Recently we shared our first episode of Throwback Thursday: a showing of our favorite vintage and collectible snowboards at Salty Peaks. Our resident boss and snowboard historian Dennis Nazari runs the show on Throwback Thursday’s debut, and for the first episode he decided to talk about a classic graphic on the Burton “Road Soda.”
If you didn’t notice already, the boards above broadcast Cheech and Chong’s faces; a duo known for their counter-culture humor. They were known for producing a number of movies, all of which were based around drug-induced and marijuana-loving ideas. Although they had received negative rapport when they had released Up in Smoke in 1978, the movie had slowly gained more mainstream attention and became a cult classic. Especially today, as marijuana has become more widely accepted, this duo has been seen as some of the first people to bring a pro-marijuana movie into the spotlight.
So then, what does Cheech and Chong have to do with snowboarding? Well, snowboarding has always been about counterculture. It was birthed from skateboarding, we had to fight for lift access (even still some resorts don’t like us!), and, well, we have a reputation for stinking up the parking lot.
So if you were shredding back then, you probably remember the buzz surrounding this board. It wasn’t just a snowboard; it was a statement. While Cheech and Chong’s popularity had peaked much earlier, releasing a snowboard that featured the stoner duo in 2011 still garnered some attention. The graphic, of course, was the main attraction. Featuring iconic imagery from Cheech & Chong’s films, it was a visual feast that perfectly captured the duo’s irreverent humor. And at the time, it was still questionable to walk around flaunting stoner memorabilia (or paraphernalia) so there was a fun, maybe rebellious quality to the board.
Funny enough, the Road Soda wasn’t alone in 2011 when Burton released another “stoner” themed board: the 2011 Burton Nug. Although not as obviously themed as the Road Soda, the Nug featured a similar cloud-like base graphic.
But what’s cool about us having one? Well, they were built to be used. The Road Soda was built on a similar geometry as the Burton Process, which makes this board a fun all mountain cruiser. We think that’s why it was released with the Nug: this is an excellent two board selection for those looking for loose, fun riding. So again, what’s cool about us having one? It’s brand new! A collection of unused, stoner themed freestyle sticks are here for anyone looking for a fun graphic, or for that guy who wants a sweet wall piece to commemorate a different time in snowboarding.
