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The Western Front

Here are some side notes on the film, I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

The Western Front (89/90) was during a time when snowboarding was still trying to figure out wether it was goofy or regular. Fall Line Films, then Snow Motion started the movie from scratch with very little money, and no knowledge of snowboarding and the riders who rode them. They were skiers.

One of our shoots was at Homewood, CA, on the west shore of Lake Tahoe. One of the coolest places I have ever rode a board, mostly due to TK, who showed me lines and kept the pace up. There are some runs there that drop quickly and there is nothing but blue lake below you, it can be trippy.

Our favorite place to ride was where Homewood connected with the then Tahoe Ski Bowl, there was a sick gully, and areas such as Hobbitland where stumps of all sizes stood out of the snow. This is where I honed my skills with riding the wood, and bringing the skate stuff to the snow. They had made a pipe near the gully run and it was real rough compared to today's super structures. Right before we started to film another rider in the group and I downed a tab, with a promise to think of new tricks and not care about the camera.

Things fell into place and I was in a groove sticking all my "known" moves. But still the Grasser gave me fits, they just were not up to par by any means. In a flash, ol CR busted the first pop tart to frontside poke with way too much style going. I searched hard and tried to focus on a nice backside booter. I hucked and poked a perfect backside over the deck twokie from hell. I was so stoked! Starting from scratch I learned that one must huck the rear hip out and look into the whip. From then on it was go bigger, grab later, and poke harder. Check the flick out if you can find it, worth a laugh.

Jonny B.

the wood

that was cool, thanks for sharing your memories.

i have to agree homewood is a great hill, in a way it captures the essence of what snowboarding used to be (and still is for me). you don't go to homewood to get recognized or to show off your latest threads, you go to homewood to ride un-tracked pow through the trees, launch hips, butter off cat tracks and find mysto-lines...all the while decending over beautiful lake tahoe.

i also like homewood, because you can have a beer in the parking lot after riding with your friends and not be shot at for doing so...

Homeweed

Yeah, misty Hobbitland. When we were at Homewood a few years ago Terry Kidwell stopped by just to say what up. It was sick.

Keith Kimmel

And Judge Dred were part of TK's posse. They showed me everything there is to know about Homewood. I have much respect for TK as near the end of my career, he always gave me props - I always thought is was because I was there, with him from near day one. I can just picture him and his crew now, rollin into homewood in the K-5 Blazer and pulling out the roundtail. Some of my favorite shots of TK are in the Sims movie "This is Snowboarding W/ Tom Sims" Really great memories.

Jonny B.

Gawd.

I must have watched western front 100 times. Actually I still have my copy. Gonna watch it right now. Much respect due to the WF crew (w/ the exception of Dana, he always had wack style, sorry. ) Funny to think that Booterman got his first shots in that one. That movie led the way to New kids and the whole FLF dynasty.
Respect.

Inside Info from the B man

I'm so stoked to hear that someone other than those involved, watched the vid that many times! That was my first movie and it was hard trying to be glam (with the clothes and such) when deep down I was just a Nor Cal hick wanting to be in all black and hangin with the GV crew.

Dana - No other words needed, but he did get Avalanche in the LIME light (no pun intended) and he put out some decent moto vids.

As far as the whole FLF dynasty, true. But did you know they gave Mike McEntire "New Kids" when halfway through they wanted to do "Exile" with the backflipping cliff crew (Gnarl!). Mike would over see the skaters and the rocket paced progression that followed. It was a God send if you will as many of "New Kids" riders did not like the vibe of FLF, even though many stuck it out for the $ in later FLFilms.

One of my fondest memories is doing Pocahantus with Mac Dawg, it was my first time to Co. and I was just blown away how light the snow was, we both were not used to it. While shooting the Berthoud Pass section with Jodi, I would make a turn 30 feet up hill of Mike and still just coat him with snow - He would yell at me, but it just was champagne powder and there was nothing I could do to keep it from floating around my aurora. On the way to Co. we drove in his Subaru which he later crushed into a cube of metal, he would have me drive and MD would be on the guitar playing "Baby's brains are in the frying pan" - No shit. He aslo did many Petty covers with their own touch of melodies and just weird lyrics - I loved every minute of it.

Jonny B.

how about......

the part where you pointed it through the mogul field making quik turns at mach plus -
really funny shot

Just being a...

Dork, just like Lance did back in the day with the bones brigade. To be honest I think I had no leg strength too boot and just pinned it to the bottom. You had some shots in there, a good grasser and some other stuff. Yeah, you and Card had like blips of sickness but due to your image(and how I liked it!) people would not give you guys a real chance, guys like the one in the ballet tights stretching in your living room. Or the judge that is so biased, and payed off in cheeese burgers to get the sac pack to win - To the contest promoter who rides up while we are on course inspection, and his nose is full of coke. Yep we've seen it all Booterman, from Noah's Nub to Monty's Favorite.

Think I'll have to rip the vid tonight.

Jonny B.

///

any chance i could get a copy of the vid from anyone? the favor would be returned (in a non-sexual way).

Craig Kelly Forever.

For You....

I have an extra copy I can send on a loan, just please send it back -That's all I ask. LJJ, you of all riders would really be stoked on this film, just send me a mailing address, I'll pay postage one way, you pay on return. Looks like I may be coming through your neck of the woods in the winter, have to hook up and get pressed on some wood for sure.

Jonny B.