March 14th, 1999 - Waterville Valley, NH
What happens when you take
a bunch of snowboarders, build a quaterpipe that needs to set up and can’t be ridden,
give them a megaphone and cheap beer? Story time! Although, Sunday, March 14th was
believed by most to be qualifiers for the MGM World Championship Quaterpipe contest at
Waterville Valley, NH, it turned into nothing more than a series of drunken ramblings by
Pat Bridges and Matt "The Only Man to Ever Attend his own Memorial" Gormley. Of
course, other activities of the day did include a few practice sessions on the quaterpipe,
and everyone’s favorite art class project, bowl construction. Out of 40 or so
snowboarders, not one had a smoking utensil, so some of the more clever riders created
their own out of Genny Red cans. I beleive the quote of the night was, "Skateboarding
and pot, like peanut butter and jelly," but it could very well go for snowboarding
too, as it well will.
Of course, the real US Open build up was the party. Mike Bettera was kind enough to get
both Snowboarding Magazine and the fine people at Stimilon adjacent condos, so much beer
consumption and talk that a female should really have no part in. The highlight of the
evening was easily fun with Bacardi 151, you know what I’m talking about, fireballs,
with Pat Brigdes and the legendary "Ring-of-Fire" taking a close second. After
all the mistchef that could be made at the condo was, the troops headed off to Plymouth to
check out the bar scene and toothless girls. However, the night wasn’t truly complete
until Brendan Stitch ended up face down on the floor of a chinese restaurant.
