If you're not one of the 75,000 people who've tuned into Line Skis' Traveling Circus webisodes over the last four years, here's what you've been missing: A motley crew of ski bums migrate around the country in a disheveled van, chasing storms, visiting truck stops, sliding rails, eating donuts and more. Starring Line athletes Will Wesson and Andy Parry and with frequent appearances from skiers like LJ Strenio, Ian Compton, and others, the edits are rarely serious and always portray ski culture as real and laughable. Traveling Circus recently won Best Web Series at the International Freeski Film Festival for the third year in a row. We spoke to Wesson and Parry about the fifth season of the series, the first episode of which dropped this week.
What can we expect from this season of Traveling Circus?
Will Wesson: This season we're hoping to ski as many new places as possible. So far we've checked New Zealand off the list (Episode 2, coming out in October). Who knows what the winter will bring, but we've got a long list of places to ski.
Andy Parry: We just bought a RED camera and intend on using it for Ian Compton's return to TC with jumping through a cactus. After his hiatus, we decided that he needs a banger return by introducing the possibility of him being mortally wounded by getting stuck in a cactus.
You guys have been doing this for five years. What have you learned over the years?
Wesson: Definitely a lot about budgeting. From food to gas to rent to time, always trying to get the most for the least while still having fun.
Parry: One big thing I have learned is that you don't really need to shower on a daily basis and washing clothes isn't that big of a deal. When you're around things that smell all the time it doesn't matter how bad you smell. Another important lesson that I have learned over the years is to keep following your dream and something good will happen.
You've won the Best Web Series at IF3 for three years in a row. Is the fame going to your heads?
Wesson: Hopefully not! We try to keep things weird and entertaining.
Parry: My head was already big, and I don't think it could be filled up anymore than it is. But in all reality it hasn't and never really will. We are all on the same level in my book unless you're a person saving lives or making the world a better place, and I don't fall into either of those categories. It is however good to have other people recognize your hard "work."
When you look back at your first season of making these edits, are you like, 'What were we thinking?'
Wesson: Sort of, but then I remember the fear of the "real world job" and just wanting to ski. Somehow the skiing continues?
Parry: Looking back fives years ago I must have been a genius. I'm one of the top dogs of the ski company that I wanted to ride for when I was a kid. I'm also traveling the world and skiing all over the place for free. Sure during season one I had to sell almost all of my stuff to get a plane ticket back home to New York but it was all worth it in the end.
Andy, you're recovering from a knee injury that cut your season short last year. How are you feeling now?
Parry: Feeling like a 25-year-old pro skier that still can't do a double cork and has passed his prime. Just kidding. I feel great and can't wait to have a real winter this year. I think that it was a good confirmation that my life won't be over after skiing and I can survive without it. I think it also gave my rail skiing a new vitality, and a month after being cleared to ski I was doing tricks I have never done before. I started skiing May first and have skied around 90 days so I think I'm doing just fine.
