freebord

The So Cal Represent Ride was an absolute blast. The Dethbox came down from San Francisco full of shredders and freebords. We met at Talega August 20th for a rad day of shredding.

The turnout was pretty good. There were many So Cal Freeborders who were new to the scene and the whole Edge Boardshop team came out as well as a number of other downhill skaters.

Austin “Gooner” Lin’s all business talking on his iPhone while shredding some gnar.

We all had a great time with some pretty epic crashes. Bently Anderson tried to predrift a turn on a downhill skateboard several times and gave up after he was tired of crashing. It was funny to watch the downhill skateboarders trying to freebord for their first times. Andrew Schumaker, Joe Marshall, Danny Connor, Mason McGhee and whoever else tried it. Everyone gave up after many failed attempts.

Everyone’s so happy to be at the So Cal Represent Ride

All in all it was a great day with great people. Everyone was stoked, shredding, lurking and having fun. Thanks to everyone who came out. -Leecifer

Shane Morines shredding into the big hairpin left

When you have a growing and innovative sport like freebording, gather up all the best riders in the sport and take them on a trip, epic times are to be had.

Arnaud de Bluze (green shirt) leads with Bently Anderson (blue shirt) Tom Macfarlane (black shirt) Tyler Murgo (grey shirt) Nicolas Gaillard (blue sweatshirt)

Traveling south through L.A and finding a great hill with fresh wet slurry on it was fustrating. It was time for the team to head farther south to Orange County.

Arnaud de Bluze (left) and Arnaud Blin (right) shredding down Summit

After finding some of the best hills in Southern California it was not long before the cops came to tell us to leave. They told us about a ban on hills in the city and gave us a pamphlet showing all the banned hills.

The cops came to try to stop all our fun telling us about the roads being banned

Thinking we had won after finding a hill that wasn’t on the list the Dethbox (Freebord van) crashed into a parked Mustang.

The Dethbox eats up a Mustang

It was time to move on to other hills. Heading down south to a popular road in San Clemente everyone got some shredding in without being hassled.

From right to left. Corey Lucero followed by Bently Anderson and Richie Verost shredding Talega

The trip wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the skate park. The shreddage and elbow/hip/ass carnage was exhilerating to watch.

Nicolas Gaillard does a 360 at San Clemente skatepark

After another day of shredding the team was headed back up north.

Arnaud de Bluze takes the best right hand turn Modjeska Canyon has to offer

Epic hills, cops, car crash, more cops, shredding, getting yelled at by the locals, camping, more shredding, road rash, swell bows, skate parks, and more shredding. Wouldn’t be a Freebord trip without all of this.

Related articles

• R.I.P. Sam Trowbridge (adrenaline-fueled.com)
• What a year so far… (adrenaline-fueled.com)

Sam Trowbridge caught a heel edge riding his freebord with no helmet on 4-20-2011 at around 4:25 p.m. He hit his head and was rushed to the hospital where doctors did what they could to help him. Sam was pronounced brain dead this morning 4-21-2011 and died this afternoon surrounded by his family, girlfriend, and many of his friends.

Doctors say he did not suffer since he was knocked unconscious right away. Sam a member of the freebord pro team 2011 was at the beginning of a freebord journey that was to end up in San Francisco. He was in Auckland at the time of the accident.

Sam’s riding abilities, video editing skills and love for the sport was seen by all. He inspired many riders and touched peoples lives who he had never met.

The following are some of my favorite videos Sam has edited. A lot of these inspired me to get out there and ride.

SAM, WE WILL MISS YOU BUDDY!

Mike Hoppe has had many titles. He has been called the God of freebording and his style downhill kills it. Check out his 2010 highlight reel.

Snowboard the Streets

There’s a certain rush you get carving down a mountain on your snowboard. This feeling is unlike any other. Steen Strand, the man behind Freebording found a way to bring this feeling to the streets.

“What I realized pretty early on is that a snowboard has the ability to move sideways over the snow, and a skateboard doesn’t” said Strand.

By placing a wheel in the center of the trucks that rotates 360 degrees, Steen has created a snowboard on wheels. Linking turns, from heel to toe edge, a rider can carve down any hill at whatever speed he/she desires. The two center wheels simulate the p-techs base of a snowboard, and the four outer wheels act as the steel edges of a snowboard.

The ability to ride sideways, spin 360’s, and float into switch are what makes this ride so much different from skateboarding, and more like snowboarding.

Imagine being able to pick up your snowboard, walk to your closest hill, and snowboard it. Every hill becomes a snowboard run and lift tickets are free. Whether you are going to the death-defying road across town or the mellow hill near your home, you find good roads and bad ones.

Does catching an edge mean anything to you? Every snowboarder has caught an edge before, and the concept is no different here. It isn’t something that happens often, but being prepared with pads, gloves and a helmet isn’t a bad idea.

It is important to remember while you are riding one of these things that there are some major differences. The biggest one is the lack of soft cushiony snow beneath you, and the presence of rough asphalt.

The Dethbox crew rolled down from San Francisco for an epic weekend of riding. Filled with some of the best roads in L.A and Southern California and lots of blood and sweat. I lagged hard making this video but here it is for all of you to enjoy.

Film/Edit by Lee Eisler and Dan Shanker

Riders: Dub C Rider(John Laudin), Bently , Bob Glashan, Lee Eisler, Dan Brunner, Chipper(Nic Ruiz), Gooner(Austin Lin),

Alex McClellan, Tyler Stoehr, Damian

And Freebords version made and filmed by Bently Anderson

This edition of L.A. Sessions occurred when the Dethbox and crew rolled down from San Francisco for their So Cal Represent 2010 ride. Bently Anderson handled filming duty with the GoPro for a run and pumped out some awesome footage!  Here is some raw footage from the top of one of my favorite roads.

Who is that skateboard dude that snuck into the Dethbox???

Video: Bently Anderson

Riders: Dan Brunner, Bently Anderson, John Laudin (Dub C Rider),  Bob Glashan, Nic Ruiz (Chipper), Alex McClellan and Max Capps

Adrenaline-Fueled visits the City of Angels for a canyon run on a way one street that begins above the cloud line and finishes by the ocean.

Riders: Tyler Stoehr / Lee Eisler

Photos: Joseph Espiritu

Video: Lee Eisler/ Tyler Stoehr

Related Articles

• Irvine Downhill & Garage Riders daily session (adrenaline-fueled.com)

When two sports with different disciplines merge, the unison between both athletes can be one with awe and surprise.  An apex line for one, a wide swooping  skid for the other – same entry points, different exits, full on tuck for speed, a spin or a scrub to slow.

Riders: Lee Eisler (FB) / Max Capps (LB)

Photos: Joseph Espiritu

Riding without gloves could end up like this. I might not forget them again.