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Spiderholes and Trillwave

Henchbot — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:51:01 +0000

Mondays blow, but why?
Saddam had it right, in his anti-monday spiderhole……..
At least there’s Trillwave, whatever in hell that word even means. Heres’ HoodInternet with the latest mixtape:

Listen to it all the way through or at least check the setlist below, theres some goodies stashed deep.
The Hood Internet x Mishka – TRILLWAVE by hoodinternet

Phoenix x Why? – Shoeing Horses In 1901
Young Money x Javelin – DepRock
The-Dream x Kevin Drew – Bodhi Shawty Weekend
Air x Mike Jones – La Femme D’Monsieur Jones
Kanye West feat Lil Wayne x DJ Signify – 1993 Barry Bonds
Pharaohe Monch x The Black Lips – Drop I Mayor
Birdman x Washed Out – Feel It On The South Side
Doom x The Flaming Lips – Air You A Hypnotist?
Lloyd Banks feat Juelz Santana x Neon Indian – Beamer, Drips
Jay Electronica x Toro Y Moi – Freak Exhibit
Jamie Foxx x Röyksopp – Alcohol Forever
Mando Diao – Dance With Somebody (Hood Internet Remix feat GZA & Cadence Weapon)
Hieroglyphics x Genesis – That’s Who
Gucci Mane feat Plies x Lindstrøm & Christabelle – Wasted Love
Big L x Bibio – Dwrcan ‘Em Up
Puff Daddy feat The LOX x Volcano Choir – All About The Islands
Iyaz x The Big Pink – Velvet Replay
Ice Cube x CFCF – It Was A Rainy Day
Anti-Pop Consortium x Maps – I Dream Of Capricorn
Aesop Rock feat Rob Sonic x Tobacco – Dark Pink Goo
Dominique Young Unique x YACHT – I’m In Love With A Hot Girl
De La Soul x Jamie Lidell – What’s The Stakes
Jay-Z x Phoenix – And The Definitive Winner Is…
Trey Songz x The Radio Dept. – Trey-dio Departmentz
Drake x Beach House – Walk In The Park Is Over

Pirates, motorhomes and lemonade

Henchbot — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 06:46:49 +0000

I just spent 45 minutes at Facebook reading and responding to birthday wishes. I think I got every one of them in reply, at least that was my intent. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes, thoughts and yes, facebook pokes.
Its growing late on a Saturday night, back in the warm, digital embrace of the web as I suck down vodka lemonades’ to stave off this oppressive heat. Im reading up on Khat tonight, not because I managed to get some for my birthday……no that would never happen. Im just reading about it because……well…..the pirates in Somalia get all tuned up on it before they go hijack the living shit out of tankers off the Puntland Coast…something Ive spoken about many times here on Ninja. Naturally I have questions about it: why do pirates like it, what is it like, etc etc. Turns out on the Wiki link above, it is specifically banned in Missouri (amongst other grave condemnations) Why is that I ask myself, What does Missouri have against Khat?
Im just curious is all. Its nothing really, just a chalky, bitter, high seas skullduggery novelty that you better be ready to chase with booze…….at least that what I imagine it to be. Wikipedia says it will get you really jacked, and wiki is user based…..so that must be true, but again….I’m just a reader, an innocent bystander with a passionate interest in the cultures of other communities and countries, particularly pirates.

There’s been alot going on in the beeyard the past two weeks, something I will talk about over on Shipwreck later in the weekend, likely Sunday. Stay tuned over there for that. Those bees have been raising all sorts of hell, methinks they’ve been chewing that devil weed: khat.

The setlist for the week includes another wide array of artists, spanning genres with acts such as Arcade Fire and Dierks Bentley, Ive got a mixtape coming from 8tracks, I will release that any day now. Its an odd collection of sound for sure and likely only enjoyable to myself.

Its been one hell of a week, living all sorts of ways in all sorts of places amongst all sorts of people. Im always interested in peoples reaction to the motorhome, you can never predict what its going to be once people actually realize that what they are seeing in front of them, or driving by them is real. It never fails as I hoist the colors on her once we’ve dropped anchor, someone always comes up and says something like: “Christ on a crutch what in hell is that!” I laugh every time, a big hearty laugh as I explain whats’ obviously a 20 foot flagpole with a jolly roger at the top of the mast. This week we met a guy who couldn’t believe my rig was even real, I invited him and his kids up to the motorhome lot at Stevens Pass next Winter to live the dream with us and he couldn’t believe we did that even. He was a really nice guy who wanted to connect with his kids more, especially his son who was getting older and drifting away. He left us that night with all sorts of gifts and promised he would see us this Winter up there. I love how motorhomes bring people together, moreso when tied in with something that really, most people wont even consider doing: Winter Camping. I am a Winter man, hands down. I love being in the harshest yet gloriest of Seasons in my wheeled cabin of doom. Winter brings out the best in people, its when you have to work to stay alive, when every decision makes an absolute difference. I tell you what: there’s no vodka lemonades on a laaaazy Saturday night in ……wait a second: Yes there are. Lots of them!!!!

Im turning this thing off before I ramble even more about Winter, pirate drugs and vodka lemonade. Ive clearly lost my mind.
Heres’ Arcade Fire from the new album. Goodnight friends.
Arcade Fire – Ready To Start by TheClink

4, July 2k10 message of Hope:

Henchbot — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:24:30 +0000

Only 148 days left before we slash local pow; keep your chins’ up, Shreddies.

the rip line

Henchbot — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 11:52:23 +0000

picking lines

Good Morning

Henchbot — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:11:30 +0000

Stevens Pass RV Lot policy: 2010/2011

Henchbot — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 01:42:34 +0000

Today most of us got the long anticipated email from Stevens Pass detailing our Motorhome parking privileges on the mountain. Didn’t get it? I will forward it to you, just ask. The details of the memo are listed below; I didn’t bother to convert the file from Adobe so I just made a verbatim copy here. I did add mild punctuation repairs to the original but no verbiage whatsoever was replaced, removed or otherwise touched.
As of publish, the website for the Mountain had not yet updated to reflect this new policy.

• RV Lot will stay in the current location with space for 70 RV’s.
• The Overflow/free lot will no longer be offered.
(If the situation arises where there are more than 70 RV’s we will accommodate on a temporary basis in a location determined by Stevens Pass Parking Manager.)
• RV lot will become 100% nightly parking on a first come first serve basis.
• Nightly fee will be $30 a night.
• 50 passes will be sold at $1,000 but will not guarantee a space.
(this pass is being offered as a payment convenience only, along the same lines as a season pass for skiing.)
• Current 2009/2010 pass holders will have priority for purchase between August 16th and September 30th, 2010.
• All other policies and procedures that have normally been in place will also exist.

Here are my thoughts:
While the Mountain blew the very deadline (4-2-10) they presented for resolution to their dilemma of the lower lot, I applaud them for a decision at the very least. I am beyond pleased that this is settled and buried once and for all. All the speculation is finally over, opinions no longer matter. Democracy, rather: Stevens Pass pithy attempt at it, has died….but out of its tired ashes has risen a new season of promise for all who choose to ski/ride out of our motorhomes, a new season of promise for all of us who choose to make Stevens Pass our home mountain; the place to teach our children, fellowship with our friends and families, spend our hard earned dollars upon and carve yet even more years of fond memories upon her slopes.
Now there is only one Lot, and anyone who has been to either, can easily ascertain that this one Lot, with her 70 stalls is not enough to host the multitudes. Its easy to see there will be issues with this new program but easier than that is just dismissing everything and leaving it to the mountain to figure out. At the end of the day (for parking) I don’t care if I plug in or not or: if I pay or not, although $30 a night is another fine way to support the mountain you ride; at any rate Ive got the resources to do both and all I really want is to ski in/ski out, sit around a fire at night sipping a little vodka and trading the days’ stories with my crew. Im a pretty happy pirate wherever I drop anchor, so long as its snowing and Ive got a chest full of ice and a cupboard full of cookies. There is no feasible way those 50 $1000.00 passes will last long enough to reach my slot on the list, but I would jump on it if I could, it’s a fantastic deal whether you ride/spend as many nights there as I do or not.

I have been an outspoken critic of the process for many months, and 3 weeks ago I went dark when opinions no longer mattered, when the decisions and its architects basked, forged in the fires of resolve; all that was left was to sit down, shut up and see where I would be spending my money next season. Im as satisfied as anyone can be with this; I’m keeping my hard earned dollars at Stevens’ Pass for 2k11, I want to see how this works. I’m not going to get killer front yards and open spaces for parties next Winter in the Upper Lot but that just means we will have to deal with it; at the end of the day we get less turns to our rigs if we come through the trees but we will have to deal with it. We still get to ride in/ride out.

Im looking forward to reading the forum-rats in the coming weeks but in the meantime to Joel Martinez and his snowy henchmen: Thanks for a decision, thanks for making it work for everyone as best you could and yeah, we totally grabbed Crystal Mountain’s sweet ass a few weeks ago, but we are still going home with you and really, that’s what counts.

Friday Footy

Henchbot — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 20:45:06 +0000

if you follow me on Twitter like good boys and girls you get to see stuff like this in real time. If not however, you have to wait til I get back from wherever Ive been. Heres your Friday Footy:
This is the voting/Winners circle from Stevens Pass retro fools day:

This is my buddy J.C. taking first place in the mens ski downhill on the same race:

Gone and nuked:

Henchbot — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:58:33 +0000

Its a late season storm right now and nuking in Stokeland. I will be there Thursday night to slash whats left, which where we ride, will be plenty.
This youtube channel is great, Ive known about it for a long time, but never really watched anything til this week, and cant figure out why it took me so long. Check it, in the PACNW world this is local.
This vid is what I think this weekend will be like in terms of lines scored:

see you guys out there!

Mountains

Henchbot — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 04:52:01 +0000

Daylight Savings is screwing me up and I didnt realize it til Friday night, sailing the brig up the mountain in….DAYLGHT! I havent sailed that thing under the Sun in months and frankly its weird. I dont like it, seems out of place in all that blue sky and piercing light….thats definitely a night time ship.

The weekend was killer, our crew varied in size all day saturday, some times we took up 5 chairs and others it only took 2 to get us all to the top. I like riding like that, its mellow, sometimes slow, sometimes fast and always lots of stops to talk stories, plan different runs etc. Local ripper Bekah caught up with us on the backside early in the day and stuck it out with us for a huge session before we all split up to watch the Big Air competition late in the afternoon. The final seconds of this video, shot of the big air comp are awesome, the guy gnarls out a handplant, check it:

Sat night brought the rain and it stayed with us til deep into Sunday. Right now my buddies up there text in that its nuking up there but the website says its 34 degrees so Im not sure how good its going to be. I spent quite a bit of time in the upper lot last night and by the time I got back to my rig, I was rocked off my pegleg so this morning was more of a medical than anything. A couple guys ski-ed/rode this morning, (despite it raining hard) and came back with terrible reports; I didnt miss much by staying in and nursing a hangover. Last night after I got back to the lower lot, a small squad from the upper lot came down to hang out more, thus increasing the swill factor demonstrably. It was an absolutely damn good time, I love the snow community/winter people.
I downloaded a GPS based app tonight for Droid that tracks your speed and is built specifically for ski-ers, I havent used it yet but I cant wait to find out what a hard charge downhill equals. Last Winter my buddy tracked us on his device and we clocked in at 58mph i think.

On Thursday night of last week I tested for my Apiary cert with Wa. state and I passed; immediately afterwards I bought two unassembled bee-hives and a bunch of related tools for the building of them so Im looking forward to getting that going tomorrow. I am dropping a bunch of new stuff online to promote it: bloggo, twitter, facebook,flickr etc etc. Support your favorite pirate beekeeper and for gods sake people: next time you find a “hottest beekeeper contest” like Huffpost did last month, sign me up!

here is Biffy Clyro with Mountains.

thanks for reading and see you on the other side.
Hench…

Night post

Henchbot — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:02:40 +0000

Its been forever since Ive sat here at the desk and filtered through the reader, scanned images and scouted around my favorite Internet watering holes, but here I am tonight finally, albeit late. The ice cracks quietly in the glass, smoothing out the vodka as it ages….mocking me as it dies; the Droid is grumbling at my neglect and Collie Budz plays in the skullcandies as I pound this out. Its a good night, tired but good.
We spent the weekend chasing powder stashes in the cliffs and heavy timber high above any groomers at Stevens Pass and Im still feeling the burn from the effort; when we werent being backcountry outlaws, we were standing around fires, sharing booze and stories deep into the nights. My addiction to tree slides is showing itself this week, my shin took a gnarly hit from a branch I caught on the tail end of what would have been a textbook rail; pretty tender right now. The mountains picked up a few bonus inches of snow this weekend and we exploited the hell out of it where we could, riding lifts but ultimately abandoning the predictability of that for hardcore traverses into deep timber, super narrow passes and hidden meadows. The region above the moho lots was exemplary all weekend and Chief Bowl was sick as hell, even if the traverse was super hairy; your edges better be damn sharp if you want to get over there…razor sharp. That traverse blows from just under Double Diamond all the way around the switchback and over the small dro; be prepared.
Another really good rip is Corona Bowl, specifically the rock face/cliff area, whatever the hell you call it. Its a double diamond and tech as hell but easily done in these conditions if you ride smart. Pop your turns, use your edge and take advantage of your hands on the rock walls to get to the stash directly before the final drop. Its good down there, big time. Lower Corona was slashed out by Saturday but you can blame my crew for that so no complaints there.
I love spring sessions, the girls are out in hoodies and tanks, the dudes are mellow and fun , the sun hangs out longer, the booze seems sweeter and life is a little richer for it all. The snow succumbs under your crushing blows as if it wants more, whatever your doing to it isnt enough and it talks to you, telling you to go harder, faster and louder. I think its right about now when everyone realizes this is it, these are the final weeks of the year for locals and as we take stock of what we’ve done, we laugh and lift a glass in unison, then relax. The major drive is over, we have our days counted and most of us are over 35 for the year which is a solid achievement; now its time to hunt the backcountry fresh, kill the soft grooms and talk to a few more girls in the lift lines. The ride is over, Spring is the victory lap.

I have incredible news about our cherished Lower Motorhome Lot: there is a damn good chance it will be left to us in the 2k11 season; nothing final or official but I have it on good authority that we will be allowed to park there and support our local mountain for another season. All will be revealed come April 2, but there is new hope in the tribe that we will survive.
After that the real questions arise: will I be your beloved Mayor again next year? 3 seasons straight…..its gonna take alot of ~~booze~~ votes to get re-elected again I reckon.
I have packets built for next weekend, flyers built for the Crystal Mountain Rendezvous which takes place in two weeks from now, comment cards for you to fill out from Stevens Pass, telling them how much you love the Lower Lot and a few other related items for your consumption. About the comment cards: you can fill em out and leave them with me to turn in on Sunday night, or you can drop em off yourself at the guest services kiosk. Tell Stevens how much you use the lot, how much you love the lot and why it shouldnt go away. Its a big deal, and if there was ever a chance to save it, it is now! I will be going rig to rig passing out info and accepting your booze ~~Mayoral pittance~~.
Here is the sound of Spring Shred:

See you guys out there, thanks for reading.
Hench.