So Friday was a lucky day. I got to spend it down in Melbourne with the Burton UnInc team! Basically, I hi-jacked the brand new Volkswagon van that Burton had borrowed for the day and drove around Gigi Ruf, Romain De Marchi, JP Soberg, Danny Davis, photographer Dean ‘Blotto’ Gray and cinematographer Aaron! It was all part of Burton’s ‘The Process 4’ Australia Movie Tour.

My day started like every other day for me, stressful and late. I ran out of petrol on the way to the Burton showroom in St. Kilda and had to get rescued by a friend. After a lot of spilt petrol, I finally made it to the showroom and managed to wrangle the VW from the Forum Snowboards brand manager. Then I was on my way to the airport with all the digital cameras, fisheye cameras, magazines, batteries, memory cards and film I could carry.

Because I want to save this story for the print version of the magazine, I’ll be breif. I picked ’em all up from the airport, went back to their hotel, went to lunch, heard an awesome story of when Danny Davis met Terje Haakonsen for the first time, drove to Frankston Trigger Bros because they were hooking the guys up with some surfboards, signed some snowboards for some lucky shoppers, drove back to the hotel and drank some beers, drove over to the theater for ‘The Process 4’ premier, did a signing for kids at the theater, watched Gigi slam a $100 cake into Danny’s face because it’s his 18th birthday this week, went out to dinner and then we drove over to the after-party and got riddled! All in a days work for a little magazine editor and a day in the life for a bunch of pro snowboarders!

Hold tight for the real photo journal in the upcoming 3rd issue of POP Magazine!

Pretty easy to spot these kids in a crowded airport. Just look for the dope luggage!

Romain actually made UnInc beanies for the Australian tour! Burton brand manager Shane Carter was pretty stoked with his. I wonder how much he’d get for it on ebay..?

Romain and JP getting cozy.

Normally the sight of construction workers out the front your hotel means a bad hangover recovery in the morning. Danny Davis decided to take revenge early by throwing a nice little front board on thier sign. Take that jack hammer guy!

Yerp! Lunch!

What magazine does Danny Davis read?! Oh wait, that looks like POP? That’s because it is fool!

Gigi tastes tests his new Trigger Brothers surfboard.

Romain was stoked on his board. When I tried telling him how cold the Victorian water is he just looked at me and said ‘I’m from Europe…’ Oh yeah, it gets cold there in the winter doesn’t it…

I wonder if this kid bought this snowboard just so Romain could sign it.

Hooked up!

JP, Romain and Gigi.

Who better to be talking surfboards with than one half of the Trigger Brothers Paul Trigger.

Gigi Ruf took so much care in signing this kids board. He drew him a picture and everything. It was so rad! Gigi is a champion!

JP bought a skateboard and was so pumped to go skate Frankston Park. He said he’d never actually skated propper bowls. It’s a pitty we ran out of time and couldn’t make it to the park. Can you imagine how good these kids could skate?!

Danny, Romain and Paul Trigger.

The Trigger shop kids and the Un.. Inc team. Hey, who’s manning the shop?!

JP Solberg approves of the local brew. I asked Blotto if he liked VB. He said the beer is okay but that he like the bottles better. Go Stubbies!

Blotto… Camera in one hand, beer in the other. That’s how you debate!

Way more people turned up than I thought! Stoked.

Shane introducing the guys.

Signing madness. This was right after Gigi caked Danny in the face. I’ve saved that photo for the magazine. Epic!

Stoked little kid. Thats what it’s all about!

How happy are these kids. Photo’s and autographs from their hero’s. Awesome!

Kobi style beef. Yerh!

Party time!

Burton, Analog & Anon team rider Chris Eacott, Ride & Holden shreder Marc Baker, Forum & Electric destroyer Mikey Williams and the bearded bandit Burton national manager Paul Colby.

Trigger Brothers manager Rory Tonkin… What’s your secret?

This is right when my digital camera finally died. Thats Lincon from Tasmainia’s Red Herring Surf and JP. Good times.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the 3rd issue of POP when it hits stores at the start of July for more of the good photo’s. Why wouldn’t you? It’s free!