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Ketchup Soup: TGR Announces Di Ketchup Soup: TGR Announces Discharge Energy Drink
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:

TETON VILLAGE, WY—Teton Gravity Research announced today that it will begin distributing its long awaited DISCHARGE energy drink at the start of July.
The company, once known for inspirational snow sports films and hanging Death Star replicas off the front of helicopters, is diversifying its offerings after lackluster performance across the snow sports industry. “It’s basic economics,” says TGR CFO Brett Mounds. “Ski sales are going down and obesity and diabetes are sky rocketing. The public has shown what it wants, and we’re delivering.”
“We’ve noticed a serious gap in the energy drink market,” proclaims Mounds. “Nobody is using action sports as a thinly veiled marketing ploy to attract gamers, gas station attendants, soccer moms, or the elderly just wishing their lives were more fulfilling. Closing your eyes and slurping down some DISCHARGE can do that.”
TGR has taken its time perfecting the formula for DISCHARGE, spending “at least three days on testing,” according to new Energy Drink Division Commander Scott Gnartels. “The formula for DISCHARGE was designed for our forum users, who actually spend most of their time playing World of Warcraft. It has caffeine, taurine, ephedrine, some other drines and sugar. It’s got a unique color and consistency our forum users are already familiar with. No other energy drink can offer similar performance.”
TGR is hoping to hit a bigger audience through clever packaging. Gnartels hopes that selling DISCHARGE in a rugged screw top aluminum bottle will attract “those Prius-driving yuppie pricks” and “outdoorsy Timothy McVeigh types” as well.
“Let’s be serious here, actions sports don’t get sold through actions sports any more, energy drinks do,” states Gnartels. “People already wear our logo on their helmets, they’ll drink our DISCHARGE too.”
The hardest part about launching DISCHARGE has been finding the perfect slogan according to Gnartels. “We really had to figure out the brand. We are Teton Gravity Research. We’re all about going down. All of us. We all go down as much as possible.” The brand eventually settled on: “Going down? Drink Discharge.”
DISCHARGE will be sold for $3.99 a bottle and a small portion of proceeds will be donated to TGR’s staff supply of insulin.
Ketchup Soup is TGR’s new weekly satire column aimed at poking fun at the sports we all love. TGR’s “Ketchup Soup” is a fictionalized, satirical publication. Its content should in no way be interpreted as an actual record of events. These stories are also not intended to be, nor should they be construed as, attempts to predict the future course of any individual or entity, but should be viewed only as parody. TGR’s “Ketchup Soup” is not associated with any other news service. Names used in “TGR’s Ketchup Soup” stories, unless those of public figures or entities, are fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons or entities is coincidental, unintentional, and accidental. Any event described in TGR’s Ketchup Soup” that actually comes to pass should also be considered coincidental, unintentional, and accidental.
The moral here is laugh now, but remember, you’re probably next. - Blog post
- 2 weeks ago
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RC Helicopter edit from Shifte RC Helicopter edit from Shifted Cinema
- From: ethan_fortney
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Description:
Took one of the Helicopters up to Stevens Pass with our new Sony FS700 to test out the slomo abilities. Besides a gusty morning, it was a pretty solid day and came away with some good shots.
Thanks for watching,
Ethan
info@shiftedcinema.com
Music: Till Death - The Dark Woods
- 3 months ago
- Views: 45
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Tiny House Tour Episode 3 - Ou Tiny House Tour Episode 3 - Outdoor Research
- From: outdoorresearch102344
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Description:
Every moment in the mountains lends an opportunity to learn. A lifetime education awaits those willing to explore, watch, and listen. And sometimes we meet purveyors of the knowledge, people who have made it their intention to understand the intricacies of the snow, and share what they've learned about the many varieties of a snowflake. These snow aficionados are our greatest educators, devoted to dissecting the element that brings skiers life and death simultaneously.
The tiny house arrived in Utah at the beginning of a storm cycle that would invigorate the mountain community with pow turns, while burying a weak layer in the snowpack that would require trepidation in the backcountry. In the two weeks the tiny house lived in Utah, many slides were seen and experienced by skiers and snowboarders across the Wasatch. Instead of playing their usual roles in this act, they became the audience and learned from a friend of the Utah Avalanche Center, Trent Meisenheimer, a passionate snow safety ambassador who grew up at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Following Trent and his father Bruce (a man who should be put in the Ski-Loving Father Hall of Fame) into the special ski stashes of the Cottonwoods (yes, they still exist), the OR team investigated their own capacity to learn and re-learn what they already thought they knew. You're never too experienced in the backcountry. And there is always something new to digest.
“Education is the process of living, not preparation for the future.”
Watch More Outdoor Research Videos Here - 3 months ago
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Why You Should Ski In Afghanis Why You Should Ski In Afghanistan
- From: kausarhussain
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Description:
Afghanistan.
Just the mention of the word sends images into the mind. Military units driving through deserts, windswept mud brick villages and broken arid urban landscapes. When I mention the possibility of going skiing in Afghanistan it can get some strange responses. Forget about the risk, the first question is, “Is there any snow?”
Whilst it is true that much of Afghanistan is desert or semi-desert and that it hardly ever rains, it does snow. In the mountains it snows a lot. The snow is the lifeblood of Afghanistan. As it melts, it flows through the rivers that fill the canals that irrigate the fields. A good snowfall ensures that the people of small rural communities will have a good harvest and can feed their families and livestock. A poor snowfall often leads to a drought and a famine. However, the snow in Afghanistan is both a blessing and a curse. Heavy snow cuts off villages in the mountain and every winter people freeze to death or are crushed by avalanches.
Families wait for the snow to melt hoping to survive the winter until they can reap the reward that the snow will bring in the summer. For thousands of years there has been nothing for the people to do in the winter except wait for the Spring....until now.
This winter young men from the villages of Kushkak, Jawzari, Ali Baig, and of the valleys of Qazan and Dukani and Foladi will pull on home made skis, crafted from wooden planks, with edges made from flattened tin cans and with poles snapped from a nearby tree. Some will be selected for training to represent their valley in a competition to see which valley can produce the best skier. They will be given modern ski gear to use. They’ll be taught how to ski, and they’ll receive basic training in first aid and avalanche awareness — skills they can take back to their village and potentially use to save lives.
A handful of young men from Bamian, in Central Afghanistan have already begun guiding foreign skiers - both ex-pats from Kabul and visitors from around the world who are trickling into the region to try out Afghan skiing first hand.
So how did this happen?
At the beginning of the winter of 2010 almost no-one had skied in the province of Bamian. The valley's chief claim to fame had been the giant Buddha statues carved into the cliffs overlooking the town of Bamian. Tragically the two statues – which were about 1400 years old – were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 robbing the world of two of its most important ancient Buddhist relics, and robbing the people of Bamian of one of their key sources of tourist income. For Afghans, Bamian province was also well known for the lakes of Band e Amir – a series of five lakes formed by natural travertine dams, that appear like a mirage in this high, arid landscape. In the summer Kabuli families come here to picnic and to escape the dust and heat.
Bamian is also home to the Hazara people. The Hazaras are recognisable by their Mongoloid features. They’re Shia Muslims, unlike most Afghans, who are Sunni. In popular tradition they are reputed to be the remnants of the Mongol armies who came to the region with Genghis Khan. Historically they have been looked down upon by the ethnic Pushtuns and Tajiks who make up most of Afghanistan’s population. Some radical Sunnis — such as the Taliban — have seen them as heretics because of their Shia faith. Modern Afghanistan has always been ruled by Pushtun kings or Pushtun dominated governments who have tended to overlook the Hazaras. However, there have been important changes in Bamian since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. It is no Shangri-La — there is little electricity, the province is one of the poorest in the country and by any standard it ranks as one of the least developed places on the planet. However, for the first time in decades there are signs of progress and positive change.
Ten years ago, Bamian province had never had a hospital, a paved road, or a university. Now these all exist. There are still many problems, of course, but the Bamian valley is relatively secure and there is none of the anti-government fighting that plagues large parts of the rest of Afghanistan.
An international development agency, the Aga Khan Foundation, saw the potential of promoting tourism in Bamian as a way of giving the people of the province an additional source of income. The Foundation has helped to develop guest houses, organise cultural festivals and provide information about the places of interest in and around Bamian.
That’s fine in the summer when tourists come to the valley, but what about the winter, when guest houses lie empty? Well, the people of Bamian fall back on their timeless winter pastime of just surviving and waiting until the Spring.
But taking their cue from other mountainous developing countries it was clear that any winter income was better than none so the Aga Khan Foundation began the Ski Bamian programme. With no infrastructure or lifts, the idea was to make the Koh-e-Baba mountains a new destination for ski-touring.
In 2010 two American skiers were employed for the winter to map out potential routes. They brought only their own equipment so the Afghans had to get creative if they too wanted to ski along with them. Anyone with a small knowledge of Afghan military history will tell you that not having state of the art equipment never stopped the Afghans with competing with foreign powers. Skiing with no ski equipment was not an insurmountable problem. Strips of wood with battered oil tins for edges were formed - - so, the bazaar ski was born.
It quickly became clear that the mountains of Bamian were perfect for skiing and in 2011 a foreign ski trainer arrived to train the first batch of Afghan ski guides. It was early in 2011 that Ali Shah met Nando the Italian ski trainer at his village of Khushkak. Ali Shah was fit, young and spoke good English. Nando asked him what he wanted to be?
“An engineer” said Ali Shah.
“Why you wanna be an engineer? In Kabul there are a thousand engineers. You shoulda be a mountain guide. It's the best job in the world. You spend your whole life in the mountains with beautiful women.”
It may not have been a textbook interview but Ali Shah is now Afghanistan’s best ski guide and Nando's singular teaching style set the basis for the success of the project.
During 2011 and 2012 the annual Afghan Ski Challenge race (Rule number one — no weapons) was organised by a Swiss journalist and has became a focal point for the ski season (www.afghanskichallenge.com). With most Afghan Challengers having only one month’s ski training the Swiss organisers thought it an unfair challenge. They divided the race into Afghan and non-Afghan categories. The challenge is a classic ski touring route which includes skinning up as well as skiing down. They were right to divide the competition as most of the Afghans had finished before the foreigners had even got to the top.
With donations from western organisations like gear4guides (www.gear4guides.com) there is now a well equipped ski rental shop in Bamian serving the local community and the ex-pat and international skiers that trickle in.
My connection with skiing in Afghanistan began in 2009 when I bumped into a Scottish lad who worked for an Afghan aid agency. Ken was hiking with his girlfriend in the Wakhan region of Afghanistan in the far North East and I was leading a group of trekkers. The Wakhan region is the only other part of Afghanistan safe enough to consider these types of outdoor trips.
He told me of a group of British and French skiers working in Afghanistan who regularly skied near Kabul in the winter and if I was serious about being an Afghan tour operator then I should be offering ski trips to Afghanistan. I said I'd join him on a trip that winter.
On the first trip I made we took one of our regular drivers, Ali. For someone who has never skied it is quite hard to explain what we planned to do. Once we loaded up the poles and skis he had a rough idea of what we were up to and wanted to help. At the bottom of the Salang Pass, which crosses the spine of the Hindu Kush, Ali stopped at a small teahouse and ordered food for all of us. As any Afghan will tell you the best thing for breakfast if you are going to spend all day in the snow is Cow’s Foot. Boiled for hours, this gelatinous lump of bone, fat and gristle is never appealing to non Afghans and the French skiers particularly do not like it. We made a quick note that for the commercial trips, we wouldn’t let the drivers choose the dining options.
But it was then that I saw how skiing was something that really appealed to all the Afghans who saw it. Standing next to Ali as we watched Ken fly down the slopes, he was awestruck. “He is a Djinn,” was Ali's response. Hazaras believe there are mountain spirits and clearly Ken was one.
In the tea house where we stopped on the way back, Ali regaled the owners with the tale of Ken's exploits. Ken was described as a Djinn and I as a Boz (a goat). I hoped it was a way to describe my sure footedness in the mountains but I think it was more to do with my erratic skiing style.
In keeping with Afghan tradition, the story was heavily exaggerated but it started a long discussion about skiing, mountains, snow conditions, avalanches and Afghanistan’s future.
It was not only Ali who became a convert. I realised that, Cow’s Foot aside, this was an awesome way to experience Afghanistan in the winter. Skiing was something that was very foreign but the snow and the mountains was a common factor that could bring people together as it had done in that tea house. I also thought Bamian could be the perfect place for skiing.
It has not always been smooth. A few elders in one or two villages are suspicious about the skiing fuss. They worry the young men will hurt themselves – preventing them from doing the hard farming work - or that skiing will be the thin end of the wedge and they'll get caught up in other foreign un-Islamic ways. This generally does not stop the young boys from hiking up the hills and skiing. “The only say it is bad because they don't know how to ski,” said one boy from Jawzari village.
All the trailheads start from the villages and we have a code of conduct to help ensure that skiers behave properly. The Aga Khan programme representatives have discussed the skiing idea with all the local villages. We pay our respects to the village leaders and maybe take a cup of tea. There are many ways in which thoughtless skiers can cause offence, generally to do with women. In a country where the majority of people are illiterate and there is very limited access to the media, in these isolated rural communities, rumour is often taken as fact. If someone tells a man that the foreigners took a photo of his wife and put it on display in Kabul he will probably believe it. So Rule Number One is – Don’t take pictures of the women. Ever.
Cultural sensitivity is key to the future of skiing in Afghanistan.
When guiding a group of snowboarders last winter we spent a good hour discussing with the headman of one village what we wanted to do in their valley. The snowboarders were professional and were heading to a steep area that had not been ridden, so the villagers were suspicious. It took a great deal of persuasion until he agreed and let us pass around his village.
As we walked around the village we were watched closely by the men on the rooftops, with no smiles or handshakes. We travelled far up the valley and soon the snowboarders were making jumps from the top of large cliffs. On the second attempt one of them failed to make his landing and crashed in a huge cloud of snow. Suddenly huge cheers rang out from the village below. All the village stood watching on the house rooftops. They liked all the action, but they liked the crashes best of all.
On the way back down there was still staring and silence but we knew the ice had been broken.
We went back to that area for three days and by the end we were inside drinking tea and joking with the local people.
The key to a successful trip is that the Afghan villagers have a positive experience as well as the visiting skiers.
Afghanistan has always presented a contrast of lifestyles. An abiding memory of my first visit back after years away was of an old man and a young boy herding sheep down an unmade road. With his turban and billowing shalwar-kameez — a long, loose shirt and trousers, the man looked almost Biblical. A closer inspection revealed that his son was wearing a Megadeath t-shirt (presumably a charitable donation). The road they were walking along had a traffic calming feature – a half buried tank caterpillar track to stop cars speeding through the village. Introducing skiing to a small valley in the Hindu Kush seems to build on such contrasts.
A typical night is spent in rooms heated by wood fire stoves called Bukharis. These are very efficient heaters. You fill them to the maximum before bedtime. It might be -25C outside but we would be sitting in our rooms in shorts and a t-shirt. As the night passes and the fire burns out the temperature plummets in the room and at dawn we'll be inside sleeping bags and the glass of water by the bed will have a layer of ice.
Breakfast could be eggs or pancakes. Where we stay, the cook was trained at a US agency guesthouse. He knows exactly what hungry Westerners like to eat. Recently married, he returned to Bamian from working in Helmand province. The wages are much lower in Bamian but it is safer. In Helmand he always had to carry his ID card to get into the compound. However, if the Taliban stopped him and found this ID card he would be killed.
On a very cold night the diesel will freeze in the vehicles used to take us to the mountains. We'll drink tea whilst a fire is built under the engine to defrost it, and perhaps watch the daily UN helicopter coming in to land at the Bamian military base, managed by the New Zealand army.
Once in the villages at the top of the valleys, when we start to skin up we'll be invited in for tea by the village elders. Depending on the weather we'll either accept or continue uphill to make the most of the snow. I'll remind people that they should always remove their shoes when entering a house, never speak directly to the women -– and above all, no matter how serious their latest case of Kabul Belly, NEVER to fart in a room with their Afghan hosts. This is perhaps the greatest social faux pas of all.
Often we'll be joined for all or part of the day by the local youths on their home-made skis. Making light work of skinning up and paying little or no attention to our avalanche warnings. they just laugh – “Inshallah” – if God wills it
There is not much to do in the evenings. Alcohol is forbidden, but there is plenty of hearty traditional Afghan food and drink - kebabs, rice and hot drinks. With alcohol forbidden, we like to call this the Apres- tea scene.
Skiing will not solve all the problems in Afghanistan. It won't solve the problems of Bamian but in a few small valleys in the Hindu Kush they are making a small positive impact to a handful of people and that is something worthwhile.
Interested in traveling to Afghanistan, be smart and read up first. Amazon.com has some grea books on travel and history throughout Afghanistan.
• Kausar Hussain is a guide and operations manager for Untamed Borders and arranges ski trips to Bamian every year. http://www.untamedborders.com www.facebook.com/untamedborders - Blog post
- 4 months ago
- Views: 115
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Eye Catchers: 10 Noteworthy Sn Eye Catchers: 10 Noteworthy Snowboard Products From SIA 2013
- From: ericodlin
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Description:
The SnowSports Industries America snow show just finished up in Denver, where attendees had the pleasure of scoping out all the latest and greatest goods from nearly every brand under the sun. At SIA, industry people from all over the world come get a look at next year’s gear and see what kind of new technology has been cooked up for our shredding pleasure. It’s quite the spectacle, and for gear gurus, it’s a little slice of heaven.
This year, there was an endless amount of new goodies to be found around every corner, but here is a list of 10 of the most interesting or innovative snowboarding products we came across.
Union Factory Travis Rice Signature Model
Union is on top of the binding game, and this pro model binder is proof. Building from the Charger and Atlas models, Union and Travis came up with the Factory. It features a beefed up highback, killer heel padding, an uber-cush’ ankle strap, and three-degree canting in the foot bed. This looks like a real powerhouse binding, matching superior comfort with next-level response.
Anon M2 Goggle
Quick change lenses are the latest tech from the goggle world, and Anon’s new M2 really stood out. The lens attaches to the outside of the frame via high-powered mini magnets for fast, on-the-fly lens swaps and convenient snow clearing. We saw a guy actually throw the lens into place. Anon tests the lense's ability to stay put with the same machine Burton uses to test its binding ratchet strength, so you need not worry about loosing a lens during a wreck. With a nice-fitting, mid-sized frame and tons of color way and tint options, the M2 definitely stands out.
Burton AK Freebird Jacket
This lightweight 3L GORE-TEX piece has a clean look and a cut built for shredding. A great feature unique to the Freebird jacket is that is has two mesh pockets on the inside designed to hold your splitboard skins when not in use. The legendary Dave Downing brought this jacket to our attention, pointing out the value of keeping your skins dry and warm for faster touring set ups. That means more laps, more pow, more fun.
Jones Aviator
This is the newest offing from Jones Snowboards. The Aviator is a cambered, directional, all-mountain banger, ideal for hard carving and getting jiggy with the whole mountain. Its 3D power camber has a light two-degree bevel at all four contact points, which gives a loose, less catchy feel to the time honored pop and control of camber. I’m willing to bet we see a bunch of Jones’ freestyle riders ripping on this deck next season.
Capita Black Snowboard Of Death
Don’t let the dark name scare you away from this amazing snowboard. Capita’s flagship model got a little re-designing for the upcoming season. By setting back the cam-rock and lengthening the shovel and tail, the B.S.O.D. is even more of a do-all freestyle/freeride deck. With its new profile, killer shape, and psychedelic graphics, this board is simply rad.
K2 Snowboarding Speedlink Touring Poles
Sure, they’re just poles. But, K2 has produced some of the finest splitboarding poles we’ve ever seen. With just one quick lock lever, they’ve reduced the collapsed length by 6 inches, making it only 13-inches long broken down. They’re small enough to fit into almost any pack with out sticking out the top. When you’ve reached your summit, you just flip the one-lock lever, and just kind of smash the pole straight down and it collapses all the way down in one motion. That’s smart.
Lib Tech Speedodeeps By Travis Rice
Lib’s got a new pow shape that looks like it’ll be soooooo much fun on those deep days. Designed with Travis, this twin features a short running length, a jumbo tip and tail, and BTX banana tech to make for one heck of a floating powpow machine. Available in 162, this replaces the infamous “banana hammock”, and will offer the user the option to turn their snowboard should they find themselves on non-powder type snow.
Jones 30L R.A.S. Ready Pack
Here’s a great example of a rider’s needs pushing design. This 30L pack comes ready to hold Snowpulse’s removable airbag system. That means you can use the pack with or without the airbag. Add an internal wire frame for support, color coded buckles for additional load options, and that it weighs only 6lbs 7oz with the R.A.S installed, and you have the recipe for a terrifically designed backcountry pack.
K2 Kwicker Split System
Remember clickers? Well, in case you forgot, K2 has brought them back for our backcountry pleasure. This system gives you a lighter set up, and quicker change over times than your traditional split kit. As A.J. from K2 explained, the boot/binding has been engineered to feel and flex just like a boot in a strap binding would move. With over two years of R&D, and many backcountry seekers not afraid to have a separate A/T set up, this could be the next big thing in splitboarding. In the words of A.J., “It’s the balls.”
DC Travis Rice Signature Boot
OK, we realize that we have included Travis Rice’s whole set up in this top 10 list. This was not intentional. It just goes to show that not only is he a fine shredder, but that he is pushing product design forward as well. DC’s redesigned Rice signautre boot is bomb proof. They put the upper boa dial back on the outside of the boot, got rid of the wrap design for the lower, designed the outsole with sledding in mind, and wrapped the whole toe box in ballistic Superfabric. The result is a boot that comes very close to being un-blow-up-able. It also comes stock with Remind insoles for happy feet. And Torstien just won the X Games big air wearing these. I think the proof is in the pudding.
Do you see a trend here? We are pleased to see that backcountry riding and splitboarding are the catalyst for most new ideas and designs this year. The demands of those two elements of snowboarding are bringing more fun new things to the table to further enhance our enjoyment of the mountains. Cheers to you, innovative shred engineers! Hope this gets everyone fired up to get out and do what we all love to do: RIDE! - Blog post
- 4 months ago
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Capita Black Snowboard of Deat Capita Black Snowboard of Death
- From: ericodlin
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Description:Capita Black Snowboard of Death
- 4 months ago
- Views: 128
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Tempting Fear - S6 E07 - Salom Tempting Fear - S6 E07 - Salomon Freeski TV
- From: salomonfreeski
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Description:
Over the past 3 years he's logged first descents in a half-dozen countries, battled back to life from an accident that nearly killed him, and become the most talked about skier in the epicenter of all things extreme — Chamonix, France.
What makes Andreas most intriguing, however, are his thoughtful musings on meaning from a life on the edge - a willingness to enter mental spaces that few have ever experienced.
In Tempting Fear Sweden's soft-spoken Adventurer of the Year explores a place in which fear overwhelms all emotions, playing both friend and enemy in a pas de deux where death lies just one misstep away.
Awards:
“Best Action Film” - Adventure Film Festival 2012
“Best Story” - X-Dance 2013
Watch More Salomon Freeski TV Videos - 5 months ago
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News: Ex-Forum Rider Austen Sw News: Ex-Forum Rider Austen Sweetin Signs Binding Deal With NOW
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
- Sweetin brings street to the team but kills it in the backcountry -
WHISTLER, BC – One of the biggest up-and-comers in snowboarding, Austen Sweetin is also one of the most complete rider’s strapped into a snowboard today. Hailing from the powder-choked and coffee-drenched Pacific North West, Sweetin loves coffee, throws down large in the backcountry, and he kills it in the streets. With a huge bag of tricks and tons of passion to shred combined with his next generation PNW style, Sweetin has already begun etching his name alongside the PNW greats.
Peter Line, one of the most innovative snowboarders of all time, says, “It’s hard not being stoked on a snowboarder shorter than me and one from my local Ski Acres. Austen is sick. He’s an all-around rider who loves snowboarding to death, which in my eyes is more important than anything.”
JF Pelchat and NOW Bindings are very excited to have Sweetin join the NOW team as it grows to include some of the most progressive and diverse riders on the planet today.
“I’m super stoked to have a young blood Northwest rider on NOW," Pelchat said. "Austen is everything a snowboarder wants to be: he can ride and kill everything – pow, park, or urban – he does it all.”
Sweetin, who also moonlights with some skateboard sponsors, loves the skate-influenced bindings, a perfect match to his skate-influenced riding style.
“I’m excited to be apart of a binding company created by snowboarders and influenced by skateboarding,” Sweetin said.
From big lines in Alaska charged by snowboard veteran and NOW team rider Jeremy Jones to up-and-comer Austen Sweetin slaying it in the streets, NOW’s revolutionary binding design and Skate-Tech technology is just as at home in the backcountry as it is in the urban stomping grounds of today’s street scene. Built around the NOW IPO hanger, the worlds’ first skate-influenced binding is the most innovative and progressive binding on the market today and offers riders a smoother and more precise ride. The future is NOW. - Blog post
- 6 months ago
- Views: 180
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Video: Baby Parkour And Nitro Video: Baby Parkour And Nitro Circus Live In London - Roner Vision
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
Erik Roner heads to London to catch up with the Nitro Circus Live crew on this week's Roner Vision. Mixing it up from the usual ski routine, Erik gets in on everyone else's action borrowing Lindsay Pastrana's skateboard to session the Giganta Ramp, pulling a double backflip on James Foster's BMX bike, razor scooter front flips...turns out Roner is a real jack of all stunts. His closest call with death comes as a spectator, check the BMX impact he takes on the sidelines. Meanwhile back in Tahoe little Oskar Roner has been watching too many YouTube videos and takes Parkour to new levels at the playground. No Oskar! - Blog post
- 6 months ago
- Views: 148
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News: Body Of Skier Remy Leclu News: Body Of Skier Remy Lecluse Found After Avalanche On Manaslu
- From: media-75233
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Description:
The body of Chamonix guide and big mountain steep skier Rémy Lécluse was found in a crevasse on Mt. Manaslu this week, recovered, and turned over to French authorities in Kathmandu.
“A team of seven Sherpas discovered the dead body of Remy Lecluse,” Ishwari Paudel, the managing director of Himalayan Guide, said. “His body was swept about 600 metres from the Camp Three. The Sherpas pulled it out from a crevasse.” - Blog post
- 8 months ago
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Interview: Tempting Fear With Interview: Tempting Fear With Andreas Fransson And Mike Douglas
- From: kimhavell
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Description:
It is a human condition to seek adventure and challenge. The temptation to test both possibilities and limits is strong in some — Swedish ski-mountaineer Andreas Fransson pursues this temptation.
On Friday, Oct, 5, at the Adventure Film Festival in Boulder, Colo., Mike Douglas and the team at Switchback Entertainment will premiere a film that traces an astounding few years of global ski adventures in Fransson’s life — “Tempting Fear.” It will show at film festivals worldwide and will release online as part of Season 6 of Salomon Freeski TV in 2013.
Fransson is from the north of Sweden and grew up skiing in the Finnish mountains as well as in Riksgränsen, on the border with Norway at the extreme north of Sweden. From the age of 14 he quit other sports to focus completely on skiing. Finishing school, he did back-to-back seasons in Riksgränsen, the Alps, and Mount Hotham, Australia, earning a living by teaching and guiding skiing. But, it was through the exploration of the Norwegian mountains that he found his passion for steep and wild lines. The next obvious step for him was to move to Chamonix.
I spoke with Douglas, who is in Whistler, Canada, getting films ready for the ski season as well as with Fransson, who is ticking off a few impressive first descents around the magical towers of Patagonia, a region generally known as an alpinist mecca.
Andreas Fransson and Mike Douglas. Photo courtesy Switchback Entertainment.
Part 1: Interview with Mike Douglas
Teton Gravity Research: You dealt with heavy and serious subject matter in a sport that tempts more than just fear- did it scare you making this film?
Mike Douglas: Well, luckily for me, Bjarne Sahlen did all the heavy lifting. He was out there filming Andreas in all the crazy spots, so physically, I had the easy job. After 'The Freedom Chair', I wanted to do something different. I find Andreas' story and thoughts intriguing. Early on I asked myself if this was the type of project I wanted to take on. The decision wasn't easy. I've lost a lot of friends this year and this film provokes the question of whether or not it's all worth it. It's a question I find myself often asking.
TGR: Why did you feel it was important to tell this story? Why did you decide to do this?
MD: Andreas couldn't be further away from the stereotypical American view of what an 'extreme skier' is. He's calm, thoughtful, intelligent and doing things that nobody else is. I met him after he joined the Salomon team last winter. At that point we were looking at doing a 5 minute episode of Salomon Freeski TV about him. After reading his blog, I realized that he shared so much insight and information that it would be impossible to do his story justice in a short format.
TGR: What was it like working with Andreas? Did you walk away with a better understanding or respect (or not) of ski mountaineering?
MD: Andreas has been great to work with. He completely put his trust in me. I have full respect for the person he is and what he does, but I don't necessarily agree with all his opinions. After watching the film over and over, I am not really sure what I think. I share a lot of his opinions, but at the same time I think we have different views of risk.
As a filmmaker, I'm just looking for interesting stories. I find the world of alpinism and ski mountaineering interesting and sometimes harsh. It makes me laugh how uptight people are about the details of how a climb or descent was done. There are people out there who refuse to give Andreas credit for his first descent of the south face of Denali because he had to down climb some sections to stay alive. The nice thing about Andreas is that he doesn't let the haters get to him. He's very comfortable with who he is and what he does.
TGR: What do you admire most about Andreas?
MD: He's a really nice guy! While we were working on the film he came to stay with my family for a week in Whistler. My wife was impressed with how great of a house-guest he was. She'd have no problem if he wanted to move in with us [haha]. Aside from that, it's his intellect. He's a very smart guy.
Andreas Fransson. Photo courtesy Switchback Entertainment.
Part 2: Interview with Andreas Fransson
TGR: Did skiing the South Face of Denali put you on the map? And, was it a turning point or a stepping stone?Andreas Fransson: On who’s map? I guess it did in the media, but I had done far more difficult things in Chamonix before I went to Alaska to do something I felt that with my experience I could and should pull off. But of course once I had done this better-known line, things got easier with sponsors and the media. The funny thing is I had no idea of the impact it would have – I just wanted to ski this line.
TGR: How do you make decisions about risk and routes?
AF: I think it is a very open dialogue in the game of mountain decisions. It usually comes down to how much you want something and how much risk you are willing to take. Then you get to put your values on top of that. Whatever you do other people will judge you. I simply want to do things I define as fun that will give me something, maybe wisdom, in return and at the same time stay alive. There is no law book in the mountains, and one has to meet reality at every instant.
TGR: How did you feel making this film? What do you hope audiences get out of this? Why were you willing to share your journal entries?
AF: It was fun. I learned so much and I got to work with really talented people like Mike and Bjarne. It gave me a medium through which to share my thoughts with others. I made the decision to be open a few years back and I don’t think it would make sense to say no to doing so with an even bigger audience. I hope that people will enjoy listening. I don’t claim to say anything wise or with value in any other sense than it’s fun to ponder the mysteries of life and existence.
TGR: What are your hopes and your future in pushing the limits of skiing?
AF: I can’t promise anyone I will push anything. That’s one of the reasons why I keep quiet about my objectives. I simply don’t know what I will do next year or how my life will change. I feel steep skiing is a very intuitive thing to do. If the mountains, the weather and I are ready at the same moment then something fun can be done, but there might be periods when the combination of these three do not match.
TGR: What is the significance of temptation and risk to you? What scares you?
AF: I don’t fear death, but sometimes I fear not being able to realize the dreams I have. The temptation is to realize dreams before one is ready – the risk is we won’t get the perfection in the match.
TGR: How do you set your mark for risk versus reward?
AF: My gut feeling does it for me. If something feels worth it, I’ll do it. If it doesn’t, I’ll back off!
TGR: How do you decide on your next projects? What are your parameters?
AF: First of all I don’t like to talk about specific projects, but I think there has to be a general challenge involved. It can be difficult, have a rare beauty, be remote, or involve a physical or psychological challenge – any of these can turn on my inspiration.
TGR: What was it like to work on a film of your life as a skier to date? Does it feel like a risk?
AF: It’s great in many ways. And, now I can leave that behind me. The risk I see is that I get to talk more and more about skiing and have less and less time to actually do things. But I think it is part of my journey. First I have to have something to later be able to renounce it. It’s easy talking about renouncing things that are not your reality.
TGR: You are currently doing some exciting descents in Patagonia. Tell us more.
AF: We have two weeks left here. I got help from my friend Colin Haley, who knows this area well. He pointed out the Whillans ramp for me and said it would be one of the greatest ski descents to do in the world. [Note: Fransson did the first descent of this last week.] Once we are here we assess objectives and then go and try to do them. It’s really hard though. No one has ever tried to do the things we are looking at and there is no information. There are really long approaches. But that’s part of the game rules which makes it all much more interesting and fun.
TGR: Tell us about a few of the other things going on that help balance your expeditions.
AF: Yes, I have much to juggle, but I like challenges. I have a wonderful girlfriend with whom I want to spend time. I am working a lot for my sponsors, doing the Swedish mountain guide program, and I’m a ski editor for Epictv.com. I also try to run and climb, and I do yoga every day.
TGR: What do you admire most about Douglas in getting to know him on this project?
AF: Professionalism, creativity, the importance of detail and storytelling - it all comes from Mike so you could definitely say I admire him for that. Also, I’m very impressed with how nice, kind and generous of a person he is. - Blog post
- 8 months ago
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News: Kenai Heli Ski Opens Feb News: Kenai Heli Ski Opens February 2013 In Seldovia, Alaska
- From: media-75233
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Description:
SELDOVIA, Alaska - Thrill seekers have a new option when helicopter skiing in Alaska. Based in Seldovia, Alaska, Kenai Heli Ski is opening its doors in February 2013.
“Some of the world's most remote and exclusive terrain, in Alaska's Kenai Mountains, is now available to skiers and snowboards,” said Kenai Heli Ski's co-owner Njord Rota. “In good weather or bad, we guarantee 100,000 vertical feet of powder skiing in a week.”
Kenai Heli Ski has four helicopters for skiers and snowboarders to take daily trips. The company is also one of the few helicopter skiing operators that provides a snowcat for skiing in inclement weather that prevents the helicopters from flying.
The company offers weeklong packages that include transportation from Anchorage to Seldovia, lodging, meals, guides, terrain and equipment (which includes both skis and avalanche airbags). Kenai Heli Ski also offers private weeklong packages, which includes the entire lodge and a dedicated helicopter.
“We take safety seriously,” Rota said. “We are the only company that provides free avalanche airbags to our clients. We also offer logistical support and we do not 'nickel-and-dime' our clients to death with these add-ons.”
Visit www.kenaiheliski.com for more information. Contact Njord Rota, owner, at 1-800-559-8691 or by email to njord@kenaiheliski.com. - Blog post
- 9 months ago
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Tempting Fear Trailer - Salomo Tempting Fear Trailer - Salomon Freeski TV
- From: salomonfreeski
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Description:
Andreas Fransson has been called the boldest extreme skier in a generation. Over the past three years he's logged first descents in a half-dozen countries, battled back to life from an accident that nearly killed him, and become the most talked about skier in the epicenter of all things extreme - Chamonix, France.
What makes Andreas most intriguing, however, are his thoughtful musings on meaning from a life on the edge - a willingness to enter mental spaces that few have ever experienced.
In Tempting Fear, Sweden's soft-spoken Adventurer of the Year explores a place in which fear overwhelms all emotions, playing both friend and enemy in a pas de deux where death lies just one misstep away.
Music: 'Rallying the Defense' by Machinima Sound - 9 months ago
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The Dream Factory Trailer - Te The Dream Factory Trailer - Teton Gravity Research 2012 Ski And Snowboard Movie
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
For the past 16 years, Teton Gravity Research has made the pilgrimage to America’s last frontier, Alaska: The Dream Factory. Throughout history, Alaska has been a place of dreams. From the early gold rush days, to the rise of commercial fishing, to the explosion of the ski and snowboard freeride movement, people have left everything to follow their dreams and journey to this foreign, mystical land. Like the frontiersmen before them, the pioneers of the freeride movement like Doug Coombs, Eric Pehota, and Trevor Petersen made the dream of skiing in Alaska a reality.
Follow TGR's modern day athletes on this cinematic voyage through Alaska's awe-inspiring expanse, rich history, and colorful characters. Watch as the TGR crew ventures from AK training grounds Jackson Hole, WY, and Pemberton, BC, and delves deep into the Alaskan way of life during a record snowfall year in AK, skiing terrain most of us only dream about.
Starring: Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Dash Longe, Dana Flahr, Tim Durtschi, Seth Morrison, Erik Roner, Chris Benchetler, Todd Ligare, Griffin Post, Ralph Backstrom, Daron Rahlves, Angel Collinson, Matt Philippi, Clayton Vila, Cam Riley, Dylan Hood, John Spriggs, Rory Bushfield, Max Hammer, Nick Martini, Dave Treadway, Maxim Arsenault, Forrest Shearer, Daniel Tisi
On Location: Jackson Hole, WY / Valdez, AK / Haines, AK / Anchorage, AK / Whittier, AK / Northern Chugach, AK / Valdez Heli Ski Guides / Alyeska Resort / SEABA Heli / Alaska Heli Skiing / Girdwood, AK / Pemberton, BC
Music: Dane Short & Kris Dirksen, "Gears of Death" | Mannequin Men, "Flying Blind" | c65, "Let's Go"
Go To The Dream Factory Page
Get Film Tour Info - 11 months ago
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News: Town Renames Street In H News: Town Renames Street In Honor Of Skier Sarah Burke
- From: media-75233
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Description:
Midland, Ontario - The logo on the new Sarah Burke Way street sign in Midland features a freestyle skier, but it's the little happy girl who got on and off the school bus and the one who loved trampolining in her yard that family, friends and neighbours remember.
"Most of our memories is not of the skier but of a special human being who made everyone feel good," said her father, Gord Burke.
The renaming of Huron Street to Sarah Burke Way was a complete surprise to the Burke family.
"It makes me feel pretty good," said the late skier's father. "It honours Sarah so much. It makes me think of my neighbours, of the kindness of them, how they've helped out so much."
Burke said his daughter loved Midland and that she would be proud of the honour bestowed on her.
About 50 people attended the unveiling Thursday afternoon, including the Burke's neighbours, Debbie and Rick Dalziel, who were instrumental in getting the street renamed.
The sign project was completed in about six months and the unveiling was attended by Midland Mayor Gordon McKay.
The mayor gave an eloquent speech about the historic moment and gave tribute to the late four-time Winter X Games gold medallist.
"She's truly a remarkable lady. She revolutionized her sport and showed what inspiration and dedication is all about," McKay said.
Within two days of the 29-year-old Canadian freestyle skier's death, Burke's neighbours developed the idea of having her street named after her.
"My wife and I just got talking and we came up with this idea to rename the street to Sarah Burke," said Rick Dalziel.
He and his wife started a petition that was "unanimously" signed by all the neighbours.
"It filled up quickly," Dalziel said.
They took that petition to the Midland chief administrative officer, Ted Walker, who took it to mayor and council.
"They did a wonderful job how fast they made this happen," Dalziel said.
The Burke family has lived on the street for 22 years.Story and photo via Midland Free Press.
- Blog post
- 11 months ago
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Part Time Trailer By PYP Part Time Trailer By PYP
- From: media-75233
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Description:
PYP presents their 2012 ski/snowboard film "Part Time"
Featuring: Mack Jones, Rob Heule, Colin Vaykovich, Eliel Hindert, Nick McNutt, Tamo Campos, Kieran Nikula, Dane Degruyter, Mike Ness, Jordan Clarke, Cedrik Diggory & Friends
Shot on Location at: Revelstoke, Whistler, Kelowna, Powder King, Prince George, Aspen, Grouse Mountain, Apex Resort & many more!
Directed & Produced by:
Pat King
Principal Cinematography:
Pat King, Graeme Meiklejohn & Scotty Titterington
Graphics: Spencer Watson
PYP © 2012
pypce.com
Song - Don't Speak (I Came To Make A BANG!) by Eagles of Death Metal - 1 year ago
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Video: Eero Ettala's and Heikk Video: Eero Ettala's and Heikki Sorsa’s Cooking With Gas Slam Section
- From: SamPetri
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Description:
Eero Ettala’s and Heikki Sorsa’s Slam Section to their web series Cooking With Gas. It’s set to “Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro)” By Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli, which makes it a lot more dramatic and funny than setting it to customary death metal.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
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News: Colorado Avalanche Victi News: Colorado Avalanche Victim's Family Sues Winter Park Resort
- From: media-75233
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Description:
Story by Kristen Lodge of the Vail Daily:
GRAND COUNTY, Colorado — The family of Christopher Norris, who died in January at Winter Park Resort after being caught in an avalanche in the Trestle Trees area, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Grand County District Court.
The complaint has been filed against Intrawest Winter Park Operations Corporation, which manages and operates Winter Park Resort.
The complaint alleges that Winter Park officials knew or should have known about the slopes within the boundaries of the Winter Park Resort that could have been prone to avalanches. The document also states that the resort knew about avalanche warnings that day and that they should have known the Trestle Trees area was likely to experience avalanches and therefore was not safe.
Winter Park Resort officials “had the duty to close those areas within its boundary which it knew or should have known posed an avalanche hazard to skiers under the conditions existing on January 22, 2012,” according to the complaint.
Intrawest officials in Denver referred inquiries to Winter Park Resort, which did not respond to three phone calls beginning May 18 seeking response to the lawsuit's allegations.
Salyndra E. Fleury is the surviving spouse and has hired attorney James Heckbert, of Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh and Jardine, P.C., who is working from Steamboat Springs.
“There were avalanche warnings in the backcountry, and they were telling people to go to the safety of ski areas where they control avalanches,” said Heckbert in a phone interview May 17.
“Ski areas are the experts. There is inherent risk as a part of skiing. You may hit a rock — that is part of skiing in a ski area, that is inherent risk. An avalanche is not part of the inherent risk in a ski resort,” he said.
The Trestle Trees were not roped off, and signs were not posted showing the area as closed, he said.
The next step in the process is for Winter Park to respond to the claim as part of the discovery process.
State law
The Colorado Ski Safety Act states that “no skier may make any claim against or recover from any ski area operator for injury resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing.”
The Act also states the limit of liability attributable to non-economic loss or injury is $250,000.
According to The Colorado Avalanche Center, Norris' death was the second avalanche-related fatality of the Jan. 22 weekend. The Colorado Avalanche Center's website warned of high avalanche danger all weekend and cautioned, “Triggering avalanches is likely on any snow-covered slope 30 degrees or steeper that did not slide during the natural cycle yesterday. The natural
avalanche cycle has largely run its course, so I will drop the Avalanche Warning, but natural avalanches are still possible today. Triggering slides will be easy today, and some of them will be bigger than what we have seen so far this winter.” - Blog post
- 1 year ago
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News: Finnish Ski-Mountaineer News: Finnish Ski-Mountaineer Dies In Fall On Mount McKinley
- From: media-75233
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Description:
TALKEETNA, Alaska: A 36-year-old Finnish mountaineer died from injuries incurred in a fall while descending Mt. McKinley the afternoon of Wednesday, May 23. Ilkka Uusitalo of Oulu, Finland was skiing down the 40- to 45-degree slope known as the 'Orient Express' with two teammates when he fell from an elevation of 17,800 feet and was unable to self-arrest. Uusitalo tumbled through snow, ice, and rocks, coming to a stop in a crevasse at 15,850 feet.
While one of his teammates continued down to the NPS ranger camp at 14,200 feet for rescue assistance, Uusitalo's other teammate rappelled into the crevasse with the help of a nearby team. They determined that Uusitalo was likely deceased.An NPS response team arrived on scene approximately one hour later, and Ranger Tucker Chenoweth was lowered 60 feet into the crevasse by his team of 3 volunteer rangers. After confirming that Uusitalo was deceased, the NPS patrol members hauled both Chenoweth and the victim out to the glacier surface. Soon after, Uusitalo's body was evacuated via a long line operation by the park's A-Star B3 helicopter to the Kahiltna Basecamp, then on to Talkeetna.
This accident is the second fatal fall on Mt. McKinley this climbing season. Since 1972, 16 fatalities have occurred during descents of the Orient Express. - Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 97
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Grandpa not to town coach keyc Grandpa not to town coach keychain for sale
- From: momobear
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Description:
"The old earthquake earthquake:" well, little old Lu Ding, and heroes in Sth "Ji Zhaoxun laughs:" fame of central China's martial arts ' shadowless sword ', why are people like this! "Tones in a sink, went on:" you might think and I do not hate, but then as you are sinister and vicious mean, kill two young JI, the nurse one ' s hatred of my parents! Sth "Lu Ding sound:" so, you sth Son of Ji Yao ping? "Ji Zhaoxun cold laughing:" well, then since you have heard the rumors of my father and my mother, you shouldn't make your son and discipline to their name, you ask while knowing the answer, is deliberately point two Yang JI, seriously, you are the most heinous crimes, coach sunglasses on sale
first the kill people! "Lu Ding sigh:" Rusty died without foot love, sth My granddaughter of innocence, I beg you to let her, and her young, first the parents are killed; and rusty sth "little red still hold Ji Zhaoxun's right leg, heard a loud cry:" no, want to kill kill me now, don't break my grandfather, I beg you, don't break my grandpa! "Ji Zhaoxun a sigh, holding his right leg red and slowly collect bayonets,:" get up, I Ji Zhaoxun not hit a man, sth "Sean Oh, climb up:" coach keychain for sale
Uncle JI, thank you! "Ji Zhaoxun light sh a long-winded, Babu. But he's not going to cave, but stopped, said: "little red, your Grandpa or cured, those herbs, but could not save him! "Little red cried:" but we have no way to Grandpa not to town to see a doctor, we have sth No money! "Ji Zhaoxun full of hatred, suddenly filled with compassion, contemporary exploration of human arms, took pills for a wax seal:" this medicine is not a luxury, but it is an authoritarian internal drug, take down, how many would be helpful! "Little red cried the grateful:" Uncle JI, I know you are a good man sth "reach out and took the pills immediately served with Lu Ding to take down. Lu Ding does not deny, nor say what gratitude, by Alice's finger, swallowing it. Soon, only heard a coach keychain cheap
cuckoo sound in his abdomen, the amount of sweat ooze a, Lu Ding grateful staring Ji Zhaoxun, NA-NA: "the documentary little man, rusty to be disgraced in the year! Sth "Ji Zhaoxun shook his head:" what thing is useless in the past, sth Who your enemy is, how will fall into the eyes of awkward? "Lu Ding the manner of sighing a sigh:" the rusty knot this hatred was 50 years ago, the other named Lou alwu! "" Lou alwu? Sth "Ji Zhaoxun nearly jumped up and surprise the next:" you know he is God JI magic statue? "Lu Ding sighs:" Lou alwuevoured. Bai Jianling Delic, turn around and go forward. Not far in front, there is a large waterfall, hanging in mid-air. Bai Jianling Shu said, leap out of the waterfall, so on the edge of death, Da-Qi. The death, so get over it. - Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 127
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