Day 4
It was around midnight, riding threw the woods, that I realized the Big Mountain Pro is not a contest but a gathering of like minded freeriders from around the world. We had spent the day riding crazy tropical trees in a far off Austrian town. We would pile all 35 us into a trailer that was pulled by a front end loader. Twenty five or so in the trailer, around 5 in the front end loader with the boards and the remaining stragglers hanging off the back.
The powder was deep and the terrain covered with pillows. Once night came we retreated to a cabin at the top off the mountain and enjoyed a classic Austrian dinner. A few to many beers and schnaaps inspired a group of riders to pioneer a three story roof drop off the back of the cabin.
- No idea where we are going but the mountains keep getting bigger and the towns keep getting smaller.
- The tractor would show up and it was a free for all. People were hanging of the back, jumping in the loader and wall to wall in the trailer.
- It was a pleasure to finaly get to ride with Austrian legend Eric Themel. You could send it off any pillow you wanted.
- No guides here. Meet at the church in the middle of town to get picked up and brought back to the top.
- The Austrians take sledding serious. Every one from infants to the elderly used sleds to get around. This was the top of the tractor hill. In the back is an awesome restaraunt that we had dinner at.
- Dinner led to schnapps. Schnapps led to a jumping off the roof. Xavier Del a Rue gets in on the action.
- Richard stomps a 180 right around midnight.
- Journalist and marketing managers got into the mix as well. Here Swatch representative Marc Maron's past life of a pro rider shines through the haze.
