February 7, 2008
Snowboarders Ride in Union Square

Photos of snowboarders at the Union Square Street Sessions by Tien Mao
Perhaps the only place you'll see snow in New York City this winter is today in Union Square and this weekend in Central Park. On the north end of Union Square, where the farmers market and skateboarders usually are, there's now a man-made hill with 132 tons of snow trucked in from Mountain Creek in New Jersey. The Union Square Street Sessions, which made its debut last year, has 20 competitors vying for $30,000 in prize money today.
The balmy temperatures yesterday made things a little tricky, but riders took to the hill this morning for a little demo of things to come in the afternoon. Starting at 3 pm, there will be a "festival" with music, demos and giveaways. At 4:30 pm, the first round of the rail jam competition starts. Assuming things remain on schedule, the semi-finals will be at 6:30 and the finals running from 7:30-8:45.
If the Union Square Street Sessions make you crave some more snow, this Saturday is the Central Park Winter Jam. Saturday's events include fun for the entire family - sleding and tubing on a two-story man-made "hill". While it will surely be fun for the kids, just writing that makes us long for some real snow. Winter Jam will also have a snowboarding competition, the Rail Jam Open.




Money well spent.
snoopy, if you think this was bad you should've seen the corner of 36th and 5 during the holidays. Bank of America built this temporary "gift building" thing that was put up in about a week, was there for only 2 weeks (it was there up until 2 days after Thanksgiving), then torn down in a week. I asked one of the workers how much it all cost and he said "6 million", which I dont know if I believe.
That was money well spent.
Too bad they couldn't get any skiiers, who have twice as much range of motion, can get more amplitude due to more speed, and have a higher degree of difficulty taking off and landing switch.
But snowboarders are so hip and cool!
If they'd done this yesterday, they would've been wakeboarding!
I have lots of snow. Come and get it. Free. Please.
Bring back the mandatory military draft.
Won't need to thrill yourself with created
adventures. Just Kidding, for sure.
Oh how it was fun to wait for that letter from
the Selective Service though.