Skating through downtown L.A. with Steven Swanson
Elsa Bailey’s birthday was May 11 and she wanted to go skiing. Nothing unusual about wanting to ski on your birthday, except for the fact that it was Bailey’s 100th birthday and she is legally blind.
So with friends and family by her side, and with much fanfare, she hit the slopes of Arapahoe Basin Ski Area in Keystone, Colorado, last weekend for one final run.
“It was something that I planned years ago, that on my 100th birthday I’d have one last ski, then … Pictures and more
Shawn Dollar (Santa Cruz, CA) describes what led up to his 61-foot world record wave at Cortes Bank on December 21, 2012. At the 2013 Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards, the ride earned Dollar earned $30,000 by sweeping both the Pacifico Paddle Award and the XXL Biggest Wave title.
I’m headed toward the California coast and a beautiful image filters into view—big mountains cascading into the sea. There are few places in the world that have this setting; Santa Barbara is one of them. Standing in town, you marvel at the Santa Ynez Mountains rising steeply. It’s a dramatic and unforgettable landscape, one that you know has a boatload of amazing riding.
I won’t sugar coat it though: the trails here are demanding, requiring commitment, fitness and an appetite for adventure. Big rides are plentiful but be prepared for big climbs and big descents.
One of the best is … More