I couldn’t tell you what it is about this time of year, but every time it starts to get warm in Spring I get the urge to head to an even warmer sunny beach. So I decided to look into none other than the hot luminous beaches of the islands of the Bahamas.

The Bahamas are made up of 14 major island collections and countless smaller surrounding ones. They are easy to explore online because they have their very own web site: Bahamas.com. The site is fun to tool around in because it has all the info you’re looking for, the weather and even a little survey to tell you which island is your alter ego (i.e. which one you would probably like the best).

When I took the quiz it told me my alter ego island is Nassau/ Paradise Island. It does sound pretty rad but I disagree. I read an article about Harbour Island on the Travel Channel web site and that is totally the island for me. It’s small and has a chilled out, laid-back vibe and apparently all the sand is pink. Things move slow and if you want to get around the ½ mile wide and 3 mile long island it basically comes down to using your own man power or renting a golf cart.

Since Harbour Island is so small it hasn’t been built up and made all touristy. It has been able to maintain a relaxed, friendly, small-town atmosphere. If you want a lot happening around you on your vacation Nassau/ Paradise Island has casinos and fancy hotels to meet those needs.

All the islands offer an array of things to do and enjoy such as scuba diving, snorkeling, live music, eating out, lounging on beaches, boating, swimming with dolphins… The list goes on forever. They say the best time to go according to weather is any time between December and May because the temp will usually stay between 70 -75 degrees. But that is also the high season and prices are going to be jacked. So if you’re a traveler on a budget those months probably aren’t the time to go. Just don’t go in the Fall because that is tropical storm season and everything will probably be closed up because of hurricanes. If I talked you into a stay at Harbour Island you should check out MyHarbourIsland.com and see their list of hotels.

To get to the Bahamas flying into either Miami or Fort Lauderdale, FL is best, and then take a small plane to your island of choice. The islands will have taxis and water taxis that will be able to get you to where ever you want to go. To get into the Bahamas (if you are a U.S. Citizen) you will need either a passport or a photo I.D. along with proof of citizenship, like a birth certificate. It is always a good idea to double check entry requirements before you go just to make sure of any changes.

The Bahamas web site has a all the travel tips you will need to know before you head down. If you need any Luggage, Boardshorts, sandals or any other clothing to pack The House has it all in stock.

Around this time every year snowboarders and skiers across the nation will find themselves going through a little process I like to call the five stages of grief due to snow loss. It will depend by region when the process begins but once we reach acceptance there are some great places to vacation to, to help deal with this loss. I will be doing a little research on these get-away destinations to visit over the snowless months and let you know all about what I find. But as many of you maybe have not reached the stage of acceptance yet these are some symptoms to expect:

You may notice that warm blue bird days become more frequent. We may have a tendency to tell ourselves it’s just a heat wave and a blizzard is sure to follow bringing with it at least two feet of pow. This is denial, and after about the third week in a row of warm days we may begin to realize, amidst our blissful playing on the slopes, how late it is in the season. It is not just a “warm spell” is actually the inevitable end of all that we hold dear, till next season.

Anger is sure to quickly follow this realization and trips to the hill will probably become more frequent as we try to get as many days in as possible before it’s all gone. More aggressive riding could pursue as we realize we have not gotten that trick we promised ourselves this season. The snow may have now become a nice soft landing, but do remember that though the snow is softer, rails and boxes are still hard.

Once the snow begins to disappear around us at a rapid rate we may begin to bargain with God to send just one more big storm, or to turn global warming on its head and create global winterization. When we realize that God has not headed our offer to never duck a closed trail sign again in exchange to abolish the other three seasons, a state of depression may set in. We now have to pack away our boards for the summer and there is nothing we can do to stop it. We reminisce all the amazing runs we were able to lay down and the epic sessions shared with the hommies.

Pick up your chin fellow shredder! There will be another season coming and there are many great times to be had while it’s warm too. Acceptance of the warm coming days at first can be a tough pill to swallow, but I intend to share with you ways to enjoy it to the fullest. Resorts still have much to offer without snow and there can be some great destinations to visit that won’t break the budget. I’ll do a little research and get back to you on the places I find and any tips about traveling to them. Be sure to check back in!

Live Here Next Year!

Every fall, thousands of kids just like you move to a mountain town and ride until their legs can’t take it anymore, everyday. Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to do the same? I mean, those knees aren’t getting any fresher, but those colleges will still be there for decades. Here’s our foolproof guide to help you get settled in a mountain town next year.

First off, you need a destination. Remember, this is going to be your home mountain for the next season, so you need to pick a place that suits your own needs. In the name of looking out for number one, consider whether or not the park at this resort keeps up on maintenance and rebuilding when needed. If you’re all about the forest, then make sure that there is a variety of natural terrain, both within and above your current ability level. This part is crucial, picking a mountain that offers terrain, both in the park and outside, that is outside of your current ability allows you to grow into it as the season progresses. Trust us, you’re gonna get a lot better just by riding all day, every day, and this way you’ll have some features to look forward to.

A bad night job beats a good day job

Now that you know where you’re going, you can start looking for the ever-so-important job. Here’s some knowledge, the job you find in your mountain town is going to suck. You’re gonna have to deal with whiny kids and their “pissed off because back in my day this was a sport everyone could afford” dads. If you can visit the town you’ve picked before you move there, start looking for night jobs over the summer, they provide the most riding time, therefore they get grabbed up first. If you can’t get to town early, check the mountain’s website. Every single resort lists their seasonal jobs online, but you need to apply for that stuff several months before you make your move. Then you can use that job to get started, and try to find yourself a night job. You’ll thank yourself once you’re getting fresh tracks on that first bluebird pow day. Another little bonus fact…if you haven’t rode powder west of the Mississippi, you haven’t rode powder.

Finally, you’ve made it to the last step, you have to tell your parents. This depends on two variables; your parents hopes and dreams for your future, and your presentation of the idea to them. We can only guide you so far in this quest, but it will definitely benefit you to have a solid plan of where you’re going and where you’ll be working. If mom and dad (or Tom and Brad, we don’t discriminate) are really determined send you towards the halls of higher academia, look into some online classes. Not only are there hundreds of online universities, there are also many accredited schools that offer online classes near mountain towns. That way everyone wins!

The very first X Games women’s Superpipe medal to ever be presented outside of the U.S. goes to The House team rider Kaitlyn Farrington! And the games continue to be a big ball of firsts as this is Kaitlyn’s first X Games medal. She stomped her last run in the finals which consisted of a bs 540, straight air, a monster bs 900, inverted fs 720 and a cab 540 to finish. Kaitlyn laid it down and was able to top a list of some pretty impressive riders. In the top 6, 4 of the women are Olympians and one, Torah Bright, is the Olympic gold medalist. Great job Kaitlyn! That’s quite an accomplishment, and you’ve earned it.

Women’s SuperPipe finals results:
1. Kaitlyn Farrington, 97.00
2. Torah Bright, 95.00
3. Sophie Rodriguez, 87.00
4. Mercedes Nicoll, 82.33
5. Ellery Hollingsworth, 79.00
6. Kjersti Oestgaard Buass, 78.66

Another Day In Paradise

Last season Mammoth Mountain decided to join the ranks of Bear and Park City by offering a resort-sponsored film. Hot Laps kept the crowds in-the-know about seasoned vets like Gabe Taylor, and fresh talent like Alex and Jared Dawoud alike. This season the crew is at it again with their production of Another Day In Paradise. They’ve been getting hammered with the heavenly white stuff all winter up there in the Sierras, and this particular teaser highlights one of the steep and deep storm riding days that Mammoth never seems to get enough of, with a few select park shots. Check out www.snowboardermag.com for more teasers, because UnBound’s Play Big Productions usually puts out several teasers throughout the season.

Top Shot Cheat Sheet: Power powderslide at 2:40.

Right Brain, Left Brain

ThinkThank’s crew of the Northwest’s nastiest tech experts has got to be one of the hardest working crews out there and this year they’re really putting in time. Right Brain, Left Brain will be a double-feature that’s sure to deliver double time. Leave it to these guys to come up with an idea to split up the shots. A powder day disc to keep you from skipping the street section and an urban one to get you rallied up for late-night rail missions. If the teaser is meant to perform its title, this one definitely does it and will really torture your patience as we all await the actual release.

Top Shot Cheat Sheet: Don’t cheat, watch the whole thing, it’s insane. But if you’re really that pressed for time then spend it taking in the cement ledge slo-mo that opens ‘er up and then if you’re a fan of the usual ThinkThank trickery you’re going to love 1:58.

Keep checking back for the realest reviews and cruise over to The House video selection for full features!

So, the 2009/2010 snow season has pretty much come to an end. Around here it’s been all rain for the last couple days, washing way our wonderful snow, and we even got a taste of thunder for the first time in months. So there is no better time to start thinking about the 2010/2011 shred season!

The 2011 K2 Auto bindings are a one ratchet system that will get your foot cinched in with ease. There is a cable that connects the toe strap to the ankle strap so when the ankle strap is ratcheted down the toe strap is tightened with it. It’s a pretty smart idea and it’s handy for the riders who are in a hurry to get off the lift and shred asap.

When I was riding the Agogo bindings they weren’t quite set up right for my boot, but that was easily fixed with the tool-less strap adjustments. These are definitely a binding you need to take your time to get them set up right. To get the best performance out of them they need to be fine tuned to your boot. Which is true for every binding, but the Agogo’s seemed to require a little more than a quick demo adjustment.

K2 added their new Canted Footbed with Harshmellow to dampen any chatter. Their Canted Footbed angles in 3 degrees to match the natural position of a riders leg, which will increase control and save you some energy. K2 also took the time to customize the Agogo’s Airlace Hichback, which is shaped asymmetrically to better fit a woman’s leg.

The Agogo binding’s have a laundry list of features that will make for a better ride and more comfortable feel. The 2011 model will be heading our way this fall. If you’re sick of strapping in the K2 Auto Agogo is the binding that can help you out with that.

It’s about that time of year when we pack away our wonderful winter sticks and go digging for something with wheels for our source of entertainment, or if you’re the green type, your A to B getter. It’s a sad time of year I know, all that new stupid green grass poking through the last of the remaining white piles of snow, people out jogging and no more need for that bomb insulated coat you just bought. Terrible, but inevitable. So to help with the summer time blues I took a look at the complete set up of the Sector 9 Ghost Tree longboard.

I grabbed the set up from the show room and took the Ghost Tree for a cruise around the office. I’m a little on the “not skillful” side of things when it comes to skateboarding, but this Sector 9 longboard treated me well. The deck it self is made of 100% bamboo, so it flexed really good for being able to build momentum. It is 42 inches long and is 9.25 inches wide so there was plenty of room to move around. The set up comes with Sector 9’s 10″ Gullwing Charger trucks. It was really easy to turn and carve and I  felt in control the whole time. The wheels are 70mm/75a Nineball Wheels that are a clear urethane and the bearings are Abec 5 Greeseball Bearings. I may have been almost running into things and people and almost falling all over the place, but I enjoyed my ride on the Sector 9 Ghost Tree longboard. I would definitely check it out for some summer time fun!