Saturday, December 4, 2010

Drums 101: Go Slowly - Head Down live @ Zaphod's NEW VIDEO!!

So here is that exclusive, and very special edit that I have been sitting on for a couple weeks now. This is the second video to come from Head Down's live performance at Zaphod's Beeblebox on September 30, 2010.  My good friend and Head Down drummer, Krys Saudino, agreed to put on my HD Go Pro Camera helmet in the middle of their set. I knew the footage would be good, but I never thought it could be this good. The purpose of this was to show off just how tight these guys can play at a live show, and just how technical Krys is behind those drums which sometimes is not always so obvious from a crowd's perspective. So in having a first-person perspective, I think their music can be enjoyed and appreciated on a whole other level. Just see for yourself...


Head Down - Go Slowly live @ Zaphod's 09.30.10 from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Call of the Wild: Head Down tours eastern Canada - NEW VIDEO!!!

AS PROMISED, here is the footage from which I gathered upon spending a few days with my good friends of HEAD DOWN.  As previously posted here on my blog, I had the privilege of catching up with these guys on the first leg of their east coast tour which brought them from Timmins, Ont., all the way out to Halifax, N.S., and everywhere in between.  They played back to back nights in Ottawa at Zaphod's and then at Piranha Bar in Montreal. Please forgive the sound and image quality as I was only recording with some basic video equipment.  Luckily these boys don't need any fancy gimmicks...I'll let the music speak for itself.  Enjoy!



Head Down's Call of the Wild Tour from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.


STAY TUNED for an exclusive, and very special video of HEAD DOWN that will be made public very soon by none other than the good people at theboomboxdream.blogspot.com...

Friday, October 29, 2010

Shout out: DJ ACRO!

                                                                  (photo: www.patbolduc.com)
Recently my hometown boy from Timmins, Ont., Trevor Wakeford a.ka. DJ ACRO, launched is own website.  Props to a clean az site son!  For those who don't know Acro, well it's about time you do; especially those living in the Ottawa area.  And trust me, you do not have to look to far to find this cat; he's everywhere.  Whether he be holdin' it down at his regular spot: The Standard on Elgin Tuesday and Friday nights, or guest DJ'n at either Babylon, Ritual, the Buddah Bar, or even your local house party; Acro's versatility never disappoints.  For more info check him out at www.djacro.ca...

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

FOkUS Red Carpute 2010!!

My boys from FOKUS hosted a wicked party Friday night in Aylmer, Que.  The 3rd annual Fokus Red Carpet went down in style with a rail jam, video premieres, and a shit load of Jagger!!  Cheers to Denis and the boys for some good times!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Giving THANKS! New video 10.10.10


Giving THANKS! from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.

Made a trip back home this past weekend for a little turkey, and some season ending shredding.  Thanksgiving has always been the weekend we end up closing the cottage for the season.  However, in all the years we've been at Ice Chest, we've never been riding in October; and for good reason, it's f*cking freezing! haha  Anyways, Justin braved the cold enough to drive me, and I was so stoked to be able to sneak one last set in.
The following day, it finally came time to closer her up; jetski out the water, rail dismantled, trampoline down, water pump out, and everything locked away. Although I hate doing it, closing the cottage always allows for some time think back on my time spent here, and how fortunate I was to be able to spend an entire summer here.  And what a great summer it was...

Monday, October 4, 2010

A rockstar for the weekend: on the road with Head Down



This past weekend I had the privilege of experiencing life on the road with my good friends Head Down.   I managed to catch up with my hometown bros (Krys Saudino, Brad Quinn, and Dale Yungwirth) as they were passing through Ottawa and Montreal. They are currently hitting the road on a 3 and a half week east coast Canadian tour to promote their newest album How it All Breaks Down (available at indiepool.com and music stores across Canada).  Equipped with a sweet ass van, these boys have committed themselves to life on the road, and living the dream.  Ask any of them, even their merch guy Steve Sykora, and they will tell you that it does not get any better than this.

I was originally expecting the guys on Friday afternoon; they were supposed to arrive early so we could hang out and do some filming.  How naïve of me to think they could be on time.  True to their punk rock roots, the boys arrived fashionably late. Whether it was the late night shananigans in Sudbury the night before, or the fact that their van nearly broke down; they didn’t show up at Zaphod’s until 7 pm, and were due to play at 10 pm.  Regardless, these boys were unfazed, and clearly just rolling with the punches. 

As expected the show went off without a hitch.  It’s amazing to see how much this band as progressed as a group.  They were loud, tight, harmonious, and technical.  While the show may have ended early, the party surely did not.  At this point however, I would have no recollection of a party ever taking place.  After the band packed all their gear, we packed the van and headed to a classic, old fashioned house party.  And again true to form, the party went on till the early hours of the morning with no shortage of Old Milwaukee tall cans and some good times.

The next day was a little rough for some of us, but we had little time to dwell on our inability to see walk, see, or even think straight.  The boys needed to be in Montreal that night, and so we were off for better or worse by 2:30 Saturday afternoon.   It was really cool to see the guys so laid back, and clearly just living the moment.  Yet with the reality of the tour finally settling in, the guys needed to stock up on some groceries if they were to survive three weeks of touring. The van came stocked with a microwave, and a portable coleman stove.   In addition to food, we needed to get Dale (lead singer) some serious cold relief supplies.  At that point, there was no way Dale could play tonight I thought to myself.


Upon arriving in Montreal, the excitement was yet again building.  We pulled up to the venue, the Piranha Bar on Ste Catherine, and were amazed to see that we were in the absolute heart of downtown Montreal.  The city was alive and buzzing as always.  I love Montreal.
After checking in with the promoter, the guys decided they would open the show.  This was indeed a last minute show for them, having been added to the bill only a week before.  They would be headlining the following night anyway.  So to save time and effort, the guys simply used the equipment that was made available to them. 

Another night, and another solid set for Head Down.  Despite being sick, playing with someone else’s shit, and still trying to catch up after a few late nights, they absolutely rocked out.  Everything was fast, and tight.  We were also treated thereafter to a Ramone’s cover band which helped soften the blow of my first couple beers of the night.

So with the boys done early, it was time to take advantage of the sights and sounds of Montreal…Olé Olé Olé Olé!!!

***
Unfortunately reality had set back in for me Sunday morning as it was time for me to go home.  I honestly could have stayed, and continued on with the band. The experience is one that I will never forget as I even struggle to put it into words. Indeed this lifestyle is not for everyone, but it is something that I wish for anyone to experience.

It reminded me very much of my world travels, and the sense of being forever present in the moment.  My hat goes off to these boys who have dedicated and sacrificed so much for their music, passion, and talent. Ultimately, success will not be measured by how many tickets they sell or how many albums; nor will it be determined by whether or not they get a record deal.  Judging from my experience this weekend, they have already won.  Rock on gentlemen, rock on!
***

So last night, as I was eating an absolute feast of roast beef, mashed potatoes, and carrots; I couldn’t help but think of the boys warming, and eating their pea soup out of their van.  As fortunate as I was to be eating such an amazing meal, I’d rather be in that van on the corner of University and Ste Catherine with the boys just simply living life I reckon…Thanks for sharing the experience my friends, safe travels.


STAY TUNED FOR SOME FOOTAGE>>>

Saturday, August 28, 2010

New Video! "what's in your backyard?"


What's in your backyard? from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.
WHAT'S UP!  Tired of repeating myself on how a System 2.0 works, I decided to show first hand how much fun these two tower setups are.  Every time I'd try to explain, I could see the confusion on their face as they asked "how do you turn around?"  Anyways, here's a little visual from Justin and I's last visit to Wow Plaza.  Just three months ago, it was the only place in Canada where you could ride this type of system. But now with new parks like this one opening in Sarnia, and Nova Scotia, it seems that the trend is finally catching on here in North America with over a dozen new cables opening this year the United States as well.  The future is bright my friends, get yo shred on.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Sendin' it. Raph's claim to fame.

Check out this video of Raph Derome showing you why he deserves to be rail rider of the year.  Contest after contest, and video after video Raph continues to blow your mind with his unique style, and technical abilities.  Cheers to Joe Ferguson and Still Not Famous for putting this video together.  Enjoy!



Sendin it from still not famous on Vimeo.

And in case you didn't know, Raph is also a pretty good boat rider...



a set with raph derome from still not famous on Vimeo.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

We're Back!! New video!


Road Tripin' with Ride the Wake from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.


WOW.  Where does the time go?  Last time I was on this thing, my boy Jordan Sien from Ride the Wake had just arrived here in Timmins.  Seems like ages ago, but really it was only last month.  Since then things have been pretty crazy for me, and while you would just like to wakeboard all day 'er day, sometimes life just gets in the way.  Not too mention a few hick ups and injuries...Anyways, I'm back with this new video featuring Jordan's time spent in Timmins.  It was a solid week in which we initiated my hometown to a little wakeboarding.  We took full advantage of the beautiful Mattagami River that runs straight through town, it has to be one of the nicest rivers I have ever ridden.  No boats. No bounce back. And always a calm spot...Surely a dream come true for Justin and I to shred that river, 10 years in the making! haha We also took some time to chill up at our summer residence that is Ice Chest Lake that features some pretty cool tree jibbing.  All in all it was a pretty epic week.  Thanks to all those who came out and rode that wake...

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Raph Derome wins again.

(Pic: www.waketheline.com)

ANOTHER sick contest in Europe, this time in Germany, called Wake the Line, and another win for Raph Derome.  Wake Games, FISE, 1 Pro Tour, Wake the Line, and counting...boy is 'ol time killin'.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

New Video from Quebec trip!!


Three Days in Québec. from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.
Check out this video from my recent 3 day trip to Quebec.  It features some footage I took during this three day whirl wind of tour through Quebec; from Derome's Wow Plaza, to WDR in Drummondville, to Ca$h and Crash at the Beach Club, and back!! Enjoy...

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Moose FM Morning Show!

THIS morning I was featured on Moose FM's morning show here in Timmins to promote our wakeboard school that is coming to town next week.  It was pretty cool to be broadcasting live, and as always been a dream of mine to be on the radio.  Thanks to Barb at the Moose FM for hooking it up!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Bienvenue au Québec!

THIS past weekend marked my triumphed return to Quebec.  Having lived in Ottawa for the past few summers, I forgot how spoiled I was to be so close to one of Canada's wakeboard meccas.  My trip started in Timmins on the 16th with a 12 hr red eye bus ride to Ottawa.  On Friday, I headed up to WOW plaza for a cable shred with Charlie, Zenan, and Kelsey. We spent most of the day loungin', ridin', and just enjoying the sunshine.  All was good till my last set, and last hit that I totally shot a blank and slipped out on a backlip; landing flat back onto the rail.  I was lucky to escape with nothing more than a sore back, and a bruised forearm.  Besides that, I noticed a lot of new and young faces hanging out at Wow shredding the cable. The future is bright for sure, and my congrats to Julien Derome for providing such a sick facility to encourage the next generation of Quebec wake talent.












The next day had me on a train headed to Drummondville for the season's first Wake Dans Rue (urban winch jam).  Let me just say that rail is the way to travel.  They have FREE wireless internet service, and so I was able to catch a little FIFA action while travelling. So COOL!  Once I got to Drummond, turns out the venue site was just across from the train station, it was perfect.  So I walked over, said what's up to Phil Joyal, and started helping with setup right away.  

The setup was pretty sick, and Phil made sure it looked good.  He even put a little extra landscaping work into it with some real sawed, and flowers.    We were running a bit late, but that's standard when it's the first one of the year.  Nonetheless, the rain held off, and we had a beautiful evening.  All the boys were in town to participate, and it was Yan Tibo who came out with 500$ and the win!



Finally on Sunday it was the Beach Club (Pointe-Calumet/Montreal) for the infamous best trick contest Ca$h and Crash!  3 obstacles (a-frame, wall ride, and kicker) and 100$ per obstacle was up for grabs.  I was able to stay in the mix on the a-frame with a front lip to switch nose back 180 out, and a frontside heel 7 off the kicker, but it just wasn't enough.  Nevertheless, I was happy with what I did, and props to my boy Alex Savoie for pulling out a toeside 9 off the kicker for best trick!  And with that, the weekend was over and we had a nice 10 hr drive home ahead of us...but it was all worth it, can't wait to go back! Merci!!


Stay tuned for some footage from the weekend...

Thursday, June 17, 2010

A Day in Major Hill's Park.

                                                                                  (photo: Piquette)

Thought I'd take an extra day with my lovely gf Danielle, who lives in Ottawa, before heading to WOW Plaza (a.k.a. the Derome compound) tomorrow, Drummondville on Satruday for Wake Dans Rue, and finally the Beach Club on Sunday for Canada's ONLY and BEST cable contest: Ca$h and Crash!!  Lots of riding coming up this weekend, and the first couple contests of the season...it's always a good time in Quebec!  I'll do my best to have some photos throughout the weekend, and stay tuned for a  little video edit to be coming soon fo sho.  

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Live at the Vic.


Head Down LIVE at the VIC .28.05.10. (Timmins ON) from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.

On May 28th 2010, I had the privilege to check out some of my hometown boys rocking out their new album.  Here's a little taste for those who were unable to attend.  Enjoy the show!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Roadtrip!!

Who wants to have some FUN?

Friday, June 4, 2010

LEGIT...the movie!

THANKS to my friend Craig McCallion for posting the full video.  For all those who missed it, Legit premiered last June (2009) in Ottawa, and features various riders from the Nation's Capital.  Justin, and I shared a part in this film.  It seems that Craig is planning to follow up this video, follow him at www.halfcab.ca Enjoy!

LEGIT - THE MOVIE from Craig McCallion on Vimeo.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Good Morning! 06.01.10


(The standard morning wake up at Ice Chest Lake.)

Friday, May 28, 2010

Party? yes, please.

TONIGHT is the much anticipated CD release party for HEAD DOWN's new album. Songs from How it All Breaks Down will be rocking the Vic tonight in Timmins.  Fuck yeah.  Give it a listen at Head Down's myspace page. 

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Home for the summer.

THIS will be home for Justin, and I for the next couple months.  Ice Chest Lake, just a 30 minute drive from Timmins.  Normally it's still pretty chilly up here this time of the year (snow is always a real possibility) but the weather this past weekend was unreal with 30+ temperatures and sunny skies!! I swear that if I had shut my eyes, I could still think I was in the Phillies.  Hopefully it's a small taste of what is to come this summer...

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Made in the U.S.A

(Gonna have to get used to North American portion sizes again.)

Japan...Ayoooooo!!

JAPAN AIRLINES (JAL) is king!  After checking in for our flights in Manila, they informed us that they had accommodations at no charge for us in Tokyo because we had to overnight.  Don't ask me why the airline put us up in their own hotel, but it sure was a nice surprise.  The Nikko Narita Hotel was a classic Japanese business hotel; efficient and clean.  After we checked into our rooms, we decided to hit up the lounge and drop some serious Yen for some Asahi beer, and sushi.  We flew out the next morning; clean, and well rested for our next 2 flights, AMAZING! If ever you have a chance to fly with JAL, I say take it!!

Monday, May 17, 2010

I told you!

(Photo: Unleashed Wake Magazine)

CONGRATULATIONS to Raph Derome for winning this past weekend's Nokia FISE contest in Montpellier, France.  This kid is on a roll; in the last 2 weeks, Raph won the Jr. Pro Men's division at Wake Games in Orlando, and placed 2nd at Wake N' Beach (France).  Also worth mentioning is that Canada was well represented at FISE with 3 of the top 4 spots going to Canadians with Kevin Henshaw in 3rd, and Oli Derome in 4th.  Félicitations les p'tits castors!!

Phillies Retrospect 4.0

ANOTHER year, and another trip to the Phillies is just about done.  Actually it is over, I'm writing to you from Tokyo right now.  
Each visit to the CWC has always comes with a different experience, and purpose.  Last year's mission was getting footage for my part in Craig McCallion's movie Legit; while the year before's headline was partying it up in Cabana 44, and me jumping into some shallow water, and breaking my ankle.  Anyways, this year's trip was all about living the dream, and living it to the fullest. While we may have been forced to cancel our plans for Thailand; chilling with Byerly, swimming with whale sharks, having the opportunity to film early mornings alone on the cable, and hitting up the system 2.0 staircase setup have all made this year's trip one that is pretty hard to beat.  
The weather was absolutely phenomenal; I mean, we honestly had 31 days of pure sunshine!  Soooo HOT!  And as always, the food was great: simple and cheap.  While my riding may not had been as hot as I would of liked, it was still good all in all.  Needless to say that I was nursing a sore knee, and a strained hip flexor which had set me back about a week.  Luckily tho it wasn't anything too serious, and we still managed to get some decent footage. 
Finally, I would just like to finish by saying THANK YOU to the people of the Philippines.  Never have I met such genuine, and selfless people.  May their way of life serve as an example to us all through their great deal of patience, sense of community, and pure content for everyday life.  These people have nothing, but yet they seem to have it all.  Hopefully I will have taken some of that great spirit with me, and appreciate just how easy I have it.  


Thanks to everyone for keeping up with the blog...and stay tuned as we still have a whole summer ahead of us, looking forward to it.  Cheers!

Manila Ink

THANKS to our good friend Paul Henry Familiaran from Republic, for showing us a great time in Manila.  Not only did we get a tour of Republic headquarters, but Paul also took us to Manila's best Thai restaurant called Som's, it was amazing!!  We also got to enjoy a last bottle of Tanduay rum with our wakeskater friends from the CWC, Tynna and Diana.  Thanks for having us over, gonna miss you girls!
(Justin getting a little touch up on his sleeve at P&P Tattoo in Manila on Sunday night)

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Ollie Ross' Double S-bend...


Ross's Double S Bend from Jamie Colvin on Vimeo.

WHILE we were in Manila, Ollie Ross continued to throw down at the CWC.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

CWC Send off...PARTY!!

BEER PONG is truly an international game, well at least at the CWC it is.  On Friday night, everyone decided we would be in for a good party since us, the Aussies, and the Germans will be leaving this weekend. The night started off with a few innocent drinking games, and quickly turned into a full blown disco party. The San Miguel's were flowing, and the Tanduay rhum was a shootin'!!  Needless to say things got pretty messy by night's end.  While these pictures may not entirely do the night justice, they will surely give you an idea of where we going...Cheers to good times with good people!

Friday, May 14, 2010

New Video!

OUR FOUR WEEKS have nearly come to an end at the CWC.  Yesterday I skimmed through Kelsey's USB key, and found a shit load of videos from our trip.  Thanks again to Jamie Colvin, Ross, and Harvey for sharing their videos with us.  Hope you have as much fun watching it as I did making it.  The song comes from a sick band, Greater than Giants, out of Edmonton, and who played in Timmins the week before we came out here.  

Names and Faces. (feat. Greater than Giants) from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Morning Project 05.13.10

EARLY MORNING set on one of the world's sickest, and about the only permanent, unique urban style rail setup for wakeboarding.  Justin, Charlie Sirois, and myself had the pleasure of hitting this thing, and it did not disappoint.  Great f"cking time!!  Big thanks to Leigh for waking up early to snap a few photos, cheers brotha!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Riding Days/Nights.

(Johny pressin' the evening 05.12.10)

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

4 more years! 4 more years!!

CONGRATULATIONS to Governor L-Ray Villafuerte for securing his third consecutive mandate as Governor of the Province of Camsur.  For those who don't know, the Gov is responsible for creating the CWC, and making it one of the best places in the world to wakeboard.  Better yet, he has managed to generate a sizable boost for the local Camsur economy by creating hundreds of jobs and attracting boat and cable wakeboarders from every corner of the globe.  Yeah, it's party time!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

"That's not Snowflake! That's not Snowflake!!"

THE WHALE SHARKRhincodon typus, is a slow moving filter feeding shark, the largest living fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 metres (41.50 ft) and a weight of more than 21.5 tonnes (47,000 lb), but unconfirmed claims report considerably larger whale sharks.  The shark is found in tropical and warm oceans, lives in the open sea with a lifespan of about 70 years.[2] The species originated about 60 million years ago.  (wikipedia)


Swimming with the "Butanding" from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.

"Butanding" is the local name for the whale shark.  I cannot describe the feeling of swimming alongside these giant fish.  It was intense, peaceful, and surreal all at the same time.  After four trips to the Philippines, this was my first time experiencing the whale sharks, and I am very happy that I didn't pass it up. We had a lot of fun, with a great group of people (Aussies, English, German, and Spanish).  I will never forget the sight of that massive fish...all I could think of was Ace Ventura when he's swimming in the shark tank, and yelling: "That's not snowflake! That's not snowflake!!" haha 

Friday, May 7, 2010

New edit! 05.06.10

HAD some camera troubles the last few days.  Finally sorted it out with a little help from my English friend Jamie Colvin (www.jamiecolvin.com), cheers mate!!  Enjoy.

@ the CWC: vol. 3 from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

A Good Morning!

TODAY was a good day for filming.  We had them open the cable for us at 7:30 am, and enjoyed a private session while filming.  Justin stuck three frontside toe 7's for the first time on film, and I stomped a heel front 7 among other things.  Gonna take the rest of the day to work on a new edit that's been on the shelve for the last week! haha I'm on island time here...stay tuned.

Some Perspective.

CHECK out my friend Olivia Wycech's "The Thai Red Shirts" blog entry.  It offers an unfiltered, first hand experience of what's really happening on  the streets of Bangkok, Thailand.  -->Read The Thai Red Shirts


(Photo: Olivia Wycech www.simplyolivia.com)

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

No pain, no gain.

(after his first four days, Charlie Sirois is left burnt, sore, and blistered)

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Insurance? Check.

"Do we get our money back?"-Justin
"Yes sir. The full amount"- travel agent
                                
                         "but, it will take four to six months to process"
 "...I beg your pardon?"- Justin

NEVER leave home without travel insurance eh, because it's for bullshit like this you may need it (unless of course you decide to jump into some really shallow water and brake an ankle, travel insurance would also be good).  Anyways, we called our travel insurance today, and filed a claim that will ensure me a full refund for all "pre-paid arrangements made before departure". Beautiful! haha  But on the other hand,  it also cost us 3,020 pesos (about 75$ CDN) to extend our filipino visas, and another 150$ to extend our stay here at the CWC. So, it kinda evens out in the end I guess.  Finally, I asked the travel insurance rep what would happen if we did go to Thailand, and he basically explained that if anything would happen as a result of the political crisis (i.e. missed flights, injuries, hotel bookings), we would not be covered because we knowingly "ignored the potential for trouble".  So yeah, no gimmicks here; travel insurance is pretty sweet. 

Monday, May 3, 2010

Thailand is a no go...

IT'S OFFICIAL, we will NOT be going to Thai Wake Park in Bangkok, Thailand.  The travel advisory remains in effect, as the situation continues to deteriorate there.  We're pretty bummed out about the whole thing, we've been hearing nothing but good things about Thai Wake Park.  These sorta things are unpredictable, and comes with the territory when travelling; you gotta be flexible, and ready to change with things on the fly. I guess it just wasn't meant to be this time around.  At least it will serve as motivation to try again next year; I mean, it's gotta be done.  Thailand is too sick to pass up.  As for now, I'll just keep enjoying the ride at the 'ol c-dub. Tomorrow morning we will need to go to a Philippines Airlines sales office in Naga to officially cancel our flight to Bangkok, and after that we'll need to visit the Immigration Bureau to extend our tourist visas. To think, we are at the midway mark of our trip with only 2 weeks to go, WOW! Time to shred...

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Take Notice...

RAPH DEROME.  This video comes from my friend Yan Roy at wake2wake.ca.  It features Quebec's prodigy that is Raph Derome, the younger brother of fellow ripper Oli Derome.  They are absolutely killing it right now...Together with Yan Thibault, they will be competing in next week's infamous Nokia FISE all rail contest in Montpellier, France...t'entend.  Best of luck les boys!!


Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Government of Canada says...

WE HAVE BEEN keeping a close eye on Thailand ever since we booked our tickets last month. In case you didn't know, there is an escalating political standoff between the people of Thailand and their government. For months now, Thai Red Shirts, as they are called, have been taking to the streets of Bangkok in protest of the current Prime Minister, who they claim as illegitimate; they are calling for his immediate resignation, and want new elections. Only recently (past 6 weeks or so) have these demonstrations turned violent with police, which has led the Thai Government to call in the military and to start cracking down on the wide spread demonstrations across Bangkok; they have even declared Marshall Law, and restricted civil liberties. So with that said, the Government of Canada has issued an official travel warning of "avoid all non-essential travel" to Thailand. Obviously we have been forced to rethink our plans for Thailand, and contemplate extending our stay here in the Phillies. I know. It's a win win situation, but a decision needs to be made non the less. Good news is that we can have our tickets to Thailand refunded if we decide not to go. My only concern about Thailand is not being able to live the full experience. I rather dislike restrictions, and distractions. What do you think?

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

New Video! 04.28.10


Russian Games, and Scott Byerly @ the CWC from Johny Bonney on Vimeo.

THE LAST 2 DAYS have been truly surreal.  The like, godfather of wakeboarding, Scott Byerly, unexpectedly payed a visit to the CWC; the Gov didn't even know that he was coming. Turns out he was brought here by Nautiques and a Russian wakeboard clinic, currently going on here, to chill and ride for 2 days.  Whatever the reason, it was a definite treat to ride and chill with this true legend of the sport.  He is everything wakeboarding is, and should be.  But I cannot go without mentioning these crazy Russians who had invited Scott to come out in the first place.  They have been riding/partying non-stop for the last 2 days...check out this game they had us play last night, Russia vs. Team CWC. Shit got weird haha