Burton and All

For 10 months and now 43 states, and a whole lot of miles in my Jeep, I was looking forward to coming to Burlington, VT. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit. It was a long long wait, not just on this miraculous trip, but for years before. Why? Burton Snowboards. Of all the things in Vermont to do that’s what I wanted to see, the Burton Snowboards offices, the factory, see where it all began and to get a greater sense of it all. And how great it would be to include them in my book someday. Sadly… out of all the craziness of things that have gone on during this trip, Burton is just one thing I couldn’t swing. I tried and tried but nothing worked out. Seeing the store itself was great, but this trip is about people, not shopping or things. Oh how cool it would have been to sit down with a Burton employee and just learn about something more, learn about something that can’t be read in the catalog or website. Ah bummer. I have to leave Vermont without accomplishing the one big thing I wanted to see here.

The big inspiration with Burton, beyond anything else, is the idea of progression, innovation, and inspiration. Back in 1977 when the company saw it’s first snowboard it was all about starting something new. That progression, innovation, and inspiration lead to a $400 million industry that has rocked pop culture, the Olympics, and the press. Snowboarding has been a passion of mine above all else. I continue to find ways to progress in my own life and it somehow put me on a 50 state tour of the United States, where I did get to shake hands with Jake Burton and Shaun White, among other greats. That in itself can probably say more than the tour. However, setting foot inside the doors was a source of inspiration. You can take a small idea and change the world. And I can’t wait, because I am just a kid and I’ve got a lot more to time to get out there and get things done. And I’ll have another chance, I’ll be back sooner than later for most places I visit.