The Snowboarder's Journal - The Snowboarder's Journal 22.1
SILVER LINES
Words Ben Shanks Kindlon 2024-10-01 09:10:18
Phil Hansen flipping over Austen Sweetin during Snowboy Productions’ Holy Bowly at Sunshine Village, AB. With infinite lines to choose from, remember to stay present on whichever one you take. Photo: Tim Zimmerman
Planning a line from your drop-in is one thing. Riding it is another.
I’d never knock prior planning or hopeful speculation. I indulge in both constantly. But in the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.” Be ready to pivot at a moment’s notice; the only constant is change. Embrace the uncertainty of each descent, for flowing with the fall line and its features might be the difference between a clean top-to-bottom or rag dolling down proverbial peaks.
Forcing our will upon the might of mountains often doesn’t work in our favor. We can’t always stop the sluff, but we can learn to mitigate its risks. Furthermore, matching our modus to more natural motions might lead to possibilities we never knew existed from the top looking down. In terms of missed turns, flying left of one’s originally intended line really can be a good thing. This is where adaptability with a dash of optimism comes into play.
I used to listen to a lot of Jack Johnson. On top of his knack for ripping guitars, he has a knack for ripping waves. Born and raised in Hawaii, Jack grew up surfing the North Shore of Oahu. At 17 years old he became the youngest invitee to make finals at the Pipeline Masters, an iconic, elite event held annually at the North Shore’s Banzai Pipeline. A week after the competition, Jack suffered a career ending injury and was lucky to walk away from the accident with over 100 stitches and fewer teeth. But rather than wallow in despair or turn his back on surfing entirely, Jack picked up his guitar, grabbed his camera and moved forward on the new lines that lay before him. He traveled the world working on surf videos such as Thicker Than Water with legends like Kelly Slater and Rob Machado, writing songs all the while. He leaned on his friends and into the strengths that complimented his passions as a surfer: cinematography and music—the latter leading him to become a wildly successful, internationally beloved multimillionaire. These days Jack is living large and it’s safe to say things panned out in his favor. He still lives beachside, and he still rips.
Snowboarding has a lot of similar, albeit lesser-known, stories. There are numerous examples of photographers, cinematographers and other media maestros sharpening their skills through snowboarding before various life circumstances—not all of them exactly welcomed at the time—brought them to previously unseen lines and, eventually, unimaginable success. Take Gary Land for instance, who went from shooting snowboarding on the east coast in the ’80s to working on Coca Cola advertisements and as NBA star Allen Iverson’s personal photographer. Or Selema Masekela, who went from answering phones as an intern at TransWorld to becoming a globally renowned personality and recently acting in a TV series alongside Natalie Portman.
While becoming rich and famous is a nice perk to some of these folks’ hard work and savvy, there are also plenty of success stories in snowboarding that don’t involve dollars. Some of those stories you’ll find right here in this journal. Stefi Luxton’s trust in her path. Jason Robinson’s full circle in Haines. Austin Visintainer’s hometown dedication. Aaron Schwartz’s creative meanderings. Shin Biyajima’s gracious hospitality. And more.
They are tales of unexpected twists and turns and silver-lined lines the world over, many of which are still unfolding. Just like yours.
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SILVER LINES
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