Being in love doesn't seem to do anything for my writing skills?? This is an ominously blank page! I really can't think of a single thing to say. Even there... I was just about to have something, and it was swept away by thoughts of my beautiful Jenny... Wait, should I say, "My", of course, I am not holding back... completly reckless.. Hopeless really.. I was really into this blogging thing too. Useless information use to just flow from my head without thinking.. I turned off the autoplay of the rainmaker podcast, but, if you would like some music, scroll down to "silly love songs" and hit play! After a silly love song from me, there's some great music from Michael Franti and Spearhead, Ben Harper, and, Part One from Jack Johnson Live from the Dodge Theater in Phoenix, AZ... Nevermind I turned autoplay back on.. Too quiet. Here's one for Jenny, followed by Ben Harper, Steal My Kisses, and G-Love.. Don't steal music, it's only 99 cents at iTunes or make a donation to Kokua or Kaili Falk... Oh.. It's ok to steal my song. Hahahe...
Well the surf has still been great. Nothing like Big Wednesday, or some of the other days.. But, lots, and lots, of good days. It's always head-high or better it seems. The water along with the air temperature has gotten cold.. But, the surf keeps coming in.. There hasn't been much rain, so the water has been fairly clean too. Although I think, like Buzzy was saying yesterday, only half jokingly, most of us have built immunities to all the crap that comes down the creeks and rivers, and we are all probably developing webbed hands and scales. That would be great, but I am really hoping to breath underwater soon!
I have had pretty much, all the "best waves of my life" this winter.. And a few occasions where, slow-motion, was in full effect. It's a longstanding fact that time slows down in the tube.. As it turns out, I have not had that many great tube rides, because the slow-motion effect has not really turned on with the intensity of my one ride at El Capitan. This particular best wave ever occured the day after Big Wednesday, Pretty Big Thursday. Pretty Big Thursday, was still pretty big... too big at Rincon, and most spots south of La Conchita. At least for me, and most mortals. But just right, everywhere from Carpinteria, on up to my favorite spot in the whole wide world, El Capitan. There is something really good about that place.. Except for the crowd.. Ugg.. El Cap is Gnarly. It breaks fast and close to the rocks. Which aren't really rocks, they are huge boulders. But, they are rounded off into perfectly shaped large boulders... When it is big enough, the boulders are not really a factor. On the smaller days though.. they are right there, you couldn't straighten out if you wanted to.Maybe, it is the fact that I use to camp here when I was a kid, way before I knew anything about surfing, and pretty much nothing about the beach at all. We would always camp at El Capitan Ranch, which back then, was just dirt camping. None of the deluxe tents and cabins that are offered today. But it was great... there was a big pond for fishing, camp stores, jiffy pop, smores, we even spent an Easter there looking for eggs and baskets. Camping and going to Mammoth are pretty much my fondest memories growing up. The beach is a ways from El Capitan Ranch, so bike are a must! On one noteworthy year I had my sidehack:
side·car
1. A one-wheeled car for a single passenger, attached to the side of a motorcycle.
2. A cocktail combining brandy, an orange-flavored liqueur, and lemon juice.
I wasn't aware of the drink, but that could slow things down a bit too.. Anyway... The sidecar in question was a BMX (Bicycle Moto-Cross) sidehack designed and built by my friend, Tony Torelli. My parents and his still hang out all the time but, I haven't seen Tony since a wedding many years ago. Ok.. I think I have found my rhythm of rambling thoughts now... The bicycle and motocross version of the sidecar is called a sidehack.. Instead of a nice comfy seat and windshield in an enclosed cocoon.. You have basically, a open platform, and handles which allow you to shift your weight around to avoid flipping the dam thing over!
The person in charge of shifting the weight around to avoid flipping the dam thing over, is called the "monkey". The sidehack is a great source for slow-motion wipeouts and accidents. So, even if you have never had the slow-motion tube riding effect you can really get the same effect, perhaps without the pleasure element, unless pain and pleasure work as one for you , with a good high speed, over the handlebars, wipeout.
Car accidents, though not recommended, offer another option for the slowing down of time.. If you prefer cars, the safer bet is an accidental slide on a safe piece of icy road, with no oncoming traffic. I had a good one of these coming out of Mammoth when I was about 18. One car coming in the opposite direction right at me, began to fishtail towards me and my little Subaru, "el tiberon". Knowing better... I panicked and hit the brakes.. and started my own inspired slide into oncoming traffic. Things were moving slow. Really slow... Swish, swash, swhoosh, I don't know... what sound do cars make when fishtailing back and forth across the road, heading right towards each other on ice? Actually, I think it seemed to be deathly quiet. Silence, I think is one of the common components to the Slow-Motion phenomena. Well, we finally met and he swooshed, and I swished at the right time and missed each other by inches, probably feet, but while waves, and fish grow bigger over time... Danger and near death experiences get more perilous, I guess. We were so happy to miss each other, we careened into snow banks on or own side of the roads. Having my trust 4WD Suby I backed right out, and headed on home. Since then, I am the most cautious driver in the snow and ice ever, so don't get behind me... I did incur one more 360 degree slide coming down from the main lodge on a day with out much snow on the road. Just enough for a clean, perfect, 360 slide, around a shady corner of the road. That one pretty felt good.
Ok... So the sidehack... My monkey was, Kenny Mueller. He was pretty good but there is no avoiding a wipeout on these things, go around a corner just a little too fast, the sidehack wheel starts lifting, and poof, you are floating, dreamily, through the air.. Hitting the ground always ends the slow-motion effect, but not until you have come to a complete stop. I think that our minds slow these incidents down so we can relive them time, and time again! It's great!
So back to El Cap, My wave... Like I said it was crowded, as always. It barely ever breaks. So if it's on, I suspect that there are a lot of people who have had their best waves at El Cap and, just don't want to miss it. I am sitting just inside the first pack of surfers at Picnic tables. Catching a few good ones now and again. Just patiently waiting for people to fall, or get the waves that swing wide. All of the sudden the wind drops off a little, and the conditions improve to really, really good, within minutes. Right away, a few guys are getting some sick barrels off picnic tables and flying past me presumably getting shacked again at the second barrel section before speeding into the third and final barrel to the inside... Anyway here comes my wave. It's one of the swinging wide sets that miss the picnic table section completly, and sets up just before the second barrel. It's coming right at me and there is no one in position but me, and everyone salivating to the inside of me. El Cap breaks steep and fast, but I pulled right into this one, it's overhead, and ahead of me is the second barrel section.. Well the wave actually jacks up bigger and begins to throw out, clic- clak... clik- clak, I am just standing there. There really is no place to go at El Cap. If you straighten out, you are practically right into the rocks.. and getting pounded between the rocks and the rest of the set, which regardless of size, breaks hard! So, I just stay put, hardly even tuck, and it just throws out right over me.. I could see people paddling up the face ahead of me, my brother, I could see everything so clearly... clic- clak... clik- clak.. and I'm out, now flying at full speed into the inside section, there was no barrel there, but just full El Cap speed, a few hoots, and the best ride of my life over in about 20 secs..
Disclaimer: This is a report of the actual event. The size is approximate but not exaggerated. I hope in thirty years it will jump up to a size comparable with Chuck Barfoot's "best wave ever" session there with Tom Sims in the 70's. God it was huge. I can't even imagine how big the rest of the coast was that day! Chuck's story is great and I would love to retell it, but, it involves a series of sound effects, and hand jesters, that I can't convey over the blog. There was a rumor of some super eight film footage from that day, but it never turned up, so much like everybodys best wave, it is pretty much tucked away in the slow motion memory bank of our minds, to be relived time, and time again.. I included a few pic's from a much smaller day back a couple of weeks ago...
This is the same day Michelle Housego lost her life surfing poles at Campus Point.. I didn't know her, but, people who did, have written some very beautiful things about her, so check it out, and perhaps make a donation to her daughter.. I don't know.. This is not a blog for bad news, but she seemed like a really good person whose memory will continue to touch people forever.. So that's not bad at all!!!
Memories of Michelle
Expensive Camping...
