The Adventures Of Ryan And Jesse

Episode 5 - Goodbye Snowbird, Hello Sun Diego

Ryan Hudson - May 6th, 2010

I am sad to say I've left Utah. Knowing that I clocked in 98 days at Snowbird alone, I can proudly put this season in the books and call up Spring, tell it to get in touch with Summer and go spend some quality time together. Even though April was the biggest month for Snowbird, as I found out last week, it got a good 50" in just a few days. Ya I'm a little upset I missed it, but I've got San Diego right in front of me and the options are infinite. I've thrown my snowboard in the closet, respectfully of course, and my boots right alongside with it. I've put my skate kicks back on and got a hold of the ol' surf schedule at Outdoor Outreach. Happy to announce that I'll also be putting in a ton of time this summer getting involved with a fast growing lifestyle sport called Parkour also known as Free Running. In English, Parkour means "The art of moving". Here's a piece I got from Wiki about PK.

"Parkour: is the physical discipline of training to overcome any obstacle within one's path by adapting one's movements to the environment. Check it here It is a non-competitive, physical discipline of French origin in which participants run along a route, attempting to negotiate obstacles in the most efficient way possible. Skills such as jumping and climbing, or the more specific parkour moves are employed. The object of parkour is to get from one place to another using only the human body and the objects in the environment. The obstacles can be anything in one's environment, but parkour is often seen practiced in urban areas because of the many suitable public structures available such as buildings and rails. The term freerunning is sometimes used interchangeably with parkour. While superficially similar, freerunning places more emphasis on the aesthetics of movement and finding creative ways to overcome obstacles than on efficiency and simplicity. However, there is some controversy over the exact definitions of the two terms. A practitioner of parkour is called a traceur if male, or traceuse if female."

So there's something new and cool for me to get into. Though I'm not completely new, I did some training about a year ago, though I got sidetracked and couldn't be consistent with my involvement. I feel that this summer will bring more time and more opportunities for me to stick with it!Oh and its hard, really hard. The conditioning I've got to do is going to take a long time to get me actually ready to just go and practice. It requires ridiculous upper body and core strength to perform well. Then there's sprint endurance you gotta be very well aware of. So all around this will give me everything I need to be conditioned and fit for life.

Aside from Parkour, I am also proud to announce I am now an employee at REI San Diego. So if you're ever in town, stop by and say hi!
Hope everyone has an awesome summer!
Get outside, live free, love nature!

-Riz

Episode 4 - Results From The North Face Masters Round 1

Ryan Hudson

We got an update from Ryan Hudson about the first stop of The North Face Masters competition held in Snowbird, Utah. Needless to say, we think he was feeling pretty good. We would like to congratulate Ryan and send our support to continue his effort to reach his goals! See his update below...

Waddup!!
Yesterday I competed in my first ever Big Mountain Snowboarding Competition called "The North Face Masters Of Snowboarding".I was competing alongside some of the biggest names in the business; Travis Rice, Rob Kingwill, Mark Carter, Ralph Backstrom, Ryland Bell, and so many more. There were a total of 76 Male athletes and I placed 17th! I was also given the "North Face Masters Young Gun Award". "The North Face Young Gun award recognizes riders under the age of 25 that demonstrate raw talent and innovation in their riding style. Young Gun award recipients embody the big mountain riding culture and are the future of the sport." I was stoked to know that I had placed high among some of the best riders in the world!

My original goal was to place top 30 and move on with my life, I would have been pleased with 28th even 30th but, to my surprise I rose way above my own bar and came out the "Young Gun". It is the first trophy I had ever won for anything in my entire life, I wanted to cry on the podium but I held it in for media sake... haha. Crushing a goal you set for yourself is an accomplishment worth achieving. Now that the comp is over and things are coming to a dull roar, I'll be back to my daily routine; ride, work, sleep, dream.

Check out the Competition info, pics and vids at www.thenorthfacemasters.com

"Peace. Love. Music."

Jesse Delgado

We also just received an update from Jesse...with some news we didn't want to hear. The day of The North Face Masters competition, Jesse was hucking huge and ended up fracturing 4 vertebrae and his hip. The good news is the doctors say he is going to be fine. He will just need rest, recovery,and rehab. We wish Jesse the best and a speedy recovery...We are confident that Jesse will be back with a vengeance sooner than later. Get well soon brother!

We will have some more updates on Jesse soon...

Update 01/29/10

We received over 4ft of fresh snow all within 3-4 days. The North Face Masters had been postponed two days in a row, due to weather constraints. I had the opportunity to meet people from all over the country who had flown in to enjoy the bottomless pow and compete. A friend from Snowboard-mag snapped some pics with me and the Alta crew the day before my injury. I was ninth in line for what was to be a amazing day. I hucked huge and clipped a big rock, I ended up fracturing 4 of my vertebral bodies at the l1, l2, l3, and l4. Also a hairline fracture on my right hip. Luckily all my injuries are very minimal and i will be back on a board in no time. The doctor said to expect 6-8 weeks of rest and recovery. You live and learn. I know that I will come back even healthier, and with vengeance.

"Being hurt just reminds you of how good it is when you are not" -Tom Burt.
I want to thank "Gramicci" and "The North Face" for all there support. And I will keep you updated on the recovery!

Photo: Snowboard Mag
Local Rider Jesse Delgado, this kid has A TON of natural talent.. Made it look way to easy. Look for him to do VERY well in the comp...

Photo: Snowboard Mag
Jesse and the Alta crew having fun on one of the weather days before the comp.

Episode 3 - Updates From "The Bird"

Ryan Hudson

It feels good to be back to be honest. I got here Nov 7th and there wasn't any snow! The barest I've seen it so far I got here the same day last year and we'd gotten a 4 foot dump and Snowbird aka "The Bird" had already been opened.This year was much different, there was no snow, The Bird wasn't opened and it wouldn't be for another two weeks. So to pass the time we'd take long night hikes up a trail toward Flagstaff Peak, which is literally in our back yard. We'd hike for about an hour or so to indulge in the night beauty, then make our way down. The Bird opened on Nov. 20th. I was bummed cause we really didn't have any snow yet, guess you can say it was a slow start to the season. I moved in to that same room I had last season only 2 otehr roommates, Jesse being one of them and Grey, a Telemarker Skier I met last year. We started work just a day or two after opening day and life's been on cruise control ever since. We've got 7 guests in-house and for a dishwasher, man, I don't mean to be cliche but its definitely like having your cake and eating it too haha. I love my job, I love my schedule. I work all nights so I really never miss a day of riding. Most people tell me I should be working in a different department, that I should get out of the "Pit", all I really ask is "Why?" I only work at night, I don't deal with guests, my job is stress free and I work at my own pace, ya its low in the chain but I answer to no one and that gives me more time to focus on my riding and filming. I'm here for one reason, the snow, plain and simple.

Two nights ago we had the coldest day of the year! 0 degrees with a -15 degree wind chill factor. Its like walking outside and feeling yourself freeze from the inside out. Coldest weather I'd ever been in. In fact the weather report was making claims that this cold front would make it "Too cold to snow"... WHAT!? Just before that we actually got some snow just a couple inches of some light stuff. We really need a good base going, in order for that we've gotta get a real wet cycle to come through and start us off but, I still had fun with what little we got. Tomorrow I hear they are opening another side of the mountain, which in these condition is by far the funnest side to be on. I definitely plan to get some good footage on that too. I actually take back the statement I made earlier about being on cruise control, I've actually been busy with networking and trying to connect with photographers and other riders I'm meeting through friends and just trying to get my name and face out there. We've been connected with The North Face, they've sent us some outerwear and are giving us VIP privileges, allowing us to enter the North Face Masters Of Snowboarding Competition, its the biggest big mountain competition in the US and people come from all corners to compete. The competitions first day is on January 22nd and its hard to train with no snow. For now, all we can do is pray for snow!

Jesse Delgado

11/15/09
My girlfriend and i spent all night rummaging through what remained of our empty room for anything we might have forgotten. Half asleep, and way over packed we tossed our luggage in the truck and rushed to the airport to make our flight at 6 am. We finally get there and the line to check luggage is backed up all the way to the parking lot. After literally running through the airport for over an hour, we finally received our passes and boarded the plane on our way to our new home for the season, the Alta Peruvian Lodge. A little tired and jet lagged we stumbled off the plane in full winter gear expecting a blizzard. haha. There was no blizzard, just a red pt cruiser that somehow managed to hold our 9 bags.

11/16/09
Walked over to Alta ski resort, hiked up and built a kicker next to Collin's lift. I drop in switch, spin a 540 land clean, and plow through what is said to be the best snow on earth. its gonna be a good season!

12/20/09
I have now been here a little over a month. I am one of the 4 dishwashers that work here. Being a dishwasher i get to ride bell to bell 6 days a week. Our housing situation is pretty awesome to say the least. We live in a separate housing unit, called "the Fort" It is much like a college dorm. There are two bunks per room, four people. I think Its amazing that this place can bring so many diffrent people together, all for the same reason.

12/29/09
Today was a long day. It started out cold and snowing, The visibility was low, not many people were out. I enjoy riding on days when most others wouldn't. Being able to ride under any conditions is what makes a good rider. I have been training for The North Face Masters competition, coming up at the end of January. I'm not sure what to expect but I'm getting out everyday, riding hard and learning a lot.

Episode 2 - Gettin' To Know Em' Better

We asked Ryan and Jesse a few questions in order to get a better idea of what rattling around inside their craniums.

JESSE'S INTERVIEW

How long have you been snowboarding?
...6 years now.

Whats your current setup?
160 Rome SDS board, Agency bindings, Vans Mantra boots, Northface outerwear, and Oakley goggles.

Favorite places to ride?
Snowbird, Alta backcountry.

Can you describe what snowboarding means to you in 3 words?
Complete total bliss.

What is your favorite trick?
Cab 540's all day!

Freeriding or park?
Freeriding for sure.

Besides snowboarding what other activities or things are you into?
If there is no snow, you can find me at the beach surfing or skateboarding.

If you were stranded on a deserted mountain top what 3 items would you want?
My girlfriend, hot coco, and my snowboard!

Top 5 bands/artists on your ipod?
Meluplus, Atmosphere, Led Zepelin, Sublime, Cultura Profetica.

If you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be and why?
Meeting jimi hendrix would be amazing. his passion for guitar is inspiring.

What’s in your refrigerator right now?
Ha. Half of a turkey/bacon sandwich, apple juice, eggos, and chocolate covered mini pretzels.

What is your favorite breakfast?
A fresh cup of coffee, and a Bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. delicious!

If you were an animal what kind of animal would you be?
Hands down, a Lion!

If they made a movie about you what actor should play you in the movie?
lol. Whoever plays chewbaca in the original star wars.

Where would you go if you were invisible?
Disneyland.?

Chargers or Padres?
Chargers for sure!

Mullet or Mohawk?
I fully support the mullet.

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
...alooooot of wood.!

RYAN'S INTERVIEW

Haha I like these questions! Here you go!

How long have you been snowboarding?
This season will be my 7th, though I wish I started when I was like 3.

Whats your current setup?
Right now I'm rockin the Amplid Phenom 160 and Ride EX bindings. It's quite the beast is all conditions. Workin on getting somethin smaller, with more flex so I can have more fun on fast jib days.

Favorite places to ride?
Definitely Snowbird, so much terrain, so many features both common and hidden, every snowfall is a different atmosphere. The Wasatch range period is Snowtopia.

What is your favorite trick?
Oh man, I'm torn between the two, either big Back 1 shiftys or Cab 5's. If I start the day off stomping a clean Cab 5 or Back 1 shifty, I know its going to be a good day. No matter how little or big the trick is, anyone can throw a 360, its how you make it look that counts.

Freeriding or park?
The Backcountry is my park.

Besides snowboarding what other activities or things are you into?
Umm, well to name a few, skateboarding has been a part of my life for quite a while. I like to start active so anything physical really. Surfing, football, futbol (or soccer in American terms haha), I'm a computer geek so anything techy I can get down with, building, fixing, and rebuilding computers. Music is a huge aspect in my life, either rapping or playing drums for a garage punk band... You can say I kinda do it all haha. The list goes on.

If you were stranded on a deserted mountain top what 3 items would you want?
Psh that's a no-brainer, My Board, Music, and a lifetime supply of Mike n Ikes!

Top 5 bands/artists on your ipod?
I prefer the Zune thank you. That's hard to decide, lets see, in no particular order: Anti-Flag, N.E.R.D, Blackstar, Mos Def & Talib Kweli, K-OS and of course Wu-Tang. Man, that was tough, out of 200+ Artists on my Zune, Its hard to choose. So there's 5 to satisfy you.

What one thing that has happened in your life has made the biggest impact on who you are today?
Meeting Chris Rutgers and becoming a part of the Outdoor Outreach Program, for suuuure!

If you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be and why?
Mumia Abu-Jamal, He's the real voice of the people. Look him up. Do your research.

What’s in your refrigerator right now?
That thing hasn't been filled in months. Some hot dogs, kool-aid, a couple fuitcups some cut up watermelon of course, a spinach and broccoli salad and a gatorade. I eat out a lot.

What is your favorite breakfast?
Cinnamon Toast Crunch!!!

If you were an animal what kind of animal would you be?
The first monkey to learn to snowboard hahaha!

If they made a movie about you what actor should play you in the movie?
It'd be a toss-up between Samuel L Jackson, Dave Chappelle, and Don Cheadle.

Top 3 items on your “bucket” list?
See the Motherland. Fly a Ryan PT-22 Vintage Airplane. Get Dreadlocks hahaha.

Where would you go if you were invisible?
Could I turn it on and off? If so, to be honest, I'd go to Washington DC, and listen in on one of those top secret meetings and find out the truth behind the government and how they want to run this country. But before I did that, I'd probably do something really criminal minded like rob a bank, you don't wanna give me those powers.

Chargers or Padres?
CHARGERS!!!!!

Mullet or Mohawk?
Fro-Hawk.

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Enough to build a house?

Thanks guys! We'll talk to you in our next installment of The Adventures of...

Episode 1 - The Intro

Gramicci had the true pleasure of being introduced to these two incredible individuals through our partnership with Chris Rutgers and the amazing work he is doing with his organization, Outdoor Outreach. Jesse Delgado and Ryan Hudson come from very different and diverse worlds but are now working on a journey together for a simple common goal…fulfill their own dreams. Gramicci is joining in to help them achieve their goals to becoming sponsored professional snowboarders. In the coming weeks and months we will be chronicling their adventures and keeping track of how they are progressing towards their goals. The following are brief introductions into the lives of a pair of determined souls who are destined to over come more than their fair share of life’s obstacles.

Ryan Hudson

My name is Ryan Hudson. I’m 21 years old and have been part of Outdoor Outreach for seven years. As far back as I can remember I grew up in and out of homeless shelters and schools, living both on the streets and in cars. There were brief moments in my life where we actually had a home, but these weren’t lasting moments. I remember being really young, maybe 8, and wandering around the city from late at night to early morning digging in trash cans and dumpsters in the back of apartments not knowing exactly what I was looking for. I’d see my mom with tears in her eyes every day.

When I was 15 I moved into Toussaint Teen Center, a homeless shelter for at-risk, underprivileged teens. That winter was the first time I met Chris Rutgers and learned about the Outdoor Outreach Program. They took a group of us up to Big Bear for a four day snowboard trip. It was there that I experienced my first time outside the big city and in the mountains, the first time in my life seeing and feeling snow, as well as my first time ever strapping into a snowboard. After a short lesson on stopping and turning I was given the chance to go up again and ride down without falling, which I accomplished very easily! Chris then knew how natural this sport had come to me and said, “Ok Ry, come with me!” He took me up a lift that went straight to the top and I thought to myself, “Dude, is he trying to kill me?” The whole way up he kept saying how good I’ve gotten in such a short time and how much he knew I could master this next run. His encouragement was a huge plus and was in fact all I needed to accomplish what I didn’t know I could do, the best I’ve ever done. Before this, I didn’t even know what snow felt like, though I knew after that day something was going to be different about my future.

That same season I was offered a position in the Leadership Program to help instruct kids in similar programs, and from similar backgrounds. This double whammy of both snowboarding as s job and helping others with history like mine was the perfect job for me. Every season for the next five seasons I spent most of my winter weekends in the mountains of Big Bear and Mammoth Mountain. I was learning new tricks, becoming more familiar with the sport, perfecting my own style and gaining the respect and gratefulness of other students. The Leadership Program was opening doors that had been shut my entire life. Being in my position was rewarding in so many ways you couldn’t count them with every limb, finger or toe on your body.

After I graduated high school I was given the opportunity to travel outside of California to live, work and snowboard every day in Utah. I’m planning to spend my winters in Utah working and focusing on becoming a professional snowboarder, and my summers back home in San Diego studying Graphic Design and Music, and working for Outdoor Outreach. I knew from the moment I began my work with Outdoor Outreach that my life was only going to move forward and I have Chris Rutgers to thank for that. Without him and his idea for this program I really don’t know where I’d be, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be the best place. Outdoor Outreach has given me, and those like me, the chance to grab hold of something out of our reach-a chance to be someone we had never imagined. Now I look back on my past and wonder if I wasn’t in those underprivileged situations would I be where I am today? Without the strong fighting will of my mother, the giving heart of Chris and Outdoor Outreach, and the guidance of the Toussaint Academy I would not be who I am. I believe that how we survive is what makes us who we are.

Jesse Delgado

I was born in Ukiah, CA a small town just a few hours north of San Francisco. I spent the early years of my childhood with my older brother and younger sister, riding bikes, hiking through the woods, or swimming in lakes and rivers. This was an average lifestyle for the typical nor-cal kid. In search of a “new start” outside of California my father, older brother and I moved to Tijuana to live with family. We would cross the border into San Diego to attend school every morning.

My father worked multiple jobs and long hours to support our family. I would spend most of my time either playing soccer with friends and family in Tijuana, or at the local boys and girls club waiting for my father to get off of work. A lot of things had begun to change. The transition from a “small town” vibe to the rough streets of Tijuana proved to be challenging. After dropping out of high school and graduating a court mandated drug program, I was given the opportunity to attend a snowboarding trip with Outdoor Outreach; A local non-profit organization whose mission is to empower at-risk and underprivileged youth to make positive lasting change in their lives.

In 2003 I was given the opportunity to become a Surfing/Snowboarding Instructor for Outdoor Outreach. This was the beginning of what would become my passion in life. In 2005 I moved to Alta Utah to work and live at a local ski lodge, the experience was life changing. I rode 110 days that season. Since then I have spent every winter, killing the slopes at Snowbird Ski Resort, and every summer teaching Surfing in San Diego.

I am moving to Alta for the 2009-2010 winter season. I will be training for the “North Face Masters” a big mountain competition for snowboarders. I am now a sponsored athlete and I am pursuing my dreams. Life for me right now is more exciting then ever and I am curious to see what the future holds.

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