SIA 2011 Highlights

If there’s one vacation I have to take each year, it’s to the SIA Tradeshow.  It has all the components of a vacation: flight, hotel, dinners, drinks but it’s a lot of hard work jammed packed into 4 days of fun inside and 2 days of fun outside.  The best part about SIA is the people who are part of this industry, the products are just an added bonus to the whole adventure.  I really appreciate everyone who supports shayboarder.com and being part of this industry.  It’s a dream and I hope never to wake up.

Over the next couple months, you’ll see 4 days of SIA in product writeups that dive into each company and the products they have created for 2012.  I couldn’t meet with everyone but I definitely listened to your requests and met with the brands you wanted the most.  I also got to check out new brands (for this blog but not new new) like Airblaster, 32, Helly Hansen, North Face, Arnette and many others).  I’ll try to review more products as winter progresses and give you a look at what to expect for next winter.  But I also want to highlight that the 2011 winter is still strong and gear is still out there…enjoy it!

Shayboarder’s about the snowboarding but sometimes the partying is fun too.

Jess and myself at the Nike Party

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• Seeing Capita team riders hit it big at the Riders Poll was a proud moment.  I was so happy for Blue and the team especially Jess Kimura.  I see her riding and her balls to the wall attitude and fall in love with it.  She’s amazing in person for her honesty and charging personality but she also proves that women’s snowboarding is pushing limits and that you don’t have to follow the mold to be the next leader.  Make your own path and work hard for it.
• Meeting the TGR Founders, Steve and Todd.  Everyone knows TGR so being able to meet them and talk with them about how they started something was amazing.
• Getting the balls to ask Jeremy Jones to sign the poster.  It took probably 40 minutes of me waiting and waiting but I was ready and figured even though I’d met him, I just wanted something to take home that I knew would be a prized possession and it was.  Seeing the lines Jeremy’s taken in his riding and the tremendous effort he went for Deeper, I just really admire him on all levels.  I’m so framing it.
• Dinner at Neils place.  I don’t know the name of the restaurant and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell.  But Neil who used to live in Mammoth took care of the New Era and Bnqt crew and myself at dinner.  We went out right before the Riders Poll and ended up finding ourselves in good company with amazing food that meant being super late for the Riders Poll.  I had my first $250 bottle of wine and damn was it was good.  I really appreciate Justin Cobb for always looking out for me and making my SIA adventures so much more fun.
• I will never forget a certain car ride with certain people from a certain party to another party.  The camera never came out for good reason.
• Good times with the Technine/Nomis crew.  From drinking at on-snow to walks back to the hotel with Trent to partying it up at SIA, I have a blast with them and they are so much fun to be around.
• The on-snow is always so much fun.  I was happy to make it out of SIA not sleep deprived and 100% feeling great which meant a great on-snow demo.  Thanks to Gags for putting me up.
• Getting to ride with friends like Stephanie Nitsch, Gorio Bustamante, Trent Bush, Mike West and make laps with the Snowboarder Magazine crew like Chris Englesman and Laura Austin.  Being to ride with Lora Bodmer and Kyre Malkemes on a charge-the-mountain girls session was a blast.  The whole demos were a lot of fun and I toughened up for the cold temperatures (while quietly whining inside).
• Tj Schneider and I got married.  I think that’s about it.  Verbal contract of course.