It was a great season for myself and shayboarder.com, really great actually. I managed to snowboard a lot this season even while I work a typical 40 hour week job, I spent a lot of time with this blog writing posts, coming up with fun interviews and doing research when I can. I’ve learned a lot this year as a blogger, snowboarder and female in snowboarding. I’ve started to get past fears and hit the terrain park more often and had a strong year with my knees. I am happy with who I am, what I do and this blog. I had fun snowboarding and will hit another 100 day season.
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Favorite photo of me this year by Kendra
Here’s a look back at this season.
My stats:
- First day of the season was at A-Basin and Loveland on October 15, 2008. They both opened on the same day so I spent the morning at A-Basin then the afternoon at Loveland just down the road.
- My last day of Colorado shredding was A-Basin on May 19, 2009 (technically I’ll be hiking this summer to get a last day of CO shredding).
- That is 7 months of snowboard season, my total days to date is 95 days on snow. I’ll hit 100 days when I ride Hood in August.
- I work Monday through Friday in an office. I work 40 hour work weeks just like the average human being.
Places I rode this year:
- Colorado: Steamboat, A-Basin, Copper, Loveland, Winter Park, Keystone, Breckenridge.
- Utah: Canyons, Park City
- Washington: Summit at Snoqualmie, Stevens Pass
- Canada: Whistler, Blackcomb.
Most Memorable Days:
- November 22, 2008 (Breckenridge): Tj Schneider was in Colorado so we talked about meeting up to ride for the day. It was lap after lap just hanging out with Tj who is just fun to be around and see his exceptional talent in jumping anything.
- March (Utah): I wanted to make a Utah trip this year and timing worked out that it would happen. I went with Zac from Hybrid Sessions for a long weekend of fun in Utah. This post and video though long really show what it was about.
- March 26, 2009 (Steamboat): I have a great crew of women riders in Steamboat (Amy, Stacia, Sara). This day was Amy, myself and Sara for the first couple laps and it was well worth it, powder and girls charging together getting fresh tracks down Storm Peak.
- April 1, 2009 (Steamboat): I was bummed to not participate in Gaper Day but it happened to be a powder day in Steamboat. I was able to get on the gondola before it opened and enjoy some of the powder. It was the perfect Gaper Day, give locals a day to themselves with powder and no Gapers…that is all you need.
- April 18, 2009 (Copper): A good crew of random friends, one-pieces and snowblades and just having fun from pow to park was April 18th…seriously a great day.
Best Events:
- Holy Oly: Being able to go back to the Northwest and attend the Holy Oly was the best un-event of the year. The vibe, the people, the fun and it was sunny in Washington made it a great event. I was able to spend time with my WA friends and I really missed being in WA after that event.
- Grenade Games/Telus Festival: I’d say I half participated in the Grenade Games. I loved the events, jam style format and less about being Shaun White/more about having fun. I didn’t attend the off-snow activities but by choice. It was a good trip but I enjoyed being with friends more than being part of the scene.
- Copper Oakley Photoshoot: It wasn’t really an event other than a pit stop for the Oakley Revolution Tour that included a nighttime photo shoot. It was just cool to watch the athletes within feet of them throwing down with no one around to watch.
- SIA: This was my first year attending SIA on behalf of shayboarder.com, no having to please others and just being there for this site was the best part. I got to meet some amazing people and I wrote up about the whole experience here. I can’t wait for Denver because I know the on-snow events will be amazing!
- Good Wood Test: I’ve read the results every year in the magazine and I hear about them now before the magazine but being able to see the test in person was a huge eye opening experience. I thought the test was biased for years especially after no blank topsheets so for me to attend the test…it really did make me see how much they try to make it unbiased, fair and that the testers just ride the boards…they don’t get bribed or any kind of secret mafia thing going on. I see both sides now.
- 686 at Copper: It was totally random to come across the 686 team at Copper Mountain but when two snaggletooth jackets spot each other…you can’t help but feel the love. Plus just getting to meet people I’ve read about is rad. Kristin takes care of 686 and the team, she’s great to be around.
Snowboard Gear:
- I spent a lot more time this season demo’ing gear so my own personal boards are in great shape. I have a write up coming up on the status of my bindings, snaggletooth jacket and boots to show how they are doing after one season in the snow.
Injuries:
- No serious injuries this year.
- I took one toboggan ride down the mountain in December which resulted in the awareness of a cyst that I just had removed in surgery. Other than abdominal pain throughout the season, I managed to not rupture the cyst and made it through.
Demo’s this season:
- For 2009-2010 models so far I have ridden 47 snowboards and 10 bindings (from this list many reviews still have to be published).
- For 2008-2009 models I rode 51 snowboards and 21 bindings.
Accomplishments:
- My knees were healthy all winter long and I never wore the knee brace during the season.
- Direct quote from Todd Richards who said “I rule”
- I did a fun contest with Sierrasnowboard.com to give one of my readers a snowboard this year! I got some great replies and gave away a Capita Indoor Survival.
- Meeting some awesome people who read the blog and support it!
Blog
- I started this blog in August 2007. Over 710,065 total views since then. Since last year’s end of season check up, that’s almost 600,000 more.
- For 2009 so far, the busiest month for traffic was March where I received 94,235 page loads, 54,335 unique visitors and 11,901 for returning visitors.
- March was also my busiest month in terms of posts per day averaging about 2.5 posts daily and 80 posts for the month.
- I have a 178 people who follow my email newsletter, 195 fans on the shayboarder facebook page (which I started on April 30th, 2009) and 225 subscibers on RSS.
- I’ve stayed in contact with twitter/shayboarder.com which everyone should sign up for, so far 392 followers on twitter.
- I’ve created shayboarder.com die-cuts and have mailed them around the world to more than 100 people.
- Every single day that I went snowboarding I wrote about it and took photos.
- Being recognized as shayboarder is rad!
Favorite Posts:
- Factory Tours: Visiting snowboard factories this year was amazing to see. I will continue to visit ones that I can and be able to show people what goes on within some great companies. Mervin Manufacturing tour was thanks to Norm Nelson and Hunts for putting that through. Never Summer Tour was thanks to the whole crew at Never Summer specially Tony and Tracey and Prior Factory Tour was thanks to Theresa. Boa Technologies wasn’t a snowboard factory but was a cool office visit to their headquarters and see how they test BOA.
- Dear Robotfood: I really wanted to just write an open letter on the blog to them, mostly as a way to thank them for videos I still love to watch and also see if a question could be answered. In the end I got a response which is great to hear that Robotfood might be coming back.
- Best of List: At the end of each season, I go back and check in to see my thoughts on the entire list of boards/bindings ridden and what I thought were the best of out of all of them.
- Networking: Someone asked how I know people in the industry and I replied with a post on my own experiences and networking in the industry. I’ve been lucky to meet some great people and just making sure I establish a good relationship with them.
- Industry Profiles: Last summer was a success and this summer I have even more people lined up throughout the industry. I am really happy with it and acquiring over 30 interviews with busy people is tough, months of planning but it comes out great for the readers.
- Replacing a BOA lace: I saw a need for this video and set out to get it.
- Eco and Reverse: Quite the discussion and input on this post about eco friendly boards and reverse camber technology.
- Don’t blame the graphics: My own personal thoughts on the Burton debate earlier this year. Boards don’t tell men to hit women.
- 100 Day Perspective: My own favorite was the Rome Madisons but all of them have been great to do, I’m waiting on more of my gear to hit 100 days so I can write up about it.
It’s been a great season and I’m bummed it’s come to an end already. I’ve had great days with friends on the mountain who always look great on camera and had a great season on various mountains just having fun snowboarding.
k
May 24, 2009 at 10:04 pmI KNOW! I was there! For a great part of it anyway. It was nice to read and look back at your season.
Anonymous
May 27, 2009 at 7:11 amHello Shay, I have been an avid reader of your blog from the beginning and i just wanted to say thanks for the news and reviews you have supplied for the past few years they have been awesome.
For someone who works 40hrs during the week to still find time to create a great blog and hit the slopes i salute you. I live in England so the chances of getting away to the mountains is a few weeks every year due to work commitments which sucks, but hey if you want the to ride you have to fund it. I hope you keep this going and the response you have had from everyone in the industry has been immense. I have nothing but the up most respect for you.
Peace out Shay.
Rocca.
Shayboarder
May 28, 2009 at 1:00 pmK…that’s why I miss you, you should be here for all the fun things!
Rocca. Thanks so much for the kind words! This year I didn’t ride as much, trying to keep my job during the economy and I learned to balance out the blog and work better so that’s always good. Good to pay my own way and be independent so I can write about whatever I want. Thanks for your support, means a lot to me.
Ps. I love England, such a great place just a bummer the mountains aren’t close by.
Huckleberry Hart
May 30, 2009 at 4:49 pmMy, how time flies. A good showing this year Shay. Keep at it. Kudos for days.
Shay
June 19, 2009 at 7:58 pmThanks Hart! It was a good year and I met you this year!
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