Words and Photos by Jeff Curtes

My first big magazine assignment took me to Italy. Nearly the exact same spot that now, nearly 25 years later, we set off to basically do the same thing. Ride, explore, get lost, drink up the local everything, and have as much damn fun as possible. Back in 1994, it was a Transworld Snowboarding Magazine feature, and having never been to Europe before, I was wide eyed and so amping for just everything that Italy does so incredibly well. We were in Italy, riding, search for snow, and just loving every minute of it.

And when the next season’s Volume of Snowboarding dropped, our trip was front and center, my first TWS cover and a full feature of our debauchery and wanderlust in Italy. Thousand of images and memories which came back the second we set foot in the country again a few weeks ago with the Maap crew to shoot their new Winter 16 collection and mostly, to ride, get lost, and have as much fun as possible. We’d also eat and drink and love everything that makes Italy, well, Italy. Doppio espresso came easily back to the tip of my tongue.

With the new kit literally fresh hot from the Italian factories, our plan was to scoot up valley and post of for a week of riding based out of Lecco, on Lake Como. For sure I thought we’d see George Clooney on a Colnago, probably sipping a Nespresso, that I would have been just fine with that. Since I was flying in a few days after Mikey and Ollie had arrived, they had done had a few days of riding in the area, and although the peaks surroundings were filled with endless epic routes and cols, deep down Ollie new that we wanted to go bigger, deeper, higher up in the mountains to really get into the Giro type shit. The stuff that would blow minds back in Australia where the brand is blowing up like a bush fire on a hot summer day. They checked out of their hotel a few days early, picked Luke Parker and I up in Milan, and we headed to Bormio.

Literally at the base of the Stelvio, our chalet in Bormio was our base for the next five days of riding and exploring while testing and shooting all of Maap’s latest kit. We brought in one of Luke’s former Italian teammates Leo Moggio (@moioleo) and Rebecca Cancellieri to show us some roads, help us order the best food on the menu, and cook homemade Italian meals. Well, not really, but riding with Italians in Italy felt right, and our crew was sorted. Wake up and pedal, nothing else to do and that felt good.

Did I mention that I had been in Bormio shooting snowboarding back in the 90’s? Well, waking up to huge snowflakes, dumping snow and sub zero temps on day 1, felt like I was right back there on that trip. Coffee, breakfast, coffee and roll…snow and sleet on the way up Bormio 2000 slowed the pace a bit, but damn it was beautiful.

The following days followed a similar pattern..cold temps, snow patched roads, clearing weather and endless Giro style climbs in every direction. The Mortirolo, the Stelvio, Bernina Pass into the Engadine region of Switzerland and tax free Livigno…all epic spots that not only have gorgeous roads to get you there, they have some amazing spots to shred in the winter as well. I felt right back at home, thanks Italy…