Our Journey

After taking off a few days off last week to recover from my hand injury, Rob and I decided it would be a good idea if i rode a bit this week.  With the team off for the week, and Rob and Ian home, I had to organize some training on my own.  I spoke with Steamboat Springs coach Thedo Remelink and ended up joining them in A-Basin for three days.  I free rode working on body position and pressure on Tuesday and then joined the Steamboat team in the gates on Wednesday and Thursday.  The snow was great and I really appreciate the Steamboat Team for letting me ride with them.  Im looking forward to a few days off now before Rob and Ian return and we begin training again next week.  I’ve got a few projects before then so it will be nice to have the time off to get everything done.  Zac and I put some of our race boards from last year up on Bomber Online for sale, so if any of you are looking for boards that AST members have ridden in the past they are available online.

Im back, my coaches and teammates are calling me a medical miracle.  With no broken bones and only some small tearing in the tendons of my pinky Im now back on snow training.  I free rode yesterday and Im planing on training in the gates today.  I still have stitches where my finger popped out in my palm, Im expecting to get them out on Tuesday.  Everyday my range of motion gets better with the exercises my doctor gave me.  When i wake up in the morning my hand is a bit stiff, but Im sure Ill have to deal with that for a while.  After several days of snowy weather the sun has returned.  We’re training today at eleven, kinda nice to sleep in a bit.  Im looking forward to returning to the gates today although I is still a small fear of smashing my hand again. ill let you all know how it goes.

We’re back!!!  After surf trips to the Oregon coast, weddings in Maine and some relaxing time in Colorado Team AST is back together in Hood River.  Now two days into our second training session at Mt. Hood we’ve began preparing for our first World Cup in Landgraaf.

We are very privileged to be training here at Hood, with the mountain closed to the public and the lifts shut down.  We now access the snowfields via snowmobile and snowcat!  It was extremely comical this morning as we all loaded into the 1950’s cat and bounced our way up the hill eventually sliding backwards in our seat and squishing Chris in the back.  If you remember playing corners in the back seat of your parents car as a kid with your buddies you should get the visual, instead flip the seat forwards and image all of us sliding to the back of the snowcat creating one big pile up of laughing AST snowboarders.  What a way to start our day.  And what a day it was, 24 slalom runs (18 in the course) a recovery bike ride and finally to finish it of a hour and half dryland session at the Hood River high school track.  Thanks again to all.  We are very privileged and thoroughly appreciate everyone’s support.

After  taking the weekend off we are now back training hard once again.  We started setting some trainer course yesterday and today, slowing getting comfortable riding in gates again.  With help from the Salt Monkey, a motorized salt thrower the snow has been perfect.  It looks like a back pack leaf blower and with its ability to spread the salt evenly helps immensely.  The weather has been holding for now but it looks like we might get rained out on Friday.  Were training hard now and hoping it holds.  Thanks again, we really appreciate everyones support.

We’ve talked about creating a team like this for years, a good group of rider’s coaches and staff with similar goals and dreams. With help from BCF, and Hooters our thoughts are now a reality. Next week is our first official trip together as Americas Snowboard Team and I can not be more ecstatic. Thank you to everyone involved.

Josh Wylie