The storm that enveloped Aspen at the later stages of Winter X left behind four feet of a vanilla cake-like substance through yesterday. But today dawned bluebird. So it's back to work.
But given the gravity of events of the last week, moving forward first means looking back. (Full X Games sledblog-a-neering effort here.) But first there's the "Sleds vs. Bikes" freestyle demo tomorrow, Saturday night, at the Grand Junction (Colo.) Fairgrounds. So it is back to work for WX Freestyle silver medalist Justin Hoyer and Sam Rogers in a full-on ramps to woodchips extravaganza. Details to follow... hopefully.
Team Ferguson
Dane Ferguson is back home in AK, here with wife Katie and daughter Kenzie with her new teething toy. "For me the vacation is over and it's back to life. I'm doing a ceremonial puck drop at the local pro hockey game tonight..."—D.F.
We've also confirmed that, yes, Daniel Bodin set a new world record for backflip distance in his semifinal run of the WX Freestyle: The tale of the tape ran out 109 feet. And Alaskan Dane Ferguson has made it back home, saying, "Being home is way more exhausting for me than X. For me the vacation is over."
Citations:
• Right arm to Levi LaVallee for an inspiring performance. It's one thing for a guy to pioneer a trick previously thought impossible, ie., the double backflip. But it's something else for that same guy—Launchin' Levi from Longville, Minnesota—to say things like "Holy Moly! Geez Louise! Holy Cow! and Doggone!" It's true Levi is one of the genuine nicest guys you'll ever meet. Now, doggone it, he'll go down in the WX Pantheon as one of the gnarliest too.
• Joe Parsons came to WX on a mission. And from the very start—the super early-bird practice session special—Parsons attacked the freestyle ramps with an unmatched intensity. Who just flipped the BAR jump seven times in a row back-to-back-to-back, you ask? Oh, that's Joe Parsons, and he's on a mission. Indeed. Parsons pulled down two gold medals—upgrading his bronze and silver from last year—and effectively changed his status from 'latest-Heath Frisby-development-team-rider' to the sport's heir apparent. And here's the thing about Parsons: Don't expect this year's success to weaken his resolve.
• Tucker Hibbert. You're seeing a guy at the peak of his powers. What more can you say? Secretariat's got nothing on T-Train Tucker Hibbert. Think about tuning in web-style for the Brainerd National, Feb. 6-8—Hibbert has said they will be the last major races on his calendar this season, and he's undefeated.
• Job well done to the course crews and event officials, from Steve Miller at SCS to Joe Duncan of 357 Inc. and everyone else. It's worth stating the obvious here: The WX snowmobile venue is a potentially dangerous place. But this year's events went off safely and smoothly. Notably, racer Ross Martin sustained a hip injury, but overall safety speaks for itself. And that's a testament to the course crews and riders, and the open channels of communication between the two.
• We would've been nowhere at WX without the enthusiastic support of athletes—most of whom found a way into our WX coverage somewhere—plus crews and a whole lot of other people out there. So thanks to everyone. We do owe a special thanks to certain people behind the scenes: So thanks to the folks at Electric Mountain Lodge, on Colorado's Grand Mesa, for putting up the veritable gang of freestyle sledders (and hangers-on) who took over the place (myself included) in the dog days leading up to WX. Your hospitality and kindness are exceeded only by your patience. Along Electric Mountain Lodge lines, thanks also to Tod Welch and Chris Hays and the rest of the crew at Colorado Sledstyle for making Electric Mountain Lodge possible for a crew of riders who wouldn't have had any good place to practice otherwise. The sledstyle world needs all the help it can get, and stewards like CO Sledstyle make a good start. And thanks to those Alaskans and Canadian for peaceably sharing tight quarters with me at Bunkhouse 3, Electric Mountain Lodge. A few of the EML outtakes that didn't make it in before WX:
T. Mutrie
Electric Mountain Lodge on Colorado's Grand Mesa is a snowmobiler's haven—food, drink and shelter, and miles from the closest trailhead. Some 200 sledders showed up one day when word got out about the pre-WX ramp sessions.
T. Mutrie
Electric Mountain Lodge, Outtake 3: Sebastian Landry scoffs at the dime-a-dozen type view.
Fuel Infected Films
Electric Mountain Lodge, Outtake 1: Jeff Mullin sessions a jump along the powerline behind the lodge. Steamboat's Vito Taverna sent 'er 164 feet for top honors on the weekend (yes, the Landry Bros. travel with XXXL measuring tapes).
Fuel Infected Films
Electric Mountain Lodge, Outtake 2: Colorado's Grand Mesa isn't generally known for agro terrain. Leave it to the likes of Vito Taverna and the combined Colorado Sledstyle-Fuel Infected Films-Turnagain Hardcore crews, then, to seek out anomalies.
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Contributors
Tim Mutrie
As a retired ski patroller and Aspen Times staffer, Tim Mutrie has been deciphering two-stroke transmissions since '07. He also covers big mountain skiing in the ESPN Freeskiing Blog.
Vince Castellanos
Vince has been covering action sports for ESPN since 1998 (that makes him, like, old and stuff). He is not the funniest man in the industry, but he has interviewed Mike Mason. Look for Vince's FMX coverage to be ramping up.
