Heavenly – Operation Elevation Email to Todd Rudis

Operation Elevation with Ashley Cooley, Greg Hydle and Chris Hansen

Aloha Todd Rudis!

I just wanted to send you a quick email and photo about how awesome operation elevation is at Heavenly!

It was my first time ever getting to ski the amazingly beautiful Heavenly yesterday … Although it was frigid cold, I couldn’t help but nearly freeze my hands off snapping photo after photo on this first day to heavenly adventure. The overlook on the way up the gondola is gorgeous, but the highlight of the day was definitely being selected to take part in your operation elevation experiment. Riding in “the beast” to the top of the mountain during sunset to experience all of what Heavenly really has to offer was a completely unexpected treat for Ashley and I. Chris Hansen killed it in giving us an awesome ride in “the beast” and I even turned him into a little photographer to help us document the adventure at the top!

I will have a complete write up and video of our experience available online soon as we progress our way around the world for Vail Resorts Epic Race. But I just wanted to reach out to you now and say thanks for the perfect ending to this Epic Day. Operation Elevation is the shit!

Check out this bad ass photo we snapped :)

UPDATE: September 1st, 2014 … unfortunately Todd still has yet to reply… WTF Vail.

Epic Race Mountain 01 – Arapahoe Basin

112213 0251 - Arapahoe Basin - Team Shot (16x9)

The first day ever of the Epic Race started off with Rhinehart drinking black coffee in the backseat of the Touareg while Hydle drove and I DJ’d some Miley Cyrus etc on the way up to Arapahoe Basin. We had a quick pit stop at Rhineharts cabin to do some engineering on the Touaregs windshield spray (which we solved by adding in the super leaded Colorado version of wiper fluid) and then headed to the mountain.

When we finally arrived (1 pm ish) we posted up shop at “The Beach” where we shot our first videos of the trip, after poaching someone’s community beach chairs for the shot. The day was cold, but we had some Cold CL’s to keep us a little warmer.

Our next location was to visit the “new” 6th Alley Bar and Grill, which was actually still under construction. Hydle pulled some strings/opened some doors and got us into the construction zone to take a sweet pic in front of the beetle kill woodwork that’s gonna be super sweet once it’s all open! We took our photos/videos there and then headed up the hill.

The snow was fun, but the visibility was pretty bad since it was so overcast, so we just cruised a couple runs and then headed to our third and final stop, the Black Mountain Lodge. We took some badass photos in front of the lodge, and then in front of the Continental Divide mountain range, and then went in and grabbed nothing other than of course a Coors Original, since after all, we were tapping the Rockies in the Rockies.

After relaxing/eating/photographing/videoing and meeting some new friends, we took a few more runs and then called it a day, the visibility and weather really made it tough to want to ski much more at that point even though we had a great time!

Once we loaded up, we took a humongous series of jumping photos in front of the A Basin welcome sign. It was a workout, but it was worth it!

Back at the cabin Devin cooked up some of the best vodka sauce sausage spaghetti of all time, and then Lauren, and the Rhineharts arrived to enjoy dinner with us (thank you for dinner and thank you for having us at your cabin Rhineharts!). Ryan and Mary did a pretty good job of convincing us we may have disqualified ourselves on day 1 (which was hilarious actually and was all in good spirits but also good looking out) but after lots of conversation and an email from the Epic team confirming we were fine, we continued on with our night and worked on booking the rest of our flights. Rhinehart and Hydle were huge in figuring out the best logistically sound order of flights, and once booked, we called it a night. Peace out until day 2. Epic!

My Highest Bowling Score (278)


Greg Hydle's Highest Bowling Score

April 4th, 2013 is the day that I almost retired from bowling. After Pizza and Beer League play at Golden Bowl, Donovan Rossi and I stayed late to work on our game. I’m pretty sure Donovan had a personal best a couple games before I bowled my 278.

Tonights 10 games of Golden Bowl bowling looked like this…

238 144 181 163 191 170 195 179 236 278

…for a night average of 197.

I’ve never gone 9 deep… therefore I’ve never gone 9 deep and dorked it in the 10th :(

Until that illustrious 300 perfect game, Cheers.
-Greg Hydle

Jake Manley – Z06 Hand Control Race Car

Jake Manley - Hand Control Race Car

Sounds like Jake Manley is up to a new project for Craig Hospital

“Next project! Dad, I got to get you over to the shop! You will love it. The owner said you could come over and help work on the cars any time!

This Z06 will be race ready in July complete with state of the art hand controls! This is going to be bad ass!

I get to drive it on the track in June!

Sounds like a job for GoPro.

Mom + Dad + Me

Les Hydle + Greg Hydle + Susan Hydle

Today I randomly found the last photo that I had taken with both of my parents. Here is a little message to my dad…

“Today I’m randomly going through media and SD cards that I have piled around the house… and not only did I find a card that contained my last visit to Grandma’s, but I also found this little gem … which I’m pretty sure is the last photo I have with you and mom. This was the day you guys signed your papers … and you two were getting along beautifully. Pretty sure we went to tequilas after this to celebrate… yum. Oh – and just so you know, that place burnt down too. What a shitty year :) But just like everything good in life, it will be re-built – bigger and better. Hope your having fun up there…”

Susan Hydle + Les Hydle + Greg Hydle = A Good Time (always!)

Alex Khadiwala – Life Moments

082212 0216 - Hydle + Khadiwala + Beach

From: Alex Khadiwala

To all of you, my closest friends and family, I want to say that I love you.

I say this today in particular in memory of my late father who passed 16 years ago today. It has not been easy to be without the incredible man who was my father as I go through life. But I like to think that the final lesson I learned from my father that this is life. Something fleeting and temporary. Each moment can not be reproduced and should be treated as such. This lesson has taught me to appreciate each one of these moments. Furthermore, I have learned that the people that we experience these moments with and who make most of these moments so special are also temporary. Health and life are precious and fragile things. I understand this through and through.

With this final lesson from my father, I try to live each day appreciating every moment, and every experience; acknowledging and understanding how special each one is.

But as a the question goes, if a tree falls in a forest and nobody is there to hear it, is there a sound? Each moment is not nearly as important nor memorable as it is when we can share these moments with the ones we love and care about.

So, on this important day, I’d like to take a moment to tell you all that I love you all. You make my life important and make me happy to live each of these moments that I have the opportunity to live.

I look forward to every moment we spend together, all the experiences we share, and all the great food and music we enjoy with an expression of bassface.

With all my heart and my sincere love,
Alex

Hydle Reply

Alex – thank you for sharing – you are awesome!

Having also recently lost my father I too cherish the moments that we consider the right here and right now. I believe that is something I have always been particularly good at, but when you lose someone or something that is particularly important to you, it is funny how you are somehow re-reminded to cherish the important people and things that are still in your life.

For you to take the time to reflect about your father and then to share it with your friends means a lot to me and I feel privileged to be included. I wish we all did more thinking, reflecting and especially sharing… Just like you have now :)

Love you dude!

Rock on!
Greg Hydle

Happy Belated Valentine’s Day

Valentines Day

We were all brought up thinking that the heart that you see for Valentine’s day is similar to the Human Heart Organ. That cannot be farther from the truth. Heart Organs are oblong and have a bunch of nasty looking arteries and ventricles coming out of them. The attached photo shows clearly the true origin of the Valentine heart.

I hope you learned something today.
Happy Belated Valentine’s Day

My Father’s Final Playlist

Today is October 10th, 2012 which marks the 4 month anniversary of the day we laid my father to rest after being involved in a tragic motorcycle accident while leaving my neighborhood. To summarize the last 4 months, I can only say that time, memories and emotions have basically all blurred into one surreal adventure where it is hard to decipher between what should affect me and what shouldn’t. In addition to my attempts of coming to terms with what happened on June 9th, 2012 – there have been countless other interesting and emotional events that have prevented me from fully dealing with the loss of my father. Colorado nearly burned to death, Aurora was tragically shot up, Dixie took rest, uncle RT (my dads brother) passed exactly a month ago and now I’ve been forced to nearly give up on one of my most meaningful and important relationships. Everything aside – there have been a lot of positives that have also occurred through business ventures, travel, family communication and finding an all to real *real*ness in this world… but it is hard to focus attention on these without fully dealing with this sub-par hand of cards that has been dealt through the summer of 2012.

In two days we will head to court for the criminal case against the 27 year old driver who illegally, and unknowingly pulled directly in front of my father after our heartfelt time we spent together. He has since pleaded guilty to his charges and we only await a sentencing hearing… where we will get a chance to meet the man responsible for this accident. It is hard to say how my family and I will respond to this long awaited meeting, I’m sure there will be some existence of anger and hate, but I personally know that all of the anger is going to have to be overcome to fully heal from this loss.

All I can do is remember the amazing person my father was and how incredible the time was we were literally *just* able to spend together. At my fathers service, I presented the final moments we spent together into a playlist – my father’s final playlist. I will eventually release the video of my speech to everyone, but today I release to you these final moments through memories, movies, songs and writing. Within these final moments I was able to build him a playlist he would be proud of. Everything seemed to happen naturally… and with little effort. If I had known this would have been the final hour I would ever get to spend with my father… I still don’t think I would have changed a thing.

My Father’s Final Playlist

It was a calm and sunny Saturday summer morning when my father pulled up into my driveway on his brand new to him Yamaha Venture. It was a big bike, cherry red and gorgeous… and I could immediately tell from the smile on his face that he was happy. He wanted to show me this bike and I took the time to look at it. We played with gadgets, disc changers and radio stations. I was super surprised that a guy like my dad hadn’t yet taken the time to figure out his own stereo so he could at least listen to music while he cruised. I figured it out for him… taught him… balanced his speakers… and programmed some radio stations. We spent at least 20 minutes in the hot colorado sun mesmerizing over his added extras and light bar additions to the bike. This bike was reflective… my dad was glowing. We eventually rolled inside and as we were looking at a random appliance problems in my kitchen … he simply asked me – “what happened to your microwave?” To which I answered… “oh, you didn’t see that video? – come here”

So I pulled him to my upstairs computer… and I showed him this.

Track 1 – Video – Beer Run

After watching … and laughing at this video peace – I previously had another open video just sitting there on my computer. Also revolving beer.

Track 2 – Video – St. Patty’s Day

My Dad chuckled at the Guinness comments… so staying on the Beer theme I asked him “Dad – did you know that we have our own beer?” And I cued this up.

Track 3 – Video – Hydle Ale Release

Post Hydle Ale video, man he laughed at the Hydle Ale Logo… so I asked him if he saw our KOHL’s rock out video? — which is a beautiful peace with all my nephews and his grandchildren.

Track 4 – Video – KOHL’s Party

Now at this point… I command-tabbed over to final cut where a project I was previously working on was open. It was from the Denver Day of Rock show that took place only two weeks prior and I KNEW my dad would be intrigued. He’d never listened to Amanda Capper – So I let him watch… and listen.

Track 5 – Song + Video – Someone Like You

I knew my dad was in kind of a hurry… he had to go somewhere and a quick call from his girlfriend made me leave the room. I never respected or wanted to show any appreciation for his new relations, which he knew, so even though I know he only talked to her for a couple seconds… I still managed to leave the room and go to the garage. What my Dad didn’t know – is I was setting him up for his final 3 songs in a new listening environment.

I listened to him watch a video… and engage in the music you just listened to. Came back upstairs and asked – “did you like that?” To which the reply was an obvious “yes.” So I led him to the garage and started playing this, which I knew he would love even more.

Track 6 – Song – Baby I’m Amazed

It was fun… shooting the shit with him, as he had no idea what the intro to the song was all about or what song was coming up. But as soon as the keyboardist drops into the beginning riff … he belted out “Paul McCartney – Baby I’m Amazed!” and sat on the couch. I knew he would know exactly what song it was – This was fun. I sat on the couch across from him… It’s orange – we call it Bronco… and we listened to music. Loud music – The way he would make me sit and listen when I was a kid.

We get to the part where Amanda Capper starts singing… he sits up and points to his arm, looks up at me and energizes, “You know those hairs on your arm that stand up?? Those goose bumps? — Yah!!” To which I simply reply … “You just got CAPPER’d” and we sit and listen to the rest of the song.

When Baby I’m Amazed finished – he wanted to know when this show was… and why he missed it. I lightly explained that he missed a lot of things. One of them was an unbelievable experience after hours in a Utah bar. So I played this one…

Track 7 – Song – Drift Away

— Emotional Acoustic Version
— Denver Day of Rock Live Version

As I explain the jam session video we shot in Utah singing drift away to a very special BMX crowd revolving around an injured rider – Stephen Murray… I transitioned into the Craig Hospital video I had just completed. I explained about bringing Amanda Capper into the mix and how we accomplished what we did. I commented aggressively about him having not seen the video… since this was something I hold dear to my heart and means a lot to me. But since he didn’t have time to watch the 9 minute masterpiece … I explained enough to him so he would understand where this next song comes from. It was an Amanda Capper original, her own creation from watching the video I created. She was inspired to write a song about life from the perspective of a little girl … only this girl had a name – Briley Alberi, the daughter of one of the most amazing families I had ever met. The Alberi’s were the subject of a Montana creation for the 2012 push dinner video. I told my dad how I had video of Amanda playing the first idea of this next song sitting upstairs in my living room in early February… and that this was the first time she ever played it live. I told him about how it is the ultimate complement when your work inspires the work of others… and this is where his final song on my dads final playlist came from.

Track 8 – Song – Time To Try

We sat listening on my couches… across from one another. Not a word was said. My father loved music, and he loved the music I was playing for him. I knew this… because I could feel it. In the next couple days I would learn more about my dad and his true musical background than I previously knew about anything thing else about him. He was a known unknown in this world of rock and roll music growing up and he has proof of it. I would meet one of his best buds from his growth years… his real fast and free years of growing up without a care. I would learn that although my dad couldn’t or didn’t play an instrument, he would still instruct others how to play. He could belt out guitar riffs with his voice… he could hit the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and although he didn’t complete his pursuit of rock-stardom. His friends did.

We stood up… hugged – said our I love yous… walked out to his bike, listened as he revved his engine one last time, down my street and around the corner. I stared him off into the distance… stood barefoot, shirtless on my driveway – had an unnerving feeling, said a mental goodbye, paused. and walked inside. No more than 30 seconds after this moment, my father was tragically involved in a motorcycle accident he would not wake from. A vehicle would carelessly turn left directly in front of him before leaving my neighborhood… and I would never get to share another hug with this man I called dad.

I’m sorry it had to happen this way dad… and I know you are looking down and saying the same. As I expressed to you on our airport run in October, 2010 – “You really fucked things up here, and it will be interesting to see how you react to this situation.” And it was. But this wasn’t expected by anyone. You should never have had to spend the emotional energy on the feelings you were going through – it makes you “check out from real life.” I also told you this, but you didn’t listen and it sucks you had to go through this alone. Yes – I know enough to look into your emotions more… but I also know enough to let it go and move on. You are back where you belong… loved by your true family, who actually care about you.

Now it’s time for the next chapter. My dad’s latest project was reliving his past and rejuvenating elementary school stories back into the skull of one of his best friends growing up – trust me on this one, this is already one hell of a story. People go their own ways in life… some remember things – and some don’t. My dad remembered everything, which is the perfect match for someone who forgot it all. I’m a storyteller, just like you dad … but I possess some talents you didn’t have, and I’ve been inspired. May you and your brother Craig turn some SOIGDH in the heavens. Turn it up loud, so all those old dudes can hear you party. But keep it quiet enough so you can still chime in on what is happening down here. Doc and Capper might have something to say. True story by me, you mother HAWKer!

Rock on father… I love and miss you,
Young Son

I Love Awesomeness – The Whale


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Hard to believe this “Meat Torpedo” photo is real… I know. That’s just proves how awesome this humpback whale really is.

“On our way in from fishing for halibut we noticed a few humpback whales playing in the distance and we stopped part way in to watch. It was quite an experience to see something completely airborne so close to the boat. The lucky thing was I got the photo I submitted. A fellow boat also got a picture of the whale close to mid air and it was also all caught on video. Was an amazing day.”

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