Picture this: you’re about to drop in for a lovely spring run through the beautiful assortment of metal and jumps that comprise the playground of Utah’s Park City Resort. The sun beams down on you from above, and your friends eagerly shout encouraging words like “you got it!” and “don’t be a lame ass!” from behind as you eye down your line. But right as you’re about to drop, searching for that ounce of courage to try that new trick, you see an orange and red blur off to your side. The green strips on the helmet, the LINE Skis elegantly swooshing, the North Face logo just visible. “It can’t be”, you utter, knowing full well that it MUST be. Next thing you know, all the inspiration you could ever hope for is gracefully dancing in front of your eyes. Yes, it’s the pretzel man, the king of after-bang, Tom Wallisch himself, giving you a visual demonstration in style and grace on skis. Your knees go weak, and hold your breathe and can do nothing but smile as Tommy Walnuts handles the foreboding rails with confidence, bounces through the jumps with the ease of a champion, and vanishes from sight. You pinch yourself. No, this was not a dream.
That ideal scenario of a wonderful spring day which I have just described to you is what PC locals were treated on one fine day last spring. Well, probably on several days, as Tom is no stranger to those iconic green rails. Regardless, if, like most of us, you haven’t seen this show in person, then welcome to the next best thing. In ‘Over-View’, filmer and editor Drew Lederer compiles a lofty collection of GoPro clips of Dr. Wallisch as he does…well, exactly what he does, and makes it look all too easy along the way. Always good to have a reminder that some people never go out of style.
