Well,
hello there. A while back I had the pleasure of meeting and
talking with the talented Burton pro Mike Michalchuk. I was
refreshed to see that this pro was laid back and a down to earth
kinda guy. How I happened upon Mike was somewhat unusual- or
more like an unusual place. Banner Elk, NC is the highest point
east of the Mississippi (check it out if you don't believe me-Mt.
Mitchell, NC). Ya see, every year this longtime shop Edge of
the World puts on a big party in November, to start off the
winter season. Here you find killer mini-ramp and street contests,
two bands, food, trampolines, sumo wrestling for money, big
prizes, food, water guns and more food.
People come from all over the southeast. Companies send reps
and riders, so Mike was there with the Burton guys for media
purposes (to sign a million autographs). But even with the glitz
and glam of being brought in just to hang out, sign things and
have photos taken in the middle of nowhere, Mike's low key style
fit right in and he seemed more like a local. Although he didn't
get to ride any snow, he said he really liked the people and
the area. Here are some other things he had to say.
So how old are you and how long ya been riding?
I'm 23. I've been riding around 7 years, pro for 3. So where do you live these days?
Pemberton, BC, a few miles from Whistler. Not a bad place to live.
Yeah, I live out in the country; somewhat secluded. Well, I meant being close to Whistler.
Oh yeah. I ride there a lot. Plenty of steep terrain and good
outback.
So what’s a good day of boarding for you?
A bunch of fresh snow and some good friends in the outback or
anywhere it's good. I like fresh tracks and friends. What else do you dig doing?
Snowmobiling in the back country. I like to bow-hunt. I hunt
a lot-it's a passion in me. Bow-hunting!
Now that's something. That's real big around here.
I thought it was. I've been doing it awhile. I got a moose this
year. I eat all that I kill. I always put some up for later
or to give away. That's got to be intense, tracking and all that.
An animal has such a keen sense, more so than humans. I find
that stalking a wild animal helps me deal with big pressure
situations, both in and out of snowboarding. It helps with life
for that matter.
So what else do you like to do?
Build furniture and things like that. I like having big dinners.
I grow things-I like to farm. Stuff like that. What was the last event you did?
An indoor quarter pipe event in L.A. Sounds cool, how did you do?
Pretty good. Competitions don't really mean a lot to me. Good
or bad, I just love to ride cool stuff. You'd rather ride cool places with cool people.
Yeah, that's what it's all about. What would you tell all those kids out there?
Just ride, have fun and enjoy life. You are only young once. What kind of tricks are you pulling these days?
540’s in the pipes; not a whole lot of inverted stuff.
I like getting out and finding good jumps. I don't really name
my tricks, I just do them. That's rad. What do you think of the Edge of the World Shop?
It's super cool-reminds me of the shop I used to ride for. Cool
people you can trust. People that are really into a good scene
without the hype. What
are your plans down the road?
I'm going to be doing some filming. I just got back from Chile.
I am going to Europe for a couple of weeks and then Japan. What about last year?
Didn't do a lot last year; I had a torn Achilles.
That sucks.
You know it. Laid up big time most of the year. So, who are your favorite riders.
Craig Kelly and Terje come to mind. Do you have any pets?
Yeah-a dog named Ernie. What kind of vehicles do you have?
Chevy truck, dirt bike,
snowmobile. What’s your favorite breakfast cereal?
Umm, Raisin Bran. Any last words?
Ride hard and enjoy whatever you do. Have fun at life and stay
cool.
Well, that's soft-spoken Mike from B.C. Look for him in all
the usual places-TV, mags or, if you're smart, somewhere in
the outback kicking it on some kinda mad vehicle of gnarly ripping
it up mayhem that, well, speaks for itself.
Well,
hello there. A while back I had the pleasure of meeting and
talking with the talented Burton pro Mike Michalchuk. I was
refreshed to see that this pro was laid back and a down to earth
kinda guy. How I happened upon Mike was somewhat unusual- or
more like an unusual place. Banner Elk, NC is the highest point
east of the Mississippi (check it out if you don't believe me-Mt.
Mitchell, NC). Ya see, every year this longtime shop Edge of
the World puts on a big party in November, to start off the
winter season. Here you find killer mini-ramp and street contests,
two bands, food, trampolines, sumo wrestling for money, big
prizes, food, water guns and more food. 
Bow-hunting!
Now that's something. That's real big around here.
What
are your plans down the road?