Envy or inspiration...

Five days with the in-laws for the holidays is purgatory. We are so very different. How could they have given life to her? Their life is comfortable, stable, and secure. They have everything yet do very little besides having. They paint their days in black and white.

I returned to the coast today. Two sessions to wash away the frustration. My beautiful wife and miraculous son return tomorrow. In the meantime, thoughts have been coalescing about what's to be done in life that makes it more than an existential exercise.

These two think they have figured it out. Visit their site. I defy you not to dream of your own wanderings. Your dreams might not take the same form, but like Cezanne's hillsides- their travels are the essential form that clearly communicates our shared visions of excellent wanderings.
The water is cold. Brrr.

I really like this video...

frontside lis fish

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Hunter/prey...

I'm having a little trouble with the extra six inches of foam in this fish. I usually ride 5'6- 5'8. This is a 6' and a bit beefier. It's as fast as can be and perfectly suited to longer reef/point waves. The trouble is, I mostly surf beachbreak. In three sessions it has been either a star or a black hole. Fat, high tide walls= speed and high lines from here to the sand. This morning's dumpy peaks- not so fun. I never had a wave where it felt "right". I lost my board on a third of my waves (very rare for humble old me). On one of the waves, I took too steep a line from the takeoff, the board tracked more straight, I knew I was going swimming so I jumped into the waves for a little bodysurf. Happy dolphining but beside me must have been the sought after Frye. I rammed it with my face. I am a kook. I suppose that's one of the reasons why surfing is fun- learning new boards and new ways to injure your pride.

But seriously- I will trade this 6' Frye in excellent condition for a 5'6-5'8 Frye in similar condition. talk amongst yourselves.

More help...

I may be coming into a classic board that needs restoration beyond my meager abilities. We're talking delams, color, dings, the whole nine. recommendations?

MPG and space for three (boards)...

So I need help choosing my next car. Chances are slim I will get my Element back so I'm planning for the inevitable. Requirements: good gas mileage, space for boards 5'6" to 7'6" inside, good safety. I need your ideas! My wife nixed the Honda Fit (surprisingly versatile interior) because of safety concerns. Everything else is wide open.

Recent events...

Matt is a charger. The board is a 9'.

When it rains...

This is me a year and change ago in front of my car in my driveway. Today, when I went out to get the paper, I discovered that my car had been stolen out of the same driveway. First my favorite Lis, now my car. I must've done something to deserve this- but I can't figure out what. I need to make on offering or do penance or sacrifice something. Damn.

Board pictured is the Lis I still own, though it has been mangled on baja point surf rock bounces.

Generations...

Skip and Josh talk shaping and shop.

Report...

I've been ill with (another) stomach flu and have not eaten since Sunday. My wife took me on a drive to check the waves.

The Jewel-
Lobster Lounge was maxed out as was every other reef along that infamous stretch. A few waves were breaking out at Legend Hydrodynamic Innovators but the paddle looked destructive. The only waves I saw ridden in that area were some serious barrels at a bodyboarding haven towards the equator from the Kneeboard Womb. 3 sponges were dropping into 6' round pits. Good Luck Charms was the biggest wave I saw- tough to tell size but I'm guessing in the 15' range. Emergency Rooms showed a big rideable wave, but the sets were detonating the lineup zone- no one out. The Cove held a bunch of shoulder hoppers and some guys getting legit rides. Good size and the winds were really good. Blacks was huge with canyon sets looking to be as gut-wrenching as any day.

I still haven't eaten- but I'm the hungriest I've been all winter. Maybe tomorrow.

Gone (mind) surfin'...

Umm, so, I er, am, hmm, speechless. Let's hope for a delay on pay to play.

In search of...

The Surfer's Journal is my favorite read. There are a couple of articles/issues that have slipped into the crannies of domestic life and time that I would love to read once again. I've checked with my buddies, most of whom are more prone to read the "Tiger Beat" and
"Seventeen" versions of surf periodicals, and found nothing. If you live in the Sin Diego area and wouldn't mind letting me peruse an old copy I would be very grateful. I know this violates statute 13.a, section 5 of Blog Law- "To meet another online entity is to reveal truth both favorable and unseemly and shall therefore be avoided". I'll take my chances. Thanks in advance.
Articles of interest:

- Boat camp article
- Mat riding article
- Hidden California (written by Kew, I believe)

I ride trays too...

What do they say about people and their dogs? Holds true.

I have a mat from Dale Solomonson on the way. My friend and role model, Larry, turned me on to mat riding. I've only done it a couple of times. Take my word for it- fun! Now take my word for it and add a few letters- functional! My time being in demand between family and work requires that each trip to the ocean counts. I'm counting on the mat to be a change from the norm and functional in many wave types. Weekday into weekend trip to northern point break will see some mat time come January.

My son is named G.G...

Not his true name. But his preferred name. I used to be in a punk band or two. Maybe G.G. Allin? I think more likely G.G. of the mat and the knee. Little guy is a surfboard nut like his dad. every time we go in the garage he goes and rubs his hands down the rails of boards. "Burboar". I'm making him a board right now. 3'10". I scaled down a template from this dude:
I found an old broken board in the trashcan at Shores and stripped the glass. I'll have it done by his birthday. Any good surf toys out there for my little grom?

So I was wearing the right uniform...

No leash, white board with no lam. I expected no vibes as I headed down south past the super-localized right reef. My goal was a left that works well on extremely low tides and solid west/north swells. Fun evening session ahead.

Except I forgot one part of the uniform- you can't associate with anyone not wearing the correct uniform.

I was walking down with a buddy who likes to boogie-board.

I pass one guy I saw a week and a half ago at a beachbreak and he gives me the cold stare and gives my buddy worse. Last time I saw him he was stoked and happy to talk about boards and Mex. Now I'm a leper.

I pass another guy, well known surfshop dude. I used to sell him fins and stuff as a sales rep. I get the arctic glare and my buddy gets worse. We used to be quite cordial.

Prejudice? Paranoia?

Had a great session and walked back north and up the bluff in the dark. Back to work today and looking forward to another arvo session.

Definitely not machine shaped...

I cannot verify. Local shaper with alliterative name and unmistakable talent can make anything by hand. Proof above. 5'6" x 20 1/2" x 2 5/16" shaped as personal ride for the shaper. Fell into my hands- now a favorite. Reliable Source posits that shaper's "100% handmade" claim is no longer legitimate. I cannot verify.

Having an item handmade makes it unique, special. A handmade item is set apart from the cyclone of mass-market consumerism/capitalist lust. I hope that Reliable Source was, in this circumstance, unreliable.

I'm not against shaping machines. I see their merit. I am against false claims at the expense of credibility and surfers.

I still surfed this board this morning. Sweeeeeeet!

Speaking of Baja...

Pics from a late summer sojourn.
The aptly named. Bring your log, fish, or mat.
A clean little peeler.


-Age it by about ten years and it will be the perfect baja traveler. Good gas mileage, good storage capacity, AWD, easy sleeping inside, and a totally kooky appearance/driver! I used to have the full on truck setup but it wasn't practical for my commute. Go ahead, laugh.

An unfortunate decision...

I have a problem. Well, maybe many of us share in this problem. The peninsula directly to the south of Sin Diego hosts some of my finest memories of surf sessions. It holds the potential to fill every one of my vacation days for the rest of my life with right hand point break surf. I like to camp. I like to get dirty. I like to speak in mangled Spanish. I like to surf without a crowd. I like to set a fishy on the high line in conditions that suit it completely. I like to drive past where the gringo masses are "adventuring" and actually go on a little adventure.

However, I am not tough. I am not intimidating. I am, yes, well, er, umm...scared. Maybe saddened is the right term. Between the exploding development down to Ensenada and the growing crime problems a question emerges- is California Sur a risk/reward scenario that makes sense?

Consider, discuss...

The SimFish, pictured here in a 5'10 model, is offered by Eaton through The Swift Movement Surfing Boards. Please send me one by mail so as I might try it on a clean, lined up beachbreak. Thank you.

Friction-free...

An interesting concept.

Derek Hynd and others exploring finless wave sliding. If only they could've seen me on that old Harbour sliding in circles across microscopic summer swells. I could've been their guru. After all, I thought of it first and take myself extremely seriously.

Heartburn Haiku- 147 a.m.

I planned to shred waves,
To get way rad before work.
Dawn patrol is lost.

First acid battle.
I am suffering surfer.
Hail mighty Maalox!

A knice kneeboard...kgnarly!

5'10 Lis courtesy of Jeff. Most memorable wave of my last sesion: 3ft peak-late takeoff to knees- into barrel- emerge- kneeboard cutty- stand up- pump down the line- roundhouse. As always, versatility makes things more fun!

My Frye...

Begging for a point break!

Lis Fish- Backside...

lisbackside.mov

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Very smooth surfing by RK on a 5'6 Lis.

This was me this morning...

Ripping on my fishy,


Ruling with fins only,

half-man, all momentum!

Or maybe that's Rasta, Stewart and Greenough taken from other sites.
It was a fun surf this morning. My spot had some long sandbars and lots of space. Smoke seems to be clearing up a bit, too. Keep looking for that board!

Some consolation...

My friend, Sei in Japan, a fellow fish lover, sent me this pic as consolation for my recent stolen board. This is an unknown OB surfer (Pendarvis himself?) with a Pendo-Lis hybrid. I have a board on order from Steve. Maybe I could see how one of these rides firsthand? Please keep an eye out for my lost board! Thanks!

Help!

Help!

My favorite board, a 5'8" Steve Lis twin keel was stolen as I surfed last night at Torrey Pines. I must have left the car (silver Element) unlocked. My wallet, keys, phone and everything else were untouched. I chose to ride the shortboard instead of the Lis and I paid for it. If you know or hear anything please contact me. The board had signed Geppy fins and a clark foam lam on the right pin of the fish tail. Please spread the word.

Different Strokes...

This used to be my favorite boogie spot. This winter I am going for the quad-fecta at this wave: get barreled bodysurfing, boogieboarding, kneeboarding and surfing all during the same session!

During high school and college I used to be a very low level professional bodyboarder. I got one paycheck. One. Then I went on to be a sales rep for a few bodyboard, fin and clothing lines. It was fun. I still like to boogie some shorebreak! the photo galleries in A-Frame are pretty good. I actually learned to surf before boogie-ing. I guess the call of the barrel was too strong. Many years later I find myself enjoying all types of surf craft. Have you ever ridden a surfmat? It's enjoyable.

Larmo Large-o

Here's the truth. I love 5'6" fish. That's my go-to size. But I also love 6'6" fish. There used to be a clip here on the world wide web of RK owning scorpion bay on a 6'9". There's something special about the wide tailed slide with the high line glide of a too-big twin keel at a point. Larmo made this one a while back. I sold it a while back. Regrets. Always regrets after a sale.

Frye please?

Photo usurped by force from SurfySurfy
I am currently on a hunt for a Frye Fish. I have/had fish shapes from many notable shapers but somehow never found my feet sliding on a Frye. I don't know Skip. I have friends that do but I'm not one to impose my dreams on others' pragmatism. When I see Skip in the lineup I smile and admire- I would never presume to grovel in hopes of a board (although it has crossed my mind). If you happen upon some fortunate Frye owner in need of a quick payday please contact me. Heck, if you happen to read this, Skip, take favor upon a keel loving surfer! I'll bring you a blank, a donut and a pile of stoke! I went to Mission Bay too! I was a distance runner! Please!

Wanderlust.

I just finished reading a bit from Kimo Hollinger in the new Surfer's Journal. I love his tell-it-like-it-was prose. It is always full of north shore as wild west town imagery and plotline. I wonder if there is another North shore out there?

I had a chance to visit the far north Hawaiian island chain paradise last November. just developed enough for comfort, perfect surf in warm water, Hawaiian culture- unbelievably expensive. Now my skill set travels well. But it doesn't merit much pay. This puts paradise out of reach. Or at least this particular paradise.
Is there a place to serve as my H-bay? My Nias? My Pipeline? My Cape St. Francis?......
Probably. Will I ever find it and make the move? Probably not. Truth be told- I like the shade of green I find on this side of the fence. Once you learn to love an area's waves, to know them, it's hard to consider abandoning that knowledge in a betrayal of geographical dimensions.

Any log heads?

I have had this 60's Harbour for a while. Found in a trash can. Surfed it while it had gashes and no fin. My buddy Matt restored it-partially. I'm ready to hand it off to someone who will finish the job and enjoy the board. If you love logs let me know and perhaps you can have a new (old) one.

Secret Spot!

Sierra Secrets. Jay, Erik, Justin, Andy, Rock, Wind, Water, Elevation, Memory.