Listen: The very sad world turns its lonely eyes to the mountains and finds hero in big mountain wild man Chuck Patterson!

Alleged abusers beware.

I cannot imagine that you missed it, but in case you did, world-famous big wave skier Chuck Patterson confronted a girlfriend/wife-abusing man over the weekend and posted footage of the exchange to his Instagram.

The scene, pure Orange County noir, playing out under street lights in t-shirt warmth.

Chuck Patterson is wearing a long-sleeved flannel and flat-ish brimmed hat.

He describes the action, well, and let us soak it all in first.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLZT5WmntbQ/

I don’t normally post things like this but last night’s situation really bothered me. Date night took a turn after watching an abusive scene go on for way too long at the restaurant. It’s too easy to look the other way and not say anything but you could tell that she was so scared, and I don’t blame her. We cut dinner short to try and do the right thing. My girlfriend Trish tried talking with her in the parking lot while she was waiting for him in the car; in hopes to empower her in feeling safe and strong and that it’s not ok to be treated like this and letting her know we were there to help. He came out and after a few words we watched them drive off, but we were worried for her safety and decided to follow him and found the right moment to let him know no man can ever treat a woman this way. Apologies for the profanity; just about lost it!!Sadly this happens to so many people, and it’s rapidly on the rise in these challenging times. If you are in an abusive relationship, please know there is help. Don’t spend another night scared, feeling helpless. And if you see something, don’t stand on the sidelines, STAND UP, you can make a difference… do something about it, if it’s safe to do so. The National Domestic Violence Hotline 800.799.SAFE (7233)

Now, can you deny the man the world most needs is Chuck Patterson?

On the scene whenever justice is in demand?

He would absolutely smoke The Silver Surfer.

A Marvel franchise that would make The Incredible Hulk green with envy.

The Chuck Patterson.

Snow’s new man.


World’s cutest snowboarder Chloe Kim proves education and ripping don’t mix as she takes break from Princeton ahead of Beijing Olympics!

S.M.R.T.

One would have assumed every extreme sporter knows that ripping and education don’t mix from the wonderful example set by Jeff Spicoli in 1982. Still, there is always some shred that feels themselves to be an exception to the rule.

Take, for example, the case of the world’s cutest snowboarder and Olympic gold medalists Chloe Kim.

As you know, she has been attending smarty-pants Princeton, part of the Ivy League, but just slammed the pause button on her schooling per a just-released CNN report:

Looking ahead to the Winter Olympics in Beijing next year, student life is on hold as Kim recently returned to the sport she loves, winning her fifth X Games title in January.

Her focus is on “getting back in snowboarding shape,” and aside from suppressing her craving for sweets, it’s a welcome change for someone who, quite noticeably likes to keep busy.

“I’m so, so happy and grateful that I’ve been able to come back and compete again against all of these amazing, talented, hardworking women,” said Kim. “It was nice to kind of get out and start competing again.”

Kim admits that it’s a demanding schedule in the countdown to the games and combining it with Princeton was not going to help her chances of success.

“I got a leave of absence,” she said. “There’s no way I can handle going to school while being a professional snowboarder, especially before the Olympics.

“I plan on going back, but right now, I’m a full-time snowboarder and one day I’ll be back to being a full-time student. But, yeah, I don’t think I can juggle it.”

If you could rip or be smart, which would you choose?

Me to.

I mean too.


As Texas slips into deep freeze, long-dormant snowboarders shake off prairie dust and shred: “This is my first time snowboarding out in Lubbock. Trust me, it’s not disappointing!”

Don't stop believing.

West Texas is not known for its mountains or fresh, fluffy powder, no. It is ranch and oil land, flat for as far as the eye can see and dusty or rather was dusty until days ago when the temperatures dropped, the heavens opened and fresh fluffy powder covered that flat ground.

The weather event was enough to knock much of Texas off the grid, rolling blackouts, tornadoes spinning.

Many were scared.

Many more terrified but not a cadre of snowboarders who dreamed the impossible dream of, one day, being able to shred Lubbock.

And let us meet university student Corbin Antu who snowboarded up and down those snow-silent, white streets, clinging to a tow rope as friends in a pickup truck pulled him around the West Texas prairie town, where, according to the local paper, it’s nearly impossible to find a hill to sled or ski down.

“This is my first time snowboarding out in Lubbock,” he said. “Trust me, it’s not disappointing.”

Does his strong endorsement give you pause?

Will you consider booking your next winter vacation to Lubbock instead of the Rockies, Alps or Tetons?

I must say, I’m compelled.


Big wave legend Laird Hamilton inks deal with U.S. Snowboard to provide exclusive functional coffee creamer: “We are excited to help fuel the daily ritual of such dynamic, high performing athletes!”

Also functional mushrooms.

If you are aware of anything, or one, in the surf world it is either onetime Baywatch star and Gisele Bündchen’s ex Kelly Slater or big wave legend and ice bath activist Laird Hamilton.

Well, the later just crashed the mountain party, inking a three-year deal with U.S. Ski & Snowboard to be “the official and globally exclusive functional coffee and coffee creamer” sponsor but let us go directly to the press release for more:

Laird Superfood (NYSE American: LSF), creator of assorted superfood products, today announced a new three-year partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard to be their official and globally exclusive functional coffee and coffee creamer sponsor. The partnership will help nourish the U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes on their road to gold with functional, plant-based ingredients. Laird Superfood products help elevate and support the athletes’ daily ritual with fueling ingredients. Each product is carefully selected to create the best possible experience by giving each routine a serious upgrade. Laird Superfood is defining the next wave of coffee by increasing the benefits of America’s most popular beverage with their new functional blends that are revolutionizing the way people consume their favorite drink.

“We are proud to support the U.S. Ski & Snowboard community and feel that this partnership aligns with our mission of providing real, plant-based products to support people looking to perform their best, whether on the slopes, in the office, or at home,” said Paul Hodge, CEO of Laird Superfood. “We are excited to help fuel the daily ritual of such dynamic, high performing athletes competing as members of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams.”

As the exclusive coffee creamer, hot chocolate, functional mushroom, and ground, whole bean, and functional coffee sponsor, Laird Superfood… etc.

Hamilton (pictured in red jacket) functional.
Hamilton (pictured in red jacket) functional.

Quickly, did you ever believe you’d live to see the day when the “official and globally exclusive functional coffee and coffee creamer” category would exist?

I didn’t and whoever claims these are troubled days filled with rancor and unrest should French press a nice mug of black coffee, stir in some functional creamer and re-evaluate.

Or maybe eat a functional mushroom

Exciting.


Watch: Eighteen-month-old Montreal toddler snowboards backyard park, neighbors declare “she’s the new Shaun White!”

Le Pomme de terre Volante!

Oh to be young and talented, the world stretching out in one gilded and unbending line. Shaun White, now 34, was possibly the last snowboarder to experience now decades ago, what with snowboarding rising, then peaking, in popularity following his Flying Tomato exploits.

But now there is another savant, possibly, and she lives in Montreal, Canada.

According to the local news, Zoe Barabe, 18-months, was put on a snowboard by her father just to kill some time in the backyard but, lo and behold, she displayed extraordinary talent and is now a massive Tik-Tok star.

Her mother, very proud, says, “It’s amazing. Honestly, at first, we had the idea and hoped she’d like it and she enjoyed it right away. I guess it was the perfect little sport for her. There were some comments like ‘It’s fake, it’s a green screen.’ They really don’t know us if they think we could do something like that.”

Fantastic.

A Natural Selection invite forthcoming?

More as the story develops.