Bob Smith, an orthodontist who just couldn’t stand goggles that fogged and went on to revolutionize the action eyewear industry with his double lens Smith goggles, died of complications from heart surgery on April 18, 2012 at his home in La Quinta, California, according to an obituary in the Washington Post. He was 78.
Using dental tools, foam and glue, Dr. Smith began building his first prototypes on his kitchen table. He traded his new goggles for lift tickets to ski mountains in Idaho or sold them to ski patrollers, who provided him with feedback to tweak his designs. . . As demand for his goggles spread, Dr. Smith formed his own company in Ketchum, Idaho. By the late 1970s, the company was selling 200,000 goggles a year. The firm also tinkered with goggles that included electrically heated lenses and small fans to cool the face.
Brands like Spy, Dragon, and Oakley would not exist without Dr. Smith’s game-changing product design and we will forever be grateful for the way Smith goggles allowed us to love riding on snowy days. Thanks, Bob. Our thoughts are with Smith’s family, friends, and everyone who has ever worn a pair of his goggles on a socked in white out day.
[Link: Washington Post]
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This Cooking With Gas episode is worth watching just to see a doctor dive in to Heikki Sorsa’s knee and pull out some tendon with his gloved hand. Ouch. Get well soon, Heikki!. The rest is park edit from Northstar-At-Tahoe starring Eero, Teo Kontinen, Matt Ladley and Mark McMorris. Never seen that before. . . oh, and just for fun count the energy drink logos in the first two minutes then sing along with Trouble Andrew and one of his best songs so far.
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Sounds like the Snowboarder Bandit was running a little low on cash after a wild weekend two in Coachella and decided he needed to pick up a little more spending money at the BBVA Compass branch at (get this) 420 S. Palm Canyon Drive, according to a story on MyDesert.com.
He walked into the bank branch, presented a clerk with a note saying he had a gun and left with an undisclosed amount of money, Amormino said. . . FBI Special Agent Chris Gicking, who said it’s believed to be the first time the suspect has ventured out of Orange County to commit a heist.
The more we see this guy, the more familiar he looks. In this photo, he’s not even trying to hide. Free money must be a hard habit to break either that or he just wanted to “go to 11.”
[Link: MyDesert.com]
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Does this guy look familiar? He’s the man the FBI and Orange County, California police believe is the Snowboarder Bandit. A man wanted in more than 10 bank robberies in the past five months.
Authorities believe the Snowboarder bandit has robbed at least 10 banks throughout Orange County, including hits in Corona del Mar, Laguna Hills, Anaheim Hills, Ladera Ranch and Irvine. Often seen donning a beanie or sunglasses, he is the county’s most-active serial robber – and one of the most-wanted bank robbers by the FBI in Southern California.
If he looks sort of familiar call the FBI at 714-542-8825. If he looks really, really familiar better tell him to make a run for the border.
[Link: OC Register]
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Shaun White is certainly maximizing his celebrity building NYC party time, last night (Sunday, April 22, 2012) he with Australian actress Abbie Cornish at the Tribeca Film Festival party for her movie The Girl at 1Oak. What do Señor Blanco and Ms. Cornish have in common, aside from loving to sit a tables buried in free bottles of Stoli? Ah, yes. Creative Artist Agency represents them both. What are the chances? Damn, our entire post blown out of the water by the fact that Cornish signed with William Morris Endeavor in January 2012. Sorry. Maybe they’re just friends. Thanks, Jenny!
[Link: Guest Of A Guest]
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The United States Ski and Snowboard Association has a new Chief Marketing Officer and guess what? He’s a skier. Who would have guessed.
Mike Jaquet, the former founder of Freeze Magazine and Vice President, Television and Properties Sales at CBS Sports Network is packing up and moving the entire family to Park City, Utah.
“I’ve always been passionate about winter sports and appreciate the opportunity to return to the industry and join the USSA,” said Jaquet. “The USSA is an innovative sports organization and I look forward to further building the brand and growing the various sales and marketing initiatives.”
For all the details, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
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Rail shredder Forest Bailey has just signed on with Dragon apparently.
“I’m very excited to be joining the Dragon Alliance,” said Bailey on joining the team. “With the most proper goggles and a team stacked full of homies, it was pretty much a no brainer.”
Congrats, Forest. [click to continue…]
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A 32-year-old snowboarder died last Tuesday (April 17, 2012) while riding off-piste at the French resort of Val Thorens, according to a story on Valthonet.com.
The man was with a group of three snowboarders who had hiked up the Mont du Borgne, on the Saint Martin de Belleville side of the valley when the tragic accident happened. . . At around 7 pm the snowboarder was swept away from the rest of the group by a huge avalanche measuring 100 metres wide by 300 metres long. . . The rescue team dug the victim out of the avalanche just before nightfall and performed emergency CPR but the man could not be revived and was pronounced dead.
Our thought are with the man’s family and friends.
[Link: Valthnet.com]
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Rodale, the publisher of fitness porn mags like Men’s Health, Bicycling and Runner’s World, made a their list of the Top 50 Sexiest Environmentalist and at the top of their list? That’s right, Gretchen Bleiler. Here’s what they say:
This Olympic snowboarder doesn’t just spend time on snow-capped mountains; she crusades to save them. A key board member of Protect Our Winters, or POW, Bleiler engages the winter sports community and Congress to help combat climate change by advocating for regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. After all, if there’s no snow, there’s no snowboarding.
Because nothing is sexier than a easy to clean, BPA free, toxin free Alex water bottle.
[Link: Rodale via Alex_Bottle]
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