ME
BR
EXPIRED
Skateboarding,
Surfing
and
Snowboarding are a
way of life. Riding
cold anap
your board gives you true free-
dom
of expression and the
ability to do just about any-
thing you want. Whether
you are riding perfect
deve
aaron
ASTORGA
cement or deep powder, you know there isn't anything you
would rather be doing. When you're not riding, you cannot stop
thinking about it, anticipating the next session or the next good
day of surf. This is what some of us live for, and I can't think of
a better way to enjoy life than doing what you love to do.
How old are you?
-Aaron Astorga
I was born on November 17th, 1970, do the math.
Where are you from originally?
I was born in La Jolla, CA, and grew up in Del Mar.
Who do you ride for?
Switch Mfg. Billabong clothing and Arnette optics. Switch is
the shit, those guys hook me up right and they really helped
me out a lot when I didn't have jack.
How long have you been skating and snowboarding?
About 15 years plus, and I got really into snowboarding in
'89 when I moved to Tahoe from San Diego.
Do remember your first skateboard or snowboard?
My first skateboard was this crazy thing my sister Jo Ann
won on the radio trying to win some concert tickets. This
thing was so '70s, I laughed, transparent plexiglass with all
these stony colors in it and it was all flexy. It didn't have a
name, but it did have Cadillac wheels on it, I remember
that. My first snowboard was an all wood Burton Backhill.
My mom bought it for me for Christmas and we went to
Breckenridge. It was rock hard, and I couldn't turn, I would
just go straight, start haulin' ass out of control, then eat it.
It sucked.
Which do enjoy more, skating, surfing or snowboarding?
That's a tough one-skateboarding. That's what I grew up
on, and I think that snowboarding and surfing are just an
extension of skating. Skateboarding also helps you transfer
power into surfing or
snowboarding. A lot of
progressive surf moves
these days come directly
from skating, as well as a
large portion of snow-
boarding tricks. Still,
surfing and snowboarding
are incredible, and I love
to do all three. I really enjoy living in San Francisco because
the surf is uncrowded and good and the skate scene is killer.
You moved back up to Tahoe recently, how's that? What have
you been up to over the past six months?
I have been snowboarding a lot more lately. I moved to
Tahoe in November so I could be closer to the snow, but
there is still good stuff to skate around here too. There was
a good skatepark in Reno, but it just shut down a little while
ago. Now it's The Grind in Sacramento, or Yuba City has a
new park if you want to skate something good. Living in Tahoe
this winter has been cool, though. It hasn't been the best
season, but I still had a great time. There are so many sick
riders in Tahoe and I have good friends here too. It feels good
to get out of SF. Shit starts to wear on you after a while, but
I love San Francisco.
What do you think snowboarding will be like in the year 2010?
That's a scary thought, shit is gonna be crazy, and I could
only imagine what people will be doing then.
Tell us more about your interest in surfing.
Surfing is more than an interest. I learned to surf when I was
11 years old, and it's one of my favorite things to do. I was for
tunate to grow up near the ocean, it's a wonderful thing. I
love the water, and I have great respect for its power.
What do you think Aaron Astorga will be doing in the next
few years?
Hopefully more good skating and snowboarding. If I can just
manage to stay healthy, everything will be cool. I hate injuries
more than anything. I say, if you don't have your health, you
don't have shit!
Any words of wisdom?
Respect life, your family, and your friends, word.
-Colby Carter
Opposite page: Whether it's pow-
pow or concrete, Aaron goes big.
Giant frontside in the Tahoe back-
country. All photos by Aaron
Sedway.
Above: Crossover Holmes-style
method tweaker in the Mount Rose,
Nevada, backcountry.
Left: Double A grinds the everlovin'
shit out of the coping of the 99 bowl
in Sacramento.
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