My friends Felipe and Troy from Longboard Asheville have put together what looks to be a very fun and cause-worthy event.
I edited a promo video since the contest site is very near my house.
Soundtrack by Small Brown Bike
Listen to their new album, Fell and Found, in it’s entirety at No Idea Records
I guess this was around the time I got into all this mess.
Southeastern Canoe Nationals - Nantahala River 1976
Nanty Falls Circa 1975 - Boof?
Shaman Products manufactures Smiley’s Nose Plugs, a brand I have provided to retail stores across North America since the late 90s. At the time Eric Southwick and Tanya Shuman were making nose plugs one by one out of their truck, alongside whichever river they may have just paddled. These were people making a product out of their true passion for the sport of paddling. I imagine it began as a way to supplement their fuel expenses for the next kayak adventure, but it quickly accelerated into a product and brand that was unlike any other. Every paddling shop (and every paddler subsequently) needed this product. From my perspective that is more or less how this brand was born.
An essential piece of gear for many kayakers.
Recently I wanted to hear from Wick exactly what was going on with the manufacturing of the product. Here’s what he had to offer:
All made in the USA. All materials sourced in the USA. The Manufacturing process is done by a Native American Family in New Mexico on the reservation in a cottage industry style. Without that job they would either have to give up their home or drive 2 to 4 hours every day. It’s my favorite kind of manufacturing. From the people for the people. Fair wages all the way around. – Wick
The most recent shipment of Smiley’s have arrived in the same, fuel-efficient, recyclable, reusable packaging as before, but with a cool new graphic on the bag.
Smiley's Nose Plugs - New Packaging for 2011.
Any shops who carry Smiley’s, you are supporting more than just a product category. You support mine and Wick’s small businesses in selling and distributing to your store, the Native US people who put the product together and much more.
Please contact me if you need these products. If you currently sell Smileys you are listed on this page. If your store is missing from the list, or if you would like to become a dealer, please let me know and I’ll add it immediately.
My sincere thanks,
Spencer Cooke, Effort Inc
If you have not yet seen Skirtfit.com you gotta check it out. It’s the most complete and accurate database of kayak cockpit rim sizes. If you’re a consumer looking to fit your cockpit with a new skirt or a retailer trying to help a customer with the same, this site is a great tool. Most sprayskirt manufacturers size the decks of their cockpits based on the overall dimensions of cockpits, i.e., an 86″ cockpit circumference would be a LG cockpit in an Immersion Research skirt. You can see IR’s easy-to-read chart below.
The second coming of the Effort.tv Pee Pee graphic manifests itself this time as a T-Shirt. Those who obtained the sticker a couple years ago are familiar with this design. You’re only ten dollars away from the final piece of your 2011 Spring/Summer wardrobe. You will look breathtaking on the beach in your butt and/or nut huggers in this fantastic, 100% cotton garment.
SPECIAL: Buy between now and May 1st and receive exactly nothing extra.
I just have to say I’m psyched to be working closer with two great companies, Astral Buoyancy and OSM. I’ll be repping (Not an actual word, repping. For example, you never say “hey everyone, let’s go repping,” or “it’s repping season, let’s go rep.”) most of the same territory as I cover for IR and Shred Ready – basically the Southeast.
After the contract was signed and all the awards were given out I had the opportunity to shake hands with the man himself, Bryan Owen. It was a little stuffy in that room but well worth the twice baked potato and md rare filet mignon afterwards.
After the formalities we staked our claim and let me tell you, it's a beautiful 50 acre ranch with a large pond. I can't wait to get my bass lures out.
Thanks,
Spencer Cooke, Effort Inc.
ps. we had a real, New York City, Stocks and Bonds, Buy Low Sell High type of press release at SNEWS. Check it out if you are not afraid of that kind of thing.
I could not help myself from thinking of all sorts of ridiculous captions when I looked at this photo. Please feel free to comment with some more colorful captions.
There is a circle of posts surrounding this year’s event at the links below . Just click any one of them and find more fun stuff about the 2011 Iceman Championships and Millrace Massacre.
Thanks, Spencer Cooke – Effort Inc.
Iceman at IR
Iceman at Shred Ready
Iceman at Astral
Iceman at Rapid Transit
Iceman at Effort.tv
Blue Ridge OUtdoors December 2010 - Writing & Photography
High Country Magazine July 2010 - Interview about Kayaking the Llinville Gorge
As usual, the Fall season brought lots of travel for sales repping and luckily, some surf kayaking in between stops. At home we’ve been working in the office and enjoying the neighborhood streets. Halloween was fun and now we’re bundling up for Winter. Below is one recent video and a bit of a photo journal from the past couple months.
Anna Levesque and I went up to the Linville Gorge to scope out a spot to shoot her new Yoga for Kayakers DVD. We didn't find a spot but saw some nice sights and had a good hike. I really like the super-macro function on my camera. I think that's a blueberry leaf and I know that is Table Rock in the background.
It is plain awful, the eyesore that is Sugartop, the condominium at the top of Sugar Mt. This is a view of it from Tablerock NC. Ack!
On the complete opposite end of the state, in Buxton NC, the National Championships of Surf Kayaking was held. I took this shot of my friend Urko surfing a wave near the old Hatteras Lighthouse site.
We had great waves the entire time that ranged from waist to head high, super glassy for three days of contest. This was me during the competition in the short boat class. I only made it to semi-finals before I was eliminated. A small bummer but nothing to worry about.
The Battle For Hatteras was a separate event held before the Nationals. Teams comprised of a wave ski, short boat and a long boat competed for the Hatteras trophy. My team, Gordon Rock (wave ski), Anthony Bell (short boat) and me (long boat) won the inaugural event.
I was unable to defend my 2006 National Championship title in the long boat class. First place went to my friend Anthony Bell who is a superb surfer and great guy. I took second this time followed by John Tarbell and Charles Salters, also surf comrades and nice fellas.
My daughter enjoys catching fish with me. The blues were biting like crazy. We made ceviche with this one, delish!
It's too damn hot for penguins to be just walking around my neighborhood. But it was Halloween...
Richie Tennenbaum was my favorite costume I saw that evening. He pretty much nailed it.
Today at lunch I had a nice skate session with my friend Felipe. Here he is heading into a nice turn in my neighborhood.
Felipe's friend Madison came too.
This was me in working on the toeside turn.
Leaves swept to the sides of the road to make room for beautiful sliding turns.
Me, cranking on the toeside turn some more.
The top turn on this hill is really fun and kind of slingshots you into the bottom stretch leading up to the next turn.
Felipe cranks out a fancy heelside around this hairpin that we just did for the first time today.
That’s all for now. Happy Fall and Winter everyone!
Spencer Cooke, Effort Inc.
Toe-side turn near my house in Asheville and is currently one of my favorite spots to skate. The video is some recent stuff my friend Felipe and I have been riding.
toeside fave - photo by stickman
