Going to the X-Games in Aspen
Oh yeah, the X-Games are here and Aspen is hopping with stretch limos and masses of dudes and dudettes walking around town with to go cups in their hands.
When people ask me if we are going to go to the X-Games I wonder what family with boys doesn’t go to watch these incredible athletes perform death-defying tricks.
We drove to the Snowmass intercept lot and were amazed to see how organized everything was as they herded the 30,000 + people into the lot to take the bus up to the venue.
The boys were dressed as if we were heading to the North Pole. The only thing I forgot were the ear plugs to mute the language of the teens who were never told to curtail their vulgarity when innocent children stood nearby.
We held on for dear life as we propelled forward to Buttermilk, a mountain which under normal circumstances is as gentle as it sounds.
It is true that as we locals raise our children in a place where extreme is the norm, we both revere and loathe hosting the X-games in Aspen as it only helps to fuel the minds of our children with delusional aspirations of achieving the insane.
As we walked through the crowd to watch the big air competition I noticed a young man dressed in a bright green lycra suit who couldn’t process, in his hallucinogenic state of mind, that the steps he had just climbed had ended. I steered the boys away as he kept climbing to a place that I hope my children never attempt to reach.
The boys had a blast racing around grabbing swag and getting a super cool poster of their names written in graffiti from some of the masters who had become famous from their shaky past lives of obscurity.
The Big Air Competition was too surreal for me as I watched Bobbie Brown fly through the air performing his miraculous Switch Double Pits To Misty 1260 thinking that these athletes are better to watch than superman as they perform their double corks, whiskey flips and rodeo tricks.
I am certain that every contender flies in their sleep, reaching greater heights as they perfect their tricks while creating names like Big Air Jon Olsson’s Switch Hexelfoot 900 and I feel reassured that Wade and I made the right decision to stave off one more year of freestyle skiing for our boys.
February 1st, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Hi Jillian! Can’t imagine being in that environment as an impressionable youngster! To my mom’s horror, she watched me drive a tractor at age 9 – grandpa put blocks on the pedals!
February 1st, 2010 at 2:43 pm
OK the man in the green lycra…Dont give him my phone #. His behavior resembles alot of my ex-boyfriends!!!!
I so miss the X-games…the excitement, anticipation, the crowds and the events…..I remember watching them with hayden, Tasha and Peter. Very good memories!
As for teens bad language…..its even in Swellesley. Hayden asked me the other day what “flipping a finger” meant and which finger was it! I told him it meant to be quite and it was the index funger….regardless,he knows it
is bad to do, and when mad at me or Tasha…flips us the index finger…I of course have to bite my tongue from breaking out in giggles and have to pretend to be mad!
I want to hear more about the x-games!
xoxoxoxox
February 1st, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Wow, I LOVE the X Games, and haven’t actually seen them on-air in a couple years (having given up my TV). I went to college with a kid who invented Line boards, which were a cross between skis and snow boards. I think they made it to the X Games (or maybe it was some other crazy competition that featured them).
Anyhow, WHAT FUN! And when your boys become part of it (one assuredly will, right?!!), I can’t wait to read all about it.
Megan “JoyGirl!” Bord´s last blog ..Love, the Eternal Law
February 1st, 2010 at 8:29 pm
As you know Jillian we were there. Friday night we were about 10 feet away from the gate that leads you into the stairway of a little boys heaven. The half pipe. Chris stood with 60 pound Elliott on his shoulders, I stood with 55 pound Jake on my shoulders and Chris’s sister Mary from Austin(29)joined us as we gave up hope but still decided to stand amongst the pushers, flask drinking, bad mouthed but still nice… as you stated… dudes and dudettes. It was 5 minutes before the boarders halp pipe competition and the gates were lowered and we entered. The boys took off running up the snow made icy stairs and did not quit until they reached the tip top of the pipe. I followed slipping, but never falling keeping up and Chris and his sister finally reached the top 15 minutes later. After reaching the top we were so blessed to see god himself AKA Shaun White fly in the air 23 ft above the wall. We were right there and I will admit I was as excited as the boys. After several minutes, Jake figured out he could run and slide dowm the pipe right next to the man made stair case. Of course, Elliott joined immidiately. His first slide was fast and he knocked into the garbage cans and recycle bin(empty) capturing the 20 year old guys attention who cheered them on each run up the stairs and then down. My boys turned into the x games momentarily. I will stop now and talk to you in person as always. What a great adventure.
February 1st, 2010 at 10:27 pm
Hello Kristi,
I was thinking that I left out a very important fact that many parents have to endure with the X-Games aftershock; kids hucking themselves over anything they can find etc… thank you for sharing that side of the story!
February 1st, 2010 at 10:43 pm
I watched some of the X games while hanging at my dad’s house this weekend. All I could think about was how I really didn’t like watching them twist in the air while staring at their underwear. I’m old, I admit, but dang it…why do they have to have their rears hanging out of even their snowpants??? Gets on my D@mn nerves.
Tooj´s last blog ..Monday Mumbles
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:59 am
Tooj,
I’m just hoping that that style goes away before my boy hits thirteen.d
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:03 am
Mouse, seriously…you have issues! Actually, I found myself attracted to the man in the green suit, what is wrong with us? Hungry for anything that is not boring or normal, which does not explain your reasons for living in Swellesley.
I miss having you here with your insanely dysfunctional X husband and your children.
As for Hayden giving the finger, I can’t stop laughing over that Melanie humor!
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:03 am
Ha, Ha SuZen why am I not surprised?