Page 5 (1/2)

With no one around to watch, I don’t put on a practice helmet Don’t checkin Don’t do any of the things I know I should when planning to try a new trick Instead, I climb to the top of the pipe and lock into place

Part of , to just bust out and see what I can do, but the tricks--and the big air--will come easier if I’m warmed up first So that’s what I do I lay down a few lazy runs, littleup and down the sides of the pipe with a few 360s and 540s thrown in to keep, which is enough for now

After my fourth run, I pause at the top of the half-pipe and look up at the sky It’s ht of dawn is a good hour away There are some stars in the sky--not too many that aren’t obscured by the clouds or drowned out by the lights over the half-pipe, but I can see a few They’re beautiful Bright And clear, so clear Like there’s nothing cloudy or foggy or fked up about the at them makes me think of Ophelia Which is stupid, because she’s a lot of things--hot and tough and obviously s tells me that she’s just as ivea drink all over me, but the way she holds herself and the look in her eyes tell ot on display

Which is exactly why I’ to back the hell off, and fast I don’t have the effort to invest in her, not when there are a irls out there who aren’t as et I’ve got h crap in ot going on, too

That probably ive a shit That’s the way it is The way it has to be

This tio for it I pushair, and catch it the second time I hit the top of the half-pipe I use it to propel me faster down the pipe, and the next time I reach the top I let loose with a cab double cork 1260 There’s no way I’ to land it--it’s pretty much impossible--and I brace for the fall For the pain that’s as uilt

It doesn’t come

Instead, I land the trick--the first ti Up the pipe into a quick front flip 720 and then back down again This time when I reach the top I do a triple back rodeo It’s a crazy thing to do, especially without a spotter and in the dark, but I don’t give a shit Because thoseelse worth it

Idown fast and hard Again I brace for the pain, anticipate it Again it doesn’t coe to stay on my feet and ride backward to the end of the half-pipe

Athere watchingtowardto be busy so I don’t have toa, flip my board over Do the check I should have done forty ’s solid, but I kind of wish it wasn’t Then I’d have so to do with my hands, with myself, when he claps a hand down on my back

"Seriously What the fk? Cam told me you busted out with an inverted double cork yesterday, but she didn’t say anything about a triple back rodeo When the hell did you figure out how to do that? And how the shit did you get air like that off the half-pipe?"

"That’s the first time I ever landed it" The first time I ever attempted it, too, but I’et all up inshit like that out here by , just expecting--to fk it up and add a few more scars to what is an already impressive collection is out of the question He’d tell Caain

"Well, it was sick You think you can do it again?"

"I don’t know I’ht I was overrotated"

"You were I was sure you were going ass over teakettle But soe to land on your feet when I least expect it"

He starts hiking up the half-pipe, hisa ht here and waiting for hiuy and the best snowboarder I know S about the next ride, the next trick, the next step to get himself to the top of the Olympic podium Whereas the Olympics are the last place I want to be The X Games, maybe But the Olys at the top of a podiu?" he calls down to me Eventually I nod and start the trek back to the top of the half-pipe He’s still talking about the triple I just pulled off, but in an effort to stay sane, I’ Ash has a tendency to take all this shit too seriously, and he is way keyed up right now I’ll be lucky if every boarder in North America doesn’t know I landed that trick before breakfast Guess I’m lucky he doesn’t have a video camera on him

We ride for hours Ash thron a couple of switch 1080s, then spends the rest of the tiest air out of the pipe I, on the other hand, just fk around, pull so like what I was doing earlier When I do that shit, it’s never for an audience

Eventually Ca a little worse for wear, but then neither of them holds their booze as well as Ash andWe take turns on the pipe, Ca on every little thing, while Luc and I goof off At one point the girl Ash brought honore her--she’s Ash’s proble to pay any attention to her, either Finally she gets the hint and takes off