Holy shmoly, coming up on 2009 quickly now. I hope everyone is having some festivus with friends and or family these days and getting some surf in, or making some snowy turns or glidin through the woods on skis. Whatever it is you do for fun, be sure to get out there and do it. Fantastically fine winter weather going on out there is all i got to say and maybe some waves to ring in the new year later this week.

Don't ask why i chose to post a late summer sunset, instead of some ice encrusted something or other. Looks warm i guess.


Sun goes down- 2007.



Happy New Years!!

peace
e

photo By: Eric Berglund

Out of the depths of winter on the prairies, comes good food,
birch spoons and sunny days.

Merry Christmas

And back on the lake, Burton Hathaway
tears this one to pieces down near Duluth last weekend.
Photo courtesy of Bob Tema at Superior Surf Club.

photogs By: Eric

Door of the Biological Museum, Stockholm, 2008


peace
e

Hellsyeah! Finally some snow...oh and minus kajillion wind chill. Well, if there was a bright side to missing out on yesterdays substantial swell (read: no real bright side when i heard how good it was from Win), it's that we can look forward to some pretty wicked skiing conditions. Got the ole dumpage this weekend and had to dig out this morning in a big way. Working stiffs had to make it to work, but kids were kids and got the day off school on account of the snow and wind...good old fashion winter is what i'd call it. zing.




My hopes are still high that there will be more surf before the inevitable happens to the big lake....dam it's difficult to be obsessed with something like surfing in a climate like ours. Patience young grasshopper...and go wax your skis.


peace

photos by: e

Laid down some fresh tracks at lunch-hour today. Things should be full tilt at the ski areas after the dump we got last night and the forecast of more to come.



The local surf crew got together last night down at the Apollo to hang out, swap stories and watch some films. Good times, with the stoke running high about the potential for some waves this weekend. Off to play the good ole hockey game.

peace
e

photo by: eric berglund

Grab a steamy cup of somethin' and check out the trailer for 'Hand Cut', the latest from Sweetgrass Productions.





photo by: e

A couple of gems from our trip to the sunshine coast last year.





Somehow, it is already December and the temps are slipping. A solid -20 celcius while out walking the dog this morning. Needless to say the rivers are frozen stiff. All would be fantastic if it weren't for the craptastic lack of snow; it's not even like we are out shredding or sliding the nordics. Nope. And haven't surfed in a couple of weeks either; albeit a freak swell blew up out of nowhere on Tuesday, with the NOAA forecasting site showing 17' waves on the far northeast corner of the lake. I was stuck in computer land, crunching numbers or making maps or something, but a couple of folks managed to get in on some of the good action. Meanwhile, keepin busy, with plenty o'projects.

Ok, last but not least, do check out the fantastic photography over at 18 year old Morgan Maassen's blog: 'Bogus Blog' and Kyle Lightner's work at his site. Both surfy inspired kats with a keen eye. Great stuff.

photo's By: e.

Watched

Gotland, Sweden
photo by: eric berglund

Sitting here at the Fresh Aspect headquarters content with what has been put together over the last year. And not without several good reasons.

Reasons









More to come friends.

peace
e

photogs By: Eric Berglund (other than the second one of Scotty and i, in which case good compadre Brent Metcalfe must be responsible).

I'm gonna start off this 100'th post with this super catchy track 'Around the Bend' by Danish pop/electronic/funk crew 'The Asteroids Galaxy Tour'. Supposedly this was used in some Apple iTouch commercial..unbeknownst to me of course...i'd say good use of blurppy horns, lasers, thumpy bass, grainy technicolor and organ...and a nice fur hat too.

Bump on the horizon. A couple of weeks ago before the mercury started to drop.

Celebrating Birch: the lore, art and craft of an ancient tree- put out by the North House Folk School down the road in Grand Marais, Minnesota, given to me by my wise and old uncle Erv. This book covers everything from birch biology and ecology to its practical and spiritual aspects in many northern cultures. Along with its step-by-step instructions for several projects it's definitely stoking the creative fires that are pouring through my axe and knives these days...oh, and the bathtub full of birch bark that i had to steam in order make it supple again. Check it, if this sort of craftiness is up your alley.

Lutsen pretty much beat me to getting first tracks yesterday. Shouldn't be long now till we're up to our eyeballs in the white stuff and sliding cross country and down hills.

Big dog- November 15th, 2008.

Little dog- May 15th, 2008.

And to keep things a little on the surfy side...i came across this gem while cruising the ever killer content at Shakas and Singlefins. Good surfing, nice boards and a fun musical selection.

Bing Surfboards and Chris Del MoroIII Present:
The Lovebird Colab Project
A film by J. Smart

Nunchuck attack-spring 2008.
(photo By: Thomas Jordan)



So yeah, keep on keepin on.

peace
e



photos By: eric berglund

Been off in the northwoods of Minnesota with family, partaking in an annual tradition that we wait for all year. A ritual of practicing patience, observing, learning, laughing and hopefully putting some healthy protein in the the freezer for the year. The wind blew and the wolves were present and the alarm at 4:20AM every morning comes too fast some days. But ya do what ya gotta do.

Moon setting at 5AM on a crisp November morning.

Stillness...and deafening silence waiting to be broken by the
snap of a branch or foot steps on leaves.

Reality


Next post is numero 100 and "the fresh aspect" is 10 days from being a year old, WOOT!

oh yeah...my apologies if the sight of blood is just too real.
peace
e

photo's by : e.

Big crew rolled east yesterday in the wind and rain for a long and burly session. Just the way we like it here on Superior. Figured i throw up a few shots to get the week off to a good start.
Enjoy.

Dave Edwards drops into a bit of a bomb.

Dave again, throwing some backside spray.

Jer Bowery

Jer again with plenty of northshore style.

Jaakko Natri eying up a peeling left.

Chris Kukkee rips a nice one.



peace
e

photo's By: Eric Berglund

Bull moose of the Swedish variety seen crossing while we were cruising up
to Sunne from Karlstad, just after my second cousin Stefan told us how they hadn't been seeing many moose these days.

Yesterday's meager windslop session, under sunny skies. Totally expecting more, we settled for what was there.

Trying my hand at some carving.





photo's by: Eric Berglund

Truth has it, the forecast for the weekend was looking much bigger and more badass than it turned out to be. Almost like winter was on its way. But when you park yourself along with your buds in the right place at the right time, you might just get it good.










photos By: eric berglund

Great bike culture in Sweden. Everyday people in every day clothes riding their everyday bikes in all conditions. Just gettin er done. One of many bicycle photos from the trip.


I pretty much couldn't resist poaching this Dilbert strip that was posted over at Moldy Chum the other day.


And in light of a positive looking surf forecast for Sunday, a little clip with some high style points.

peace

Didn't pause long enough to take any half decent photo's yesterday, mostly cause the stoke was running high and i hadn't been in the water in a long time. A few of us enjoyed several hours of clean lines at a spot that is notoriously unclean and not all that fantastic. Anyways, major stokage all around.

Hit the jump over to SecondGlance to check out some of John's great shots from a session just up the shore from where we were.


photo by: e.


peace

A few reasons among many to love fall.









First outright birdy experience for Lutsen. Between thrashing fish and thumping grouse, he was going mental with excitement. Good times.