# Rider for life



## Clayton Bigsby (Oct 23, 2012)

New to the forum, I can't believe it's taken me so long to find it. 

Roger's my name born in Bern Switzerland, moved to Terrace B.C., then south to Washington State, where I currently live in Lake Stevens.

1985-86 was the year that myself and 3 of my best friends (still today) bought our first boards, which was the Burton Woody. Our first time ever on snow with our new boards was at Paradise on Mount Rainer WA. It was our first taste of waist deep powder and for one of us, his first taste of an evergreen tree. He (Mike) ended up breaking his femur, but we were not about to go home or to the hospital with all of this powder, so we threw him the keys and he had to actually sit on his board and surfboard paddle it back to the parking lot. Our second day and still local home mountain MOUNT BAKER of 27 years riding, without ever missing a season.

We competed for a couple years with the help of local board (BIKEWORKS) sponsorship that hooked us up with entry fees, hotel, the use of the shops Toyota van and the use of their company credit card. My two room mates and I were lucky enough to pick up pro sponsors by Burton and Gnu (LIB). It wasnt uncommon to have 50-60 boards in the apartment, everything from experimental models (built by us at LIB), production models and crazy race boards (GNU 213, thats right 213 centimeters, almost 84"). Mike and Peter of Mervin Manufacturing/LIB/GNU are two of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Back in the day BAKER was and still is known for being the home mtn to many pro riders like Craig Kelly (R.I.P), Jamie Lynn, Mikey Ranquet, Peter Line, Dan Donnelly etc and every Fri/Sat and Sun we'd make powder turns with any one of them. 

We've had trips of our lives, cat riding in Idaho, Heli out of Mazama and many, many, many more killer days. Now 27 years later, I can say with all honesty "I AM A RIDER FOR LIFE", my life revolves around riding, my job allows me to leave work when ever I want, which is every dump day. 

I currently ride Stevens Pass WA (weekdays only), I can remember a time when Stevens didnt allow boarders, as far as that goes, we got kicked off of the mtn because boarders were not suppose to be there.

My set ups are;

Burton FISH 160 w/Triads
Burton Malolo 161 w/EST Triads
Arcteryx shell and bibs
Black Diamond Guide gloves
Burton Shawn White boots.

So, if you see a gray Honda Element 4X4 w/black Packasport covered in stickers at Stevens/BAKER come over and say hello, but remember if I didnt wait for a guy with a broken femur, I'm not going to wait for you. 

Long Live the PNW


----------



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

how did you ever leave Terrace? never been there but it seems like my dream


welcome to the forum, you can join me in trying to school these fools on real outerwear


----------



## Clayton Bigsby (Oct 23, 2012)

ShredLife said:


> how did you ever leave Terrace? never been there but it seems like my dream
> 
> 
> welcome to the forum, you can join me in trying to school these fools on real outerwear


I really didnt have a choice leaving Terrace, my family moved back to Switzerland, more and more I dream of moving back, Canada is a beautiful country and Terrace has some killer powder.

As far as real outerwear, you're right it's function over fashion, cant go wrong with Arcteryx, Marmot, some Northface and Mamutt, the initial cost can be high, but in the end it lasts longer


----------



## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

I got to try stevens this year, got a voucher for a day...sadly never been off the little hill.


----------



## Clayton Bigsby (Oct 23, 2012)

wrathfuldeity said:


> I got to try stevens this year, got a voucher for a day...sadly never been off the little hill.


I've made hundreds, if not thousands of runs at BAKER and loved everyone of them, except the time I destroyed my tailbone hitting a backside line at the bottom of the Canyon, but I haven't been there in 5-6 years simply because, if BAKER gets a foot or more of fresh, it's all tracked out within 2 hrs, at Stevens I can still get untouched knee deep on my last run. Do yourself a favor and NEVER go on a weekend, your voucher is probably for midweek only anyways.


----------



## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Clayton Bigsby said:


> I've made hundreds, if not thousands of runs at BAKER and loved everyone of them, except the time I destroyed my tailbone hitting a backside line at the bottom of the Canyon, but I haven't been there in 5-6 years simply because, if BAKER gets a foot or more of fresh, it's all tracked out within 2 hrs, at Stevens I can still get untouched knee deep on my last run. Do yourself a favor and NEVER go on a weekend, your voucher is probably for midweek only anyways.


Its gotten worse; in bounds mauled within 3-4 runs and the ropes/slack can be chewed up by noon. So the plan this year is for a couple of warm up laps then head out on the splitty....but even that show has exploded in the past 2 years.


----------



## mixie (Mar 29, 2011)

Clayton Bigsby said:


> New to the forum, I can't believe it's taken me so long to find it.
> 
> Roger's my name born in Bern Switzerland, moved to Terrace B.C.




sooo.....do you have dual citizenship? Do you have family that still lives in Switerland? How far are they from the Alps? 

um, do you want to get married? If you take me to switzerland with you, you can leave me behind on a powder day no problem. I can entertain myself. Im cool like that: D


was '85 really 27 years ago. crap


----------



## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

mixie said:


> sooo.....do you have dual citizenship? Do you have family that still lives in Switerland? How far are they from the Alps?
> 
> um, do you want to get married? If you take me to switzerland with you, you can leave me behind on a powder day no problem. I can entertain myself. Im cool like that: D
> 
> ...


So ru robbing the grave or eatin the young...I almost hitched up a swiss miss...about 30 years ago?


----------



## mixie (Mar 29, 2011)

wrathfuldeity said:


> So ru robbing the grave or eatin the young...I almost hitched up a swiss miss...about 30 years ago?


I remember 1985 quite well, that is all I am going to say.


----------



## Clayton Bigsby (Oct 23, 2012)

mixie said:


> sooo.....do you have dual citizenship? Do you have family that still lives in Switerland? How far are they from the Alps?
> 
> um, do you want to get married? If you take me to switzerland with you, you can leave me behind on a powder day no problem. I can entertain myself. Im cool like that: D
> 
> ...


All of my family still there, it's just me, my sis, bro and dad here. I am a Swiss citizen, my sis got her U.S citizenship about 4 yrs ago and I've been thinking about it for yrs, but then I think. I'm the only one left in my family in the states thats still Swiss. The Alps were not far, when the country of Switzerland is smaller then the state I live in, it doesnt take long to get anywhere.

Married 17 yrs, two kids

and yes '85 was that long ago


----------

