24 Hours in JH for the Bluebird Film Premiere

Over the weekend I headed up to Jackson Hole on an impromptu trip to the Bluebird Movie Premiere. It was 24 hours in Jackson Hole and 8 hours of driving to get there…but totally worth it.

So the trip started because Willie McMillion started a post on Snowboard Mag about Nic Drago needed a ride or way to get to the bluebird premiere. I had considered going to the premiere so it wasn’t a hard choice to throw out the “lets carpool up from Breck” option. My only concern was a place to stay in Jackson, but Nic Drago said there was room so it was good to go. We left Breck early Saturday morning for the long 8 hour drive through Colorado and Wyoming up to Jackson Hole.

This trip for me was about putting faces to names. It was cool because everyone I’ve met I had heard of them or read about them in magazines but never have met them. So just the opportunity of meeting them was great. Also it’s supporting a company that I use, I’ve used bluebird wax and especially the soy wax for the last couple years on my boards.

We made it to Jackson Hole in the afternoon and started to track people down. We ended up at Willie McMillion’s house where some people were hanging out. It was great to meet the man, the myth and the legend Willie McMillion as well as Kurt Wastell and his wife Jessica, Curt Morgan and his wife Tiffany.

The Bluebird Movie had two showtimes on Saturday, the early show for the younger crowd and the late show for the party. Nic and I headed over to the early show to check it out and pick up the house keys for the place we were staying. I got to meet Mark Carter who I’ve admired his riding and a variety of other people. There were lots of Bluebird goodies and the guys made sure I was good to go with Bluebird stuff to bring home for myself and friends.

We didn’t watch the early movie but dropped off our stuff at Jesse’s house for the night and went to dinner with Kurt and Jessica. It was great to just sit around talking about snowboards, the industry, movies and writing.

After dinner we headed to the 9pm show which was packed. Willie had hooked up a ticket for me so picked that up and started to make the rounds. There were a couple Bluebird Team riders at the premiere, Kurt Wastell, Bryan Iguchi, Mark Carter, Mike Parillo…that I can recall. It was cool to talk with Brody who worked on Travis Rice’s upcoming film as well as meet Curt who is the man behind the Rice film.

Willie opened it up with someone giving him the mic. Willie introduced the film and the people behind Bluebird that made it possible. His style of commentating is really classic, shoot the shit style with your buds. This winter when Willie commentated on the Natural Selection, his commentary is really the last thing that official’s want but it’s raw, funny and the humor that you throw down with your friends. At the end threw out a bunch of goodies that the crowd went wild over.

If you are expecting a expensive snowboard film, HD quality, or really the new Travis Rice movie…this is not that kind of snowboard film. This film gives you a raw look on the amazing riders with Bluebird and the feeling that you are seeing them up-close and personal, not edited out. The film gives you a look at the fun times behind these pro riders, whether it’s jumping into the river or dropping some amazing drops of Jackson Hole, even the practical jokes they play on each other. In the end this movie is what snowboarding is about…it’s not multi-million dollar opportunities, it’s riding with your friends on an amazing day and documenting it. Willie’s documentation just happens to be of his friends (which just so happens to be some of the best pro riders), at Jackson Hole capturing them on video.

After the premiere, we got kicked out so the event location could close the doors so we just hung out out back.

Showing off the movie ticket

Hanging out outside the venue

Nic trying to shake off his jammed hand

We took off to 43N the local bar where we just hung out drinking and listening to some hippie band (not my style of music). It was a fun night of shooting the shit, hanging out and watching the Jackson Hole scene go down. I ended up meeting a guy from Steamboat who was touring the country on a school bus.

The night ended with a safe taxi ride back to Jesse’s place (Jesse does the Jackson Hole Snowboarder Magazine) and a fun late night session of watching the bonus clips on the Bluebird Movie. I’ve only heard about and read about what was said by Willie at the Natural Selection, but the bonus clips show everything…and it’s good, very good! I was dying laughing at everything, from the clips of the crown royal poured into their sobe amped cans to the amazing jokes to the complaints on his commentary. The uncut stuff is totally worth it to see. We hung out till almost 4 in the morning and it was such a fun time with everyone! 

Sunday was a mellow day, enjoyed a yummy breakfast with everyone at the Virg before parting ways. Managed to pick up my truck at Willie’s place and hit the road by 2pm to head back to Colorado.

I made it home safe last night with a good collection of Bluebird goodies and red bull.

A huge thanks to Willie for taking care of me, Jesse for the futon to crash on, Nic Drago for really hooking up this whole trip, and introducing me to some of the raddest people in the industry and everyone else for being so awesome on this trip. It was really fun to hang out with people that I’ve watched in snowboard films for the last 10 years and read about, admired and now got to chance to meet and spend time with. Definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m glad I got the chance to spent my first time in Jackson with this amazing crew of people.