A closing thought for 2009

I normally don’t update the blog much anymore because the season is over, but lately, I’ve decided it’s time for one final post to conclude the year.

I started this year off, with two things in mind. First, I just wanted to push myself in my riding. I was sick of being boring to watch, never hitting a slider etc. This led me to the beginning of the season. The first thing we did this year was build a slider, and we hit it maybe 15 times tops each, but that one slider got all of us much more confident in attempting that. I wanted to not be boring to watch. I’ve been riding for about 4 or 5 years, and the most i can do that would be considered a trick is a bad grab. It was time for me to at least learn a 180, and I got that down this season. I also hit sliders in Guntersville, and felt like I could handle them with ease after hitting the one we made.

My second thing I had in mind is finding out what’s out there as far as different crews pushing the sport. My main crew is walt and ben, and we ride behind a deck boat and enjoy the times, but there are so many other people out there that ride, and I wanted to experience the different groups. The first i’ll mention is the first ride I had this season, with Kyle and the Florence, AL/Pickwick crew. These guys are out 6 days a week riding in the barge canal on pickwick, and a good group of guys who like to have fun. Kyle has got some awesome tricks to watch, and can helped me out drastically with my 180. I appreciate the pulls. The next group is the next group of riders I came in contact with. Chase Parks and his crew also ride on wheeler. Chase and I had a phone call one weekend and Chase was stoked on the sport. He was telling me about how much Wheeler needs to get the riders together and pump up the scene there, which is oddly enough the same thing I had been thinking of. Chase is one of the only other riders I know on wheeler. The last crew I want to give a shout out to is the wakefactory.net crew. I rode with Joe Jones and Jonny Liles 5 or 6 times towards the end of the summer. These guys are the wakeboarders of North Alabama. If there is a badass wake event going on, chances are, it’s their event. They help a spring2summer competition, and numerous rail jams this summer. They are pushing it hard. Joe and Jonny ride about 5 or 6 days a week, and all about having a good time. They aren’t the type to push you too hard to try a trick, but they have the help if you need it.

All in all, It’s been a fun year. I’ve enjoyed all the times riding this summer. North Alabama has a scene, and it’s only getting better.
-Chad

The End Has No End

The end of the summer got going way too fast. Riding was happening everyday the past week, and so much so that I didn’t even take out the camera much. There were a couple good times spent on Guntersville. One saturday the wakefactory.net crew did a saturday sandbar winching special. Here’s some pictures and a short video.

It’s been a good year. We’ll be back in full throttle this spring.
-Chad

Shake ’em on down.

It’s about mid summer now. Got to ride 3 days in a row this past week. Tweaked the knee a little bit, but all is well now. Here’s a few pictures, and finally the video starting in early june and some of the footage is as new as this past friday.

And the video
[vimeo5566078]

Sunshine, Sunshine, it’s fine, I feel it in my skin, Warming up my spine

Went out with hAustin, Danielle and Charlotte today to get a little water activity in. It was a great day all around, and everyone was smiling all day long, and everyone tried something new. Good times.

Haustin


Taking a plunge from such great heights



Charlotte, and Danielle also participated.


The hippo dancing with a smaller hippo float..

2 random but quality pictures of myself..

-Chad

Third week of June

So here we are just finishing the third week of june. I was on the water 4 days this week, which was a lot of fun. Went out with walt on wednesday, and had perfect conditions. This night I really started trying to poke out some grabs. Walt had a nasty fall that same night, and is luckily doing fine and not injured.
Thursday, I went out with Kyle over on pickwick. Got a couple really good sets in and came really close to landing a 180 wake to wake. Kyle naturally went huge and was a blast to watch, and gave me some good instruction.
Friday me and walt went out again. Nothing too big happened. Just a nice relaxing set as both of us were pretty physically exhausted.
Pictures from Florence.

-Chad

This weekend

Was pretty swell. Me and walt went out saturday night and got a doubles set in together. First time i’ve ever ridden doubles besides the infamous graduation trips in cap and gowns..

This doubles set was the best set I’ve had all year. Riding right next to walt like that was awesome since we had the chance to push each other and we both kept trying to 1 up each other by trying to poke out grabs more than the other. Not a ripple on the water either. Wish i had pictures.

-Chad

The past week or so

I’ve been a little lazy on updating this, so I apologize. Here are some things that have happened:
-Tons of riding on the glassy waters of Shred Creek.
– A couple more inside out 180’s and an ollie 180 from yours truly
-Walt is getting his fashion airs back, which is great
– Ben got his first boat set in
– Second creek aka shred creek is blowing up at the west wheeler wakeboarding mecca..
– Tyson has gotten edging down a bit more, but he still has some ways to go
-Andrew francis got his board completely out of the water, so hopefully he’ll hit wake to wake at the end of summer.
– Kristen is slowly getting further and further across the wake, I expect a wake 2 wake from her very soon
-Me and walt are still heelside heroes, some toeside and switch riding desperately needs to be added to our menu of riding.

That’s all I can think of. Here are a few pictures of the past few weeks.

John lennon? or B$?


Cheesin on that shredstick

He landed this one..

The driver. Notice he is the best. ❤

Kmac reaching such great heights.. I bet the people look like ants from up there.

Picked up this abercrombie model up on the way, he’s legit.



Our strapless friends

Walt

SuperGoodTimes

Strawberry man

Stoked

Went out to walts today after work and got a couple sets in. Tyson got up and rode around really well, and I can’t wait to see his progression the more he gets out, and see him able to ride around without any problems.

I landed an inside out 180 which i’m stoked about along with a lot of pretty huge jumps and grabs. Summer is here.

Spreading the Love

This past week proved to be a nice one. We got our first sets in behind the chaparral. It felt good to be home again. Me and walt went out wednesday evening and got to second creek to find it to be completely glass, which was incredible. We both had good sets, and I even wakeskated for a bit.

That night, Ben and Andrew came out. It rained and stormed all night and I got an alright picture during the lightning.

Lat
The next day, we woke up to the whole lake being completely glass. We were amazed, but this picture doesn’t do justice.

We got on the boat, and headed out for a few sets.



After me, ben and walt took a set, we went to the rope swing we found last week.

Then it was andrew’s turn to get up for the first time.


He got up on the 4th of 5th try. It’s always good to watch someone get up and ride for the first time.

Shorty Shorts

And he had some good falls too.

Always good to be out on the water. Thanks for letting us enjoy yet another trip walt.

-Chad

The Jandle has been hit

Hit the Jandle for the first time on wednesday. Still haven’t got it down, but I think the next time out we will have at least one person hit it the full length and land.

Click for bigger version 🙂