UNLEASHED

Breck has had a triple jump line open for the last 3 weeks, and the kids knew it. We choose to get passes at Copper because they will have the first pipe open and the first Grand Prix. While we stand by this choice, its hard to ride there before they have features, knowing there is a jump line miles away. The team has been patient, polite and positive, but I have knew they were chomping at the bit to get to Breck. It hasn't helped to have other riders tell us daily how sick Breck is. Today we decided to hit Breck up before the pipe opens at Copper. The team was excited, but even I was fooled by the true level of said excitement.
Being in charge of the Elite Team is still new to me. I am used to weeks of prep and development when the season begins. I now have a crew of budding professional riders whose skills are honed. Giddy was the word of the day and I could truly feel electricity in the air on the first painfully slow lift ride to the park. I gave them the speech about starting slow, riding smart and staying together. Upon unloading the lift I felt like I was holding the reins to a dogsled whose 8 full grown dogs had a rabbit pass by. It was all I could do to keep up.
This sport is still growing and its followers getting more enthusiastic by the day. Having the only jump line open in the US made for a mob scene at the drop in zone. The pad was packed with some of todays top riders, which can be intimidating to many. The Elite Crew pushed right up front, run after run and threw down with style for 3 hours straight. These guys deserve naming again. SPENCER SHAW. HUNTER WOOD. CHRIS TIERNEY. JAMES HAFFNER. RANDALL STACY. JOE MENSCH, MIKE PERLE. ERIC BEAUCHEMIN. They dropped in line and it made my mind spin to look down the slope and see trick after trick popping off at the same time.
I have been especially pleased to see how Perle and Tierney have developed as riders and personas. These guys have been quiet around me in the past, but we now chat the day away. I really look forward to the next few years with these guys. Mike Perle has the nastiest BACKSIDE 720 (pictured) which he lands on command. Tierney's style and character are a pleasure to witness.
MIKE PERLE

Below the jump line was a creative jib park that the crew also devoured. Randall Stacy stepped right to this area with his signature steeze, as you can see in the FRONT BOARD TRANSFER shot below.

RANDALL STACY

We rode right through lunch, and when my crew was somewhat tired, I was able to look around at what else was going on. DANIEL LANDY was spinning frontside 540s off the third jump and I saw a dirty rail combo out of JAMIE CHARRON. I think it was frontside 180 on to switch front board 270, but Im not sure. It could have been half-cab on.
One of the amazing things about the SMS life is our interactions with past graduates. If you've watched SMS Cribs you see that we have space for visitors and we have enjoyed visits from KEVIN MATTICE, THOMAS TIKOS-KADJI and LIZZY BEERMAN. Today on the hill we also were warmly welcomed by the legend CHRIS WAKER and our only PG, CHRISTIAN CONNORS. Its an honor to have these heavy hitters rush to greet us and visit our house.
Tomorrow we take a day off snow and will visit Rick Shimpeno for a Woodward tramp and skate session. Then an SMS Thanksgiving which I will try to document on film!