Wrap-up and thanks from the 2006 SES

[fin]

Monday morning and I am already thinking how much I miss last week……...

The 2006 Summit Expression Session was a huge success! Hard to pin-point the exact number in attendance but it could be anywhere from 150 to over 200 for the entire week. With the start of the week including the gang from Pure Boarding this would not be unreasonable. Conditions for the first half of the week were off the charts and we had blue-bird conditions up till Tuesday. As always Aspen Ski Company treated all of us like Kings.

So first thanks goes out to Jörg and his crew from Pure Boarding. We were able to combine the two groups for the first few days of our SES and create the World Carving Session. We were all blown away at their graceful style and they were blown away by our ability to show up with enough demo hardware to outfit a small army. The two groups worked great together and the plan is to do this again for next season.

We must have had 4 to 5 TV and newspaper interviews during the week as we became quite a spectacle with this many of us. Thanks to the guys at www.Pureboarding.com for hosting this clip from a local news station in Aspen: www.pureboarding.com/pureboarding/fileadmin/user_upload/publisher/videos/plumtv/WCSplumtvWMV.wmv

Huge thanks to Scott Firestone with www.alpinecarver.com and his unrelenting ability to take photos and post them every day. This is something we have always wanted to do but just do not have the time, so thanks for all you do for the event Scott. Scott's SES 06' Photo gallery here: http://www.alpinecarving.com/ses06/

Big fat thanks to all the sponsors of the SES. With out them the raffles would be, well, us giving away bits of used wax and packets of mustard from the Wendy's. Anyone who has seen the raffle table at the SES knows the sponsors show up in huge force.

Thanks to all the industry representatives who made it out and brought piles of hardware for all of us to try. Where else can you demo the latest board and bindings and then ask the owner of the company at the bottom of the hill about the product? At the SES

Big hugs to my peeps who actually do all the work as I tend to be more smoke and mirrors. Michelle and Kim who kept the demo tent running like a Swiss watch and also help from Jeff and Peter (injured list) for lending a hand when needed.

Bob Jenney for taking the time to video several times a day. Even if it consists of hours of the remote camera pointed up back at him. Watching the footage at the Friday party is a hit. So when is the final cut going to be ready???? ;)

I am pretty sure I am forgetting to thank about 100 people as it seems everyone did something to help during the week.

And most important thanks to all those who made the pilgrimage out this year. The people make the event. So until 2007 SES, have a great season and keep the P-tex side down.

Cheers!

The Bomber Crew

[Michelle]

I don't think we say this enough - thanks to all of you for coming and showing off your talents on the hill!!! Another great year!

[Daneille]

Thank you for putting it on, it really is an amazing event. Also special thanks to those who help those of us who wish to improve, Bob Jenney and Sean Cassidy. I have much to work on between now and next SES

Daneille

[Dave Winters]

Thanks to Fin and Michelle and Kim and Jeff and......

for a great event. Always a good time. Great to catch up with old friends and make even more new ones. And the level of riding blew my mind, especially the ladies! You girls were KILLIN' IT!! To everyone I rode with: thanks for letting me tag along.

Till next year..

Dave Winters

[Michelle]

You girls were KILLIN' IT!!

RIGHT ON!!!!! The level of riding in the chicas is definitely scaling up. WAY TO GO!

[fin]

So there where ladies actually snowboarding at the SES? :D

[fin]

News Flash: on one of the Butter Milk days we had a reporter named Jason Blevins from the Denver Post come out and join us. We where even able to talk him into trying out a full carve set-up and the guy ripped (first day on a snowboard, ever).

He just put up a cool little article on the sport here: http://www.denverpost.com/extremes/ci_3530015

Thanks Jason, appreciate the exposure

[tilledog]

Thanks Bomber Crew and all the extra help. You guys really put on a great show....

Dave

[Art]

Well, my liver is done aching, and I got back to work on Sunday and got hammered with calls (some of the yukiest in a long time too ), so the vacation gods are punishing me in a manner directly proportionate to the amount of fun I had. Thanks to Fin, Michelle, Sean M, Chris P, MM, Sean C, Peter D (If the St Moritz charged you for a lost Key, Let me know, it was in my pocket and I found it at DIA), Tille, Bordy, K.T., James O, Ian, Bill, Mike, Richard etc, etc, etc. I forgot too many names already. Gonna sell the organs on E-Bay to finance next years trip. Gotta go cook for the crew now (I must be at work, right Sean?) See you next year! Art

[big mario]

And Sean Cassidy and everybody else that turned out. Having that much fun must beillegal. I can finally walk without too much difficulty

mario

[dantheman0177]

To quote Bordy....

"Free beer followed by more free beer.....this is the best holiday EVER!"

To Fin, Michelle & Crew, thanks heaps for setting up another awesome week.

To Sean Cassidy, the clinics rock.

To Sean Martin, Chris Prior and all the others who provided demo gear, it really takes the event to that extra level and it is amazing to be able to try out so much stuff that I just can't get my hands on at home.

To Bob, Scott, Sean and others who took pics and vids, these will provide me with a little bit of stoke for carving as I head back to Summer and it is great to be able to show people what I have been a part of.

To the St Moritz crew, you guys are the best.

And finally to all the carvers, thanks for allowing a hack from down under to come and hang out for a week. I learned so much just watching and riding with you all and the friendly vibe on the mountain throughout the whole week is just amazing. I truly hope that I can make it back again.

Take care all and carve on.

Cheers

Dan

[Bobby Buggs]

Im pretty sure the Carve Father crew is already making plans to rock the event next season. Hope to see you at the tent Fin,

Buggs

[KFOTS]

To Fin, Michelle, the rest of the Crew at Bomber, and all my many carving friends -

I had a great time -- as always -- and look forward to seeing everyone soon! Happy riding!

Kenneth

(Formerly of the Softboots)

[Guest eric-pureboarding]

Hello Fellow Carvers,

first of all we had a great time in Aspen. The atmosphere was super and riding with all the new people was really fun for us. I would like to thank Fin & Team for all the support and I can see that this thing will become bigger and bigger each year. I hope everybody made it home safe. We are just about getting rid of the last Jetlag (it 02:12 now here).

Hope to see you all next year, now it's time to get our European Carving Session in Davos ready to go.

Ciao,

Eric

[MozzMann]

Hi everyone,

I'm was so dissapointed I could not be there, but I had managed to get my teeth attended to after being on the waiting list for 3 years.

I'm saveing as I type this for my pilgramage next year and at this stage might have convinced a couple of other's to come too, especially one of Fins raceing buddy's from years gone by.

I was watching the Photo Shoots that Scott posted and damn near cried when I saw the fantastic snow you all were enjoying.

Congrats to the Team from Mozz.

[surfin'carver]

See you next year!

[phillipsbro1]

Hey all....what a great event..

Thanks Fin for picking up the flag and continuing the much needed tradition...

Aspen is the greatest spot to do this in...4 mountains, great snow and carving, free buses, mountain view hottubs, walk to town for dinner and shopping and pool and people watching...

Thanks to the photogs

Thanks to the sponsors and the Bomber tent for HQ and fondling the equipment

The banquet was great!!!!! Excellent. It would be nice to have that in the middle of the week....I met so many people during the dinner that it would be nice to ride with them the rest of the session....but being on the last night....many of us don't get the chance to continue those meeting onto the mountain the next few days.

Also, thanks Fin for letting us recognize WWII vet 79.5 year old carver Dick Spector (the carver with poles), who 61 years ago as we type this, was on Iwo Jima at 18 years old ducking bullets and grenades.

http://www.iwojima.com/battle/battlec.htm

http://history.acusd.edu/gen/WW2Timeline/LUTZ/iwo.html

It amazes me that no snowboard magazine or media has picked him up for a profile....I tried Snowboard Journal....but no dice. Spread the word...

I'm glad it was safe event, too.

Great to see all the carvin buds and bettys...hello to each of you.

Jorg Eric and all....you guys rock....you make it nostalgic and great. Keep coming!

Yeah...and why does work punish you when you get back from vacation??? Geeeshh

Scott Phillips

[Gleb]

i'll have to make it out there sometime soon. The pictures are really nice.

[Guest Chris Prior]

having just returned back to Whistler from being a particpant and sponsore of the ses carve fest, thought I would share a few of my memories from the week.

Having never been to Aspen I didnt know what to expect. The cabbie from the airport was quick to note that the address where we were heading was that where the Kennedy's resided when they wanted to escape the paparazzi.

He probably told everyone that.

The bomber house was nothing less than first class( Fin and Michelle abviously have connections) The chalet was immacuately appointed and comprised of two big wings, large central lounge area, etc, etc,, an added attraction was a hot top on the back verandah with a mini louge run in the snow ending with a small gap jump that providing you kept your speed you could land safely in

the tub.

My fellow guests were fun to room with, it was a great few days; lots of laughs, a few tall tail, a few lies, just plain good old ****e talk. If only the walls could talk.

The mountains were all close at hand and uncrowded. The runs wide and buffed which led to some great carving by all. I had the unique opportunity to meet and ride with people from all walks and places, and met many of the infamous 'bomber on line' crew. I now know first hand how fanatical some of you all are about your hard boots and bindings.

It was a great week and hats off to the bomber crew for getting everyone together: Michelle, you rock, you're ok too Fin- a big thanks.

To all those that could of, would of and should have, if you enjoy riding hard boots, a "carving board" and most importantly good times, do not miss the action next year.

' til then

Chris Prior

[kjl]

Well, just got back from Aspen on Sunday following a fairly obnoxious airline fiasco, but all is good now. Just wanted to say that the session, as usual, was great. It's wonderful to see familiar faces and meet new ones, and overlapping the session with Pureboarding's session was awesome.

I especially like following riders much better than myself and learning from them simply by following their line, so thanks to anybody who let me tag along with them.

Thanks to Fin and Michelle and Kim and Jeff for assembling a killer demo tent and making it easy for a demowhore like myself to try a billion different boards. Or, you know... one board over and over again.

Thanks to Joerg for checking my edges and bleeding all over my base. Apparently frozen blood needs to be removed with a plastic scraper.

And the industry presence is great - I love having the guy(s) from ____ (Donek/Madd/Prior/Virus/Oxess/Pureboard/etc.) there to pick their brains.

Thanks to Bob and Scott for taking lots of video and billions of pictures so I can show all my friends at work what I did... even if they all think that "carving" looks like "falling down".

...already looking forward to next year, and will (once again) try to bring friends to convert them.

[fin]

Strange. Dave I was able to get a hold of the master version of the picture. I moved the view to the right and here is what I got.

[Paulk]

Thank you to Michelle and Fin!

Back in Ct. after three weeks of snowboarding bliss. The SES was the highlight of my trip.. Never imagined meeting so many talented people. The week in Aspen was filled with new faces, great riders, and great weather.

Thank you Fin and Rob for showing me the finer points of nordic skate skiing(I didn't have to buy the broken ski pole!), PatriceNYC for talking me into the Aspen Powder Tour trip(We converted a whole snowcat of skiers into snowboarders that friday), Michele for talking all the women into the hotub every night(no comment)....And Scott Firestone for documenting the greatest Carving session yet...

Long live the World Carving Session(formally known as the SES)!

Bomber Bindings Rock!