But, let's not dwell on the negatives. Somewhere within all of this lies the concept of unlimited fun and freestyle. The idea that you can do whatever you want, the only requirement being that your feet are attached to something sliding down a hill, is a good thing. Here in New Jersey, we're pretty isolated from the constant barrage of cool-guy requirements, but if you are at all interested in next year's product, (2012-2013), here's some links to the ol' Snowsports Industries America (SIA) trade show.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Back From the Abyss of Denver's SIA
It's no question that snowboarding and skiing are an industry. The word itself gets tossed around with reckless abandon as if those who use it have no respect for language or redundancy. Even those here who update the park blog are guilty of using the term without fully thinking its repercussions. Industry, as a word, is capable of actually removing fun from a situation. There is nothing less fun than dealing with the word industry. Scholars of 18th and 19th Century America may recall the Industrial Revolution. A cultural shift that was completely devoid of good times. The swelling of urban populations, overcrowding, child labor, malnutrition, pollution, everything becoming encased in a thick film of soot, all became common place. This is strikingly similar to the trajectory of the snow sport industry. Quiet mountain towns like Salt Lake City, Denver, and Burlington are now bustling hubs of shred media and product. Young riders and skiers rent houses intended for a small family with every intention of sleeping 15-20 of their favorite "bros." Unpaid, underage am riders work tirelessly to land increasingly difficult tricks with proper sticker and hoodie logo placement with the hopes of getting a clip in the bonus section of an iTunes download. Once healthy, strapping, young ladies and gentleman begin diets of Ramen noodles, Taco Bell, and gas station nachos. Pristine mountain scenery succumbs to gas powered sleds, wax shavings, beverage containers, and lifted trucks. Normal, intelligent people begin using words and phrases like, "bro," "dude," "sick," "over it," "that'd be tight," and the infamous "two if you know me."
