the call to pack up Jess's little rental and rally it to Chamonix for a few days, before the four of them have to be back in Verbier for the extreme.

With the high pressure settled over the European Alps, Chamonix seemed like as good place as anywhere else to be for a few days. Here are some photos from the little road trip over here.

Qualifying Video

2009-03-16T01:15:00.000-07:00

So, Didn't make the cut, off to Chamonix today. If you have a sec. check out my run

Day 3 in Nendaz, Verbier and beyond

2009-03-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

My first tram of the day, with the swiss wine country below in the valley

Trams aren't they fun !,

Top of the Mount Fort Tram,
My view in front of me
My view behind me, So much skiing to be had, what will I do?
Future of Swiss ski racing/freeride, learning the art of straightlining at a young age
This image never gets old to me,

Today I skied around verbier, one of the other four valley resorts, I was searching for powder and cliffs to drop. With the soundtrack of MGMT, Zion I, and the Arctic Monkeys, playing on my Ipod, as I tried to work the tram lines. If you think the bird has some lines come over to Verbier, it's full of Italian Tourists, boozed up Brits, and dorky horned hat wear Austrians, oh and the worst of all, a shastafarian hippy kid from the northern most part of California, trying to scam his way through the line.

Then Alps are like no place else, I'm able to ride trams for like a hour before putting on my skis and dropping into 5,000 feet of north facing powder. Often away from the crowds, also a short ten minute hike will get you such rewards you will have to come over here and experience yourself, but I promise it's good. Often without battling for lines like in the states, on the tram I was often the only one with big mountain skis, carving skis are the ticket over here.

But as I sit on my balcony sipping my second Carlsberg tall boy, flipping through the pages of the latest Surfer Journal, (thinking of the Ocean, baja and the spring) with my shirt off and in my flip flops trying to get a little of the spring sun and MGMT's Time to Pretend plays on my computer in the room, I have to think to myself that this isn't that bad, life is good. With a lifetime of lines to ski in front of me across the valley in alpine glow, Europe is the place to be, I think. Where else can you ski thousands of feet of skiing from a tram still find north facing powder days after the storm, with the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc keeping eye off in the distance, and sip beers in alpin glow.

WIth the first day of the comp. tomorrow it's time, to get serious and click in and give'r as Deaner would say from one of my favorite filmer Fubar. So until then cheers, I hope you all are having a great day where ever you are in this world.

Nendaz Day 2

2009-03-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

Dream home,
Sunrise in Nendaz,
Ah, the good life.
Too the woodshred with you, if your not good!

Euro grom's learning to love the snow early

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate and more Chocolate
Does life not get any better then this: beer, chocolate, the journal
My little room, already trashed with my traveling life
hi all,

Today was my first skiing in Nendaz, after a relax morning still jet lagged after some coffee I got dressed and headed off to the mountain. After a few short lift rides I found the venue for saturdays qualifier. As I looked around in the tram on the way up I saw no brightly colored outfits , full face helmets or big mountain skis no freeriders around, I surrounded only by European tourist holding carving skis with fast racer sunglasses tucked into there helmets. The entire venue was mine to inspect and maybe ski a little too. After lapping the venue two time, on my third I came across this guys waving his poles at me with his slick black hair shinning in the sun and his little fast sunglasses looking very cop like in the afternoon sun staring me down, his red ski instructor jacket standing out like a sore thumb against the white snow. I know at that moment I was done inspecting for today. A he skied by me shaking his poles making an "X" with them. The international sign for closed I guess? While this was happening I watched two full face wear euros zip right by me having skied the same thing I had, I guess it was only closed to me.

Well I had got three laps in, time for a beer. Until next time

Travel Day: Switzerland Day 1 SLC to Nendaz

2009-03-11T03:53:00.000-07:00

Never known to travel lightly

New York City on the skyline, this west coast kids first time seeing

the big apple

Packing, Packing Packing

My favorite part of Switzerland, the sweets and the coffee

Life on the train, a great book, can kill a lot of down time. Looking forward to a future book review over fondue.
In Nendaz enjoying more coffee, maybe beer next?
Travel Day

Alarm clock goes off 6:00 am wake up

hit the snooze once, 6:15 out of bed, quick cup off coffee

out the door 6:45 dropped off at the airport, let the travel day begin

Load plane in SLC 9:55 am

unload plane NYC 4:30 pm

Load new Plane bound for Geneva 5:30 pm

unload plane in Geneva 5:50 am hoping luggage made it with me, for how much it cost to get over here.

Board a train for Sion at 7:30, Unload the train at 10:00 wonder lost through out Sion looking for the bus stop for a half hour, get strange looks by Swiss business men on the street, must be my purple shoes and bright colored luggage. Find bus stop, Step off the bus at 11:00 in Nendaz. My home for the next week. Wonder again lost with all of my luggage until I find the Hotel Mont Fort.

Nothing like a day filled with small crampt seats, sore back, knees, neck, TSA hassles, over baggage weight fees $$$$$$$, killer boredom, expensive airport beers, lame in flight movies, half a plane filled with a group of teenage girl figure skaters on there way to Junior World, or something like that, and the dreaded lethary of jet-lag in a foreign land. But as I sip a cup of expresso in the hotel lobby, it all seems worth it for two weeks of skiing in Switzerland. And a chance to make the Verbier Extreme.

A busy week; ski testing, shredding and packing

2009-03-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

This week has been a fury of activity, starting with booking a plane ticket to Geneva Switzerland to attend the Nendaz Freeride Qualifying tour stop, the sister event to Verbier, then playing email tag with hotels, and figuring out train schedules. Along with contacts photographers seeing if anyone is heading over during that time to shoot.

By Wednesday I make the call not to drive the 12 hours to Toas solo to compete Salomon New Mexico freeride event. This turned out to be a great call on my part, with a new storm on the horizen and friends in town for the Skiing magazine ski test. I chose to hang tight in the SLC.

By Thursday I had gone from ski test groupie to member of the band (or test) and on the best day of the test, 10 inches of fresh and a quiver of next years powder skis to be tested. This was so much fun, ripping around on all of the different makes and models. I able to get on pair of my first reverse camber/ rockered skis and I must say that they are damn fun. Going bell to bell, 9 to 4 with some Stella's and boomerangs at the Stizmark bar cristening an amazing day of skiing, as the snow still fell lightly in the evening alpin glow.

Over the next few days I ripped around the bird trying to get my comp. legs under me with old friend as we searched for fresh pockets of powder.

Then came the chore packing, weighting bags so not to have to pay to much at the airport and preparing for the day of travel over the Europe tomorrow. Keep checking back as I update my travel's and skiing on this European journey.

New photos from "the heart of Darkness"

2009-03-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

In the darkness,
Making some turns,

Adam Clark send over a few photos from our recent photo trip to the ski the heart of darkness.

A night with some Legends: Mc Hammer and Ice

2009-02-28T18:05:00.000-08:00

Logan and I, Check out Logan red shades,

The man the myth the legend MC Hammer

Hammer and Ice sharing the same stage, 18 years in the making

Ice, Ice baby,

Killing it
Last was amazing I attended the show of shows, I attended an Mc Hammer and Vanilla Ice concert south of Salt Lake City, it was a dry show no booze but this is Utah, don't forget, we still had a pretty sick time, according to Hammer the last time these two shared the stage was 18 years ago, so I guess lady luck was on my side having Hammer and Ice get together for a little reunion show and in the SLC. Who knew Salt Lake would be were the two would meet up for a show. Here are some photos from the night

Cham, La Grave Style in the Wasatch: Skiing the Heart of Darkness

2009-02-26T21:24:00.000-08:00

In the heart, down climbing through the rock

Looking back up, trying to see the light
Skis on time to Shred! kind of.

At the top looking into the darkness, Spooky

Adam Booting up the ridge with snowbird below

(More photos to come)

So today, I went out with photographer Adam Clark with the goal to shoot and ski the Wasatch classic Heart of Darkness a couloir on the bask side of Monte Cristo peak with a constant grey bird sky and a ripping west wind at our face all day, it was going make for a very cold and windy day. A short three hour skin and climb up from the Alta Lodge we arrived at the entrance to the Couloir we quickly learned that we wouldn't be able to ski off the top, I would have to do some 4 class down climbing throw snow and vertical rock to get to the point where I would be able to get my skis on.

At the point when I put my skis on, I quickly learned why this couloir is called the heart of darkness, the walls of the chute are vertical and all I could see were the clouds over head and the constant attack of blowing snow, I also found out how narrow the chute was, as my skis almost would fit in it. There would be no fast shred turns, down this it was time to go old school and hop turn my way down it.

After carefully working my way down the narrow walled couloir I quickly learned my little ski mountaineering day wasn't done, I had to re boot out of the bottom back up, this mend climbing up the rocky face I had to down climb at the top. All I have to say is the Lange Banshee pro boot with it's vibram sole is the ticket so sick on days like this, with out the vibram it would have been one hell of a experience sliding around on the rocks.

The stella's at the sitzmark and talking of the days events after getting back to the truck sure hit the spot after a long day in the mountains. The wasatch is such a cool place you can get into some pretty hairy European ski mountaineering descent only three hours from the car.

Make hay while the suns out

2009-02-24T18:51:00.000-08:00

Drew up in a tree to get the shot
The goods of Solitude Fantasy ridge
Up at snowbasin
A money shot, by Adam Barker shot at Snowbasin

This last week has been filled with early mornings and late days spent wallowing through waste deep snow in some places or standing alone left only to your thoughts on top of big cliffs before jumping off, during the week I when out and shot with Steve lloyd, Drew Steoklein, and Adam Barker.

And as the old saying goes "make hay while the suns out", and with a big high pressure settling over the Salt lake for the week we made hay, shot photos day after day all along the wasatch range. After a day spend dropping cliffs up at Brighton on Saturday with photog. Steve Lloyd where first thing in morning I clipping a rock at the take off of the first cliff we shot and more or less falling of the cliff as if I jumped off it with no speed, falling through the air like cat on a hot tin roof landing on my shoulder and head 40 feet at the bottom of the cliff.

While in the afternoon it went a little better we spend it out in the dead tree cliff zone in the brighton backcountry I still was able to rang doll losing both skis after landing a 40 foot cliff and then bent my ski pole around my side as I landed off the 50 ft dead tree air. All and all a tough day out, with my nerves shot I needed a little break. But as sunday rolled around and the grey bird of winter showed it head turning the Wasatch front from blue bird to grey I got a much needed day of rest to mend my sore body from the weeks work.

Here are a few shots from that week, with more snow and sun forecasted it looks like the rest time with be put on hold again

A trip up north to Snowbasin

2009-02-20T16:46:00.000-08:00

Just home from another day of shooting today I went out with Adam Barker we traveled 45 minutes north along the grate Salt Lake to Odgen and then in to the mountain to the resort of Snowbasin. Snowbasin was the host mountain for Olympic speed events during the Salt Lake winter games , the mountain is pretty sweet a lot of big cliffs and little straight lines ready to shred, and it often holds fresh snow days after storms. It was a great day of shooting getting it done under perfect Utah blue bird sky.

Brighton's Cliffs, Dry forks powder and sketchy cliff in the dark

2009-02-14T17:56:00.000-08:00

Out running the sluff at brighton.
Airing it out in dry fork
Teeing off with the Driver in Dry Fork hole 1 Par 5
Teeing off in the Dark, Lights camera action!
Dry Fork is sick!
Shredding, Wasatch style

All Photos Drew Stoecklein 2009

So since getting back to Wasatch, I had the opportunity to go out and shoot with local big mountain shredder and up and coming photographer Drew Stoecklein.

Meeting up at the seven eleven in the early morning at the mouth of big cottonwood before heading up Brighton Mountain resort in search of some of the big cliffs around the resort to send. Brighton is sweet, it's the hot spot for Salt lake city snowboarders because of it terrain park and rails, so the rest of the resorts cliffs, and pillow lines don't get slashed up and bomb holed out like the cliffs at resorts in little cottonwood would during and after a storm. After a little searching we found our zone, nothing like a little 40 footer as a warm up. Good think I brought my helmet.

I also found this super cool granite shoulder which was near vertical but held snow at the top, but the bottom was all exposed granite with big rocks at the bottom, so plan was to jump off of the shoulder where the snow ended and air into the small pocket of snow between the rocks.

As I dropped in on the shoulder the entire face gave way, white rooming my vision, panicing I straightlined out of the sluffing snow down the face, I quickly popped over the exposed granite face landing in the small pocket. The force of the landed pushed my knees into my chest knocked the wind out of me, blow my goggles off my face and my ipod earphone out of my ear. But we got the shot.

After shooting all day we took a two hour break before heading out for the night shoot. I was able to go home change into some dry gear, eat a quick snack, and stretch before it was time to go back out there. Night shooting is always very interested from setting up the flashes in the dark, to setting up the exposure of the camera to capture all of the light and get right angle, oh and hitting a 25 foot cliff in the dark with a bright flash going off right as you take off from the lip of the cliff. Good think night shooting also entails beer with buddies. Because otherwise there is no way a sane person would hit a cliff in the dark. But once you hit a cliff in the dark in the day time it's no problem. Day 1 in the books, all and all it was a super good day.

Day2 Alta backcountry, Dry fork zone: The following morning we headed out to the dry fork zone on the backside of Alta. After setting a quick bootpack where we wallowed up to our chest we topped out. We quickly set up for two quick powder shot while we had the light, after the powder shot were in the bag, it was time to start teeing off of some big cliffs in the basin. Griffen went first and sent it Hugh, making me think twice what i was doing on top of this 4o plus cliff. Right before I dropped in I saw a group of Ravens (my power animal long story ) cruising around the gulch, after seeing the birds I knew it was all good, a big deep breathe, "camera ready" "skier ready" "dropping in 10, 5, 3, 2,1".

My japanese powder shredding video

2009-02-11T21:16:00.000-08:00

Nick, At sweetgrass emailed me a little video footage from my recent filming trip to Japan. Check it out!!

If you want to see it larger, watch it on this player, Cheers

Forrest Coots January 2009 Hokkaido Japan teaser from Forrest Coots on Vimeo.

Driving back to Utah from Shasta via south lake

2009-02-09T20:53:00.000-08:00

So today, I drove from south lake to Salt Lake. I have driven the Reno to Salt Lake I80 route in the last five year ten time or more time, but todays travels were the most stress filled yet. Driving in a blizzard for 300 miles white knuckled as my little tacoma was pinned in the head wind. As I raced the storm across the grate basin, with only one near miss 70 mph fish tailing lane crossing event with a big rig right behind me. Set me straight for the day. No coffee or Red Bulls needed after that. A good stiff drink when I finally arrived in the SLC helped take the edge off of my 10 hour day of driving. I counted 16 car accidents, from big rigs to SUVs and small cars. I got pulled over in Utah for being a tired driver, this time no ticket. Today I really didn't have the time to dwell on to many things other then staying on the road. The powder I will be skiing in the coming days and those people I said goodbye to until the spring. Well I'm off to un pack and try to get up early for some powder shredding.

Shastafarian time

2009-02-07T19:32:00.000-08:00

new painting, 80's colors are my favorite to paint with! Given to Jen to help put some color in her tahoe home

I've been in Shasta since getting back from Japan , at home for a extra week for the celebration of life of my grandma's memorial service who passed away while I was traveling home from Japan. She was a amazing person, a lived life to the fullest everyday.

Also while here I have had time to finish a painting, hang out with friends and family. And spend time with those I don't get to see all the time.

The highlight of my time here was a super cool morning spend at a local super hippie mineral springs resort going from the mineral bath house to the sauna then to the icy cold river 24F water and then back to the mineral pool and sauna. After flying half way around the world in coach, skiing the backcountry everyday for three weeks it felt super good on my body, and I got to go with one of my favorite people in this world who was also home for a few days. I'm heading back to Utah tomorrow not looking forward the 12 hour drive but it will give me time to think, and ponder all of those crazy thing in life like color theory, Utah powder , comps. in Europe and the girl that always haunts my thoughts . (driving 12 hours alone is always super fun !!!)

Japanese Photo Slideshow

2009-02-05T10:34:00.000-08:00

A photo slideshow of my trip to Hokkaido Japan to film with Sweetgrass Productions or their next years backcountry ski film, shot from the eye of Mike Brown, Adam Moszynski and myself.

Japanese Photo Slideshow from Forrest Coots on Vimeo.

Sweetgrass Productions Hokkaido Japan January Trailer

2009-02-02T09:05:00.000-08:00

Nick, Ben, and Ian at sweetgrass productions sent over a little teaser from the filming that happened in Hokkaido Japan during the month of January when I was there. The teaser is pretty sick!! So stoked to be working on this project. A breath of fresh air in the ski movie world.

Traveling Home

2009-01-31T17:46:00.000-08:00

Life on the plane,

A strange photo in SkyMall shopping magazine Good! Good!

Ninjas even on the Plane, they are everywhere

Where is my Gate Number?

What felt like two days of traveling I have finally laid my head on my own pillow in my own bed. It feels pretty good to be home, but I'm super Jet lagged and it's going to take a few days to get over it.

Biglines.com Athlete Profile and interview

2009-01-31T04:39:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

If you got a minute check out my athlete profile and interview on biglines.com

http://www.biglines.com/blarticles/4364/The_Hippie_Hipter_Freeskier-_Forrest_Coots_Video

Cheers

Japanese Refections

2009-01-30T11:46:00.000-08:00

Charley, Caroline and Nick waiting for the light to get good.

The crew in the van, on our way to Shred

Booting up at the car,

Adam and I after our first day of skiing

Talking about the game plan for the coming weeks

Sake, Powder and Skin tracks-Refections of Japan

2009-01-29T21:21:00.000-08:00

As I sit in the Tokyo Narita International Airport waiting for my flight home, I have time to think of my time in Japan. I can't believe how fast the time went while here as I fell into the rhythm of life in Japan. In our little Kutchan apartment we became a little family of dirty ski bums, all sharing the passion for the mountains and for skiing. I got used to the morning ritual of coffee with Steve and Anthony and making banana and chocolate sandwiches with Caroline, while we talking of the film crew's plans for the day. Our only concern was the weather, overnight snow accumulation, and when (if ever) the sun was going to come out. The outside world just seemed to dissolve away.

Everyday the snow was waist to chest deep. We couldn't always see it, but the the of Japan was always at our backs watching over us. We spent most days and evenings wallowing up boot and skin tracks with the constant volcanic smell of sulfur in the air. We all were so stoked at the tops of these skins or booters 'cause we would soon be lapping powder filled lanes between Aspen, Birch, and Alder snow caked trees, or sessioning little cliff or pillow lines, leap frogging one another's tracks, as the crew and filmers worked down the mountain, until the last of the days light dropped behind far off peaks, turning the backcountry to pink and orange alpinglow. We always tried to get one more shot in, before calling it a day and heading home in the dark, tired and hungry. Many days we would head to the unsend (a traditional Japanese hot spring resort) for a little R&R and a well earned beer.

While most nights were spent talking of the day events, blogging on our respective websites, surfing the net, drinking Kirins tall boys, while rocking out to the sickest french pop Yelle. Some nights we walked the snow packed streets of Kutchan in search of new little Japanese restaurants for dinner, or just a trip to the grocery store. The snow perpetually continued to fall.

The greatest things about traveling are the people met along the way, the new friends made, and the places visited. Its not about the outcome but the journey that matters the most. The friends I met while filming with sweetgrass I will have for the rest of my life. Thank you for the turns and for all of the laughs.

The last day of Filming with sweetgrass

2009-01-28T23:35:00.000-08:00

Hey all

Today turned out to be the sunniest day of my trip to film with sweetgrass and we made the best of it, we were out the door at 5:30am and on the skin track in the early morning light. We went back to the same zone that we had skied a week ago but this time we traveled up the valley and started to ski some of the larger peaks. We ended up spending all day filmed, and then we had a kick ass curry team dinner for Caroline and I last night in Kutchan.

why Japan is the sickest place to Ski

2009-01-28T07:47:00.000-08:00

Night time shredding at the resort
Some of that deep Japanese Powder
Resort shredding
A sunny day, one of only a few
a few more photos

Why Japan is the sickest place to Ski Part 2

2009-01-28T07:15:00.001-08:00

Just photos, that's it and that's all

Night Shoot

2009-01-27T02:28:00.000-08:00

Working in the snow pit
filling out my pit profile while out on the zone research mission
Bamboo and digging a snow pit only in Japan
The night filming show under the lights
Airing pillowing under the lights

Last night I went out for a night photo and film shoot, we ended up filming from 5 in the evening until 2 in the morning. It was pretty fun but the snow wasn't the bottomless powder that I have gotten pretty accustom to but it still was powder. After getting too sleep in, several of us went up to a new secret zone to check out it's snow stability and filming options. After digging a pit and doing some stability test on the slope, it proved to be a little too sketchy. So I think the plan is to head off to a zone that we have already filmed at, but with 30cm forecasted for tonight it should be fun for my last day of filming with sweetgrass productions. The plan is for a super early start, 5 am so I off to get some sleep, talk to you later

A trip the local supermarket

2009-01-26T18:21:00.000-08:00

My staple's beer, noddle's, oranges, and ice cream

Strange dried fish of some kind
Tongue of so kind
Fish, yeap, fish strange in Japan
Anthony and I walking to the Supermarket, check out the snow banks.

So, As you would bet the supermarkets here are full of meats, and seafoods and other wild things that you can't find at home. Not to say there are super strange things in the supermarkets in the US like cheese in the can or pickled pigs feet. But here you can buy cow tongues, every part of the the fish, and other seafoods like squids. And they play children of the corn type music that would make you go crazy if locked in a room for a day of it.

Sweetgrass Productions Kutchan Athlete Crib

2009-01-25T23:57:00.000-08:00

Athletes Room, yes that someone's bed in the closet

Walking in the front door
The hallway to the athletes room or the kitchen
The living room, drying room, living room and computer office

Not the best day of the trip

2009-01-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

So yesterday, like all days before we got up early put on our gear and traveled out to one of your zones to film, it's slowly starting to feel like groundhogs day here. While most day we film all day today was a little different, because of the cold the cameras started to freeze up and the energy of the group was pretty low and run down, so after Caroline, Ebon and I skied our first line in near whiteout conditions we made the call to pull the rip cord on the day and head to the onsend (local hot springs resort). but upon getting to the van we should the side widow punched in and some of our stuff gone. It was the icing on the cake to the group. We had to drive back to Kutchan with the side window of the van missing in near -12C conditions. I had somehow fallen asleep and was woken up to the van turning around because the light had turned and the were going to drop on filmer and me off to get a night shot. I was not pumped after a long day I was going to still be out in the cold.

Once again the light disappeared and we were left in the grey bird light, and I was left to think this is such as waste of time and energy but in the closing minutes of the day the sun popped it's head out for one last show, and let's just say I killed it and make up for the whole days bad lucky with alpine glow powder turns.

A day of shredding with two of the sickest common wealth guys

2009-01-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

Trying to get the all that powder off of me

The answer to why the Japanese are kill us in Math

Steve killing it under the alpine glow

Steve and Anthony Shredding the Japanese Power
Me laying it down under the evening light at the top mountain

Today I when out for a little resort skiing at grande hirafu with Steve and Anthony two of the sickest Canadian and Australians (common Wealth) I have ever met. Steve and Anthony are kicking it at the sweetgrass apartment sleeping in the living room before heading off to India for a little more shredding and ski mountaineering. We shredded all day and ended up catching the evening light of powder.

Back to work

2009-01-23T05:36:00.000-08:00

The crew on the skin track. Got to keep it stylish even

on the skin track

Shredding
At the top of the boot track.

Pillows, are fun !
Talking with Ben one of the filmer's about the lines

After my soul tour and a evening jib session under the lights. Where we build several little booter's airing off of this this little bright into a gully. It was super fun, I got kind of loose from a bottle of Korean moonshine that we sipped on all night. The more I drank the better my jibbing got, or at lease I think. The following morning we again went out in search of a new zone that I spotted while out on my soul tour the night before. It turned out to be a super sick zone filled with small pillows lines and cliffs to shred, Charley, Caroline and I spent all day setting boot tracks and sessioning the the zone. All and all another good day in the books.

An evening soul tour

2009-01-22T21:18:00.000-08:00

So yesterday evening instead of filming I went for a little solo soul tour, at sunset. It was pretty amazing how the light transformed the landscape pink and orange. As I toured through the snow caked aspens it hit me that I'm kind of living my dream of skiing. Getting to travel half way around the world to ski. Today crew is taking a well earned rest day, after 11 days of filming. And it raining too.

Later George W, Hello hope and change

2009-01-20T17:27:00.000-08:00

The eight years of this has finally come to an end!!!

Say hello to hope, progress and best of all change!!

Family Sushi Dinner Night

2009-01-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

The sweetgrass family dinner after three great days of filming. With a warm front on the horizon, it looks like we will be having some down days at the resort. But Who nows, only time will tell.

Japan Day 4

2009-01-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

So, here are several skiing shots from Mike Brown Sweetgrass's Productions still photographer from the last four days of shooting. Today is a well earned rest day, after four long days filming in the surrounding backcountry. We may head up to Hirafu ski resort this afternoon for a little evening shredding. Before game on again.

Japan day 3

2009-01-16T23:52:00.000-08:00

So, Japan could be the most magical place to ski in the world, 130 cm of new snow in the last three days and the scent of sulfer in the air we skin up through aspen's and willow's tress caked with all the new snow.

On top of some of the little peaks, I could see out to the sea of Japan, and the new storms sucking up water from the sea that soon will be dropping new snow during the night. Each day the snow tracks are erased from the mountains leaving a white canvas for the next days work.

Japan Day 1 and 2

2009-01-15T05:55:00.000-08:00

Cheesy Rad guy
The Trees of Aspen
I'm going the other way

Hey,

So I got to Japan right on time, it snowed 58cm last night. Today was the deepest day of powder skiing I have ever skied. So Sick. All get more photos more later

Travels to Japan

2009-01-13T18:47:00.000-08:00

Self Portrait in the refection

Welcome to Tokyo, Japan the land of Rising Sun and People
At four am at the airport anyone can feel like

a ghost.
Never know to travel light.

A day of traveling into the future. Four plane rides, 5000 miles, two car rides, and a train and I would be in Japan. A small day of traveling.

So my day began at 3:30 am pacific time in Shasta leaving for my first of four flights to Japan. After watching every movie and TV show on the plane on my 12 hour flight to tokyo and drinking 5 whiskey and gingers I landing in the future. A day head of the US and in the land of the rising sun. A quick chat with the Japan airline counter and the American Airlines counter and I was on a new flight that would leave for Sapporo four hours earlier and I could make it to the Sweetgrass film crews apartment that same night. Getting to the the apartment door 24 hours of travel after walking out of my door in shasta.

Let me say it was the longest day of traveling in my entire life, it straight up sucked!!!. I will be updating more later

The Bet

2009-01-06T21:15:00.000-08:00

So, over the holidays my best friends Zac Kay a member of US snowboard team was home for the holidays. And after a day of shredding in the shasta backcountry together and an evening of beer and whiskey, we came up with the ultimate bet, the swayzator tattoo.

The bet is who ever gives up the dream first; shredding for a living. And gets a real job where he or I have to wear a suit and tie to work in a office; think Office Space the movie has to get the swayzator tattoo on there body. Punishment for giving up on the dream.

First of all you ask what is the swazitor, only the most powerful magical animal in the universe, half Patrick Swazy and half manator. So game on Zac, cause I'm not going to get the swayzator on my body ever.

Skiing with the family and friends

2009-01-03T18:13:00.001-08:00

Friends and family with Shasta keeping an eye over us
Hansel or Zoolander, not sure? Hansel so hot, right now !
Shameless sponsor plug

Skinning with blue steel

The coots clan

It good being home, spending time with the fam and I don't even have to think about my next meal there is always food in the house. It's great!!!

Today a group of friends and my family all went out for a little backcountry tour above the local ski resort. The snow conditions less then perfect dust on crust, but the company was well worth it. It's great to just get out and make some turns without having to worry about photos, or video or in the eye of competition judges, just skiing for skiing with friends and family. It was fun to go skiing with my sister and my parents before leaving for my trip to Japan to film with sweetgrass productions next week. With the chance of snow in the forecast for the shasta area it sound be good in the coming days.

The holiday Season

2008-12-28T10:17:00.000-08:00

Shredding

Self portrait
8 degrees crazy cold

This week had been a whirl wind of early mornings and late night. With it still snowing ever night and friends in town for the holidays, something had to give, and lets say I've been burning the midnight oil. After checking the noaa weather website on christmas night, and watching the radar's purple and red slamming into crater lake. I knew I had to rally the troops for a early morning departure.

Picking up Chris, and Zac in the 5:00am darkness while most of Shasta still slept. When we blasted through Klamath Falls the temp. was frigid 8 degrees. The forecasted high was going to be 15 in the park. A cold day all and all. Watching the sun rise while we drove turning all of the snow covered trees from dark green into pink and orange. And the three feet of fresh snow in the parking lot. It looked to be a great day of shredding with friends.

After a long day of boot tracking in waist deep snow and shredding mini golf cliff and pillow lines around the park, and a few road runs, until it was to dark to see.

We raced back to Shasta getting back home in the dark just like how we left town. Tired from the day, but this day was not over. A quick nap, a shower, stretching session, and a little hot tea with whiskey. I was ready to hit the town. Walking into the local bar, it some became apparent that I was going to an unofficial high school reunion. Seeing old friends that I hadn't seen or tried not to see at all in years. All and all it was a good time chilling with friends, spending time with someone who I thought I had lost forever and reconnecting our friendship after,some time apart. Was the icing on the cake after skiing and chilling with friends. First Chair or in my terms sun rise on the boot track and last call at the bar all in a day.

Driving back to Shasta from Utah

2008-12-22T15:39:00.000-08:00

Home in Shasta at the new house
Speeding Ticket in NV
Sunset sets in NV
Do I need to say anything more.
The straight's of NV
1400 miles in two week- $300.00 in gas

12 red bulls- Free from Red Bull

30 coffees- $50.00

1 speeding ticket in Nevada-$495.00

12 days of skiing Utah powder while friends in California wait for snow- Priceless

check this out, very cool site

2008-12-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

Go here everyday click on donate, it's a free and it goes to some great stuff. They will send site money to all of these cool groups like saving the rainforest, breast caner, child health literacy, animal rescue, and world hunger just by clicking on it.
http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=4

Skiing Alta

2008-12-19T21:42:00.000-08:00

Kate and I were on the late plan on thursday, we got to Alta at like 12 or maybe even 1 but it turned out to be a pretty good day of skiing, the sun came out and we skied until the lift closed. Then it was off for a little apre session at the sitzmark. A perfect day of shredding. With 20 inches forecasted for saturday, it's making it hard to drive back to shasta for the holidays.

POV Camera from Alta

2008-12-15T16:51:00.000-08:00

Forrest Coots POV powder shredding from Forrest Coots on Vimeo.

Here it comes

2008-12-12T16:22:00.000-08:00

Since arriving in Utah five days, ago I have attended a Dynastar team meeting in Park City at the mountain center where we talked about the products and next years skis. I've had athlete interviews at Alta for a season pass, and have skied five hard days at the bird and Alta two of those being powder days. And next friday I have a athlete coffee/tea social with the Alta general manager and snow safety at a mid month lodge. I have I guess my life as pro big mountain skier is coming together. I'm super excited about the months to come. And the big storm that's on it's way here tonight.

In pro skiing like pro surfing you have to live in the center of the sport, in surfing it the North Shore of Hawaii, and in skiing it Snowbird and Alta. I'm moved to Utah to break down the door of the industry, by throwing myself down the mountain battling everyone, from established pros, to the new up and comers for shots and early morning powder sessions. The bird and Alta is the center of big mountain skiing in the US, it's where the photographers, filmer's, and team managers live and ski. It's the place to be so that why I have make the big move from California. It's hard to break into the industry living outside of the bubble of the little cottonwood canyon, so I'm here to make this dream a reality. This has come with many sacrifices such as moving alone, going broke traveling the world, losing girlfriends, and living away for friends and family. But with anything you want comes sacrifices, and when I reach your dream, that how sweet it will be.

We are going to get it!!! Winter is here.

2008-12-11T16:59:00.000-08:00

Forecast for Alta, UT

Issued by: National Weather Service Salt Lake City, Ut

Friday Saturday

Tonight Friday Night Saturday Night Sunday

Sunday Monday

Night Monday Night

Day 1 of the 2008/2009 winter !!!! at the bird!!

2008-12-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

Hey,

I just got out to Utah on Saturday night, after a long night of partying in south lake tahoe with friends on friday night. I guess I got out here at the perfect time it had snowed a few days before I arrived and it snowed again on monday. 85% of the snowbird is open, with good coverage off piste. I was able to hunt around for small cliffs to drop, and little straight lines. It crazy because I only make like 7 tram laps in a day, but I guess it like 2000 feet of skiing a tram lap. So that makes a good amount of vert at the end of the day. I see why everyone lives out here, it's not for the salt lake. It's for the bird and Alta and that super light powder. I'm learned to get past living in a big city. Sounds like more snow is on the way at the end of week. Keeping the figures crossed.

Life on the Road

2008-12-09T21:49:00.000-08:00

Top 10 this to think about on the most boring drive in the United States; Reno NV to Salt Lake City, UT, if traveling alone.

1o. 500 plus miles by yourself is going to be that bad

9. The color Purple, and why is it so sick!!

8. Why would anyone live in Wells, Nevada

7. Tree skiing

6. What tattoo would I get, If I were to get one

5. I need new music on my Ipod

4. Ex-girlfriends and there new lives

3. A New girl in my life

2. Alaska, do I need to say more

1. Utah Powder, Japanese Powder, California Powder, Crater Lake Powder, European Powder, I'm living the dream !!

Stickering up the new quiver of skis

2008-12-06T21:09:00.000-08:00

Today I spend some time at the base camp stickering up my new quiver of Dynastar XXL and pro riders with smith optics, ogio, and shasta base camp stickers.

base camp art show

2008-12-06T20:45:00.000-08:00

After getting home from Saint Maartin, on friday night at 2 am. I had only half a day to get ready for my big saturday night, my first art show. It was cool to get to show some of my art I've been working on for the past few months. Along with art of Cori Afflack, and Salomon Keen. It was cool to see all of the people that showed up to check out the art and the live music, thank you again to the whole base camp crew. The best shop on the west coast.

Turkey caribbean style

2008-12-03T16:59:00.001-08:00

I just got home from a family vacation to Saint Maartin in the dutch caribbean. We spend 8 days down on the island just hanging out in the sun. It was sure a nice way to bring on winter. While even on vacation I I had to keep up on my crossfit program. Because winter is almost here.

POV helmet cam video of freeride mountain biking

2008-12-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

Freeride Mountain biking from Forrest Coots on Vimeo.

A sunday Ride

2008-12-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

Last week Hanne, Nick and I went for a fall ride down one of the best freeride trails around Shasta. It has great views of the mountain, the castle crags, and the trail is super fast. I kind of felt like i was ripping turns.

"Roll the dice"

2008-12-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

The poem that gives me my focus,

if you’re going to try, go all the way.
Otherwise, don’t even start.

if you’re going to try, go all the way.
This could mean losing girlfriends, wives,
relatives, jobs and maybe your mind.

Go all the way.
it could mean not eating for 3 to 4 days.
it could mean freezing on a
park bench.
it could mean jail,
it could mean derision,
mockery,
isolation,
isolation is the gift,
all the others are a test of your
endurance, of
how much you really want to do it.
despite rejection and the worst odds
and it will be better than anything else
you can imagine.

If you’re going to try,
go all the way.
There is no other feeling like that.
You will be alone with the gods
and the nights will flame with
fire.

do it, do it, do it
do it.

all the way
all the way.

you will ride life, straight to perfect laughter, its
the only good fight
there is

-Charles Bukowski