Is This the Raddest Guest Book Ever Created?
Rob Cocuzzo is a writer and rambler whose work has appeared in countless magazines. He recently published his book "Tracking the Wild Coomba: The Life of Legendary Skier Doug Coombs" - and even more recently got married! Opting out of the traditional wedding guest book, Rob worked with us at Parlor to create a custom ski that would better capture what Rob and his new wife Jenny are all about. We sat down with Rob to learn a bit more about how he came up with this idea, and what he's been up to.
Parlor: Rob, you're a world class skiing writer. Your book "Tracking the Wild Coomba: The Life of Legendary Skier Doug Coombs" was a massive success both inside and outside of skiing world. What was it like to return to normal life after the writing process was complete?
Rob: The toughest part was saying goodbye to a person who lived in my imagination every day. Doug Coombs was the coolest guy to hang out with...in my mind, of course. I would wake up every morning, brew a pot of coffee, fire up my laptop, and then spend the next five hours visualizing him skiing the fiercest mountains around the world. Some writers say they’re just taking dictation from their characters when they write a book. In my case, I was writing the play by play of the greatest skier of a generation—arguably the greatest skier ever.
Photo by Ace Kvale
Parlor: You recently got married! Congratulations! Please tell us about it and what inspired the idea of having a Parlor Ski as the guest book. We of course love it.
Rob: We wanted a unique guest book that would reflect both our passion for the mountains and for the city of Boston. Parlor checked those boxes perfectly. Moreover, working with Mark and his team on the design only made the whole experience more meaningful. We couldn’t have been happier with the final product. The only problem now is resisting the urge to mount ‘em up and go shred.
Photo by Posey Pose
Parlor: What in particular do you like about Parlor skis?
Rob: When I moved to Jackson Hole in my mid twenties, the biggest lesson I learned right off the bat was that skis are a lot like golf clubs: there’s a specific ski for every situation. The more serious you get with the sport, the more customized you want your tools to be. The fact that Parlor can tailor a ski so precisely to a skier and the objectives he or she wants to pursue in the mountains makes it head and shoulders above any ski on the market.
Parlor: Is it true that Bill Belichick was at your wedding? Did he say anything about needing a pair of Parlors?
Rob: ‘tis true. I’m not sure how much skiing Coach Belichick gets in during the season, but as a man with an unmatched attention for detail, I know he’d love the process that goes into Parlor skis. His fishing boat on Nantucket is named VII RINGS. Maybe after this season, you guys could put out set of skis called VIII RINGS.
Photo by Hancer Photography
Parlor: You're a Boston kid but you've been all over the world, writing and adventuring. This is a low brow question, but do you have a favorite place you've been through all that? Maybe tell us about your best meal, biggest night out, or best day of skiing.
Rob: I’ve been super lucky to experience some pretty wild spots on the map. Studying in Scotland. Backpacking in Patagonia. Fly fishing in Montana. Cycling in Italy. Heli-skiing in Alaska. Living in La Grave, France. Getting bitten by a bat in Moab. Swimming with sharks off the coast of Nantucket. Proposing to my wife in Iceland. Each place has kept me wanting more of the world. But truth be told, of all the places I’ve been, nowhere makes me happier than my house up in Jackson, New Hampshire. Sitting there with my wife after a day of skiing Tuckerman Ravine, fire crackling, staring up at a photo I took in Alaska, I am completely content.
Parlor: What was the most lasting memory or lesson you learned through the process of "Tracking the Wild Coomba"?
Rob: "Tracking the Wild Coomba" taught me that if you pour enough energy towards an objective, if you want something so badly that you’ll let nothing derail you, fate will eventually conspire in your favor. Even more cosmically, I learned that we can still nurture connections with people even after they’re gone. I never met Doug Coombs, but in following he footsteps for five years, I was able to understand him on a deep and personal level. That’s possible for anyone. We just need to keep our eyes open to see them.
Learn more about Robert Cocuzzo and "Tracking the Wild Coomba: The Life of Legendary Skier Doug Coombs".
Photo by Ace Kvale
