Date: December 31st, 2007

Time: 6:36pm EST

Location: living room, Leven residence, Chesterland, Ohio

Heat source: fireplace

Mom: taking down Christmas decorations

Dad: youtube'ing it, I think

Sister: Times Square, NYC

Dogs: just put them on the porch

After

a New Years eve dinner with my parents, I am sitting and waiting for my

friends to get home from NY, where they went skiing for the day. I had

to miss out due to a morning doctor appointment that left me with no

new information. I have stress fractured Tibias and Fibulas but there

is something else wrong that they cannot figure out. And it hurts.

Doctors seem absolutely puzzled by this, don't understand it and have me

leave their offices with no news. Oh well, as long as I can keep skiing

Im okay. It's a good thing that Full Tilt makes the most comfortable

boots EVER.

Back in Utah, notice only a small hand coming out of the pow on the left hand picture

Christmas Break started off back at school in SLC.

Abundant handrails were sessioned after spending time at Alta and in

the ever-changing PC parks. Some of my favorite sessions were with

the likes of Tex, the Green Goblin, KZA, TJJ, Chris and Kristie.

Locations are obvious; and if not obvious, they are obviously secret.

I

was then on a flight back to Ohio to spend the holiday season with my

family. I hadnt seen my sister for a long time due to her South

American travels, so it was good to see her, my dogs and my parents.

There was a bit of snow when I got back home, too. It too was good to

see.

After being home for 24 hours I was officially bored out of my

mind. So, obviously it was time for urban. I called up a couple of

like-minded individuals by the names of Nate and Vince and was off to a

non-photographed double kink. Footage is around, though. After Nate and

I sessioned hard with no drop-in and only a nice Vince to hand-whip, a

security guard finally came out. Being as nice as he was, he allowed me

the traditional 2-more-minus-the-last and we GTS (1st person who figures out what GTS means wins an imaginary prize). We talked for a long

time and he openly disclosed that the factories we were near, which

were in full force at these wee hours of the morning, performed drug

testing on animals. I openly disclosed to him, then, that I had just

seen a nine-legged dog running by, in pursuit of a barking cat. My

friends and I then proceeded to clean our area up so it looked like we

never even sessioned. Remember, kids: if you find yourselves on others'

property, always leave the area cleaner than you found it!

Then we had even more late-night fun, Ohio-style.

My

friend Cory and I made a day trip down to Boston Mills, OH. We made lots of friends and had a great time shredding around. I

never knew how much fun cat track drop-offs could be. Nor did I realize

what a kick these Midwest-ians would get out of my Elizabeths or even

out of the Anthems that Cory was on. These skis, being a bit wider than most in

Ohio, really shined on my vacation at home. I found an entire new

aspect of these skis that I didn't know they had. They were SO MUCH FUN

in the Midwest, on its ice and manmade.

Boston Mills has some great people, along with the Olympic-jacket-fanny-pack-wearer.

Back

here in the Midwest, we have learned to make every day fun, often out

of barely anything. I know many of you are well aware of this.

Cory and I decided to secretly jump in a school group lesson that was going on. Notice the two left-most instructees.

A

couple of days later my friend Vince and I trekked it to 7 Springs, PA

in my dads mid-nineties 2-door Saab with 193k miles on it.

7 Springs was having a little rail jam, and respect goes out to Aaron, Tyler, and the

rest of the park crew there who really kept things moving nicely. I

commentated finals and the tiebreaker, which was surprisingly fun. Line

was sponsoring the rail jam and it was great to see the turnout and

attention that the skis got (again, especially the Lizzies). For the

rest of that day, my new friends and I ripped the 7 Springs

rope-tow-accessed park. It was so much fun, and although it would have

been great to have a camera there, it just did not fit with the mood of

the park and the day. Everyone just shreds lap after lap and never

leaves the park or the atmosphere thanks to the quick towrope. It was

an awesome and long day. Vince and I spent the night there with a bunch

of people in a condo and had a great time. Christmas was fun, and with

the help of my family (and Mr. Clause) it supplied my backcountry ski

gear. Be prepared for backcountry updates (thanks to Santa) with POV

helmet cam shots (thanks to LINE).

Right: Thanks Santa! Left: Back of the Saab

After Christmas, my family

and I did what every family does the day after Christmas: went

kayaking. They are super into it, and the river was, surprisingly,

empty. The temperature was about negative a million, and it was so fun.

 On the 27th DJ and I road-tripped to Peak n Peek, NY for their college

ID night. We rode with some high school friends there and the

conditions were great. After asking everyone we saw and calling

everyone we knew in PA and NY, we finally found a place to crash, only

a short backtrack away in Erie, PA. Once there, we sessioned an Indo

Board hard, ALL night. as my new DSLR shares:

We woke up and

rolled up to Holiday Valley, NY for another day of skiing. After

missing registration, practice and the beginning of a Smith Limo jam, I

managed my way in and jumped in ½ way through the contest. Riding and

training with Line MC Andy Parry,

it was a great day. We met tons of people and had a lot of fun.

Left: Andy walk on one side of the fence, I prefer the other right: Me on the Smith Limo

Apparently the judges didn't love our tricks, but it was still super

fun. Andy is doing the gnarliest grinds that are brand new and way

creative. If you haven't seen them yet, let alone heard the names of

them, be prepared to be blown away! We rode there for the rest of the

day and night and when it started raining we peaced. A Quiznos dinner

later, made by a girl with very pretty eyes who gave us a small

discount and another small get-together at our lovely hostesses

apartment, DJ and I were back home in Ohio before the sun rose, having

had a great road trip. Once in college and moved across the country,

being with true, old friends is the best thing ever.

After she did that, we had to try our best. But man, did we suck.... but at least DJ and I each GTS

I could Indo Board for the rest of my life. The instructional video alone is worth every penny.

Yesterday

I journeyed back to Boston Mills, the "bigger" of the closer hills here

in Ohio. With 200 vertical feet, they had a rail jam and it was really

fun. Fourteen-year-old Line MC Brad Bulzan placed 2nd with his huge bag of tricks and I managed to just scrape by him, walking away with a generous envelope.

Props

go out to the Boston Mills/Brandywine park crew, including Jeff C. and

the new management that is getting the parks up early this year. I had

a great remainder of the day, shredding with old and new friends alike.

Until next time, always remember, Midwest is best. See below:

And you get to do this if you're around in the summer! Til next time Newschoolers   -Brody