Athletes
Athletes
Gerry Lopez
 |
Sponsors: Patagonia, Rainbow Sandals Website: www.gerrylopezsurfboards.com |
Bio
Home Mountain:
Mt. Bachelor
Favorite Tune:
"Red House" by Jimi Hendrix
Idol / Hero:
Michael Phelps
Career Highlight:
Still looking for it...
An Interview with Gerry Lopez
Have you ever done any snowboard shoots before? If so, how was it different working with our crew?
Yeah, I've done some snowboard stuff before, but you know... It's Warren Miller!
(Laughs) So... It was different in a good way?
Yeah, no...It was cool.
Do you and your buddies film your own footage?
No, no I don't do that. But occasionally I've been involved in different stuff for guys that wanted snowboard footage.
Was Bachelor the first place you started riding?
Well, I mean, it is my first home spot. This is the first place in the snow that we have lived. We moved here from Maui.
Do you guys ride anywhere other than Bachelor?
Yeah, I get up to BC every year and pretty much that's it. I mean, every other resort I go to - I end up thinking I like it here better so...
What about Bend or Bachelor do you like better than other locations?
I like the mountain, just because it has a bunch of frozen waves all over it (laughs). You know, wind lips and stuff like that. That's the kind of stuff I like.
When you are out riding do you pretty much stick to the inbounds territory or do you go into the back country at all?
Nah... there's no reason to. I mean you can get pretty much all you want that's lift accessible here at Bachelor. I mean... I don't know. No reason to, really.
I guess snowboarding and surfing are somewhat similar, but totally different at the same time. Do you have a certain aspect that you prefer or do you just love them both?
I like them both. I think surfing is a little more dynamic, because everything is moving. But snowboarding is pretty cool too. I got into wind surfing pretty heavy and you know skate boarded a little... all those other things after a while I just kind of went back to surfing. That was kind of the best thing. But I've never got into to anything other than surfing as much as I've gotten into snowboarding.
So, we feature your board shaping shop in our film. I understand that you have an all mountain snowboard line. Do you make the snowboards out of your shop as well?
No I don't make snowboards anymore. I used to. I thought that was something I really wanted to do, but now I just ride Burtons.
How have you been inspired by the evolution of board sports? Do you look to the new generation for any type of inspiration or different riding styles?
Well in regards to snowboarding, I'm kind of glad it wasn't around when I was younger because I probably would have killed myself. Sports are pretty extreme these days; guys are really, really going for it. It's pretty incredible you know, and it doesn't look like its slowing down at all.
So you're inspired to watch what they do, but you're not inspired to do what they do?
Lopez -Well... Not hardly.
If you had a choice between surfing and snowboarding would you be able to pick?
Lopez -Yeah... surfing. Sorry... Yeah I get plenty of snowboarding in, and I wouldn't mind getting a little more surfing in.
So do you split your time between Maui and Bend?
No, I'm pretty full time in Bend
We understand that you are very active in the environmentalist community, how has living in Bend inspired and educated you about sustaining the natural resources there?
Well... I'm recycling right now... Got that going for me.
Do you have any advice for the average snowboarder on how to give back what the mountain and our environment has provided us with?
My philosophy is to go through life making as small a wake as possible. Some guys like to go through big splash, big spray jobs, all that stuff. But I want to leave little foot prints.
Have you experienced any particularly risky moments while snowboarding?
Well you know. A few times I've been in sketchy situations when the snow broke behind me, you know. Just little avalanches and stuff, but so far... so good. But there's been a couple scary moments when you hear that crack and you feel the ground shake and it all starts to come down behind you.
Thanks Gerry! I think that wraps things up. We will talk to you soon.
