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05-06 DEC 2000
Lucas Kane, MountainZone.com Correspondent
Nothing different - we rolled to the airport, late as hell, scrambled from the car, shouldered our gear and dashed into line. Shortly after boarding, I realized the old man sitting at my side never absorbed the whole personal space thing. Quite a friendly little fella, but he snaked all the elbowroom! Then, he tried crawling on my lap to get a good look at the surrounding mountains as we climbed into the sky, I had the last laugh though...I dozed off shortly after he did and returned his close company, leaving a small drool stain on his shoulder. Whoooooops!
Mid-flight, I declined the cardboard breakfast burrito and continued to snooze. When the bird touched down at Denver International Airport we were released from the confines of recycled air and busted into the Hertz rent-a-rig where we upgraded to the Ford Excursion. At a sizely 22 feet and equipped with Big Foot tires, not a soul stood in our way as we bombed over Loveland Pass through the Eisenhower tunnel.
With such a road presence, traffic parted like the Red Sea, (thank you very much) and we rolled into Breckenridge, Colorado, greeted by inches of fresh and still-falling snow.
Same Day But Miller Time
We made fresh tracks to the Breck Brewery (first things first) where we dropped into a pitcher and sampled the local cuisine - tasty. Relieved to have arrived, we reclined and attempted to explain why we were ditching work, chasing snow, looking for trouble and drinking thin air. We do have a purpose (swear) and that's the Vans Triple Crown of Snowboarding, where the big names, the no names and a big pack of groms will launch a monster-scary kicker, scream the snowboard cross and boost the superpipe, cuz they want to. Oh yeah, there's a bit of coin on the line for the cause.
This all begins tomorrow, so for now, I sit fat and happy on our pleather couches, stoking the fake fireplace, watching the flakes accumulate with nothing to do but wait. Tomorrow - face shots for all.
We Wanted First Chair
Show nuff, the fluff fell all night and we woke to five inches, blue skies and nine degrees...hubba, hubba! You know when it hurts to smile, but you can't stop grinning? Soap up with screen, dress warm and set the stance back a bit for the pow.
We didn't manage the first lift but we did rally early and as we climbed above treeline it was clear that the Rockies have a thin coat. Most of the runs were full of rooster tails and freaky face shots; but duck into the trees and you're bound to find rock grinds, heel hooks, and scary stumps. I'm not complaining though...yummy conditions for pre-season, for sure.
High Noon - Damn I'm Hungry
We charged just as hard as we could, but gelatin legs forced us to feed. After a heaping bowl of greens (from the salad bar,) pipe practice began. I missed most of it though cuz the condo's lock was busted and the desk jockey didn't seem to buy our story. "Insert your key card, wait for the green light, then turn the handle," he repeated over and over. Like I've never encountered a door, dude! Let me in please...I need to use the bathroom!
Anyway...they replaced the lock while our wide-angle warriors camped trench-side for your visual pleasure and those with big skills spilled their style well above the steep sides. The right wall was a bit wacked but nothing an overnight buttering won't fix. Practice continues for the next few days and they boost for cake on Sunday. Should be HUGE!
I did however make it back up the hill as the light faded. Team Blue Window, which was cold chilling in the parking lot after snowboard cross practice still seems to be the force - same riders, new digs. Kawasaki green no more, just race-car red uniforms, shiny new boards and thick Euro accents.
As for the big air, it's scheduled to go down on Saturday, however they're still building the kicker up...I guess it's not BIG enough. Whatever...especially after the carnage last year. Could get interesting.
The highlight of the weekend however is set to spin on Sat night when Tone Loc takes the stage. His scratchy voice and remaining posse will let the groove remove at Sherpa and Yeti's on Main Street. Dare you dose another Funky Cold Medina???
l quick!
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