Gus Engle | Van Life | Hawaii | Music | Introspection | Dostoyevsky | Just For Men

Episode #47

AJ joins Nate in The Not Snowboarding Podcast studio (Nate's basement) and they connect with Gus via Skype to discuss a wide variety of topics. The conversation ranges from Russian literature to moose milk and everything in between.

The following words written by Matt Vantta back in 2012  (link to the full ESPN article) articulately describe Gus:

"Gus Engle is a true original, a bohemian lover of life that appears to be drawn right out of a Kerouac novel. His snowboard seems to be less an instrument of athletic progression and more like a paintbrush of a master. To really dig Engle's snowboarding you have to be open minded, because it's not manufactured and doesn't meet industry standards for how you're supposed to ride.

Based on our chat with Gus, I'd add: "Gus has a kind, authentic infectious energy and an appreciation for the beauty that lies in the subtleties of everyday life."  

 

This episode is brought to you by Let It Block Sunscreen  Let It Block is a mineral based paraben free sunscreen that both Nate and AJ use and 100% back. Nate recommends Goth Block for anyone that wants to protect their tattoos from the sun!   Use discount code "TNSP" for 40% off of two packages sunscreen or more (valid through the end of 2016).  

Let It Block - Sun DMC (SPF 30) Original Formula (SPF 30) and Goth Block (SPF 50)

Nate's giving away these Vintage Sims Bindings, Size 10.5 32 Boots (used one season), Revenge of the Grenerds and Cue The Birds. To get this stuff just screenshot your receipt from your Let It Block purchase and email it to [e-mail]

This episode covers: 

 

Moving to Canada and marrying a French Canadian - Estée Preda 

Literature and reading Dostoyevsky 

How Alaska shapes personalities  

Reading in French and learning the language 

Spending the winters in Hawaii and summers in Alaska as a kid

Coffee, tea and dark chocolate 

Milking soose 

Boogie boarding 

Jesse Burtner’s thoughts on Gus’s first skateboard

Skateboarding and snowboarding culture 

Cops VS. Skaters 

Skateboarding and snowboarding in Alaska 

The Think Thank movie - The Weather Outside is Weather 

The power of LOVE in human relationships  

Alone time for introspection 

Path to snowboarding professionally and dropping video parts  

Pozi Pozi - video embedded below 

Making music 

Sport vs. Art 

Surfing and contest scoring 

Van life and living in a VW Jetta 

Brothers 

Moustaches 

Video Games in the X-Games 

City snowboarding guide service 

Managing life’s path

Filming with Think Thank vs. Videograss 

Snowboard graphics - Gus’s wife did the graphic for AJ’s board on Pseudo! 

Listener questions from: Jeremy Barker, Steve Lauder, Chas Truslow, Jeff Holce (The Athlete) 

Dave’s Killer Bread 

Vegan snowboarding boots (Nate's giving away a pair of vegan boots)

Consumerism and zero waste  

 

 

 

 

Quotes from the episode: 

“There’s a special kind of sadness that comes along with Alaska.” 

“I have two sides… A lot of people from Alaska do - summer is so wonderful and, winter, it’s wonderful too, but it’s like a happy sad place.” 

“We lived in a little cabin in Alaska, totally off the grid. We gathered all our water, totally off the grid.” 

“I can’t drink coffee either - it’s like two week long emotional rollercoaster.” 

“It’s so culturally acceptable now to be a skateboarder - from all walks of life, there’s more people doing it. It’s still beautiful though, both skateboarding and snowboarding."

"Football isn’t even in the Olympics - skateboarding is!”  

“I really do have a hole in my heart for all my friends, the Pacific North West, Think Thank… I miss that so much.” 

“I seem really easy going,but I’m really hyper obsessed and stressed out.” 

“I was just so nervous around girls that I couldn’t even imagine one liking me and I can’t believe that one does.” 

“I’m excited by ideas!” 

“Come to Quebec - that’s the secret, there’s really amazing girls.” 

“I lived in a van for three or four years… I really loved it - it’s so fun to travel all the time.” 

“I just usually wake up super early and open the doors and brush my teeth and pee on the street.” 

“One little step off to the side and you can be somewhere strange and uncharted.” 

“We’re just all floating around in a big pool of influence.”  

“When I was living in Hawaii, I just shook trees and got fruit!” 

 

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