Do you remember snowboard photographer Liam Gallagher’s film project The Mad Ones? Him and a select crew of thinking snowboarders created a web series inspired by the writings of the Beat generation. With their new project ‘Search for a Cool Place‘ they pick up where they left of: Art school meets pow slashing meets beat poetry. Not sure if as many family members will ask me about this as they did about Art of Flight, but it has a great vibe to it, and offers some unique perspectives on snowboarders’ lives on the road.

After Jack Kerouac and The Beats came Ken Kesey and his Merry Band of Pranksters. Kesey was a best-selling author turned acid-freak, who was largely responsible for the psychedelic revolution of the 1960s. But, before Kesey and crew started frying the masses, they took a trip across the country in a 1938 International school bus. They dubbed the rig Further and their mission was simple: they were searching for a cool place. Just like us…

Search for a Cool Place is an exploration of snowboarding, mind-expansion, adrenaline freaks, the trips they take and where they’ve ended up. Look for the full-length snowboard flick next Fall.

Featuring: Mark Landvik, Patrick McCarthy, Wyatt Stasinos, Cory Stasinos, Nick Russell, Forrest Burki, Ryland Bell, Shaun McKay, Lucas Debari, Kael Martin, Alex Yoder, Blake Paul, Nick Dirks, Jake Olson Elm, Harry Kearny, Luke Thorington, Brendan Keenan, Jason Robinson, Ralph Backstrom and many more…

Supported by: Jones Snowboards, Drink Water, Anon, The Mount Baker Snowboard Shop.

One of the colors available on that puppy.

Sitting at the very top of the 686 range this winter, the PLEXUS STORM THERMAGRAPH™ JACKET is specifically designed for the snow-savvy shredder who pushes limits outside resort boundaries in quest of pristine powder.

It’s Infidry-20 fabrication (20,000mm, which defines a tech, top of the range outerwear piece, really) and the fully taped seams take you from cliff lines to pillow drops during any kind of weather. Breathability levels reach a pleasant 15,000g too.  Strategically insulated  with 160 gram polyfill Infi-loft™, the lining panels keep you warm while unzipping body vents will quickly release excess heat – ‘strategically’ meaning that this Thermagraph trade-marked technology allows more insulation to critical zones though material and cut. The oversized chest and hand pockets fit nicely between your backpack straps and the Recco component helps you feel secure either on or off-piste.

Shell: 100% poly horizontal black slub yam

Insulation: 100% nylon taffeta / 100% poly brushed and peached tricot / 100% poly mesh

To all this, you can add the legendary 686 attention to detail, such as the nice little grid that comes in place right in front of your mouth as you take your pow runs. Pretty nice! And all this at an decent price: 280€.

686 team rider Patrick McCarthy won’t stop praising his jacket of choice:

“The Plexus Storm jacket is the stay dialed in any type of conditions piece. In sleet, snow, rain or sun your going to be able to layer properly to make this jacket work for you out on the hill. With the 20,000 mm waterproof shell and the internal heat mapping, layering with under layer on the cold days or running a t-shirt in the spring this jacket will keep you dialed. I work hard to product test the Plexus line to give tech snowboarders the first line defense in what mother nature brings you way.”

Patrick McCarthy all in.

A video detailing all the tech features on this jacket is watchable on 686 website right here.

Second part? Oh yes, the first part can be found here.

Videograss are no small slouch and entered this year’s Mt Baker Film Festival. What did they submit? The best shots from, you are correct, Mt Baker. Good times with Danny Larsen, Matt Belzile, Patrick McCarthy, Shaun Mckay, Jake Kuzyk, Alex Cantin, Eero Niemela, Bryan Fox, Benji Ritchie, Dustin Craven, and Will Jackways.

Here’s the full flick. Enjoy 53 minutes of madness from the Winter of 2011-2012.

The Mad Ones is a a web-based video project by Liam Gallagher. Inspired by the Beat Generation and specifically the writings of Jack Kerouac, The Mad Ones followed the freaks, all winter long. This is a movie about snowboarding and some Beatniks.

Riders:

Forest Bailey, Forrest Burki, Patrick McCarthy, Shaun McKay, Wyatt Stasinos, Nick Russell, Kael Martin, Bryan Fox, Mark Landvik, Lucas Debari, Nick Ennen, Scott Blum, Dan Liedahl, Alex Beebe, Will Lavigne, Jamie Lynn, Sebi Geiger, Marco Feichtner, Atsushi Hasegawa, Kohei Kudo, Austin Hironaka and many more.

The Mad Ones continue their unique take on contemporary snowboard filming. This episode is a collection of Super 8 footage taken at Montafon/Austria, and features Forest Bailey, Patrick McCarthy, Ryan Paul, Marco Feichtner, Sebi Geiger, Atsushi Hasegawa and Ben Thomas-Javid.

More episodes from The Mad Ones.

If you found it a little hard to relate to the earlier The Mad Ones episodes – this one might make it a little easier: Join Patrick McCarthy, Forest Bailey, Ryan Paul, Atsushi Hasegawa, Marco Fleichtner, Sebi Geiger and Ben Thomas-Javid all spend quality time in Austrian powder.

The Mad Ones is a a web-based video project by Liam Gallagher. Inspired by the Beat Generation and specifically the writings of Jack Kerouac, The Mad Ones will follow the freaks, all winter long. Web flicks will be released every Monday through May. Some will be action edits, others about odd balls or oddities seen, weird experiences or whatever else happens to happen. Then, next September it’ll all be mashed into a free-for-download movie.

Supported by: K2 Snowboarding, Drink Water and 686.

Garage talk with Patrick McCarthy.

The Mad Ones is a a web-based video project by Liam Gallagher. Inspired by the Beat Generation and specifically the writings of Jack Kerouac, The Mad Ones will follow the freaks, all winter long. Web flicks will be released every Monday through May. Some will be action edits, others about odd balls or oddities seen, weird experiences or whatever else happens to happen. Then, next September it’ll all be mashed into a free-for-download movie.

Featuring: Forest Bailey, Forrest Burki, Patrick McCarthy, Shaun McKay, Wyatt Stasinos, Nick Russell, Scotty Wittlake, Bryan Fox, Austin Smith, Keegan Valaika, Mark Landvik, Blair Habenicht, Nick Ennen, Lucas Debari, Matt Edgers, Skylar Thornton, Alex Yoder, Kael Martin, Matt Belzile and many more.

Supported by: K2 Snowboarding, Drink Water and 686.

Remember the artsy teaser for The Mad Ones? Here’s episode 1 of Liam Gallgher’s video project featuring a ton of amazing snowboarders…

It’s all happening now. Here’s a few from the last three days at Mt. Baker. Dig the present.

The Mad Ones is a a web-based video project by Liam Gallagher. Inspired by the Beat Generation and specifically the writings of Jack Kerouac, The Mad Ones will follow the freaks, all winter long. Web flicks will be released every Monday through May. Some will be action edits, others about odd balls or oddities seen, weird experiences or whatever else happens to happen. Then, next September it’ll all be mashed into a free-for-download movie. 

Featuring: Forest Bailey, Forrest Burki, Patrick McCarthy, Shaun McKay, Wyatt Stasinos, Nick Russell, Scotty Wittlake, Bryan Fox, Austin Smith, Keegan Valaika, Mark Landvik, Blair Habenicht, Nick Ennen, Lucas Debari, Matt Edgers, Skylar Thornton, Alex Yoder, Kael Martin and many more. 

Supported by: K2 Snowboarding and Drink Water.

This is art and snowboarding combined. Mind-blowing.

“They danced down the streets like dingledodies, and I shambled after as I’ve been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”

-Jack Kerouac, “On The Road”

The Mad Ones is a a web-based video project by Liam Gallagher. Inspired by the Beat Generation and specifically the writings of Jack Kerouac, The Mad Ones will follow the freaks, all winter long. Web flicks will be released every Monday through May. Some will be action edits, others about odd balls or oddities seen, weird experiences or whatever else happens to happen. Then, next September it’ll all be mashed into a free-for-download movie.

Featuring: Forest Bailey, Forrest Burki, Patrick McCarthy, Shaun McKay, Wyatt Stasinos, Nick Russell, Scotty Wittlake, Bryan Fox, Austin Smith, Keegan Valaika, Mark Landvik, Blair Habenicht, Lucas Debari, Matt Edgers, Kael Martin and many more.