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Most of us can only dream of setting off on a world tour. This year,
Jake Burton and his family will be living the dream, embarking on
a 10-month trip to snowboard all over the globe, covering six continents
and following winter the whole way.
Board and surf around the world
Jake, Donna, George (13), Taylor (9), and Timmy (6) set off in July
for a year of adventure travel. They will be snowboarding at resorts
and in the backcountry of Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia,
Morocco, throughout Europe and in the Himalayas (India). To round
out the trip, they will be surfing in the Galapagos Islands, Peru,
Tonga, and Hawaii, sea kayaking in Thailand, and touring through
China, Tibet, and Vietnam.
This trip is a far cry from National Lampoon's summer
vacation. Jake will be using the trip to get in touch with the sport
on a global basis: visiting shops and riding mountains all over
the world. The ultimate goal - to maintain the company's global
outlook and leadership and reinforce Burton's drive for innovation
and commitment to the growth of the sport worldwide. As part of
the trip, Jake will be spending several months in Europe and Japan,
both key international markets for Burton.
Testing the newest gear
Throughout the trip, Jake and his family will be conducting extensive
product testing,, and at each stop, Jake will be sent a few pieces
of new gear, straight from the proto shop back in Burlington, VT.
He and his family will log days on snow before the product is swapped
out for newer gear, exchanging it in a constantly revolving cycle.
"My family and I enjoy winter much more than summer, so we're looking
forward to going on a safari where winter is never going to end,"
says Jake. "By riding all over the planet, I'll be developing a
very good understanding of what it takes to be a more effective
global company. It will be huge to immerse ourselves in the European,
Japanese, and Southern Hemi snowboarding cultures among other areas
we're visiting, and remind ourselves that there's a lot more to
the world than North America."
Snowboard the world through Jake's eyes
Jake will be posting regular updates on his adventures and experiences
at the Burton. site. Stay tuned
for stories from the road, complete with photos and videos of his
adventures.
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