January 1, 2023

2022

 WTF. How did I miss the years. 

I’ve been riding a lot. Not like some friends who ride all day every day. Last year I managed 149 days. This year I could match that and add a few days. 

I’m building my boards, living my life and battling metastatic papillary carcinoma in my thyroid. Alternative treatments are working and I’m proud of my accomplishments. 

Enjoy every day. Jg

Three years gone by and look at where we are now?

 The past two years have been a challenge, first my dad died from complications of his Dementia.

A year later mom passed right at the beginning of the Corona Virus lockdown and the worst part is they wouldn't let us visit her during her final days. The last time we saw each other was through the window at the lifecare facility. 

Now we've been in some form of lockdown since march of 2020.

Eldorado county is at the highest tier due to a shortage of ICU beds.

300,000 people have died from the Virus and comorbidity, typically some other condition. Covid is like an accelerator, it speeds things up for people with poor health and health conditions.

Enough.

We are still suffering through an election where there is corruption, unconstitutional behavior on behalf of states and a really angry population.

I watched my dad develop his dementia, it sure looks a lot like what is going on with Joe Biden?

How can someone in his condition be elected to the highest office of the land is beyond my comprehension.

To kick things off. 

We are launching "Shredman"

Enjoy

So as I sit here starting to write the new post I have to wonder where did last season go?
I managed to log over 1.5 million vertical feet and hardly snurfed at all? go figure it was one of those years where it was best up on lift serviced terrain.

Well that's no excuse.

So moving forward this will be a season to make a difference, Grellboards will go back into a limited production and for those of you who brave reading my posts, perhaps there is a board with your name on it.

In the short term, I've been building scale models of my designs and they have a purpose.

The purpose is to be able to build more boards at a cheaper cost and now I can make six at a time with whatever design I want to integrate in to the board. The excitement of building continues only on a different scale.

My dad died this past June and he loved bluebirds, so he's up there feeding them and looking down on me along with Anne, and Roxy.  Loosing the ones you love is tough. I sure did love that snow dog.

JG

Summer 2017 ended with a snowstorm

Its been a while since I've posted anything on this blog, I guess its been a summer of discontent.
I've been working alot, haven't had the focus I've had in the past and have only just recently started working in my shop again. The shop is still a mess and I'm a bit better than that. Its coming up on two years since my beloved Anne died and went to heaven.

I've moved on and am ready to enjoy a great season ahead. I have heard that the upcoming 2017-2018 season will be a 200 year event. What that means is we could have even more snow than in 2016-17.
Since that was a record year, I'm excited to see the deepest snowpack ever.

My friend Steve Klassen, a legend and wonderful friend sent me a message this morning and said he was going on a Snurfari, sure enough, he found good snow and a fun pitch. Steve goes down with one of the longest running season, August 6, to one of the earliest starts to the upcoming season, September 24. Bearly 6 weeks between fun on  the snow.

I am going to make my best effort this season to give my readers a reason to follow my adventures and hope you will respond with feedback, photos and other interesting things that involve the "Snurfari Adventure" in all of us.

JG

I'm officially starting winter tonight

Imagine.
The world is warming,
global warming is ruining our winters,
its to warm,
its doesn't rain enough,
where's the snow.

The way I figure it, when I look back on my 58 years and remember the variability of each winter, its always been unpredictable.To say this causes that or to think that when I was young it was colder or snowier, its never the same from one year to the next. I hear people tell me that we have to save the planet, face it, the planet doesn't care about humans. It has been here for a billion plus years and will be for the next billion. The trees will grow back, the oceans will teem with life, all signs of humanity will vanish and the planet will just keep on doing what it does. What we really need is a really cold subzero winter with 30 plus days. Freeze all the stinking bugs, rejuvenate the earth.

So with that phrophetic vision, we are still here on this planet, and winter is just kicking in, don't let your guard down, its going to snow, the resorts will open, the back country will still be a dangerous place and some of you won't make it til spring.

When you are freezing cold and stuck on the side of a mountain because you thought winter was over, remember, Mother Nature is in charge.
JG

Believe it "Winter is coming and its going to hit fast"

Here we are into November of 2016, its been one hell of a year for me, I've been on the roller coast of my life and some of it has been terrific and fun and other parts of it have been pure hell.
Looking the love of your life is tough, meeting a new love of your life and loosing them to is enough to "drain the swamp".
All the old love songs are pretty much the same, man meets woman, life is great until it isn't the the agony of a breakup haunts you every minute.

What does any of this have to do with Snurfari, well it is a part of my journey which will culminate in some great turns ahead. I'm ready to hike, I'm ready to ride lifts, I have an Epic Pass, a mammoth pass and a sierra at tahoe pass and if I have to I can buy a ticket anywhere I go.

Until my next post.

I'm proud to be a republican and that my vote for Donald Trump mean't something, he will be a great President and if you disagree, get over it. All the rhetoric on the campaign trail was in the moment, now its time to get down to business and "Make America Great Again". JG

October is almost gone, soon November and the promise of new snow in the mountains.
Its like a rebirth, a new beginning. I need that in my life.
It was one year ago, October 25th that my loving wife Anne passed away.
I've learned a lot this past year about myself and how I'm supposed to treat others.
While I've been trying to catch up on all the intricacy's of life as a single man, each day I make some sort of progress with a goal of being happy with myself and all those in it.

I am blessed to have a wonderful daughter that loves snow country and her boyfriend that share the same dreams. My mom and Dad are doing well at 88 and 89, I see them once a week.
My dream of building my own boards is real, I have a shop, many molds and sometimes I even have time to make a board, that will bet better, I have to thank all of my friends for their support and understanding as I shift into the next chapter of my life.

All is well.
JG

Its suddenly October 7, 2016, I don't know how to feel about this past year.
I've had an incredible journey and October 25th is the demarcation point.
It will be one years since Anne left me from Cancer, it was a terrible affair, she didn't deserve what she got and the world is worse off without her. For me, loosing my best friend, partner, lover and the mother of my daughter has been a learning experience. Then, I met a new girl, a wonderful and amazing woman, she fulfilled my life and my loss with love and wonder. Now I wonder.
The future looks wonderful, maybe my dreams will come true.

I've decided to move my life forward, I am building boards, working construction, doing real estate, taking care of mom, dad, Jenny, Dog, Cat, chickens and the compound. I was looking a a couple of old photos and thought that  I should share them here.  I'm just getting started. JG

It has been a very different year from what I was supposed to be used to. Anne died 11 months ago and I've been trying to figure out what I am supposed to do for myself.
I've been so blessed, good friends, family and I even managed to meet a new friend that has loved me and with any luck will stay by my side, time will tell.
I've managed to keep building boards, not a full production but still moving forward. The 2016-17 season is upon us and if you were to read this, I suggest that you order a board now as I won't have time to build you a new one during the season. I'm going to spend most if not all my time on the mountains and that is what I was meant to do. Its supposed to snow this weekend, so perhaps we will get an early season and I'm ready to get started.
Have fun out there. JG

So you've never heard of the Grellicopter. 

Every idea has a spin off, every spin off generates new ideas. Never stop dreaming and never think that your ideas are original. A creative mind can accomplish anything it sets out to do and more.

Each day that I get to build an a new board, watch my competition try and copy my design I get stronger.
The is now doubt that the "Grellboards" work the best in most conditions. I won't elaborate on why my competitors board suck, only to say they will try and copy me and that is the ultimate challenge.
I've been at this now since 2007 and have been building boards since 1976. For all the opportunists out there, go fuck yourselves. There is only one brand, Grellboards. My brand will reward all the pioneers in my legacy program that helped me get to this point and with any luck, we all get rich.
JG

Its summer of 2016

Where does the time go? Last time I checked I was on the snow in winter park and before that at Heavenly and Sierra at Tahoe. Now its into the summer season and I for one am enjoying it.
Then comes the sudden realization that Grellboards is a pretty big thing. Since I started this project many years ago, no one was building "modern Snurfers", now it seems everyone is trying to.
Most of what I've seen is being built by people from the snowboarding industry hoping to cash in on the next wave of sales on what is already a small but growing segment.

For all the want to be builders, get it right or don't go out there and build crap boards thinking they will work and our sport will grow. One lousy board looses 10 sales.
One good board gains 10 sales.

all for this installment.
JG

Well we made it to 2016 and life as I knew is, different.
As much as I loved the life I had, I know my future is bright and I still have the support I've always had to do what I love. There has been a lot of adjustments, figuring out all the bills, the stunning amount of passwords and user names. There have been sad and happy moments but overall everything is getting better.

Last night I finally got around to running a full set of rice paper logos for the next round of Grellboards. I also managed to prep on of the G48 molds and cut fiberglass. I ran a new vacuum line for the system and with any luck will layup my first board of the 2016 season.

It rained hard all night, since I've moved out of the main house, almost moved out would be a better way of explaining it. I've slowly been shifting to my new life, scaling things back and focusing on what is important in my life. Snowboard Canada contacted me yesterday about being the Technical Delegate for 8 snowboardcross events at the end of January and beginning of February. So I will be off to Tabor Mountain for just over a week.

Tahoe has lots of Snow and I am going up to spend a few days snowboarding, snurfing and just getting used to spending more time in Tahoe. I'm not scheduling to much as I want to have the freedom to do what is important. For now that includes finishing up projects close to home and shifting resources to where they need to be.

Life is good.
JG

Almost to a new year 2016

It has been a challenging year for me and my daughter Jenny.
Two months ago we lost my wife Anne and Jenny's Mom to MultiMyeloma.
We challenged her cancer for 5 years and in the end she decide to take care of business and kill her cancer, the downside is that she had to die to do it.

While I am adjusting to a new life without Anne, I miss her smile, her caress, just being with her. I've never loved anyone the way I did Anne. I will love her forever but it is time to move on.

Earlier today I spoke with an old friend and he asked me what the future is for "Grellboards".
It has been a project on the back burner for a while now but about to kick  back into gear and realize its potential. We will be opening up our new factory in the spring of 2016 and expect to begin deliveries for the 2016-17 season.

As we wait for the market to mature, we are using this time to continue testing our designs and create the marketing platform for the demand we have built.

Thank you for being patient.
JG

Well, today was Annes memorial, we have over 150 people show up. We all ate, drank, told stories, shared and loved one another. The service was really nice, good friends and family were able to talk about Anne's life and everyone was touched by her loving nature. This marks a new day in my life. I now realize that this surreal experience has run its course and she isn't coming home to me. While I cherish all the time we had and the life we built together, it is time to move on. I have alot of things to take care of here at home and will begin to focus on my new life. I know that it will be OK. My daughter Jenny is surrounded by  loving friends and family and she proved herself with her sharing during the ceremony. I love my little family and the much larger one that surrounds us. Cherish every minute with your loved ones, life happens and then we are just left with memories. All of mine are good.
I love my wife and the life we had together.
JG

I left my house on November 5th with the goal of attending the FIS technical delegate update clinic in Park City, Utah. My trip was smooth with a great visit in Reno with Brooke Long, a snowboard enthusiast and collector, I brought him a few old vintage posters. After a night in Reno, I got up early and headed east to pick up my friend Ted Martin at the airport in Salt Lake City. It worked out really well, he had a double room in the Marriot and the canadian guy canceled so I had a bed. We arrive on Friday, checked in, then went to the Meet and Greet. They couldn't have chosen a worse location, it was packed, loud, annoying and really hard to meet and talk with the other Technical Delegates. So much for planning. The next morning we started at the USSA Center for Excellence. Its to bad no one got the message we were coming, we got in through the side door and never got to see what the beautiful building housing the USSA was all about. Opportunity lost again. The clinic touched on the usual stuff, a few presenters, a few powerpoint presentations, alot of talk about concussions and what we are supposed to do. All in all, more of the same.
It worked out that I could give Ted a ride back to Colorado, it was great to have company in the car and a co driver, always wonderful to visit the Martin's. Gracious hosts and good friends. Moving on it was off to Fairplay with a sidebar in Frisco, a snurf session in the park the off to see my old college friend Mark Hanks. What a wonderful visit, a beautiful home, good company, I can't wait to go back. Then it was off to visit my good friend and partner in Grellboards, Mike Troppman. We had the luck of a snowstorm and fresh tracks. That is the essence of the first part of my journey. I'll add more about my return home in my next post. I really miss my girl Anne. It was a good trip but coming home never felt so lonely.
JG

Going on a Snurfari, leaving California going to park city then colorado and mammoth.

It was inevitable, my wife's cancer took her away like the wind. It was the culmination of five years of bravery and challenges. Anne was "one tough cookie". I miss her all the time, the essence of her and the memory of a life of love and laughter together. We had a wonderful daughter, Jenny is 21 and an adult now. Together, they were like one, the best of friends and together they made me so happy.

Anyhow, in moving forward, we will have a memorial to celebrate Anne's life at our house on November 21, 2015. We will receive guests at 12 PM for lunch and social interaction. At 3 PM we will have a memorial for Anne.

With any luck, I will survive my adventure which I start tomorrow and be back in time to make all this happen. I am driving to Park City, Utah for the FIS Technical Delegates Update Clinic 2015.
I expect to see many old friends and have a wonderful time playing in the snow. I have a van load of boards and expect to get many turns in. After Utah, its off to glenwood springs, Aspen, Vail, Blue River, Fairplay, then a rally to Mammoth and back to home by the 16th.

I'll try and keep updated as I venture into my new life.
JG

October 25, 2015 at 3 pm Anne died after a long fought battle with MultiMyeloma

I just don't know how to feel, the past few days have delivered me grief beyond my imagination.
It feels like I just lost something so valuable and personal that the tears come in waves and it doesn't take much to set me off.

We battled her cancer for the past five years and the last 14 months have been the biggest challenges of our lives. In the end thanks to the help of Hospice of Santa Cruz, we were able to keep Anne comfortable despite the cancers ravaging her body.

I was with all all those final days, round the clock to be there and help her in any way and believe me I shed more than my share of tears. She is finished with her battle against one of the most terrible diseases I have ever witnessed. I believe, near the end, Anne decided to take care of business and kill her cancer, the sad trade off is that she had to die to do it. I believe she is in a better place, her quality of life was so diminished, she was at the mercy of her caregivers to do the most basic tasks. Anne went "went off to college" in style and will participate in Stanford University's willed body program where the school of anatomy will study her case and with her help hopefully find a cure for plasma cell leukemia.

I will love Anne forever. Rest in peace.
Jeff

So we have made it to October of 2015, and this past year has been full of challenges, positive and then not so fun. Anne is really sick, the plasma cell cytoma's have taken over her body. Its so sad to see someone you care for in so much pain and ruined by cancer. We met with the hospice doctor who is handling her case and she said quite frankly in a gentle way that we have days of a couple of weeks before Anne "goes off to College". I will miss my wife dearly and want to thank her for all she has contributed to my life. Without her who knows what I would have done. She has been my anchor, support throughout our marriage and always believed in me and my crazy stubborn ideas. I am such a stubborn SOB, once I set my eye on a goal I have to go after it with every cell in my body.