catching up...

To catch you up on the past few weeks starts with the She Jumps fundraiser. It was a HUGE success! Fun, productive and informative. I walked away with a shovel/probe set for half of what the retail price asks and extremely inspired to continue gaining mountain knowledge. We are never done learning, no matter how many avy courses we have taken.

Me and my prize

Manning the She Jumps Table: "donations welcome" :-)

More to come on Xgames 14...

Avalanche Awareness Night

There is a great event coming up this Thursday in Salt Lake City. I highly encourage anyone interested in mountains, snow and back country shredding to attend.

(click on flyer to enlarge)

See you there :-)

odds and ends

^twins.
^flat.
^kitty Tiesto joined the family.
^what do you hear... holiday cheer.
^look closely...
^AMAZING!
^friendly pup i met while walking.

Holidays...

This holiday season I hibernated from the cold... other then sneaking out to ski, enjoyed a wonderful family dinner at the Battersby's house on Christmas Eve (thanks Deb), played many games of dice "10,000" with friends (a new game I am obsessed with), drank tea, cooked, baked Christmas cookies and rang in the new year singing "It's the final countdown..." (artist: Europe). Amazingly this was the first Christmas I did not spend with my family! I guess this means I'm officially an adult now, and Santa must have been my mom all those years hehehe.

It was wonderful staying close to my Utah home, hiding from the holiday crowds, with wonderful people I love. Happy Holidays to all and best wishes for a bright New Year!

^Me hibernating.

^Orange-jah glad it snowed on New Years Eve? (2 ft. at Alta) A blue bird pow day with my favorite ski buddy was my cherry on top!

A few things that RULE!!

Here are a few things that made my week...

i-phone scrabble
Alta Ski Area
Saga Outerwear

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS!

If you like skateboarding you gotta check this out...

The Battle at the Berrics 2, Championship Battle

I've watched it many times and the maneuvers never cease to amaze!

Thanksgiving in San Diego

Empire State Building & one BIG Piano

Mom and I 125 stories up

I was greeted at the entrance of FAO Schwarz

Childhood dream came true, The Big Piano!

My day at the Met

There is something about art that soothes the soul and inspires thoughtfulness. I spent hours at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art pondering the human experience through the ages. Here are a few pieces that spoke to me. Enjoy and have a wonderful Halloween!

A Golden Birthday

The start to a Golden day and a Golden year.

New York, New York

Broadway

Jude Law was brilliant and OH SO DREAMY!

Acting my age at the Waldorf

Central Park

My family made this trip so special

Brunch in the Chandelier Room with Mom

And Grandmere (french for grandma)

Look closely... a little buddy eat with us

(click to enlarge photo)

My favorite mode of city transportation

More photos from my trip to come...

The Journey

A few photos from two weeks on the road with Cycle For A Cause

A perspective from the support vehicle ☟

Best wishes for the finish to all the crew!

Cycle for a Cause!

Billy Poole

Shane McConkey

I am getting involved in the Pacific Cycle for a Cause and want to spread word about the event.

The cycling rally will run through the month of October from Seattle, WA to San Diego, CA. Athletes and industry folk alike are dedicating their time and sweat to ride the coast for a great cause. All proceeds will go to the Billy Poole Ski Foundation, the Shane McConkey Fund and the Riley Poor Fund.

Billy and Shane were fellow skiers who passed this year in skiing related accidents and Riley a close friend and filming talent in the ski industry is recovering from a severe spinal cord injury.

I am very passionate about doing my part to make this event the most it can be. I am asking for your help in this mission.

For more information, to donate or get involved go to pacificcoastcycleforacause.com.

SPREAD THE WORD. SUPPORT THE CAUSE.

My recent adventures.

I just arrived home in Salt Lake City from a 3 day, 900 mile road trip to bring my '71 VW pop top camper van to Utah so I can work on it. This bus has been in my family for decades and a few years back I decided to buy the beast from my mom in an effort to save "Red Ball Jet" from being sold away. I have big plans to refurbish the relic in my spare time. First order of business, get a stereo hooked up!

Me waking up after a good nights sleep in a cot located in the pop top. My outfit called for some ninja moves before launch off.

It is a different experience road tripping at 55 mph... a slower pace allows for time to take in the sights. These old school windows frame the landscapes so eloquently.

There has been a new addition to the family, Lady Love Bug!

Lady chillin in the grass with me.

Lady's home.

Family portrait.

A few things that make me laugh.

1)This kid that taught me how to play "Let It Be" by the Beatles.

He ROCKS! Next week I am learning Titanic and Frank Sanatra.

2)This Photo of Keri Herman and I kicking butt and taking names at the secret Nike store in Portland.

And

3) This movie!

Dove beauty campaign.

I found this ad some time ago,

but just incase anyone missed it I've posted the video below.

Justin Timberlake shouts out...

My friends are on Justintimberlake.com!

It seems Justin is a fan of skiing...

:)

(random thought: so if Justin Timberlake is stoked on skiing, and could become pals with some of my buddies that are mentioned on his site, and Justin is pals with Elton John... does this mean I may be able to meet Elton some day? Seems logical, yes!)

summer

I went exploring in the Salt Lake City area recently with friend and seasoned Utah adventurer Cody Barnhill. We discovered a wonderful wooded get away from the hot sun, Ferguson Canyon. I was delighted to find a few new bugs along the way... we sure don't have those metallic beetles in Washington!

Driving with the wind in your face is the way to go in the summer heat! This is easily achieved when your friend owns a open top Jeep.

Lyme Disease...

Recently a few of my family members have been diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

Lyme Disease is a rapidly emerging bacterial infection of the blood, caused by the bite of an infected tick. Not long ago Lyme Disease was unknown amongst the medical community and to this day is still relatively hard to diagnose. This is mostly due to the broad spectrum of symptoms, as well as lack of knowledge by health care professionals.

Symptoms can range from:

*Arthritic problems (Lyme is a smart little bug that will hide itself in many corners of the body that are sheltered from our immune system. Often times in the joints.)

*Malfunction of the nervous system (example: twitching of the eye muscle, muscle fatigue, blurred vision, etc.)

*Swelling of the brain (causing mood changes and depression.)

*Extreme fatigue (unexplainable sleeping for whole days at a time and random lack of stamina.)

and the list goes on.

Many times Lyme disease has been misdiagnosed as M.S. (multiple sclerosis), A.D.D. (attention deficit disorder), learning disabilities (in children and young adults), depression and anxiety, ulcers etc.

My Aunt has been struggling with extreme symptoms for years and luckily opened the door for my cousins to get diagnosed as well. There is treatment for Lyme Disease. I have found many books written by athletes who went on to do great things after treatment. These inspiring stories and the strength of my family, gives me confidence that they will all come back from this stronger then ever! I am currently on a mission to gather knowledge and create awareness for this disease.

If you break down disease... Dis Ease... no one should have to go through a life of Dis Ease if there is a way to stop that pain. The more people that know about Lyme Disease, the more cases can be caught early on.

Spread the word.

SMILES!

I was introduced to Ras Trent (From Saturday Night Live)

this summer... and when ever I need a good laugh, I watch this.

Which has been almost everyday! haha

Freeskier Shoot at Hood

We just rapped up the Woman of Freeskiing shoot at Windells Ski and Snowboard Camp in Mt. Hood, OR. It has been a blast. Check out our site DaHoodestHouse.wordpress.com... it started as a joke because some skier boys we know started a site for their house this summer here in Hood, DaHoodHouse.com. So, we thought we'd get in with da hype :)

My July Adventures

Camping, climbing, Xgames and LA...

(click on photos to enlarge)

Saga Blog...

Check out my road trip to Hood with Austin and Jordan at sagaouterwear.com...

Thanks again for carpooling boys!

Hood bound...

I have just returned from a week in Wisconsin visiting with my family. So much summer fun!

Now I'm heading out to Hood tmrw morning to ski for a few...

It is trailer season: here are a few links to my favs thus far:

CONTRAST- Nimbus Independent

REFRESH- Level 1

EVERYDAY IS A SATURDAY - Poor Boyz Productions (look out for Timmy D's bag of tricks!)

Their coming...

:)

Adventures of Red Ball Jet

My most recent bus adventure, since there have been many:

My '71 VW pop top camper van has been in the family for years. Although "Red Ball Jet" (named after the original converse which were my mom's favorite shoe when she was my age) has been mine for a few years now, I haven't had a place nor the time to work on her. Now that I am in temperate Utah, I started plotting to get her out here. The plan that assembled was a road trip with my mom from WA to UT.

Our plan was set in motion as I traveled to Washington last weekend. However, when I started RBJ up for the first time in nearly 2 years... there was something up. She was shaking badly and after taking her to our friendly Bellingham VW mechanic, discovered she needed some joint replacements. These would take a bit of time first locate and then to order. Therefore, the trip has been postponed for later this summer.

Photos:

1)Me taking a trip down memory lane with Red Ball Jet... these stickers have been on her since I was little.

2. and yes that is a "dancing bear" skiing that I'm pointing at above.

:)

My week at Camp Woodward

Here is a gallery of my photos from Camp Woodward at Copper Mt. CO. Thanks to the Woodward crew and all the groms for killing it. I had a blast!

(click on photo to enlarge)

A beautiful day to road trip.

The crew. L-R Ali Gingras, Taylor Seaton, Phil Casabon, Brittany Adam and me.

Go carting! Phil zooms by.

Me catching up to Tay.

Yup I am in the back while Brit and Phil duke it out for 1st.

The boys held a ton of contest for the kids over the week. This one was who could jump over without knocking down the pad.

JUMP

Happy Camper! Katie eating dinner.

Camp Food, not bad at all.

Brit holding it down.

Dr. Phil (camp doc) and Tay on hill.

Yoga session with the girls.

The boys found someone they know in Freeskier...

It's me!

We made smores.

Camper Hannah hanging at the barn.

I think I need a Red Bull... these kids have so much energy!

Katie making her camp shirt.

Alina and Kelsey getting their art on.

I love Hannah's design!

My girls and their T's. And look who arrived, GBaby (Grete Eliassen) far right.

Keyboard Art...

Someone put this together...

!ılıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llılı

Boom Box playing MUSIC?

Summer is BACK!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately my camera had to run out of battery on the sunniest day since I moved here, my apologies for the lack of photo documentation. 

Today was jammed packed with summer fun.

9am-4pm. Water ramping and tramping at the Olympic Park. Worked on breaking useless habits in my spins and corks. Humbling experience let me tell you! Also, worked on some unnatural spinning. I think I am finally getting used to the ramp set up. Tramp time highlight was having a contest to see who could jump the highest and have the longest time after 10 jumps. Oh and bed tricks on the tramp are my new fav!

4:30pm. Riding the longest zip-line ever made (located at the olympic park). FUN!

4:45pm. Riding the Alpine Slide (also at the olympic park). FUN, until I caught up to the lady in front of me, then it was just plain slow.

5pm. Skating with some friends at the Park City Skate Park. I like the park, great variation in the big bowl.

6pm. Watching a softball game. Go Team Skull Candy!

7pm. Bailed on further summer festivities to hide out from the sun in my cool basement room. BBQ on the last standing jump at Park City Mt... could have been a blast, but I am beat!

As you can imagine I got some sun today... my tan lines are rockin'!

I hope you all are having fun in the sun this summer.

:)

Utah Olympic Park

I got the chance to try water ramping for the first time yesterday with AVSC coach, friend and former roommate Elana Chase. She and a few Aspen kids are here in Utah for the week training at the Olympic Park in Park City. The experience of working on tricks on the trampolines and ramps has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for my skiing! I was like a kid in a candy store and had smiles for miles coming home yesterday evening! 

I went back today and plan to keep ramping all week. More photos and recap to come.

:) 

Summertime and the living's easy...

This photo of Maria DeBari was taken one May in Mammoth... it is one of my favorite pictures! 

What reminded me of this shot was a conversation with my best friend Maria. She just graduated from WWU last weekend. For a final project, her class took a 10 day camping trip into the Washington wilderness. On this camp out they all were assigned a 3 day solo... meaning 3 days in one spot with nothing but themselves and nature. No notebook, no book, just each student and their thoughts. They were assigned  to recount every memory they could. Each person that has come into their lives and every experience. Maria did this diligently for 3 days and said it was an unbelievable journey. A journey that I can imagine would leave you feeling thankful for the gift of life. She remembered things that had not crossed her mind for years. One being an EPIC May in Mammoth when we lived in a cabin with some wild girls. It was good times through and through. 

I am committed to pondering my past experiences this summer... I am sure to dust off some grand adventures and funny stories :)

Stay Tuned!

Rommie Files...

Us, New Zealand 2007... 

My roommate here in Utah happens to be one of my closest long time friends, Phillipa Hunt aka: Pip. Pip is one of my favorite people in this whole world and she makes me laugh all the time! This week I have captured some amazing personality shots of her and had to share them.

Here is my photo gallery "Ode to Pip"

I made her this gluten free yummy snack...

it got all over her face!

Re and Pip dance partying.

Food baby or baby? Abdominal skillz.

looking to see if there is any cocoa left.

An old friend...

I began a new read the other day, Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. This gem was suggested to me by a friend... Jerard I cannot thank you enough for adding this book to my long reading list. While scanning a book shelf a day or two ago, the lavender paperback jumped out at me. 

Reading each page, I've felt like I'm talking with an old friend. Each idea and philosophy presented, matches up with my daily thoughts majestically. In a world where people avoid deep thoughts and conversations, to know i can find one in a book is delightful. 

I find myself taking my time, even rereading sections.

"Instead you spend your time being aware of things and meditating on them. On sights and sounds, on the mood of the weather and things remembered, on the machine and the 

countryside you’re in, thinking about things at great leisure and length without being hurried and without feeling you’re losing time. What I would like to do is use the time that is coming now to talk about some things that have come to mind. We’re in such a hurry most of the time we never get much chance to talk. The result is a kind of endless day-to-day shallowness, a monotony that leaves a person wondering years later where all the time went and sorry that it’s all gone. Now that we do have some time, and know it, I would like to use the time to talk in some depth about things that seem important. "

mystery photo...

This here photo has been locked onto my desktop since the first year I had this computer... that makes it three years now! I don't ever recall looking up this geographical site. Luckily my long time roommate and friend Anna Segal informed me that it is an interesting rock/mountain in Australia... but we have no idea how it became locked up on Opal (my mac). 

It seems the mystery of "The Rock from Down Under," may never be solved but I would really love to get it off my mac! Does anyone know how to unlock files??

Monotonix

Last summer I was lucky enough to see a small live Monotonix show in Seattle, WA. I was reminded of these guys today. It was hands down the BEST rock show i have ever seen! This band is unpredictable and high strung. Beware of the PG13 sometimes R-Rated nature of their stage show, but check out their music. It is AMAZING!

A random train of thought...

Today I pondered the statement, "to live" and have concluded, that to truly live you must take chances. Making decisions not on careful thought and deliberation but on simply what you choose can be risky, yet this is part of truly living to me. 

To give an example, the lip piercing I got this spring. I have wanted it for 2 years and by carefully weighing out the pros and cons, decided against it. The cons outweighed the pros... or did they? 

The cons were: 1) My mom was super against the idea. 2) I was sure my grandma would be upset too. 3) It may scar my face. 4) It may not turn out like I wanted it to. 5) It may be dangerous or get in the way while skiing. 

And the pro was: 1) I wanted it and loved the idea of having a subtle sparkle on my face all the time.

So, I finally took the chance and have not once regretted it! I love my lip jewel (featured in photo below). Having a metal ring in my lip was cold on the mountain, and eating was challenging while it was healing but I discard these annoyances as minor because of how much I wanted my piercing. It was still worth it!

 

So, on with my train of thought. What comes with making choices is change, and for most if not all humans the fear of change accompanies. This fear holds people back from making choices and living their dreams! If change is inevitable wither we choose it or not, why do humans have this automatic, almost instinctual response to decide not to choose? Here is what I came up with: If a human decides based on logic then they are following some equation that makes sense. Who wrote this book of rules (often termed "they"... ie: "you know they say") no one knows. Shouldn't we each be writing our own book of rules? It only makes sense to me that, "I know better then anyone what is best for me." Maybe it's that humans don't like to take responsibility for their own lives. If we don't make the choices that create the change, then somehow it is someone else's fault when something unwanted happens. 

And with this conversation I have opened a very large can of worms, being the human mind. Can we ever really know? For each mind is so different but some traits are universal. Maybe choosing to accept that we will never really know, adds beauty to the mystery of life. 

Spotlight

Here are a few friends from home who are killing it at life.

Lucas DeBari

Lucas is one of those kids, who would never be the one to tell you he won the Legendary Mt. Baker Banked Slalom ('07) at the young age of 18, beating out guys he grew up watching win the pro men's division, Temple Cummins and Terje Haakonsen. He is a humble somewhat quiet kid with talent that speaks loudly. I have watched him through the years grow up, work hard and finally BLOW UP on the snowboard scene. Lucas also won "Rookie of the Year" at the Transworld Rider Poll Awards 2009. Proud of you bud!

Kolby Reimer

Kolby and I danced together on our high school Dance Team, BHS. She always stuck out as a starlet that could freestyle like no other. I remember us girls all thinking that someday Kolbs would be in music videos and such. Well it seems her love of dance is still very much alive. She has recently graduated from college having danced on 2 teams through her years in Eastern Washington. One being an elite group, The Spokane Shock Dance Team. I have no doubts that Kolby will go on to be a professional dancer for a sports team and who knows, maybe a music video or two. 

Elisa Weiss

Elisa is a woman of the world. Having traveled to many far off places and gathered the most breath taking shots along the way. She is a student of photography at Evergreen, an avid adventurer, athlete and an activist for positive change. Most recently she has been acknowledged for her abilities in rock climbing. 

Crystal Banning

Crystal and I danced for years together, first in the Pacific Ballet Company and then on the BHS Dance Team. She was shall I say, the most talented dancer I knew growing up, always! She had a love for ballet at a young age and ran with it. Now she is a graduate from Montana State University along with an acclaimed ballerina. She has danced for companies in Boston, gaining notice for her exquisite technique and grace. 

More Art...

This piece is titled "Bottled Emotions." On each glass bottle there is an emotion engraved and below a warning "under pressure, may blow." How witty.

Thanks mom!

I recently found this piece of artwork at a gallery walk in Boulder, CO. It reminds me of "strong women" and therefore was fitting for the occasion.

It's Mother's Day and I have a very special person to celebrate!

My mother Allain VanLaanen is a woman of many talents. She is an amazing artist, teacher, mountaineer, botanist, agriculturist, single mom, musician, song writer, and the most kind and generous person I know. She is so strong, vibrant and full of life. Thanks mom for bringing me into the world and filling my life with so much joy! I love you!

Tuesday Tye-Dye Day!

Tuesday was Tye-Dye Day over at Ashley's house. 

We started with some shirts and such and then Ash began to grab blankets and sheets from her house!

This blanket turned out rad!

It was such a blast! Thanks to Emily for bringing the Tye-Dye goodies! :)

Notes on Facebook...

I was on facebook this afternoon and received a note from a young gal looking for advice on skiing professionally. After I wrote back answering her questions, I realized this would be great information to share with anyone who might have wondered these same things. Therefore I decided to post it onto my blog... 

"Heyy Angeli!!
So this is a really random message... but my mom and I just had a life talk about me trying to pursue skiing as a career and what not and if I should keep going after it.. and we started talking about how I would support myself if I made it and how well I would do financially and what not and what I should do about school and blah blah blah... and the truth is that I really have no idea! So I decided to ask you, since you're one of the best girls in the skiing industry... like how you're making it? Like are your sponsors paying for all your travels and paying you enough to survive with living and food expenses and what not? Or do you still need to rely on parents or have a side job? And like what do you plan to do once your skiing career comes to an end and you might need to get a real job? Did you go to college and what not and have a degree to fall back on? Sorry I guess this is kinda personal information!!... but if you can help me out at all I would greatly appreciate it!! I'm trying to figure out what I'm doing with my life and its not working haha
Thank you so much!! Hope all is well!!"

My reply:

"Hey,
Yeah no worries, I know exactly how you feel and to be quit honest have been exactly where you are at. However, very few would answer these questions for me, because you'll find people in the ski industry to be very secretive. Great people don't get me wrong, but it is a business. 
OK, so I have been living solely on my ski earnings for 2 years. Starting out, I had to spend a bit of my savings to get by without another side job. I have completed my associates degree (2 years of college) but since have taken time off to focus on skiing. As of now, my sponsors are paying for all my travel and skiing expenses, as well as retainer (money to live off of). 
I have always been great at budgeting my money and in the past few years have been able to put money back into my savings account. 
There is huge opportunity for us ladies out there in the ski industry... however, times are tough for all business right now with the state of the economy. So, this might be a hard time to get financial support from sponsors.
I have decided on a career path post skiing this year, and that is PT (physical therapy). I do not know when I will get back into school, maybe this fall, maybe wait another few years. But I figure, school will always be there. Skiing is something you have to grasp now, for it is only going to get harder and harder to make a name for yourself, with tons of young guns (like yourself) getting into competing. 
Although my mom gives me the occasional massage coupon or buys me some ski socks... I have been fully supporting myself since I moved out of home at 18. It is possible to do, but I have made many sacrifices to make it work financially.
Some examples: 
*Living in a one bedroom apartment with 4 other girls.
*eating lots of pasta
*living out of my car for the past 3 summers.
etc...
I guess the question to ask yourself, how much do you want it? Would you be satisfied with your accomplishments no matter what? Because you have to just go for it and risk falling flat on your face, but that is just life in general. Big Dreams, Big Risk. 
I am happy to answer any other questions or aid you in anyway getting to know how the industry runs. I believe that there is enough out there for all of us and if you work hard you will find your place. So, there is no need to keep secrets about how it all works.
:)
Oh and yeah things are great. Just moved to Salt Lake City, UT for the summer. So excited to not have to live out of my car this year :)
Hope you are doing well and that this email was at all helpful.
Ang"

Big thanks to Riley Poor, Sarah Burke and Elana Chase for advising me through those first years. I would love to pass on the same generosity that they showed me. 

Boulder Gallery Walk...

Nicole and I walked to Pearl Street yesterday afternoon to stroll the Boulder Gallery Walk. An exhibit done by Mary Scrimgeour caught my eye. Her collage of methods and sketchbook-esque layout was both playful and thoughtful. Here are some photos I took of her art... (the lighting didn't do much for my point and shoot camera. These shots don't do the coloring justice. When browsing think, vibrant.)

Click on photo to enlarge

"A" is for "Angeli"

:)

Rally 4 Riley!

If you are in the Boulder, CO area... Come to the Rally 4 Riley this Saturday! It is going to be a fun gathering of friends and supporters, with an auction of goodies (signed skis by Pro Skiers, outerwear, nikes, prints from various photographers and much more) to raise money for our dear friend Riley Poor. So come on out and support a great cause!

Touring the NW...

After WCS (West Coast Sessions), LJ Strenio and I drove from Mt. Hood, OR to Stevens Pass, WA to meet up with the Rage Films crew. The crew consisted of Keri, Gus, Schlopy, Mertion, Fabio, Bennie, LJ, Joss, Schuster, Cosco and Spong. Also filmers Hennie, AJ and Dan. It was some good times in the cabin, kinda brought me back to the summer camp days.

It turned out to be nice weather one of the days I was there. Here is a shot of the table they set up... Lofty.

I just remembered about this photo and had to stick it in. I took this at the falls you pass on the way from Whistler to Washington. There was so much water rushing off the mountains. CRAZY!

West Coast Sessions...

I am at Mt. Hood, OR for the "West Coast Sessions."

I had so much fun lapping the Timberline Park today!!!!

Fun in the sun with a crew of talented kids...

check them out Day 1 (I wasn't here yet).

More edits to come...

TEAM USA live show!

I WAS THERE... NO BIG DEAL!

check out the live video

WSI Pipe Finals...

The Whistler Ski Invitational Pipe Finals went down today and the sun was shining. It was a beautiful and fun filled day to end the competition season on. The WSI, marks the end of the winter competitions, being the last on the schedule. 

I came in 2nd, had my family there to watch and...

I went bigger then ever before (as seen in the photo below)! :)

Congrats to Dania Assaly (in photo below) for the win and Megan Gunning coming in 3rd!

Vote for TONY!

I received an email from my buddy Tony the other day, telling about how he's a part of a contest in which the prize is a new Nissan car! Nissan is putting on this contest to find creative, unique people. And I think Tony embodies both these qualities to a "T"... being a professional skier, small business owner, painter and all around talented guy. He started a innovative ski pole and glove company Joystick, that has brought a unique style to the ski industry.

Part of the finals is online voting. Please follow the link below, check it out and vote for Anthony Boronowski. You can vote once a day. 

http://hypercube.ca/en/Canvas.aspx?id=ee075d18-0937-4687-bccf-be1c6771ef7a&lang=en

:)

EARTHDAY in 3 days...

This Wednesday is the day we give special thanks to Mother Earth. She provides us with all the things we know and have in life. Even the manmade stuff, it once came from the earth in some way or another. 

A friend of mine was talking to me about energy a while back and brought up a simple but amazing point I had never thought about. 

If everything is made up of matter, atoms and at the center of each atom is a nucleus which is essentially energy. Then everything is made up of energy at it's most raw form. When you broaden that thought into everything you touch, use, drive etc. day to day, the miracle of life can blow your mind!

The example she used was cars. The oil used to fuel the car, once came from deep deep in the earth and is millions and millions of years old. This old energy, propels us and we can move at unbelievable speeds with only the tilt of your foot on the gas pedal! Outrageous! Amazing! When I think about driving cars in this way, it is just mind blowing. 

If we all took a little time today, or better yet everyday, to really marvel in the wonders of life around us, the world would be full of inspired people.

Nike ID!

VanLaanen... that's my name! And yes my first and middle names are on my new shoes thanks to Nike ID. 

This year at Dew Tour, they had each athlete make their dream pair of shoes. Here are mine. White and purple wood grain, turquoise, simple but bright, and something unique (my name on the back). Angeline Allain was my Great Grandmothers full name. This name was very popular in my family and who ever had the first little girl, got to pass it on. Lucky me I was born first! I am very proud of my name and am told I'm just like my name sake. She was a very independent, motivated and artistic little french woman. :)

Thanks again Nike 6.0 for making these shoes happen!

A belated congratulations to...

MEG OLENICK, KERI HERMAN and WHITNEY WICKES!

The Spring Massive Slopestyle event went down at Breckenridge, CO... and any coverage on the event has been nonexistent or hidden so deep in the web, that I have yet to find it. So I am going to post what I know of the results and give a big CONGRATS to my girls holding it down in Summit County. 

The day of competition was stormy and some of the worst weather to be hitting the Freeway terrain park. Despite the conditions, the comp went down and Meg took home the win! 

Her run was switch 180, 3, 5

up down rail doing a swich up to switch

down rail, 270 out

flat down box with a barrel in the middle, she did switch on, swich up, swich out.

Keri and Whitney also got themselves on the podium, rounding off the Woman's Slopestyle event with some banger runs! Yeah ladies, way to have a crew sweep at Spring Massive!

Easter Weekend in Utah...

At the end of last week I took quit a fall shooting a swinging log jib at the Canyons up in Park City. Being a bit sore, I decided to take the weekend to rest up for the upcoming competition in Whistler, BC... The World Ski Invitational.  

My easter weekend was full of R&R, sunny days, lounging at the park, pencils and paper, a lil skateboarding, baking sweet treats, a lovely Easter dinner hosted by friends Tim and Kristen, bowling (I got a 129!!!), learning to play Catan, hanging at the hobby shop, driving RC gas powered monster trucks and dune buggies, burning my middle and ring finger getting extreme with Pep's truck... oops, sleeping in, good food and great people. It was just the weekend I needed before taking off to Canada. 

Doodling at the park.

The new hangout, South Valley Hobby.

The line up...

Pep with Black Thunder.

It's a great morning when your pancake is smiling at you!

NASCAR recap...

Nascar was quit the experience! I was in a sea of automobiles. Trucks, cars, trailers, double wides, RVs, scooters, golf carts etc... and the fans! The stadium and surrounding area was packed with die hard Nascar fans, all wearing these snap-up jackets covered in the sponsors and numbers of their favorite racer. Everywhere you looked, there was an advertisement, colorful and bright! The noise from the 25+ cars was so loud I wore these yellow ear muffs the whole race (featured in the picture below). It was a sensory overloud, but I sure did have fun!

We were of the lucky few to be allowed into the Nascar pit area. This is where the real action is to been seen. The Red Bull crew went through 3 sets of tires in the 324 lap race. Below is a before and after of one set. They would burn through tires so fast and the rubber particles would wisk around the stadium, often landing on your face or in your drink!

I attended the race with my Red Bull Team Manager Adam and a few other athletes. Below are the boys, Terry Adams (RB pro BMX flatland rider), Adam Bebout (our RB TM) and Heath Frisby (RB Pro Snowmobile rider).

The pit crew.

Nascar fireman.

Some random pit crews and characters. 

A look from across the field. Look at that crowd!

I found a mini UPS truck!

Entering the VIP zone.

Terry giving a demo to the RB energy station guests.

RB Nascar Driver Brian Vickers giving some pre race words and introducing newest RB team member, Reggie Bush. ps. the Nascar drivers are Gods in this community. Everywhere you looked there was another posters of a driver looking like a "rock star." It reminded me how vast the world of sports is... seeing as I had never heard of these guys before.

Carting around.

Terry turned out to be quit the dancer... Here he is below impressing the Texas style dance party.

RB had a street car custom made with a Nascar engine. After Reggie got dropped off at the hotel by this flashy whip, we were all to get rides... maybe even drive it! But the hotel unfortunately called the police on the noisy not street legal car.

Overall it was a great weekend hanging with the boys and getting to see what the most popular sport in the US is all about... Fast Cars and Rock Stars. 

Texas for NASCAR?!

I am currently in Fortworth, TX with the Red Bull crew to see the NASCAR event go down in Dallas tomorrow.

I don't know much about this sport, but when I heard "we'll be so close to the track on race day, there will be rubber in our drinks" (said my RB Team Manager Adam) I knew I had to come!

Here are my fellow Red Bull Athletes to root for:

RIP Shane McConkey

Shane McConkey was a visionary and legend in skiing. He inspired every person that got to watch him in movies, meet him in person or even just hear about his accomplishments. I looked up to him and will miss his presence in the ski community. My heart goes out to his family and close friends. Shane's memory will live on through the generations of skiers he has inspired.

Ride those endless powder runs in heaven dear skiing friend.

Utah powder hunting...

I got a chance to catch up with GB (gretchen bleiler), Stan Evans & more, and go on a snowmobile and powder hunting adventure. I found out late Monday night and zoomed down to SLC from Breck to meet up with the crew for Wednesday, Thursday shredding. The snow was so deep Wednesday, that it was a constant face shot while sledding. 4+ Feet of fresh and another foot fell while we were out there! Thursday was a day at my fav lil mountain in Utah, Pow Mow. Next to come is the Queen's Cup Open at Park City, Friday and Saturday. Holler!

TIME OF OUR LIVES!

Kristi Leskinen's Homecoming Invitational was hands down the most amazing weekend of our winter. Full of skiing, goodie bags, facials, massages, an am rail jam for local kids, bowling, dance parties and much more! 

Seven Springs Resort, PA put together a legit slopestyle setup despite the warm weather and extreme melt that happened only days before our arrival. Three jumps and four rail features. 

Roz G, me and Keri Hermoney watching heat 2.

The Homecoming Queen's...

Chanelle Sladics (snowboard)

Kaya Turski (ski)

Kaya's winning run included a switch 9 which of course was grabbed the whole way through! Way to go Kaya Bamba!

A BIG thanks to Kristi for putting on this amazing event! 

Kristi's HOMECOMING...

Flying to PA to attend...

click photo to enlarge. 

Shout Out...

I often think about how grateful I am to all those people who add to my life. So, today I decided to post a note to tell you all thanks! 

Wither it be friends/family, sponsors, the bank teller who helped me at my bank the other day, the people that comment on my photos and blog and share inspiration with me, even the random people that take the time to smile in passing. Thank you for lighting up my life, teaching me lessons and believing in my dreams. 

:)

Update...

Went on an RV trip with my hometown crew...

Some photos from our travels to the red woods.

Now I am at Baker for a week of powder shredding!

Great adventures are good for the soul.

Ouch my bum!

Today was the Pipe competition at the Aspen Open. The day was going well. I qualified for finals and the weather was holding out nicely with partly blue skies & sun after the weather report predicted snow.

In finals, my first hit of my first run boosted me way higher then anticipated (photo #3)... I spun my 540 mute and then barely clipped the deck with my skis and dove into the flats. It was one of the worst falls I have ever taken. I am happy to report that my shoulder is just fine and I walked away with a huge lump on my bum and some bruised ribs. That is it thank goodness!

I went up for my second run hopeful, but after my first spin in Run 2, I realized my body was not doing ok. I got away with a few tricks and called it quits... I could hardly breath from the pain. That run placed me in 4th and that was that. 

It was a great showing of up and coming girls today. I am so very excited to see great things from these lil pipe shredders in the future!

This week is R&R and then to Dew Tour. Although I am hopeful about slopestyle, if I still cannot walk normally by sunday, I gotta pull out.  :(

"Sometimes it is just not your day" 

Keri wins!

Keri wins Snood!

SNOOD is taking over!

I am in Aspen, CO for the Aspen Open. Today was day one of training and the course is super smooth. I am competing in Slopestyle for the first time since last year. So stoked to be hitting jumps and rails again! 

I am staying at Meg's mom's house with a few sweet babes... 

Here is what they are up to...

This game SNOOD is taking over! Michelle, Keri and Meg are sucked in... all I hear is a ton of trash talking and "tadah, tadah" which means you made a great shot.

Check back later to find out who is crowned Snood champion for the day.

World Cup Halfpipe WIN!

I competed in my first World Cup Halfpipe event yesterday here in Park City Utah. I ended up taking home the win and having a blast with my friends in the sun. 

News Paper article...

Next on my to do's is the Aspen Open next weekend. This will be one of two Open (meaning that anyone can enter) events for slopestyle this season. Other events like Dew Tour and Xgames are invitational only. I am so excited to ski some jumps and rails this week! Been too long! 

:)

Xgames 2009!

Riley Poor

Our dear friend Riley Poor has been on my mind a lot since his accident on Sat of last week. I tend to become recluse when going through rough times... but I finally gathered myself enough to post a quick note about him on my blog. 

He is a true friend and one of the most kind and caring people in my life! He has always been there for me and I intend to do all I can to aid him through this tough journey. He is doing well but needs all of our support... check out Rileypoor.com.

Riley is one of those strong people that can do anything... this recovery will be no exception!

Sending all my love to him and his family.

Park City Madness

I have traveled to Park City for the week to shred some 22 ft. halfpipe madness. It has been balmy weather and the perfect mix of work and fun in the sun!

A handful of X-games Superpipe athletes are here dialing in the new size and shape of pipe. This is the first year the X-games will have a pipe this large. Most halfpipes are around 18 ft. So, you can imagine the possibility for amplitude in a 22 footer! 

Today Dumont was going huge! Tanner looked so comfortable and smooth as always and Dorey was doing down the pipe flatspins! I started spinning today and my tricks came right back. I don't feel like I have been out for a month, and that is a fabulous feeling!

More to come...

The Comeback...

Angimal is BACK in action!

Here I am at my winter home Breckenridge! 

More photos and Meg, Angi comeback updates to come...

Meaningful conversations...

I had a great conversation with a friend last night, and it reminded me of a goal I had made for this winter. 

This a an excerpt from a Redbullskiing.com interview done this fall:

"Have you ever noticed how disconnected people are these days? We beat around the bush and settle of safe topics of conversation... what ever happened to talking about stuff that mattered? I am guilty of this as all of us are. I am taking notice and excited to start more real conversations with people in my life! And by real I don't mean serious or depressing. Talking about new music I found the other day is real to me. I guess when I use "real", I mean something that's inspiring. I think people sharing inspiration is where every great idea comes to life. Our world can use all the great ideas we can give!"

In a nutshull, thinking outside ourselves and getting involved, is the inspiration I gained from my chat with Tony. I want  to pass it on to you by sending you to check out Alpine Initiatives!

One life, fill it up!

I'm BACK!!

I had my follow up appointment today with Dr. Millett and it was all good news! My Xrays show that my collarbone is doing so well that I can go skiing tomorrow! As you can imagine I was jumping up and down all over the doctors office. I am so excited to go ski, the weeks went fast but it still feels like ages since I got to play in the snow. 

:)

Photo gifts...

I know I said that "Uno Attack" was the best gift of Christmas... but I got two more that surely rival for first. 

I could just say, they are all on the podium together.

My photo gifts are above in no particular order:

1)

My friend from home took this photo of a tile mosaic piece I did at a skate spot in Glacier. This time of year I'm especially missing Baker so,  it was fabulous to have a piece sent to me in a photo. Thanks Adam!

2)

Another friend of mine gave me a face shot for Christmas! At the top of the picture, you can see a puff of snow, that's him lost in the pow. Since I haven't been able to ski during the last few weeks of endless snow, this one really meant a lot! Sean is permanently on my hit list. Thanks a million and with the photo I really feel like I was there!

:)

UNO CHAMP!

Christmas is here and the best gift of the day was "Uno Attack!"...

It's like Uno, but with a battery powered machine that spits out cards randomly to those who have to push the "uno" button. Also, there are new cards added to the game... it makes the game move really fast with unknown twists. AMAZING!

My family has been having "Uno Attack!" tournaments since 4pm today... nonstop!

People win rounds here and there, but I have absolutely dominated todays competition!

I'm the overall CHAMP, with one tournament ending in a complete shutout! 

Check out the score sheet from my epic win...

Thank you to Cachaulo and Tommy for such a great gift!

I am sure my house will get plenty of use out of this game.

The past month...

It has been a wild few weeks and I have some catching up to do on the blog...

This photo journal should fill in the blanks.

MP came to visit... 

and so did a gaggle of guys!

I broke my left clavical and a week later to the day Meg broke her right one! We both had surgery right away... same doc, same deal! We're planning an EPIC comeback for Xgames... 

Dew Tour came to Breck and so did everybody and their mom!

Tom decided to join the club... December became the month of the collarbone!

Our girl Spencer won Woman's Slopestyle at Dew! This babe not only kills it on the slopes, I'd like to add that she is killing it at life. No one was around for my surgery, so spencer stayed to help me out at home. Couldn't have done it without you and your tiramisu Spence! XOXO

And much more...

Big thanks to all my friends for all the support... 2 weeks down and 2 more to go before I can shred on snow! 

Happy Holidays and a white Christmas to all!

:)

Thoughts...

My thoughts...

Authenticity is the ultimate prize. To find ones true self in a sea of mayhem, is life's challenge.

Get out of merely surviving, and be truly living.

Messages...

"So hold nice and close

Once you get to your soul

So that when it is cold

You won't feel so alone

'Cause the roads that you take

May just crack and break

With the changes you will confront

With each gift that you share

You may heal and repair

With each choice you make

You may help someone's day

Well I know you are strong

May your journey be long

and now I wish you the best of luck

Well I know you are strong

May your journey be long

And I wish you the best of luck."

-Xavier Rudd

A Turkeyday to remember...

This year it was truly Turkeyday for me! I got to carve the bird!! 

Highlights:

*Carving the turkey

*Having Ben fly in from Green Bay, WI for the holiday

*The ginger carrot cake my cousin Emily made

*My family's healthy home cooking

*Reuniting with my partner in crime... Cachaulo!

Family photo! 

From Left, around the table:

Mom, Me, Aunt Mary, Tony, Jim, Emily, Uncle Jerry, Joey, Yvonne, God Mother Deirdre, Cachaulo and Ben.

Cachaulo and Willy! 

My mom and I... she is so beautiful!

This is my cat Tigger... I call him prowlen' though because he is always on the PROWL.

I have decided in recent years that I don't like cats because they make me sneeze... I just LOVE my cat because he is my lil buddy!

We miss SANDY, RIP my sweet doggy. Aug. 1997-Sept. 2008

I am thankful for_________... this year and errr year.

*Avocados

*Ocean

*My mom!

*Music

*My family... we have so much fun!

*Twilight

*Blogging

*i-chat... don't have to miss people anymore :)

and there is always way more to the list... 

SNAP!

xoxo

ang

THANKSGIVING!

Moose! Unicorn!

My bro is in town!!

...more blogging about my fabulous family thanksgiving soon.

EVENT!!!!

She Jumps is putting on an event in Seattle, Washington tonight...

anyone and everyone should GO. Good time, GREAT cause!

:)

WHO DAT GIRL??!!

Small Town Girl... Big Time Dreams!

I figure I should introduce myself to you readers who want to know a lil more about the girl behind the skiing...

My name is Angeli VanLaanen, a small town girl, born and raised in Bellingham, WA. 

I did however live one year of my life in Green Bay, WI. Fourth Grade, my mom, brother and I moved to support my grandmother through her battle with Breast Cancer. But that's a whole story in it's self... inspiring woman my Grandmere (french for grandma)! 

So, what I'm getting at is... I am a NW Girl through and through! I love the rain and the fresh smell of ocean air. I love to travel and see the world but my heart remains in the Pacific Northwest.

I have one Big Brother, Cachaulo VanLaanen. He is my best friend! That's him above on the left and me on the right.

Through the years we've had so much fun. As my mom always says "smart kids don't get bored"... and we didn't. To give an example of a typical pastime: 

We have always been obsessed with flying. I must have been in kindergarten and Cachaulo in 2nd grade. We decided that to get the optimum amount of Halloween candy that year, we needed to fly around the neighborhoods. After gathering supplies that consisted of cardboard, tape and paper bags, my brother made me a flying suite. Two sturdy wings and a protective paper bag outfit. It was beautifully crafted (ps. my brother is now a mechanical engineer). I then climbed up a tree (we climbed everything) and would have jumped if my mom didn't catch us. I truly thought I could fly. And I guess that has never left me.

Through my childhood I did every sport/activity you can think of. Soccer, Skiing, Ballet, Aikedo, Ice Skating, Swimming, Diving, Baseball, Basketball, Track and Field, Yoga, Acting in Theatre Productions, Performing With The Kids Circus, Art, Choir, Backpacking, Cliff Jumping, Fort Building, Gardening, Sewing and Remaking my Clothing, Airbrushing, Tie Dying, Movie Making (Claymation and magic shows), and the list is getting too long but there is much more.

My mother Allain VanLaanen is a woman of many talents. She is an amazing artist, teacher, mountaineer, botanist, agriculturist, single mom, musician, song writer, and the most kind and generous person I know. She is so strong, vibrant and full of life. With a mom like that, no wonder I was inspired to live life to the fullest. 

As I got older, the main passions in my life became Ballet, Ice Skating and Skiing. First to go was Ballet. I spent too much time on my toes and putting my feet into ice skates or ski boots had become too painful. I continued dancing with a hip hop group through high school, but hung up my point shoes. Then came ice skating. My figure skating competitions fell on weekends and cut into my precious ski time. So then it was just me and SKIING!

There has always been something about flying down the slope, wind in my hair, rosy nose, with powder flying in my face! Can't beat that feeling!

In high school my brother went to Whistler, BC in the summer and of course I tagged along. This is when we discovered "New School Skiing." We had always jumped off anything and everything at Mt. Baker. But "table tops" and "halfpipes"... this was news to us. 

That summer I fell in love with this new and challenging type of skiing. Of course we did, we were actually flying now! 

:)

My brother being 2 years older then me, attended college at CU Boulder when I was still in school back home in Bellingham. I would go to visit him on my breaks and ski park at Breckenridge. This is where it all began. 

I knew this was the spot for me, and moving to Breckenridge after graduating is just what I did!

From living in Colorado, I got plugged into the ski competition scene and decided to attend the US Freeskiing Open at Vail Resort. An unfortunate fall in slopestyle, broke my hand in finals. I had been planning a trip to Vegas the week following the US Open with my brother to attend the SIA trade show. I didn't let my pre-surgery hand stop me... so there I was, broken hand in sling, computer bag with DVD promo video, resume, business card packets for all the ski companies I was looking to represent. I walked out of the trade show with two sponsors. My ski career had begun. 

I have finished my associates degree in Arts and Science. With two years in, I have settled on studying sports medicine and plan to go back to school in the next few years. At the moment I am completely focused on my skiing and pushing myself to that highest level. 

I ski for the love of it! Always have and always will. I am forever grateful to the friends, family and sponsors that believed in this Big Dream of mine. Without your support I would not be where I am at now.

Angeli's Resume:

Sponsors:

Red Bull, Atomic, Breckenridge Mountain, Oakley, Ecitcarp Clothing.

Results:

1st VT Open Halfpipe 2005 & 2006

2nd VT Open Slopestyle 2005

1st VT Open Quarterpipe 2006

3rd US Open Halfpipe 2007

1st NZ Open Halfpipe 2007

2nd NZ Open Slopestyle 2007

Xgames Woman's Superpipe 2007, 2008

2nd NA Open Halfpipe 2008

Movie appearances:

Uniquely, Oakley

44 Day, Kris Ostness

Editorial:

Powder Girl, Powder Magazine Nov. 2008

Page Shot (pg. 70), Freeskier Magazine Nov. 2008

Ask A Pro, Freeskier Magazine Nov. 2008

Profile, Freeskier Magazine Dec. 2008

MOVED INTO THE NEW DIGS!

I am settled in Breckenridge, CO for the winter...

my new house is AMAZING!

We have two floors. Two bedrooms upstairs and living room, kitchen and laundry room/half bathroom downstairs.

I have my own room for the first time in 4 years!

Not to mention I have a KING sized bed!!

The other room is the master bedroom, shared by my two new roommates.

Henrik Lampert

and 

Meg Olenick

 

They are absolutely amazing people and share the same passion for skiing that I have.

They both are in Boulder midweek at the moment, finishing up the Fall Quarter at CU Boulder. Soon enough they will be free for the winter and up here full time.

In the mean time, things could have been a bit lonely around here if it weren't for my dear friend Randa Shahin, 

who is visiting from Mt. Hood, OR for 2 weeks. When I was road tripping everything I own from my home town of Bellingham, WA, I stopped in Hood to pick up this pint sized shredder to keep me company. She and I have had many grand adventures on the road, and this trip was no exception!

We drove from OR to UT in one day and stayed in Salt Lake City for 2 days. 

We got the chance to check out the "Body World" exhibit. There was so much information it was overwhelming! The layout was so well done and beautifully artistic. Real life human/animal parts preserved... WOW! It was so surreal!

We finished the road trip in time to ride Tuesday at Breckenridge Mountain. There was a few features up, boxes and rails, but I mostly enjoyed "ripping turns" on the groomers.

For the rest of the week we rode Keystone. Randa has been filming with an online magazine "Shred Betties" all week and getting some banger shots! Check out the site at: Shredbetties.com

I on the other hand, have been dialing in my rail skills and reuniting with long lost winter friends.

I did however manage to get some shots with the help of industry photographer, Chip Kalback. You can check them out along with my update at:

www.Redbullskiing.com

This has been the best few weeks EVER! So stoked to be back on snow!

:)

xoxo

Ang

Best Birthday Ever!

"Uniquely" Premier at Oakley Headquarters.