HISTORY LESSON

Hey everyone,
Many snowboarders do not realize the impact that only a few early snowboarders have had on the tricks we all do without thinking today. This is a short video series about Noah Salasnek who admittedly is before my time. Check it out and a learn a little bit about your roots!
http://www.snowboard-mag.com/content/powder-and-rails-noah-salasnek-part-1-37550


Luoma

Season Opener

Hi everyone,
Come ride Friday January, 8th at 5:30pm. It's the first Freestyle Friday of the season! We will have a few features set up so come get wicked!

Season Opener

Hi everyone,
Come ride Friday January, 8th at 5:30pm. It's the first Freestyle Friday of the season! We will have a few features set up so come get wicked!

THE BOWL IS OPENING!

Hi Everyone!
We are now in day 5 of snowmaking & have about 1/2 of the hill covered with a good base. We anticipate making snow through this weekend & opening the hill on Saturday, December 19th.

Here is our schedule for the rest of the month & the Christmas vacation.

Sat., 12/19 11-4:30 Opening day!
Sun. 12/20 11-4:30
Mon. 12/21 4:30-8:30 (We are now open Mondays.)
Tu. 12/22 Closed
Wed. 12/23 4:30-8:30 (Special Wed. night opening, because it is the last day of school.)
Th. 12/24 Closed
Fri. 12/25 Closed
Sat. 12/26 11-4:30 First day of ski camp
Sun. 12/27 11-4:30 ski camp day #2
Mon. 12/28 11-4:30 ski camp day #3
Tu. 12/29 11-4:30 ski camp day #4
Wed. 12/30 11-4:30 ski camp day #5
Th. 12/31 11-4:30
Fri. 1/01 Closed
Sat. 1/02 11-4:30
Sun 1/03 11-4:30 All Star Photo race

Thanks to everyone who helped at ski fittings, & is helping with snow making!

Thom Storm
chesterbowl@clearwire.net
724-9832

Happy Thanksgiving!

Armada gets Ghost Shrimped

One of my most favorite artists Dan James did some graphic work for Armada skis this year!

Be sure to check out the rest of his fine fine artwork at his website http://www.ghostshrimp.net/

Wild Mountain

It's not cold enough to make snow in Duluth yet, but Wild Mountain opened this week. Check out the video.


super cool

Andrew Nagahashi killing it!

Hey guys check out skiing extraordinaire Andrew Nagahashi killing pavement on his homemade wooden bike.
Come down to Continental Ski and Bike (1305 East 1st Street Duluth, MN 55805 (218) 728-4466) To harass Andrew to teach you to be as cool as him.

Wood Bike from jake s on Vimeo.

New Rail For Chester

Hello everyone,
I made a new rail for the Bowl this summer. Here are some pre-season session photos of it. TJ doing some maneuvers and Dillon Malay pressing like a champion.
It's going to be awesome on the hill this year!

This year's poster fresh of the photoshop!

FOD Movie Premier

WELCOME

Hi Everyone!

We are gearing up for another year at Chester Bowl and are really excited about Freestyle Fridays!

For those who may not know what Freestyle Fridays is all about; We are entirely a volunteer effort to bring freestyle features to Chester Bowl ski area. Basically, volunteers set up jumps, rails, funboxes and other features every Friday night and have fun skiing or snowboarding. The volunteers also provide instruction for those who want it. Freestyle Fridays is a jam event, this means that everyone gets to ski/snowboard together with the idea that everyone has an equal opportunity to progress his/her skiing/snowboarding abilities. Skiers and snowboarders also pick up terrain park etiquette (this means they learn how to maneuver terrain park obstacles while being mindful of those around them)

What is different this year? We have a new rail, the box got painted, we have new sponsors (this means that from time-to-time there will be free stuff and possibly a few contests) There will also be more variety of the types of things we set up each week. We also have this blog where there will be updates about cancellations, upcoming events, and features coming to the hill. As always, your primary source for information should be the Chester Bowl website (www.chesterbowl.org). If you have any questions, comments or even suggestions call (218) 724-9832 or email: chesterbowlfreestylefridays@gmail.com



Stay tuned, for more from Freestyle Fridays as the season approaches (hopefully soon!)

Sincerely,

Freestyle Fridays Volunteers

UPDATE

To live my life;
Boundary waters
Break little toe left foot
Build a Fixie
Go on an amazing vacation to SD swim in the devil's bathtub see crazy horse and mt rushmore camp outside of deadwood go for an awesome run through deadwood and meet some cool locals then camp in the badlands then get caught in a rainstorm while on a long hike drive home through that rainstorm (nothing beats a mn rainstorm!)
build a rail
drop that rail on your big toe, right foot. Get drunk and heckle your friends while they snowboard on your rail
build another rail
start a company
start a revolution
draw


This is a rough outline on my summer so far

Sick

Snowboarding's early days, 1986

March 6, 1986

Jeff Tollefson of Duluth and his Burton snowboard at Chester Bowl, March 6, 1986. (Bob King / News Tribune)

Snowboarding is a hugely popular winter sport today, but it wasn't always that way. In March 1986, the photo above ran with an article (see below) that addressed the wariness of some ski hills in allowing snowboarders on the slopes. Look for the quote from the then-general manager of Spirit Mountain on the prospect of snowboarders using that facility. I wonder what he thinks today?

Jeff Tollefson of Duluth flies up and over a snow ramp while snowboarding at Chester Bowl on March 6, 1986. (Bob King / News Tribune)

Posted by: Andrew on 3/29/2008 at 8:46 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink

WET AND WILD; Boundary Waters trip 2009

Sorry about the late news but here are some highlights the annual Luoma Boundary Waters Trip. Campers; Nathan, TJ, Forrest, and Andrew

Forrest joking around on a portage.













Taking a midday break















Drying out at the campsite; it rained most of the trip.









Fishing.









General awesomeness

Dates of Interest

The Fast Crusade; Alley Cat

Saturday July, 31 Meet at 5:00 pm in the Leif Erickson/ Rose Garden parks

http://fastcrusade.blogspot.com/2009/07/this-saturday-alley-cat.html

Continental Ski and Bike's Group Rides!

Check out the website http://www.continentalski.com/

Also Stay tuned to the “Dog Days of Summer” bike sale going on at the shop; some really, really nice bikes and gear are going to be super cheap!

Northern Minnesota Track Club's Fall Trail Series

Series begins Wednesday September, 2. Be sure to check this out!

http://www.northlandrunner.com/run?page=Race&raceId=41

UMD and Scholastica Fall Session Begins

Kiss your summer goodbye because it's all over on September 8^th folks!

First Hartley Foot Race Ever!

September 19th check out the link

http://www.hartleynature.org/learn/events.html

Moose Mountain Marathon

At Lutsen ski resort check out the link below

http://www.superiortrailrace.com/fall/index.html

Duluth Grand Traverse 2009

October 3rd Check it out!

http://grandtraverseduluth.com/Grand_Traverse/Welcome.html

I will be updating this list as more event's pop up!

Panasonic Villager Fixie

When I set out to build a fixed gear bicycle; a bike with the pedals attached directly to the hub of the rear wheel making it imposable to coast but one does not need brakes to stop; simply lock your legs and the bike can skid to a halt, I had no idea what to expect. I have never built a bike before. I understood the basic mechanics. I was on a budget; I wanted to build the bike for under $200. I knew this was going to be a challenge to learn to build a bike and stay under budget but I was curious to see where it would take me.
I started by perusing Craig's list where I found a lead on a pile of unwanted bikes outside of Superior but after finding myself at a shotgun shack, complete with meth-head, chickens, a plethora of broken down cars and garbage but no bikes. I started looking for bikes other places. I ended up finding a Panasonic Villager, a weird front free-wheel low end bike built in 1974, at The Bike Cave Collective. After persuading them to trade me the bike for a box of Dilly Bars I had a decent start.
The paint was in rough shape so I had to sandblast the frame; also I wanted to breath some life into it so after sandblasting I applied a hefty coat of primer; once that was dry I painted the bike flat black then a few layers of clear coat. When I was done painting the bike looked slick.
The hunt for bike parts had started and I managed to score a nice pair of rims off of Ebay; a set of Star's Aero clincher wheels with a flip-flop hub for under a $100. A hook-up at Continental Ski & Bike provided with me the rest of the parts I needed; an Origin 8 crankest, a chain, handlebars and stem, seat post, and saddle; thanks to Bryn, Morgan and the rest of the bike mechanics I got the bike together; and within budget!

The original catalog 1974

The Half Voyager

As I reached the water station around mile twenty of the 18th annual half voyager marathon I am met with three friendly volunteers who despite slinging water, energy drink and cookies to the ninety or so, sweaty runners ahead of me, offer genuine cheers of encouragement.
I have already covered a series of trails ranging from gravel roads to single track hiking trails complete with gnarly switchbacks, rocky creek crossings, steep climbs and unforgiving ravines that stretch down to Fon Du Lac and over into Duluth ending at the Lake Superior Zoo, where at 5:30 A.M. I stood around waiting for the race to begin elbow to elbow with about two hundred other trail runners.
When I had decided to the Half Voyager, my first marathon, I received wide range of reactions ranging from “You are going to die, I want to see your face when you finish.” to “Walk up the hills and run down the other side” so, I had no idea what to expect. Although, the later comment was from Gene the race organizer who ultimately convinced me that the race was within my abilities.
I trained in a very casual fashion, putting in about 25 to 35 miles a week on hiking trails around Duluth, completing two, twenty mile runs and three, sixteen mile runs. My diet did not change much; a steady dose of ice-cream (my vice) mixed in with vegetables and leaner meats like fish and chicken; do not forget to throw in a splash of beer for self medication for good measure. Despite pre-race anxiety I felt confident about my fitness level and the training I had done.
One of the most frequent comments offered to me was “I could never do a trail marathon!” I would have to disagree; the relaxed atmosphere of this event, the beautiful scenery and the racers themselves made this the most satisfying accomplishment I have achieved. Two such racers, Greg and Terry, even let me join them throughout the race; at one point giving me the last of their sodium tablets when I started to cramp up! The friendly conversations, advice and words of encouragement never ceased from these guys and in the end it really made the race for me; I have never ran a road marathon but I have a hard time believing I could have such an experience.
After the mile twenty water station the course became rocky, full or roots and generally treacherous; just what I love! I kept a faster pace through this last section and trough the finish; a spartan celebration with a cooler full of drinks and cookies was there to greet me. I got my t-shirt and time. I finished in 5:50 hours in 82nd place. I would like to thank Gene and all the wonderful volunteers and the support from my family and my very patient girlfriend Lizzy. The Half Voyager turned out better than I could have imagined and I am looking forward to running it next year; perhaps trying my hand at the full Voyager.

LUOMA

This just made my night

NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE

“I got no thin' to do wit dat. Now get the hell on out o' heua!”
I was merely responding to a craigslist add about a pile of bikes and bike parts up for grabs for five dollars a pop; little did I know that I would find myself in bum-fuck Wisconsin, just outside of Superior, at a shotgun shack getting yelled at by some tattooed, inbred, hillbilly who was missing most of his teeth and must still be under the impression that Walkman cassette players, starter jackets, beating one's wife and gold molars are still the hot thing. But, I can't be fully to blame for this guy's reaction to seeing a stranger in his driveway; I would be pissed too if someone woke me from my meth-bender to ask about some bikes.
I quickly ran past what I thought to be chickens- yes this guy was raising chickens, turkeys or some inbred version of the two in one of the half collapsing sheds or broken down vehicle surrounding his “house”. I got into my car and drove down his driveway just out of the view of the house.
It wasn't quite clear to me yet that I wouldn't be getting a bike from this place, so I parked my car and began looking through some piles of junk heaped on the side of the driveway among about fifteen broken down trucks; I know where I am going the next time I am in the market for a beater truck. I could not find anything worth my time besides an ancient Sears brand bike so I decided to leave; also I was fairly certain that I could hear the theme song for the movie Deliverance being played on a banjo nearby. I sped out of Wisconsin to the safety and comfort of Minnesota.
I was not willing to give up my hunt so I stopped by The Bike Cave on my way home. Within two minutes I was pointed to an old Panasonic bike in decent condition complete with a funny front freewheel shifting system; I barterd for a while with the guy working the cave. The price for the bike- a box of Dilly Bars. So, a short trip to the DQ later I had the beginnings of my fixie.
-Luoma

NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE

A moment after I knocked on apartment five's door the music quieted and I could hear a shuffling of footsteps approaching.

The door crept open; standing in the doorway was my neighbor a heavier set woman probably in her thirties; she had a pink bathrobe stretched around her and her long blond hair hung in clumps past her shoulders, obviously showering was not on her agenda for the day as it was nearly three in the afternoon. Under one arm was a Kemp's brand one gallon bucket of cookies n' cream ice cream; half eaten with a spoon lodged into it, under her other arm was a box of tissues. Several tissues were wadded up and spilling out of the bathrobe's bulging pockets and she was clutching some in her left hand.

A feeling of awkwardness washed over me as the irritation I had felt melted away to be replaced with sympathy; she looked as though she had been crying for hours. I had come over to ask her to turn her music down; she had been listening to Micheal Jackson's Thriller album on repeat for the last four albums at an excruciating volume and I was growing tired of smooth dance beats and catchy lyrics.

I kindly explained to her that her music was too loud and that I was trying to study and she appeared to consider what I was requesting occasionally looking up from her feet and nodding in between sniffles.

When I had finished my request I asked her if she was doing OK; she replied with a half smile and said

“I am mourning Micheal”

I told her that I was sorry for her loss; this was a preprogrammed response I have for situations such as these, and asked her if Micheal was her relative, friend or something to that affect.

Her mood snapped into that of shock and disgust. She looked into my eyes.

“Micheal Jackson. The king of pop. He died.”

This was old news to me; Micheal Jackson had died two days previous.

An awkward, stale silence hung in the hallway; I was trying desperately to hold back my laughter; 'this lady is fucking crazy' I thought to myself as I waited for some sort of punchline or perhaps an explanation that she was in-fact kidding me; it didn't happen and I must not have been hiding my amusement very well because she rolled her eyes at me and slammed the door.

As I walked back into my apartment I could hear her music clearer than ever as the track “Beat it” blasted from across the hall.

- Sam Luoma

New Singletrack trails at Spirit Mountain!

A friend of mine told me that there are some new singletrack mountain bike trails up at Spirit mountain. I stumbled upon them while running and they are awesome! If you are familiar with Spirit during the winter the trails are off of Timber Cruiser run. One could also follow the Superior Hiking trail from where it intersects West Skyline Parkway, or where it begins at the DNR station in Smithville. Check out the COGGS trails out there as well; they are super fun!

Check out:

http://www.shta.org/
or
http://www.coggs.com/
Be a saint and volunteer to help maintain these trails!

Better yet get out there and enjoy!

Luoma

Welcome!

Hello everyone,
My name is Sam Luoma. I am a college student at the college of St. Scholastica in Duluth Mn majoring in Health Sciences/ Physical Thearapy. Being born and raised here in Duluth I have found my way into several activities that bring me to some awesome places along the north shore of Lake Superior. I plan to keep people updated on the more interesting activities that I take part in- mainly snowboarding, bouldering, trailrunning and cycling. So stay in touch; leave feedback, ask questions and please give advice!

Have fun!
Luoma