From Hano Hano Race in San Diego to Snow in Big Bear

Aloha,

Saturday was a awesome day just like every other day! Margareta, Sean and I woke up early at Sean’s house in Long Beach and started to head to San Diego for the Hano Hano SUP race. This was a small course, but it was really fun and filled with a lot of great competitors. The total amount of competitors in the whole event was around 200, about 80 of which were SUP. The race was really fun and overall put together great! I ended up finishing 6th overall out of all the SUP competitors, unfortunately they did not have a under 20 division but a 6th out of all the older guys and Brandy was good enough for me!

            Directly after the awards, Sean, Margareta and I shot it up to Big Bear because we heard it was getting dumped with snow a foot everyday and every night. All of us were so excited to see the snow again and to go snowboarding and stand-up-paddle snow surfing. When we got to the mountain after a 3 and a half hour drive, there were police blocking of the entrance to the highway that led up the mountain. They were stopping people from going up because there had been a dangerous amount of snow and they didn't want anyone driving in the icy conditions. This was a huge buzz kill, our plan was to rough it out in a near by hotel and then leave early in the morning before the police were there, and this was exactly what we did. We woke up early and got to the bottom of the highway and we stoked to see nobody there, so we started our mission again up the mountain.

As you can see, I was super excited to see snow again!

There was easily 5 feet of powder everywhere!

Off course we had to get some shots for Starboard before we went up the lifts, so we hiked up a small but steep mountain with a 8' SUP board which is a lot harder than you think, especially when your waking in 4 feet of powder up to your waist. Every body we passed were so baffled and confused to see these boards up in the mountain, but then again everyone was interested to see how it turned out. 

 Our fist run up!

Unfortunately we did not make it to Big Bear because there was to much new snow fall, and once again there were police blocking the entrance to Big Bear mountain. So we ended up just going to the mountain lifts before it called Snow Valley.

It was unreal to be at the beach one day then up in the mountains having a blast snowboarding the next.

 Our unfortunate visit to this place brought a minor set back to our plans. Sean was ripping up the mountains a little to hard and dislocated his shoulder. I remember seeing him riding towards me with his right shoulder considerably lower than his left, as he approached me he told me this, "Okay Zane, on three pull my shoulder as hard as you can towards the ground then push it up back into the socket". I told him no way, we are going to mountain patrol. Mountain patrol told us they cannot do anything about it and they sent us to the hospital where the doctor can x ray everything and put the shoulder back into place. Sean said the pain was immediately relieved when his shoulder was back in the right spot but still the doctor said no way he could go surfing.

    A few of my friends from Maui who go to SBCC that I called up when we got back down the mountain to shoot some wave shots in Santa Barbara. We bought some steak and had a killer BBQ at our house we rented in Ventura for the two days we were shooting in Santa Barbara. After SB, Sean had to head it back home and get his arm some rest.

 

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Comments

  • 1/27/2010 5:20 PM doug pitzer wrote:
    Aloha Zane,
    I think you created a new sport!! Keep up the good work. We all are very proud of you. Next time pull on his damn shoulder. Love the Pitzer Ohana.
    Uncle Doug
    Reply to this
  • 1/27/2010 5:24 PM Grandma Carolyn wrote:
    Wow Zane, what a trip. It sounds like pulling someone's arm down and back into its socket is a daunting request. I can understand leaving it to the professionals. I love seeing your face just smiling away in the midst of living life to its fullest.
    Reply to this
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