Well guys I just got back from one of the funnest places I have ever been to---Winter X Games 15, in Aspen, CO. This weekend started out with my friend Scarlott and me leaving Grand Junction on Friday after class and heading for Glenwood and our hotel room. Took us about an 1 ½ to get to Glenwood and check into our hotel, then we headed for Buttermilk Hill and the X Games!!! I got a chance to meet up with some of my friends from back in Wisconsin, who came out for the Games as well. Since we got there a little late we only caught Snowmobile Speed & Style, and Snowboarding Big Air- on Friday night before heading back to Glenwood and our hotel.
Saturday was an early morning so we could get back to Snowmass for a full day of events. We watched Women’s Pipe Elimination, Women & Men’s Snowboarder X Finals, Skiing Slopestyle, Snowboarding Street Final, along with lots of Snocross practice—which made me miss Snocross terribly. But while I was watching practice I met some crazy “Yoopers” from Ironriver, MI. They were there supporting Kyle Pallin, a young 18 year old pro-snocross racer, who qualified into X Games not only his first year racing pro, but also at his first race in the pro-class! They had a really great story and gave us someone to watch and cheer for.
Next, we were off to watch Snowboarding Street—and what an adventure that proved to be! First: we got front row (which is super hard to do at X Games). Secondly: I got given a “Golden Ticket” by one of the Staff members. The deal with this “Golden Ticket” is they hand out one for each competitor, and if the person who is named on your “ticket” metals (by getting: gold, silver, or bronze) you win really awesome prizes. Thirdly: The person named on my “Golden Ticket” was Jeremy Jones!! The man who earned the 2011 Athlete of the Year for pushing the edge in his video Deeper; in the film Jones explored Alaskan Mountain Ranges that can only be accessed on foot, proving to be some of the most awesome lines in snowboarding ever caught on camera…And I was holding the ticket with his name on it! J Thought Jeremy ended up taking only 4th and not medaling he was still the only one trying the sickest tricks with the mind set of “Go big or go home”. Fourthly: I got interviewed by ESPN!! The commentators were standing directly in front of us, to the point that while they were setting up we were joking with them to move down because I finally got front row and now they were blocking the view. Haha But the guys caught me totally off guard by turning around and putting a camera in my face and asking me about my cheering on Jeremy Jones and how excited I was to have his “golden ticket”. Crazy stuff. Fifthly: Jeremy Jones himself came up to me after the competition and chatted it up and took pictures with us. He joked about it sucking I got his name on my “ticket” rather then some young punk like Suave (the guy who won Gold). After saying cheese for a few pictures with Jones, we hung around to see who else we could spot and ended up meeting Joe Sexton. He was another X Games rookie, but one that was definitely a crowd pleaser. After every run he would go up to people in the crowd and hug them and just overall pump-up the crowd; to the point that the crowd started chanting “SEXTON”. Kid was so funny and said he was as happy and surprised to be at Winter X as all of us were. He didn’t even care that he didn’t podium, just competing was a dream come true for him. But I’m pretty sure we’ll see him in years to come on top that podium.
After all the Snowboard Street excitement we headed back to Glenwood to call it a night. But not before we grabbed a slice at one of supposed “Greatest Pizzerias In Colorado”…and after eating there I would not argue with whoever decided that.
Sunday morning was a crazy one, first we had to check out of our hotel and re-load up the car and get back to Snowmass for the last day of Winter X. We had a full day of events that we watched, starting with SnoCross—round one, LCQ, & Final. Followed by the SnoCross Adaptive Final, which was men racing who had an injury or disability. Most has prosthetic limbs; one racer was even paralyzed from the waist down! It was neat to see how the sleds were modified to let these slednecks continue doing what they so loved to do—race snoCross. Mike Schultz ended up taking the gold. Which was awesome, because I remember when he got injured years ago racing pro-snoCross and had to have his leg amputated. He has made the most progress to advance the sport of Adaptive SnoCross, he has created special prosthetics that allow people to continue doing the xtreme sports they love. A truly inspiring story in my book!
Next we were off to the car for a quick lunch. Then back up to the ground to get a good spot along the pipe to watch Men’s Superpipe Finals. Our spot along the superpipe proved to be a great place to also watch Snomobile Best Trick, as well. And what a night it was for snowmobile Best Trick! We got to watch a TWO MAN BACKFLIP on a sled!!! Pretty much the craziest thing I saw all weekend. Unfortunately, the Moore Brothers got DQ-ed for their amazing backflip, because there was nothing in the rule book about it. But they still earned Gold in my book!
Then it was finally time for Men’s Superpipe, an event I had anxiously been awaiting all weekend. And we had front row seats, right along the halfpipe! It was crazy to watch the first rider take a practice run, it felt like they were going to fly right into us. Lol Of course my man Shaun White won the event!!! J But I think the true hero of snowboarding that weekend was Scotty Lago, a man who just the week before had had his jaw wired together, due to a broken jaw that he got from a snowboard crash. He was still riding with his jaw rubber banded together, but the announcers were explaining how if he fell on it again his jaw would shatter and probably not be able to be fixed. Yet, Lago competed in all events and podium in most of them; taking 2nd in halfpipe right behind Shaun White.
After the halfpipe excitement; it was officially the end of Winter X 15, and time to head back to Grand Junction and home. But no worries Aspen, I’m planning on seeing again next year for X Games 16!! J
Until next time…
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| First night at X GAMES!!!! |
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| Snowmobile Speed & Style |
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| Day #2- at Winter X! |
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| SnoCross practice |
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| I MADE IT TO THE WINTER X GAMES!!!!!! |
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| My "Golden Ticket" |
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The ESPN guys standing right infront of us...
(the guy in the plaid is the one who interviewed me) |
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| Nic Sauve-he won Gold |
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| Jeremy Jones!! Getting his ride back up the hill behind a sled |
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| Joe Sexton!!!! I loved this kid's personality!!! |
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| Jeremy Jones!!! |
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| SnoCross Adaptive Medalists |
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| Front row at Men's Superpipe! |
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| Men's superpipe!! |
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| Scotty Lago!! |
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| Shaun White waiting on his score..#1 baby! |
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| One last look up the pipe... |
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| Shaun White! |
* Go skydiving
* Get a job with a professional sports team
