A Guide To Couch Surfing With Quicksilver Rider Bryan Fox
March 21st 2012
The Mountain Dew® Do Awesome Tour has been heading across the country, bringing citrus-fuelled fun to skiers and riders everywhere. In fact, the tour will be at Blue Mountain this Thursday, March 22 until Sunday, March 25th.
But hitting mountains across the country isn’t cheap! How can we, humble readers, seek snow-filled adventure on a budget? #DoAwesome’s Caley linked up with her friend Bryan Fox for some tips.
I can’t remember exactly how I met Bryan Fox. Classic snowboard-industry-friend-of-a-friend at a snowboard related event somewhere in Portland. We kept in touch, rarely ever getting the chance to hang. A couple months following he hits me up for a place to stay in Whistler. In snowboarding sleeping on someone’s couch is nothing new. I myself am pretty damn good at couch surfing, so of course I welcomed him to come on up. Couple months have gone by and Bryan has stayed on our couch in Whistler on three separate occasions. Recently he returned to our couch fresh from a snowboard trip in Alaska with Travis Rice. He was filled with so many stories and photos he managed to distract us enough to stay another week... In payment I asked him a couple questions on how he got so good at his couch surfing gig.
Bryan you seem pretty organized while traveling; what are the key items you have on you always:
• Sleeping bag- thing to sleep in. use your sweatshirt as a pillow.
• Heart coffee- gift for the people paying rent.
• Bananas and peanut butter, like sonny and cher. Great combo.
• Cameras- your memory will fail one day, these things are like a backup drive for your memory.
• Passport- be ready to go from wherever you are to wherever you want to be.
• Field notes- if the camera fails, your words will save you.
Bryan casually carries a ‘condensed’ case of 6 cameras, mainly vintage film cameras mixed with some point&shoots and a goPro. He is always documenting everything. I asked him why he had so many and he replied ‘ you should see how many I have at my house in Portland.’ – I can’t even imagine.
Gifting is always a huge one for me when I couch surf. What are the top 5 gifts to bring the owners of the couch you’re trying to sleep on?
1. coffee. Everyone loves coffee, get the good stuff.
2. food. Everyone loves food, get the good stuff.
3. Toilet paper. Everyone goes to the bathroom, get the good stuff.
4. A dessert of some sort. Ice cream, pie or cake.
5. Never take any of these with you when you leave. All food stays at the house.
So you start by buttering them up with gifts, then how do you get that invite back? What are your top 5 ways to be a good couch surfer?
1. Find a place in the house to store your stuff that looks unused.
2. Wake up before everyone and put your sleeping bag away. Cleanliness is key.
3. Always offer to cook, do the dishes.
4. Take quick showers.
5. Never over stay your welcome, you’ll want to come back one day.
What are your best ways to save money while you travel? Share your tips, and maybe we’ll let you crash on our couch here at the Much offices.