RIP Stewy. Stewart Oksenhorn (1963-2014)

Childhood friends. The Boys from Jersey loved Stewy.Aspen lost a friend...and a good man.

Stewart Oksenhorn was one of the first people I met in Aspen.  We had a real world connection through a mutual friend, someone who he had grown up with in New Jersey.   Stewart was one of the nicest, purest, most gentle and most authentic people I've met in Aspen.  He obviously loved music, film, theatre and all the arts.  And I know he loved his daughter, Olivia more than anything, because he told me that.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Stewart worked his a$$ off for The Aspen Times.  The sheer volume of his writing was utterly impressive. The quality and the passion of his narratives spoke for themselves. 

Stewy was a great cat and a mellow cruiser. He always seemed so happy.  Stewy was kind of quiet and unassuming....but you could see the wheels turning behind his smiling eyes.  Obviously there was a lot going on up top.  We often ended up together shooting pix in the front row at Belly Up or in the photo pit at Jazz Aspen.  Stewy had the 411 on every band coming to Aspen and he was always willing to share that info.

I wish I would have been there with him on that fateful morning, so sunny and clear.  I would have grabbed him by the pony tail and held him back.  I would have given him a great big bear hug and squeezed him so tight.  I would have stood up there on that bridge and hashed it out with him.  I would have picked up that gnarly looking leather back pack of his and handed it to him and said "c'mon Stewy, let's go jam".  I would not have taken no for an answer.

I can't imagine what prompted Stewart.  What was going on inside his head?   Beyond the sorrow and grief and compassion for his family and friends, I have many unanswered questions.  Why?   What pushed Stewy to make his final decision?  Aspen has a suicide rate that is 3 times the national average. Why is that?   Why can't we, Aspen, as a town figure out a better way to help people in need?  I have no idea why Stewy was hurting so badly inside.  Why he was wired to take action.  But I do know that people around here loved him and will miss him greatly, especially his daughter.   His family and friends back East loved him passionately too.  

To me,  Stewy's choice is a tragedy that defies explanation. I can't get it out of my head.  I wish I could go back in time and help my brother out.  But I can't.  I'm only left with good memories about Stewy, a kind and gentle soul.  

Condolences to his friends and family.

Rest In Peace, Stewart Oksenhorn. 

Sons of Aspen head to Sochi.

Aspen always sends it's Olympic athletes off in style.  Gondola Plaza was jammed with well wishers as Aspen bid bon voyage to four Olympians heading to Sochi, Russia for the 2014 Winter Olympics.  For a tiny mountain town, Aspen has an exceptional Olympic history.  No one seems to have the accurate number, but AspenSpin estimates that ZG has sent 30 to 40 athletes with strong ties to past Winter Games. Incredible.  Chris Klug, Gretchen Blieler, Casey Puckett, Andy Mill, Christin Cooper, Chris Devlin-Young and others have honored Aspen by competing at the highest level.

AspenSpin collaborator Joseph Gulizia attended the olympic  festivities Aspen Mountain.   Photos: JOSEPHGPHOTOGRAHY.com 

Click 4 Pix:  Sons of Aspen.

The four Aspen heros for the XXII Olympiad. 2014 in Sochi.

JEREMY ABBOTT                     Figure Skating

SIMI HAMILTON                        Cross County Skiing

NOAH HOFFMAN                     Cross Country Skiing

TORIN YATER-WALLACE      Ski Superpipe

X Games Aspen: Party Down in A-Town

There are an unbelievable number of parties and special events for X Games Aspen. It's impossible to do them all...but Aspen is a Party Town and I am Andy Party. I tried.

I scored enough wrist bands to choke a dinosaur but still, I could not do it all.  I attended all the parties that I was actually invited to and I crashed the ones that I wasn't.  I tried to use everything to my advantage, including years of experience at X Games.   First of all... I'm old enough to be the father of the entire " X Games demographic".  Second of all,  I know where all Aspen's back doors are and I'm friendly with most of the security guards and bouncers.   All this came to a head during the perfect storm that is X Games weekend.  I discovered a new trick this year... it's all about progression and style.   Several times I was stopped at the door, my wrist inspected and my lack of proper credentials exposed...even before they could shoo me away...I smoothly shouted "my kid just won the Gold Medal"...it worked every time.

So here's my party town photo essay from X Games Aspen 2014.

OAKLEY PENTHOUSE PARTY

ESPN PRESS CONFERENCE

FREESKIER / RED BULL PARTY at SKY

SAVOY on AJAX / ISVERA FASHION SHOW at BOOTSY BELLOWS

I-RECREATE HOUSE ( yeah, it's legal)

MONSTER PARTY at the SUNDECK

TIESTO w/ Axwell in WAGNER PARK

Oakley hosted athletes and media at a private penthouse. click for pix.ESPN's press conference at Buttermilk. X Games renewed for 5 more years in Aspen. Click 4 pix.It's a fact. Senders get chicks, especially at the Freeskier / Red Bull Party. Click 4 pix.I-Recreate. A private home, off campus featuring all the recreational weed you could handle. Click 4 pix.Savoy, a free EDM show at the base of Aspen Mountain. Click 4 pix.Monster hosted their annual bash at the Sundeck atop Aspen Mountain. Sh*t got crazy. Click 4 pix.Tiesto performed his EDM magic in Wagner Park. No one OD'd. Click for pix.

X Games Aspen: Insane Style

Another HUGE day at X Games 2014.   Progression, Amplitude and Style.   The competition just keeps getting more fierce and the tricks keep getting bigger and stylier.

The Gold Medal goes to:

SNOWBOARD SLOPESTYLE:  MAX PARROT (CAN)

SNOWBOARD SLOPESTYLE:  SILJE NORENDAL (NOR)

SNOWMOBILE LONG JUMP:  LEVI LaVALLEE  (USA)

SNOWBOARD SUPERPIPE:     KELLY CLARK  (USA)

SKI BIG AIR:                        HENRIK HARLAUT  (SWE)

Max Parrot took home his second Gold in X Games Aspen 2014in Slope. Photo: Max Morning ESPN IMAGES.Norwegian fox Siljie Norendal broke through for GOLD in slope. Photo: Peter Morning ESPN Images Levi LaVallee grabbedgold in the inaugural Snowmobile long jump contest. Photo: Gabriel Christus ESPN IMAGESKelly Clark the most decorated woman in X Games history added Gold in pipe to her collection. Next gen rider Chloe Kim, 13, took silver. Photo: Peter Morning ESPN IMAGES Ski BIG AIR is one huge progression session. Henrik Harlaut took gold followed by Vincent Gagnier and Kai Mahler. Photo: Christian Pondella ESPN IMAGES

Colten Moore rides for Caleb, Wins Gold.

Colten Moore rode in memory of his brother Caleb who perished from injuries sustained last year in a snowmobile crash at Winter X Games in Aspen.   Colten pointed to the sky on numerous occasions and said it was like "riding with 2 athletes" on his way to the GOLD MEDAL in SNOWMOBILE FREESTYLE.

Colten Moore laid down the best run filled with sick tricks and HUGE amplitude to score 91.33 and take home the gold.  60 of his friends and family were on hand to show their support and to memorialize Caleb.

Photos by JOE WIEGELE / ESPN IMAGES