Surfer Nancy's Blog

2012-02-16T05:34:00.000-08:00

For anyone who still eats bacon

2012-02-15T06:16:00.004-08:00

Okay, it's a small step, but if we can pressure these mega-companies (who have brain-washed us all for years about meat), there is some hope for our planet - and every living thing riding around on it. PLEASE Read this article, that came out today, and make your own decision:

On Monday, McDonald’s announced that it will seek to have its pork suppliers phase out the use of gestational crates by May. Animal rights advocates have long opposed the use of “sow stalls,” which are barely over 2 feet by 7 feet in size. 60 to 70 percent of the more than 5 million breeding sows in the US are kept in such very close quarters; the crates can cause a number of health problems including urinary tract infections, weakened bone structures, overgrown hooves and mental health issues.

The New York Times’ Mark Bittman offers praise to McDonalds for “doing the right thing.” His description of gestational crates makes it all too clear why such an inhumane and unethical practice must end:

a gestation crate is an individual metal stall so small that the sow cannot turn around; most sows spend not only their pregnancies in crates, but most of their lives. For humans, this would qualify as “cruel and unusual punishment,” and even if you believe that pigs are somehow “inferior,” it’s hard to rationalize gestation crates once you see what they look like.

Needless to say, the pork industry is less than pleased.

McDonalds — the fourth-largest employer in the world – only buys one percent of the pork supply but the fast food giant’s decision to buy crate-free pork will have significant repercussions in how pigs are raised. In 1999, after McDonalds announced it would gives its caged hens 72 inches of space instead of 48, other fast-food chains were quick to do the same. Dr. Jodi Sterle, an expert on swine reproductive management at Iowa State University, is quoted by the New York Times as noting that there is “no easy alternative to sow stalls .. because feeding pigs is complicated by their hierarchical nature.” She points out that, when pigs are raised in groups, there is competition “for food, water and space, and especially for food”; with McDonalds’ decision to phase out crate-raised pork, the industry will have all the more reason to find ethical ways to raise the animals.

In Search of Sustainable Agricultural Practices For Fast Food Suppliers

Burger King was the first major fast-food company to reduce the amount of pork produced in gestational crates back in 2007, around the same time that it began to use cage-free eggs. The world’s largest produced of pork, Smithfield Foods, said that it would end the use of the creates by 2017, only to postpone such a change during the recession. It has now again said that it will cease to use gestational crates by 2017, following an undercover investigation. Cargill Foods says that it is 50 percent crate-free and Hormel Foods has recently said it will end the use of the crates in 2017, too.

Several states including California and Florida already have laws banning the use of crates in the meat and dairy industries. The Humane Society had recently increased its pressure on McDonalds.

While praising McDonalds, Bittman says, and rightly so, that we should in no way let the mega-company off the hook. Many other issues remain to be addressed such as the fast food chain’s actual food offerings, its relationship to the labor force and the marketing of its menu items to children via Happy Meals and splashy advertising.

Last summer, Krispy Kreme announced that it was switching to use cage-free eggs. We can keep up the pressure on big companies to practice sustainable agriculture and treat animals humanely and ethically. We are what we eat: Do we really want to eat a meal that was raised in a crate?

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/mcdonalds-says-no-to-sow-stalls-for-its-sausage.html#ixzz1mSaHUNgr

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T04:24:00.001-08:00

Summer Dreamimg

2012-02-14T03:56:00.004-08:00

With winter finally hitting here, I can't help but fantasize about warmer days. I just want to curl up into a fetal ball if the water or air temperature drops below 60 degrees. That's why today's picture will take us away to that kind of unexpected day I think of... the warm moments in the surf with my friends, the sunshine sparkling on the ocean like diamonds.

2012-02-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

Why you must always keep an eye on the baby

2012-02-12T06:40:00.000-08:00

2012-02-11T17:01:00.001-08:00

I love you, silly vandals

2012-02-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

Somebody messed with my former competitor's surf shop road sign on Monday.

Today I went surfing at Tenth Street. It was more an exercise in... well, exercise. A few other guys paddled out with me, Tom, Steve, and a few other longboarders. It was worth it, still no booties, despite the water dropping to 62. If I am not in booties in February, it is a reason to celebrate! It was about waist to chest high with a light NW offshore wind at first, but gradually it turned light onshore as the tide filled in. All in all, worth the paddle...

2012-02-09T08:34:00.001-08:00

Ron Swanson, we love you...

2012-02-08T06:24:00.000-08:00

Those Fabulous Fifties

2012-02-07T07:01:00.000-08:00

My prediction for future embarrassments: driving cars and eating beef.

Another Fun Morning

2012-02-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

When I looked in the mirror (I really try to avoid that these days) this morning, I looked like Rocky after a bad fight. My left eye looked like it had shrunken and the skin around it was all swollen. Whoa, look at you! was all I could think, and then I remembered my skin checkup on Friday and how the doctor had said, as he aimed the blast of cold that felt like a thousand frozen bee stingers being shot at my face, "This is gonna hurt."

He never has said that before, just goes about looking me over like a monkey looking at another monkey for fleas, as he randomly blasts my skin here and there. Owww! Better to have a burner than someone who is a cutter, I always say. It's all payback for those hours in the sun. The places he hit me this time were right at the hairline, places I probably missed with the sunscreen. Take my advice, go once a year - at least - and have a dermatologist take a look see. I had waited for two years. Not smart.

So, on to the good stuff... We all met at Tenth Street at around nine this morning and were greeted with glassy waist to chest high surf with light offshore winds. It was smaller than yesterday, but we had sorta expected that. I had been thinking I might do yoga, but surfing seemed to be the call today. Plus, saltwater heals all wounds, and I had four of them.

Mark was frothing after not being in the water for so long. His work has been sucking all his time lately. He was pumped! Andy was there with the sweet tater and Kenny and Karen showed up, along with Tom, after a bit.

What fun we had today! My little Dominator found some barrels and ledges to do hilarious stunts that I actually made, mostly. Andy was looking stylish on that new Firewire, and Mark was snagging some good ones on his Rocket quad that he broke out since the surf had dropped. We started out on the outside, but realized that was not happening and moved into the inside where Andy was riding a bunch of waves and making them look good. I saw Mark get a really good left and he came back grinning from ear to ear. It does your heart good to see your friends so happy. Speaking of happy, Kenny was riding that 9'6" like it was a short board, moving from the outside to the inside and smiling like a kid at Christmas. And, can I just say how great it was to see my best pal Karen back in the water? She didn't even wear a wetsuit today, and said it was the first time she had been out since summer. If that were true, for me, I would never admit it. Dang, girl, it was good to have you back.

I went in at 11:25am. I really wanted to stay longer, but was beat from constantly paddling for 2 1/2 hours against the current to stay in that magic spot in front of the pink condo (the corner! the corner, line up with it, damn it!). When I got home and had some lunch, I really thought about going back for more. But, when I checked to see what the wind was doing, I smiled, seeing that it had turned onshore at exactly 11:30am. Perfect!

Hot Sweet Potato Fries!

2012-02-04T11:29:00.001-08:00

When I first looked at the Firewire Sweet Potato, I thought no way could I see THAT working.

But, Andy just bought one and I have seen the light. Even the guy at the surf shop that sold it to him said it looked like a pig and tried to almost talk him out of it. Just goes to show you, boys, don't discount the ugly girls, they might just teach you something. Like how to put it on a rail and spring back into action!

Yeah, boy!

I watched him catch his first wave on that 5'4" and thought, gee, that catches waves pretty dang well for a board that is like twenty inches smaller than that ace mechanic! What the hell?

By his next wave, and that loose cutback on the rail where he looked as good as I have ever seen him surfing, I was a bit depressed. I mean, I can't afford a side of sweet potato fries at the moment, even with my upcoming raise! How could I get me one of them things? Tomorrow he is letting me try it. This could be dangerous. And, what's more, I should be riding something like a 4'8," if I got one. WHAT?

The waves were stoking us today. The wind was onshore, but it ended up being chest high at least, and had some punch. Andy said he heard there were some 10 second intervals, hot dang! Tomorrow is calling for light winds, maybe even offshore. No biking THIS weekend, no sir!

We had a moment of comedy, as we often do, as we were walking out to the waves this morning. I was so amped to get out there I didn't want to wait for Tom in the parking lot to discuss some commissioned artwork. Andy had that Sweet Potato mutant thing, and I wanted to see him ride it. We started walking out and I said, look, the waves don't look that bad. Then we heard honking and I said: DON'T LOOK, DON'T LOOK, DO NOT TURN AROUND, like the creep I am, because I didn't want to work, I wanted to surf. But, the honking got more insistent and I sighed and said OH HELL and turned around to see it wasn't Tom, but the cops. Oh, Jesus, I guess we better go back there.

It turned out to be a cop I knew, Doug, so we hugged and he asked us if that truck parked illegally was ours. No way, Doug. That sweet Prius is tucked into a legal spot in the Tenth St. parking lot. We waved goodbye and parted.

Then Andy and I surfed.

Ha, what fun! It might not have been the best conditions, but when you haven't been in the ocean in days, it is like a baptism of holy glory and we were laughing and doing our usual stuff, except for Andy, who was reborn today, cackling like an insane person with every wave he caught. Tom made it out, eventually, had caught the bridge, and we all enjoyed the warm air, the 66 degree water and partly sunny skies. How is this even possible... it's the first week of February!

Cheeky Monkey

2012-02-03T09:33:00.000-08:00

2012-02-02T19:00:00.001-08:00

Even Superheroes age

2012-02-01T06:16:00.001-08:00

2012-01-31T06:16:00.000-08:00

Burzynski: There's something he has been trying to do...

2012-01-30T04:35:00.000-08:00

and we all should be paying close attention.

When I finished my end of year oral presentation on the subject of cancer in my Environmental Sociology class at Flagler College a couple years ago, the class just stared at me with a look of disbelief, disgust, and helplessness combined. One student turned to our professor and asked, "Is this true?" He looked at her and said, "Unfortunately, yes."

The subject of my presentation centered on the book,"The Cancer Industry," by Ralph Moss. It's a hard book to track down. There are a lot of people from the FDA, The National Cancer Institute, The American Cancer Society, and the medical profession in general who would prefer you didn't read this book.

Wake up, people, these institutions should be feared. You think they are there for the public safety? When it comes to cancer, the only thing that seems to interest them is how to keep us sick and the money machine up and running.

Dr. Burzynski found a cure, with thousands of documented cases to prove it. The FDA? Did you hear about how the FDA raided his research facility, confiscating Dr. Burzynski's patient's medical records (Putting them in danger) and have been trying to ruin him for years? I doubt it.

If you "don't have time," or can't find a copy of the book (go to amazon.com), The Cancer Industry, please watch: Burzynski." If you know anyone who has cancer, this could literally save them.

I wish I had this information back in 1992, when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She died in 1998. She refused chemo, knowing what a racket is all is. She worked in the medical profession her entire life, and I remember her telling me, "You think they will ever find a cure for cancer? You're dreaming, if you do. There is too much money being made."

Prepare to be angry. Very, very angry.

If you have ever donated to the American Cancer Society, you are putting money into the pockets of a group of people who do not want to find a cure. If you have ever done a run, or walk for cancer, you have been fooled into believing. It's a shock, I know, to think you have tried to help find a cure - when no one, except the innocent victims, really want to.

Watch what happens when someone from Elan (a big pharmaceutical company) learns about Burzynski when a relative contracts cancer. Scary stuff, this.

In a nutshell: The FDA and big pharmaceutical companies are actually HINDERING research and do NOT want chemo and radiation to be revealed as the antiquated, toxic, dangerous treatments that they actually are. And, don't expect the American government to help you. They are in bed with the drug companies, of course.

Dr, Burzynski, M. Ph.D. has discovered an inexpensive cure that the drug companies want to keep from all of us. The profits that the big drug companies stand to lose, well... they simply cannot deal with this. Try asking your doctor about him. Most likely he will be termed a "quack." He and his patients have been relentlessly harassed. Watch the testimonials from his patients, relaying their outrage against the FDA. Patient after patient explains how their doctors told them they or their children had only months to live. Faced with painful and destructive "traditional" treatments, they looked elsewhere - to preserve some quality of life in those remaining months - and some of the fortunate ones found Burzynski.

Tumor after tumor disappeared, documented by actual medical records. Yet, the FDA continues to say,"NO! THIS DOCTOR IS A CRIMINAL!"

The smear campaign they reveal in this documentary is nothing short of chilling.

One mother of a little boy who was given two months to live - and survived - tells us how their oncologist warned against undergoing Burzynski's treatments. He told her that his opinion trumped hers. The parents did not listen, and today their son is alive, surviving brain tumors, due to Burzynski.

So, when the pressure from these stories became too much, and the NCI just HAD to respond to these documented cases that could not be ignored, they did their own ham-fisted trials of Burzynski's treatment, and well, you can guess what happened. Surprise! They had no success with it. Because they twisted the formula - and there you go! See, it just doesn't work, the "respected" National Cancer Institute tells us so. Just go back to your American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, and don't think about it. They'll take care of everything.

If you are still hanging in, please at least watch the movie. You could be next.

Or, go to: www.burzynskithemovie.com

100,000 miles...

2012-01-29T15:00:00.000-08:00

I always wondered when and where it would happen. As if it were a major milestone of some consequence.

I guess it is to me, since I have thought about it more than once. It happened last night, just after midnight, on the way home from babysitting, driving home on A1A. I stared at the number 99,999 and waited, like an expectant parent, holding my breath, and then... there it was.

I always thought it might happen on the beach, or somewhere near it, since I am nearly always close. So, it was fitting that I was on A1A, and leaving work where I spend a lot of my time.

Can I just say that the 2002 Prius has to be one of the best designed cars of all time? Yes, I can. For someone who claims to be the opposite of materialistic, I sure do love that little machine. Long may you run...

Today the waves were pretty non-existent and I was a bit glad, to tell you the truth. Because today I went trail riding with my pal, Joe, to Santos, and we had a fine time.

We found a new trail,"Twister," and the tight turns that snaked through the forest were fun, fun, fun. It was flat out gorgeous, and rejuvenating to be immersed in the woods, with the trees and blue, blue sky all around.

The ride was cut a bit short when Joe attempted to climb a hill that appeared suddenly in our path that was a bit too vertical for those over inflated knob-less tires. Good for you for trying, I don't think I would have. As I watched him go down, cartwheeling on his back and sliding down the brown smooth slope, hitting stumps and who knows what else, I thought, "Damn, boy, hats off to you for trying!" It put a bit of a kink in the rest of his ride and a bummer when his first aid kit was missing the requisite Tylenol. Once you fall, it seems the MoJo hex is on you. But he was a trooper and pressed on, despite his obvious pain. I salute you.

Lunch afterwards, at a little Mexican dive the bike shop told us about, was perfect, with those big, fat, plate-sized chips smeared with guacamole. I love biking...

2012-01-28T10:40:00.001-08:00

Insignificance

2012-01-27T05:59:00.001-08:00

Do you ever ponder your own significance? I was having a bout with that this week.

Every now and then something will trigger it. Like feeling unappreciated. That's how I was feeling this week. You know how it goes. You are doing everything you feel is right, and you feel like you are doing a damn fine job at whatever it is you do. But, for whatever reason, everyone seems to be pointing out the things you didn't do just right. So, maybe you are like me. You start to examine your life, and think maybe you are not as good at stuff as you thought you were.

Careful here. You may slide down that slippery slope and end up thinking too much. Most people probably don't think enough about things, if you want my opinion. They bumble through life without too much worry about things they do or say. As much as I would like that easier ride, I really think I would never board that train. Sometimes it never stops. It goes on and on, and around and around, with the blinds pulled down.

So, I was approaching a side street (oh, dear, another metaphor) and it was one of those traffic lights that changes only when someone from a side street trips the sensor. I suddenly felt bad. I mean, what if just because I approached the light I made it change to red for all those people on their way somewhere? What if I made them late? What if their stopping at this precise moment put them in a different place then they would have been, and they got hurt or someone got mad at them or all manner of things that my very existence might affect. See what I mean? I think too much.

On the other hand, maybe this minor shift in their trajection took them out of danger? Maybe they would miss that moment that they might have been in an accident. Maybe something good might come of it. My existence probably did none of the above, but still I pondered.

So, feeling like I couldn't do much of anything right this week had an odd outcome yesterday. My bosses approached me with a discussion about a significant raise. That came out of a side street, I can tell you that. And it came during the moment in time where I was seriously considering a plan for a major shift in what I want to do in the future. Life is funny like that. So maybe it is good to ponder your significance every now and then. Things happen.

I think it is a good thing to think about the affect you are having out there in the world. Are you making the world a better place? I think that is where your significance comes in. Sure I may look stupid driving around in my little Prius that is 25 miles shy of 100,000, listening to Girl Talk, a little surfboard on the seat next to me. I could never win a single round of Jeopardy. I am sure I deserve all the eye-rolling that I get. But, in the end, if you try your best to make things more fun for everyone around you, and do it always with kindness, I think that is worth a lot more than anyone will ever give you credit for. So, don't go looking for pats on the back. But, if you really do seem to need one, like I do every so often, it will usually arrive at the most unexpected - and appropriate - moment.

2012-01-26T06:32:00.000-08:00

Another fine day...

2012-01-25T07:28:00.000-08:00

The sun broke through the fog, the water was 66 degrees, and the wind was light offshore. So what if the buoys dropped to 2 feet at 8 seconds. It's the end of January and I'm comfy in my fullsuit and not wearing boots. Maybe this is the winter to stay home.

High tide was at 9:37 this morning, but when I got to the fogged in beach and looked out at the overlook, it just didn't look that inviting. I asked grumpy goofy footer on his way out if it had been worth it out the back yesterday and he said it sure was. I headed out there since Bob was already out there somewhere. It might be worth a look see.

Once out there, it was pretty nice, glassy. about waist high and clean. Every now and then one came in that bowled up nice for a bit before dying out. One left I had made the paddle out there worth it all. It peeled all the way to the inside and I was stoked when I saw Bob was riding the one behind me.

Before long, we could see it was just getting too fat. I paddled in, and just in time as I saw a crew of three headed out there and a long boarder had just paddled out. Once inside, it was clear that it wasn't yesterday, but still could be interesting. There were some decent ones, but then I saw everyone was walking up the beach and headed for the spot I was surfing. It was weak, but as the sun came out it was just a gorgeous day and worth it just to be out there.

I caught a few weak ones, but then at the very end, it happened. Just as my watch let me know high tide was ten minutes away, a right came trundling in that I could see and paddled out for. It wedged up nicely and the wall opened for a good push off the bottom and a run to the lip that felt just right. Back down and back up again, over and over all the way to the inside. Ahh... there is nothing like surfing! I paddled back out and it happened again. Then it seemed the wind came up just enough and the ripples began and boom... it was time to go. What fun, and what a way to start a day that was more than challenging...Nanny 911 to the rescue.

The Unexpected

2012-01-24T08:37:00.000-08:00

I didn't expect much, but I knew there had to be something with a buoy reading of 11 seconds.

I rushed around this morning, late to work, tripping and dropping everything all along the way. So, by the time I arrived at the inlet this morning, and saw that the tide was high in two minutes, all hell broke loose as I tried to grab those last two measley minutes of goodness. I rushed out to the water, forgetting to put on sunscreen, not even having a minute to spare to walk out the boardwalk to check it for Andy. I was so frustrated by the time I got to the ocean, I knew I was paddling out no matter what was there.

And, there it was, an a-frame green chest high barrel, reeling off unridden, calling, "Ride me, ride me!"

I stumbled out over the sand and practically fell into the water to get to it. For the next two hours, I was amazed at how much fun it was. I kept looking out the back, where everyone was, but I kept seeing everyone just sitting and sitting, finally one would come through, but they looked like they died out and the person just stopped and cut out. Meanwhile, I couldn't catch a break. The walls kept presenting themselves for Tom and I.

Once the tide dropped it begin to lose something and I went in. But, what a gift those two hours were, this is the end of January and still no boots, and with a water temp of 66? Score!

2012-01-23T06:04:00.001-08:00

Life's just like that...

2012-01-22T15:50:00.000-08:00

We were up early to check the surf, Mark and I.

He was at Matanzas at the same moment that I was at the pier, and we compared notes. He said he didn't see anything worth paddling out for, just a little crumbling on the outside. The pier wasn't breaking at all, the tide too high, but I could see faint lines that I should have paid closer attention to. How many times have I told myself that 2 feet at 8 or 9 seconds can be worth looking harder at?

I went off to ride bikes with Sean and Joe, forgetting about surfing, safe in the knowledge I wasn't missing anything.

It's just the way life is (surfing in particular is like that), just when you think you have it figured out... boom! I get a call from Andy on the way back from riding the bikes, and sigh with regret. He had listened to Mark's report and decided he was just going to take the SUP and paddle around the inlet. Bob called, too, wondering. He had that nagging doubt in his mind this morning, too, but (like me) decided not to follow through.

So Andy gets to Summerhaven. paddles out, and sees people surfing across on the north side. He paddled all the way across and found the Claw and two short boarders having a blast in waist high peelers! "It's been this way for two hours!" The Claw smiles, happily. Arrrggh. I hate when that happens, and it does when you don't pay enough attention. Even when you do, it happens. It's just the way life is. You have to make the best of what's in front of you, and I did my best today.

The bike ride was a blast, testing out new expensive Trek mountain bikes that I can't afford. Joe figured out he wants a 29'er for sure. I think I do, too. The bigger wheels just floated over the roots and sand like nothing, and the acceleration was amazing.

Regrets? It just would have been nice to have it all today, surfing then biking. We didn't leave for the ride until 10:30am, so it was there for the taking - if only I had just driven there to look for myself.

As it was, Andy could only sigh as he watched the Claw and two others catch waist high waves while he trundled around on a fat SUP.

It's okay, Andy. We can't babysit the waves all the time. Can we? Listen to the sound of cackling... and the insanity that surfing brings.

Yesterday

2012-01-21T06:21:00.000-08:00

Wow, I finally got to sleep in my own bed after a week of constant caregiving.

Virgo: the sign of service.

That's for sure. Let't see, last weekend spent house/dog sitting, first of the week spent at the mansion taking care of two infants, needy ones, really needy ones, and end it with the rest of the week working my nanny job and then going right over to another house to stay with two teenagers while their parents are off to PR.

When is it my turn? I'll tell you when. The end of February or the first of March I am finding some warm waves... somehow, somewhere, far from where anyone can find me.

So, add to this stress the fact that my dear friend had to put his dog down yesterday.

That sweet golden retriever brought many folks much joy. Wes, or "Wesley Addams," as I affectionately called him, went off to the green fields, that I imagine to be heaven, yesterday morning. This has to be the hardest thing to endure, and why I have not been able to bring myself to even consider getting another pet. You have to have a lot of time in between to forget the degree of pain that the death of a pet entails.

Just after Wesley moved on yesterday morning, I found myself out surfing, under gorgeous blue skies, in green crystal water, at the inlet, all alone. My best wave came after everyone drove off, giving up on it, except for one car. The wave came out of nowhere, and I had been thinking of Wes just before it arrived. I want to think he sent it to me.

There was not another wave like it again and I left shortly after. It reared up, a beautiful right that bowled up like a dream. It seemed shoulder high, and I took off late and went straight up to the lip, thinking I might spin out I was pushing so hard. But, I didn't (thanks to the Dominator), the whiplash sending me straight back to the bottom and then up again and again with about three cutbacks that felt more perfect than any I have had there in months. I thought to myself, did I just imagine that?

About ten minutes later, a guy paddled out on a SUP, smiling at me and saying, "I saw you get some great ones!" Thanks, I said, it is a long wait, but every now and then...

Then we sat and sat, and nothing like that wave ever came again.

Thanks, Wes. I like to think it was you, telling me that I should enjoy this life. It's all over too soon, just like a wave, but there are some awesome moments for the taking... if you just paddle out.

Is there a problem, officer?

2012-01-19T06:09:00.000-08:00

I just got a message from Bob about the Dominator. I think he will be forever indebted to Mark for letting him borrow that 5'10." Bob has finally seen the light. I swear, Firewire could take that message and use it for their ad campaign. Stoked out of his mind. He tried the regular tri fins and then put in the Mark Richard tri set and... took joy to a higher level.

I think he put it best in his last frothing line. "I just have to get out there and get that feeling again, I think I am losing my mind with this board!"

If only he had done all this sooner. Bob, can you just imagine for one minute that one swell we had this summer at the inlet, you know the one...on that board? Holy crap. I know you have.

And, he hasn't even tried the quad set up yet. Word: Adult diapers.

Mid-Winter's Dream...

2012-01-17T08:34:00.001-08:00

It was just Andy, me, and Bob at the inlet. No one bothered to check as we enjoyed pristine conditions, aquamarine crystal walls, glassy, with light offshore winds. The water wasn't cold at all, about 62 degrees. The swell didn't have a lot of push, but it was surprisingly fun. And, thanks to Mark, the hero of the week, Bob was riding a 5'10" Dominator - and he has seen the light. Stoked!

Riding in the woods

2012-01-16T16:54:00.000-08:00

Martin Luther King, thank you. I had the day off today.

In honor of this day, Sean, Jim, and I listened to soul music the entire way to Ocala to ride the Santos trail. We shared stories, some pretty horrifying, of things we have experienced through the years concerning race.

One story that seems to always return, whenever this day rolls around, is about my uncle. He was a southern man, raised by southerners, and believed certain things he was told. I sort of stopped listening to him the day he told me not to let my black friends borrow my bike.

I was about nine years old. We had just moved down the street from him and his family. I loved living in North Carolina then, all those woods to explore, the fields with plum trees. I had a dog that ran free. My uncle had a pick up truck, and sometimes he would let my cousin and I ride in the back. They burnt their garbage in the evenings in a big metal trash can in the back yard, the smoke rising, the lightning bugs glowing as night fell.

There were two brothers who lived way down the red clay dirt road from us, down another long single dirt road, in a small house that looked more like a shack. We gradually became friends, and had lots of fun exploring the woods and creeks as the seasons changed.

One day, one of the boys asked me if he could borrow my bike, since his mom needed something from the store. I gladly handed it to him, not even giving it a second thought. When I went to my uncle's that evening, for the ritual burning of the trash, he took me aside, and in a stone cold serious tone told me not to let "those n*&^%$ boys take my bike like that ever again." Puzzled, I asked him why. He said that I would never see my bike again. I told him that he had brought my bike right back, and it took me awhile to understand what my uncle meant. But, I got it, loud and clear. I had seen people act that way before.

Those friends of mine never once did me wrong. But my uncle never seemed to want to know or listen to this.

It stops here.

Today we rode our bikes in the woods, three friends, and we felt like kids.

Dooley has so much unrecognized talent

2012-01-15T13:40:00.000-08:00

The waves were perfect today. For the mini surfer, that is. Pete Dooley, you are the man.

1967 Japanese Surf Band

2012-01-15T07:13:00.000-08:00

STOKED

Crawl Space

2012-01-14T04:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, I said it before and most likely I will say it again, as long as I am watching this series. BEST. EPISODE. EVER.

If nothing else, Breaking Bad will show you just how close you can come to a heart attack without the trip to the hospital.

Speaking of hospitals, my dear friend and ride buddy, Joe, had to check into the hospital yesterday. He will be fine. Let's just say that eating at MacDonald's catches up with you sooner or later... hang in there. We need you back on the bike.

Time to make cookies

2012-01-13T04:52:00.000-08:00

It is supposed to be flat for the next few days. I hate January. Any one up for Unicorn Poop Cookies?

Do you recognize this man?

2012-01-12T08:17:00.001-08:00

Yes? Then you are one of the lucky ones. Breaking Bad!

2012-01-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

2012-01-10T18:22:00.001-08:00

Surf Surprise

2012-01-09T18:19:00.000-08:00

Fog! It's my least favorite type of weather. It's indecisive, deceptive. Make up your mind! Quit hiding things!

The inlet was so fogged in this morning that I had to follow what I thought were Bob's footsteps in the sand to even know where to paddle out. When I got outside, there were no waves. It was the twilight zone.

I could hear waves. I knew Bob was out there somewhere, but where? His car was in the parking lot. I knew he hadn't committed the unthinkable. He likes himself too much.

Then, slowly, the fog lifted. In the distance, I could see someone riding a wave. I paddled south, and then I saw there were two guys. When I got over to where they were, I saw it was Bob and goofy foot grumpy guy. There were some random a-frame peaks rolling through every now and then, about waist high. The waves would peak up and peel off both ways, with the lefts reconnecting sometimes all the way inside.

Gradually, the sun came out blaring. I actually had two waves that were worth the entire drive there and back. The water was crystal blue-green, the wind perfectly out of the SW, and the water was amazingly warm. Bob and I both commented how we were actually hot. What fortune, to say that at the end of the first week of January.

All in all, a pretty fun session. A bit of a wait in between, but we all caught something worth paddling out for.

Surfing in the Woods

2012-01-08T16:45:00.000-08:00

We did 29 miles today in some of the most gorgeous weather and trails I could imagine. Starting at the Santos Trailhead by Greenway Bicycles, we headed out through Cow Bone and Spider Kingdom under clear blue skies and temps in the low 70's. Brilliant!

We found a new batch of trails today after we left the land bridge.

There was a sign that read "49th Street" and we decided to check it out. It wound through a young pine forest, the ground covered with pine needles, sun-splashed, shadowed, with lots of quick little turns, fun, fun, fun. It ended in a panoramic view of a vast area of solitary, sparse, stark and barren trees surrounded by low scrub palms. A wide hard-packed dirt road wound through the landscape, with dips and rolling hills that we took off on. It looked like something from a Spielberg film. It was such fun rolling along that road in the bright sunshine. Sean said he felt like a kid again, on an adventure.

Then we plunged into another forest, full of dips and whoop-de-doos, what?? I think this has officially become my new favorite trail.

Four hours later, we were back at the car, starving and wolfing down Mandarin oranges and dreaming of food. What a great day, and the bonus on the way back? The full moon rising in the purple sky on the horizon in the East, as the sun was disappearing in the West...

Surfing with friends...

2012-01-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

...can sometimes be more fun than the surfing itself. That was the case today. Note to self: Never surf the inlet on an outgoing tide when the swell is tiny. The current was insane.

Mark and I met there at the same time and walked out to find Bob surfing all alone out the back. It looked small, but Bob caught one that wound out a ways. Let's go!

Ugh. Once we got out there, even on the fun boards, it was more work than fun. I was over it after ten minutes. But, I started to realize that no, it was not about surfing today, it was about catching up with my surf bros! Mark has been working so much that we hadn't surfed together in way too long. Oh, look! There he goes, all the way inside. We knew Mark was stoked. It was only thigh high, but when you haven't surfed in weeks, even that breathes life into you. I couldn't put anything together, between the constant paddling and the look of it as the clouds kept hanging on, I was defeated before I had even begun. But, I loved listening to Mark talking about how much he loves his Dominator, and all the back and forth between him and Bob over what board Bob should order. I challenge you to find a more passionate bunch of surfers who appreciate surfboard shapes as much as our crew.

And, then, once more, the minute I got home and took a shower, the tide changed and the sun came out. Damn you, surfing.

What brings you happiness?

2012-01-06T06:07:00.001-08:00

2012-01-05T07:05:00.001-08:00

My Sweet Aunt Georgia

2012-01-04T04:58:00.000-08:00

She passed away Tuesday morning at 95.

Many members of my family should probably have been in comedy, but no one as much as my sweet Aunt Georgia. Up there in North Carolina, where most of the remaining members of the family live, Aunt Georgia was the one who cracked us up the most. You could hardly get through a sit down dinner with her without choking from her zingers.

Always, even to the end, her sense of humor was there. When she was in hospice for another stay (they kept saying it was her last day for over a year), my aunt was leaving after another visit. She asked her, "Now, Georgia is there anything I can get you before I go?" Aunt Georgia looked at my Aunt Helen and said simply, "A new body would be nice."

That was my Aunt Georgia. Cracking us up, even at the final curtain call.

She never went to church and never went to the doctor. "Doctors will always find something wrong with you," she'd laugh, and "Honey, the church is full of hypocrites." I'd have to agree, from all the experiences I've had.

But, she wasn't just the funny bone of the family. She was also the one you went to for that sage-like advice that she could dole out if that was what you were looking for. No matter what your problem, it always seemed to end up in something that was simple and kind. Like her final advice to her daughter, “Be kind to everyone, always. Some people don’t deserve it, but those who deserve it the least, need it the most.”

Aunt Georgia, I hope we meet again someday, somewhere, in some form that none of us has any idea about, out beyond that big vast wonderland that lingers beyond our little spec of the universe...

2012-01-03T18:52:00.001-08:00

2012-01-02T05:01:00.000-08:00

25 miles in the woods, what a way to start 2012!

2012-01-01T17:29:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a fun day this first day of 2012 was. A major cold front is coming, and it is supposed to be literally freezing by tomorrow night, but today was perfect.

It started out foggy, but by the time Sean and I got to the San Felasco bike trail it was mostly sunny and about 71 degrees. After a big breakfast of flaxseed pancakes and fake bacon, I was ready to go.

Every trail today felt like magic. It seemed like every one was my new favorite. Pine for You, Hammock Hub, all of them seemed magical. It was like each trail could not have been more perfectly sprinkled with pine needles and leaves. The trees, the sky, the light winds blowing through, the tight turns, the darting and weaving, the speed we were getting... it all just seemed better than ever before. Tung Nut trail was epic, the drops and climbs just enough of a challenge to keep me wary, but daring. The best part came near the end when we met up with a guy who recognized Sean from the Sundog ride yesterday. He and his friend, Mike, rode with us awhile. That really pushed me, and that pressure made me do things I might not have on my own.

I was hungry by that point, didn't bring enough to eat. All I had was one MoJo bar and that wasn't enough to last me for 25 miles. I ran out of Gatorade, too, and was ready to get back and eat. But, those guys showed up and with it the pace.

I was behind Sean and he has been riding a lot more than me. He was killing it! Mike and Joe were behind me and we took off. With those guys behind me the pressure was on. Sean said Joe has been riding for 20 years and is FAST. I pedaled so hard just to keep on Sean's tail, and having Mike on mine was nerve racking. I knew he was good, so I was trying to keep the pace, and I began doing things that were a bit crazy. I was taking turns quicker and tighter than I would have liked and sharp turns that turned into steep climbs pushed me to my limit. I must say I surprised myself by keeping it up for quite a while, but on one steep climb I finally gave up and got off and let them pass. It was just good to know I could keep it up for as long as I had. Especially at the end, when I thought I had nothing left in the tank. It just goes to show, never give up. Sometimes, it just takes a bit of a challenge to see what you have left inside.

By the time we found food it was 5 pm, and I was on the verge of fainting. I was delirious by then, and it was getting insane trying to find something that was open on New Year's Day. Oh, Reggae Shack! You were open, and nothing tasted better by then than that vegan steak sandwich with those "dutty" fries and some sweet iced tea. And, vegan coconut cake, I love you. It was all I could do to stay awake on the ride home... sugar coma, what a way to go.

The End of warmth

2011-12-31T10:19:00.000-08:00

The cold is moving in by Monday, they say. But today... the weather was epic. I mean, who can complain when it is the end of December and it's sunny and 75 degrees out? The only thing that would have sent it soaring off the scale would be if the swell had been twice the size. All things considered, waist high peelers at the inlet are a gift on a day as gorgeous as today. The wind was nearly perfect for the entire time, light SW, and the only reason I finally went in was because some puffy clouds moved in and the wind picked up a bit too much for my liking, marring the perfection. It all started with breakfast with Junior. Her idea to try out a new place that just started serving breakfast was a good call, despite the people working not digging it all that much. Who wants to work on a day like today? I would be grumpy, too.

Bob was out there first, then quite a few of us showed up. It was okay, everyone knew each other for the most part. Bob kept going on and on about what board he should get, and getting input from everyone. I think he must know just about everything there is to know about the Firewire line now, despite only riding a couple models. You have to admire his resolve to research this subject relentlessly. Me, I just look at a board for a minute, tops, and try it. I might never have known what I was missing if I had thought about how really insane it seemed to drop from a 6'1" Firewire blade to a wider 5'6" Dominator quad at my age. Sometimes, you just have to roll the dice and believe. No one would ever do anything, get married, take a job, buy a house, or commit to much of anything if they really looked at probabilities.

Growth comes only from mistakes.

But, let's back up, and think about my stop at the post office just before I headed to the surf.

I had to mail a couple packages, and was relieved to see there was only one person in line. The lady in front of me put her package on the desk and then moved to the left to pay. I looked down, and there at my feet was a folded up $100 bill.

It's funny what your mind does when you just observe how it operates in situations like this.

At first, when I saw it, I thought, oh, that lady dropped it. Then instantly I thought, wait, maybe she didn't, and then if I ask her she will jump on the chance to snag it. No, it had to be hers, she looked frazzled and how could she not have seen it when she walked in? Then I thought about how awesome it would be to find that thing and have no one around to even ask. I mean, like if you found it on a deserted beach. It would feel like you had won the lottery, right?

But, then you realize how the person who lost it would feel, how YOU would feel if it was yours. All these thoughts occurred in the span of ten seconds. I asked her if maybe she dropped a little money, wait, a LOT of money. She looked instantly horrified, as all those thoughts went racing through her grey matter, too, about how I could have easily just bent over, picked it up discreetly and no one would have ever known. She looked at me with the grateful eyes of a dog and said, "Oh, my God... thank you so much! I can't believe I did that!" And as she headed out the door, she thanked me again, looking long into my eyes and wishing me a wonderful new year, like I was her hero.

The postal worker smiled at me and said, "Wow..." I said, "Yep, don't think I didn't wonder for a split second how nice it would be to find $100." He smiled again. "But, it was just for a second," I said. "I couldn't live with that." He wished me a happy new year, and I headed out the door for some sweet karma reward.

Surfing with my pals in the sunshine at the Inlet, yes.

Andy gave me the best left of the session when he went right and said GO! and I pulled up into the curl pig-dogging endlessly to the inside on the sparkling green wall. Then, after Andy and Bob left, Pat H. started hooting at an outside set that I was sitting in the perfect spot for out the back and I turned the board and dropped right into a dream wall left that reeled all the way in, open for the bashing. Well, however much you can bash the lip when it's chest high - with a 6'10" fun shape. A fun day...

To the Point

2011-12-30T10:13:00.000-08:00

I still haven't gotten over missing Tuesday evening. So, when - at the end of the day - I realized a sneaker swell had crept in yesterday as I sat working on something while gazing at the gorgeous day outside and thinking I really should go outside but didn't, well...

I wasn't going to let that happen again. The one time I DON'T check the buoys after calling the morning report to learn it is practically flat, yep, that's when it happens. Where did a 15 second swell come from, anyway? With all our technology and predictive know how, I should actually celebrate the fact that this can still happen. But, I wasn't. I was pissed. Andy and Bob were, too. We all were asleep at the wheel.

Today Andy and I rode our bikes into the park and went to the point. It was fun, nothing epic, kinda slow at first, but right before high tide there were a few that made the ride in and out at high tide worth it all. The water was pretty and green and the sky was blue. There were only about six other guys out and the vibe in the water was good. The air was warm and the wind almost non-existent when it turned onshore. They are saying tomorrow might be bigger. Wouldn't that be nice...

Flat and Cold

2011-12-29T05:01:00.000-08:00

As the gloom of winter settles in.

Memories of San Francisco

2011-12-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

Where you are expected to express yourself in nearly everything you do.

2011-12-27T07:26:00.000-08:00

2011-12-26T03:58:00.001-08:00

Wishing You Peace

2011-12-25T06:08:00.001-08:00

Christmas Dream

2011-12-24T17:28:00.000-08:00

This is what I really want, but the bike trip today was pretty close. We had a blast, the Earl of Cheddar, Sean, and me, riding the trails of Santos in Ocala. Only two crashes, both were me, going too fast around corners and hitting sand traps. There was blood.

All in all, an epic day. The clouds parted and the sun was out for the entire ride. The Earl of Cheddar was the man! Reggae Shack after burned my mouth beyond recognition.

The Earl of Cheddar's in Town

2011-12-24T03:41:00.000-08:00

It was the oddest sensation, yesterday afternoon, as I drove along the interstate nearing the exit to the airport. I looked up into the overcast sky to see a plane descending in the air. It must be him, I thought. My boy is up in the air, in a tube of metal, hurtling toward the earth at breakneck speed. The miracle of everything was not lost on me.

Let the games begin!

First Day of Winter

2011-12-22T07:24:00.000-08:00

At the very least, this winter is looking better than the last one. Last December, the cold had already set in. Today I went surfing just to be out in the warm and sunny day. There must have been a better sandbar somewhere, but it was nice just to be out in the ocean.

I went out at 16th Street, all the way to the outside where I saw a peak trying to break. The smaller swell just couldn't overcome the higher tide and break like yesterday, so I waited for the bigger ones to trundle in and heave over. It wasn't much, but it was a gorgeous day out there, sitting in the warm sun, the water a mild 64, the fresh smell of the sea, the sound of the gulls and waves and kids laughing, while catching the random glassy walls that disappeared after one cutback...

The last Day of Fall

2011-12-22T04:36:00.000-08:00

I love this time of year, I know I always say that. Yesterday I had off, needing a break after that three day weekend with the kids I nanny for. I missed an entire day of waves and offshore winds on Saturday.

Wow, oh wow, is all I want to say about it. If you are going to have kids, I think having only one is the way to go. But then, I wouldn't have this awesome 7.5 hour a weekday job if they had listened to me.

Anyway, it was like some sort of dream when I paddled out late this morning after a surf check. There wasn't a soul out and there were two fun peaks rolling in on the outside sandbars on the north side of the pier, with a light sideshore/offshore SW wind. Woo hoo!

I paddled out, the air nice and warm, the water almost refreshing. I was free!

I looked up and down as far as I could see and there was no one. What? Was it my imagination that the waves were actually fun? Every single wave I caught for the next hour was great. The first one was almost shocking, walling up, open for business. I kept smiling, thinking about how every wave I caught was good, how you could do at least three maneuvers on every single one. But, then I looked and saw a guy paddling out to where I sat, and then another. Then two SUPs on the southside. I actually welcomed the company, sort of.

Then the tide started filling in and things began to change. It never lasts for long, does it? It is the ever maddening torture that is surfing. It explains my forever bruised big toes. Always, when you discover there are waves, and the conditions are ripe for escape into surfing's heavenly grasp, the heart races and the frenzied drive to get to it begins.

Goodbye, Fall 2011. It's been fun.

2011-12-20T19:00:00.001-08:00

2011-12-19T06:10:00.001-08:00

2011-12-18T15:49:00.001-08:00

I don't have tomorrow, but I have today...

2011-12-15T07:52:00.000-08:00

And it sucked! Ha, you thought a message about living life to the fullest was just about to happen again, didn't you? Not hearing that from me today. Five feet at ten seconds with a light wind translated to a high tide session of crap. I think that was truly the worst time surfing I have ever had. No shape, no punch, no line. The most fun was a late drop close out. I hate winter so much. Over and out.

Doppelganger

2011-12-14T07:18:00.000-08:00

Is it just my imagination? In Nicaragua two days ago.

2011-12-14T04:45:00.001-08:00

2011-12-13T04:44:00.000-08:00

2011-12-12T15:59:00.000-08:00

No Surfing Today

2011-12-11T15:29:00.001-08:00

Just look at it! Victory at sea deluxe. No thanks. Sean and I were off to San Felasco to ride the trails. I took a dive off the bike today and thought I had really blown it. I went diving over the handlebars after a rooty section covered with leaves and landed on my helmet and shoulder. Owww! When you hear your neck cartilage squeak, you know the outcome cannot be good.

I sat there for a moment, dazed and searching for signs of broken bones, dusted myself off and got back on the horse. It's the price you pay, and it was worth it. To be out in all that nature, the deer dashing through the woods, the leaves fat and yellow on the dark limbed trees against the pale purple overcast skies, the temperatures hovering around sixty degrees with a moderate wind blowing through... was another kind of heaven.

It was also spooky, like a scene from "Night of the Living Dead," without the zombies. That old, creepy abandoned building with no windows, the multitude of fallen trees, the dark holes where wild boar recently hunted for who knows what. Blair Witchy, for sure. Out in the open fields on the Tung Nut Trail, it felt like I could hear Johnny's voice, "They're coming for you Barbara!"

Then it was off to "The Flying Biscuit" for a late afternoon meal. Good times. Here's a photo of Sean's new ride and our sweet bikes.

Put the tree up today

2011-12-10T09:27:00.000-08:00

No, not this one. I don't have the time, inclination, or the clever mind it would take to make a tree out of broccoli, tomatoes, and cheese. Soup, maybe, but not a tree.

2011-12-09T05:39:00.001-08:00

Don't I know it

2011-12-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

30 minutes of almost fun

2011-12-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

It's over. The wind came up just after dawn. The swell dropped to 4 feet at 10 seconds. It looked pretty perfect at first light, but it went downhill shortly after. To be exact, about 15 minutes into our session this morning (Andy and me). That's okay, we had yesterday, and yesterday was fine...

Bundles of Glossy Fun

2011-12-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

As I stood talking to Andy about the waves this morning at the pier, it wasn't apparent what was really happening out there. There was one guy floundering around on the inside, and it looked like it was only just starting to break on the outside. But it had potential.

I told him I was paddling out. I was tired of waiting for it to look good.

When it's 6 feet at 10 seconds with only a breath of wind, you go. Glad I did.

I still can't get that image out of my head, of that guy dropping into a death pit, the wave over his head and throaty, him slip sliding down the face and making it! Wow, if someone had a shot of that. No one would believe how good it was breaking out there. It was random, granted, but if you were there it was heaven. And I was.

Update: Dave took these photos of me this morning and just sent them to me... thanks for the memories!

Later this afternoon: Andy and I both got off work at 3:30pm and headed for incoming tide at Matanzas... what a great call. The water was green, the waves glassed off, and we had us one fun session! It felt like a dream, and Andy caught two waves that he never looked smoother on in his life. Both of us were raving about our Dominators AGAIN, but I tried Mark's tri fin set, some Mark Richards set up that he has been raving about. Now I know why. What an eye opener! Another dimension presented itself for the old Dominator for sure. Loose and just as fast, I felt like I was slipping and sliding all over the place, but with control. FUN FUN FUN!

Dear Santa: I have been good. Please, please, please bring me a Mark Richards tri fin set!

No Surfing for me... yoga?

2011-12-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

The wind will not stop! When will I surf again? I just cannot muster the inspiration when it is all blown out with random shapeless peaks.

Mark and Andy broke down and paddled out, but the report from Andy told the story. A miserable paddle out, a right beating he suffered, the inside obliteration to the point that fish were flying in the air like a bomb went off. Nope. That does not sound like fun to me.

So, there's always yoga class on Sunday! Oh, boy. There is just something I can't seem to understand. I may be almost graceful on water, but on land I am a walking disaster. Both my big toes are bruised and beaten. When it comes to the art of Yoga, I ride the short bus.

The instructor made her way over to me more than anyone else today, to the point that I wondered if maybe it was the sleep I lost the last two nights house/dog sitting. You just never sleep the same in someone else's bed (wait, that doesn't sound right). Yeah, that's it. It's not a full moon, so I can't blame it on that.

What? I thought that was the perfect downward dog? WHY is she coming back over to me to gently push down the middle of my back? Tree pose, you can stuff it. What does that prove, anyway? Why is it I have balance on water, but can barely stand up straight on land?

Well, at least I didn't fart like the lady next to me.

That would be it, I would have had to leave if that were me. It was about the end of me when I attempted to transform myself into that pretzel pose she termed, "Shabbanattasun," or something to that effect. It just wasn't happening, and never was going to, once I realized both instructors had spotted me, mouth breathing and looking like I had just been tazed, and were headed my way. I became paralyzed. I had been looking at everyone around me, trying desperately to copy them, while looking at the instructor (who was a mirror image, but backwards), and oh, it all became too much for that small Nanuk brain.

Both instructors surrounded me then, trying to bend me into a pose that suddenly seemed like something out of a Marquee de Sade fantasy. The comic relief came with Junior's nudging of me to look at the lady over there, the one in the white top that kept slipping off. This genius sister had worn some flimsy top without a bra, probably thinking the class would be like usual; 99% ladies. Ooopsey.

This time there were a bunch of dudes, around six, I think I counted. The one most obvious new guy, a middle-aged, greying guy wearing cargo shorts with a belt, was probably thinking this would not be his last yoga class. I looked up and at her at just the right, or in my case, wrong moment. Thanks, Junior. I got the full money shot, both orbs dangling free and whoa... avert eyes, Jesus, lady! Then it was like when you were a kid in freaking church, trying not to giggle which only makes it absolutely imperative.

So, I probably should have just gone surfing. At least that humiliation would have been entertaining for Mark and Andy. Today's audience most likely felt only empathy and pity for that poor klutzy lady in the red Nada Surf tee shirt. At the very least, they stifled their laughter until after class.

Still no surf...

2011-12-02T07:04:00.000-08:00

But, here are some shots of Thanksgiving day when the disc went sailing into the bushes by the lake and the Earl of Cheddar nearly fell in. We helped him out, after he found another lost disc right beside ours.

Old Lady on a Skateboard

2011-12-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

Hey, it's me. Skating the mission district in San Francisco! Doh!

Go!

2011-11-30T06:43:00.000-08:00

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

Oh, Tony!

2011-11-28T05:33:00.000-08:00

Fly Away Home

2011-11-27T05:20:00.000-08:00

The opportunity to learn about life is so much greater when traveling far from home.

San Francisco

2011-11-25T08:35:00.000-08:00

Wednesday...

I swear I'd live here if the ocean wasn't freezing the entire year round. For one thing, my boy, The Earl of Cheddar, lives in Berkeley. I would love to live closer to him, but it's all unfolding as it should.

But, still, the thought of leaving on Saturday, when it creeps in every now and then, well, it just plain hurts. In the meantime, what fun.

Just off the plane, he took me to this amazing Japanese restaurant. Everything was vegan. There was a bakery right next door, so between the deliriously delicious smells wafting from plates of colorful food lining up on the stainless steel counter near the cooking area and the constant yeasty wafting from next door, it was a sensory treat beyond compare.

After the best ever miso soup, pot stickers (I love that name), vegan sushi rolls, and golden fried tofu squares swimming in some mind-blowing dark sauce, we headed for CINNAHOLIC. Dear God, and there must be one if these fat glazed dough swirls of deliciousness exist, tell me heaven is this.

The girl behind the counter was so cute and enthusiastic. When I ordered mine (you can get an endless combination of flavors) with raspberries and chocolate chip cookie dough, she looked up at me and broke into the biggest smile. "My best friend orders the exact same thing all the time!" This made us both laugh, and she served our hot, gooey, glazed tender rolls within five minutes.

Start the disturbing moaning sounds now.

Then it was off to that fantastically weird and cool game store with every manner of collectible toys and games you can imagine. I promised the Earl of Cheddar I would avoid the stuffed animal puppets this time. The last time we were there, I nearly had to be taken out in a straight jacket as I moved from one absurd puppet to the next as they became a vehicle for my twisted sense of humor. But, when I spotted the full body pig puppet...

Its cute little beady eyes were staring at me with such wanton desire to be held and brought to life. 'Babe!" Piggy called to The Earl of Cheddar, "My name is Babe! Don't eat me!" That was when I found myself standing there alone and giggling to myself. And then I turned around, full of more ideas about what Babe had to say, and realized I was practically spitting on someone as I tried to stifle my maniacal giggling - about to touch their shoulder. It looked just like him, the black jacket, but it was a stranger, and I jumped back realizing my mistake. Of course, this only infused the scene with more humor for me as I tried to find my imagined audience who had disappeared in embarrassment.

Next stop, Trader Joe's. There were those last minute things we had to buy for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. The place was packed, no surprise, but it was so much fun imagining what it will be like when we get one back home.

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day...

I think I see the wisdom in having Thanksgiving the way we did it this year. We all pitched in. Everyone contributed, and everyone helped clean up afterwards. It all seemed fun, like no work at all. I made the chestnut stuffing, Katie made the mashed potatoes, snap peas, and vegan rice crispy treats. The Earl fixed the Tofurkey and rolls, and Tyler and Allison helped with the clean up. I had never met Tyler until today. He's Allison's boyfriend, and they have been traveling around, working on organic farms and living life. It was great to hear them talk about it. Apparently there are some grand opportunities to work on farms and that, to me, is a lost art that we should all know more about. Most of us are too dependent on others growing our food.

Anyway, after a great meal, we all headed out the door for a long walk (climb) up the road about a half mile or more, to a park where there is a lake, to play some frisbee. How we laughed. Especially when the disc nearly went into the lake and the Earl slid down the foiliage covered bank to retrieve it and was rewarded with yet another one someone else had lost in the exact same place. Katie took loads of photos, a few of which I will add here. I love most the one of Colby and Tyler running down the hill holding hands and laughing! Then it was a glorious downhill walk back at dusk, me asking Allison if she were keeping a journal about her travels. It all seemed so interesting to me, yet to her not so much. Interesting...

We watched some stuff on Netflix and called it a night.

Friday...

Katie went running early while The Earl of Cheddar and I had a Breaking Bad marathon. I must say that this series is the most engrossing, engaging, nail-biting series I have ever watched. And, watching it with him is like something I can't explain. We have so much fun discussing it, pouring over every detail. I don't want it to end.

But, wait! We are going to see Tony today! Yes, my dear friend, of many years, travel companion, fellow surfer, and transport from Florida; Tony The Ripper Rojas! We are meeting him at the skatepark at the Mission at 11 am. Woo hoo! We all jump on BART and head out for the 30 minute journey. Once there, it is like we have been transported to gangster land! Graffiti everywhere, Spanish being spoken at such a rapid pace I can't make out a single word. Buildings painted with murals everywhere, so colorful and bright! Bakeries everywhere... I love it!

A long walk later, we are at the skatepark... an awesome set up with Latino boys skating all over. The Earl drops in, does some fine carving in the bowl, some great moves, but then BAM! He smacks his tailbone in the bottom of the bowl. Oh, he is bummed, as this park is great, and he had just begun, Tony is not even here yet. He rests, the green grassy hills surrounding us on all sides. Then, here comes smiling Tony and his sweet hound, Dee Dee! Hugs all around and we hang out awhile before Tony drops into the bowl and... WOW, is he good! We are all impressed. Katie wants to skate, and does a great job as a beginner. I even jump on, after not riding one in years. Hilarious.

Later, as we walk, Tony and I are discussing our advanced age, and get some good laughs out of it, but man, Tony still has the moves. I used to be obsessed with skating, but after several injuries (broken wrist, water on the knee, etc,) decided to let surfing take over. I like falling on water better.

After this, we all pile into Tony's commie grey van with the red star. We are off to some amazing Chinese restaurant that Katie loves, and are now being highly entertained by Tony's stories about his band and their recent nationwide summer tour. How cool is this? I love it when people live their dreams. We all love you, Tony. This is forever.

The food is off the scale! Holy crap, I never knew Chinese could taste this good. I am ruined now for anything back home, as far as Chinese and Japanese food goes. Thanks, San Francisco.

We have to say goodbye to Tony and Dee Dee. Katie needs to get back to get ready for her photography exhibit tonight at the Actual Cafe. We hug Tony goodbye and we talk about getting a surf trip together in the next few months. Maybe the Nadeau's could join us? We have to do this...

We end up at SCREAM for vegan sorbet (dark chocolate-peanut butter) and then at the Actual Cafe. Katie sold a framed piece, woo hoo! It just so happened to be my favorite; of three pears, their stems intertwined like friends.

It's not really happening. People are just sitting around on their computers, so we leave and go to a second hand store where I find some jeans. Then it's off to Trader Joe's and back home for more Breaking Bad. This has all gone so fast. Tomorrow I leave...

Swell in the water...

2011-11-22T12:33:00.000-08:00

Today was surprising. I decided to just paddle out, after I got out early from work around lunchtime. No one was even out on the south side of the pier. I love this time of year, when you pull into the parking lot at mid day and it's nearly empty.

The waves looked rideable, the sun was peeking out now and then, it was warm, and the water looked on the green side with a light onshore wind. Good enough.

A spring suit was perfect. 3.9 at 10 seconds was pretty good, too. I caught some fun ones today. I eventually drifted to the south side where I kept seeing a bigger peak, where one other guy paddled over and we shared the peak. A fun afternoon...

That first hour was such a surprise. I hadn't expected much, and it ended up being pretty good. There was more push to the swell today, and I had to think it was from that low that has developed offshore out in the Atlantic. The only bummer was that I kept thinking about tomorrow's forecast for offshore winds. I will be on a plane to San Francisco...but my friends will score some fun ones!

2011-11-21T10:23:00.000-08:00

The Comedy Zone

2011-11-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you feel disillusioned, right? What gets you back on your path?

I'll tell you how I got back on mine today.

Surfing this morning with Mark at the pier was pretty hysterical. At one point, he was laughing so hard at one of my charging attempts that he nearly choked on saltwater. I had been sitting way outside. I only wanted the biggest ones. Most all the others were slopping all over and not really breaking hard enough, even at dead low tide. The rogue ones would rear up and smash you down.

Groveling is what I do best.

I had just had one where I dropped in late, and right into the middle of a pack of young rippers. I knew I had better make it or I would take someone out. It must have looked so funny, I wish I had a photo of it. I dropped in late, air dropping with my toes barely on the board, thinking that if I blew it someone was going to get hurt. Probably me, but that would be better than some innocent bystander. I made the drop, but after that I can't recall much. I know I went digging for clams, but came up with nothing except a mug of seawater. It was good for a laugh. I was just practicing for my swan song, which was moments away.

I paddled out farther. After all, I could have caught that last bomb farther out and been set up for at least some type of maneuver, right? Then it came, it felt like it was the biggest wave of the day. I stroked into it, got to my feet, and crap if they weren't all there again - right in my way! All those dots just waiting. I made the drop, and it felt like a miracle. But at the bottom, there was some sort of surge that unleashed all around me and I was thrown down and skipped across the surface like a stone in some sort of hilarious disaster scene that Mark was lucky enough to have a front row seat on.

I came up laughing, thankful I was in one piece, and as I paddled back for more, coughing up water (nature's neti pot!) and laughing like a maniac, I looked over to hear Mark yelling my name with both fists raised in the air. He paddled over and said it looked like I was dropping in at Maverick's! Oh, how we laughed, and then I asked, did you see the end? Oh, yeah, he did, because I have never seen Mark laugh that hard since I have known him.

Wow, it felt good to be back out there again today, the sky clear and blue, the air warm, the water bearable temp-wise and green. I had actually been thinking that maybe it's time for the old girl to slow it down a notch, act her age, why can't I seem to stop? I can't seem to shake this last cold. Everyone says it is because I never rest. Do I really want to go out having a stroke in the water? I suppose it would be the best way to go. Especially if I got a laugh out of someone on the way out.

Hey, Mark, that was fun today! Right after you left, I got the best wave of the entire session and didn't even fall off! And, check it... I looked it up. It was November, 2009, when I first got my Dominator. Two years later, it's still the one and only board I want to ride. I should make a cake.

Cutting the Cord...

2011-11-18T16:43:00.001-08:00

2011-11-17T19:55:00.000-08:00

In the water again..

2011-11-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

Finally, in the ocean once more. It didn't look worth much, but when I got out there it was a nice surprise. Sure it was gray out, skies and water, but the winds were just enough out of the southwest to clean up the peaks rolling through. Tenth street was doing its thing and the water wasn't even that cold. My short-sleeved full 2mm was toasty and warm. The best ones were about shoulder high, and were lining up fairly well, another surprise. It was just two of us at first and then about ten more showed up. It was good to be out in it again...

2011-11-15T10:32:00.001-08:00

Surfing on my Bike

2011-11-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

Wow, I just could not seem to stop smiling for three days. Or hooting, or screaming, or laughing. I was lucky enough to spend three days camping and trail riding at the Forks Area Trail System in South Carolina this past weekend, and it was EPIC.

I keep seeing so many images in my mind...

There was the full blown fall foliage that I hadn't expected. The reds, oranges, yellows, and bright greens had Whit and I nearly falling off our bikes so many times as we looked up from riding the path. He kept saying "BRILLIANT!" after stopping once more just to look down into the gorges filled with electric colors as we listened to the soft chirping of birds. We trundled down so many trails this weekend that were mind blowing in terms of all out Lord of the Rings fantasy land beauty. The pine needles on the ground in the dark forests, the smooth sun splashed trails that wound up and down and all around, the sunlight filtering through the trees with a light cool breeze breathing all around us...

At one point, I came blasting out of the woods as Sean and Whit stood taking a breather. I had the biggest grin plastered on my face. Sean knew what was coming. I was babbling. I had had a revelation, an epiphany. I had been climbing and climbing and then hit a series of deep rolling dips and rises like a skate park and was pushing it to my limit in terms of speed. It was almost too much for my little cranium to handle. I had started out pumping as I dropped into to dips and rises, gaining more and more speed. Diving into a forest, the damp soft pine needles paved my path. Then I leaned over the handle bars so that I had the sensation of flying.

Yes, this must be it, I thought. When you die, this is what happens. You fly through the beauty of this planet, fly through it, and see, finally see. You will fly through the woods, see the animals, the life, the perfect beauty that is almost too much to bear. You will see it, finally see it.

I came out breathing fast and had to share it, and they got it, they got it, they knew. This was the moment, and the kind that don't come that often, when you realize what life is supposed to be. This was living, this was immersing yourself in nature.

It was cold that first night, 31 degrees. Sean had a tent, I had a tent, and Whit slept in his car. The next night Whit slept under the stars. I can see him in my mind, that next morning, lying supine under the pine trees, in his sleeping bag sound asleep, the lake just beyond, four deer grazing on the bank. We cooked out, made a fire that never wanted to start but eventually did after we had given up on it. I had said I never would go camping again, but this just goes to show that you can never be sure. At the end of it all, I didn't want to come home.

If ever there was something as close to the stoke of surfing, riding this trail is it.

We never had cell phone service, so we were cut off from internet and phones for the duration. When we finally emerged, reality was waiting. There is was, a phone message from someone who is one of my dearest friends. Her father died on Saturday. He had been battling cancer, and they had given him six months.

It felt like someone kicked me right in the stomach at that moment, the nausea overwhelming. It comes all too fast, doesn't it? It comes, it's on it's way, and it's going to take all of us. I like to think that her dad was riding with me at that moment I had my revelation in the woods. Maybe he was making his way somewhere even more mind-blowing... skimming past at that moment, taking that last look over my shoulder, watching it all one last time, and thinking that his time on the big blue marble was one hell of a ride...

Definitely Disappointing

2011-11-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

There needs to be a new marker on the surf-o-meter. Definitely disappointing. That's what it was today. If you found a good sandbar, you were one of the few lucky ones. I rode to Middles on my bike, and Mark and Andy drove to New Symrna, since they both had the day off. When we compared reports later, it was exactly the same thing - both places. The bars have been obliterated by the Nor'Easter, making Sean's swell a big bowl of wrong. What a let down, after looking forward to this day for the entire week.

Now I am off for mountain biking and camping for the next three days... with freezing temps forecast for tomorrow night. Me thinks the story will make anyone who reads this blog glad they stayed in their warm comfy bed at home.

Why I love my neighborhood

2011-11-09T06:24:00.000-08:00

The winds are still making a mess of the surf. Tomorrow should see cleaner conditions, they say. Today I was outside washing my car, when I heard one of the triplet boys who live across the street call my name, saying good morning. They are so odd, but so sweet. They always greet me and have something nice to say, even if it makes no sense. I smile, and talk awhile. They have had a hard life. The police were outside a few nights back. Fighting with dad again. One of them has run away again. fifteen is such a hard age. He notices I have a cold, and says he hopes I get better.

So, I kept washing the Prius. After a minute or two, I looked up to see that quirky couple walking around the block again. I see them every now and then. They're friendly enough, but the thing is they tend to talk and talk and the more you listen, the more you realize that something is a bit off. So, when I saw that she had a full grown opossum peeking out of her shirt this morning, it wasn't all that surprising, but still, I had to investigate. When it yawned, its teeth looked like a vampire.

Okay, what's up with that? They proceeded to tell me how they had seen him walking across the street, just there, out of my yard, when he was just a baby. They went into some convoluted story about how they had just been listening to Van Morrison and they picked up the baby marsupial and took it home and named him after the singer. Just like you or I would do, right?

Oh, my freaking God, tell me why?

I proceeded to ask the questions anyone would ask. Aren't they wild, and... sorta dangerous? And how do you know anything about them and if they can be pets? Has he been vaccinated? "No", she smiled. How do you know what to do to even keep an opossum, I ask?

"The internet." That's all he said, smiling.

Now, picture them in your mind. She looks to be around 55, him... maybe 40. Nothing wrong with that, sister. If you can make it work, good for you. In my case, it would probably take a whole lot of money, but that's another story. Let's deal with one freak at a time. They always wear these big straw hats. I know it's because they walk all the time and all over town. I've seen them. Maybe she's a trust fund baby. I know two trust fund babies, and envy is the word that springs to mind. But then I would never have had the crazy interesting life I've had if I hadn't had to scrape the floor for everything I have earned.

So, I say more power to you crazies. I am definitely missing a few matches from my matchbook. But, I would never take a possum into my house. I told them my cousin's nickname was "Possum," and that got the biggest smile out of them. Hey, I would rather have people take in an animal and love it then to disregard it as a low life. That reminds me of that opening scene in the episode I watched last night of Breaking Bad, another BEST EVER SERIES in my book. Jesse is waiting on the corner for his homie, yo! They are going to waste the couple that stole their meth and money. Jesse looks down at a bug crawling on the ground and toys with it, smiling. He identifies with it, clearly. Then up walks his homie and the guy laughs and squashes it with his boot.

Who are you in this world? Are you one of the freaks? Clearly, it takes all kinds to make us even half aware of what it's all about.

2011-11-08T04:25:00.001-08:00

2011-11-07T05:18:00.000-08:00

14 feet at 15 seconds???

2011-11-06T02:59:00.001-08:00

I am sure I heard that buoy report last night, or... was I dreaming?

2011-11-05T05:19:00.001-07:00

ROAD TRIP!

2011-11-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

As we stared out over the grey expanse of a new morning at the pier, there was only one thing that could possibly save the day; a road trip south to escape the cold front that was bearing down on us. There was really no other choice, unless you wanted to just go home and get things done. Mark was out there, scraping around, but the waves would pop up, feather, and then die, the sandbars scrubbed into non-existence. Andy had the day off, I had the day off, so we decided to take a chance. Mark almost got to go with us, but work said no way. I felt so bad for him. I knew how much he wanted to join us. That was the only thing marring an otherwise epic day.

The winds were strong out of the NW, and chances were slim we could outrace the front. But, as we drove, the sky began to clear and the air temps began to rise. Hmm... maybe this wasn't such a bad idea.

By the time we hit the beach ramp, and saw the emerald green waves rifling off in the sun with spray flying off the tops at New Smyrna Beach Inlet, Andy became as excited as a kid at dawn on Christmas morning.

We watched waves peeling off, some close-outs, but when they peeled they were amazing. When I opened the car door and felt the warm air, I knew we had made the right call. I didn't even need my 2mm full with short sleeves, but it was all I had. Andy wore his spring, but nearly came in to take it off. As we paddled out, we were babbling with excitement over the clarity and warmth of the water, and the shoulder to head high green walls peeling off in the sun. The crowd was light, too. What a good call.

Once we got outside, Andy caught one right away and was frothing all the way back outside. I scoped it out for a bit, a local telling me that it was useless to paddle way out the back where you could see bombs going off. I knew that, and thought it was kinda funny that he probably assumed I probably didn't know what I was doing. It seemed to be awhile before I caught one, I wanted just the right one to start the day... but I had to catch up with Andy, who had three by now.

Then a big left came rolling in and I heard Andy cheering me into it. I was in the right spot, but would be dropping in later than I would have liked. I was still getting used to the set up. I took off, the wind and spray buffeting my face, and it held me up just enough to make me take off too deep, but eh, what the heck. I went. I got pitched with the lip, but made it to the bottom and then hung on for dear life. Andy was watching from behind and said it looked epic, big, and peeling off. I was just a bit too close to the white water, though, and never got a good start. I was leaning back and holding on for the entire wave. It moved so fast with me holding on by my toenails, but making it was something in itself. By the end of the ride I was going so fast that I just could not do that limbo any longer and went flying off the back of my board. That Dominator was just too ready to fly after sitting for so long and just left me behind! I was laughing so hard as I paddled back out, and glad Andy hadn't seen it. From his point of view, it had been epic, but I confessed.

Next wave... little did I know it would be the wave that would make my day.

I took off on another good sized left, but this time I was in the spot. I dropped with the pitching lip, but had time to set up at the bottom for a good turn off the top. I hadn't counted on the wind factor, though - and the three guys who were sitting just inside watching and hooting for me. I went off the top and, as I did, I realized the wind had pushed me a bit farther up the face than I wanted and I was dangerously close to being pushed right out off the back of the wave with all of them watching. My moment was now and I did not want to be humilated in front of these capable looking locals. So, I pushed hard, nearly out of the wave completely and popped it back down the face as I heard them hoot. Oh, man. Then there was another wall waiting for me to do it again as I went flying inside on the great green wall. When I finished it, I was in heaven. I knew it had been the best wave I would probably get all day. I even thought about just going in, it had felt that perfect.

As I paddled back out, the same guy that had told me not to bother paddling way outside was just staring and smiling at me as I approached, giving me the shaka sign and saying great wave! Then he asked what board I was riding, and knew all about the Dominator, his friend had one, he said, pointing to him a few yards beyond. I looked over at him and he was smiling, too. It felt like all eyes were on me. It was my moment, for sure. It just felt so weird, like nothing I have experienced in a long time. He asked me what size I was riding, and looked surprised. He asked if I got it at Red Dog, and I said no, Blue Sky, in St. Augustine, and we talked for a bit. Everyone was so nice out there today. It was all like a dream...

We went in after a couple hours, after the wind seemed to be coming up more sideshore, and we found a local place to eat called the Flagler Tavern. That just topped off the day. The sky was blue, we ate on the deck, and the temperature was perfect. We were starving.

Good food, good waves, and a good friend to share it with... how lucky I was today!

2011-11-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

The girls get to play with water!

2011-11-02T06:14:00.000-07:00

2011-11-01T04:23:00.000-07:00

2011-10-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

A nice day for a bike ride

2011-10-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

Oh, Sean. He doesn't believe in horoscopes. I continue to tell him what will happen when I read something of note that applies to the day ahead. Today mine said: "Be careful, today will be an accident-prone day."

Oh, that's just magical thinking, he always says. But, part of me believes in magical thinking, and so I crashed about nine times on the bike today. Nothing serious. There was no blood letting, or even bruises, but accidents? Oh, yes. The funny, fall over kind.

I think I was just sloppy today. Staying up late has proven to have these effects on me. If I don't get at least 8 hours, it shows.

Last night I got to bed at 1 am. The Halloween party (99 guests) at the plantation required a nanny's care for the four rug rats that did not end at a reasonable hour. It was all good. The baby went to sleep like a charm, as did the two year old. The other two took some mind control tactics, especially after watching "Ghostbusters." I hadn't seen that movie in about twenty years, and had forgotten how many cuss words were in it - the fascination at the moment with these two. So it took a game they invented, of going through the alphabet naming body parts (yep, you probably guessed some of the key words), and oh, what fun (for them) and endless shushing from me, to get them settled into bed.

Then it was a date with the TV for me until well after midnight. I am always a sucker for AFV. After that, Saturday Night Live seemed like a good idea, until you realize most of the skits just aren't that funny. Foster the People, an indie band from L.A., was worth it, though.

So, staying up late was my excuse for crashing so much today. I was delirious, but laughing at every one of them. They were just stupid and clumsy mistakes. Going too fast around corners, and straight up stumpy hills in the wrong gear, makes for some kind of hilarity.

Then I fell in love, with a biker who passed me on the trail.

The day was so gorgeous, the wind blowing through the trees, the orange and yellow leaves a bed of color on the ground, and there he was as I looked back. He was smiling as he flew past, the sunlight hitting his face just right. I saw the light in his beard, and it was positively glowing. He said something nice to me, and then disappeared up ahead. I told Sean, "There went my man."

Then, there he was at the picnic table when we arrived at our rest spot, and I was certain I would be disappointed once I saw him up close. He would say something, and the spell would be broken. But, no. He was articulate and nice, and kept making eye contact with me, smiling, looking fit, and close to my age, and everything seemed so right that I extended my hand to introduce myself. So bold!

We talked for quite a while, and I learned he was traveling all over, biking and kayaking, and I kept waiting for the "wife" word to come rolling out of his mouth, as always happens when I meet someone I like, but, it never came. Then it was time to move on, and we got on our bikes and took off down the trail.

I told Sean, "Wow, that guy was so nice, and now I am in love for sure," to which he replied, "Good luck with that, I think he's gay."

Then I realized that my initial instincts had actually allowed that thought to intrude as I had observed him, but I had pushed it away. Oh, crap, I thought, it is true... figures!

So, off we went into the wild blue, deer prancing everywhere. Near the picnic table, an armadillo suddenly burst onto the scene, crossing the wide path, comically trundling off into the bush. Today was beautiful, like a dream. And, beyond stunning was the blue sky as it began filling with puffy white clouds as we came out of the woods, at the start the long ride downhill, back to the parking lot ... where I nearly smacked right into a fat log at the end of the trail.

2011-10-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

2011-10-28T07:22:00.001-07:00

“I will continue to be a vegetarian even if the whole world started to eat meat. This is my protest against the conduct of the world.”

Isaac Bashevis Singer – Nobel Prize winning author