So another OVR snow season has finally come to an end… but what a memorable one it was, right? I can still sorta smell Dan’s boots from here. Damn. Thinking back now though, initially Jaime’s idea was to keep our group of friends riding by getting everyone to jump on his party bus together… “I drive, you ride, no worries!” But it wasn’t long before the OVR phone was ringing regularly asking about the next trip, cause from the start this grew out of the desire to share the awesome-goodtimes and the magic found in snowboarding. And when I say “magic” you all know that by now I really mean “Laguanitas”.. Seriously though, everyone we know has a passion, and for everyone involved this past 2011 season that passion is still snowboarding!
We could all express it differently but for me it’s pretty clear; I do it because it makes me feel alive. And I take a few turns every time I get up there for my brother Beau. For Kiley, it could be the thrill of a crazy close encounter with a tree while “carving his brains out”!! For Stonier maybe it’s the feeling of his head slamming into the hard, frozen ground as I explain to him how accomplishing something hard can ultimately be so satisfying. For Marv, it’s probably the numbness of his fingers and toes as he saves me a seat at the bar. Haha. But for everyone on the OVR bus, we all get to focus on something great that has nothing to do with day-to-day life. When I’m on my snowboard all I’m thinking about is riding. I’m living in the moment. And it’s these moments that I can replay again and again, wherever I am. These moments that I shared with my friends become timeless. Say Word!
This season OVR mixed it up with industry bigs like Nike, Burton and Volcom to run trips all across our country, (still looking to see whose down to pony up for the trip to Chile this summer with me…) and yet all the while stayed focused on getting our new-comer NYC friends up to share in the fun. Don’t look now but Matt Brennan will beat your ass down the hill and I’m real proud of that. I witnessed Dane Hall and Tom Bond get laid out this year, but they understood that it’s all part of the game. On the other hand we got people back from injury too! Fresh off a new left knee, Julie came through and rode out the season in style with us. And if you didn’t know by now, no one can hold Austin Reed down. Not even the mighty Marvalanche!! Hahahaha. Honestly, there are too many people to thank and to recognize here now for making this season happen, so I’ll promise to do it when I see you on the hill next year my friends.
From Long John to Black Bear to the Belt Parkway… from the dope showing at Rep Your Crew Day to all the birthdays we celebrated on the hill… to closing out 5 different pond skimming events to the Russian drivers from the Brighton Beach rocking AMP shades while we put Sunny In Philly on repeat… riding with OVR has always been about OUR social surrounding and the environment we manage to put ourselves in to enjoy it.