From my handful of visits to the local skateparks in Utah, I’ve always noticed those few non-traditional riders cruising around on equipment not typically designed for skatepark use. Each different group of kids consistently attempts to lay down whatever tricks they have to offer in hopes of gaining greater respect for their specific sport. So what’s up with the mountainboarders? They seem to lurk at skateparks, dirt jumps, and even late at night down at the U of U. Although they can’t be lumped together with all the other non-traditional skaters at the park with their unique riding style and array of tricks, they do have a lot more to offer than thought at first glance. With little knowledge of this small but close knit group of riders slowly growing in numbers throughout the Salt Lake valley, I caught up with Casey Thomas, a Salty Peaks employee and Mountainboard team rider, to find out what he has to say about the sport and where he sees it heading in the future…
Erin Lee: So tell me a little about yourself and how you decided to take up mountainboarding as opposed to..oh.. skateboarding or whatever?
Casey: I came from a snowboarding background. Uh.. I don’t know. Skateboarding just never really appealed to me that much. When I saw mountainboarding I just wanted something to fill up my free time in the summer until I could go snowboarding again. As I started riding more I realized how much variety it offers as its own sport, not just cross training for snowboarding. I met a lot of really cool people that are now some of my best friends and we started our crew now known as Dirt Star. And now I mountainboard more than I snowboard.
Erin Lee: Is it easy to pick up? I see kids stop by the shop sometimes that are interested in trying it but don’t know anyone else that owns one or where the best places are to ride.
Casey: The basics are easier than snowboarding or skateboarding, but as you progress, some things are easier and some things are harder than the other board sports. A part of why I like it so much is the variety of places you can ride a mountainboard. Grassy parks on a hill are a great place to learn and then you can move onto almost any spot; skateparks, dirt jumps, bike trails or some random hill alongside the road. The options are endless.
Erin Lee: You guys planning any road trips this summer where we can look forward to new photos/footage?
Casey: We already took a week long trip through Washington State back in June and we have trips planned for Colorado, Kansas and Arizona as well as local Utah trips. We try to film as many of those spots as possible. Sometimes we post short clips online or you can wait for our new video to drop in 2011.
Erin Lee: Are there any events going on in Utah?
Casey: We just finished up with a Learn To Ride and demo at the Widow Maker hill climb. It was a great event. We got around 50 kids on boards for the first time and did a big air show in front of the crowd. Check out a couple of our photos and video clips on our website to see what went down. Be sure to check out our last Learn To Ride on July 17th.
Erin Lee: Any thanks or shout outs? I don’t really have any shout outs.. just thanks to Salty Peaks for supporting mountainboarding.
Erin Lee: Thanks for your time. For more information regarding Mountainboarding, call us at 801-467-8000 or via email at info@woo.newdevsite.dev. You can also go to our website to see all our new mountainboards and accessories for sale. Check out the Dirt Star crew July 17th from 3-5pm when they hold their final free Learn to Ride at Lindsey Gardens located at 9th Ave. and M Street in downtown Salt Lake City on the south/west corner of the park. Boards, padding, helmets and expert advice will be provided for those who attend.
Casey Thomas
Mason Moore
