It was a quick turn-around after landing in Arizona from Argentina as I boarded a flight to Zurich, Switzerland to finish this 2012 Burton Dealer Book. The couple of days in AZ was great…hot temps, cool breeze, swimming in the pool non-stop and family…doesn’t get much better in between shred trips.

Now it’s Saas Fee for the next six days to shoot with Frederik Kalbermatten, Mads Jonsson and Terje Haakonsen. These three shredders will be the final dudes on the checklist to pop on some new gear, get photographed then return to summer mode. Word up.

The mission from the Southwest to central Europe was a no-brainer…Phoenix to Phillie to Zurich. Grab the rental car, hammer down the A4 Highway then peel back on the accelerator to take it slow through Andermatt village and Furka Pass…two radically scenic spots…after that, it was on through Brig, Visp and then Saas.

I’ll report in day by day to let y’all know what’s up…Blotto

All photos © Dean Blotto Gray / Blotto Photto 2010

Most of my working and riding colleagues get a kick out of my modified gloves, so I figured it would make a good post the next time around when I needed to modify some gloves. My kit contains two pairs of warm gloves, usually one AK leather pair and the other a bulkier Burton set (along with two sets of AK Powerstretch Liners aka Shooting Gloves). Temperatures in the mountains change as quickly as team rosters in professional sports, so having a warm pair, a warmer set and shooting gloves is critical.

For the sake of this post, we'll use the Burton set, a brand new pair of 2011 RPM Gloves. When Jeremy Jones isn't available to sew up my gloves while we're on the road, I head over to Hurtis' crib so he can bust them out on the sewing machine.

The process is quite simple really...put hand in glove, cut off excess material on the 5th digit, and take hand out of glove. Flip glove inside out, sew it up, flip it right side out, install on hand. Process complete.

Why do I modify the fifth digit on my snowboarding gloves (and all other gloves covering hands for whatever reason)? Because having that excess material hanging around on the end of the glove just isn't cool...it's not doing anything but getting in the way...so see ya! Blotto

All photos by Blotto. Stitch job by Hurtis. © 2010

We bounced outta Bariloche after saying good-bye to our new friends at South American Snow Sessions, and then caught a ride to the airport with Jorge Belardi. Jorge works with an Argentine television/web company called Gravedad Zero, so Jussi and I did an in-car interview during the 45-minute drive to the departure gates. There were lots of great questions and I really enjoyed hearing Jussi talk about his early days of snowboarding, filming and what his immediate future could hold.

Once at the airport, we met up with the rest of the crew and the check-in luggage and begun what would be a long painful move from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere. Most international travel is no problem, but the thought of having four flights ahead of you and thirty hours of elapsed travel time is a hard one to swallow. You have to reach deep inside to know the mission was worth the not-so-fun traverse back home. 

Along the way we saw some epic 'Buenos Aires from above' views (including the River Plate futbol stadium, pictured at the top of this post), an amazing taxi-van ride from domestic terminal to international departures (1.5 hours) and at the last moment before boarding the flight back to the states, I scored the Argentine National Futbol Team 'away' Jersey, along with a giant box of Havanna Alfajors (a delicious South American cookie treat).

Once the travel ended I found myself with family in Arizona amid the warm desert air of the Southwest. It's great to be back in summer mode for a few days...Blotto

Photography by Dean Blotto Gray / Blotto Photto 2010

Ten fine days in the Argentine mountains and now it's time to depart...back to summer mode...the photo shoot was filled with everything from jibbing to pow slashing, lots of laughter to seeing old friends and making new ones. Thanks to everybody who helped make our Bariloche experience all time! Cheers, Blotto

All photos by Blotto