Standerd Slides

Subject: Jim Leatherman
Photo: Josh Letchworth

TSQ Location: Book 1.2, Critique section, page 104

So the Red Bull Human Trailers tour had gotten us all the way to Queenstown, New Zealand on the South Island. I’ve said it before, but this is best traveling crew that i have ever been a part of. It just works…lets just say that. Ivan, you are amazing. He kept telling us about this place called St. Bathens that we would eventually make it to.

The mostly-cloudy day finally came upon us and we piled in the van and headed up there. Like most places in beautiful country of New Zealand, it was in the middle of nowhere. The lake was formed from gold mining era in the early 1900s. It’s an unreal sight when you roll up to it, just a huge hole dug out of the earth that you look down into. Not to mention, the deserted town that surrounds it has this bar called The Vulcan. Kick ass place. It has a section of one of the original sluice pipes mounted in the wall that you could pass your body through if you dare. Thomas and Grubb did it.

Anyways…. we built a little rail, Thomas did a bunch of long-line whips and we all got a chance to ride. When Jim rode, I hiked up to this high bank that overlook a really nice section of lake and posted up. Don’t let the “team manager” title fool ya. Jim still rips. That dude can go a year without riding and get out there and kill it. He definitely likes to carve and here’s one of them from above.

- Letchworth