Stormriders Snowboard Shop 1989-2003

Billy Anderson: “This is where it all started for Jeff and I. They opened the shop around 1989.  It was only a few blocks form our house. We went into the shop with excuse that we were looking for our Dad, he was doing some maintenance as they were building out the shop.  From the first time we went in I think we went back everyday for the next five years.  At one point we had built a make shift ramp that took up 90% of the store. Ronnie McCoy really took good care of us. He took us on some of our first trips and introduced us to all of our sponsors. He was the one that introduced us to the Volcom family.”

A small group of friends representing Stormriders got together to collaborate on a piece of art for the I AM SNOWBOARDING exhibit. Jeff’s Mammoth pass was donated by Steven Brown, and the art was completed by Blacky, Voich and Pete….

BRIAN “BLACKY” COOK

Bay Area born and raised I followed some friends to mammoth in ‘97 to get rad in the snow. After living there for a couple months skateboarding and fishing, I landed a job for the winter working night crew at canyon lodge. My buddies did that the previous winter, helped me get in, and it seemed awesome – work at night/ride all day.

Everyday we skated by Stormriders on our way to the Nelsons ramp. I would stop by, hang out and bs with Ronnie. I worked at a skateshop back home and I felt comfortable being there. One day Ronnie asks me what I was planning on doing for work, I told him night crew and he just plainly asks me if I would rather work for him. I was stoked! I am such a board rat that the thought of working in a snowboardshop was way better than cleaning shit off toilets in the middle of the night.

Over the next 4 years I had some awesome times there, learned everything I know about snowboarding from Ronnie and Kevin and met many friends.

Aaron and Peter are 2 of those friends. While creating our piece it might as well been 1999 again, the 3 of us tuning boards with Jeff sitting on the counter hanging out. Working in a shop is like an extended family since you spend so much time there. I guess that makes these guys my brothers.

I want to thank Ron McCoy for teaching me all about what snowboarding is, how it should be and for paving the way for all snowboarders in Mammoth.

PETER STOW

Born and raised skating the streets of Bishop, Calif. at the base of the Sierras, I finally tried snowboarding for the first time in 6th grade and never looked back. I rented my first board from Ron McCoy at Storm Riders – that Kemper Kid was pretty sweet. From then on, I was the little grom that would hang out at the shop as much as possible, and with my dad working at Mammoth Mountain I had plenty of time to hang. I remember running around the original shop with Jeffy and causing all sorts of mayhem. Once I was old enough to work at the shop I was stoked, getting paid to be where I would have been anyway.

Some of my better friendships came from working in the shop so when I was able to work with Blacky and Voich on this piece I was very excited. It was just like the old days, hanging out telling stories and talking shit on each other – it’s like we didn’t miss a day although it had been years.

I believe Jeffy would be proud of the art we created. Working on it was pure chaos; then all of the sudden, it was a amazing art piece that I am very proud to say I was part of. Just like Jeffy, a lot of chaos, but when it came down to it he was an amazing friend too.

These days I am fortunate enough to own a Graphic Design company which allows me to work from home, so this winter I decided to make my home Mammoth once again. The last time had my own place in Mammoth was 97-98 El Nino, I hope this year compares.

Storm Riders forever …

STEVEN BROWN

Growing up with Jeff helped inspire me to snowboard. Now that he is gone he inspires me to become an artist. Sometimes I see him a lot in everyday signs like driving to work and seeing a person with an orange hat on.

AND THE REST OF THE STORMRIDER’S CREW:

Joe Weniger, Kevin Calder, Josh Huckaby, Jon Warren, Matty Thompson, Billy Anderson, Eli Weiner, Tom Weniger, Teddy Monney, Brad Phillips, Ryan Boyes, Matt Voss, Dustin del Giudice, Nap Gibson, and beautiful ladies Denise, Bree and Alisa Mokler Harper.

Ronnie McCoy…. we love you.