Downhill Biking Season Begins!

Downhill Mountain biking is the next sport to watch this year. Now that the winter X-Games is over, you have to tune in to watch the competitive mountain biking. Last year was a wild year in the sport. This year is expected to be even more wild. This is mountain living!

Awesome Tricks and Even Better Views

Video with awesome tricks and beautiful scenery. These guys really know where to go to find the best views and terrain to board. Look forward to seeing next years video. 

Double Half-Pipe?

Double Half-Pipe? Really? This is definitely going to reinvent the X-Games all over again. It's just insane to think that boarders now have two sides to occupy to show off their skills. I like that there are tons of options such has to the wall ride and the grind rails place in spots. What's next to break out in this sport?

What does Mountain Dew, Zip Line and a Sled have in common?

Snowlercoaster!
Snowlercoaster is the combination of a snow covered mountain with a luge trail carved out. The obvious Mountain Dew to quench the thirst of the rides and on lookers. This is another creation by those that help create the Zorb bowling that was mentioned a few posts ago. 
This was filmed utilizing GoPro 3's and Cannon cameras. Also with music by Con Bro Chill "Power Happy". 

Jacksonville, FL Mandarin Mills Family Golf

View Chamblin Bookmine in a larger map
Recently hit up some mini-golf rounds at Mandarin Mills with my husband. We found out that not only am I better at mini-golf than him, but I can keep up in the batting cages. It was nice to get out and play a few rounds of mini-golf and a couple rounds in the batting cage. I look forward to doing it again.

Pinterest Hoodie

Comfy North Face Sweatshirt

WOMEN'S CRESCENT SUNSHINE HOODIE

Alright ladies, 

who hasn't pinned this sweatshirt on Pinterest? 

It's stylish and looks so comfy.  The only problem is no one can find where to buy it!  I've hunted down the pinner and found the website.  The only problem,  The North Face is no longer selling them, nor do they show this particular one in the darkish grey color.  This happens more often than not.  The North Face does offer to send an email when the black one is available.  For this perfect hoodie, the dreamers are out of luck.  

Check out the website by clicking the picture to get an email notification when the black is available

Learn How to Grind a Box

How to Ride a Box or Rail with a Snowboard | Sunshine Village by Sunshine Village is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s91m-cIZ4j8.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.youtube.com/yt/copyright/creative-commons.html. When watching the winter X Games or even the Sochi Winter Olypmics recently. I have always wanted to learn how to grind without busting my face trying to guess technique. I found a video that is short and sweet and to the point. The technique is fairly simple to perform and most anyone that has the basic snowboarding technique, could easily do a simple board slide on a level box. Don't take my word for it, watch the video and try it yourself.  Get Your MntLvg On!

Sunny Florida!

Mountain Living by Lauren Elcess is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://powderdaypass.blogspot.com/2014/03/sunny-florida.html
If you want to get away from the cold mountain life. Head down to Florida to bask in the sun, you will want to grab some sunscreen. With extensive experience in the sun's rays and the mass amounts of sunscreen I go through living in Florida. I have found Sun Bum sunscreen, not only does it protect you from the sun's rays but it smells great and stays where you put it. 
If you're looking for a sunscreen that can stand up to the brutal Florida sun, then stop monkeying around with other brands and get some Sun Bum! 

What does a Zorb, Snow, Humans and Bear Naked Granola have in common?

Human Bowling!

Who doesn't want to bowl using a Zorb and a snow covered mountain? The better question is, Who wouldn't? Obviously this is a commercial for Bear Naked Granola and Zorb, but I could see this as an add-on attraction for a resort or even for a mountain that sells lift tickets and gear rentals. 

Need to give credit to the products that made this video happen. If you like granola you should go out and get some Bear Naked Granola! I have actually had the opportunity to chow down on some and this stuff is awesome. There are a ton of different mixes to choose from and enjoy. 

Aspen Vacation

The Limelight Lodge

Aspen, Co

"Someplace warm. A place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I'm talking about a little place called Aspen" (Dumb & Dumber).

I knocked Aspen off my bucket list a few years ago and the experience of this little piece of heaven has filled me with happiness every since.  

When planning our trip the hotel was last on our list.  We chose a hotel based on looks and location.   This trip was about snowboarding, but what we got was so much more.  From the minute we landed till the day our plane took off every minute of our trip was unforgettable, thanks to the absolutely amazing hotel and hotel staff at the Limelight Lodge.  When we landed we expected to take a cab to our hotel, but we were pleasantly greeted by a hotel staff member waiting to bring us to the hotel.  Driving through the small town was like you were in a movie.  The quaint-little village with houses covered in thick powder, mountains engulfing us on both sides and people walking the streets filled our souls with warmth.  I felt like a kid visiting Santa's village.  

Walking into the hotel our bags and boards were taken care of and we were welcomed by the staff.  It wasn't like a normal hotel staff.  They treated us more like family.  The large lobby filled with sofas, people, warmth and large picture windows giving you the most beautiful view of the town and mountains.  The great-big fireplace filling the room with heat melted the snow off our shoulders and invited us to sink into a leather couch.  All I wanted to do was spend the day looking out the windows and snuggling up by the fire.  

My husband tore me away to take a look at our room.  We booked a standard room overlooking the lobby.  It had a beautiful bathroom, completely re-done.  The room was big, the bed was soft and comfortable and just perfect.  After checking every nook and cranny we went to explore the rest of the lodge, from the outdoor patio where the pool and hot tub was, the locker rooms and back to the bar in the main lobby.  At this point the kitchen wasn't up and running, but the bar was beautifully done with snacks for munching. Sipping our cocktails watching the snow fall over the land we were surprised by the local bands they have playing every night for entertainment.  Tonight was a light blue-grass band.  Locals and hotel guests filled the room with relaxing vibes of mellow conversation.  I was unexpectedly surprised by the German Shepard that jumped up and took a seat next to me on the couch.  It's a dog friendly hotel as well! He rested his head on my lap and I made my first friend in Aspen.  Making a perfect end to our night. 

The next few days we spent boarding the mountains and exploring the town.  It snowed fresh powder every day making the boarding amazing and the scenery gorgeous.  Every restaurant in the town was a "local place" with great food and local beers.  The friendliness of the people was pleasantly unexpected and inviting, making us never wanting to leave.  

With the end to our dream vacation we realized that staying at the Limelight Lodge made our vacation absolutely perfect.  It tied everything together for an experience of a lifetime.  

EAST COAST!!!

This guy made my winter!  Thanks CaseyNeistat!

A Little Burton Action

The Burton Resort kids are shredding it up.

Never gets old

Beautiful morning in Breckenridge, CO.  Powder for days...

Shaun White fails to medal

Olympic halfpipe shocker at Sochi.

Aspen Powder

2014 Powder day in +Aspen/Snowmass

AHHHH!!!! If you have ever had the chance to experience a powder day this is what it looks like.  You could literally fall from the chair lift into a piece of heaven.  I have to admit, first time skiers/boarders beware.  Powder is hard to get use to and if your not an experienced rider be careful.

My first experience of powder was during a trip to Vail, CO.  The top of the mountain was a complete white-out.  I couldn't see three feet in front of me and the powder was so deep I kept getting stuck under a mound of snow.  Even as an experienced rider, my first time in that kind of powder was scary.  At one point I was buried so deep I had to call for a friend to dig me out.

Once I received a few tips from my buddies, I was enthralled with how much fun it was! I'm a boarder so my tip of advice is always keep the weight of your body on the back leg and keep your tip up as much as possible.  This only pertains to riding in deep sections like the picture above.  You gain speed so fast so get ready to eat snow until you get your powder legs.  After that the opportunities are endless, not to mention it's one of the prettiest views from the top of a mountain after a heaping of snow falls over the terrain.

Take the day off work and grab a powder day pass!

Sochi vs. Shaun White

Shaun White after he qualified for the US Olympic slopestyle team at the Mammoth Grand Prix in January. PHOTO: Chris Wellhausen

Shaun White dropping out of slopestyle for the 2014 Sochi Olympics has created a huge stir.  Other Olympic riders have tweeted their opinions about Shaun being scared to lose.  The other rumors of his decision have been because of the dangerous course conditions.  With slopestyle set up to run before Shaun's best event, half-pipe, his reservations of getting hurt are justified.  Shaun is in the running for his third gold medal, something very few athletes can say they have.  Maybe if the schedule of events were in a different order and slopestyle fell after the half-pipe event then his reasoning for dropping out might not be as justified.  

Shaun has battled an ankle injury for the last few competitions and has a valid concern for his physical health.  Taking a bad fall could be the end to his opportunity to gain his three-peat at Sochi.  

+Olympics 

Good Ole Boarding.

Let's get Sochi started with some good-ole-fashion snowboarding.  Mountain living at it's finest, with some back country tricks, local park tricks and big air jumps.  These guys make you want to jump on the next flight to the mountains.