my friend anna made this for her graphic design class, and i think it looks pretty cool. I did the graphic for the skis I'm wearing-the skis were originally all black. The "wave", the board I've been drawing on, is looking NUTS but alas I keep forgetting to cop batteries for my camera so it'll have to wait. I woke up at 4am a few nights ago and just attacked the board with markers. I wasn't even drawing anything in particular, it just flowed from my brain to the deck. That means the board is probably never going to see the action it was meant for, but I can live with that. stay tuned for some pictures of THAT. anyway, shout out to anna benedetto for a nifty little edit:

buy my soul, support a cause

So I've got this friend named Erich, and he's pretty skilled at photography. It just so happens that he enjoys taking pictures of me while I'm skiing among other things. On a related note, Armada team member Travis Steeger tragically passed away a little over a month ago in his native British Columbia. Erich and I decided to take a picture paying tribute to a sick shot of Travis. Now, Erich is taking things one step further by making the picture into a poster, and donating any profits from poster sales to the Steeger fambly. Take a look at the shots he has to offer, they're the perfect way to turn your lame dorm room into a radical hanging pad. Erich's got some sick stuff to offer so check it out, and if you buy the poster on the front page, proceeds will go to a family in their time of need. Hit ze link:

POSTERS!

some skiing related business

First of all, Rest In Peace Shane McConkey. You will be sorely missed by the entire ski community. Shane played an instrumental role in shaping freeskiing into what it is today. I'm sure Shane went just the way he wanted to go, as anyone could tell you, Shane lived to ski just as much as he skied to live. The cliffs and blower pow in heaven have met their match in Shane, and he will remain a cover shot for the sport of skiing forever. RIP

Next up on the chopping block, a speedy end to the winter season. Spring was the name of the game ever since mid February. It seems as though old man winter couldn't quite stand up to the warming breaths of mother nature waking up, a bit prematurely might I add, from a deep slumber. So for all those action sport fans out there, here's a little dose of mountain dew for ya.

Courtesy of Newschoolers.com

Was that not enough? I didn't think so, it was a very hasty winter after all. Well Matthew Milewski, the head honcho and creative guru behind the Moving Mixtapes, is still in the midst of a very busy winter. From filming wannabes like Tommy Shimko and Dan Cardon, to lapping with the likes of LJ Strenio, MM's 08/09 offering is shaping up to be a choice cut of meat. For now, just point your browswer over to MatthewMilewskidotcom until the new MM site drops. Might I add that the forthcoming of a new website from the creative heads up in Burlington is sure to bring all sorts of e-goodies. And now, in the tradition of the fair city of Dallas and the infamous Debbie, Moving Mixtapes does Toggenburg. Be sure to click the HQ button to hear my voice crack in High Def!

weekend update

Skied all morning working on a few new tricks that Ive been wanting to experiment with. After a long session with ample afterbang of course, I headed into the city in search of rails with my good pal Mike. We had set our sights on a steep 35 foot down on the SU campus, but upon arrival noticed there was a car parked directly in line with the bottom of the rail. Being as steep as it was, Mike and I would have come out of the rail with a good bit of speed and would have most likely transferred that speed to the car via a collision. Instead we set up a smaller line above the down rail. When I put my boots back on, my shins had become too sore to ski so I filmed mike for a while instead. Here is what came of the day:

slam dunk! from Jack Byers on Vimeo.

Turkey Week

Thanksgiving is a time where loved ones come together to remember the amicable feast hosted by the Pilgrims, shortly before they all but wiped out the native population of Eastern North America. Having the last 5 days off from classes stretched time out into a strange but entertaining collection of experiences with friends and family.
When: Tuesday night.
Where: Syracuse, NY
Two friends call me up in search of some fresh herbal supplements In the early evening. I am of no help to them, but instead ask to join the search in hopes of adventure, and maybe even finding a little shrubbery for myself.
Our Journey begins with a quick safety discussion in the parking lot of a local ski hill. Switchboard then lights up with a frenzy of calls to help us find our way into the forest. Failed phone calls abound, a lucrative whim finds it's mark, and we are on our way to the Bro-levards of Syracuse University. Warm weather and torn overleaves cannot stomp the spirit of the night, and everyone goes their way happy.
When: Wednesday afternoon.
Where: Toggenburg Mountain Ski Center
I meet up with the Mcginnis brothers, Matthew and Michael, for a quick brief on this year's terrain park. We are antsy throughout the meeting, as voluptuous piles of man-made snow lie a mere twenty feet (6.096 meters) from our current location, inside the lodge. The meeting is done! Quick half hour drive to pick up a pair of skis, and we're back. Always the visionary, Matt transforms one snow mound into an undervert quarter pipe, with a steep landing down the reverse. Velocity check after velocity check shows us that speed is what we need. After finally getting that speed dialed, the session is on! the first spins of the season are spun and the first grabs, grabbed. Off axis rotations find their way into the mix, some intentional whilst others not. I am eventually put out of action by a tragic case of whiplash on a failed switch landing, and forced to retreat home in time for dinner...but before I left, I decided to randomly yell "visit matt's site an& buy his clothes at an& Clothing"
When: Wednesday night.
Where: China Road oriental cuisine, Mattydale, NY.
The owner of China Road, Simon Teng is standing next to the table where I am joined by my brother and parents. "Who ordered the Pig Intestines", asks Teng, a former proprietor of several very successful chic NYC Chinese food joints. My family turns their amused stares my way, as I announce with appropriate brevity, "IT WAS I". Most patrons are now craning and straining to see the poor fool who must have clearly misread the menu. I maintain my steely reserve (lame 40oz reference?) and shake Simon's hand while he explains that I am the first to have ordered such a delicacy in months. After many greasy noodles, green tea, and several bouts with an unidentified pepper that was basically hot as SHIT, my (or rather the pig's) intestines arrive.
A small army of oriental chefs deliver the intestines in several components, first a small sterno stove, next a bowl and stack of napkins, and finally a steaming hot saucer of what the menu had led me to believe were pig intestines. Said chefs stand back and join the owner in watching me cash in my pig-intestine v-card. The intestines themselves were small rubbery pink chunks of what I had always imagined intestines to be like (not that I had ever lent much thought to the texture and consistency of intestines before). I finally indulge myself and to my delightful surprise, pig intestines are downright tasty. I eat everything on my plate and also steal from my family's plates while they aren't looking. Stealing is too fun not to do all the time.
When: Thanksgiving; all day
Where: The fiery kitchens of hell
Giving thanks for what? Not getting to spend the day with my family? That was Beat

Chris Dennis photo

Ski season has arrived!

Ski season begins! After a copious snowfall last night. Today I met up with some friends from Ithaca to find some handrailage. After checking out a few spots, our lack of a drop-in led us to a 60ish foot down rail on the left of 36 wooden stairs. Before setting up the rail we sessioned a knoll packed into a butter pad by some local sledders. After that got old, we moved over to the rail and the session was on. We were situated on a hill over looking Syracuse and the weather created a surreal backdrop. It was sunny over the rail for most of the day, while black snow squalls rolled by in the distance over the City. One of my buddies from Ithaca, Chris, did the most unbelievable thing I have ever seen on a rail anywhere; wait for the footage, it will blow your mind. Another kid from Ithaca named Alex cleaned the rail without moving a muscle, and then came super close to a frontside 270. I ended up with a frontside 270 out but had to quit after catching a ski under the rail and taking a stair to the mouth. My camera batteries were dead but Alex and Chris were taking pictures all day so I should have some shots at some point. Day 1 of the 2008/2009 ski season was a monster success.

Snow

Today: Snow showers. High near 25. West wind between 7 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.

Tonight: Snow showers. Low around 16. West wind between 7 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 6 to 10 inches possible.

Saturday: Snow showers, mainly before 1pm. High near 25. West wind between 6 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Ski season begins on saturday. Pics to come...