Went to Seattle to meet with my Red Bull TM Pete Moran. Hit up a Sonics game, checked out the Seahawks stadium, toured the city and hit all the good spots in a day. Ate the best damn prawn sandwich at the grill in Pikes Market and brought back some Alaska King Crab legs for dinner. My first time to Seattle and loved it. Even got to have breakfast with my big Polish friend Johann. Always a laugh with him. Posted a few pics in my Travel photo gallery. D

March 25, 2008 The launch of a new Cola. Red Bull Simply Cola Why? Ask yourself why not? In 1984 Dietrich Mateschitz came across a small energy tonic in South East Asia and had a dream of launching the product to the Western World. Red Bull Energy Drink was created and the rest is history. However, few people know that around the same time of Red Bull’s conception, Mateschitz had another idea. His vision was that one day he would produce a cola better than any other cola he had ever tasted, better than any that he loved from his childhood. A premium and 100% natural cola. The packaging design has been locked in his safe for nearly 20 years, waiting for this day. The result is not just any cola. But a cola of a special kind - strong and natural. Red Bull Cola tastes extraordinarily refreshing thanks to its special composition of ingredients, all from 100% natural sources. It is the only cola which contains both the original Kola nut and the Coca leaf. Red Bull Cola has no preservatives, phosphoric acid or artificial flavors. And although it’s taken nearly 20 years, unlike other colas, there’s no secret formula, just simple, natural products that are of the highest quality. Red Bull Cola will initially be launched seven countries: UK, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, Russia and the USA (starting this June in Las Vegas). In the US, Red Bull Cola will be available in the 8.4 oz can in bars, restaurants and nightclubs. In grocery and convenience stores, Red Bull Cola will be available in 12 oz cans and 12 oz four-packs.

This race in Kvitfjell, Norway was one of my favorite. Not for the frenchie Bertrand though.

Last night at Donner Ski Ranch was the first annual Summit Cup. Teams from Boreal, Soda Springs, Donner Ski Ranch and Sugar Bowl put together teams of 4. The criteria was only mountain employees and at least one snowboarder, one tele skier and one skier. On a wide open GS course the time started as the first snow slider went and the last one crossed the finish line. There was one pro jump thrown in at the bottom for some extra action. I was on a team with Jeremiah, Doug and Brian. We put together a good strategy and all made it down the course without taking each other out. Team Sugar Bowl came out on top and walked away with the cup. Good times and a good crowd. The team I liked the most was Team Mini. They used mini snowboards and snowblades 70cm with tele and alpine bindings. The tele set up was sweet on the snowblades. They took the most impressive award. Thanks to Donner Ski Ranch for hosting it and thanks to Sugar Bowl's race team for putting it on. And if there are any doubters out there, Kurt from the SugarBowl race team is an honest straight up guy and didn't give us any help on the clock.

This weekend was the final event to the 48 Straight Jeep Tour in Sun Valley, ID. The skicross course was a little over a minute and stacked with good terrain by our friendly builder Corely Howard. He threw in rollers in the turns, step downs, step ups and gave us some speed to work with. It pulled out some dynamic skiing from all us and made for good racing. (I posted one pov run of Errol Kerr and me on a practice run.) We had a mix of weather, sun and snow, but the speed was still good in the middle and bottom. I had a wire to wire win in the 1st round. Quarters I battled it out with Errol, Jake Fiala and the Norweigen Audun Gronvold. Audun and I dragged race to the finish line in Errol's draft and I snuck into the next round. Next up was a heavy one in my semis with Davey Barr and Chris Delbosco the Canadiens and me and Errol. I got worked on the top flat and they pulled away. In the rollers I pulled up on the pack and snuck on the inside of Errol. Then Davey out jumped the step up and I made an outside inside move in the air to take over 2nd and dropped in on Delbosco's tails. Around the willow turn I got a little jacked on the second of three rollers and almost rode it into the fence. Squeeked by on that and managed to keep the speed to stay in front of those two and advance to the final. The final was me and Delbosco with Tomas Kraus the Chech and another Canadien Stanley Hayer. Out of the start Delbosco pulled out in front with Kraus, Stan and me trailing. I pulled up on Stan at the end of the rollers and he moved over to protect the inside. I had just enough room to slip by him and the next gate, but then his right leg came over and clipped my left ski and sent me to the ground. You kidding me! Again in Sun Valley??? So with a pounding headache and bummed I didn't get a chance to battle it out on the hill I let emotions take over. I skied to the finish and got in Stan's face. Looking back it's funny I even did it. That's the nature of skicross. That happens all the time. After confronting Stanley I had a chance to see on the tv feed that my ski tip flattened out his tail and sent his ski into mine. Stan handled it well and took my abuse. Sorry but I had to vent and thanks for dealing with it. IT's all good. Last year the same thing happened in the finals where I went down and I was looking for redemtion. It's fine closing the line down and trying to hold someone off, but don't take a cheap shot. I was wrong in thinking he did it intentionally. So that's that. With a crash in the final I ended up 4th and that put me 3rd overall for the series. Not the way I wanted it to end, but have to say it was a fun day with lots of emotions flowing. Thanks to my sponsors Atomic, Red Bull, Spyder, Oakley, Giro, Under Armour and Sugar Bowl for the support this year at XGames and The 48 Straight Jeep Tour. Now it's time to find some pow in AK. I'm heading to Haines to ski with Reggie Crist and Tom Wayes with Rage Films then to Valdez to hook up with team Atomic. Check back for tv air dates from Sun Valley.

Later, Daron

My latest supply of Italien dinners showed up today. Start with Barilla pasta and you cant go wrong. mmm.. can you say aldente?

A good friend of mine, Brian Barnes "The Voice of the Northwest" and announcer at the AMA outdoor national at Washougal sent this moto pod cast to me. His son Broc is profiled. Check out this track and the sand. Looks so fun! Got to get up there for a few motos. http://www.definethemoment.net/news/

In my interview on NBC from the Deer Valley World Cup skicross I mentioned that Drey and Miley prefer Pampers over all other diapers. Last week they picked up their first sponsor. Pampers sent a huge box full of their latest product. Thanks from the Rahlves.