D1r7 R0(k
08-22-2006, 11:47 AM
Day 1
So...Where to begin. the drive down was killer. 6 hours on the interstates and then 4 on the road to snowshoe (219)...it was a 2 lane road with a speedlimit of 55 but you need to slow down for every turn to 45-20mph.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571278.kU2TXlju.DSC_0615copy.jpg
so, we killed the 126 miles on it in 4 hours. we arrived at snowshoe at around 9am. the resort sits on the top of the mountain instead of the base. the resort itself is huge. like ralph said, our hotel sat right in the middle of the action.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571282.JSOSEd8R.DSC_9990copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571284.wbvtPtGg.DSC_9992copy.jpg
our room
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571285.UbTtrcQT.DSC_9993copy.jpg
our back yard
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571258.1XyLJvBq.DSC_0008copy.jpg
aside from dirt jumps and a dual shalom course, there were 2 sides of the mountain to choose from. the side closer to us was the freeride side. it contained steep, rooty terrain with a shitload of shore/woodwork. trails were short...we headed to the other side of the mountain (DH side)...steep, rooty, smooth, rocky. awsome terrain. i had a blast on my hardtail. we got lost the first run down and rode the WHOLE mountain, basicly 15 minutes(without stoping) of mixed DH terrain. the last part was super fast double track for about 5 minutes. we hitchhiked back up the mountain in the back of a truck since we were far below the lift.
we took 1 more run and we were beat. ralph and lucky went to the bar while i went to film the dual shalom race that was going down outside our hotel.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571265.NMgbB1Zb.DSC_0028.jpg
Day 2
woke up, headed to breakfest...then geared up and headed out to the trails. lucky headed to the DH side while me and ralph sessioned some drops and filmed some segments on the FR side.
me
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571622.FgonOfjG.DSC_0062copy.jpg
Ralph
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571625.ABKtvbl8.DSC_0066copy.jpg
After 2 runs, We got sick of riding since we were sore and tired from the first day so we decide to check out monster park. the place was insanely huge.
basic overview
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572045.238qhvHF.DSC_0370copy.jpg
Paul.B Next to the top table jump.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572046.waPyai0S.DSC_0371copy.jpg
we got there during practice and the guys were already going huge
Vanderham
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571634.AVs5ySy3.DSC_0087copy.jpg
Scott (far left) saw me and ralph filmin from the side lines and hooked us up with a media pass, basicly giving us a front row seat for the event as long as I hooked bike mag up with my footage.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571638.pBrlRLKb.DSC_0092copy.jpg
so, we were in. we spent the rest of the day filmin/chillin with the pro's(riders and media) durin qualification, and the small dirtjump jam.
me filmin
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571695.e5oNNaAG.DSC_0207copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572190.Xflhlstp.vand1.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571699.oYFnuzY9.DSC_0218copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571725.4PjREHYg.DSC_0294copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571706.1Dtfeetm.DSC_0229copy.jpg
Day 3 - Washout
clouds rolled in and rained durin the night leavin a soaked course on the event day.
it wasnt lookin good...the wood was wet and slick and the dirt was too soft.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572038.k4axP6Me.DSC_0359copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572069.0Dx1Qiv0.DSC_0449copy.jpg
the weather was unpredictable. the sun was peakin in and out and the course started drying out...the riders began prcatice while the course continued to dry out...by the time the event was supposed to start, clouds rolled up and the rain began pourin...all of the mornings work was lost. the event was delayed. http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572066.GiwBD2aS.DSC_0438copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572067.NrDQ3hWU.DSC_0439copy.jpg
we went and grabbed some lunch. we came back around 3 hours later to check the status of the course since the rain stoped and it began drying up agian. at the same moment i got there, it started pourin again...the event was canceled.
Walkin back up
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572072.r3vVrU4o.DSC_0456copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572074.aUhtP1eT.DSC_0461copy.jpg
it wasnt lookin good since half of the riders needed to leave same day. everyone decided to stay an extra day since the weather was looking good on monday. everyone headed back up to the village, cleaned up, and went to the afterparty. we drank and played pool.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572084.ZbATbPvk.DSC_0493copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572098.TIN31NMV.DSC_0521copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572083.PPwIHGgw.DSC_0484copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572102.oGkzWlAG.DSC_0529copy.jpg
Day 4
Woke up to strong sunshine and blue skies. it was lookin good. we packed up the car, ate breakfest and headed down to the park. the couse dried up in no time and the event was underway.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572120.VSMZnce6.DSC_0548copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572121.af8dMdTu.DSC_0555copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572123.bxjDn6WJ.DSC_0559copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572130.zLp5hMGu.DSC_0570copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572132.PYkJgvV1.DSC_0575copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572134.gVX3bGa4.DSC_0578copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572147.raDfXAva.DSC_0609copy.jpg
What was so awsome about this trip is that the resort was so empty...the whole mountain was very chill. there was'nt a big fan turn out so we had alot of time to chill with the riders and talk to them. we got to know most of these guy's personality's. they were very down to earth, especialy Carlo Diekmann, Vanderham, Romaniuk...Cam McCaul was very social and wild...he was always up to somthing. Wayne Goss, Ebbett, George Ryan were all cool to hang out with. Jamie Goldman was also fun to talk too, he also pulled an insane backflip off the top ladder drop (7 times!). Paul Basagoitia was quiet. Kurt Sroge was unbreakable, and Berrecloth was unstopable.
I got a taste of true proffesional photography/videography and what it takes to produce awsome shots by watchin Sterling Lorence running around, scoping angles, always asking the riders what they were up to, what line they were going to hit, what they wanted shot. I met two of the NWD7 filmers, and the guys from DH productions, talked to them for while...Riding did'nt matter as much to me as i thought it would during this trip. all in all, it was an awsome experiance...I'll be putting togeather the vid this week. i got lots of awsome footage. Take notice that most of the photo's were taken by ralph. he had a sudden crash course in photography on this trip and he deff improved his skills a lot. Ill deff be hooking him up with the camera where ever we go now.
The Full Gallery can be found here http://www.pbase.com/dirtrock/monster_park_2006
So...Where to begin. the drive down was killer. 6 hours on the interstates and then 4 on the road to snowshoe (219)...it was a 2 lane road with a speedlimit of 55 but you need to slow down for every turn to 45-20mph.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571278.kU2TXlju.DSC_0615copy.jpg
so, we killed the 126 miles on it in 4 hours. we arrived at snowshoe at around 9am. the resort sits on the top of the mountain instead of the base. the resort itself is huge. like ralph said, our hotel sat right in the middle of the action.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571282.JSOSEd8R.DSC_9990copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571284.wbvtPtGg.DSC_9992copy.jpg
our room
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571285.UbTtrcQT.DSC_9993copy.jpg
our back yard
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571258.1XyLJvBq.DSC_0008copy.jpg
aside from dirt jumps and a dual shalom course, there were 2 sides of the mountain to choose from. the side closer to us was the freeride side. it contained steep, rooty terrain with a shitload of shore/woodwork. trails were short...we headed to the other side of the mountain (DH side)...steep, rooty, smooth, rocky. awsome terrain. i had a blast on my hardtail. we got lost the first run down and rode the WHOLE mountain, basicly 15 minutes(without stoping) of mixed DH terrain. the last part was super fast double track for about 5 minutes. we hitchhiked back up the mountain in the back of a truck since we were far below the lift.
we took 1 more run and we were beat. ralph and lucky went to the bar while i went to film the dual shalom race that was going down outside our hotel.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571265.NMgbB1Zb.DSC_0028.jpg
Day 2
woke up, headed to breakfest...then geared up and headed out to the trails. lucky headed to the DH side while me and ralph sessioned some drops and filmed some segments on the FR side.
me
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571622.FgonOfjG.DSC_0062copy.jpg
Ralph
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571625.ABKtvbl8.DSC_0066copy.jpg
After 2 runs, We got sick of riding since we were sore and tired from the first day so we decide to check out monster park. the place was insanely huge.
basic overview
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572045.238qhvHF.DSC_0370copy.jpg
Paul.B Next to the top table jump.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572046.waPyai0S.DSC_0371copy.jpg
we got there during practice and the guys were already going huge
Vanderham
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571634.AVs5ySy3.DSC_0087copy.jpg
Scott (far left) saw me and ralph filmin from the side lines and hooked us up with a media pass, basicly giving us a front row seat for the event as long as I hooked bike mag up with my footage.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571638.pBrlRLKb.DSC_0092copy.jpg
so, we were in. we spent the rest of the day filmin/chillin with the pro's(riders and media) durin qualification, and the small dirtjump jam.
me filmin
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571695.e5oNNaAG.DSC_0207copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572190.Xflhlstp.vand1.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571699.oYFnuzY9.DSC_0218copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571725.4PjREHYg.DSC_0294copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65571706.1Dtfeetm.DSC_0229copy.jpg
Day 3 - Washout
clouds rolled in and rained durin the night leavin a soaked course on the event day.
it wasnt lookin good...the wood was wet and slick and the dirt was too soft.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572038.k4axP6Me.DSC_0359copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572069.0Dx1Qiv0.DSC_0449copy.jpg
the weather was unpredictable. the sun was peakin in and out and the course started drying out...the riders began prcatice while the course continued to dry out...by the time the event was supposed to start, clouds rolled up and the rain began pourin...all of the mornings work was lost. the event was delayed. http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572066.GiwBD2aS.DSC_0438copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572067.NrDQ3hWU.DSC_0439copy.jpg
we went and grabbed some lunch. we came back around 3 hours later to check the status of the course since the rain stoped and it began drying up agian. at the same moment i got there, it started pourin again...the event was canceled.
Walkin back up
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572072.r3vVrU4o.DSC_0456copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572074.aUhtP1eT.DSC_0461copy.jpg
it wasnt lookin good since half of the riders needed to leave same day. everyone decided to stay an extra day since the weather was looking good on monday. everyone headed back up to the village, cleaned up, and went to the afterparty. we drank and played pool.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572084.ZbATbPvk.DSC_0493copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572098.TIN31NMV.DSC_0521copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572083.PPwIHGgw.DSC_0484copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572102.oGkzWlAG.DSC_0529copy.jpg
Day 4
Woke up to strong sunshine and blue skies. it was lookin good. we packed up the car, ate breakfest and headed down to the park. the couse dried up in no time and the event was underway.
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572120.VSMZnce6.DSC_0548copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572121.af8dMdTu.DSC_0555copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572123.bxjDn6WJ.DSC_0559copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572130.zLp5hMGu.DSC_0570copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572132.PYkJgvV1.DSC_0575copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572134.gVX3bGa4.DSC_0578copy.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o4/74/575474/1/65572147.raDfXAva.DSC_0609copy.jpg
What was so awsome about this trip is that the resort was so empty...the whole mountain was very chill. there was'nt a big fan turn out so we had alot of time to chill with the riders and talk to them. we got to know most of these guy's personality's. they were very down to earth, especialy Carlo Diekmann, Vanderham, Romaniuk...Cam McCaul was very social and wild...he was always up to somthing. Wayne Goss, Ebbett, George Ryan were all cool to hang out with. Jamie Goldman was also fun to talk too, he also pulled an insane backflip off the top ladder drop (7 times!). Paul Basagoitia was quiet. Kurt Sroge was unbreakable, and Berrecloth was unstopable.
I got a taste of true proffesional photography/videography and what it takes to produce awsome shots by watchin Sterling Lorence running around, scoping angles, always asking the riders what they were up to, what line they were going to hit, what they wanted shot. I met two of the NWD7 filmers, and the guys from DH productions, talked to them for while...Riding did'nt matter as much to me as i thought it would during this trip. all in all, it was an awsome experiance...I'll be putting togeather the vid this week. i got lots of awsome footage. Take notice that most of the photo's were taken by ralph. he had a sudden crash course in photography on this trip and he deff improved his skills a lot. Ill deff be hooking him up with the camera where ever we go now.
The Full Gallery can be found here http://www.pbase.com/dirtrock/monster_park_2006