Monday, December 30, 2013
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Woo hoo!
We had some fun today...
Andy and I kept going back and forth all morning, checking the wind. When, when, when would it go offshore and clean up, after days and days of slop? Exactly when swell.info said it would.
Around 11:30 the fun began, and it didn't let up, for us, until around 3:30.
I had to stop and think about what Andy was saying as he beat me to Mary St. this morning. He was looking out and describing the waves to me. He was saying it looked "good."
Wait.
I haven't heard him describe waves that looked "good" in weeks. I shook my head... was I dreaming? No, he was looking at it right now - and it "looked good!"
I pulled into the parking lot and saw his car there on the beach. He hightailed it back to the parking lot with me, while I was on the phone with Bob, who was on his way, ready to get out there like us, but anxious, trying to time it right. If we went too soon, we would miss the westerlies we had been promised, if we waited too long, we would miss low tide coming in... but what if later was even better despite high tide? I knew swell info had it dropping in size until dark. It was 6 feet at 8 seconds now, with SW winds... what in the hell were we waiting for?
Andy and I decided that rather than leaving the waves we were looking at, 2-4 feet with spray flying off the tops at low tide, driving all over for something that may or may not be better was a big gamble... hell, let's just go out here!
Bob was going to check Flagler just to be sure, but we were stoked to look south about an hour later and see him sitting in the lineup. Hey, is that Dave riding that wave? Yep. This was the spot.
Let's just say that Andy's first wave was probably the best wave he has ridden in weeks. He was hooting so loud at the end of it I could hear him all the way inside where he had ridden it. There were three breaks today, the far outside, middle, and inside. He rode that wave a long way, cutting back on the tater, styling and looking so happy. It took me a few minutes to get my bearings after my last surf in California. I had to remember that the waves here, that seemed to be ready to pitch out and break on your head hard, were more forgiving. Once I caught my first good one, I didn't stop, and lasted three hours, at least, before I reluctantly paddled in, my arms and shoulders burning from the constant use. These photos were taken in the evening after the swell dropped, but they show the clean conditions we had all afternoon and evening...
Oh, did I mention the leg cramp? Holy Christ, I had a real scare out there today. I had been looking for the bigger set waves, because they were the ones that stacked up all the way inside. If you were tricked into the medium ones, that looked enticing indeed, you often got left standing like a dork as it disappeared beneath you on the deep shelf off the sandbar. So, I see this really big one, overhead for sure and peaking right where I was. I paddled hard, committed, and then realized it was really lurching up faster than I expected and as I started to get to my feet realized I was being launched out mid-air, my board fluttering in circles just in front of me like a paper airplane in nosedive mode, as I was being thrown forward right towards it.
Oh God, oh dear.
I really felt like this was "it." All my good luck had finally run dry. I prepared myself for a sudden stab or smack or jab to my body or head. Fatal, I was thinking. Seriously. I just felt sure it was so close and I was so entrenched in the mayhem that it was unavoidable. I fell and fell, and was washed around like a rag doll, but never felt the hard edge of my board anywhere close. In replay, it would have been horrific, Bob saw it and agreed it looked pretty awful. What I did get was a horrible leg cramp, but was so overjoyed that I had been spared any lasting permanent injury that I welcomed that pain. I stretched it out for a minute or two, laughing with joy, and paddled back for more.
Bob had checked it everywhere and said this was the best, so Andy and I were even happier, if that was possible. The constant overhead sets were everything you could hope for in a winter's day in Florida. Lined up and workable all the way in, I even saw one spit. The size was impressive on some of the bigger sets, and caught us unaware every time. I saw Andy get one, though, and was stoked out of my mind to see him paddling for it and make the drop. It was so big it sectioned off in front of him, but the first few seconds were epic, the long wall lurching up outside where he sat waiting, the stroking hard to catch it - and he did. Then Bob caught one that I could not see, he disappeared on takeoff, but I heard Andy screaming Bob's name so loud his voice cracked. It was a macker, overhead, and Bob made it - to cheers all around.
There were 190 less people in the lineup today than when I surfed on Monday, but we were far louder today than all of them combined.
Just an amazing day all around. I only wished I could have stayed out until dark. It will be days before this happens again, and at this scale, most likely for much longer than that. It seemed a waste and a crime to have to paddle in when we have waited so long for a day like this...
Andy and I kept going back and forth all morning, checking the wind. When, when, when would it go offshore and clean up, after days and days of slop? Exactly when swell.info said it would.
Around 11:30 the fun began, and it didn't let up, for us, until around 3:30.
I had to stop and think about what Andy was saying as he beat me to Mary St. this morning. He was looking out and describing the waves to me. He was saying it looked "good."
Wait.
I haven't heard him describe waves that looked "good" in weeks. I shook my head... was I dreaming? No, he was looking at it right now - and it "looked good!"
I pulled into the parking lot and saw his car there on the beach. He hightailed it back to the parking lot with me, while I was on the phone with Bob, who was on his way, ready to get out there like us, but anxious, trying to time it right. If we went too soon, we would miss the westerlies we had been promised, if we waited too long, we would miss low tide coming in... but what if later was even better despite high tide? I knew swell info had it dropping in size until dark. It was 6 feet at 8 seconds now, with SW winds... what in the hell were we waiting for?
Andy and I decided that rather than leaving the waves we were looking at, 2-4 feet with spray flying off the tops at low tide, driving all over for something that may or may not be better was a big gamble... hell, let's just go out here!
Bob was going to check Flagler just to be sure, but we were stoked to look south about an hour later and see him sitting in the lineup. Hey, is that Dave riding that wave? Yep. This was the spot.
Let's just say that Andy's first wave was probably the best wave he has ridden in weeks. He was hooting so loud at the end of it I could hear him all the way inside where he had ridden it. There were three breaks today, the far outside, middle, and inside. He rode that wave a long way, cutting back on the tater, styling and looking so happy. It took me a few minutes to get my bearings after my last surf in California. I had to remember that the waves here, that seemed to be ready to pitch out and break on your head hard, were more forgiving. Once I caught my first good one, I didn't stop, and lasted three hours, at least, before I reluctantly paddled in, my arms and shoulders burning from the constant use. These photos were taken in the evening after the swell dropped, but they show the clean conditions we had all afternoon and evening...
Oh, did I mention the leg cramp? Holy Christ, I had a real scare out there today. I had been looking for the bigger set waves, because they were the ones that stacked up all the way inside. If you were tricked into the medium ones, that looked enticing indeed, you often got left standing like a dork as it disappeared beneath you on the deep shelf off the sandbar. So, I see this really big one, overhead for sure and peaking right where I was. I paddled hard, committed, and then realized it was really lurching up faster than I expected and as I started to get to my feet realized I was being launched out mid-air, my board fluttering in circles just in front of me like a paper airplane in nosedive mode, as I was being thrown forward right towards it.
Oh God, oh dear.
I really felt like this was "it." All my good luck had finally run dry. I prepared myself for a sudden stab or smack or jab to my body or head. Fatal, I was thinking. Seriously. I just felt sure it was so close and I was so entrenched in the mayhem that it was unavoidable. I fell and fell, and was washed around like a rag doll, but never felt the hard edge of my board anywhere close. In replay, it would have been horrific, Bob saw it and agreed it looked pretty awful. What I did get was a horrible leg cramp, but was so overjoyed that I had been spared any lasting permanent injury that I welcomed that pain. I stretched it out for a minute or two, laughing with joy, and paddled back for more.
Bob had checked it everywhere and said this was the best, so Andy and I were even happier, if that was possible. The constant overhead sets were everything you could hope for in a winter's day in Florida. Lined up and workable all the way in, I even saw one spit. The size was impressive on some of the bigger sets, and caught us unaware every time. I saw Andy get one, though, and was stoked out of my mind to see him paddling for it and make the drop. It was so big it sectioned off in front of him, but the first few seconds were epic, the long wall lurching up outside where he sat waiting, the stroking hard to catch it - and he did. Then Bob caught one that I could not see, he disappeared on takeoff, but I heard Andy screaming Bob's name so loud his voice cracked. It was a macker, overhead, and Bob made it - to cheers all around.
There were 190 less people in the lineup today than when I surfed on Monday, but we were far louder today than all of them combined.
Just an amazing day all around. I only wished I could have stayed out until dark. It will be days before this happens again, and at this scale, most likely for much longer than that. It seemed a waste and a crime to have to paddle in when we have waited so long for a day like this...
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Friday, December 27, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Christmas with The Earl of Cheddar
We had ours on Christmas Eve, since my flight out of San Francisco had me leaving at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning. Christmas Eve would be a day that I wanted to go slowly. But when you are having fun, it does not ever work like that.
We opened presents after breakfast and then watched some episodes of season four 'Eastbound and Down' and it felt like the funnest thing I would ever want to do and could have binge watched it all day with him. But, we eventually made our way outside into the cold, into this very strange part of the country called northern California, where it seems like there is never a cloud in the sky, or any wind to speak of, and it is always too chilly.
The Earl lives much too far away.
We had an incredible lunch at that same incredible Japanese restaurant, Chia, I think it was. The spinach-broccolini dish was amazing, with that sweet sesame sauce, and that seaweed salad, ohhh, and what about those tempura veggie crunch rolls and ... wow. Then there was a stop at CINNAHOLIC... what the hell, I cannot believe I ate that entire butterscotch cookie dough cinnamon roll. The Earl couldn't even finish his, and it seemed like a crime to throw half of one of those jewels away. He placed it in its take out box on top of a garbage can, and just as I began to turn to walk away in sadness and shame that I could not eat it myself, a homeless dude came up and, real stealth-like, scooped it up and took it away wrapped up in his coat. That brought all three of us immeasurable joy.
We walked around the park grounds of UC Berkeley, the warm sun filtering through the cherry blossom trees. We meandered downtown, to the second hand bookstore where we spent some time looking through the long rows of shelves. I found a book by Nabokov that I never have found a copy of before, "Transparent Things."
We decided to go see "Gravity," because I hadn't seen it and the Earl said it was a must and that he wanted to see it again.
WOW. That movie seemed like it was over in thirty minutes, I was THAT engrossed in it. I was in shock at the end when I realized it was over. Excellent.
When we came out, it was dark, the day was over, and it felt almost like I had been cheated. It felt like some sort of time warp had spilled our grains of sand from the hourglass much too soon. I had to leave in the morning, and this thought created a sick pool in my stomach.
As quickly as it began, it was over. Christmas morning came and I went, to the airport and back to the East Coast. But, we had so much fun ... I will never forget. Although, I will try to forget the cat that has taken over the Earl of Cheddar's apartment who will not be denied access to anything.
I do love you, Ms. Keeks, truly.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
On the Pacific Coast Highway
We set out for Santa Cruz from Tony's apartment in the MIssion District a little later than the surfer in us would have liked, but a stop for brunch at Timeless (the highly successful vegan cafe/bakery that the Earl's friend, Violet, opened exactly one year ago), was soooo worth it. A big bowl filled with crispy hash browns, apple studded bratwurst, and a stack of pancakes with apple compote was just what we needed to combat the chilly morning, windless, the sky stark and clear overhead.
Hoping to surf today...
We loaded up the people's van (the coolest surf vehicle on the planet), after Tony let us choose from his quiver of surfboards. I took the smallest one I could, a Taylor Knox Dagger 6'2" with ominous looking thick and square rails that Tony said was forgiving.
Yes, I would need a whole lot of forgiving riding a polyester board after five or so years of parabolic rail glory in freezing water in real waves. This was going to be entertaining.
I pictured my first wave. There I go, digging a rail on take off in a line-up of ripping California dudes, being caught on the inside by a macking set and gasping for air, while the Earl caught it all on film.
Here we go...
Hoping to surf today...
We loaded up the people's van (the coolest surf vehicle on the planet), after Tony let us choose from his quiver of surfboards. I took the smallest one I could, a Taylor Knox Dagger 6'2" with ominous looking thick and square rails that Tony said was forgiving.
Yes, I would need a whole lot of forgiving riding a polyester board after five or so years of parabolic rail glory in freezing water in real waves. This was going to be entertaining.
I pictured my first wave. There I go, digging a rail on take off in a line-up of ripping California dudes, being caught on the inside by a macking set and gasping for air, while the Earl caught it all on film.
Here we go...
We were checking the surf constantly, all along the coast, as we went. There was definitely swell in the water. As we passed beaches that appeared in between the golden brown hills, the patches of blue pulled our attention, the van swerving, the lines pouring in, but mostly crashing on rocks or closing out on empty beaches, the air warming nicely with the advance of afternoon.
We passed spots like Davenport, Cowells, and others Tony pointed out that I can't recall. We stopped at a few spots when we saw surfers bobbing down below, but there was nothing that really enticed us.
We had the point breaks of Santa Cruz on our minds.
About an hour later, we were approaching Santa Cruz. We watched Steamer Lane going off at head high plus, some guy taking off on a huge green wall, the winds barely alive, crank a bottom turn and go rocketing off the top and straight down. Man, I wanted to get out there, but, look at that crowd! No way I was feeling confident enough to charge right into that. This photo was from yesterday, when it was way less crowded...
We decided to go check into the Pelican Point Inn (I highly recommend this place), drop our gear off, and head for Pleasure Point, my holy grail.
The last time I saw Pleasure Point was back in 1990. Our surf shop was chosen for a visit to Santa Cruz for the 1990 Cold Water Classic. We surfed Four Mile and Moss Landing back then, but never Steamer Lane due to the contest scene. I remember watching Pleasure Point breaking, smaller than this swell, but enticing, peeling rights, glassy, with about 30 surfers out. It was a grey and cloudy day in February. At the time, that seemed too crowded. What I was about to see would have made that day look like an empty beach in comparison.
The Earl had his camera gear poised for action. He was amazed at the set up at Steamer Lane - and the Point - and how you can just stand on the bluff and gaze down at the surf and surfers as if you were in the lineup yourself. But, as we pulled onto the road lining Pleasure Point, my heart sank. People with boards were everywhere! I know it is Christmas break, but Crikey!
It seemed like everywhere I looked there were people of every description pulling on wetsuits, peeling off wetsuits, running toward the ocean and the stairways leading down the cliff to the sea, walking to their cars or the public showers carrying surfboards. I watched an elderly couple peeling off their suits in the parking lot, amazed as the variety.
One look down at the ocean was heartbreaking. There, right within my grasp were fun, peeling rights, glassy and not perfectly groomed, but very rippable, all along a long and winding cliff. At least four sections, like mini-points, held clusters of people, fifty on each point, and my heart sank. No way I would be going out there. Tony was almost up for it, but quickly realized what a scene it was. We reluctantly drove over to another spot he knew about, 26th street, where we found a very inconsistent fun left and right that broke close to shore, but it, too, was packed with people in a narrow take off zone. Ugh.
It was getting late, anyway.
"We are getting up at dawn," I said.
"The waves are supposed to be bigger tomorrow, anyway." Tony smiled, ever optimistic.
I love you, man.
This was a shot of the last point as dusk fell, the beginner's section, probably the lease crowded spot.
Well, we were denied in the wave department this day, but not in the food that night.
Malabar...
The Earl declared, and we all had to agree by the end of it, that he had never had a better meal in his entire life. The place had a strange feel when we first walked in, though. Dim, vast, and open, with high white walls, the room felt airy, the walls bare except for a large head of Buddah (?) painted in pale colors just over the long wooden desk against the wall where the waiters hung out, who appeared to be of Indian descent. We learned later it was Sri Lanka. Our waiter approached with an odd reserve, a man in his fifties, as if he were reluctant to even give us our menus. I felt as if he expected us to insult him and he was braced for it, ready. I immediately feared the worst, that we would be held captive for hours, the service would be torturously slow, the food marginal, but the Earl had found this place online and he was optimistic. One look at the menu and I began to think it might be worth all of that if the food was as good as it sounded.
Goddamned amazing is what it was.
Our waiter entertained us immensely with his droll manner, barely making eye contact, asking if we were ready to order with a detached air of superiority that we all found quite amusing. We giggled as he walked away with orders for Brussell Sprouts, coconut flatbread, curry mango, onion-potato dosa, (sweet jesus what the hell was in that shredded tempeh?)... everything started coming out in minutes and on long white plates with such eye-appealing display it was like a freaking food orgy of unparalleled elegance.
Every bite we proceeded to put into our mouths surpassed the last - to the point that I think I have never seen the Earl as pleased. When our waiter brought out TWO entrees of the same thing and the Earl realized he did not get the mango-vegetable curry he had ordered, he did not even care. It was fine with him, because it was over the top orgasmic. The waiter showed the most emotion as this point as he came over realizing his mistake and apologized, but we all smiled, no problem EVERYTHING IS EXCELLENT we do not care if you sat on our face at this moment we are so happy. He insisted on bringing what the Earl had originally ordered and free of charge. We ate everything on every one of those plates and left with the biggest smiles on our faces, waves be damned.
The Pelican Point Inn is fantastic. We paid $155 (off season, mind you), but it was worth it. You could spit this with two groups and make it really worthwhile. Close to a gorgeous beach (not epic for surfing, but beautiful for hanging out, with big trees and dips in the landscape for variety. The place looks like a funky little old motel from the 60's on the outside, but the inside has been updated nicely. Granite counter tops in the kitchen, every kind of cooking utensil, pots and pans, a small fridge and microwave, coffee and tea. The bathroom was nice, tiled, spacious, well stocked with towels, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hair dryer. Tony scored the front bedroom with one of those Amish fake fireplaces with the fake swirling flames, that pumped heat like a dream. The Earl and I shared the back bedroom, I gave him the queen-sized bed and I opted for the couch, where I had the best night's sleep I have had in years, oddly enough. I lay down in one position and when I woke up I was still there, couldn't recall waking more than once. Stoked! When I woke up, it was just getting light and I suited up and ate that pumpkin cinnamon roll from Timeless (I bought one for each of us yesterday) and seeing Tony's light on busted in and told him to "Get the hell up!"
"It's 39 degrees, Nance! Let's wait just a few more minutes to let it warm up!" he said, laughing at me all suited up and ready to charge. "Look at you!" He handed me the live cam beaming on his phone from Pleasure Point and said, "Give me ten minutes."
"Look," I squealed, "It looks bigger today, and there are only ten guys out, let's go!!"
"Okay, okay," he smiled, "Let me grab some coffee."
When we got to the beach my heart sank. First point was ALREADY packed! DAMN. I don't give a holy hell, I am paddling out there, I thought. I have to surf this damn place before I fucking die.
We find a prime parking space, not because it is early, but because some guy is already getting OUT of the water after his early early early session and tells us he is leaving. Woo hoo! I see he has no booties on and this gives me false hope that it is not as cold as it feels. The air is painfully chilly, Holy shit, I am already trembling. I look out at the waves and see big walls of green pouring in, head high and over head, no wind at all, light offshore if anything, and start jumping up and down after putting some fins into a board I am doubting the performance of. At the very least, I think, eyeing the fat rails, I should be able to catch something. I worried about getting in people's way, seeing how crowded it was, and worried I would totally kook out, but who cares, no one knows or expects much from this old lady, so who cares!
Then we paddled out to first peak.
It looked like a long paddle out, and I groaned as I touched the water, ice cold on my hands. I could see lines and lines of white water out there, but Tony just grinned. Come on! he said, and we were out in no time. That board paddled nice, so easy. I saw guys taking off on green dream walls, and thought, I am here! I am surfing Pleasure Point after seeing it all those years ago... this is so freaking cool!
I get outside, my hair still dry. I see about six guys all the way at the top of the point and think... I might should just paddle way out there, less people, but I see a guy drop into an overhead wall and tear off it's top after a nice bottom turn and then taper off into nothing. Eh, short and sweet, but not the long walls I was after. I saw a big boil just to my right. I watched a big dark set of lines approach on the far outside and watch as four guys go prone and start to race outside. They all paddle furiously, but miss it as it backs off just enough, preparing to hit the boil and reform and, realizing my fortunate position for once, I paddle hard, not believing this could possibly be happening, that I have just paddled out and a choice set wave is headed right for ME? Guys are paddling beside me, on the inside of me, but I am in the best spot as the thing lurches in what feels massive, the light offshore wind blowing spray in my face, but I feel the board burst forward and realize I am on it, it is all mine! Everyone falls aside and I jump to my feet, in some sort of joy induced stupor that I am even standing up on this perfect wave that is now reforming and standing up in front of me, a long and tapering wall, as I watch like a hundred people paddling up the face and past me as I race on past, cutting back, hitting the lip, turning in and around them, over and over and over again, never falling, never even feeling like I have to nurse the board as it forgives me all the way past first point and second point and I am laughing now as I feel like I could pat a hundred people on the head as I ride one of the best waves of my life and just keep going and going until I am almost to the beach. I finally cut out, only because I suddenly realize how far I have to paddle back out.
Let's just say that this was one of the happiest moments of my entire life. Going from thinking I would be lucky if I even caught one measly leftover wave to scoring one of the biggest set waves of the morning was not lost on me. As I paddled back, it felt endless as I searched for Tony in the millions of heads bobbing and stretching out to the horizon. I should just go in, I thought, this cannot possibly be duplicated. I was right there.
I did catch a few more, amazed at how it was possible with the amount of people that were out there. But, after an hour, the shakes set in, my hands were going numb, and the crowd had swelled to downright ridiculous proportion. I kept seeing people carrying boards, coming down every stairway, like leaf-cutter ants. I rode one more in and climbed the natural stone steps to a sunny alcove that was like a warm oasis where I sat and proceeded to see something I will never forget.
As I searched for Tony out in the lineup, I saw a massive set of about fifteen waves begin to march in and sweep the entire point from outside to the inside. I have never seen a surf sight that made my heart beat like that. Long green walls, peeling off with perfection from the outside all the way in, spray sailing off the tops, plumes of spray flying from the lip bashes that the rare few folks that caught them and rode and rode and rode. Tony came in laughing, saying he had taken every single one of those mysto set waves right on the head. "OHHH!" I moaned in empathy, hoping he had caught one.
I was so immersed in the moment, knew full well my good fortune. I had finally surfed Pleasure Point! And, it was epic.
On the ride back, Tony asked me if I had seen that goofy-footed ripper on the fish out there, the aqua colored board, yes I had, I said, did you see him demolish that one left, HOLY CRAP, I did, yes. He said he had said something about me out there, about how cool it was that I was on a short board. I knew what he meant, of course, it was cool because I am so goddamned OLD! Too funny. But, Tony said when he told him how old I actually was, his jaw dropped. Oh, well, I will take the attention where I can get it, I suppose. Tony told him I was from Florida, and this was my first time ever surfing Pleasure Point and that I was stoked!
What a day...
Afterwards, we went to another vegetarian place the Earl found, "Dharma," and they even had a "Lost" burritio, just too funny! We were like kids in a candy store, ordered way too much and ate so much that by the time we arrived at Steamer Lane an hour or so later there was no way we could have paddled out even if we wanted to. I took these pictures to remind me of what I had to pass on due to gluttony. But, Tony said the waves we had earlier were longer and better, so these shots will remind me, also, of this.
Thanks, Tony, for another epic adventure! I miss you already. Where we going next?
This first shot is of some guy who tried to get the Early to jump the fence (with all that heavy camera gear in his backpack) to take a picture of him jumping off the cliff and into "the toilet bowl." Look closely, you can see him in mid-air just after he hooted into the air.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Travel Light
When I got to JAX yesterday afternoon, I approached the ticket counter with a bit of anxiety. I usually leave for San Francisco early in the morning, which sets me up for at least one flight with no delays. As I suspected, I saw the ticket lady frown as she scanned in my information.
"Your flight is delayed. This will make you miss your next two connections."
My heart sank. All sorts of scenarios went tumbling down like dominoes. The main one: I will be sitting here waiting for some flight to god knows where for who knows how long and will be lucky if I even get there tonight at 9:30 pm (12:20 am our time) like I was originally going to which sounded pretty bad because I would be so tired when I saw the Earl of Cheddar that I would be dozing off on the ride back to his apartment and, boy, even that started to look really good to me right then compared to what I was probably going to have to deal with now.
Wait.
The ticket agent left the desk, increasing my anxiety. Well, she was probably trying to get me on some US Airways flight since I saw her talking to an agent over there. But, she came back frowning, no way that was going to happen... but, hey.
She noticed my destination was San Francisco, NOT stop one (Dallas) or stop two (LA), it was SFO!
WE HAVE A WINNER!
She started typing stuff in and... BOOM! She had me flying right into SF from Dallas - and ONE HOUR EARLIER! Oh, boy, this trip was suddenly getting some good mojo going. And, that is what happened. I had a three hour flight to Dallas and lucked out with an empty seat between me and a quiet fifty year old guy connected to his laptop, and once in Dallas realized I only had about thirty minutes to get over to another terminal to make my connection and raced there to find the flight was delayed 45 minutes. But, I was actually HAPPY because I was starving and had time to go find a fat vegan burrito and the Earl of Cheddar said I was still going to arrive just after 8 pm!
Qdoba, I love you.
On the last leg of the flight, which was about four hours, I lucked out again and got the ONLY empty seat on the plane between me and a young girl in the military who had been horribly delayed on her flights all day. She was supposed to be in SF by noon, and they had delayed her by EIGHT HOURS. She had a complicated tale of woe that only made me even more thankful for the luck that had befallen me today. The trip felt like nothing, I got off the plane to excited texts from the Earl and I made my way out into the frigid air of SF. I did my usual dumb ass thing and tried to get into a car with a guy who looked like the Earl and the look I got was so comical I burst out laughing. I reached for the door handle and the guy looked at me and smiled and sort of shook his head, embarrassed for me like, "Lady, just back away from the car and I will pretend I didn't see what you so stupidly just did."
Then the real Earl arrived and we took off talking a mile a minute about all the stuff we were going to do and the good stuff that is happening to him with Hampton Creek Foods. My God, I think I have to pinch myself as this story unfolds. I know there will be realities, this is all sounding too good, honestly, but I have never seen my boy this happy, and I am riding that train right now with eyes open to every possibility and positive outcome.
Called Tony, so great to hear his voice again, and we made plans to meet up in the morning at his place, pick out some boards and head up the coastal highway, looking for point breaks with a three foot at 18 second swell running. Just like I realized I always dreamt of doing since I was fifteen.
Got my first official taste of JUST MAYO tonight. I held my breath. What if the product was not what I expected - and could not believe in it with all that has transpired? Put that thought to rest. THAT STUFF IS AMAZING. I thought I was eating regular all fat mayo but with a touch of delicious lemon juice added. The after taste was so good I went in for more. Gotta get to While Foods and buy some to take home.
More to come...
"Your flight is delayed. This will make you miss your next two connections."
My heart sank. All sorts of scenarios went tumbling down like dominoes. The main one: I will be sitting here waiting for some flight to god knows where for who knows how long and will be lucky if I even get there tonight at 9:30 pm (12:20 am our time) like I was originally going to which sounded pretty bad because I would be so tired when I saw the Earl of Cheddar that I would be dozing off on the ride back to his apartment and, boy, even that started to look really good to me right then compared to what I was probably going to have to deal with now.
Wait.
The ticket agent left the desk, increasing my anxiety. Well, she was probably trying to get me on some US Airways flight since I saw her talking to an agent over there. But, she came back frowning, no way that was going to happen... but, hey.
She noticed my destination was San Francisco, NOT stop one (Dallas) or stop two (LA), it was SFO!
WE HAVE A WINNER!
She started typing stuff in and... BOOM! She had me flying right into SF from Dallas - and ONE HOUR EARLIER! Oh, boy, this trip was suddenly getting some good mojo going. And, that is what happened. I had a three hour flight to Dallas and lucked out with an empty seat between me and a quiet fifty year old guy connected to his laptop, and once in Dallas realized I only had about thirty minutes to get over to another terminal to make my connection and raced there to find the flight was delayed 45 minutes. But, I was actually HAPPY because I was starving and had time to go find a fat vegan burrito and the Earl of Cheddar said I was still going to arrive just after 8 pm!
Qdoba, I love you.
On the last leg of the flight, which was about four hours, I lucked out again and got the ONLY empty seat on the plane between me and a young girl in the military who had been horribly delayed on her flights all day. She was supposed to be in SF by noon, and they had delayed her by EIGHT HOURS. She had a complicated tale of woe that only made me even more thankful for the luck that had befallen me today. The trip felt like nothing, I got off the plane to excited texts from the Earl and I made my way out into the frigid air of SF. I did my usual dumb ass thing and tried to get into a car with a guy who looked like the Earl and the look I got was so comical I burst out laughing. I reached for the door handle and the guy looked at me and smiled and sort of shook his head, embarrassed for me like, "Lady, just back away from the car and I will pretend I didn't see what you so stupidly just did."
Then the real Earl arrived and we took off talking a mile a minute about all the stuff we were going to do and the good stuff that is happening to him with Hampton Creek Foods. My God, I think I have to pinch myself as this story unfolds. I know there will be realities, this is all sounding too good, honestly, but I have never seen my boy this happy, and I am riding that train right now with eyes open to every possibility and positive outcome.
Called Tony, so great to hear his voice again, and we made plans to meet up in the morning at his place, pick out some boards and head up the coastal highway, looking for point breaks with a three foot at 18 second swell running. Just like I realized I always dreamt of doing since I was fifteen.
Got my first official taste of JUST MAYO tonight. I held my breath. What if the product was not what I expected - and could not believe in it with all that has transpired? Put that thought to rest. THAT STUFF IS AMAZING. I thought I was eating regular all fat mayo but with a touch of delicious lemon juice added. The after taste was so good I went in for more. Gotta get to While Foods and buy some to take home.
More to come...
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Pockets of Green
We met in the parking lot, Andy, Bob and I, this morning. Walking out, it didn't look so good, rather lumpy, but the water looked green and it is all we have so...
Bob opted for the outside break. Andy and I chose the inside dumpers. We were glad we did because turns out it was more fun than it looked. For about an hour, we shared some green glassy bowling rights that had Andy hooting at one point as loud as I have heard him hoot since PR. Good times.
Now I am off to Santa Cruz to surf, hopefully tomorrow, and the reports are sounded pretty nice.
More to come...
Bob opted for the outside break. Andy and I chose the inside dumpers. We were glad we did because turns out it was more fun than it looked. For about an hour, we shared some green glassy bowling rights that had Andy hooting at one point as loud as I have heard him hoot since PR. Good times.
Now I am off to Santa Cruz to surf, hopefully tomorrow, and the reports are sounded pretty nice.
More to come...
Friday, December 20, 2013
Waves return
Got one good one at Mary St. that made my day. Otherwise, it was a bit of a disappointment, waiting forever a wave to break.
The water was green, the sky was blue, and I said to Tom: "FUCK YOU!"
That pretty much sums up this morning.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
It is happening!
http://nextshark.com/this-startup-is-going-to-replace-eggs-and-its-got-bill-gates-and-vinod-khosla-throwing-money-at-it/
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Blah
Well, if nothing else, this morning's ten minute session made me vow that I cannot spend one more winter wasting away here. I just had to surf, tired of waiting, my energy level high. It was stupid, really, the wind had just turned from the west at 7 mph (PERFECT!!) to side shore from the NW at about 10-15 by 7am (DAMNIT!). I paddled out, anyway, angry, disgusted with it, and decided this is the last winter I spend here. In its entirety, anyway.
Time is of the essence. I am contacting Helen and planning on surfing a month or more in Central America, at one of my favorite waves in the world, next winter. I am committing to it now, because it is too easy to let time slip away. I love surfing more than anything in this world (note: any THING, not anyone, dear Earl of Cheddar, if you are reading this, yes, you are the most important person in my world... and sorry for that - for you).
So I will wait to hear from her and then do what she suggests, because it is already too late to commit or plan to do it this year as too many people are counting on me here at my two jobs and I need to work on the cookie thing to have it ready to launch by spring.
Me and my damn plans.
So this morning was a joke, nothing new there. This year sucks big hairy ape balls any way you look at it. My boss got arrested, my hours got cut because he lost his job, I took an additional job with an interesting family (that I will not be able to write about, possibly EVER, but let's just say that was an eye opener that did not work out). I got jacked out of my entire tax return because my financial planner did not tell me a tell me a crucial and timely piece of information about buying a new car and, oh yeah, my lifeline to sanity was depleted severely by the worst year on record for surfing. Lucky 2013!
But, hey... I didn't get diagnosed with cancer this year. I have great friends, family, people who love me, two great jobs that I enjoy and feel needed at - with hours that allow for surfing if it comes, and my novel got a fist pump from my editor and I am working on finishing that. Most importantly, I have a fantastic son who has had his share of ups and down this year, too (haven't we all?), who just got a call from his dream company to do some work for them. This time next week, if all goes as planned, I will be with him and Tony and surfing somewhere in Santa Cruz, California...
Pretty nice.
Time is of the essence. I am contacting Helen and planning on surfing a month or more in Central America, at one of my favorite waves in the world, next winter. I am committing to it now, because it is too easy to let time slip away. I love surfing more than anything in this world (note: any THING, not anyone, dear Earl of Cheddar, if you are reading this, yes, you are the most important person in my world... and sorry for that - for you).
So I will wait to hear from her and then do what she suggests, because it is already too late to commit or plan to do it this year as too many people are counting on me here at my two jobs and I need to work on the cookie thing to have it ready to launch by spring.
Me and my damn plans.
So this morning was a joke, nothing new there. This year sucks big hairy ape balls any way you look at it. My boss got arrested, my hours got cut because he lost his job, I took an additional job with an interesting family (that I will not be able to write about, possibly EVER, but let's just say that was an eye opener that did not work out). I got jacked out of my entire tax return because my financial planner did not tell me a tell me a crucial and timely piece of information about buying a new car and, oh yeah, my lifeline to sanity was depleted severely by the worst year on record for surfing. Lucky 2013!
But, hey... I didn't get diagnosed with cancer this year. I have great friends, family, people who love me, two great jobs that I enjoy and feel needed at - with hours that allow for surfing if it comes, and my novel got a fist pump from my editor and I am working on finishing that. Most importantly, I have a fantastic son who has had his share of ups and down this year, too (haven't we all?), who just got a call from his dream company to do some work for them. This time next week, if all goes as planned, I will be with him and Tony and surfing somewhere in Santa Cruz, California...
Pretty nice.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Friday, December 13, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Magic Day
We got the band back together today. Casey, Josh, David, and me. We were the only ones surfing at Mary St. this morning. It became a magic day as the morning went on, and the waves that had looked so small and weak from shore at dead low tide proceeded to light up with incoming tide.
I stalled early this morning, knowing if I went too early it would only get better once the tide started coming back in and I would have expended my energy. I showed up right at dead low, and it looked like no one was out. I grabbed my board. Andy said he had looked at it and was just going to work again. Didn't look that inspiring, he said. I said I was waiting, had the luxury of that today, since I didn't have to go in until noon. Lucky me.
Looking out at the green ocean, smooth and glassy from the wind that was bending more offshore, I saw Dave's car in the parking lot and then saw him, taking off on a nice right that bowled up and tubed.
I was out there in one minute.
We talked a bit, and then the tide turned and started coming in. The waves proceeded to increase in frequency and jack on up the shallow sandbar near perfectly. For once the tide was right! The wind was nearly perfect, too, and warm compared to the chilly ocean at a relative 64 degrees. I started lucking into wave after wave, it was crazy how great it was. No one out! Crazy fun! You could get barreled or go for a lip and it all seemed insanely easy, the waves were that well formed and predictable. It just seemed like everything came together this morning in so many ways.
Here I am late this morning... thanks again, Dave, for capturing one moment.
I stalled early this morning, knowing if I went too early it would only get better once the tide started coming back in and I would have expended my energy. I showed up right at dead low, and it looked like no one was out. I grabbed my board. Andy said he had looked at it and was just going to work again. Didn't look that inspiring, he said. I said I was waiting, had the luxury of that today, since I didn't have to go in until noon. Lucky me.
Looking out at the green ocean, smooth and glassy from the wind that was bending more offshore, I saw Dave's car in the parking lot and then saw him, taking off on a nice right that bowled up and tubed.
I was out there in one minute.
We talked a bit, and then the tide turned and started coming in. The waves proceeded to increase in frequency and jack on up the shallow sandbar near perfectly. For once the tide was right! The wind was nearly perfect, too, and warm compared to the chilly ocean at a relative 64 degrees. I started lucking into wave after wave, it was crazy how great it was. No one out! Crazy fun! You could get barreled or go for a lip and it all seemed insanely easy, the waves were that well formed and predictable. It just seemed like everything came together this morning in so many ways.
Here I am late this morning... thanks again, Dave, for capturing one moment.
David saw a truck pull up early in our session and moaned. He said now that the pier isn't breaking, more people are showing up here. Then I saw that it was Casey and Josh! We surfed together for the next hour or so, and I saw Casey get so many great ones, one wave of the day that had to be shoulder high plus and just reeled off down the beach forever, him lip smacking all the way. Then I saw him stall and pull into a barrel and I was just laughing, marveling at catching a day like this with no one around. If we had more days like today, I wouldn't be thinking of moving so much.
Casey gave me a tip on a place in Mexico that I absolutely HAVE to go to. He said it is like the Gold Coast of Australia - with no one around. Next May... must start saving for this. His face, just talking about it, told me everything I need to know. Fifteen right points...
We talked about the trip to Guadeloupe we all took together years ago, and he said he still thinks about those waves almost every single day. Never forget, man. Those were some epic days, pale blue waves reeling down a shallow reef in the sunshine one February not long ago...
Monday, December 9, 2013
Sum Surprise
Ugh. Checked it early because all I could hear was that last buoy report... 4 feet at 10 seconds! But, as I gazed upon Mary St., it was the same old disappointment. Brown confused water. The waves looked bigger, but boggy and the fog was only slowly burning off. I drove to Summerhaven, where the water was more green, but it was backing off worse and I did not want to take the chance that it might get better there because chances are it would only get worse.
Back to Mary St., where Andy was looking at it and in the same funk. A bit of a jumbled mess...
Why don't we move? That was the question on our minds again. Some people do it. Why not us? Friends, jobs... but could we not make new friends? I kinda like my old ones. And, it's not so bad here, it's just that this is by far the worse year - ever - since I moved here, for surfing.
So, I just went out at Mary St.
Andy went to work.
Sitting on the inside was no good, I quickly realized. Not breaking. Outside, though. What was that I just saw... a wave breaking?
I paddled way outside and it began to look promising. It was cleaner out there, and more green, and suddenly I was catching wave after wave, nice drops. Were they really shoulder high? I could drop in and do a bottom turn and get three turns in before it dissolved into deep water. It was so much fun between 8:45 and 9:15 that I am sure no one would believe me - unless they saw it too.
That's the story of this place. There will be a magic hour, er... half hour, somewhere in each dismal day. When you are lucky enough to be there, you better appreciate it.
And, I did.
Here's an unseen photo of me from March 8 that just surfaced. Thanks, Dave. Hey look, I am smiling.
Back to Mary St., where Andy was looking at it and in the same funk. A bit of a jumbled mess...
Why don't we move? That was the question on our minds again. Some people do it. Why not us? Friends, jobs... but could we not make new friends? I kinda like my old ones. And, it's not so bad here, it's just that this is by far the worse year - ever - since I moved here, for surfing.
So, I just went out at Mary St.
Andy went to work.
Sitting on the inside was no good, I quickly realized. Not breaking. Outside, though. What was that I just saw... a wave breaking?
I paddled way outside and it began to look promising. It was cleaner out there, and more green, and suddenly I was catching wave after wave, nice drops. Were they really shoulder high? I could drop in and do a bottom turn and get three turns in before it dissolved into deep water. It was so much fun between 8:45 and 9:15 that I am sure no one would believe me - unless they saw it too.
That's the story of this place. There will be a magic hour, er... half hour, somewhere in each dismal day. When you are lucky enough to be there, you better appreciate it.
And, I did.
Here's an unseen photo of me from March 8 that just surfaced. Thanks, Dave. Hey look, I am smiling.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Good News
There was lots of it yesterday. Not in the surfing sense, although if the waves had been good it would have turned my day south because I had so much to do. First up: Skin checkup at 9am, where I sat in the office with fingers crossed that THIS time I would be spared the brutal sizzling freezer burn of Dr. Paley's (Yes, I know, a perfect name for a dermatologist!) silver tool that takes care of spots on my skin that are precancerous. DAMNIT! Five this time.
Listen, everyone that surfs needs to go at least once a year. If you can take the freezing of spots, you may save your life. I asked him if he knew my former neighbor, one year older than me, who died last year of melanoma. "He's the one lawyer in town that never came to see me," he said.
It is a horrible way to die. I told him the obit said was that at least it was quick. "It probably went right to his brain. Seizures..."
So, I sat there as he ran his fingers across my skin, searching. And, the sizzling and my grimacing began. Better than seizures and the dirt nap, I told myself, and paid my $167 and got my appointment set up for next year.
Then it was off to see Janet, my 99 year old friend.
She kissed me when I said goodbye to her this evening. She loves Fridays with me now. Today, I listened to more of her stories. I am like an interviewer, digging for gold. I walked her to the bathroom, her hand bandaged from a fall she took last night. She is such a good sport, not even grimacing as I tried to pull her sleeve over her bound up hand, evidence of blood underneath that ace bandage. She didn't remember anything, just had to go to the bathroom and then there was her mom and neighbor, helping her back to bed. Her daughter said it looked like a crime scene.
I made wheat germ yeast rolls, and by mind afternoon the smell of them baking filled the house. When I brought them over to where she sat to show her, right out of the oven, she smiled with delight and said, "I think I would like to have one of those, right now, with some butter!" Her daughter walked in just then and we sat there, eating hot rolls, as the day outside faded away, the smiles on their faces my great reward. "These are DELICIOUS!" they said. I made my infamous enchiladas, beans, and rice. Also two green salads, one spinach, with cherries and pears, one field greens with apples and walnuts. And a Mac and Cheese. I played chef like I used to as a kid, talking to myself like I was the star of my own cooking show in that perfect kitchen with gas burners and every kind of cooking tool. What fun! I know, sad. But, I loved it.
And, then. A miracle happened. I got an email from the Earl of Cheddar. Long story short...
He got rejected by his new girl for being vegan the day before Thanksgiving. I know. Some of you will think, my God, what a crazy thing, right? I mean, we could expound on both sides of this for hours. But I say, because this is my blog, BRAVO to my boy for standing by his belief that animals do not have to suffer and die for us to survive. Eating meat is a choice. You want what you want, no matter who or what has to compromise. You do not want to look at the facts. There is no longer any reason to do this, other than for selfish desire. Protein is over rated, and in every way, facts are coming to light, people, and we have all been brainwashed.
So, back to the miracle... The Earl was rightfully disappointed and heartbroken after this move on her part, and posted this on Instagram. He started thinking that Hampton Creek Foods might just be a place he would like to contribute some of his talents... He mused about this in an email just as I posted the previous clip about the new upstart company that he sent me. We were both getting excited about the possibilities of things changing. THINGS COULD CHANGE FOR THE BETTER!
This company sounded like a dream come true. So he posted this rant on Instagram to some vegan hater. And, before he could even write the company to ask if he could help them in some capacity... they contacted him. They read his rant.
By 4 pm the next day, he was in their headquarters, meeting everyone, the CEO, the guy in the video, the young upstart company that is set to change the world. Most of them already knew him from this post, and suddenly... he was being asked to do some filming.
A goddamned miracle, if I ever heard of one. More to come...
colbyjam, I am so proud of you.
:) 4d
Thanks for the love! xo Send us a note at wecare.com so we can send you a t-shirt and hat! 4d
I'm a huge fan of !! (and ) Both of these companies are MEGA CHANGING the way we look at the food we eat!! 9h
Read more at
Listen, everyone that surfs needs to go at least once a year. If you can take the freezing of spots, you may save your life. I asked him if he knew my former neighbor, one year older than me, who died last year of melanoma. "He's the one lawyer in town that never came to see me," he said.
It is a horrible way to die. I told him the obit said was that at least it was quick. "It probably went right to his brain. Seizures..."
So, I sat there as he ran his fingers across my skin, searching. And, the sizzling and my grimacing began. Better than seizures and the dirt nap, I told myself, and paid my $167 and got my appointment set up for next year.
Then it was off to see Janet, my 99 year old friend.
She kissed me when I said goodbye to her this evening. She loves Fridays with me now. Today, I listened to more of her stories. I am like an interviewer, digging for gold. I walked her to the bathroom, her hand bandaged from a fall she took last night. She is such a good sport, not even grimacing as I tried to pull her sleeve over her bound up hand, evidence of blood underneath that ace bandage. She didn't remember anything, just had to go to the bathroom and then there was her mom and neighbor, helping her back to bed. Her daughter said it looked like a crime scene.
I made wheat germ yeast rolls, and by mind afternoon the smell of them baking filled the house. When I brought them over to where she sat to show her, right out of the oven, she smiled with delight and said, "I think I would like to have one of those, right now, with some butter!" Her daughter walked in just then and we sat there, eating hot rolls, as the day outside faded away, the smiles on their faces my great reward. "These are DELICIOUS!" they said. I made my infamous enchiladas, beans, and rice. Also two green salads, one spinach, with cherries and pears, one field greens with apples and walnuts. And a Mac and Cheese. I played chef like I used to as a kid, talking to myself like I was the star of my own cooking show in that perfect kitchen with gas burners and every kind of cooking tool. What fun! I know, sad. But, I loved it.
And, then. A miracle happened. I got an email from the Earl of Cheddar. Long story short...
He got rejected by his new girl for being vegan the day before Thanksgiving. I know. Some of you will think, my God, what a crazy thing, right? I mean, we could expound on both sides of this for hours. But I say, because this is my blog, BRAVO to my boy for standing by his belief that animals do not have to suffer and die for us to survive. Eating meat is a choice. You want what you want, no matter who or what has to compromise. You do not want to look at the facts. There is no longer any reason to do this, other than for selfish desire. Protein is over rated, and in every way, facts are coming to light, people, and we have all been brainwashed.
So, back to the miracle... The Earl was rightfully disappointed and heartbroken after this move on her part, and posted this on Instagram. He started thinking that Hampton Creek Foods might just be a place he would like to contribute some of his talents... He mused about this in an email just as I posted the previous clip about the new upstart company that he sent me. We were both getting excited about the possibilities of things changing. THINGS COULD CHANGE FOR THE BETTER!
This company sounded like a dream come true. So he posted this rant on Instagram to some vegan hater. And, before he could even write the company to ask if he could help them in some capacity... they contacted him. They read his rant.
By 4 pm the next day, he was in their headquarters, meeting everyone, the CEO, the guy in the video, the young upstart company that is set to change the world. Most of them already knew him from this post, and suddenly... he was being asked to do some filming.
A goddamned miracle, if I ever heard of one. More to come...
colbyjam, I am so proud of you.
90 
19
» to like or post comment on this photo!
Read more at
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Until Today...
Well, well, well. This day got us smiling again...
When we first looked at it, Andy and I, we could see it had potential. The tide was high, the lines were long, the wind was light, almost offshore? Dave came walking up carrying his board. He only had a half hour he said, so he was going out.
We saw Tom, down on the beach by Butler, doing his stretches. Andy was debating. He had taken off yesterday, and today looked even better. Come on, I said, if you just go out for an hour you will know. Otherwise, you will go to work, look up at the clear blue sky, see the wind blowing gently from the SW, and hear the buoys are at four feet at ten seconds, and die an agonizing slow death. Someone might be maimed when you throw a wrench at the wall.
You're right, he said, and we headed back to our cars for our boards.
And we proceeded to have a ball at Mary St.
Thanks, Dave, for capturing all of us. If I had a camera I would have snapped that right you took that looked pretty dang fun, and you would be here with us...
When we first looked at it, Andy and I, we could see it had potential. The tide was high, the lines were long, the wind was light, almost offshore? Dave came walking up carrying his board. He only had a half hour he said, so he was going out.
We saw Tom, down on the beach by Butler, doing his stretches. Andy was debating. He had taken off yesterday, and today looked even better. Come on, I said, if you just go out for an hour you will know. Otherwise, you will go to work, look up at the clear blue sky, see the wind blowing gently from the SW, and hear the buoys are at four feet at ten seconds, and die an agonizing slow death. Someone might be maimed when you throw a wrench at the wall.
You're right, he said, and we headed back to our cars for our boards.
And we proceeded to have a ball at Mary St.
Thanks, Dave, for capturing all of us. If I had a camera I would have snapped that right you took that looked pretty dang fun, and you would be here with us...
Andy
Tom
Me
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