P3: Pipes, Parks, and Powder

For anyone interested in snowboarding, P3 is a great read. It was even better for me, serving as a reminder to how much has happened to our sport in a short span, and bringing me back to the days I spent in Colorado - often at the same events/locations as Todd Richards. I found myself digging up old journals and reliving years of P/P/P in Breckenridge. Todd Richards is in the unique situation of having been involved in every generation of snowboarding so far, and at the forefront of most of these. So I can't think of anyone in a better position than him to put together a book like this. And compliments to author Eric Blehm for making the pieces come together so well, a task that no doubt would've been bigger than the result would imply. Cheers!

This is definitely snowboarding's version of "HAWK Occupation: Skateboarder". Here's an awesome story about a guy who started out like a lot of us, just stoked to skate sketchy ramps with friends...but who transformed himself into the top Snowboard Genius somehow. The tales of his formative years are epic, piss-your-pants funny at times. Then once the career starts taking off, a testament to how working your butt off at something (wiring mind blowing tricks) can bring great things, even to a down-to-earth guy from humble beginnings like the rest of us. It is also very interesting to hear about dealing with the industry side of snowboarding from someone who's been there since almost the beginning. Like David Robinson and the Spurs, this book chronicles how nice guys can and do finish first sometimes. We can all share the stoke reading about how TR wins tons of contests, finds fulfillment in life, gets the pretty girl, all without selling out and/or becoming a cocky bastard like so many seem to. And the pictures, pure sweetness! They're a top-notch complement to the text throughout and really help tell TR's story. From bravely included photos of the awkward pre-teen and teen years where he was an undersized Star Wars junky with a bad haircut to well-shot professional sequences in the pipe, there are tons of stellar images. One thing that comes to mind after looking over the photos: TR definitely could have made it as a professional skater too, no doubt about it. And the moves he's still pulling on skate and snowboard into his 30's will blow minds. I started reading this book one night where I needed to get to bed early due to an important meeting the next day. Did I get to bed early? Hell no. Stayed up until I'd dusted almost 200 pages! And I could have read it straight through...it is hands-down that good, but the need to be coherent at my a.m. meeting the next day intervened. Bottom line: Buy it now, you'll be glad you did - whether you're a "grown-up", a stoked kid, a surfer/skater/or snowboarder, armchair X-Gamer...whatever.

Being a teenager and an avid snowboarder, I thought I would love this book. I asked for it for Christmas and my wish came true. I just finished it, and have never been so wrapped up in a book. It helps that I am familiar with Todd from my snowboard magazines and videos, but I would recomend this book to anyone who likes learning about the interesting things that the world has to throw at us as human beings, and how people like Todd handle it. He lives the life I dream of having, but he doesn't take it for granted, or flaunt it in a "in your face" way. He is a humble man, snowboarder, father, and in my opinion, hero. Thanks Todd for keeping me entertained for the past few days!

I loved this book.... Every page, every photo and every term I didn't understand! It was a fun read from cover to cover!! These words are coming from a person who, at 51, has never even put on a snowboard, I do ski, have SEEN a halfpipe AND a snowboard park AND I think running with scissors is a pretty brave thing to do! I have always enjoyed reading about people who are willing to go-for-it, risk it all to become who they want to be, to be so focused on something that time pretty well stands still in their minds. Todd set his goals way high and went from the kid who didn't want his Star Wars Action Figures to get dirty, to a WORLD CHAMPION SNOWBOARDER, all the while dealing with the demons and doubts swirling around in his head. Todd tells his story well, he doesn't sugar coat the life of a pro boarder. There are lots of perks AND many many nights lived out of a duffle bag. It may be a free duffle bag with a logo on it, a free hotel room and some incredibly fresh pow that no one has touched, but it still ain't home with Lindsy and Cam, it is still, in many ways a job. Mind you, it can be a FUN job, it pays well AND, as he discovered first hand last year, a dangerous job Not only is Todd an incredible athlete, he is first and foremost an incredible person, a great daddy, husband and friend, none of this fame and fortune has gone to his head. He is still falling asleep most nights plotting and planning his next big move.So, whether you are a snowboarder, or a wannabe anything or a parent of a kid who does not seem to have a passion, or a person who likes to read about triumph... Do yourself a favor and read this book. Me? I got to run outside and do a frontside grab.... does it count with scissors?PS. I forgot to say, this is a funny book, LAUGH-OUT-LOUD funny. Well done TR!!!

I bought this book for my son who is a snowboarder. It was meant to be a Christmas gift, but when I got home I started reading it and couldn't put it down. Todd's story is a wonderful account of a dream lifestyle that is entirely possible if you set your mind to something. P3 is a great inspirational read that recounts, step by step, Todd Richards rise to the top of professional snowboarding. He has no problem admitting his mistakes, and personal flaws which make his super hero stature all the more endearing. My son ended up getting an early Christmas present because I couldn't wait for him to read it, even with all the gross stories of boogers, and, well... read the book. You'll see what I mean. It had me laughing out loud.