January 1, 1999

Non-Puffer

When I first heard Ross tested positive for marijuana, I figured it could be true. There are many snowboarders who smoke pot. After the story broke, I felt all snowboarders were branded as potheads by the media. Jim McKay labeled the halfpipe the "hash pipe," and the late-night duo of Leno and Letterman also took their "pot" shots. For a while I thought just having a snowboard on the roof of my car might give a state trooper reason enough to pull me over. I feel the story gave all snowboarders a black eye, so I was forced to defend myself and everyone else who snowboards but doesn't partake in extra-curricular activities. I made this bumper sticker to absolve myself from this new stereotype. Luckily the general public has a very short memory, but those who ski will probably hold onto this event as a way to continually bash snowboarding. Thought you might find it interesting. Subscriber for life, John Brousseau Living Large Your mag sets the standards for all others in my book. I would like to comment on a board I bought this year-the Ride Mountain 163. It's the best board I've been on in my five years of riding. I have size thirteen feet and I'm six-foot-four and weigh 225 pounds. No other board I've found has the response and snap for someone my size, and it floats in powder like a Caddie. Why does it have to be so hard to find XXL gear and size thirteen boots? I'm so glad someone at Ride has an ear to the ground and is looking out for people like me. Thank you Ride, and thank you Snowboard Life for freeing my soul.

Mike Flacke Your welcome.-E.M.

More Terje

I don't understand why you can't run more photos of Terje Haakonsen is your mag. There are tons of other snowboarders getting their pictures published ten times more than Terje. He only gets in there once or twice. I don't get it. Everyone I know wants to see Terje. I don't even care if you run old pictures of him, just get him in there. If that's not possible for some reason, please explain why. Trev Meridian, Idaho If we were holding unreal Terje images, you can bet we'd be running the living daylights out of them.

Fact is, photos of Terje-especially non-contest shots-are a rare commodity. When we get some in, you'll be the first to see them.-E.M.

Cool Kid

Snowboard Life is the best and only magazine that gives me excellent tips, amazing photos, and great articles. I have been snowboarding for two years and reading Snowboard Life for one. Every month I can't wait to read your mag. I learn something every time. Thanks. Keep up the good work.

Kyle Cordt Prescott, Ontario, Canada

Party On, Bro

I estimate that carving represents about ten percent or less of the snowboard population, so your carving coverage seems ample. My beef, however, is this: when you do cover carving, there's a lack of style and personality. Most of the carving photos are of great pro riders and instructors, but to be honest, they're not really laid out, getting low and scraping body parts other than their hands (there was a respectable shot on page 48 of the October issue). They keep imagining they're turning around gates, upright, with their knees bent-in the open corduroy no less! Most people think carvers are a bunch of converted ex-ski racers who get to bed early (which is mostly true), and the real party crowd is the creedler/grommet freestylers riding on lunch trays. Let me introduce you to the Mammoth Mountain "Cocktail Carvers"-a collection of six-foot-plus, 200-pound-plus, 30-something mixture of pimps and players who work behind desks for a living, claim sole ownership to Chair 2, and bump rap music. All we care about is getting low and impressing the women in the chair above. We drink Kettle One Vodka martinis only (hence our name), and are known on a first-name basis at the Yodler and Whiskey Creek (what a thing to be proud of!). We're like Andre Agassi: we don't care about winning, we'd rather just look good and get the commercial. Next time you come to Mammoth, I urge you to photograph and party with the Cocktail Carvers: Thomas (L.A. carver), Lou, David (Big Daddy), Jim, Ron, and Jeff (J.R.). We'll give you some great material of us laying fat rails in Martha's Box for a future issue!

Jeff Frederick [email protected]

True, some race-bred riders aren't loaded with style, being more into technique. Don't kid yourself about laying it over, though-that's not what all Alpine riders aspire to do, nor is it overly difficult. Check out the next issue for a healthy combination of Alpine power and style.-K.H.

Help Wanted

Imagine how stoked you'll be upon opening a future issue of this fine journal and seeing your own words, your very thoughts, published in the super-hep annals of the Snowboard Life Letters column. Visualize ... Pretty nice, eh? Well, what are you waiting for? Send all correspondence to: Snowboard Life 353 Airport Rd., Oceanside, CA 92054 (760) 722-0653 FAX [email protected] e-mail