Heckler Mag Snow/SK8/Music Zine

[John Baccigaluppi]

************HECKLER MAGAZINE***********
***********SNOW/SK8/MUSIC*************
PART 1-SNOWBOARDING
Heckler is a free magazine about Snowboarding, Skateboarding &
music. We distribute mainly on the west coast of the USA, but have
scattered distribution in the rest of the US and a little bit overseas.
Following is the complete text of our latest issue.
This is the first time we have posted the mag onto The Internet,
so if we're doing something wrong or if you have some suggestions
on how we might post it differently in the future, please e-mail us
at Heckl...@aol.com and give us some input.
To make reading it more manageable, I have split the magazine up
into 3 parts, 1 for each subject we cover. We are posting the
Snowboarding section of the mag on rec.skiing.snowboard, the
skateboard section on alt.skate-board, and the music section on
alt.zines. We hope you'll read the other sections, and let us know if
you have any problems finding them.
If you'd like a free hard copy of the mag (60 pages, including LOT's
of photos) send us an 8 1/2" by 11" Self Adressed Stamped Envelope
with $1.33 postage on it. Hope you like it.

************TABLE OF CONTENTS*********
1. Editorial
2. Amy Puckett Self Profile
3. Leisure Queens Suck Face With The Mainstream
Essay by Arlie John Carstens
4. Mike Basich's Summer Vacation
5. John Cardiel Interview
6. Marisa Stoler Profile
7. Travis Yamada Profile & Self-Interview
8. Uriah Birch Profile
9. Winter Road Trip
10. Scott Clum Profile
11. Mt Hood Road Trip
12. Mike Day Essay; The Bird

******SK8 TABLE OF CONTENTS*********
(posted on alt.skate-board)
1. ARIC HONDELL INTERVIEW
2. DOMINGO VASQUEZ PROFILE
3. KIT ERICKSON INTERVIEW
4. SAN DIEGO SCENE REPORT
5. WADE SPEYER INTERVIEW
6. VIDEO REVIEWS
7. ZEN & SKATEBOARDING
8. BURNSIDE ROADTRIP
9. GOSSIP STUFF

******MUSIC TABLE OF CONTENTS*********
(posted on alt.zines)
1. EDITORIAL (1 MORE TIME)
2. REVIEWS
3. BECK INTERVIEW
4. BIG DRILL CAR INTERVIEW
5. BRUCE DICKINSON INTERVIEW
6. CYPRESS HILL INTERVIEW
7. EVAN DANDO INTERVIEW???
8. JAWBOX INTERVIEW
9. STEVE ALBINI PIECE
10. PROPAGANDHI INTERVIEW
11. SENSEFIELD PIECE
12. YAH MOS TOUR DIARY


************EDITORIAL*************
ALTERNATIVE OR INDEPENDENT: DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?
The newspaper you are holding in your hand is an independently
published and produced publication. That means that we (Sonny,
Chris and myself) own the paper and that we are not backed or
distributed by any other company. This means that we get by on less.
This means that Sonny sits in his apartment and tries to sell enough
ads to publish the paper. No office, no secretary, no support staff,
not even a xerox machine. Just a desk and a one line phone with call
waiting. Chris shoots most of the photos and does most of the
interviews. He does this on his own time and his own dime. No per
diems, no expense vouchers and no airline tickets. Just Chris and his
(t)rusty Subaru. I do the layout for the paper on an old Mac II
borrowed from my work. I sneak onto the computer when it's not
being used for business and do the layout. Our Patron Saint, Hal
Hammond, of Hal Hammond Graphics ,lets us sneak into his shop
after hours to do scanning and proofing. No Power PC, drum scanners,
or video grab boards for us. Just old computers and borrowed time.
Rodrigo Gomez does our distribution and he does it from his beat up
old pick up truck, driving all over Nor Cal dropping off copies of
Heckler. Where he can't drive, he ships to people all over the US and
Canada who help us out with distribution in their areas. These are
people who help us out cause they like the mag and they are gracious
enough to help us get the word out. I could ramble on for several
more paragraphs and tell you how hard Matt Kennedy & Sean
Schroeder, our two main contributors, work and how little they get
paid (Not to mention all the other people who write and contribute
photos), but I think you get the point.
We are also an alternative magazine in that snowboarding and
skateboarding are considered alternative activities. This means that
not as many people snowboard as people who ski, play golf, baseball,
ride bikes or rollerblade. I suppose that we are even an alternative
to the more mainstream alternative mags like TW
Snow/Skateboarding, Warp, Snowboarder or Thrasher. I think that
this will be the last year that snowboarding can be called an
alternative activity, if it's not too late already. If you haven't
noticed, Snowboarding is going big and it's getting there fast. Every
self respecting CEO of every big corporation selling anything to
anybody ages 10-40 is trying to jump on the snowboarding
bandwagon. This will be the year that snowboarding goes huge, and I
don't mean off a cliff into powder.
Alternative and Indie are buzzwords for 1994 that every consumer
and salesman spit out on a daily basis, but what do they really
mean?
I recently saw an ad for Bud Dry proclaiming their sponsorship of
the Reading music festival in England, an Alternative music festival.
In the ad, Anheuser Busch claims that Bud Dry is The Alternative
Beer by virture of the fact, I suppose, that they can afford to take
out full color 2 page ads sponsoring a big bucks alternative music
festival. This is so ludicrous, that if you can't see it I'm wasting my
breath. Anheuser Busch is the biggest brewery in the world. In the
entire fucking world. They are an alternative to nothing, except
maybe water or milk; in that yes, beer is an alternative choice to
other beverages. If you want an alternative beer, drink a Pale Ale or
any other decent micro brewed beer that is produced independently
and with care. Boycott Anheuser Busch and their shitty tastless
dreck. My point is that the word alternative as it is used by big
corporations has been entirely stripped of its meaning and is nothing
more than an overused marketing clich.
Does this mean that I think all big companies are bad and that you
should never buy anything unless you can trace it's origins to a small
communally owned factory in a small city in remote Montana? No,
sometimes you have to buy things from big corporations and
sometimes they do things better than a small company can. Because
it's easy, and because that's where my background is, lets look at
music:
Much hype has been generated this past year about alternative and
indpendent music. Big record labels are scrambling to sign small
alternative bands for their hipness quotient. Big labels are starting
to start new "small" labels with a more alternative appearance.
Little record labels struggle to survive but do so any way by
promoting and supporting bands that they deeply care about. I
suppose that that's the difference between a big record label and a
small record label. Big labels care only about making a profit and
little labels care only about getting their bands heard. This is of
course a gross oversimplification and arguments can go on in both
directions for days. For an excellent argument against major labels
check out the latest issue of Maximum Rock And Roll titled Some Of
Your Friends May Already Be This Fucked. On the other hand, major
labels do do an excellent job of getting records into out of the way
stores and helping bands tour to out of the way towns. The fact is,
although it may have helped to eventually kill him, Kurt Cobain's
music was heard by a lot of people who might not have otherwise
heard it thanks to Geffen Records. This is probably a good thing. Big
record labels do help to expose a lot of music to a lot of people. I
think that this has a lot to do however with the true independent
labels keeping the majors on their collective toes. Most big bands,
like Green Day for instance, got their start on an independent label.
The bottom line for any big company is profit, and there is more
profit in selling lots of one product (and that's what bands are called
in music biz speak: Product) than an equal number of five products.
This works great for dishwashing soap, but would not work so well
for music. So how does this all relate to you and Heckler Magazine?
Simple. We are a magazine about snowboarding, skateboarding and
music and since you are reading this, you are probably a consumer
and practioner of at least one of these activitites. It's about taking a
role in how your activity evolves rather than letting big faceless
corporations shape it's future.
Snowboarding despite it's bigness in terms of both people involved
and dollars spent is still largely an independently owned business.
Even the biggest companies in snowboarding are still owned by
people who snowboard every day, people like Jake Burton, Rob
Morrow, Tom Sims and Bert Lamar. This is good, let's hope it stays
that way. I for one would much rather ride a board designed by say,
Neil Rankin of Solid rather than a board designed by someone
working for the Yamaha corporation.
Skateboarding is and will probably always be a primarily
independently owned business even if the skater look is bought and
sold on a regular basis. The reason for this is that there's not much
money to be made in skating (compared to snowboarding or
rollerblading) so no big corporations are trying to muscle in. Besides
that, skating's a lot harder to learn than snowboarding and it hurts
more when you fall. This will keep people from skating in huge
droves. And lastly, it's hard to be a poser on a skate board 'cause
eventually you have to get on and ride.
Music is almost beyond salvation. Bands with dubious talent and
almost no ideas in their heads musically or otherwise consistently
make hit records that sell millions. There is hope though, because
there is a strong underground. Lollapalooza and Woodstock II (you can
get a free Woodstock concert guide with every 12 pack of Pepsi. I
guess this makes Pepsi the Alternative Soft Drink) were the big
concerts this summer. In this issue of Heckler, you can read about a
true independent and alternative music festival that took place in
Olympia, WA called Yo Yo A Go Go. It's harder to find out about
independent bands, but they're out there if you look. Check out
publications like the aforementioned Maximum Rock and Roll and
seek out small record stores that carry independent releases. We'll
try to point out some bands and sources in this and future issues of
Heckler.
Also in this issue, we've got an interview with Propaghandi, a band
committed to staying independent. Then we've got and interview
with Jawbox a band that was on Fugazi's Dischord label talking about
why they're glad they signed to Atlantic. We've got an article by
snowboarder/punk rocker Arlie John Carstens on why MTV sucks and
why you should do one thing well rather than several things half-
assed just to go big. We've got an article from engineer Steve Albini
on why major labels suck, and he makes me look like a corporate
rock sellout. He should know, he's been there and back and lived to
tell about it.
So you're probably asking what's the point? Just this: See past the
hype and marketing. Refuse to be part of a demographic. Snowboard
and skateboard for fun, because you like it, not because it's hip. Seek
out some independent records, and go see some new bands in some
dive clubs instead of only going to big shows in arenas. I think you'll
be glad you did. That's it, nothing more.
Well, one more thing. There's this thing called the Internet and
it's a big beautiful thing that nobody really owns. But, as I write
this, the big media giants are trying to figure out how to make a
buck off it. If you are into knowledge, then check out the Internet.
It's probably one of the more amazing social phenomena of this
century. We are trying to put Hecker onto the Internet and if we have
any luck you'll be able to read Heckler in alt.zines. We'll also post
something under alt.skate-board and rec.skiing.snowboard. We want
to set up a free subscription network for Heckler via SASE's and the
Internet. We're new to this so bear with us if it doesn't happen fast
enough or, if you're an experienced net surfer let us know what to do.
Our E-mail address is Heckl...@aol.com
See ya on the snow or on the street,
John Baccigaluppi

******************END****************

**********AMY BROOKE PUCKETT**********
HAIR: BLONDE
EYES: GREEN
BORN: 02-26-75

MY MOST MEMORABLE SNOWBOARDING EXPERIENCE: Driving from
Auburn to British Columbia where I rode Whistler and Blackcome for
3 glorious days.

MY MOST UNMEMORABLE-MEMORABLE SNOWBOARDING EXPERIENCE:
Being stuck in 4 feet of fresh powder at Squaw directly under Cornus
II lift for 20 minutes as people riding the chair shouted things at me
like "Frogger" and Chris waiting very impatiently for me as the
entire mountain was being tracked out.

A GIRL SNOWBOARDER I MOST ADMIRE: Adrienne Olson who has got
more style than Harrah's on Elvis Night.

A BOY SNOWBOARDER I MOST ADMIRE: Senior Men's Division 3rd place
Nation Amateur Halfpipe Champion-Morrow Team Rider and
significant other for a year and a half, Chris Andrews. Phew! !

A DOG I MOST ADMIRE: "The Big R" Rosco. His spontaneity, the height
of his jump, his undo passion for his master and consistent shedding
never ceases to amaze me.

BULLSHIT IS: Tunnel vision snowboarding boys and girls that don't
watch where they're going.

HEAVEN IS: A clear blue day after a night of heavy snow, a good
night's sleep, and only your friends around.

I DISLIKE: Employers that don't pay you what you're worth.

Thanks to Alaina Martin for getting this profile to Heckler.

******************END****************


LEISURE QUEENS SUCK FACE WITH THE MAINSTREAM
Does anyone remember when a band named DRI put out their
"Crossover" album? Boy it sucked. Prior to that record I had liked
DRI, they were a hardcore punk rock band. I saw them every time
they came to Washington, including the time when they toured for
that record. My mistake. My last mistake where that band was
concerned. I was so bummed to see that they had turned into some
bogus, attitude-wielding, punk-metal hybrid. They were the
prototype for such sonic nonsense as Pantera. I am a punk purist. I
want punk with no filler. I want chaos and passion, not posturing. If I
wanted speed-core metal I would have grown up in the suburbs,
smoked pot, had acne and worn white basketball shoes with the
tongues sticking out. I would have used the word "party" only as an
adjective. I would have thought late-Ozzy meant something other
than total shit. I would have bought Ranquet's car before he did. No
thank you.
It seems that nearly everything has gone the way of DRI.
Everything is derivative. All filler with very little substance. I make
this DRI analogy because it provides a frame of reference and is an
example of what I can only call "The Crossover Trend." Here, in
Heckler, I've been asked to write an article on what I think about
this very topic. In essence, I've been asked to heckle the readership. I
love this 'zine.
I've been asked to discuss my opinion on some of the elements
within snowboarding that have grown along with the finer aspects of
our athletic endeavors. The lifestyle elements. The media elements.
The whack pseudo-tough guy, "I'm a bad-ass gangsta" elements. You
know, sort of an 'off the top of my head' social critique if you will.
(Remember though, I'm an opinionated jerk and sometimes a
hypocrite, and I'm a little too sensitive for some people's good,
occasionally.) So go easy if anything really aggravates you. We're all
gonna' die eventually. So here goes.
It seems that snowboarding is the coolest "alternative" sport
these days with all of the media hype we've been getting.
Snowboarding has hit the big time. As we all know we've been
hitting the big time for awhile now. The first snowboarding
magazine, ISM, called it out long ago. The visionary editor, Tom
Hsieh, Jr., foretold of a day when the world at large would take
notice of our little sledding fad only to then descend upon us with
earmuffs and credit cards in hand. He was right. The locusts are upon
us and they are feeding fast.
Today, we are toys in boxes of our favorite sugar cereals, we are
used to sell soda pop and chewing gum, we are a Nintendo game. The
Miller Brewing Company hangs spastic neon-colored snowboard
displays in convenience stores, we are in Newsweek, and Sassy, on
cable channels like QVC, ESPN, and Prime Sport Network. MTV has
their panties in a bunch to get as much of our action as they can.
There are stories on us in local papers across the U.S., our films play
in college campus auditoriums, that bastard Warren Miller likes us
now, jocks we once never would have identified with are now our
best bro-brahs, cinema stars and enviro-conscious rock musicians
vacation with their tuned boards at Snowbird, Shawn Farmer thinks
he can rap (some other tone deaf people think he can too), and at
least one snowboard/tanning-bed manufacturer in hopes of taking
over the free world has now made itself into a viable commodity on
the stock market.
Yes, it is true, snowboarding has crossed over into a veritable
plethora of other nasty scenes and scheming financial dreams. Most
of these unions are short-lived and inevitably really have nothing to
do with snowboarding. However, for some people crossing over is at
least marginally profitable and grubby enough to be exciting for
awhile. But the question to ask ourselves is whether all of the
crossover attention is going to be good for snowboarding? Do the
current elements and trends that have found their way into
snowboarding mark a boom for us or the beginning of the end for
what was once a tight community?
Remember Chachi, he was the Fonz' cousin? One day the kid was a
heart-throb for all the girls and the rival of all the guys. The next
day he was a putz. Chachi overkill. Nobody wanted to even remember
that there was a Chachi on Happy Days. Chachi who? This is what the
media is doing to us. And this is what we are doing to ourselves with
this whole crossover crap. This is not to say that media attention is
all bad. If the attention is warranted and is being created by people
who have a vested, personal love and interest in the sport then it can
be a good thing. Otherwise, it is all about making a buck and
falsifying a scene.
The crossover trend has professional snowboarders looking up to
rock stars. It has some wanting to become rock stars. This is what I
say: "fuck 'em, kill the rock stars!" Who needs that crap. People make
music because it is an emotional release, because it is art. Foremost
because it is fun. No one should emulate anyone, and most certainly
not anyone who is stupid enough to think that making music makes
you a star, and therefore, above reproach. As far as music is
concerned (and life in general for that matter), the only time anyone
is truly a star is when he or she is at home alone with no one to put
a show on for. The rest of the time we are all just second rate
actors in one poorly written play after another.
When music, like any other artistic form of human expression, is
used as a weapon and a status-tool, it is then rendered insignificant.
This includes snowboarding. The significance is in the expression
itself. Once that is twisted or sapped then what is left? Nothing.
Respect and acceptance from the people who count in your life is all
you can legitimately desire. Financial gain and notoriety are totally
secondary concerns. If you are looking to achieve rapid financial
success then go rob a bank! If you want to become an immediate
celebrity then go shoot a president (may I suggest either of our last
two presidents?). Or go do something boring like killing yourself.
I've been told heaven is made of gold and that you will always find a
friend in Jesus -- think about it, lots of wealth and friends in high
places, you can't beat death for a better deal!
Sorry, I'm being crass. Onto another soap box.
This last season I was asked by a friend of mine who works at MTV
if I would be a part of their coverage of the Bear Mountain Board Aid
event. She told me that I'd have to be in front of a camera with one
of their annoying VJs and I'd have to interview other snowboarders
while they took a break every three minutes to do a top 20 video
countdown. Ouch. Damage. I thought Board Aid was a wonderful idea
and I applaud the people who made it all happen, but I know from the
minute she asked me to participate that MTV's coverage would only
be half-assed and inevitably super-stupid. And by all accounts it
was pathetic. Now, don't you think that if MTV really cared about
something as important as a fundraiser to benefits AIDS research
that they would have dedicated a little more time to making their
coverage count? They could have informed many of those couch-
people out in TV land that, in fact, young people are dying of a
horrible disease and that there are all kinds of people, including a
few snowboarders, who are trying to do something to combat it. No
deal. Instead they had the VJ Kennedy standing on a snowboard with
one foot in a binding while rambling off inane questions to any fool
who was misfortunate enough to be near her. Good Christ, like
anyone would want to be a part of that nightmare!
Now, I love my friend who asked me to do this but let's think
about it. She works for MTV, the absolute corporate devil of
corporate devils. Where our age group is concerned, MTV is the
destroyer of individuality and artistic culture. As far as that fucking
channel is concerned, we are merely a demographic ripe for
exploitation. A new music video gets dumped into "heavy-rotation"
for awhile and everybody goes wild for a month. Soon enough it dies
a slow death. Next video please! This is the cycle. This is what has
happened to NYC, Athens (Georgia), Minneapolis, and Seattle. This is
what will happen to every single one of the Bad Religion clone-
bands. Offspring beware!!
On MTV, whole scenes (music and otherwise) get sucked into the
vortex of mass consumer culture and are then turned into marketing
strategies. No one in the U.S. would give a shit about bungee-jumping
and rollerblading if it wasn't for MTV. Snowboarding is not immune.
This is why I declined by friend's offer. I don't want my MTV and I
don't want to be a party to bringing you your MTV. However, if MTV or
any other major media machine worked on something with
snowboarding and it was done with people who know what's up, then
it could be pleasant, perhaps even welcomed. Because any time we
are provided with a way to work a system that is using us we need
to do so. Insurrection. Change the system to better represent your
own version of reality.
Similarly, I don't want to be a party to bringing you more
damaging sexism and senseless violence. These two elements are
also a part of the crossover trend. However, it is not simply the
media that is influencing and acting upon snowboarding. The media is
not playing us out like we are ignorant, drunk, illiterate, wannabe-
gangsta fools. Rather, it is much more insidious. It is also tragically
comical. We seem to be doing our collective best to fit the bullshit
"twenty-something slacker" moniker, as well as the redneck moron
one. For example, some riders think it is "cool" to talk shit about our
female counterparts and to depict their likenesses only in the most
servile, degrading, and non-intellectual situations. Did anyone say
Black Flys? Boys, I got news -- girls are awesome! Girls are our
mothers, our sisters, our wives and our lovers. They are also our
equals and as such should be treated with respect. The ladies aren't
just for lovin', they are also for friendship, and they can teach us
more about what it takes to be a man than any of our sorry-asses
can ever figure out on our own.
Furthermore, this suburban gangsta silliness has got to stop. Board
graphics with shotguns and hip hop graffiti? Tagging ski resorts and
sipping forties in the parking lot? AK-47s? Yeah, when was the last
time any of us saw high-rise buildings and crack houses at a
goddamn ski resort? Do you take a subway train to go jibbing tough-
guy? Would most of you know an urban ghetto if your ass was kicked
right into one? I don't think so. Snowboarders are a bunch of real
tough guys. Wrong. We all have so much to be hard about. Sorry. We
play in the snow--life is good if you can afford to play in the snow.
There are a lot of bad things that can happen to someone during their
time on this mudball to make life hard but snowboarding ain't one of
them. We are all just a bunch of leisure-queens with tattoos and
body-piercings dressed up in our fat dad's clothing. Think about how
you are living and question your perceptions about everything.
Lastly, I can't think of a good way to conclude any of this other
than to say that if you bothered to read this far then you must care
about snowboarding as much as I do. Even, and especially, if you
disagree with what I'm saying. Or maybe you have nothing else to do
right now. Either way, Heckler is free so at least you've gotten your
money's worth. If, on the off chance that any of this has made you
think a little, then you're a good kid--go get yourself a lemonade. I
share what I think about these issues because I love snowboarding. I
love playing in the snow and I love the people that I ride with.
Sometimes I enjoy being a part of our larger community because I
know that without it I wouldn't be given an opportunity to write like
this. Knowing you are a part of a good thing can either blind you to
the shortcomings or it can provide you with an insight and a voice. I
only hope to find more people who realize what a good thing it is we
have with snowboarding. Don't sell yourself short and don't buy into
being typical, or stereotypical, just because it is easier.
Arlie John Carstens
July 25, 1994

******************END****************

***MIKE BASICH'S SUMMER VACATION PT. 2***
1. Baja California was the shit. Tim and I, tonight, posted on the
patio with bottles of Spaten malt liquor, tilted, Tim with his
stories, many and crazy to tell. There are photos, ridiculous shots of
the 241 crew half-naked on beaches, drenched in seaweed, drunken
nights, eyes reduced to red pinheads from every night, singing and
guitar. There is a video tape of which I was able to peep: footage of
the various repairs made on their arcane beast of a van, the sights,
the pranks pulled on each other, the sweltering sun upon their backs
every time they broke down. There are 3 interviews I conducted,
first with Mike, Colin, and now Tim. Bottles in our hands, smoke in
the air ...
Hours from their departure the Ford was shuddering and gasping.
They found a Kragen Auto Supply beside the freeway, somewhere
near Santa Cruz, and set up auto shop in the parking lot. Mike B.
troubleshoots broken shit randomly, some kind of belief that if you
fix anything on the car then all will be well. It's the 241 equivalent
of "It's the thought that counts." They ended up changing the fuel
pump and getting back on the freeway.
Then the engine exploded. A white glare, Tim said swigging from
the Spaten, "a flash from under the engine cover between our seats."
Then fire, a sheet of pure and fucking hot flame bursting out from
under their feet, roaring over the dash and across the windshield.
Mikey pulled the van off the freeway, careening onto an AM-PM lot.
Colin running into the store shouting "Fire! Fire! The whole station's
gonna blow!" Snatching bottles of Gatorade off the front counter
display, running out the door. That clerk, what was he thinking of it
all? Tim, who had followed Colin, realized Mikey was still in the
van. He ran back, thinking if Mike was gonna go, Tim would join him
in that great fireball to heaven ...
I'm laughing ridiculously, knocking my liquor over, thinking: these
muthaphuccas are dramatic!
Grinning into the flames, Mike B. had simply put out the fire with
a jug of water stashed beside the drivers seat. I wondered if Colin
returned those Gatorades to the AM-PM or quickly stashed them in
the back of the van. Upon examination of the engine it seems Mikey
had forgotten to tighten one clamp on the fuel pump, leaking gasoline
all along the bottom of the van, up into the block until a spark set it
off. They had to make some extensive repairs on the electrical of the
vehicle, barely jogging back to Kragen before they closed.
From then on the van's functions were limited. Pop quiz: you're in a
van Southbound for Baja, top speed is now 40 mph. Any speed less
than that is not speed but a fucking crawl, anything faster and the
van disintegrates into pieces. What do you do? What do you do? You
just don't give a fuck. The van has already blown up, the worst case
scenario has been survived in the first day.
2. Stopped in Mono Bay that night. Took the rowboard out to an
island, the shit so tiny they had to make it in two trips, them and
their gear. This li'l boat tossed in between yachts and cruisers, bad
enough to the point the Coast Guard came out after them. Informed
Mike B. and Co. just how insane they were and gave them
complimentary life jackets, "for when we have to return and get you
out of the water." Still, they made it safely to the island. Would have
slept well had they not camped alongside a faded dirt road that
turned out to be the midnight 4x4 trail for the local kids. Drunken
jocks tearing around the island in Toyotas and quadrunners,
headlights bouncing and cutting through clouds of dust, some kind of
race around the island all night long. Dust settling on the 241 like a
blanket.
3. It would take Mike B. and Co. 5 days to reach the Baja Cali
border. Upon crossing it, no complications with the border cops,
their first stop was for tequila and cerveza. Colin, for all his talk of
"we've not drinking on this trip," was the first to mention it after
the crossing. Tim, a lover of the drink, kept the van stocked with
limes and salt.
The crawl through Baja began. They drove down the Pacific side
of Baja until Puta Baja, a famous fishing point; inland to the Oasis,
then across on this hellish little washboard-like dirt road to the Sea
of Cortez. They had a total of 5 times stuck in sand traps, twice run
out of gas, once out of water, 18 lbs. of trigger fish caught, 30
claims, a shock absorber going out on the washboard road, a brake
going out as well and being replaced by chunks of wood from the side
of the road, a runaway van episode and of course most everything is
on video tape.
4. The first episode of getting stuck occurred within the first
few days. Took them 3 hours to get out. They would jack the van up,
shovel dirt and boards underneath the wheel, jack again, repeat. Back
on the road, Colin at the wheel, saying, "All right, guys, no more
getting stuck!" 10 minutes later, swerving off the road onto the
shoulder to avoid a boulder, again the sand snared them. This time,
only an hour or so to get out.
Camping that night, Tim went out clamming and returned with a
bucket full. There was drinking, and the way Tim describes it,
falling asleep by the fire, waking up with sand all over his face,
groggy ... two feminine hands, cheap nail polish, grabbing him by his
head and shoving his face into her crotch ... drunken Spanish from
her, laughter coming from Mike and Colin, as well as other female
voices somewhere in the distance. There were three girls all
together, locals. They invited the 241 to join them at the dance
clubs in town but they respectfully declined, Tim struggling to get
up from under this girl. She, laughing, breath of alcohol on Tim's
neck. It was, ultimately, a prank.
5. Crossing Baja to the Cortez, they ran out of gas, just before
the peak of the hill that then falls downhill 10 miles into a small
town. It was a road they could drive no faster than 15 mph on, a road
they had already spent a day and a night on. To pass the time they
made Mission: Impossible tapes, as they called them. Camera
shaking, Tim running in front of the van, zig-zagging the road, Colin
humming the Mission: Impossible soundtrack into the microphone.
They would trade off roles, did sequences wherein Colin is
desperately handing onto the van door, dragging while the bad guys
try to shake him off ...
When they ran out of gas, the game became suddenly real. Tim
stepped out to the back of the van, pushing it over the hill that few
feet. He thought he would have time to hop back in the van; Mike
thought Tim would just walk into town from there. Tim ended up
stuck on the back of the van, feet on the bumper, fingers gripping as
tightly as possible that thin rail along the top of most vans that you
think would be a bitch to grip onto should your life depend on it. It
kind of did, Tim said. Their peak speed 40, they hit this quickly, Tim
hanging on as tightly as he could. Mike was fucking around, swerving,
until he realized Tim was still with them. Mike slowed until the
bottom of the hill, the town ahead, and got Tim off the back and
inside safely.
Finding the gas station was hard enough, Tim said, but once it
was found Tim just couldn't bring himself to disturb the attendant:
he was out back getting his cock sucked by some chick. Tim, coming
around the corner of the building back to the van, perplexed look on
his face. When he explained to the rest of the crew Colin said, "shit
I'll go get him." And he did. The attendant was so embarrassed they
got their gas free.
6. There is a vibe to a 241 trip. This kind of reckless shit happens
all the time. In Mexico, within its states, its drunken Latinas and 15
year old soldiers, dusty towns and empty roads, things just got a
little amplified, that's all. Tim, rocking in his chair now, I to hear
his stories, they are endless and infinite in details. They could go on
forever. Mike and Co. like their lives like that, such coolness in the
head has given Mike B. his business sense and thus his success. For
the others as well there are benefits; everybody's got their angle on
it. Tonight is enough, to hear of the adventures, the liquor and the
smoke by my side. Summer stories, that's all they are: the 241
version of "What I Did Over Summer Vacation." Trick is, the vacation
is never over and the 241 crew will convene next Summer, same
time, same channel. Last year it was Arizona and the Grand Canyon,
before that it was Trip Illegal II, in Santa Cruz. Before that: Trip
Illegal I, the genesis of it all. The players have changed over the
years, myself being an occasional member, but the core group
remains: Mike B., Tim and Colin. It's episodes-in-the-life-of type
shit.
7. The 241 returned to Sacramento when they said they would,
the 15th of June. Kelly has yet to collect on the bet between her and
them. They didn't have any trouble at the border, or so they claim.
The return had been a haze of driving and sleep; the journey there
and that hot Mexican sun had sucked them dry. For the end to be so
anti-climactic is strange. Past episodes have been like that, us all
hollow men upon arrival. From there Mikey went up to Mt. Hood to
teach the young 'uns the craft of snowboarding. Rolled around in the
241 van, sold leftover 241 merchandise from his Summer order to
Japan. Drove around the mountain in a go-cart. He just got back a few
days ago, long after Tim returned to Hawaii to surf. Tim had seen
"Endless Summer" too many times here in Sac and had to go back to
the waves. Funny, though, no sooner did he return than the ocean
went flat for a week. He was in agony. At least, that's his version of
it.
-Loki

******************END****************

***************JOHN CARDIEL***********
It was a warm evening July 18 1994 at Tim Windell's summer
camp facility located approximately 30 minutes due west of scenic
Mt. Hood Oregon. The town of Welches to be exact. My partner Friday
was on vacation and I was alone, it was 7:47 p.m. Dusk. A white
male, 175 pounds 5' 7" with a husky build, short hair in his early 20s
code name Card approached the skateboard facility and its masonite
structured deck on which I was standing. Chris Carnel my associate
for this assignment was greeted-out of the blue by a Mr.John Card
Cardiel carrying a skateboard. A stranger to a restless teenager's
summer playground, I occasionally straightened my tie. I watched
and I wondered...As John Cardiel dropped in.
John Cardiel: Hey Chris, what's up!
Chris Carnel: Hey John, what have you been up to? Just get into
town?
JC: Yeah ,we've been hangin' out at the river drinkin' beers today.
Hehehehehe. But were goin' boardin tomorrow yyyyeeeeeehh! ! Its
gonna be fuckinsick!!! This Mr Cardiel was slightly intoxicated and
talking rather loudly (around 93 decibels) in a lingo I couldnt
comprehend. But according to my records he recently suffered from a
blow to the mandible. Was he consequently suffering from an
apparent slight fracture (a broken jaw)? Upon visual inspection and
a Boy Scouts medical background, Card had no swelling around the
cheek bone and no speech impediment. Therefore he had no broken
jaw. I had to confirm his whereabouts with Metro though. On a gut
instinct I pulled a quick fingerprint from a piece of galvanized inch
and 1/8th pipe commonly reffered to by this riff raff as coping. I
was right, this is the subject we were looking for. I called Metro and
turned this case (#32042) over to cultural expert Chris Carnel, I
scraped a sample of this metal into a film canister left behind by
Carnel.This was to be Fed -Xed to Metro immediately. Carnel could
wrap it up from here...
Whilst awakening from my t.v. rerun daydream to the sound of
wheel and masonite, Cardiel drops in the plush mini ramp at
Windell's and goes to work. Suddenly his friends appear from no-
where jostling him with gurns.
Ill give you 5 bucks if you can do a Andrecht plant on the high
wall one replies in a drunken stupor .
Shut up dude I just wanna skate for myself, replies John .
Within 10 minutes a drunken play fight ensues on top of the high
wall deck of the ramp leaving Cardiel a sleeveless t-shirt and a
visit from Tim Windell himself. I dont care if you guys wanna
skate but its dark out and you guys cant be makin noise here or
skating at night.
Then John replies, Sorry man we're not always rowdy and shit
we were just screwin around... You're Tim Windell huh? I always
looked up to you as a little kid seeing you in brochures and stuff.
Dude Im stoked to meet you!. Card soaps his way in, and then the
pitch...Hey can we sleep on the lawn here tonight, would that be
cool?
Then John's lit partner butts in Yeah we camped out at Burnside
for the past two nights, we'll sleep anywhere!
Windell paused then stated Follow me, Ill show you were you
guys can sleep. Like a purring kitten Tim the old time contest ruler
himself escorted John and bros into the front yard of the Windell
coaching staff condo. I then realized how stoked the coaches would
be. Not getting any shut eye due to a drunk and disorderly team of
skaters, who didnt have to get up and coach snowboarders at 6:00
a.m. the next morning.
John pulled through on this interview. Most mags he doesn't touch
and has shut down a few. He showed up when he said he was gonna
show up and he rode around and had fun at Boreal and was into
shooting. Not bad for a Grass Valley bred rock star who has a cult
following from his contribution to snowboardings popularity of no
grab shifty backsides to fakie. That's not all you have done John but
it sure sticks out in a lot of minds I bet...

Our interview continues on snowboarding -

CC: Who have you been boarding with?
JC: Bay (Bowman), Devin Ryerson, Lake Of The Pines.
CC: Where did you get the Lake Of The Pines hat?
JC: I had it made. Thats where I live (near Grass Valley). its the
fuckin team dude HEHEHE!
CC: Who are your fave snowboarding guys?
JC: I dont know? I like Roachy, Palm, Ranquet, Noah. Those dudes are
rad!
CC: Are there any newer guys that you like watchin ride?
JC: Oh, new guys?
CC: Yeah, like the new guys, the way they ride.
JC: No I hate it! I hate it cause they ride with their hands out like
this (puts hands up flailing). Its totally gay-with there hands in the
air, all ready and shit!
CC: Ive seen people carve powder with their hands straight up in the
air before, its so weird.
JC: Aaaahhh...Dude I cant handle it, thats why I get so pissed.
DEVIN RYERSON: They have their hands all up and they do like shifties
off everything.
CC: Why?
JC: I dont know why. I hate shifties! Its just like a minor tone of
riding.
CC: Yeah, but you guys were the originators of that stuff, in a way!
DR: With like twistos (laughs)
CC: Then John started doin' airs, like in the videos, the late backside
no grab to fakie air. Every kid in the world you would see on the hill
was doing those.
JC: Oh the late backside 180s without grabbin your board, yup. That
became quite the craze that one year, huh? hehehehehe.
CC: Yeah, that was a craze. What do you think the next phase in
tricks will be?
DR: The new schooler guys are trying to do grassers now. I heard
some guy goin no way I cant pull em.
JC: No way? Fuck you Devin hehehehe.
DR: I swear! But people should do cross rockets instead (laughs).
The conversation now turns to avalanches (not the company)
CC: You were in a avalanche before?
JC: Yeah at Donner Ski Ranch goin' through the Palisades. The part
where those two trees are, not where the gnar-gnar part is but the
part between those two big trees theres a little gully right there.
Well in there, there was like a little rock, about a five foot drop or
something, and I caught a little air, went through this steep gnarly
pow and all of the sudden KKKKEEHHH hit some rocks underneath, got
flipped forward and had to punch my way out from under the snow. I
was like holy shiiiit!!! Then this avalanche came and I was fightin it
again! It was gnarly!!
DR: How big was the avalanche?
JC: Not that big, but big enough to cover and fill my hole up. (pause)
It was like one of the scariest things that ever happened to me.
CC: Where is the raddest place you have ever snowboarded?
JC: The raddest? Probably this place in Switzerland dude.
CC: Was the snow good when you went there?
JC: Yeah it was siiick heheheh. I took the raddest lines dude, on the
sickest mountains in the world.
CC: Powder stuff?
JC: Siiick powder dude. To go out of bounds there is no big deal they
didnt even care so I was barging dude it was insane! I was doin this
demo thing so I took these kids on this run (starts laughin) and it
started to avalanche, and we were surfing it dude. Hehehe.
CC: No way
JC: We were surfin' this avalanche and they were all freakin out! We
were just all ooooohhhhhh (out loud). They were sooo stoked dude!
CC: Was it goin' like way slow?
JC: Yeah it was goin' hella slow. It was just cool to do you know
cause it was like an avalanche. Like fuckin 15 feet wide and like 10
feet long. It was insane cause youre moving and the grounds movin.
We were just like ridin' it! Im all screamin' aaaavvvviiii
screammminng aaavvvvaalllaannccche heheheeh. They were all like
h-holy shiiitt!!


******************END****************

**************MARISA STOLER***********
My first few years of college all I did was study and concentrate
on good grades. Then I got into snowboarding. The confessions of a
twenty-one year old Marissa Stoller with a falling g.p.a. hanging over
her head.
Be it training in the pipes at Mt. Hood all summer or freeriding
most of the winter at Squaw, Marissas style is smooth and solid.
Her spring and fall is spent Attending UCSB and living in Santa
Barbaras college community. early winter she mostly rides with her
friend Ann-Marie at the closest resort, Mammoth Mountain. But time
on the snow is limited to only weekends and school holidays. Thats
until she opted to pass up a college winter quarter to live and ride at
Squaw. Since then, her riding has totally improved but her grades
havent. Marissa recollects Last spring semester it was really hard
for me to get into it (college). All I could think about and look
forward to was summer at Mt. Hood. After years of skiing at Tahoe
with her dad she first stepped into a snowboard binding around 1991
at Boreal. Her friends still opted to ski, while she chose
snowboarding. I didnt know if I was regular or goofy, so I rented a
goofy board at the shop and I was like: This is so hard! So I rode this
board with a huge nose and short tail the other way, and realized
that I was a regular foot. it was like three feet of powder and I was
just sweating, riding the bunny lift, totally covered in snow. Then
after changing the bindings, things went much smoother until we got
back to the car.
She continues with her greenhorn experience in snow, We drove
my friends Volvo into an already snowy parking lot at Boreal. Then
by the time we were done riding the tires were buried from the
storm, and the wheels were just spinning. Eventually we had to get
towed out of our parking spot by a snowcat. We were the last ones
left in the parking lot. Ever since that day she started riding at
Mammoth with Ann Marie, then eventually entered local halfpipe
contests. Pretty soon things started to snowball and the opportunity
of sponsorship presented itself. Ive had offers from companies
before but nothing solid.
Marissa (for some time now) has been seeking the solid support
of a company so she can continue to travel and compete. She placed
first at the Sierra @ Tahoe National Amateur Finals in halfpipe last
April and later attended the US Open in Stratton, Vermont, on her
own nickel. The competition results were nothing to write home
about, but the four day experience of riding the rock pipe as she
calls it made her a better rider. I always heard the US Open is
supposed to be one of the funnest contests to attend and I gained a
lot of experience by participating. But now I realize that the judging
format of professional and amateur contests still has a long way to
go. Ive seen obvious people who should have won but didnt. And in
local amateur events Ive seen judges who dont even pay attention
to the rider taking his or her run. It sucks! Marissa now
contemplates going back to UCSB full time My grades arent good
enough to make it into med school like I originally planned," but
reflects on a positive note, but I found a Job so I can stay at Hood
all summer!
-Chris Carnel

******************END****************

*************TRAVIS YAMADA***********
Hes not here Chris, Travis is visiting friends in Mt. Hood. Hell
be back some time soon though and Ill tell him that you called.
Its a rehearsed answer in the voice of a super cool dad
Yamada playing message translator from his outpost in Bend, Oregon.
This is where 20 yr. old Travis lives when he occasionally stays
home. Don, his dad, hangs out in Bend quite extensively, trying to
help remodel and rebuild the bathroom of the pea-soup-green sided
house when not living in San Francisco or answering phone calls for
his son.
For Travis personally working on the project was sandwiched
between winter snowboarding trips to Europe, a two week long road
trip to Canada and his final 3 week snowboarding venture to the
northwest.
In mid winter Travis finally returned to Mt. Bachelor. After only
three days of riding an injury occurred and some bad news to go with
it: He needed reconstructive ligament knee surgery. The only good
news was he could dedicate more time to his pad. After all, since
late last summer when Travis moved into the duplex, the side he
lives in has been without a useable bathroom/shower.
So two months ago Travis and his girlfriend Heather came
through Reno. I asked, Hey, lets do this interview while you are
here. He replied, Nah, Ive gotta' take off to Stockton today, to
have my knee checked out. Lets do it when I come back through, I
just want to think about it. I want it to be really good!
Whilst visiting in Bend, Oregon this summer (Travis was still in
Mt. hood nowhere to be found) I witnessed his dad finishing up a
plush bathroom and offered my assistance. Don replied,no, you
better not Chris, Travis is very particular and wants everything done
perfectly. Sound familiar?
That was almost a month ago, and its now late July (Heckler
deadline time). It slipped through the cracks and we never did get
the interview rolling. I was really lagging, so I desperately phoned
his pad...
Hey Travis, whats up?
Ah..hes at hood again, this is don.
Hey Don, what's new?
Not much Chris, how was your trip home?

Good. hey, Im on a deadline, can I ask you some questions about
Travis for this Heckler article? (as I hit the record button).
Hey man, you know how picky Travis is about business things like
that-I can hear you recording-Im gonna have to hang up now
Chris...............
Wait, hold on Don (with Don snickering) *******click.
Travis called me back 3 weeks later one evening and said, Im
workin' on it, I just want it to be good. I will send you a tape when I
return from Mt. hood, I have to leave tonight for a Morrow team
meeting though.
I replied, Thats cool. Thanks Travis, and called John Botch, only to
relay the info to his NASA satellite digital voice mail.
Hey John its Chris. I know the deadline is soon, but Travis is gonna
send me a tape with some things he wants to say on it, Ill have it
within a few days.****click.
20 minutes later Botch called back, ( breathing heavy and stressing
like he had just jogged a few hundred laps) Dude are you serious, he
hasnt sent you a interview yet! Whats the deal, hes your friend, I
thought this thing with Yamada was going to be a piece of cake-Is he
trying to be like the Palm! (see last issue).

The tape finally arrived, Fed-X no less ...

O.K. Mr. Carnel here goes, I don't know what order to put all this
in, Im kinda' embarrassed. The tape spits forth info, slow, in a
cautious tone ...
I was born 10/9/73. Im originally from Sonora, California, and it's a
hicktown East of Stockton. I grew up there from age 5 to age 18.. Oh
before that I lived in Merced, California on a catfish farm. I was
about four years old and I would catch huge catfish for dinner. I
could hardly carry them home! I would also catch turtles and
crawdads and ride horses. Then I moved to Sonora and lived on my
grandfathers ranch.......
OK, so growing up in Sonora..Arent there cows there?
In the sixth grade I started skateboarding and I rode my bmx bike.
In the eighth grade I went snowboarding my first time (pause) oh
yeah, me and my dad went to Boreal.I was on a Burton elite 130. It
was at night and it was icy and I was slamming. It was harsh. But it
was so much fun, I wanted to do it again. The next season I rented a
few times from Mike McDaniel, who now works at avalanche. He got
me into boarding! More facts figures and trivia. So I got a snowboard
in 88 and started snowboarding at Dodge Ridge which is 45 miles
away from Sonora, or actually 40 miles away from Sonora. I got a
Sims pocketknife 144 and was super stoked. When I was a freshmen
in high school I got a job at Dodge Ridge in the snowboard rental
shop and worked there all through high school which gave me the
opportunity to ride without having to pay or scrounge up money for
tickets. Then when I was like a sophomore, yeah I think it was my
sophomore year, I went to a Go Skate contest at Mt. Reba-Bear
Valley and didnt think too much about it, kinda' just did it as a
joke. I pretty much had only boarded a few times on family vacation
with my parents at Tahoe. I was pretty much self taught, there
weren't a lot or riders at Dodge who boarded at the time, so me and a
few guys from there went to this contest just to check it out and
entered. We did good, like 2nd place or something. We were in the
juniors. Mike Basich was the winner in the juniors and I just
remember, he was soo good! Devin Ryerson won the mens I remember.
Those guys were so rad back then... Like Dave White and Chris
Andrews, they used to rule the Cal. series contests, thats after
Basich and Roach went on to the pro events. I like Tahoe and used to
drive there for contests all the time I dont live in Tahoe because I
get claustrophobic. Bachelor has made me ride better just because of
the express chairs and no lines and the runs are real long. The guys
in the Northwest have a burlier style of riding, I think. Especially in
Canada. The level of Canadian riding is better than the American
level I think. And Canadians seem real nice, most of em. I just
concentrate on freeriding. Never done a pro contest, am I supposed to
be pro?-I don't get it, I don't know what it means. I don't think Im a
pro guy, just a rider. I dont think Im that cool as far as
snowboarding goes these days: I don't really talk with like a
gangster accent. I dont say any cool gangster rapper words. I think
it's kind of funny how a lot of snowboarders are like that now. Like
gangbangers, Im not a snow gangbanger. I don't even say dope, I don't
give props out to anybody..whatever they say and I dont smoke pot.
So I guess Im not that cool. Yamada continues: Hell I still like
wearin' snow clothes, I don't even like wearin' jeans. I think its kind
of silly makin' these boards all ultra-light an everything then having
these jeans on, that get soaked up with water and they weigh 15
pounds-and your board only weighs only 5 pounds. But (pause) it
looks dope and fresh.
I have a few goals: Ive been workin' construction and I want to
build my own house someday. And someday I want to be a bee keeper
and have my own bees. I wanna have the whole suit, beehives and
everything. And make gourmet honey! Oh yeah, I have a new sport: you
hike up to the volcanic rocks and roll the big ones down. You create
mini-rock avalanches, its pretty fun! What else can I say, Im
holding the steering wheel right now drivin' through the Redmond
why does that figure-he made the tape on his way home from Mt.
hood, in the drivers seat....bye Chris, that was embarrassing.
Heres more sensitive things Travis said whilst driving: I like
karate movies and cowboy movies. I like sandwiches that have chips
in em. Thanks Morrow, Fishpaw, Plain Sane, 916, John North and
Chris Fink. Somewhere along the way Go-Skate first sponsored me,
Mike McDaniel got me into snowboarding, him and Eric Nyberg gave
me some clothes. Then Ron Depp gave me a board, then Randy
Schaffner 916 gave me some clothes and totally helped me out so
much. Then I got sponsored by Avalanche (where is there team?)
which lasted a while, but didnt work out. But now I'm stoked to be
involved with Morrow -a real company that's pushing the sport with
good riders. Travis vented only a little frustration that I managed to
get on tape at the time for this interview: My doctor said for no
extra charge I could order a custom colored knee brace. So ordered a
solid black fading into blue and got butt-rocker-spandex-speckled-
blue.
Out of the blue a call came from Bend, Oregon as I had just
finished things for my deadline. It was Travis. He was concerned if I
had gotten the tape? I replied Yes, thanks. Wow, youre finally home,
what are you doing!? Travis just replied Oh, just working on my
bathroom.
-Chris Carnel

******************END****************

***************URIAH BIRCH************
Now here's a little story 'bout a feller named Uriah. Poor old kid
barely kept his board down. Til one day he was spinning in the park
when up from the ground came a bubbling ooze, P-tex that is. Cold
gold.
No doubt if you've ever ventured up the Donner Summit area,
Boreal's Jibassic Park to be exact, you've encountered the likes of
the Solid guys. These guys rule the place spinning cannonball
backside 360s over the biggest gaps around. One of the low key
individuals is a tall skinny white guy named Uriah Birch. Cory
Ahtoong says he looks like Snoop Dogg without the braid and the tan.
Uriah is actually a local of the Donner Summit area, where he
currently resides with his mother in the town of Truckee. The small
town leaves very little for the lad to do except snowboard, and I saw
him on the hill probably 100 days last year and I'm sure he went
more than I did. One thing that can be said about Uriah's riding style
is he is very smooth. That combined with the amount of air
underneath his board makes him a well balanced rider. Although I've
never seen him butter the muffin he can step some fat switchy
frontside 3s, and if you go 5 feet high on a jump he'll go 10 and make
it look clean. When he does ride Jibassic he can usually be found
with Matt and Aaron Alves, little Zack and fat Matt. When he's not at
the park he can be found with his girl or out mashing on his Schwinn
lowrider down at 7-Eleven looking for something to get into. Uriah
has been riding for Solid Snowboards for a couple of years now and
he swears by the performance of his equipment.
-Matt Kennedy

******************END****************

************WINTER ROAD TIRP**********
4 months straight in a stinky motor home. Dave Rogers, Danny
Sullivan and featured writer/novelist Arlie John Carstens embarked
on a western state hit-every- resort- you-can jamboree . I travelled
for 3 weeks on the mothership early on in the venture. This little
interview was done on the last portion of the trip at my place in
Reno. Here are some roady tales..

Tell me about some portion of your trip like coming up through
Mammoth Ca.
Arlie: The resort sucked a cock in hell! The marketing people
thought we were hoodlums and were more worried about Picaboo
Street and her cohorts in their tight speedracer outfits doing the
Womens World Cup Downhill and didnt care that we were doing a
assignment for Snowboarder Mag.
How did the R.V. do on the rest of the trip?
Arlie: Well the r.v. rules, its the crust palace from hell. You were
in it for a good while where it performed quite nicely... after that It
started to kill itself periodically. We have spent well over $1200.00
in repair bills and towing. Hopefully it will get us home, but not
with very good gas mileage at this point. And It smells bad. That's
cause Dave Rogers eats a lot of meat!

Dave I know you're looking at the map on how to get home and I
will help you out but um what was an extreme part of the trip.
Werent you guys in the desert for a bit?
Dave: Complete silence (pause). In the desert, 20 miles from
Death Valley. No disturbances from passing cars.
Arlie: It was hot in the daytime and freezing cold at night.
Dave: Total isolation. Helpless like a little child stranded in a
shopping mall.
Everyone laughs...
Danny: Alien abductions.. laughs
Arlie: I had this crazy zit on the back of my neck for a while that
I thought was an alien implant that I recieved one night while we
were sleeping. But it turned out that I was just dirty..everyone
laughs
Dave: the alien rectal probe wasnt that bad..hhhhheeeeeeee!
Did you guys pick up any hitchhikers?
Arlie: No, but when we were broke down in the desert some guy
approached us with a gas can asking if we had any gas to spare. He
claimed to be a mechanic.
Danny: One broke down a hundred feet in front of us. His name was
Guy.
Dave: He was some holy roller hippy guy.
Arlie: He showed up at 6 in the morning with a gas can in his hand
bangin' on the door goin (imitates him in nice hick voice) I saw your
rig, could I get you to spare some gas, Ill give you ten dollars. Then
we told him that we were screwed ourselves and he replied Well
that's funny, I'm a mechanic. give me a ride into town to get some
gas and Ill help you fix yours. And the guy helped Dave crawlin'
around underneath the RV for like (pause) eight hours working on it.
But I think they were really makin' out and not really workin on it
(laughs).
What happened to the r.v. that kept you in the desert, or were you
in search of?
Danny: What didnt happen.
Arlie: The fuel pump killed itself!
Dave: The R.V. lost the will to live. But thanks to the mambosok
guys Tom and Dan theyre are saviors, they saved our lives.
From everyone: Thanks Tom and Dan.

******************END****************

**************SCOTT CLUM*************
If you're like me, then you probably wonder where some of the
cooler graphics in the snowboard industry come from. Well, some of
the most original and influential designs come from 31 year old
Scott Clum of Ride Design (Not to be confused with Ride Snowboards,
which came much later). If you own a Morrow snowboard, then you
already own a piece of Scott Clum artwork. Scott is the graphic
designer for Morrow Snowboards, and is responsible for everything
they do from catalogs to magazine ads and to the snowboards
themselves.
Scott was born in New York City and has two degrees, one in
Advertising and Design and another in Fine Arts from the Munson
Williams Proctor Institute Of Fine Arts. With a solid background and
education in the arts, how come Scott didn't end up working for some
car or clothing company? Well, it turns out that Scott was a
sponsored skater (am) and snowboarder (pro) for Sims and was also
a designer for Sims for 10 years.
In 1989, Scott started Ride design in NYC and LA, mainly doing
music and CD graphics. In 1990, he was asked to design the Morrow
snowboard line and he hasn't slowed down since. Scott is also the
Art Director for Bikini Magazine and is the Publisher, Editor and Art
Director of Blur Magazine. Bikini is a big bucks mag published by the
same people who put out Ray Gun. Blur is Scott's own mag and
focuses mainly on "Out of reach comics, music & art."
I asked Scott what his favorite software and fonts were, and he
cited Freehand 3.1 and Quark Express, but declined to name any fonts.
"I like a lot of fonts. Each font is particualry suited for a particular
layout."
Scott was also quick to point out that he only uses a computer as
a tool, not as an end to itself. "Do not rely on the computer for your
solutions," he said.
"I always know how my layout is going to look before I even start
it."
Scott pointed to the glut of stock Adobe Photoshop filter effects as
a current design trend that is an example of tasteless design.
"Design is disposable. Be discreet about what you put out."
Sage advice from someone who has developed a style that is much
more than cookie cutter graphics derived from computers.
For some examples of Scott's work check out the collage on this
page, along with the burly example of him pulling a frontside air
over the death box at Chicken's pool. Photo by Chicken. Also turn to
page ?? of this issue of Heckler on which Scott was the guest
graphic artist for the Kit Erickson interview. Then, if you still want
more, go pick up the latest issues of Blur and Bikini and start riding
a Morrow.
-John Baccigaluppi

******************END****************

********MT HOOD ROAD TRIP PART 2********
This is a three part story about a road trip to Burnside, Mt. Hood
and the Yo Yo Festival in Olympia, with part 1 in the Skateboarding
section (alt.skate-board) and part 3 in the music section (alt.zines)

Mt Hood: 477.5 Miles (as the crow flies) from Donner Ski Ranch

Well, let me put it this way: If you're like a lot of Nor Cal
boarders you probably got your start boarding at Donner Ski Ranch. A
friend took you up and got you started at Donner because the lift
tickets are only $10.00 midweek and $20.00 on weekends. Once you
got there, of course, you were hooked. You discovered that
snowboarding was something that you could not not do. Donner was
the killer place to ride and the vibe was fun and friendly.
Well, snowboarding's progressed a long way since then and now
we snowboard in the summer at Mt Hood and Mt Hood's about as far
away from Donner Ski Ranch in more ways than just distance.
(Ironically, Heckler has been banned from Donner Ski Ranch for
our lack of family values. Oh well, we still like them anyway.)
Here's the quick descrip: Mt Hood is a glacier, with the elevation
at the peak over 13,000 feet. At the base of the mountain is a small
town called Government Camp. This is where a bunch of snowboard
camps are located. A snowboard camp, for those of you who don't
already know everything, is like a summer camp where you spend
about $1000 a week to snowboard Mt Hood with some pro-
snowboarders as coaches every morning and then kick it around
Govey Camp and your base camp. Most of the base camps have really
bitchin' SK8 ramps set up and lots of other non-snow things to do.
When you get to Mt Hood, your departure point is the Timberline
Lodge. This is where they filmed The Shining with Jack Nicholson. I
couldn't find the topiary garden though. Unless you're in a camp or a
comped journalist (we're just a low rent zine, so we pay just like
you would) you're gonna fork out $25.00 for a lift ticket. What does
that $25.00 get you? A half day on about 1/8 of a mountain that has
about 7/8ths of it's snow melted. Marila, being a Hood local, pointed
out that the 1/2 day ticket in the summer cost more than a full day
ticket in the winter with the mountain covered in snow. Next, we got
to wait in the longest lift lines I encountered all year. When we
finally got to the top, the public run is a sliver about 40 yards wide
that threads between the ski and snowboard camps. Did I mention the
rocks? At least they provided some obstacles on the otherwise
rather boring terrain. Nonetheless, we made the best of it and Sonny,
Sam, Marila and myself got down to some boarding. We ran into
Carnage and Tucker Fransen (This was to be the only time we hooked
up with Chris on the whole trip) and took a couple runs with them.
Larry and Lynn hiked up the mountain and we saw them lounging on
some rocks and checking out Lynn's blisters.
Apparently after the lifts close, the film and photo crews come
out and start hiking the pipes and the pros go off for next season's
mags and vids. We left this to Carnage and Malt, and went to skate
the High Cascade Ramps. My closing thought on boarding Hood? I
have to admit it was fun to snowboard in the middle of July. You
need to make the call for your self on whether the distance, money,
conditions, lift line waits, and vibe are worth it for you. If you want
the intensive training and vibe that the camps offer, then fork out
the dough, because even though they're exclusive, the groomed parks
rip. If you've gotta snowboard in July, you don't have very many
options other than hiking glaciers (which I'm told you can do at Hood,
but then you still have to barge the camps and lifts, and we got
chased out of the one camp we barged).
Before I go on, Iwould like to interrupt this travelog for some
comments on Hood by some other riders and writers:
"There are a lot of camps at Hood that cater to the
snowboard/skateboard type, but there's only one bar. The camps
bring over a lot of Japanese campers looking to improve their riding
and english. I met a lot of japanese that spoke English but no
Americans who spoke Japanese. Shows how ignorant we are. The
environment up there's suited very well for learning to increase your
rotation or what ever you need to work on. Girls from the ski camps
are very interested in snowboarders also. I spent the 4th of July up
there and it was pretty fun. We went to this big field with a bunch of
sailboarders and they had a rope attached to the back of this car and
gave rides through the field. Roach stepped up first, but I was next.
Believe me when I say 4th of July 1994 was a blow out. Oh yeah,
don't go up there with out your Amex, 'cause this place is inflation
city and they tax your ass every time you turn around."
-Matt Kennedy
I dont need to snowboard up at Mt Hood because Im gonna be
Kris Jamieson no matter if I get worse or better at snowboarding. My
name is set in stone already! I'd rather skate than snowboard at Hood
anyway!"
-Kris Jamieson
"Half the people on the mountain just concentrate on doing turns
and the other half dont know how to turn."
-Tucker Fransen
"Hollyhood! But we camped, rode by ourselves and made the best
of it."
-Stockton crew, Megan Harvey
"I start to feel like a gymnast at Hood: it gets so routine!"
-I.J. Valenzuela
*******OFFICIAL RHYME FOR HOOD******

A visual gem its glacier mountain peak, deep blue crevasses gleam
of wonder, for a tourist soul they will keep.
The land of hype and glory.
A few hours ride, for 25.00 all the lanes you can sweep.
In the pipe its side by side head to head snow gangstas and spinnin
chain wallets flyin till the day is done.
The land of hype and glory.
Robocop glasses silver and gold reflect power and sun.
High and mighty on sponsorship, ego over fun.
Govey Camp is full of lip, bro-bra bro-bra where's the chicks.
The land of hype and glory.
TV commercials a media fest.
They come from far and wide. A $10.00 Huckleberries plate of french
fries.
More cheese than world disease, the point is lost to just ride.
The land of hype and glory
The forest deep of damp and green a picture perfect camping retreat.
Flying leaches evening feast-bring some repellent and a tent at
least.
The land of hype and glory.
Many come and many go the hardcores attend just to ride, shine the
vibe.
Hike to ride its there for the taking but you decide whether or not to
go, the playground or the tradeshow in the snow.
The land of hype and glory.
-Chris Carnel

After boarding we went back to Govey Camp and skated the ramps
at the High Cascade Camp. This was a blast. They had a mini spine
and a bigger mini right next to it and you could transfer all over the
place. Skating at 9 or 10 thousand feet on a hot summer day was
different also. We also went to the High Cascade street course in
town and skated there for a while too. After a while, we were tired
and it was time to head back to the beautiful city of Portland. We
had had a fun and exhausting day, but we were far from done yet.
Back in Portland, Sam and I went back to Burnside while Larry
and Marila loaded up their gear for their debut gig as Flaming Box Of
Ants at the Northwestern Brew Pub in downtown Portland. Sam and I
hooked up with them later, riding our cruisers, which we had tied to
the back of the rental car, down the hill and over the river to the
club. The FBOA debut was cool, (Apparently, the word was out on the
Ants, because the next day, they got offered a gig at La Luna, which
is Portland's biggest club opening for Mecca Normal) we set new
records for microbrew consumption when Sonny & Lynn showed up,
and we watched drunken bicycle messengers dance with each other.
Then we rode our bikes back UP the hill.
Were we too tired to do anything by this point? Well, yeah we were
but the next morning we got up early again and drove 2 hours North
to Olympia for the Yo Yo A Go Go Show.
-John Baccigaluppi

******************END****************

*************MIKE DAY PIECE************

Mike Day is a regular Heckler contributor, who unfortunately spent
his summer in the Auburn County Jail. He sent this into us via the US
Mail service:
****THE BIRD****
I rose up out of my overly "non-sleep conducive" jail bunk this
morning to the joyous sound of bird song in the barracks day room.
Different was the first thought that entered my not-so-razor sharp
morning brain: birds, flapping their wings in futility trying to re-
acquire the freedoms they can't even realize they possess. A definite
parallel to my current situation. You just don't realize what you have
'till you lose it.
As I sat drinking my cup of tea, I pondered their situation. Flap,
flap-BANG, invisible window. Flap, flap-BANG, cinder block wall. A
definite run of bad luck, or at the very least, unlucky misdirection.
Since birds can't make choices, I won't relate to them in such a
manner. My problem is that I simply "acted the idiot" by making
foolish decisions. No excuse, just a reason: stupidity. This is
probably why I feel so envious of these birds, they have an excuse,
instinctual guidance. I too possess instinct but chose to ignore that
voice.
Birds are a trip. After a while, they just seem to give up on going
home and try to make the most out of their shitty situation by
roosting in the most comfortable manner possible. A definite
parallel there also. Birds have it easy though. When they're trapped,
they don't have worries like us. No job, no girlfriend or wife waiting
at home, no bad news that they can't do anything about. Just life as a
songbird. Color me a dark shade of envy green.
I received a letter, or should I say, a "dear John" letter this
morning at about six a.m. Rude awakening to say the least. Sleep
still in my under-rested eyes and I'm reading the girl I pictured, the
only girl I have to date, pictured myself actually spending an
extended period of time with telling me in a ruthlessly cold manner
about her new beau "Ben." She ended with a bittersweet "have a good
one." No "I miss you," no "love xoxoxo," just have a good one. Ouch.
This illustrates my point. Birds have not worry one in this
department. Their mate takes off and, oh well, find a new one. Envy
green again. Such is life. Au revoir une amie, et amusez-vous bien.
Sad ramblings aside, birds are, in my opinion, the most free of all
creatures. Things get rough and they fly off to greener pastures. As
will I soon.
My winged friend finally made his way outside to join his
companions and continue his free flight to wherever birds end up.
Wonderful existence if you ask me.
I wonder if that little songbird stared at me as I did him. What
did he think of my existence inside that building. I wonder if that
little songbird ever looked back. I doubt it ...
-Michael Orion Day

*****END OF SNOWBOARDING SECTION********

[John Baccigaluppi]

Oops, we goofed.....
Our snail mail address for the free hard copy with photos is:
PO Box 507, Sacramento, CA 95812

[Carnaugis]

In article <xIwQOq...@delphi.com>, John Baccigaluppi
<ba...@delphi.com> writes:

John, Can't beleive I finally found the mag and wasnt even lookin for it,
Rad!
-chris

[Budlum]

In article <36ir50$e...@newsbf01.news.aol.com>, carn...@aol.com
(Carnaugis) writes:

John, received new mag from carnaugis, really sweet...Budlum