Brooke Geery

Features

The Art of the Backyard Park

It’s not that hard to come up with a list of complaints about most ski resort snowboard parks. Too crowded, too small, too many jibs, not enough jibs -- listening to many snowboarders you’d think park quality is a global crisis. But what if your local resort is hours away, and then has only limited Midwest-style park offerings? What could you do besides complain? Nick Trotochaud has an idea, and it’s called Hirschy Lab. The 17-year-old from Venon Hills, IL has, for the past four years, created an ever-growing snowboard park, right in his backyard. It might not be getting him ready for the X Games or whatever it is…
Read More

Fan Mail (People Really do Win)

I am currently on "vacation." This apparently means I am sitting in my hotel room in Hawaii, posting this on YoBeat. I am not just posting it because it is a genuine letter from the recent winner of our Sticker Giveaway that makes us look somewhere near saintly. No, I am posting it because I awoke to find NOTHING new posted on the site. My dedicated number two is deep in finals week but seriously, I left him a well-worded draft in the back end and all he had to do was draw a few pictures and post it. That's it. I don't blame him if Mr. Richards is having…
Read More

Keep Bolts Out of Snowboarding

My friends, we have business to discuss, and it is of the gravest importance. Just like wakeboarding rips off snowboarding, and skiing rips off circus clowns -- snowboarding rips off skateboarding all the time. At some point we must draw the line, and friends, that time is now. This is a proclamation, here and now, that we, as snowboarders, must agree to never, ever use the term “bolts” (again) to refer to a landing. According to the urban dictionary, bolts is defined as everything from a Nazi symbol, to testicles, and when used (inappropriately) in snowboarding, it’s a perfect landing -- not a tail wheelie, hand-drag or buttcheck. But in…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Montevideo

I can’t help but feel a little bit bad for all the video companies that actually paid for duplication and are trying to sell DVDs this year. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are about 1000 free videos, some of them of incredible quality, just hanging out on the internet. This is not to say that sitting at your computer and dealing with vimeo glitches or your computer taking a nap is anywhere near as good at popping a DVD in and letting it run while you get ready to shred. But snowboard videos have always existed in an over saturated market, so the ample free offerings are just…
Read More

Extra Curricular Activities: The Make Out Web

Hey boys! Wanna make out with Laura Hadar? Or maybe the classic good looks and charm of some one like Gretchen Bleiler is more your thing? Well I’ve got good news for you! Chances are you already have. Perhaps you are confused because Gretchen is a lovely and respectable girl who is happily married, or because Laura is out of your league (and you live nowhere near her.) Let me explain. When I say you’ve “made out with them,” I don’t mean you’ve literally made out with them. In fact, the way I mean it, I’ve probably “made out” with them to. This amazing phenomenon is all thanks to a…
Read More

The Great Atmosphere Store Opening

The Hundreds? Nope. Supreme?  Nope. There's a new fashionable male store in town and this one is brought to you by Atmosphere Clothing, the Portland-based brainchild of Chris Prosser. In honor of the great downtown Portland tradition of First Thursday, the "Great Atmosphere store" unofficially opened on November 5, 2009. There wasn't a damn thing for sale, just a few displays, and two kegs. Atmosphere employee and all-around-cool-guy Mark informed me there is no official opening date set, they just wanted to let everyone know they were there. The store was packed with snowboard-types and random people from Gresham, all there for you guessed it: free beer! Unfortunately, the free…
Read More

Hump Day Throws a Grenade at Joseph Condorelli

It’s easy to make fun of Grenade. Between Danny Kass’s antics, and the company's complete makeover, one has to wonder what exactly is going on over there?  Then, when you add in the fact that almost everyone in snowboarding has worked for, hung out at, or done business with Grenade, yet only a few people know what’s really happening, it gets even easier. In fact, I heard last week, CEO Joseph Condorelli bit the head off a live bat. True story. You believed me for a minute didn’t you? After all, Joseph is an outsider. A loud-mouthed New Yorker who came from a business background, having never set foot on…
Read More

Urban’ Boardin on Halloween: The 2009 Backyard Bang

Johnnie Paxon man handling the rail. photo: Geery I have been to some miserable inner city rail jams in my day. I’m talking bitter cold and/or pouring rain, and because you are there simply to spectate, you are never dressed for such elements. But this year’s Backyard Bang was actually the most pleasant urban snowboard experience I have ever had. Not only was there a VIP area with free food and beer, provided by Kona Brewing, who also gave away a trip to Hawaii to some lucky bastard, but the jam was short, sweet and interesting. The new and improved SnowBoy productions set up included a brand new box jump,…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Hard to Earn

If you’ve been paying attention to snowboarding at all, then you probably know exactly the type of rider featured in FODT/MFM Production’s Hard to Earn. Snow Gangsters, I believe they are called. But for the sake of humor, let’s pretend to be an out-of-touch person right now. What would their reaction to this movie be? Well, they would be amazed that there were so many midgets who were so good at snowboarding. They would think, with that many midgets, maybe I should start a brand specifically catering to the little people who snowboard so they are longer forced to wear such giant apparel! And then we would end up with…
Read More

10 Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

Like Breckenridge in the 90s or Mammoth in the early part of this decade, Portland has become the hot spot for snowboarding. It’s an interesting choice, since the mountain is actually over an hour away, but it seems that being hip and urban is in these days. But as a Portland resident who has lived here since before it was cool (but not actually a native, those are like unicorns), I am here to tell you Portland is TOTALLY overrated. Here are ten definitive reasons why. 1.    It rains You’ve probably heard this rumor and it’s true. From Nov- March it rains pretty much every day. The worst part is…
Read More

The Art of the Backyard Park

It’s not that hard to come up with a list of complaints about most ski resort snowboard parks. Too crowded, too small, too many jibs, not enough jibs -- listening to many snowboarders you’d think park quality is a global crisis. But what if your local resort is hours away, and then has only limited Midwest-style park offerings? What could you do besides complain? Nick Trotochaud has an idea, and it’s called Hirschy Lab. The 17-year-old from Venon Hills, IL has, for the past four years, created an ever-growing snowboard park, right in his backyard. It might not be getting him ready for the X Games or whatever it is…
Read More

Fan Mail (People Really do Win)

I am currently on "vacation." This apparently means I am sitting in my hotel room in Hawaii, posting this on YoBeat. I am not just posting it because it is a genuine letter from the recent winner of our Sticker Giveaway that makes us look somewhere near saintly. No, I am posting it because I awoke to find NOTHING new posted on the site. My dedicated number two is deep in finals week but seriously, I left him a well-worded draft in the back end and all he had to do was draw a few pictures and post it. That's it. I don't blame him if Mr. Richards is having…
Read More

Keep Bolts Out of Snowboarding

My friends, we have business to discuss, and it is of the gravest importance. Just like wakeboarding rips off snowboarding, and skiing rips off circus clowns -- snowboarding rips off skateboarding all the time. At some point we must draw the line, and friends, that time is now. This is a proclamation, here and now, that we, as snowboarders, must agree to never, ever use the term “bolts” (again) to refer to a landing. According to the urban dictionary, bolts is defined as everything from a Nazi symbol, to testicles, and when used (inappropriately) in snowboarding, it’s a perfect landing -- not a tail wheelie, hand-drag or buttcheck. But in…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Montevideo

I can’t help but feel a little bit bad for all the video companies that actually paid for duplication and are trying to sell DVDs this year. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are about 1000 free videos, some of them of incredible quality, just hanging out on the internet. This is not to say that sitting at your computer and dealing with vimeo glitches or your computer taking a nap is anywhere near as good at popping a DVD in and letting it run while you get ready to shred. But snowboard videos have always existed in an over saturated market, so the ample free offerings are just…
Read More

Extra Curricular Activities: The Make Out Web

Hey boys! Wanna make out with Laura Hadar? Or maybe the classic good looks and charm of some one like Gretchen Bleiler is more your thing? Well I’ve got good news for you! Chances are you already have. Perhaps you are confused because Gretchen is a lovely and respectable girl who is happily married, or because Laura is out of your league (and you live nowhere near her.) Let me explain. When I say you’ve “made out with them,” I don’t mean you’ve literally made out with them. In fact, the way I mean it, I’ve probably “made out” with them to. This amazing phenomenon is all thanks to a…
Read More

The Great Atmosphere Store Opening

The Hundreds? Nope. Supreme?  Nope. There's a new fashionable male store in town and this one is brought to you by Atmosphere Clothing, the Portland-based brainchild of Chris Prosser. In honor of the great downtown Portland tradition of First Thursday, the "Great Atmosphere store" unofficially opened on November 5, 2009. There wasn't a damn thing for sale, just a few displays, and two kegs. Atmosphere employee and all-around-cool-guy Mark informed me there is no official opening date set, they just wanted to let everyone know they were there. The store was packed with snowboard-types and random people from Gresham, all there for you guessed it: free beer! Unfortunately, the free…
Read More

Hump Day Throws a Grenade at Joseph Condorelli

It’s easy to make fun of Grenade. Between Danny Kass’s antics, and the company's complete makeover, one has to wonder what exactly is going on over there?  Then, when you add in the fact that almost everyone in snowboarding has worked for, hung out at, or done business with Grenade, yet only a few people know what’s really happening, it gets even easier. In fact, I heard last week, CEO Joseph Condorelli bit the head off a live bat. True story. You believed me for a minute didn’t you? After all, Joseph is an outsider. A loud-mouthed New Yorker who came from a business background, having never set foot on…
Read More

Urban’ Boardin on Halloween: The 2009 Backyard Bang

Johnnie Paxon man handling the rail. photo: Geery I have been to some miserable inner city rail jams in my day. I’m talking bitter cold and/or pouring rain, and because you are there simply to spectate, you are never dressed for such elements. But this year’s Backyard Bang was actually the most pleasant urban snowboard experience I have ever had. Not only was there a VIP area with free food and beer, provided by Kona Brewing, who also gave away a trip to Hawaii to some lucky bastard, but the jam was short, sweet and interesting. The new and improved SnowBoy productions set up included a brand new box jump,…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Hard to Earn

If you’ve been paying attention to snowboarding at all, then you probably know exactly the type of rider featured in FODT/MFM Production’s Hard to Earn. Snow Gangsters, I believe they are called. But for the sake of humor, let’s pretend to be an out-of-touch person right now. What would their reaction to this movie be? Well, they would be amazed that there were so many midgets who were so good at snowboarding. They would think, with that many midgets, maybe I should start a brand specifically catering to the little people who snowboard so they are longer forced to wear such giant apparel! And then we would end up with…
Read More

10 Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

Like Breckenridge in the 90s or Mammoth in the early part of this decade, Portland has become the hot spot for snowboarding. It’s an interesting choice, since the mountain is actually over an hour away, but it seems that being hip and urban is in these days. But as a Portland resident who has lived here since before it was cool (but not actually a native, those are like unicorns), I am here to tell you Portland is TOTALLY overrated. Here are ten definitive reasons why. 1.    It rains You’ve probably heard this rumor and it’s true. From Nov- March it rains pretty much every day. The worst part is…
Read More

The Art of the Backyard Park

It’s not that hard to come up with a list of complaints about most ski resort snowboard parks. Too crowded, too small, too many jibs, not enough jibs -- listening to many snowboarders you’d think park quality is a global crisis. But what if your local resort is hours away, and then has only limited Midwest-style park offerings? What could you do besides complain? Nick Trotochaud has an idea, and it’s called Hirschy Lab. The 17-year-old from Venon Hills, IL has, for the past four years, created an ever-growing snowboard park, right in his backyard. It might not be getting him ready for the X Games or whatever it is…
Read More

Fan Mail (People Really do Win)

I am currently on "vacation." This apparently means I am sitting in my hotel room in Hawaii, posting this on YoBeat. I am not just posting it because it is a genuine letter from the recent winner of our Sticker Giveaway that makes us look somewhere near saintly. No, I am posting it because I awoke to find NOTHING new posted on the site. My dedicated number two is deep in finals week but seriously, I left him a well-worded draft in the back end and all he had to do was draw a few pictures and post it. That's it. I don't blame him if Mr. Richards is having…
Read More

Keep Bolts Out of Snowboarding

My friends, we have business to discuss, and it is of the gravest importance. Just like wakeboarding rips off snowboarding, and skiing rips off circus clowns -- snowboarding rips off skateboarding all the time. At some point we must draw the line, and friends, that time is now. This is a proclamation, here and now, that we, as snowboarders, must agree to never, ever use the term “bolts” (again) to refer to a landing. According to the urban dictionary, bolts is defined as everything from a Nazi symbol, to testicles, and when used (inappropriately) in snowboarding, it’s a perfect landing -- not a tail wheelie, hand-drag or buttcheck. But in…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Montevideo

I can’t help but feel a little bit bad for all the video companies that actually paid for duplication and are trying to sell DVDs this year. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are about 1000 free videos, some of them of incredible quality, just hanging out on the internet. This is not to say that sitting at your computer and dealing with vimeo glitches or your computer taking a nap is anywhere near as good at popping a DVD in and letting it run while you get ready to shred. But snowboard videos have always existed in an over saturated market, so the ample free offerings are just…
Read More

Extra Curricular Activities: The Make Out Web

Hey boys! Wanna make out with Laura Hadar? Or maybe the classic good looks and charm of some one like Gretchen Bleiler is more your thing? Well I’ve got good news for you! Chances are you already have. Perhaps you are confused because Gretchen is a lovely and respectable girl who is happily married, or because Laura is out of your league (and you live nowhere near her.) Let me explain. When I say you’ve “made out with them,” I don’t mean you’ve literally made out with them. In fact, the way I mean it, I’ve probably “made out” with them to. This amazing phenomenon is all thanks to a…
Read More

The Great Atmosphere Store Opening

The Hundreds? Nope. Supreme?  Nope. There's a new fashionable male store in town and this one is brought to you by Atmosphere Clothing, the Portland-based brainchild of Chris Prosser. In honor of the great downtown Portland tradition of First Thursday, the "Great Atmosphere store" unofficially opened on November 5, 2009. There wasn't a damn thing for sale, just a few displays, and two kegs. Atmosphere employee and all-around-cool-guy Mark informed me there is no official opening date set, they just wanted to let everyone know they were there. The store was packed with snowboard-types and random people from Gresham, all there for you guessed it: free beer! Unfortunately, the free…
Read More

Hump Day Throws a Grenade at Joseph Condorelli

It’s easy to make fun of Grenade. Between Danny Kass’s antics, and the company's complete makeover, one has to wonder what exactly is going on over there?  Then, when you add in the fact that almost everyone in snowboarding has worked for, hung out at, or done business with Grenade, yet only a few people know what’s really happening, it gets even easier. In fact, I heard last week, CEO Joseph Condorelli bit the head off a live bat. True story. You believed me for a minute didn’t you? After all, Joseph is an outsider. A loud-mouthed New Yorker who came from a business background, having never set foot on…
Read More

Urban’ Boardin on Halloween: The 2009 Backyard Bang

Johnnie Paxon man handling the rail. photo: Geery I have been to some miserable inner city rail jams in my day. I’m talking bitter cold and/or pouring rain, and because you are there simply to spectate, you are never dressed for such elements. But this year’s Backyard Bang was actually the most pleasant urban snowboard experience I have ever had. Not only was there a VIP area with free food and beer, provided by Kona Brewing, who also gave away a trip to Hawaii to some lucky bastard, but the jam was short, sweet and interesting. The new and improved SnowBoy productions set up included a brand new box jump,…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Hard to Earn

If you’ve been paying attention to snowboarding at all, then you probably know exactly the type of rider featured in FODT/MFM Production’s Hard to Earn. Snow Gangsters, I believe they are called. But for the sake of humor, let’s pretend to be an out-of-touch person right now. What would their reaction to this movie be? Well, they would be amazed that there were so many midgets who were so good at snowboarding. They would think, with that many midgets, maybe I should start a brand specifically catering to the little people who snowboard so they are longer forced to wear such giant apparel! And then we would end up with…
Read More

10 Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

Like Breckenridge in the 90s or Mammoth in the early part of this decade, Portland has become the hot spot for snowboarding. It’s an interesting choice, since the mountain is actually over an hour away, but it seems that being hip and urban is in these days. But as a Portland resident who has lived here since before it was cool (but not actually a native, those are like unicorns), I am here to tell you Portland is TOTALLY overrated. Here are ten definitive reasons why. 1.    It rains You’ve probably heard this rumor and it’s true. From Nov- March it rains pretty much every day. The worst part is…
Read More

The Art of the Backyard Park

It’s not that hard to come up with a list of complaints about most ski resort snowboard parks. Too crowded, too small, too many jibs, not enough jibs -- listening to many snowboarders you’d think park quality is a global crisis. But what if your local resort is hours away, and then has only limited Midwest-style park offerings? What could you do besides complain? Nick Trotochaud has an idea, and it’s called Hirschy Lab. The 17-year-old from Venon Hills, IL has, for the past four years, created an ever-growing snowboard park, right in his backyard. It might not be getting him ready for the X Games or whatever it is…
Read More

Fan Mail (People Really do Win)

I am currently on "vacation." This apparently means I am sitting in my hotel room in Hawaii, posting this on YoBeat. I am not just posting it because it is a genuine letter from the recent winner of our Sticker Giveaway that makes us look somewhere near saintly. No, I am posting it because I awoke to find NOTHING new posted on the site. My dedicated number two is deep in finals week but seriously, I left him a well-worded draft in the back end and all he had to do was draw a few pictures and post it. That's it. I don't blame him if Mr. Richards is having…
Read More

Keep Bolts Out of Snowboarding

My friends, we have business to discuss, and it is of the gravest importance. Just like wakeboarding rips off snowboarding, and skiing rips off circus clowns -- snowboarding rips off skateboarding all the time. At some point we must draw the line, and friends, that time is now. This is a proclamation, here and now, that we, as snowboarders, must agree to never, ever use the term “bolts” (again) to refer to a landing. According to the urban dictionary, bolts is defined as everything from a Nazi symbol, to testicles, and when used (inappropriately) in snowboarding, it’s a perfect landing -- not a tail wheelie, hand-drag or buttcheck. But in…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Montevideo

I can’t help but feel a little bit bad for all the video companies that actually paid for duplication and are trying to sell DVDs this year. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are about 1000 free videos, some of them of incredible quality, just hanging out on the internet. This is not to say that sitting at your computer and dealing with vimeo glitches or your computer taking a nap is anywhere near as good at popping a DVD in and letting it run while you get ready to shred. But snowboard videos have always existed in an over saturated market, so the ample free offerings are just…
Read More

Extra Curricular Activities: The Make Out Web

Hey boys! Wanna make out with Laura Hadar? Or maybe the classic good looks and charm of some one like Gretchen Bleiler is more your thing? Well I’ve got good news for you! Chances are you already have. Perhaps you are confused because Gretchen is a lovely and respectable girl who is happily married, or because Laura is out of your league (and you live nowhere near her.) Let me explain. When I say you’ve “made out with them,” I don’t mean you’ve literally made out with them. In fact, the way I mean it, I’ve probably “made out” with them to. This amazing phenomenon is all thanks to a…
Read More

The Great Atmosphere Store Opening

The Hundreds? Nope. Supreme?  Nope. There's a new fashionable male store in town and this one is brought to you by Atmosphere Clothing, the Portland-based brainchild of Chris Prosser. In honor of the great downtown Portland tradition of First Thursday, the "Great Atmosphere store" unofficially opened on November 5, 2009. There wasn't a damn thing for sale, just a few displays, and two kegs. Atmosphere employee and all-around-cool-guy Mark informed me there is no official opening date set, they just wanted to let everyone know they were there. The store was packed with snowboard-types and random people from Gresham, all there for you guessed it: free beer! Unfortunately, the free…
Read More

Hump Day Throws a Grenade at Joseph Condorelli

It’s easy to make fun of Grenade. Between Danny Kass’s antics, and the company's complete makeover, one has to wonder what exactly is going on over there?  Then, when you add in the fact that almost everyone in snowboarding has worked for, hung out at, or done business with Grenade, yet only a few people know what’s really happening, it gets even easier. In fact, I heard last week, CEO Joseph Condorelli bit the head off a live bat. True story. You believed me for a minute didn’t you? After all, Joseph is an outsider. A loud-mouthed New Yorker who came from a business background, having never set foot on…
Read More

Urban’ Boardin on Halloween: The 2009 Backyard Bang

Johnnie Paxon man handling the rail. photo: Geery I have been to some miserable inner city rail jams in my day. I’m talking bitter cold and/or pouring rain, and because you are there simply to spectate, you are never dressed for such elements. But this year’s Backyard Bang was actually the most pleasant urban snowboard experience I have ever had. Not only was there a VIP area with free food and beer, provided by Kona Brewing, who also gave away a trip to Hawaii to some lucky bastard, but the jam was short, sweet and interesting. The new and improved SnowBoy productions set up included a brand new box jump,…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Hard to Earn

If you’ve been paying attention to snowboarding at all, then you probably know exactly the type of rider featured in FODT/MFM Production’s Hard to Earn. Snow Gangsters, I believe they are called. But for the sake of humor, let’s pretend to be an out-of-touch person right now. What would their reaction to this movie be? Well, they would be amazed that there were so many midgets who were so good at snowboarding. They would think, with that many midgets, maybe I should start a brand specifically catering to the little people who snowboard so they are longer forced to wear such giant apparel! And then we would end up with…
Read More

10 Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

Like Breckenridge in the 90s or Mammoth in the early part of this decade, Portland has become the hot spot for snowboarding. It’s an interesting choice, since the mountain is actually over an hour away, but it seems that being hip and urban is in these days. But as a Portland resident who has lived here since before it was cool (but not actually a native, those are like unicorns), I am here to tell you Portland is TOTALLY overrated. Here are ten definitive reasons why. 1.    It rains You’ve probably heard this rumor and it’s true. From Nov- March it rains pretty much every day. The worst part is…
Read More

The Art of the Backyard Park

It’s not that hard to come up with a list of complaints about most ski resort snowboard parks. Too crowded, too small, too many jibs, not enough jibs -- listening to many snowboarders you’d think park quality is a global crisis. But what if your local resort is hours away, and then has only limited Midwest-style park offerings? What could you do besides complain? Nick Trotochaud has an idea, and it’s called Hirschy Lab. The 17-year-old from Venon Hills, IL has, for the past four years, created an ever-growing snowboard park, right in his backyard. It might not be getting him ready for the X Games or whatever it is…
Read More

Fan Mail (People Really do Win)

I am currently on "vacation." This apparently means I am sitting in my hotel room in Hawaii, posting this on YoBeat. I am not just posting it because it is a genuine letter from the recent winner of our Sticker Giveaway that makes us look somewhere near saintly. No, I am posting it because I awoke to find NOTHING new posted on the site. My dedicated number two is deep in finals week but seriously, I left him a well-worded draft in the back end and all he had to do was draw a few pictures and post it. That's it. I don't blame him if Mr. Richards is having…
Read More

Keep Bolts Out of Snowboarding

My friends, we have business to discuss, and it is of the gravest importance. Just like wakeboarding rips off snowboarding, and skiing rips off circus clowns -- snowboarding rips off skateboarding all the time. At some point we must draw the line, and friends, that time is now. This is a proclamation, here and now, that we, as snowboarders, must agree to never, ever use the term “bolts” (again) to refer to a landing. According to the urban dictionary, bolts is defined as everything from a Nazi symbol, to testicles, and when used (inappropriately) in snowboarding, it’s a perfect landing -- not a tail wheelie, hand-drag or buttcheck. But in…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Montevideo

I can’t help but feel a little bit bad for all the video companies that actually paid for duplication and are trying to sell DVDs this year. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are about 1000 free videos, some of them of incredible quality, just hanging out on the internet. This is not to say that sitting at your computer and dealing with vimeo glitches or your computer taking a nap is anywhere near as good at popping a DVD in and letting it run while you get ready to shred. But snowboard videos have always existed in an over saturated market, so the ample free offerings are just…
Read More

Extra Curricular Activities: The Make Out Web

Hey boys! Wanna make out with Laura Hadar? Or maybe the classic good looks and charm of some one like Gretchen Bleiler is more your thing? Well I’ve got good news for you! Chances are you already have. Perhaps you are confused because Gretchen is a lovely and respectable girl who is happily married, or because Laura is out of your league (and you live nowhere near her.) Let me explain. When I say you’ve “made out with them,” I don’t mean you’ve literally made out with them. In fact, the way I mean it, I’ve probably “made out” with them to. This amazing phenomenon is all thanks to a…
Read More

The Great Atmosphere Store Opening

The Hundreds? Nope. Supreme?  Nope. There's a new fashionable male store in town and this one is brought to you by Atmosphere Clothing, the Portland-based brainchild of Chris Prosser. In honor of the great downtown Portland tradition of First Thursday, the "Great Atmosphere store" unofficially opened on November 5, 2009. There wasn't a damn thing for sale, just a few displays, and two kegs. Atmosphere employee and all-around-cool-guy Mark informed me there is no official opening date set, they just wanted to let everyone know they were there. The store was packed with snowboard-types and random people from Gresham, all there for you guessed it: free beer! Unfortunately, the free…
Read More

Hump Day Throws a Grenade at Joseph Condorelli

It’s easy to make fun of Grenade. Between Danny Kass’s antics, and the company's complete makeover, one has to wonder what exactly is going on over there?  Then, when you add in the fact that almost everyone in snowboarding has worked for, hung out at, or done business with Grenade, yet only a few people know what’s really happening, it gets even easier. In fact, I heard last week, CEO Joseph Condorelli bit the head off a live bat. True story. You believed me for a minute didn’t you? After all, Joseph is an outsider. A loud-mouthed New Yorker who came from a business background, having never set foot on…
Read More

Urban’ Boardin on Halloween: The 2009 Backyard Bang

Johnnie Paxon man handling the rail. photo: Geery I have been to some miserable inner city rail jams in my day. I’m talking bitter cold and/or pouring rain, and because you are there simply to spectate, you are never dressed for such elements. But this year’s Backyard Bang was actually the most pleasant urban snowboard experience I have ever had. Not only was there a VIP area with free food and beer, provided by Kona Brewing, who also gave away a trip to Hawaii to some lucky bastard, but the jam was short, sweet and interesting. The new and improved SnowBoy productions set up included a brand new box jump,…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Hard to Earn

If you’ve been paying attention to snowboarding at all, then you probably know exactly the type of rider featured in FODT/MFM Production’s Hard to Earn. Snow Gangsters, I believe they are called. But for the sake of humor, let’s pretend to be an out-of-touch person right now. What would their reaction to this movie be? Well, they would be amazed that there were so many midgets who were so good at snowboarding. They would think, with that many midgets, maybe I should start a brand specifically catering to the little people who snowboard so they are longer forced to wear such giant apparel! And then we would end up with…
Read More

10 Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

Like Breckenridge in the 90s or Mammoth in the early part of this decade, Portland has become the hot spot for snowboarding. It’s an interesting choice, since the mountain is actually over an hour away, but it seems that being hip and urban is in these days. But as a Portland resident who has lived here since before it was cool (but not actually a native, those are like unicorns), I am here to tell you Portland is TOTALLY overrated. Here are ten definitive reasons why. 1.    It rains You’ve probably heard this rumor and it’s true. From Nov- March it rains pretty much every day. The worst part is…
Read More

The Art of the Backyard Park

It’s not that hard to come up with a list of complaints about most ski resort snowboard parks. Too crowded, too small, too many jibs, not enough jibs -- listening to many snowboarders you’d think park quality is a global crisis. But what if your local resort is hours away, and then has only limited Midwest-style park offerings? What could you do besides complain? Nick Trotochaud has an idea, and it’s called Hirschy Lab. The 17-year-old from Venon Hills, IL has, for the past four years, created an ever-growing snowboard park, right in his backyard. It might not be getting him ready for the X Games or whatever it is…
Read More

Fan Mail (People Really do Win)

I am currently on "vacation." This apparently means I am sitting in my hotel room in Hawaii, posting this on YoBeat. I am not just posting it because it is a genuine letter from the recent winner of our Sticker Giveaway that makes us look somewhere near saintly. No, I am posting it because I awoke to find NOTHING new posted on the site. My dedicated number two is deep in finals week but seriously, I left him a well-worded draft in the back end and all he had to do was draw a few pictures and post it. That's it. I don't blame him if Mr. Richards is having…
Read More

Keep Bolts Out of Snowboarding

My friends, we have business to discuss, and it is of the gravest importance. Just like wakeboarding rips off snowboarding, and skiing rips off circus clowns -- snowboarding rips off skateboarding all the time. At some point we must draw the line, and friends, that time is now. This is a proclamation, here and now, that we, as snowboarders, must agree to never, ever use the term “bolts” (again) to refer to a landing. According to the urban dictionary, bolts is defined as everything from a Nazi symbol, to testicles, and when used (inappropriately) in snowboarding, it’s a perfect landing -- not a tail wheelie, hand-drag or buttcheck. But in…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Montevideo

I can’t help but feel a little bit bad for all the video companies that actually paid for duplication and are trying to sell DVDs this year. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are about 1000 free videos, some of them of incredible quality, just hanging out on the internet. This is not to say that sitting at your computer and dealing with vimeo glitches or your computer taking a nap is anywhere near as good at popping a DVD in and letting it run while you get ready to shred. But snowboard videos have always existed in an over saturated market, so the ample free offerings are just…
Read More

Extra Curricular Activities: The Make Out Web

Hey boys! Wanna make out with Laura Hadar? Or maybe the classic good looks and charm of some one like Gretchen Bleiler is more your thing? Well I’ve got good news for you! Chances are you already have. Perhaps you are confused because Gretchen is a lovely and respectable girl who is happily married, or because Laura is out of your league (and you live nowhere near her.) Let me explain. When I say you’ve “made out with them,” I don’t mean you’ve literally made out with them. In fact, the way I mean it, I’ve probably “made out” with them to. This amazing phenomenon is all thanks to a…
Read More

The Great Atmosphere Store Opening

The Hundreds? Nope. Supreme?  Nope. There's a new fashionable male store in town and this one is brought to you by Atmosphere Clothing, the Portland-based brainchild of Chris Prosser. In honor of the great downtown Portland tradition of First Thursday, the "Great Atmosphere store" unofficially opened on November 5, 2009. There wasn't a damn thing for sale, just a few displays, and two kegs. Atmosphere employee and all-around-cool-guy Mark informed me there is no official opening date set, they just wanted to let everyone know they were there. The store was packed with snowboard-types and random people from Gresham, all there for you guessed it: free beer! Unfortunately, the free…
Read More

Hump Day Throws a Grenade at Joseph Condorelli

It’s easy to make fun of Grenade. Between Danny Kass’s antics, and the company's complete makeover, one has to wonder what exactly is going on over there?  Then, when you add in the fact that almost everyone in snowboarding has worked for, hung out at, or done business with Grenade, yet only a few people know what’s really happening, it gets even easier. In fact, I heard last week, CEO Joseph Condorelli bit the head off a live bat. True story. You believed me for a minute didn’t you? After all, Joseph is an outsider. A loud-mouthed New Yorker who came from a business background, having never set foot on…
Read More

Urban’ Boardin on Halloween: The 2009 Backyard Bang

Johnnie Paxon man handling the rail. photo: Geery I have been to some miserable inner city rail jams in my day. I’m talking bitter cold and/or pouring rain, and because you are there simply to spectate, you are never dressed for such elements. But this year’s Backyard Bang was actually the most pleasant urban snowboard experience I have ever had. Not only was there a VIP area with free food and beer, provided by Kona Brewing, who also gave away a trip to Hawaii to some lucky bastard, but the jam was short, sweet and interesting. The new and improved SnowBoy productions set up included a brand new box jump,…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Hard to Earn

If you’ve been paying attention to snowboarding at all, then you probably know exactly the type of rider featured in FODT/MFM Production’s Hard to Earn. Snow Gangsters, I believe they are called. But for the sake of humor, let’s pretend to be an out-of-touch person right now. What would their reaction to this movie be? Well, they would be amazed that there were so many midgets who were so good at snowboarding. They would think, with that many midgets, maybe I should start a brand specifically catering to the little people who snowboard so they are longer forced to wear such giant apparel! And then we would end up with…
Read More

10 Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

Like Breckenridge in the 90s or Mammoth in the early part of this decade, Portland has become the hot spot for snowboarding. It’s an interesting choice, since the mountain is actually over an hour away, but it seems that being hip and urban is in these days. But as a Portland resident who has lived here since before it was cool (but not actually a native, those are like unicorns), I am here to tell you Portland is TOTALLY overrated. Here are ten definitive reasons why. 1.    It rains You’ve probably heard this rumor and it’s true. From Nov- March it rains pretty much every day. The worst part is…
Read More

The Art of the Backyard Park

It’s not that hard to come up with a list of complaints about most ski resort snowboard parks. Too crowded, too small, too many jibs, not enough jibs -- listening to many snowboarders you’d think park quality is a global crisis. But what if your local resort is hours away, and then has only limited Midwest-style park offerings? What could you do besides complain? Nick Trotochaud has an idea, and it’s called Hirschy Lab. The 17-year-old from Venon Hills, IL has, for the past four years, created an ever-growing snowboard park, right in his backyard. It might not be getting him ready for the X Games or whatever it is…
Read More

Fan Mail (People Really do Win)

I am currently on "vacation." This apparently means I am sitting in my hotel room in Hawaii, posting this on YoBeat. I am not just posting it because it is a genuine letter from the recent winner of our Sticker Giveaway that makes us look somewhere near saintly. No, I am posting it because I awoke to find NOTHING new posted on the site. My dedicated number two is deep in finals week but seriously, I left him a well-worded draft in the back end and all he had to do was draw a few pictures and post it. That's it. I don't blame him if Mr. Richards is having…
Read More

Keep Bolts Out of Snowboarding

My friends, we have business to discuss, and it is of the gravest importance. Just like wakeboarding rips off snowboarding, and skiing rips off circus clowns -- snowboarding rips off skateboarding all the time. At some point we must draw the line, and friends, that time is now. This is a proclamation, here and now, that we, as snowboarders, must agree to never, ever use the term “bolts” (again) to refer to a landing. According to the urban dictionary, bolts is defined as everything from a Nazi symbol, to testicles, and when used (inappropriately) in snowboarding, it’s a perfect landing -- not a tail wheelie, hand-drag or buttcheck. But in…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Montevideo

I can’t help but feel a little bit bad for all the video companies that actually paid for duplication and are trying to sell DVDs this year. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are about 1000 free videos, some of them of incredible quality, just hanging out on the internet. This is not to say that sitting at your computer and dealing with vimeo glitches or your computer taking a nap is anywhere near as good at popping a DVD in and letting it run while you get ready to shred. But snowboard videos have always existed in an over saturated market, so the ample free offerings are just…
Read More

Extra Curricular Activities: The Make Out Web

Hey boys! Wanna make out with Laura Hadar? Or maybe the classic good looks and charm of some one like Gretchen Bleiler is more your thing? Well I’ve got good news for you! Chances are you already have. Perhaps you are confused because Gretchen is a lovely and respectable girl who is happily married, or because Laura is out of your league (and you live nowhere near her.) Let me explain. When I say you’ve “made out with them,” I don’t mean you’ve literally made out with them. In fact, the way I mean it, I’ve probably “made out” with them to. This amazing phenomenon is all thanks to a…
Read More

The Great Atmosphere Store Opening

The Hundreds? Nope. Supreme?  Nope. There's a new fashionable male store in town and this one is brought to you by Atmosphere Clothing, the Portland-based brainchild of Chris Prosser. In honor of the great downtown Portland tradition of First Thursday, the "Great Atmosphere store" unofficially opened on November 5, 2009. There wasn't a damn thing for sale, just a few displays, and two kegs. Atmosphere employee and all-around-cool-guy Mark informed me there is no official opening date set, they just wanted to let everyone know they were there. The store was packed with snowboard-types and random people from Gresham, all there for you guessed it: free beer! Unfortunately, the free…
Read More

Hump Day Throws a Grenade at Joseph Condorelli

It’s easy to make fun of Grenade. Between Danny Kass’s antics, and the company's complete makeover, one has to wonder what exactly is going on over there?  Then, when you add in the fact that almost everyone in snowboarding has worked for, hung out at, or done business with Grenade, yet only a few people know what’s really happening, it gets even easier. In fact, I heard last week, CEO Joseph Condorelli bit the head off a live bat. True story. You believed me for a minute didn’t you? After all, Joseph is an outsider. A loud-mouthed New Yorker who came from a business background, having never set foot on…
Read More

Urban’ Boardin on Halloween: The 2009 Backyard Bang

Johnnie Paxon man handling the rail. photo: Geery I have been to some miserable inner city rail jams in my day. I’m talking bitter cold and/or pouring rain, and because you are there simply to spectate, you are never dressed for such elements. But this year’s Backyard Bang was actually the most pleasant urban snowboard experience I have ever had. Not only was there a VIP area with free food and beer, provided by Kona Brewing, who also gave away a trip to Hawaii to some lucky bastard, but the jam was short, sweet and interesting. The new and improved SnowBoy productions set up included a brand new box jump,…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Hard to Earn

If you’ve been paying attention to snowboarding at all, then you probably know exactly the type of rider featured in FODT/MFM Production’s Hard to Earn. Snow Gangsters, I believe they are called. But for the sake of humor, let’s pretend to be an out-of-touch person right now. What would their reaction to this movie be? Well, they would be amazed that there were so many midgets who were so good at snowboarding. They would think, with that many midgets, maybe I should start a brand specifically catering to the little people who snowboard so they are longer forced to wear such giant apparel! And then we would end up with…
Read More

10 Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

Like Breckenridge in the 90s or Mammoth in the early part of this decade, Portland has become the hot spot for snowboarding. It’s an interesting choice, since the mountain is actually over an hour away, but it seems that being hip and urban is in these days. But as a Portland resident who has lived here since before it was cool (but not actually a native, those are like unicorns), I am here to tell you Portland is TOTALLY overrated. Here are ten definitive reasons why. 1.    It rains You’ve probably heard this rumor and it’s true. From Nov- March it rains pretty much every day. The worst part is…
Read More

The Art of the Backyard Park

It’s not that hard to come up with a list of complaints about most ski resort snowboard parks. Too crowded, too small, too many jibs, not enough jibs -- listening to many snowboarders you’d think park quality is a global crisis. But what if your local resort is hours away, and then has only limited Midwest-style park offerings? What could you do besides complain? Nick Trotochaud has an idea, and it’s called Hirschy Lab. The 17-year-old from Venon Hills, IL has, for the past four years, created an ever-growing snowboard park, right in his backyard. It might not be getting him ready for the X Games or whatever it is…
Read More

Fan Mail (People Really do Win)

I am currently on "vacation." This apparently means I am sitting in my hotel room in Hawaii, posting this on YoBeat. I am not just posting it because it is a genuine letter from the recent winner of our Sticker Giveaway that makes us look somewhere near saintly. No, I am posting it because I awoke to find NOTHING new posted on the site. My dedicated number two is deep in finals week but seriously, I left him a well-worded draft in the back end and all he had to do was draw a few pictures and post it. That's it. I don't blame him if Mr. Richards is having…
Read More

Keep Bolts Out of Snowboarding

My friends, we have business to discuss, and it is of the gravest importance. Just like wakeboarding rips off snowboarding, and skiing rips off circus clowns -- snowboarding rips off skateboarding all the time. At some point we must draw the line, and friends, that time is now. This is a proclamation, here and now, that we, as snowboarders, must agree to never, ever use the term “bolts” (again) to refer to a landing. According to the urban dictionary, bolts is defined as everything from a Nazi symbol, to testicles, and when used (inappropriately) in snowboarding, it’s a perfect landing -- not a tail wheelie, hand-drag or buttcheck. But in…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Montevideo

I can’t help but feel a little bit bad for all the video companies that actually paid for duplication and are trying to sell DVDs this year. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are about 1000 free videos, some of them of incredible quality, just hanging out on the internet. This is not to say that sitting at your computer and dealing with vimeo glitches or your computer taking a nap is anywhere near as good at popping a DVD in and letting it run while you get ready to shred. But snowboard videos have always existed in an over saturated market, so the ample free offerings are just…
Read More

Extra Curricular Activities: The Make Out Web

Hey boys! Wanna make out with Laura Hadar? Or maybe the classic good looks and charm of some one like Gretchen Bleiler is more your thing? Well I’ve got good news for you! Chances are you already have. Perhaps you are confused because Gretchen is a lovely and respectable girl who is happily married, or because Laura is out of your league (and you live nowhere near her.) Let me explain. When I say you’ve “made out with them,” I don’t mean you’ve literally made out with them. In fact, the way I mean it, I’ve probably “made out” with them to. This amazing phenomenon is all thanks to a…
Read More

The Great Atmosphere Store Opening

The Hundreds? Nope. Supreme?  Nope. There's a new fashionable male store in town and this one is brought to you by Atmosphere Clothing, the Portland-based brainchild of Chris Prosser. In honor of the great downtown Portland tradition of First Thursday, the "Great Atmosphere store" unofficially opened on November 5, 2009. There wasn't a damn thing for sale, just a few displays, and two kegs. Atmosphere employee and all-around-cool-guy Mark informed me there is no official opening date set, they just wanted to let everyone know they were there. The store was packed with snowboard-types and random people from Gresham, all there for you guessed it: free beer! Unfortunately, the free…
Read More

Hump Day Throws a Grenade at Joseph Condorelli

It’s easy to make fun of Grenade. Between Danny Kass’s antics, and the company's complete makeover, one has to wonder what exactly is going on over there?  Then, when you add in the fact that almost everyone in snowboarding has worked for, hung out at, or done business with Grenade, yet only a few people know what’s really happening, it gets even easier. In fact, I heard last week, CEO Joseph Condorelli bit the head off a live bat. True story. You believed me for a minute didn’t you? After all, Joseph is an outsider. A loud-mouthed New Yorker who came from a business background, having never set foot on…
Read More

Urban’ Boardin on Halloween: The 2009 Backyard Bang

Johnnie Paxon man handling the rail. photo: Geery I have been to some miserable inner city rail jams in my day. I’m talking bitter cold and/or pouring rain, and because you are there simply to spectate, you are never dressed for such elements. But this year’s Backyard Bang was actually the most pleasant urban snowboard experience I have ever had. Not only was there a VIP area with free food and beer, provided by Kona Brewing, who also gave away a trip to Hawaii to some lucky bastard, but the jam was short, sweet and interesting. The new and improved SnowBoy productions set up included a brand new box jump,…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Hard to Earn

If you’ve been paying attention to snowboarding at all, then you probably know exactly the type of rider featured in FODT/MFM Production’s Hard to Earn. Snow Gangsters, I believe they are called. But for the sake of humor, let’s pretend to be an out-of-touch person right now. What would their reaction to this movie be? Well, they would be amazed that there were so many midgets who were so good at snowboarding. They would think, with that many midgets, maybe I should start a brand specifically catering to the little people who snowboard so they are longer forced to wear such giant apparel! And then we would end up with…
Read More

10 Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

Like Breckenridge in the 90s or Mammoth in the early part of this decade, Portland has become the hot spot for snowboarding. It’s an interesting choice, since the mountain is actually over an hour away, but it seems that being hip and urban is in these days. But as a Portland resident who has lived here since before it was cool (but not actually a native, those are like unicorns), I am here to tell you Portland is TOTALLY overrated. Here are ten definitive reasons why. 1.    It rains You’ve probably heard this rumor and it’s true. From Nov- March it rains pretty much every day. The worst part is…
Read More

The Art of the Backyard Park

It’s not that hard to come up with a list of complaints about most ski resort snowboard parks. Too crowded, too small, too many jibs, not enough jibs -- listening to many snowboarders you’d think park quality is a global crisis. But what if your local resort is hours away, and then has only limited Midwest-style park offerings? What could you do besides complain? Nick Trotochaud has an idea, and it’s called Hirschy Lab. The 17-year-old from Venon Hills, IL has, for the past four years, created an ever-growing snowboard park, right in his backyard. It might not be getting him ready for the X Games or whatever it is…
Read More

Fan Mail (People Really do Win)

I am currently on "vacation." This apparently means I am sitting in my hotel room in Hawaii, posting this on YoBeat. I am not just posting it because it is a genuine letter from the recent winner of our Sticker Giveaway that makes us look somewhere near saintly. No, I am posting it because I awoke to find NOTHING new posted on the site. My dedicated number two is deep in finals week but seriously, I left him a well-worded draft in the back end and all he had to do was draw a few pictures and post it. That's it. I don't blame him if Mr. Richards is having…
Read More

Keep Bolts Out of Snowboarding

My friends, we have business to discuss, and it is of the gravest importance. Just like wakeboarding rips off snowboarding, and skiing rips off circus clowns -- snowboarding rips off skateboarding all the time. At some point we must draw the line, and friends, that time is now. This is a proclamation, here and now, that we, as snowboarders, must agree to never, ever use the term “bolts” (again) to refer to a landing. According to the urban dictionary, bolts is defined as everything from a Nazi symbol, to testicles, and when used (inappropriately) in snowboarding, it’s a perfect landing -- not a tail wheelie, hand-drag or buttcheck. But in…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Montevideo

I can’t help but feel a little bit bad for all the video companies that actually paid for duplication and are trying to sell DVDs this year. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are about 1000 free videos, some of them of incredible quality, just hanging out on the internet. This is not to say that sitting at your computer and dealing with vimeo glitches or your computer taking a nap is anywhere near as good at popping a DVD in and letting it run while you get ready to shred. But snowboard videos have always existed in an over saturated market, so the ample free offerings are just…
Read More

Extra Curricular Activities: The Make Out Web

Hey boys! Wanna make out with Laura Hadar? Or maybe the classic good looks and charm of some one like Gretchen Bleiler is more your thing? Well I’ve got good news for you! Chances are you already have. Perhaps you are confused because Gretchen is a lovely and respectable girl who is happily married, or because Laura is out of your league (and you live nowhere near her.) Let me explain. When I say you’ve “made out with them,” I don’t mean you’ve literally made out with them. In fact, the way I mean it, I’ve probably “made out” with them to. This amazing phenomenon is all thanks to a…
Read More

The Great Atmosphere Store Opening

The Hundreds? Nope. Supreme?  Nope. There's a new fashionable male store in town and this one is brought to you by Atmosphere Clothing, the Portland-based brainchild of Chris Prosser. In honor of the great downtown Portland tradition of First Thursday, the "Great Atmosphere store" unofficially opened on November 5, 2009. There wasn't a damn thing for sale, just a few displays, and two kegs. Atmosphere employee and all-around-cool-guy Mark informed me there is no official opening date set, they just wanted to let everyone know they were there. The store was packed with snowboard-types and random people from Gresham, all there for you guessed it: free beer! Unfortunately, the free…
Read More

Hump Day Throws a Grenade at Joseph Condorelli

It’s easy to make fun of Grenade. Between Danny Kass’s antics, and the company's complete makeover, one has to wonder what exactly is going on over there?  Then, when you add in the fact that almost everyone in snowboarding has worked for, hung out at, or done business with Grenade, yet only a few people know what’s really happening, it gets even easier. In fact, I heard last week, CEO Joseph Condorelli bit the head off a live bat. True story. You believed me for a minute didn’t you? After all, Joseph is an outsider. A loud-mouthed New Yorker who came from a business background, having never set foot on…
Read More

Urban’ Boardin on Halloween: The 2009 Backyard Bang

Johnnie Paxon man handling the rail. photo: Geery I have been to some miserable inner city rail jams in my day. I’m talking bitter cold and/or pouring rain, and because you are there simply to spectate, you are never dressed for such elements. But this year’s Backyard Bang was actually the most pleasant urban snowboard experience I have ever had. Not only was there a VIP area with free food and beer, provided by Kona Brewing, who also gave away a trip to Hawaii to some lucky bastard, but the jam was short, sweet and interesting. The new and improved SnowBoy productions set up included a brand new box jump,…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Hard to Earn

If you’ve been paying attention to snowboarding at all, then you probably know exactly the type of rider featured in FODT/MFM Production’s Hard to Earn. Snow Gangsters, I believe they are called. But for the sake of humor, let’s pretend to be an out-of-touch person right now. What would their reaction to this movie be? Well, they would be amazed that there were so many midgets who were so good at snowboarding. They would think, with that many midgets, maybe I should start a brand specifically catering to the little people who snowboard so they are longer forced to wear such giant apparel! And then we would end up with…
Read More

10 Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

Like Breckenridge in the 90s or Mammoth in the early part of this decade, Portland has become the hot spot for snowboarding. It’s an interesting choice, since the mountain is actually over an hour away, but it seems that being hip and urban is in these days. But as a Portland resident who has lived here since before it was cool (but not actually a native, those are like unicorns), I am here to tell you Portland is TOTALLY overrated. Here are ten definitive reasons why. 1.    It rains You’ve probably heard this rumor and it’s true. From Nov- March it rains pretty much every day. The worst part is…
Read More

The Art of the Backyard Park

It’s not that hard to come up with a list of complaints about most ski resort snowboard parks. Too crowded, too small, too many jibs, not enough jibs -- listening to many snowboarders you’d think park quality is a global crisis. But what if your local resort is hours away, and then has only limited Midwest-style park offerings? What could you do besides complain? Nick Trotochaud has an idea, and it’s called Hirschy Lab. The 17-year-old from Venon Hills, IL has, for the past four years, created an ever-growing snowboard park, right in his backyard. It might not be getting him ready for the X Games or whatever it is…
Read More

Fan Mail (People Really do Win)

I am currently on "vacation." This apparently means I am sitting in my hotel room in Hawaii, posting this on YoBeat. I am not just posting it because it is a genuine letter from the recent winner of our Sticker Giveaway that makes us look somewhere near saintly. No, I am posting it because I awoke to find NOTHING new posted on the site. My dedicated number two is deep in finals week but seriously, I left him a well-worded draft in the back end and all he had to do was draw a few pictures and post it. That's it. I don't blame him if Mr. Richards is having…
Read More

Keep Bolts Out of Snowboarding

My friends, we have business to discuss, and it is of the gravest importance. Just like wakeboarding rips off snowboarding, and skiing rips off circus clowns -- snowboarding rips off skateboarding all the time. At some point we must draw the line, and friends, that time is now. This is a proclamation, here and now, that we, as snowboarders, must agree to never, ever use the term “bolts” (again) to refer to a landing. According to the urban dictionary, bolts is defined as everything from a Nazi symbol, to testicles, and when used (inappropriately) in snowboarding, it’s a perfect landing -- not a tail wheelie, hand-drag or buttcheck. But in…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Montevideo

I can’t help but feel a little bit bad for all the video companies that actually paid for duplication and are trying to sell DVDs this year. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are about 1000 free videos, some of them of incredible quality, just hanging out on the internet. This is not to say that sitting at your computer and dealing with vimeo glitches or your computer taking a nap is anywhere near as good at popping a DVD in and letting it run while you get ready to shred. But snowboard videos have always existed in an over saturated market, so the ample free offerings are just…
Read More

Extra Curricular Activities: The Make Out Web

Hey boys! Wanna make out with Laura Hadar? Or maybe the classic good looks and charm of some one like Gretchen Bleiler is more your thing? Well I’ve got good news for you! Chances are you already have. Perhaps you are confused because Gretchen is a lovely and respectable girl who is happily married, or because Laura is out of your league (and you live nowhere near her.) Let me explain. When I say you’ve “made out with them,” I don’t mean you’ve literally made out with them. In fact, the way I mean it, I’ve probably “made out” with them to. This amazing phenomenon is all thanks to a…
Read More

The Great Atmosphere Store Opening

The Hundreds? Nope. Supreme?  Nope. There's a new fashionable male store in town and this one is brought to you by Atmosphere Clothing, the Portland-based brainchild of Chris Prosser. In honor of the great downtown Portland tradition of First Thursday, the "Great Atmosphere store" unofficially opened on November 5, 2009. There wasn't a damn thing for sale, just a few displays, and two kegs. Atmosphere employee and all-around-cool-guy Mark informed me there is no official opening date set, they just wanted to let everyone know they were there. The store was packed with snowboard-types and random people from Gresham, all there for you guessed it: free beer! Unfortunately, the free…
Read More

Hump Day Throws a Grenade at Joseph Condorelli

It’s easy to make fun of Grenade. Between Danny Kass’s antics, and the company's complete makeover, one has to wonder what exactly is going on over there?  Then, when you add in the fact that almost everyone in snowboarding has worked for, hung out at, or done business with Grenade, yet only a few people know what’s really happening, it gets even easier. In fact, I heard last week, CEO Joseph Condorelli bit the head off a live bat. True story. You believed me for a minute didn’t you? After all, Joseph is an outsider. A loud-mouthed New Yorker who came from a business background, having never set foot on…
Read More

Urban’ Boardin on Halloween: The 2009 Backyard Bang

Johnnie Paxon man handling the rail. photo: Geery I have been to some miserable inner city rail jams in my day. I’m talking bitter cold and/or pouring rain, and because you are there simply to spectate, you are never dressed for such elements. But this year’s Backyard Bang was actually the most pleasant urban snowboard experience I have ever had. Not only was there a VIP area with free food and beer, provided by Kona Brewing, who also gave away a trip to Hawaii to some lucky bastard, but the jam was short, sweet and interesting. The new and improved SnowBoy productions set up included a brand new box jump,…
Read More

Viewed and Reviewed: Hard to Earn

If you’ve been paying attention to snowboarding at all, then you probably know exactly the type of rider featured in FODT/MFM Production’s Hard to Earn. Snow Gangsters, I believe they are called. But for the sake of humor, let’s pretend to be an out-of-touch person right now. What would their reaction to this movie be? Well, they would be amazed that there were so many midgets who were so good at snowboarding. They would think, with that many midgets, maybe I should start a brand specifically catering to the little people who snowboard so they are longer forced to wear such giant apparel! And then we would end up with…
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10 Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

Like Breckenridge in the 90s or Mammoth in the early part of this decade, Portland has become the hot spot for snowboarding. It’s an interesting choice, since the mountain is actually over an hour away, but it seems that being hip and urban is in these days. But as a Portland resident who has lived here since before it was cool (but not actually a native, those are like unicorns), I am here to tell you Portland is TOTALLY overrated. Here are ten definitive reasons why. 1.    It rains You’ve probably heard this rumor and it’s true. From Nov- March it rains pretty much every day. The worst part is…
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