Mountainboard days 2007

Total: 19

3/?/07 Oak St. and 4th St. down from the Hospital
3/?/07 Oak St. and Kicker
3/22/07 Court St. and Schuster Park
3/24/07 Oak St. and Kicker
4/1/07 Schuster Park
4/?/07 Mad Towage
4/28/07 Levis Mound
4/29/07 Levis Mound
5/9/07 Oak St.
5/11/07 Levis Mound

5/?/07 ?
5/24/07 Levis Mound
5/25/06 Levis Mound
5/27/06 Levis Mound
5/28/07 Levis Mound
5/30/07 Urbantastic (by the Grotto)
7/27/07 Levis Mound
9/18/07 Road to Jewel Basin Hiking Area trailhead, MT.

Bike days 2007

Total: 49

3/?/07 Blacktop.
3/?/07 Blacktop. Miles: 9
3/24/07 Muddy Dirt Roads and Gravel Roads. Miles: 12
3/28/07 Around Town.
4/1/07 Mostly black top, a couple miles of gravel. Total miles: 21.5
4/?/07 The Levis Square.
4/?/07 Technical stuff & balancing.
4/15/07 Levis Mound Singletrack.
4/27/07 Levis Mound Singletrack.
5/3/07 Levis Mound Singletrack.

5/6/07 Levis Mound Singletrack.
5/9/07 Levis Mound Singletrack.
5/?/07 Levis Mound
5/22/07 Roads
5/25/07 Levis Mound
5/28/07 Levis Mound
6/?/07 Schuster Park, balancing
6/7/07 Levis Mound
6/9/07 Memorial Park, Red Wing
6/10/07 Gravel roads out to Levis from Neillsville, at Levis, ATV trails & gravel roads back to Neillsville

6/15/07 Levis Mound
6/16/07 Human Powered Trails, La Crosse
6/19/07 Levis Mound, including Pile Driver
6/21/07 Some Grassy Drops, and around town.
6/23/07 Levis Mound
6/24/07 Sisters Farm, Ladysmith
6/29/07 Levis Mound
7/1/07 Highways. Miles: 28
7/4/07 Levis Mound
7/6/07 Road Riding

7/7/07 TNT trail, random nexus of trails branching off of that, and Human Powered Trails. All in La Crosse.
7/18/07 Around town
7/19/07 Levis Mound
7/20/07 Levis Mound
7/30/07 Levis Mound
8/1/07 Knobby Ridge
8/5/07 Levis Mound
8/10/07 Levis Mound
8/16/07 Wolverine singletrack in Ironwood
8/17/07 Ski trail and etc. around Montreal

8/18/07 Rock Lake trail in the CAMBA system
8/?/07 Levis Mound
8/?/07 Levis Mound
8/?/07 Levis Mound
9/?/07 Levis Mound
9/10/07 Big Mtn, MT
9/15/07 Somewhere in the Krause Basin area, MT

9/?/07 On a trail bellow Jewel Basin Hiking Area, MT

9/?/07 Over in Krause Basin area again, MT

Mountainbike single track days in 2006

Mountainbike Single Track Days: 14

5/29/06 Levis Mound
6/5/06 Levis Mound
7/26/06 Levis Mound
7/29/06 Levis Mound
8/18/06 Memorial Park, Red Wing
8/27/06 Levis Mound
9/4/06 Levis Mound
9/14/06 Levis Mound
9/25/06 Levis Mound
10/9/06 Levis Mound

10/10/06 Levis Mound
10/15/06 Levis Mound
10/29/06 Levis Mound
11/9/06 Levis Mound

This is why you shouldn't forward emails like crazy...

I got one of those petition emails from a person, and then later I got an email from another person who had received the same email, with this link (check this out), which completely debunked it! You should read the article at that link.... that is why it is ridiculous to continuously forward emails, especially when they CAN'T BE VERIFIED!

My Philosophy of Missions

A paper that I had to write for Missions Class:

My philosophy of missions is essentially wrapped up in a statement that Professor Jeff made in class. He basically said that “If you are not one hundred percent sure that you are called to do it, then you shouldn’t be doing it.” However, I do think that God is calling me to missions somewhere down the line.

First, I believe that in whatever way that we serve God, He will use us according to the spiritual gifts and talents that He has given us. If God has given a person an extraordinary gift or talent, I believe that God will use that gift or talent to further His kingdom, and it may very well be through missions. At this present time, I am unsure as to what my spiritual gifting truly is. I have a good deal of time to figure it out, though. Whatever that spiritual gift is, I am certain that God will make that gift a great asset on the mission field. I believe that our talents also play a large role in the equation. For instance, I really feel as if I am called to the area of, how shall I put it, “mountain athletics” or “adventure sports.” I am very passionately attracted to many of the athletic sports that are focused in and around the mountains. For instance, I absolutely love to downhill ski. I am certain that God has given me a natural, raw talent for skiing, and a passion to do it and use that raw talent. During the summer time, I pursue the sport of mountain biking with almost the same drive and passion. I believe that there is a good chance that God will call me to a mission field where I will be able to use my passion for sports, not necessarily those two, but “adventure sports” in general to further the kingdom of God in some way.

Now, how I will go about this over the course of the next 5 years. First, I will complete my education at Big Sky Bible Institute. BSBI has been an excellent place of learning, and this learning will serve me well as I continue to serve God for the rest of my life. My aim in coming here was to have a firm, Biblical foundation at the base of my adult life, and this year will provide excellent knowledge that will be useful in the mission field. Second, over the course of the next 3 to 4 years I am going to focus on becoming a backcountry guide, with a skiing as the primary discipline, to begin with. In order to effect this, I am going to work a number of different jobs that will give me experience in the field, and I have a variety of courses that I am looking at taking which will give me knowledge that I sorely need. This summer I sincerely hope that I will get hired at camp ID-RA-HA-JE (I’d Rather Have Jesus) in Bailey, Colorado. I applied for a position on Adventure Staff, and if I get the job I will be leading mountain biking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, backpacking, and ropes course trips and activities. This will give me a taste of a true guiding experience, and will help to, hopefully, solidify my goal of becoming a professional guide. Camp ID-RA-HA-JE itself will be an amazing way for me to use my life for the furtherance of God’s kingdom. I think that it may, in fact, qualify as a mission field… even though the cultural boundaries that I will be crossing will not be very difficult to surpass. Nevertheless, I think they (the boundaries) could definitely be there, qualifying this camp as mission field. Regardless, next winter I am going to attempt to end up in Jackson Hole, most likely working at the ski resort. Over the course of the winter I will take several avalanche certification courses, and receive my level I and level II certifications. Assuming I get hired this summer at camp ID-RA-HA-JE, it requires a two-year commitment, so I will most likely be working there again in summer of 2009. After next summer, my plans assume a lot more fluidity, as a great deal can change over the course of a year and a half. I really want to intern at Silverton Mountain one winter sometime in the near future. That would provide me with an amazing amount of practical, hands on experience that could help me to get a job as a professional guide. I also am striving to save money so that sometime in the near future I will be able to take an outdoor semester, either at NOLS or IWLS. Either of those courses would give me an incredible amount of knowledge to do with guiding, and the hard skills of several different disciplines, which I might be leading. But, if the amount of money proves too great to achieve in a timely fashion, I may resort to just taking a 24 day long backcountry ski guide training course, offered by IWLS. All of these things will most likely help me on my way to becoming a professional guide.

So, how does becoming a professional backcountry guide have anything to do with missions? As I stated in the first paragraph, I sincerely believe that God will use our talents, abilities, and gifts to further His kingdom. It is my goal to use guiding and sports as a ministry. Exactly what form it will take, of that I am not sure. I was thinking of working with a Christian camp during all but the winter months, and ministering in that venue. In fact, my classmate, Priyanke, is founding the first Christian camp in the country of Sri Lanka. I have seriously been considering that, maybe in 4 years or so once I have the skills amassed, I will be able to join him in Sri Lanka and set up an adventure branch of ministry in conjunction with his organization, Miracle Valley Ministries. That would truly be missions work, crossing an enormous cultural (and geographical) boundary. But in the end, all of these plans rest in the hands of God. The only thing that I can truly do is to continually make myself pliable and receptive to His leading, something that I am not really all that good at most of the time. Ultimately, my philosophy of missions is that God will use me how He wants, and whatever God wants, I want!

Some Skiing

So the past 3 days of skiing were pretty much excellent! On Friday afternoon I finally ended up hiking all the way to the top of Hellroaring Peak. It took a long traverse, and a 20 minute bootpack to get there... but get there I did. The view from the top was absolutely stunning (sorry, no pictures), not to mention the vast expanses of mostly untouched powder. I didn't go out today... and now that I think about it...... I'm kind of kicking myself. I really should have gone skiing today. Sure, I had gone the last 3 days running... but now that I think about it... dang Goo.

I did go for about a 6, 6 and a half mileish run today. That was pretty sweet. Anyhow, that update from the athletic life of Goo!

Bubbs' Blog: Korean's Revenge

What do G-wizzles, popcorn, cheating at poker, Cuban pineapples, and Nerf guns all have in common? The Answer: Korean's Revenge.

The Korean series continues with this humorously action-packed sequel to the popular short film "Reddi Wipped Korean" where our star Sebastian got a face full of whip cream while sleeping peacefully on a couch.

Bubbs' Blog: Shmeges Bruce Mound 360s Edit

Another Loser Anthem (Good Charlotte)

Yeah!...here we go.

It's a new day, but it all feels old
It's a good life, that's what I'm told
But everything, it all just feels the same
At my high school, it felt more to me like a jail cell, a
penitentiary
My time spent there it only made me see


That I don't ever wanna be like you
I don't wanna do the things you do
I'm never gonna hear the words you say
and I don't ever wanna.
I don't ever wanna be.you.
don't wanna be just like you
What I'm saying is this is the anthem
throw all your hands up
you.don't wanna be you


Go to college, a university, get a real job
That's what they said to me
But I could never live the way they want
I'm gonna get by and just do my time
Out of step while they all get in line
I'm just a minor threat, so pay no mind


Do you really want to be like them,
Do you really wanna be another trend,
Do you wanna be part of that crowd
cause I don't ever wanna.
I don't ever want to be you.
don't wanna be just like you
what I'm saying is.this is the anthem
throw all your hands up.you.
don't wanna be you.


(Shake it once, that's fine, shake it twice that's okay.
shake it 3 times your playing with yourself again.)


you.
don't wanna be just like you,
what I'm saying is..this is the anthem
throw all your hands up
y'll got the feeling, sing if you're with me
you.don't wanna be just like you (just like you)
This is the anthem, throw all your hands up
y'll got the feeling, sing if your with me
Another loser anthem (whoa) 4x

Bubbs' Blog: 360 Spinning Bonanza: Bruce Mound

Collaboration of skiers and snowboarders tricking at local Bruce Mound Winter Sports Area. February 8-9, 2008.

In other words: Shmeges pwning.

Read this

This is amazing... this is skiing:


GMD Dispatch (Alta, Utah)

Snow

The 7 day snow total for that AMAZING WEEK which I got like none of was 81". 81 INCHES! THAT'S HUGE! AND I DIDN'T GET ANY OF IT!! However, I'm thinking there is a good chance of finding some of that 81 in the O.B. tomorrow.

FRUSTRATION!!!

Big Mtn. has had 69" in the past 6 days... and yet I CAN'T SKI IT! I'M ONLY 40 MILES AWAY, AND I CAN'T SKI THE BEST SNOW I'VE EVER SEEN! My boss supposedly "forgot" that I can't work Sundays, and decided to schedule me from 12-4... 4 stinking hours! Hows much does he need me for four stinking hours?? IT IS INFURIATING! And then I work the next 2 days... so I can't even get out for an afternoon... and the snow is OFF THE WALL! And I CANT EVEN SKI IT! ARGHHHHHHHHGGGHHGHGH! NOOOOOOOOO!

WHY?? WHY ME??

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! IT IS AGONY!!!!!!! IT HAS BEEN MAKING ME PHYSICALLY SICK TO MY STOMACH ALL DAY!

About the Mountains, the Love of God, and the meaning of life

What David Jeremiah said about the mountains “clearing your head,” “something wonderful happens to you when you go to the mountains,” and “God created the mountains and the ocean as therapy for His people” is so true. Just last week I was struggling with some serious considerations in my head, that really aren’t all that uncommon. But last week was more intense than usual, more depressing and despairing. I found myself thinking, “I had such a conviction in the existence of God at one point, where has it gone to? God, if you are really out there, please show me once again the conviction that I had of your existence and your power.” All it took was one trip to the mountains, one day of delectable powder skiing, and seeing a snowflake fall on the screen of my phone, perfectly illuminating the intricacies apparent in each tiny flake which add up to form a mountain of powder skiing goodness. Each individual flake is so intricately woven together and crafted that it seems like an entity of amazing art all on its own, yet the sum total of the snow, trapped amidst the trees of Connie’s Coulee, refresh and revive life, and somehow make the world a better place. All of it, each individual flake and the whole slope of untracked powder, point to the fact that God is out there, God designed it all, God cares for us, God has a grand plan in mind and that He never, ever forgets us. Ultimately, this is why I love the mountains so much, and this is the reason that I love to ski as much as I do. To me, the simple fact that all of these elements (the snow, the mountains, the way the human body is created, the way the laws of gravity and meteorology work, the way the laws of physics in regards to the human body work, the way the laws of physics govern the interaction between the snow and the sticks) culminate in creating such an enjoyable sensation is proof that in the midst of the sickness and pervasion of relationships full of decay, the futility of the life of the atheist, and the general grime in the world, that God is still there, that He still loves us and cares for us and cherishes us as His children. God is truly there, and He is the only thing worth living for. The only thing.

Now, why is God the only thing worth living for? This is a conclusion that I have been taught, that many of us raised in the Church have been taught. But ultimately, it is not a thing one can be taught. No, this must be a conclusion that one comes to one his own. Read these verses:
Mark 8:34-37 "34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Now, we, having been raised in the church, are constantly being told to "take up your cross, and follow Jesus." Now, I submit to you that most people do not know what this truly means. In fact, I would go as far as saying that I myself do not know the true extent of what it means to "lose my life for Jesus and the gospel." I don't know if even I am truly willing to "lose my life," for what does it mean? I submit to you that the vast bulk of people in Christianity do not in the smallest sense "lose their life for Jesus and the gospel." But that is the way we are called to live. Read also these verses:
Romans 12:1-2 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will. "
I would just like to say one thing about that passage. What happened to the animal to be sacrificed back in the Old Testament? The bull's blood was spilled, it was cut into pieces, laid on the altar and burned! Do you see many people living like that? I don't think so. But I do think it is what Christ has called us to.

So, if we call ourselves "Christian," that is what is truly asked of us. That is the Christian life. There is no strain for self gain, self promotion, or even self esteem of any kind. What we have left is God's will in our lives (living sacrifices, self denial), God's view of promotion (the last shall be first and the first shall be last), and God-esteem (1 Cor. 1:28-31, Gal. 6:14, the book of Romans, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.").

Now, if we take Christianity, we must take the whole thing. If you throw out one bit, for instance, the bit that says homosexuality is a "perversion" (Romans 1:27), you are denying the inspiration of scriptures. As it says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." So if you reject part of it, you are rejecting the fact that is truly from God. If you reject the fact that it is truly from God, you can then reject any portion of scriptures that you don't feel like submitting yourself to, such as what a "living sacrifice" is. If you take Christianity, you have to take all of it, or none of it.

Let us take a moment and consider taking none of it. What is left in life? There is absolutely nothing! You simply came about as a pure accident! What is taking place right now is simply a chemical reaction, simply chemicals that appear on the periodic table (mostly Carbon, I believe) mashing around with a bunch of energy/electricity to create this thing you consider to be life. But really, what is a school bus? A school bus is a bunch of chemicals that appear on the periodic table, mashing around with a bunch of energy to move a load of school kids from one place to another. Really, the atheist and the school bus are on the same level. The school bus actually is probably superior, due to the fact that it has a lot more of the materials that make up everything in it than you do. You, the atheist, are of less worth in the grand scheme of the universe than the school bus parked in the parking lot! Life sucks, and then you die, and are gone forever. In a few short generations no one will even remember that you ever EXISTED. Your existence is gone. And during your brief period of existence as a bunch of chemicals and energy, your existence is fraught with betrayal, disappointments, and pain. Why not just end it now?

In conclusion, we must choose one or the other, either all of Christianity, or none of it. If we choose none of it, we are left with nothing. But if we choose all of it, we are left with everything. And what evidence is there for all of it? Please go back up to paragraph one! (Look around in nature.)

If you would like to discuss any of these points or any points raised by this paragraph, please, leave a comment, email me, whatever. If you have differing opinions, that is totally ok, that's your opinion, and you're entitled to it. If you disagree with me on any point contained here, I would love to discuss it with you. Because if said position that you take does have merit to it and presents itself as the truth, then I must change my position to fit what the truth of the matter is. So please, let's have some discussion.

Skiing

It feels like forever since I've gotten a good ski in. I'm going to go tomorrow... but probably only for the standard 2 hours. Maybe on Sunday I'll be able to log some quality time... yeah dude.

Oh yes, I've gone running a couple of times in the past week... so that's cool. Gotta keep active.

The Sun is Shining

An Update of Sorts

Contrary to popular belief, I have been posting quite a bit of different things on Randomer... I have just been sort of neglecting my email update list. Here is an "Update of sorts." Just 3 selected items from recent days for you to check out. Once you make it over to the main site, be sure to browse around and check out everything else that has been going on (most of it is skiing related). So yeah, I hope everyone has an awesome day!


Some photographs from a bluebird day at Big Mountain. This is what it's all about!



Reddi Whipped Korean:
A short video that my brother and some friends made, which I personally think is hilarious! Be sure to check it out. (The filming/editing is excellent, so it really is pretty good.)




Taking pictures at school.

A new blizzard, but the same application.

We seriously have over six inches in the valley since this morning. I'm just hoping Big Mtn. got a good dose of this snow. Tomorrow could be amazing!

I'm still working on that application. There has been progress, just not as much as I would like.

Application

I'm currently attempting to fill out this application for a camp that I would like to work at this summer... but I'm totally drawing a blank, and there are a whole bunch of long, drawn-out questions that I need to answer. Ugh.

Parade of Chaos

"We march like fools,
in a PARADE OF CHAOS!"