Tax Season and Technical Work: Close Enough to Hell

Tax season ohhhh tax season, where art thou sleeping? Ohh, in the bowels of hell, nestled with Satan? How lovely.

We are already getting off to a great start. The major software update Jackson Hewitt dropped on us last week is totally eating shit at the moment, less than 24 hours from going live for Money Now Prefile. YAY! So that means, its all coming back on me. I have had computer issues coming out of my ass for the past couple of days. I didnt even get off work last night until 12:15am! The company I work for owns the 4th busiest store in the United States and the customers are calling in masses and showing up, already looking for their money. My boss is dropping the bomb on me, not in a bad sense, maybe more of a desperate looking in all fucking directions for a answer. Im trying my damnedest to help them out, after all they pay for my salary and if we lose a ton of cash on this, well, so much for the raise right?

I have been now sitting on hold with tech support for 20 minutes. Hell Im on hold right now while Im typing this and I dont think its going to get any better soon considering when I tried to call 40 minutes ago, the line was busy with callers maxing it out. ***HOLD ON, BOSS CALLING*** Ahh and the general consensus is...JHnet is taking a gigantic shit! Im all for newer technologies and updates, hell thats what I work in, but these guys are taking the WRONG approach for the way our software works. They have all tax return and customer retrieval happening through an SQL backend over an HTTPS connection to a website. Throw in some sql, php, and soap, and you have an environment teeming with unreliable variables. There HAS to be a better way. Right now, its looking like that HTTPS SQL server has given up the ghost, so now return retrieval is next to impossible. Not only retrieval, but filing as well, which is the core of the business right? Right!

I had a few beers last night with Rami to try and calm my nerves and celebrate the upcoming season and devotion to hell..err I mean tax season. Rami was mentioning something totally on his own, about how when he was "kidnapped" and taken back to Syria by his parents, he was super super stressed for a while. In fact he was soo stressed, he started getting itchy, bad. Almost like opiates itchy. His doctor there told him it was due to high stress and he needed to relax. Needless to say the itchyness went away, but started to return just yesterday. he has been really stressed out with his work as he has been recently promoted to store manager of a Starbucks. Now you may be wondering what the hell this has to do with anything I have been talking about, but hold on, Im getting there! Actually, Im there....yea so I have been getting extreamly itchy for a while now and I couldnt figure out why. In fact last night, as I had just gotten off, at 12:15am, I was VERY itchy. In fact, Im itchy right now as Im typing this crap.

Ok, so I just got off the phone with JH tech support, it is in fact THEIR server! damn I knew it! They are saying its being really slow, and I can just try again later. Wanna know what I think? How about you upgrade? Get some nice servers together, no fucking around on this one. Bleh....

So in other news, I signed up for classes for this semester. Looks like I will be taking Trig and Spanish 1. Yes I can already speak spanish, but Im looking for more vocab and some more hardcore studying. Thats my plan for college this semester. I have been thinking for a while about grabbing all my certifications for computers I can get. NET+, MCSA, MCSE, and maybe even a CCNA. With those, Ill quit college for good, and just run on my certs and see where I end up. Im also taking a class in the fall for my Insurance All-Lines Adjusting licence. I want to start working disasters and hopefully I can do this for a while so I can just work 4 months out of the year and travel the rest. I have some close family friends doing this and they are making quite a bit of cash. This is all boiling down to the "Great Escape" plans that are in motion. In the next upcoming 2-6 years, this blog will be littered with "surfing in Indo","Surfed 6 west african countries", "surfed brazil, paraguay, argentina, all of central america", "explored all of SE asia, india, and asia minor.", Rode/Drove a vehicle from texas to south america in 7 months, with surfboards, surfing ever piece of land", and the best yet "bought a sailboat after learning to sail, and sailed all over mexico/central america". I also have some big plans for winter gulf suring in the gulf side of Mexico. There are hundreds of secret spots, tons of places no one surfs. Damn...Im obsessed!

Here We Go Again!

Well tax season is starting up, and my body is feeling it. Im seriously lacking sleep, and Im starting to have some difficulty remembering the date and other wonderful things. I dont actually feel days passing, I merely count them until my "completion" deadline for my boss and 2 other franchise owners I'm doing contract work for. In the end, it will all pay off!

So as Im working all these crazy hours, charging like crazy for the side contracts (a small 30.00/hour, wait till I get my certs!), I stumbled upon 6 very valuable items I will be letting go on Ebay very soon. I have in my posession, 4 unopened EZ payclock PC100s, retailing on ebay and the net for around 425 - 500 each. I also have 2 Cisco IAD2400s, retailing around 800 - 1700 each on the net and ebay. Im hoping to sell low and sell fast as its all profit to me. Im hoping to walk away with at least 1500 dollars which will be thrown into my transmission in the car and various other 'upcomping surf trip' related items. No, before you ask, there will be no new board purchases unless I stumble upon something remarkable.

I have decided that I need to start posting again more. I miss posting but sometimes I feel like no one will want to or will bother to read my boring shit. I dont always have surf to talk about, especially my non rubber having, cold water fearing, blue lipped after 10 minute, self here in this Texas winter. The water has warmed to around 60 - 62, but she wont be there for long. O well, spring is just around the corner. After all, they dont call em a spring suit for nothing right?

The Life of the Rich

I cannot take it anymore! Something needs to be said about this, and dammit, I will take the heat and step up to the plate.

Im referring to the recent "headline" story about the 3 climbers lost on Mt. Hood. Its amazing to me that they just keep on searching through endless amounts of snow and rain and horrible conditions when clearly, its doubtful that anyone could have survived. How many precious tax dollars have been wasted? How many times do we have to see their wives on TV, telling us "You would love them if you met them...."etc? This has got to end. If I was stuck on that mountain, I seriously doubt they would give me anymore than a couple of days max before they called it off. Im sorry, my prayers to your family, but stop wasting our time.

On another note, this same thing applies 10 fold for that Natali Halloway. Man ohh man. That is a never ending drama story about her rich Alabama parents, buddy buddy with some Washington high ups including the Gov. of Alabama. THE GIRL IS DEAD! Man I hate to take such a stance against this issues, but the average Americans need to stop caring about these issues. Its amazing me to how we empower the rich so much in this country. We elect them, praise them, follow them, mourn with them, put them above the law. Time for a change.

Board Porn

Ok, well, Gracefully was requesting some board porn. If you refrence my "Pissed Off!" post, circa August 8th, 2006, You will find that my digital camera was "liberated" from me, and not at my say so.
However, I was able to dig up the pic that made me consider buying it in the first place, so I will post that one.

On a side note, WHY IS IT SOOOOOO COLD IN TEXAS RIGHT NOW????????? No, I dont care that much about the air, but this 56F water has gotta SCRAM! I wont even paddle out in a low 60 so there is no surf in the near future for me if this crap keeps it up.

The New Board!

So I drove to Corpus and bought it! Its a beautiful Spider, and is very small. I took it out in very less than ideal conditions last week and I had a blast. I cannot wait to get this board into bigger waves with more push. The surfing was ok, just a little hard for a board of this size with the waves coming in around thigh to waist.

In case you dont watch the weather, it has been cold as shit here. No more surfing for me for a while. I have been wanting to tough it up, but... I might just sit it out for a while. It wouldnt be all that bad, but the air is horrible and surfing in 62-58 degree water with 40 degree air SUCKS! Plus I absolutely hate wearing wetsuits. When I went out last week I had to wear one, but the water was still pretty warm, so I was totally comfortable. I got tired of feeling so restricted, so I paddled in and put on a spring suit.

Not much else is going on, just working a lot. I talked to Joe a lot the other night, and Im pretty damn convinced he's going to make it. That guy is a trooper, and Im glad to know that I have someone close to me that feels what I feel about the world/our situations. When I cut and run, dont be too suprised if you see him by my side. All else is clear on the front sir!

No Surf, No Bueno

As the title says it, there isnt any surf to speak of. Supposedly we have a decent swell filling in in the next couple of days, but it will be waist to waist+ at best. Worth a 130 mile round trip drive?? Well I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about my traveling and school and all that, and well, I think Im gonna do my best to hurry and blast through school. No more fucking around. I wanna finish up, so I can get the fuck outa here.

I have also been thinnking of really ramping up my studies in spanish. This has come out of the need to communicate more in spanish, and the general lack communication I have with my few Mexican friends I have left. Most of them have become shady at best, but o well. I will continue to just focus on what I need to get done, and try and surf as much as possible.

A lot of people have been letting me down lately, perhaps Im just demanding too much of them. I have been considering dropping Joe out of my trip and just running it solo. I dont know what makes me want to do it, maybe its just that I feel like Im the only passionate one. He wants to explore and surf and bum around, but just not quite on the same level that I do. I have been trying my hardest to put money back and get ready for next summer while Im watching him partying and drinking a lot and going out a lot. No big deal, he can live his life the way he wants, but I have a bad feeling he's gonna come up short with the cash required for our trip next summer. If that happens, then the only solution will be to send him packing on a bus/airplane, I cannot sacrifice my trip because something like alcohol was more important. Another thing that bothers me sometimes is the amount of research I do as to where Im traveling. I buy maps, I read all night on the internet, I study my spanish. Joe will get to sit back in th car and enjoy the fruits of my labor at relativley no cost except splitting gas and insurance. Blah maybe I just need to stop being such a bitch

In other notes, I think I am about to purchase a new board. 6'2" 18 1/2, 2 1/4. Nice dimensions and its pretty much exactly what Im looking for. the guy is asking 275 (its been ridden 2 times, no dings or anything) i get the board, dakine traction, leash, and a boardbag. Problem? The board is 3 hours south of me, and as Im typing this Im getting ready to head out and go buy it. Why not???

Wow

Ok so I just got through watching the UCLA
taser video. I am so disgusted it seriously has my damn heart jumping like mad. Im so very glad I was not witness to that, I think I would have killed a cop. This is exactly the bullshit of today and one of the primary reason I dont plan on ever living in this country longer than I have to, or retiring here.

I have so many dreams of revolution, taking back what used to be ours. Before people got all pussyfied, and forgot what this nation was actually created on. We have given it up. Our freedoms. Our rights. Our brains. We keep believing there is a threat against this country, and yea there probably is. That fear is what keeps incidents like this from going on unpunished. That threat against our country is totally and completely self generated anyways. We have caused so much pain and suffering in the world, how can one not expect groups to form against our nation? They say its because they dont like our lifestyle. HAHAHAHA! Anyone who has any fucking idea or clue about history knows the horrible atrocities of this country, god dont even get me started on Latin America.

Moving on, I think as a people we need to take the power back as Rage Agaisnt the Machine once said in one of their songs. We let these fuckheads in our government get away with all kinds of bullshit, and they are yet somehow above the law. Isnt that the reason we emmigrated to this place in the first place?? To escape overpower kings that ruled with divine right? WELL GUESS WHAT FUCKTARDS, YOU LET IT HAPPEN ALL AGAIN!

Workaholic

That's my title as of late. Work, work, work, work work, and... more work. There is an end goal though. A light at the end of the tunnel. Stay focused. Work hard. Sleep a little. Save every penny.

These are the primary notions that I have been basing my life and goals on recently. Im on a mission to have the surf trip of my dreams next summer and I will stop short at nothing to make it happen. As of late, my yearning for travel has been pulling me aside, almost tempting me into other non-surf related destinations. Backpacking Europe/Asia, hitchhiking the USA or Mexico, Africa. I will stay focused, and continue to strive to end my current status as a Texas gulf coast surfer. I have been putting a great deal of thought into rushing to finish school. Once I finish, I can relocate to an area a little more "surf-friendly". Im thinking no where near California if you are wondering, more of an East Coast deal. While on my trip next summer, Im planning to be on the constant lookout for cheap land deals and places to rent. Im not talking about 'bob' so-and-so's summer dream home he occasionally rents out for 4x what he paid to build it. Im talking the below average Mexican home, or a room in such a home. I have a feeling I can negotiate something to the tune of around 75-100usd a month, possibly cheaper if I try hard enough. Once you escape from the lairs of Tourista land, you can find things and life much cheaper and simpler.

My life lately has pretty much consisted of making money and studying. I have been studying life or the philosophy of life really. I just keep wondering what my future holds for me. I keep writing numbers down every day looking for a cheaper more viable way to accomplish my dreams. How come everyone else can run off for so long, so cheap? How come I cant get sponsorship? The first answer is, I haven't tried. This is very very true, and perhaps I should put some effort into this. The second answer is, I'm not an accomplished surfer...yet. Im still in my gromdom and probably will continue to be so until I can improve upon my living/coastal location. I have accepted that in order to get things moving faster and more on the speed of what I desire, some serious sacrifices had to be made. I have arranged to move back in with my parents after my lease expires on Feb. 1st. I will be staying in the garage or in a sleeping bag for 3.5 months until I depart on my Mexican adventure and I should be able to save a shitload. That 'extra' shitload will be the means of my further education and possibly being admitted into UH. It will also be the means for me to pay my crap and get moved into an absurdly small 'effiency' apt in the downtown Houston area. Closer to school, closer to work, closer to like minded people, and closer to SURF!

I have been thinking a lot lately about buying another vehicle, something a little more "off-road" oriented. My little RAV4 is amazing and awsome when it comes to reliability and gas mileage, but her offroad capabilities cannot be compared to Landys (Land Rovers) and other Toyota options. I have been looking around and I have located some reasonably priced 4runners and Pathfinders. The underlying problem here is that overland adventure travel is flat out fucking expensive. There is gas, insurance, maintenance, security issues. The upside is simple...Freedom. Freedom to explore. Freedom to wonder. Freedom of time constraints and schedules pertaining to public transportation. There is another mode of freedom and that's time. Time coupled with foot/public transportation can also be a very rewarding and flat out cheap experience. While in a car, you tend to only interact when needed with the local culture. You always have the comfortable safety of your vehicle to shield you from sometimes unpleasant or often difficult cultural and language barriers. While relying on the kindness of other travelers or the local bus systems, you have to directly interact with the local culture and to me I have found this to be very rewarding. My trip this summer will give me the opportunity to compare the two forms of travel I have mentioned and hopefully I will be able to draw my conclusions.

I have also been considering filming a good portion of the trip, basically laying the groundwork for a surf/adventure film. There is a lot of money thrown into these though, and its perhaps an arena I don't have the funds to dabble in. I will keep all of you posted with the details as we get nearer and I promise to try and post more. Work has just been a major time consumer of my life and when I get home, I feel too physically and mentally drained to really try and "hit one home".

The news!

Well the bad news is I missed the surf today because I had some work to do at the primary job, no not kinkos :). The good news is I talked to my boss today about me taking off like 2 months next year withOUT pay, and he's pretty much given me the green light.

Now Im on a major saving spree. I have been analyzing the shit out of my accounts and trying to find every place to cut corners, even stopped buying beer. I know, I said I would never do it, but I realized my dreams are much more important than a 6-pack, however good said 6-pack might be haha. I have been plotting out a expenses chart and I have a saving goal set up with my savings account. I need 1800 by next May, and I know I will achieve it with just my tax return but I need that other 1800 for car maint, and I need to buy a little more equipment. I should be purchasing a new surfboard soon in Nov. Im looking at getting a 6'2" Al Merrick Flyer2. Its an all around good small to medium wave board and Im looking to explore more in the realm of smaller machines if you know what I mean.

My goal for next summer is after I return to also try and take as many side trips as I can possibly afford. Im trying to get on with FedEx shipping or Continental Airlines next summer so I should have a better sidejob income and with some flying benefits. I have realized I can also travel, even if its not 1 month in every place I adventure to. Im really thinking of flying to Colombia next summer to check it out because I have a huge obsession with that place even though I have never been. I have just talked to too many people and read to many travel blogs I guess! I would like to take some side trips maybe into europe. GUYS,,,,,, SIGN UP FOR TRAVELZOO.COM NEWS LETTERS! They have stupid cheap deals. For instance, Spirit airlines was running limited route $8 one way trips like 1 week go! Detroit to NYC was like $8 bucks man, you seriously cannot beat that. All these new small airlines are competing like mad for our dollars, and hell, Ill be glad to jump on. I also found some roundtrip Houston to Madrid for $550. WOOOOO! Anyways, Im happy about my news and plans. I neeeeeeeeeeed some good new surf, but Im really and honestly just more excited saving and dreaming of my trip.

Birthday Pictures!

You caught me!

Sarah, MEEEE, and Mr Daniel

I DO NOT remember that at all! Apparently I puked like a madman shortly after, 151 babe

Dammit, all these bathroom shots

Post for Tuesday Oct. 17th

Well my computer just crashed in the middle of typing out a long one so you cannot even begin to imagine the anger I have right now. Im retyping, haha, more like hesitating in retyping all that wonderful joy I typed out. Does anyone read this thing anyways??? Fuck it, Im summing it up with this. I went surfing for a belated birthday surf on tuesday. The swell was still holding waist+ to chest+ with light onshore winds and a great Autumn day. It was perfect. I got 3 great rides that I care to mention, and all somehow resembling crazy Mexico rides I got. I took out my Al Merrick 6'6" which I wish desperatly that it was shorter. The fish and I are not getting along right now, and I have another Merrick in my sites. 6'2" Flyer, probably my dream board, so we will see very very soon. Anyways thats all I have to say. Sorry, Im just not retyping all that again.

My Birthday

So... Sunday was my bday, so happy bday to me! I had a great time on Sat. night celebrating with all my friends. I think I got a tad too trashed though, especially since I was trying to maintain composer for surfing on Sunday morning. So, lets just say I didnt come even close to waking up, but my good buddy Joe shows up. He lets himeself in because everyone is in an alcohol induced coma, especially me. I dont even remember leaving the bar so that should say enough. He wakes me up, and eventually we get on the road. Im driving, and well, I shouldnt have been driving. Im wearing my shirt I made at kinkos, has a huge picture of horrible hurricane surf from hurricane Emily last year. She came way too close to us, and totally blew the surf to bits. Ill post the pic. Anyways the caption on the shirt says "The Life of a Texas Surfer", and the picture is just sooo fitting. Im wearing it from the night before, coverd in puke, and other shit. We head to the surf. Head high to head +, choppy. I love it!

We are walking out along the jetty to jetty jump in conditions like these and Im telling Joe I dont know how so many people fuck up jetty jumping. Its not exactly that complicated. Joe makes it off the jetty without an issue, and Im stupidly getting lower on the low rocks to jump off, not eyeing the approaching set. The first wave hits, not too much. Second wave, Im calf deep in water, trying to hold my ground, but sliding on the slippery rocks. Third wave, I get seriously rocked and I almost lose it. I start looking to higher ground when the fourth hits, water rushes almost waist deep, and I go down when the tail of my board catches water. Now here I am, sliding on my back, head first down the rocks and into the water/impact point of where the waves suck off the side of the jetty in a neet curling design and slam back into it. Full of treacherous barnacles and all kinds of lovely joyous shit. I go right through it, board still in hand. I make it out into the water rather unharmed, just a torn up hand and lower back, but still in good shape considering what just happened. The board looks ok despite alot of scratches in the glass around the nose and some chewed up part of my fin. Other than that, I had fun surfing. I love surf with size as it always gets me pumping. I had only 2 decent waves due to the still fairly impaired motor skills and nervous system but I still had a blast.

In all, I had a great time for my birthday and surfing, and Im looking to head down again tomarrow now that all this nasty rain/storm/flooding business is finally over. The winds are supposed to relax, and we should be left with clean head to head+ surf all day tomarrow. We will see...

No surf for me

Well I didnt get any surf. Texas did but I didnt. I was being a little bitch and didnt drive down. I really dont know what got into me, but I missed some great sessions as it was epic all week. O well. Im still working like crazy just trying to get my head clear for next summer. Joe and I hung out last night and looked over a road map of Guatemala for a couple of hours, deciding entry and exit points, points of interest, coastal geography, and other countries we might detour through (Belize, and El Salvador). Its all pretty much still up in the air though, but trust me my few readers out there, I will keep you posted!
Heres some Corpus Christi, south Texas waves from friday

Warning Captain...Surf Approaching

We are due to start recieving a fairly long period E E/SE swell tomarrow and through the weekend. Im seriously considering driving south for this one, and when I say south I do mean 4+ hours. The problem is my work schedule of the second crap job. I want to just call in for saturday but I will in the process be screwing a good friend of mine and I just dont see that happening. Im still considering it because of the fact that Im already getting screwed for the dates of my 22nd coming up. I will be turning 22 on october 15th, and I have to work all damn weekend. I have been trying my hardest to get it off, but the best I could muster from my crap-anager was "see if you can find some others in the store or district who will pick up your hours". Thanks again for shortstaffing the crap out of us while you reap the benefits. Anyways, Im gonna surf Friday no matter what and Im very excited. YEEEEEHAAAWWW <----- did I really just say that???

Surf AGAIN!

Well I got great chest to chest+ surf on friday with my friend Shane that went to Mexico with me. We scored it great deaspite the 20mph onshores. It actually was pretty clean and the current wasn't too bad. I got some great rides, mostly lefts. I keep botching up my rights lately and I dont know why, o well, it will come back. I really want to get on a new board, my fish just isnt my style. Its really fun sometimes but Im looking for a more aggressive style that I'm not quite good enough yet to pull on a twin fin. I still have my eyes on that damn Sashimi. I did get one good ride however after I paddled in and sat on the beach for about 45 min. I sat up there just thinking of the world, how I want to see it. I was trying my best to clear my head of my frustrations with my surfing ability especially after some kid next to me was pulling ollie 180's on the wave face. So then I paddled back out, missed a bunch of waves, then finally caught a nice perfect right that just totally stoked me. I didn't make any large manuevers but right at the last minute I made a hard turn back straight to align back in the pocket, getting on the rail pretty good. I think I might have actually thrown some spray because I caught a dirty look from a kid who was in the general vicinity of my hard turn. Who knows.

No I'm Not Dead...But it Feels Like it

Well... where do I begin. I have been working my second job and its just been driving me insane.(read the blog if you like, addy on the side) Im working a little over 40 hours a week with both jobs combined but the money is nice. Im trying to pay all my debt off and get my car ready for next summer's surf trip. I have decided to buy another car after I return next summer so the Rav4 is now my new hardcore adventure car.

Here's next summer rough guide trip plans, all laid out last early monday morning over some Miller High Life and a 20mph SE wind building the swell that I would be riding in a few hours. We have decided to drive straight through Mexico and down into Guatemala. We will surf there for a week or 2, then head through upper highlands into Belize. We will check out Belize and the reefs, hopefully coinciding with a hurricane or some sort of swell (I would love to be possibly one of the few who has surfed Belize). Then after a couple of days, maybe a week, we will drive back across into Mexico and follow the pacific coast for another 2 weeks or more. I know it sounds insane, but Im so excited about the prospects of this trip. What Im debating about now is one thing.

We had the idea to set up a website/blog and call it "Voyage of the Rav", and have everything about our trip, pictures, plus an on the road/off the road blog,some google ads, and paypal donate buttons. We are trying to drum up some extra cash to get the car some needed repairs (tranny rebuild, tuneup, roof racks, front brush guard). Well the problem is, I feel like Im selling myself out by doing these things. What do you guys thing? CMON, dont be shy, leave me a comment.

Moving on... That surf I had monday morning was NICEEEE!!! It was consistent waist+ to chest with some power. Only thing wrong was the hardcore current ripping down the beach. If you took 1 right out of the whirlpool that was forming at the end of the jetty, you were gone, sucked right into the flagship. The Flagship for those who dont know, is a huge Hotel on a huge pier out in the water. Surf usually lines up inside of it and there are some nice waves to be had. Luckily, this day the current would take you right next to it, and kinda die off. You still had to watch yourself, but it wasnt that bad. I got some good rides, especially some backsides. I have been trying to practice my backsides a lot lately, especially after ruining my time at that amazing Mexico left point break. I was amazed at my left drops that day. The waves breaking right at the jetty afforded more than 1 a nice headdip that day. Needless to say, they were walled up slammers with some decent speed for a windswell. I took more than 1 on the head, but I suprised even myself at my lack of hesitation when paddling into the peaks and taking a wave. My popup going left is still a little slow, and I paid for it, but Im working on it. Well will will have chest to overhead surf all weekend and Im super excited. I promise I will keep up more with this thing. See ya guys!

Nothing of Interest

I dont have much of anything to report about. Surf is still looking like a lake. I have surfed 1 TIME SINCE I HAVE BEEN BACK, JULY 10th. Is this my punishment for scoring amazing waves all month long while most were stuck at their jobs and lives? I think its just a reminder of why Im wasting my fucking life away living in this non surf having state. O well. Maybe Ill convince my boss to buy some territories in California or Florida. On a side note, I have gone back to work for Kinkos for extra cash for school and debt payoff and my trip next summer. I have also been coding and a great deal and just working on some neat things with my friends. Im working on a bunch of trolling programs for trollforge.net (warning, not for the fient of heart) and its coming along nicely. Im also working on a bunch of stuff for my work, and trying to get everything setup again for another tax season. Check out my new blog
www.thefedxblog.com
Until then...

Ernesto Sucks!

Ok so seriously, I had so much hope riding on this guy. Its just impossible that he can do this to me, and I mean literally. So Ernesto, all I can say, is FUCK OFF@!!!!

Here We GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to admit, despite all the nasty side effects of hurricane Katrina and others, Im very excited, almost giddy with anticipation for Ernesto. Luckily, we have bouys all over the Yucatan Striaght as he will march right through, possibly clipping Mexico and Cuba, and I will be able to monitor the building ground swell as he enters the straights and heads for open waters. My gut instinct tells me to head south, to South Padre Island, but with my new job in full swing, I just dont see that happening. Either way, it will get big here, and fast. Im praying for at least headhigh to 3 or 4ft. overhead. I just reeeeaaalllyy need this surf right now, Im feeling desperate. I have surfed 1 time, 1 FREAKING TIME, since I have been back from Mexico, on july 10th. Roughly speaking, I have surfed 1 time in a month and a half. This pattern cannot continue, and Im desperately seaking means to an alternative. Thats what the 2nd job is for hehehe. I will be putting back a large stash of cash and keep building it up until my moment is right. How will I know when that moment is right? Im not sure, but its coming very very very soon, I know that for sure. I can only handle so much more of this crap before I jet off to some unknown locale and try my hand at living there. I have considered California again, but the price of living and cold water keep deterring me. Im starting to consider Australia alot as an option. I have a good friend that can help me get on my feet, I can work illegally, and I can surf all the time. The water might be close to California tempts, but I would much much rather be surfing there than in California (no offence guys!). Blah who knows. Anyways, SURF IS COMING!

HEAVYYYYYY

This was South Padre Island, Texas yesterday!! DAMMIT! Thats a lie. It is South Padre Island but that was during Hurricane Katrina while she was wrecking shop on the Gulf Coast. Where are the waves???????? Well alot of Texas guys are saying that this could possibly be the flattest summer they remember, and these guys go back a ways. In other news, I now have a second job to start saving hardcore for some classes at UH in the spring (around 900 a pop) and for my next adventure. I wish I had some consistent surf to report about because Im starting to think I only have a great blog running while Im on vacation, and even then, thats questionable. I have been steadily thinking about my next trip and Im exploring all my options. I would really like to return to Costa Rica, but thats just so much money for the duration of time that I want to stay. Its quite possible that I will get 2 months paid vacation next summer to use for my dreams and my never-ending search for waves. I have been also thinking about the future alot. Im catching a little heat from the parents on my lifestyle/education choices and its putting unwanted pressure on me. Im really thinking about driving my car into Mexico next summer so I can have a little more freedom in my explorations but then again, the bus is just so damn cheap! Anyways, Im pretty excited about starting my second job. Its at FedexKinkos, my previous employer. Its a decent job and the pay is also decent but Im really hoping it will take up a sufficient amount of my time to save like CRAZY, relax, and get back into that wierdly missed world of the working. Im waiting for waves.... to come and save me!

Ramblings

Well there isn't much surf right now in ole texas. In fact, I'm starting
to feel like there may never be again. What the hell happened to this
huricane season? Frankly, I'm starting to get dissapointed. Yea yea its
horrible the devastation it causes but really can you blame the storm?
They have existed for who knows how long and no one was hurt. People and
their money hungry brains have built all over the world in major
distaster prone areas with SHODDY construction so I'm beginning to
wonder if I should feel that bad for hoping for a hurricane.
Anyways..... I had a good talk with my roommate tonight. All about
travel, being young and stupid and not following that path that has been
forcefully ingrained into my head since I was a child.
Ahhhhhhh........hhahah that was me really taking a big sigh while I was
typing this. I'm sitting in mollies, playing ping pong, sipping on my
favorite beverage, and I'm just thinking about all the random paths in
my life I have ignored because I was afraid. I'm thinking really hard
about next summer. Yea yea I know I'm living in the future but honestly
with the lack of surf in this place its what's keeping my soul alive,
and I really really mean that. O well. I start my second job hopefully
by the end of next week. Time to work my sillyass off until december
when my primary job will require my services a lot more. Hopefully I can
bring in an extra 1.5k or 2k, pay some things off, and start socking
back for next summer. My goal is at least 2 months in mexico or costa
rica, with 1.5k to spend or more, and possibly taking my car or buying a
junk van or something for the drive. Who knows. All I know for sure is
that this is going to be formatted like crazy from sending it from my
damn phone. Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Pissed Off!

Well I came home from work today to find my apartment had been burglurized. <--- is that spelled right??? ahh fuck i dont care. Anyways, heres a list of the missing items. 2 laptops, 1 brand new desktop with 19" LCD flat panel, 1 older machine used as a server for my apartment, a video camera, my digital that took all those amazing mexico pictures, a playstation 2 with like 8 games, a nice surround sound system, a brand new iPod that my roommate bought as a birthday present for the girl hes dating, and probly some other shit i havent noticed or am just so mad im forgetting. I cannot remember a time that I was so pissed off. Its probably a good thing I did not stumble upon them in the act. I know they could have been carrying guns and all that mess, but I really feel like maybe I could have stopped it. If not stopped it, someone would have left definently limping or something. fuck im just pissed

Mexico Pictures

Here they are folks! Now I had a very hard time narrowing them down from a good 400+ to the 117 displayed here, but it had to be done. These are some of the pictures I consider to be the best. Now before hand let me just explain that I love photography, so there are some very random pictures in here of objects, especially pictures in B&W. Enjoy guys!!

PICTURES HERE!

Surf.... FINALLY!

Well, today we got blessed with a quickly building SE long fetch windswell. The only problem, the low that created this windswell is passing over all of coastal Texas, meaning its pouring like crazy outside. I surfed all day in t-storms, rain the entire time I was out, a very occasional solid 30mph sideshore wind, and super choppy conditions. The one joy, the swell had a decent interval at 8 seconds, and it was waist+ to chest+. I had a great day even in those horrific conditions. I so needed to get back in the water and Im very glad that I went. I was beginning to dry out and I needed some "seahabilitation". I had some very decent rides out there and all my practice in Mexico was starting to come back to me, despite a really shitty last week and a half there in Mex. I had a very long left, which is rare for me. I somehow stayed right in the pocket. My pumping going backside is a little weak, so I kept doing s-turns and cutbacks to stay right where I needed to be in the wave, a lot of fun! The board that I was on feels so much different from riding a true short board. I was riding my 6'0" fish, but not super thick like most fishes. This board is actually thinner than my 6'6" Al Merrick Kboard, a lot. I had a good right, got some good pumps and a couple of slashes. I took one left at the point that we had the bad 30mph sideshore, and I did a MAJOR cutback, Im talking fully on the rail. I dont know how the fish held it for as long as it did because this board will dig a rail fast as hell. I must have had some major speed from the drop and bottom turn because I have NEVER stood on a rail on a board like that before, especially on this one. As I almost completed the turn and started coming back up, I finally fell over, and the wind caught the board smashing it into my head. Damn sideshore wind. I was actually taking some super steep drops today, literally waiting until the last minute to paddle down the face of a crumbling lip. I guess thats just my Mexico coming out. Well, I might go back tomarrow but I doubt the swell will hold. Hell even if it does, Victory at Sea conditions wear me out. I surfed for almost 5 hours straight today, no breaks and I was paddling ALOT. Thank you Mexico for all you have done to me!

Ok, I was wrong

Well I went through her logs again of the Voyage of the Swell and I found one that I guess I had missed of her travel through Guata and El Salvador and Nica. I can totally understand her reasons for continuing I guess. I really dont see why she skipped El Salvador but maybe those reasons are good to her. The only thing I guess I still am wondering and dont understand about her is why she is hauling so much ass? Your on a worldwide surf tour, sloooooooooooooooooow down. Maybe I dont have much room at all to talk her, but if I was to set out on such a huge journey, I would plan to take my sweet time about it. Deadlines only piss you off on a surf trip. Thats why I meandered my way around Mexico at my rate, with no final destinations in mind. Just like Alan Weisbecker said, you never leave when the surf is good. O well. My apologies to Liz and her crew but... seriously, slow down. Enjoy these areas. Scout every FUCKING piece of coast because you can never be sure you will have the chance to do this again. Just using google earth I have seen so many point/beach breaks in Mexico/Central America it is sickening. Using these marks with wannasurf.com and other surf spot sites, a good deal of what I have seen just using google earth probably is not on the maps. I dont care you discover amazing spots and dont talk about them, just give us hints, like "scored an amazing unnamed break". Thats all I need to hear to know you are using that boat to its fullest potential. Please, once again, take your time. If you have major deadlines, then perhaps you should not have tried this trip, or perhaps thats the perils of being sponsored and having everyone pay for you to surf. You run on their schedule, not yours.

Why I hate Voyage of the Swell

In case you never read the interesting information on wetsand.com here is an update as to what you have been missing. There is this girl and her friend, sailing around the world in a 40ft sailboat and its all being sponsored by their parents, wetsand.com, and private donations. Take a look at it, its interesting stuff. Ohh and you will understand my argument/rant a little more thoroughly.

Ok, on with the rant. This girl is completely jaded in my opinion. She has the luxury of owning a damn 40ft sailboat while people pay for her to just globetrot chasing surf. Now normally, I would be totally supporting her and what she's doing and in a way, I still am. The problem lies with her opinions, her worldview, and her lack of true surf exploration. First of all, when reading through all of her posts, as soon as she makes it south of the border her attitude towards Mexico and its people immediately turns negative and almost pitying. She kind of looks down her nose at the people and frankly, I don't like that. Yes you are so lucky to be from southern California and rich and all that mess, but you need to have a little more compassion for these people. What you see crossing the borders and the people actually living there are 2 totally different things. Im not saying shes all negative, but it just looks that way, to me at least.

The second thing is her worldview. Im totally into and understanding of the all natural, oatmeal and fruit dinner type of stuff, but this is getting a little bit far. She gets invited to go with some Costa Rican fishermen to help pull up their nets and help with their catches, and she says "me and shannon had already talked and prepared ourselves for the carnage we knew we would see. We told ourselves this is a cultural learning experience". oohhhhh kayyyyyy.... thats not exactly what she said, but close. Ill leave that one alone.

The last thing is her lack of surf exploration. This girl has the number 1 way to explore surf. We happen to enjoy a sport or ritual or pastime that involves the ocean and a coastline. The number one way to access these coastlines, is with a boat. In my opinion, you cannot beat a sailboat for its cheapness to operate and overall lower cost than yahts. If you read through her blog, she basically hauled ass down the coast of Mexico. She passed up so many key surfing spots its sickening. She set out and headed to the most popular areas and bypassed what some would call the best secrets in Mexico surf, AND she's got a damn boat!!!!! Dont even get me started on her little stint into Central America. She completely bypassed Guatemala, which for the most part is largely still unexplored. This alone should go down in the books as pure bullshit. How can you even begin to call yourself a surfer and an explorer when you cannot even spare 1 week on the Guatemalan coast? After this she flys right past El Salvador which has some of the best rights in all of Central/South America. Some even consider the wave in La Libertad to be world class, and thats not a statement we just throw around. Next she completely passes Nicaragua. We have all heard the stores of uncrowded, and completely safe surf. I could maybe see her skipping El Salvador due to security reasons, but Nicaragua???? CMON! Then she heads straight into, ready for the drum roll??? COSTA RICA! The most fucking Americanized third world surf zone on the planet. She heads straight into Ollie's Point area, which again, is a well known and crowded surf spot. She sounds in her post like she even complains about the crowd a little. umm HELLO??? YOU HAVE A FUCKING SAILBOAT, STOP FARTING AROUND AND SAIL AROUND THE BEND! This entire post may sound like a huge jealousy bit and frankly Im not ashamed to admit that it is. I think I could do a HELLUVA better job with less surfing skill than her. She would obviously outsurf me and thats ok, but she lacks that true sense of exploring. You put me on that boat, and Im not complaining about low supplies and crowded surf. Ill eat fish raw, and be a damn sea hardy pirate and surf my brains out in untold lands in Central America. She sails her ass right into the shopping mall of surf spots and claims to be on a global surf expedition in daddy's boat. whatever im done with this shit.

Some beautiful waves

Here is a picture of a wonderful left point break to beach break that I "semi" surfed. I mostly hung on the inside trying to pick off a few closeout rights. I need to seriously up my skill of backside to take advantage of this firing left. God you lucky goofy-footed bastards.

why is my blog fucked?

lol im trying to fix my blog... k maybe im not at my soberest moment, but still. Im trying hard here and reading through all my html for errors in NOTEPAD isn't exactly the easiest thing right now. Im hoping that this post will clear the error, and if not, then I will have to find it somehow.

Im back

Well I got back really on tuesday morning. Im working and trying to adjust to life back in the states. Im not going to lie, Im depressed. O well. Hopefully Ill have something better to post soon.

Bleh

Well Im getting close to the end of my vacations here in Mexico. Wow it feels like it just started yesterday. Im trying to recap a lot of things in my head and it just feels like a blur. I somehow feel very pissed off at myself for my level of surfing, but isn`t this trip about vacation and exploring as well? I know much more about this amazing land than I ever did before and all my pre-meditated ideas and prejudices are completely gone. I no longer have any fear whatsoever of this country. The people here are amazing, the waves are amazing and a half, and the land is so beautiful. My goals for when I return are to drastically improve my level and style of surfing and really be ready for another trip. I know what I need to work on, and I now have new goals for surfing and my life. Like the cali guy Jeremy told me in response to my telling him I surf on average of maybe 4 times a month, "Dude, if you love surfing so much, move for waves". Not everyone can do such a big move, but Im young and he does have a point. He packed his shit and moved to Mexico when everyone said he was nuts. Now he surfs by himself pretty much and lives the Mexican life, free of crowded and localized lineups. I know I could do such a thing for at least half a year no sweat but its such a major life change, possibly something Im not quite ready for.

I return in 6 days. I MUST improve my surfing. I MUST get a second job to start preparing for a huge trip in my car. I MUST buy another board, something smaller and ready to start learning some very aggressive shortboarding. I have my fish but thats different. I will return to Mexico, advanced and ready to really rip. No more kooking out in the lineups. Something tells me I really shouldnt be too hard on myself, considering I have only surfed maybe 50 times in my career as a surfer. 2 years maybe 3, averaging 10 - 20 go outs a year. Im tired of this. When there are waves, no more second guessing. Its time to start ripping.

Slump

Well we left Mita and went camping in the south with some other SD cali guys we met up with. The first place, which shall go unnamed, was a heaaaaaaavyyy beachbreak and I only rode 1 wave there. First day there we got the damn trucks stuck hardcore and I dug one out, but we had to send Comanchio to get us a tractor to get the fully loaded Tundra out. Great camping but the next day the security came and asked us to leave because surfing and beach access was fine during the day but camping overnight was not allowd because it was private propterty. We took off and headed to another spot, super secluded. Today was very very nice and heavy but it was a left and my backsides were not fast enough. I only rode 2 waves at this place. The cali guys were kinda cool but I was very intimidated in the water and basically I kooked out. They probably think I totally suck. Anyways...Im back in Mita and I have only 9 days left here. Im going to surf in Mita a few more days then head out for interior Mex as I start working my way back home. I feel like Im totally in a slump but I know I have progressed immensly here. Im already thinking of my next trip here and I will probably drive next time. Driving here is cake pretty much, accept for the night we drove to Sayulita and almost hit 5 horses doing 50mph. And then I drove back that night and almost hit a cow hahahhaa. The camping I have experienced the past few days was amazing and as soon as I return I will be posting pictures and possibly videos if I can. Well, Im off to find some more surf! ooooohhhh and Gracefully, there are some very good surfer girls here. The attitude in the water is not aggressive towards them either, not from locals or vacationers. In all, alot of the locals here rip. In sayulita I was watching a guy doing 180 shoveits, 2 on 1 wave! He did a few rodeo airs as well. Some really talented surfers here. See ya guys soon!

Decisions Decisions

Well the surf has slacked off considerably here and it has been kinda flat and mushy. We have been partying alot and now its starting to get to me. Im in need of surf again. We surfed today in chest high waves but after about 30 min, the tide was steadily getting lower and the west winds picking up. In short it destroyed what was left of the session. Nothing like taking a waist to chest high wave and seeing jagged reef and rock underneath you. My friends left on friday for Guadalajara so they could catch their flight back to the USA on saturday. I went through a pretty bad depression sat night. Its very weird knowing that now you are in a country by yourself and all of your friends are gone. Im super cool with the locals, but Ill never be one or looked at as a friend. We drank some and checked out another town dance. These things are super fun and always get very rowdy. This time however the police carrying M16s were right there and nothing big got started. We left with some locals and went back to the pad and got some beer. Some of the guys bought cocaine from like a 13 year old kid and they traded lines and beers for a while. Not my cup of tea but whatever. Im starting to feel stuck. I love Mita and its people so much and I love the waves but I feel like I should head south and see more of Mexico and surf more waves. The surf is ALWAYS better in the south here. If I was with my friends, it would have been no problem to pack up and head out. Now that I am by myself, Im struggling to find the need to move on. Is it so bad to spend your entire trip in one area? On a lighter note, when my friends were still here we went to this super cool place called Mismaloya. They filmed the movie Preditor and Night of the Iguana there. We hiked up into the mountains and hitchhiked a little too. The jungle is AMAZING!!!!! Its so dense and thick while Mita, just 30 miles north on the tip of the bay is very arid and dry right now. I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life. Well anyways, I better end this before I get charged too much.

How can I suck so bad

Well I am just on a shitty streak here. I cant find an uncrowded right break and im just averaging maybe 3 to 8 waves A DAY! Fuck me silly. The waves todayare amazing. Everywhere is around solid head high to a foot or 2 overhead on bigger sets. Later Im hooking up with some cali expats and some locals for a boat ride back to The Cove. Its around head high over reef and I cant wait to get on it. Perfect a-frames! Yes my confidence for taking peaks instead of shoulders has increased immensly and the reef or rock bottom breaks dont scare me much anymore. Im actually looking forward to being on that reef in a couple of hours. One of the locals here absolutely rips. They told me earlier today they were at the cove and he was busting 180 airs......hold on 3 super hot girls just walked by the internet place. lol anyways. Im outa here. Time to get back on the bus and catch my boat ride and hopefully change my wave count considerably.

The Arrival of Waves

Well today I decided to head to another spot because Im dying for some good rights. I checked out this place called Burros and it was rocking. Average 6ft with occasional close to 9ft cleanups. I havent been in surf that big in a long time and it took some getting used to. I got caught inside for about 20 waves, all close to 10ft and it SUCKED! I did get one ride but it was very short and shitty. I have been in some kind of a slump for the past few days and I cannot seem to break it. I really need to get out of it and start riding some of these beasts and taking waves. I hate looking like i cant surf in front of other people. Maybe thats just something I need to work on forgetting. We traveled to Sayulita yesterday and it was super crowded. The wave was 5-6ft with around 20+ people on the peak. INSANE! We sat at a bar and watched all the hot ass girls and surfers. Some really good surfers there especially the locals. Anyways.... Ill post again soon, Im off to rest and then surf. CMON WAVES!

Scared???

Well... In case you dont surf or just didnt know, a HUGE swell from the SW is about to rock Mexico down to its core. Sunday is calling for 13 to 19ft at 20 seconds. Good thing we are not exactly on an exposed southern beach but a little inside of a bay. The swell wraps around and comes in off of Cabo Corrientes. Anyways, we all had a wonderful afternoon session when we were finally able to score a ride to the break instead of hiking 40 min down the beach and back. I was sucking horribly when the best right of the day was bearing down on me. I adjusted a little and setup, paddling way out in front of her. I was making sure I wouldnt blow another takeoff. I caught it steep and immediatly jumped to my feet and dropped right. She walled fast and for the first time, I let my legs just do the work and my pumping and S turns were very large and fluid. I exited the wave very fast and it has been my best ride so far of the trip and in my time surfing. My friends have been scoring some good waves as well and we are all surfing well in general. Yesterday the session was horrible for me as I couldnt get myself out of a slump and the dropping swell made it even harder. Punta de Mita rocks but im yearning to head south soon. We have renegotiated our little camp spot to $5 a night and there is a great lunch place right nearby that has $1.50 huge ham and cheese sandwiches on torta bread, all grilled. Then theres the .50cent, glass bottled, sugar caned cokes, and $1.80 1 liter pacifico beers. PARADISE! My feet are horrible looking due to the cuts and im actually getting a little worried about infection. O well. Today we are taking a break to heal and not stress out in the small waves and heading to Puerto Vallarta for some exploring and just messing around. Hell its only 30min away and the bus is like 2 or 3 bucks lol. GET READY FOR THE SWELL CALIFORNIA.
http://www.wetsand.com/swellwatch/swellwatch.asp?locationid=2&tabid=1441&subtabid=0&CatId=874&SubCatID=874
Take a look at that!!!! or wetsand.com locations northern mexico, and next sunday.

Las Olas de Punta de Mita

Well that basically means, The waves of Punta de Mita. The bus ride was long and scary at parts in the mountains, but overall it was a blast and i will def do it again. Our first day chasing surf didnt work out so well but today we scored chest to head high LONGGGGGGG lines. Great for longboarding, but i dont play thta game hahahhaa. everywhere in this area is reef break with the reef averaging 3ft to 9ft below you. Take one too far in and its more like 1 to 3ft. My feet are torn from so much hiking and some of the reef. Its not too sharp and is well padded from moss but is quite sharp in parts. I took some great rights, one in particular i dropped hard on the face for a fast bottom turn and I actually finally hit the lip. Not as hard or as aggressive as I want, but hey its a step right.......i cant find the question mark on this keyboard lol and im runing out of time. anyways, Mexico is awsome but this area is a little fickle with the swell angles. We are currently camping at this guys hotel/cabanas and its costing around 7 a day. not too bad. Showers, pool, beach 30ft from my tent, paradise. well i gota end this. ill try and write a longer one later! ooooooo the bus ride from guadalajara to PV is INSANE through the mountains. I havent been that afraid in a long time until just now on the bus here to this town for bank and internet. The driver was intent on killing me for interrupting his lunch and watching mexico in world cup. I was SERIOUSLY praying, i was that scared. OK im out. see ya guys

The knots in my stomach

Well when I awoke this morning and I slowly realized that I leave tomorrow at 8:30pm, my stomach began to fill with knots. I think it has to do mostly with all the anticipation and adrenaline but I know a part of it is fear. Its the fear that adds that knotty, uneasy feeling. Your half excited, and half scared at the same time. Im jittery and feeling cold a lot, but I know Im ready. The time has come for me to set out and embark on my greatest surf adventure yet. For those of you just joining, I will be setting out on a month long surf adventure in mainland Mexico. Starting in Punta de Mita on the north end of the Bay of Banderas, near Puerto Vallarta, and hopefully ending somewhere in the south in Paraiso or Boca de Apisa near Manzanillo. I have long awaited this day and finally my time has come. Im prepared about as well as one can be prepared and yet I still have a great deal of my trip unplanned as thats the way I like them. People (the non surfing type) are balking at my lack of planning and making arrangements with hotels. This trip is not about 4star Marriots. This trip is not about rental cars. This trip is about surfing and being in touch with the land and ocean and people. On a Texas surfing forum, they told me, "It is a Texas surfer's right of passage". This is something that will set the stage for my future travels and vagabonding. This is my stepping stone, my kindergarten graduation of traveling if you will. I need this trip not only for the surf, but to see if I have what it takes to accomplish my dreams of long, hard, rough travel/surf travel.

My bus leaves tomorrow, Wednesday, at 8:30pm. This is great because we have 7-9 hours of just Texas to cross through until the border. Luckily Im on a Mexican bus line and we only stop in Laredo at the border and I think that is the last time until Guadalajara. From Guadalajara, we catch our next bus to Puerto Vallarta. Thats around 5-7 hours. The finally, the 30 to 45 min ride out to Punta Mita on the local bus. The travel will be hard and long but Im positive that Im up to the task. Im a little worried about my friends, especially once they head back to Guadalajara to catch their flight, but Im sure they will be fine. I will teach them enough spanish along the way to make sure their trip back will be fine. Well... I will do my best to post, maybe when and if its ever flat. ha ha ha. No really I will try as I will need the internet a few times to take care of some stuff back home etc. Well....until then. Adios

Summer Crap Surf

The surf yesterday was crap-tacular and Im not joking. I drove down with Mel and my 2 friends that are traveling to Mexico with me. The surf was waist to waist + but completely blown out due to what seemed to be an extreame NE wind around 15kt blowing sideshore onto a SW facing beach. These are all the ingredients to a horrible day of surf. It was semi decent for around an hour but as the wind picked up, it got very peaky and a horrible current TOWARDS the jetty formed making it impossible to sit and enjoy the session. Tons of paddling and dodging rogue peaks and fighting the horrendous current. I had a few good rides though and my best was during the crappiest conditions. I took a nice huge peak to the right but instead of the ride ending quickly as they usually do in these conditions, I made the connetion with a forming inside sandbar. The right walled up again on me and I got low on the board and dug into the wall and ended the closeout with a little snap back. Another nice ride I was high up on the wave, sort of dangling on the lip if you will. I couldnt break free so I worked with what I had and it ended up being a pretty decent ride. Well thats about all I have to say about yesterday's session. Ill post again before we leave for Mexico and I might reset my counter to reflect the day I will return.

Off the Radar

I'm still alive if anyone is wondering. We had a huge birthday bash for
my roommate/bestfriend Rami on saturday nite and well.... I woke up
sunday at 4pm in my bed without much knowledge of how I got there and a
few interesting emails on my phone. Apparently I said some pretty stupid
shit to mel.... Sorry again. As you can see, the counter on my site is
getting lower and lower. I can remember when it was up in the 60's and
it didn't seem to move very fast. Well here we are in the final 2 weeks
before departure and my patience is growing thin. I watch and rewatch
surfing videos all day trying to analyze their moves and see where I can
try and improve on my surfing. in case you didn't know... the company I
work for is seasonal tax work. They pay me a yearly salary but after
april 20th, I only have to come in on tuesdays and thursdays for around
3 hours. The awsome part is, I still get paid the same even though we
are not in tax season. I really love my job as the work is hard and long
for 4 months but after that its all holiday. We resume more days and
hours towards november as I begin setting up new locations and getting
all of our computers and networks ready for the new tax season. I have
been reading my guidebooks and travel websites nonstop going over last
minute travel jitters. This trip is not going to be for the fient of
heart. My 2 friends and I will be on a bus for around 30 hours until we
reach our destination. From there is a flury of camping and busing to
further destinations when we grow tired of a certain break. After around
2.5 weeks, my friends head by bus back to Guadalajara and fly back,
leaving me for another 2 weeks in Mexico by myself. I'm not too worried
about this last part but it will be very interesting. My goals for this
trip are not only to drastically improve my surfing but to overall grow
as a person. I have much faith that everything will work out and we will
have simply an amazing trip that most people only dream of. For all my
newfound surf bloggers, ill ride one for ya. For all my readers and
friends and family, ill be thinking of ya. I do plan on blogging when
and if I get the chance while I'm there but don't hold me to it. I have
room on my new mem card for close to 800 pictures so you can expect a
plethora of surf/travel images upon my return. There is also a
possibility of a video camera being brought along with a waterproof case
for surf film but I'm not making any promises. I ask this of you
guys.....please keep us in your thoughts and prayers and may the surf
gods bless us with amazing surf. Nite everyone.
--astraltx

More Crap

Well I just got back from the outdoor sports store and here's the
rundown. I got a 9x9 tent, a knife, mace, 4 plastic stakes, 4 aluminum
sand stakes, a 10 x 12ft tarp for $67. I did ok I guess. The time for
the Mexico departure is getting closer and closer. I can't even begin to
describe how excited I am. We have looked over the spot maps and have
decided that we will start in Mazatlan and work our way down. I want to
possibly make it down into michoacan a little but that mite not happen.
My friends already bought their plane tickets back as they are leaving
after 2 1/2 weeks. I won't be back until sometime around July 10th,
basically about 34 days in mexico. The bus ride is approx 24-26 hours
long. This is gonna be a killer but hell.... Its Mexico and badass waves
for an entire month, I think I can deal. Surfing sometimes should have a
warning. Chasing waves in remote desolate places. Riding busses for
extended periods of time. As Allen Wiesbecker said in his book "In
Search of Captain Zero" about beginning surfing, "careful, it can change
everything". Well I'm posting from my phone so I'm gonna end this now.

Cinco...err Drinko de Mayo

Well as the title says... it was an interesting day to say the least! We have a slideshow up and running on Mel's myspace page, head over and take a look. www.myspace.com/meltepid
Ahh it was a very crazy night with 40oz Old English duct taped to our hands. Anyways hahahaha, well now Im sitting here at work and getting very pissed at these badass deals from travelzoo on airline tickets. For instance, if you lived in or around San Francisco, you could fly to Liberia Costa Rica and back again for $255. That just pisses me off because Houston, where I live, is on of the main hubs for Latin American flights. Why dont we get included in these badass deals? Any of you cali surfers reading this, I would highly recomend taking this deal. You could fly in, surf Tamarindo(crowded as hell) for a week and fly out, and MAYBE spend $1000. Lucky you. Well thats ok because in case you didnt notice, Im leaving for Mexico very very soon. I have been buying everything I can think I will need. I have a new 7'0" Dakine double bag, a High Sierra trekking backpack, a Rough Guide to Mexico, some soft racks for taxis, some new boardshorts, and another 1gb stick for my digital camera. All Im carrying is the boardbag and my backpack so Im packing very lightly. We will mostly be staying in little cabanas, small hotels or hostels, and some camping on remote beaches. I might not be traveling alone anymore as 1 friend is headed down with me for 2 weeks and another might come as well. I will still be by myself for the last 2 weeks of the trip and in a way, Im still very excited about that. I have been doing a helluva lot of Google Earth research on points and bays and mysto spots. I have several surf maps outlining good spots and adivce on the areas. Im prepared to the max almost. Departure time is almost here!

Saturday

Well I decided to go surfing saturday after the lunch awards thingy we held for the company I work for. The surf was spectacular with chest to head high sets coming through and a hard blowing 10-15mph offshore wind. We normally DO NOT get these conditions in the spring time here in Texas so I wasn't going to miss this. I caught maybe one or two waves and then everything went to hell. I was getting tangled in my leash non stop, my boardshorts were rubbing my hips raw, I kept missing takeoffs due to strong offshores and spray in the face, and I sliced an already bad wound on my foot with the fin. yay. I wish I wouldnt have screwed up such an awsome day but I did. I will try and post some pics soon of the amazing sunset that day though. Until then...

Update again

Well I havent posted in a while and there isnt really much to say. Surf might be running chest to chest+ this weekend. That is much needed. I started running again now that work is finally over. So now I only work Tues. and Thurs, about 3 -5 hours a day and Im off the rest of the week. Same pay. Cant beat that! So yea, running. I ran around a mile for my first time since literally I graduated high school, 3 years ago. It felt very refreshing and as soon as I get off today, Im headed for another one.

not much of anything

Well the title sums it up. The same ole same ole is just going on, work, school, waiting for Mexico, and wishing for waves. As sad as it sounds, maybe I can be blessed with an early season hurricane. I have been re-reading "In Search of Captain Zero" by Allan Weisbecker lately and frankly, I cant wait to be on the road. Im really trying to manage my finances well and get this whole idea rolling. Im also planning my "great escape" which should be coming up in the next year to year and a half. I have already pretty much secured a place to stay and a job when I eventually meander my way down through South America to Argentina. Im extreamly excited by the prospects of this trip. I would really like to work my way out into the Carribean and maybe find some type of bar/waiter or commercial fishing work. I would really enjoy that. I want to just take some time out in my life and really figure out what exactly it is that Im suposed to do. I know my parents will flip, Im ready for that. I just cant accept right now that I was born to goto school, graduate, work, buy a house, a car, get married, have a kid or 2.3, and then hopefully live to see them have children. What in the hell is the purpose of that really? Im getting more and more tired of our preconcieved notions of what is the "correct" thing to do. What if I never own a car? So what. What if I never really own much in the meaning of earthly, worldly posessions? What if I never get married? What if my gift with computers is just an illusion and I wasn't meant to pursue any type of work with them? All of these things keep rolling through my thoughts and Im really starting to wonder about what our society tells us. Maybe Im insane. Maybe I have that wierd thing inside of me that seperates the homely from the explorers. Maybe I have some long forgotten explorers genes in me, and my quest for the world and what it contains, especially waves, is just something from my blood trying to surface. Its so hard to break free from the mold I have encased myself in. I know no one will understand my journey this summer through Mexico. I DEFINENTLY know that no one will understand my future travels, but thats ok. They are for me and not them. There is a kid in the book "In Search of Captain Zero" that they run across deep into the jungles near the end of the road in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. They are just maybe 30 or 40 miles from the Panamanian frontier, staying in a house of guy they know on a deserted beach call "Monkey Point". The kid, described as being in his mid 20's, lives out at this house. When they ask him what he's doing all the way out here he replies with "Im trying to figure out what to do with my life. I figured this would be a good place to think about it". To me, he picked one helluva spot. Its only missing surf and it would have been the perfect spot. Anyways, Im going to end this rant before I get too into this.

The Perfect Session...almost

This morning was just classic. I pulled up at SS today and was greeted by chest to headhigh swell with a very light onshore wind. I didnt waste much time getting into my trunks and I did my pre-paddle out stretching. In no time I had reached the lineup, all 7 of us. SS is a very long beach with multiple peaks everywhere so it can easily handle 50-70 surfers. My very first wave was an awsome left, walling up quick I crouched to get a little low as I usually do when going backside. I just raced the line doing little pumps and some small turns, trying to really start getting a feel for the new fish in bigger surf. I love the board but i have really noticed that she digs the rails very very easily if there isnt enough speed behind the turn. I caught a couple of really fun rights, one which I finally did a legit cutback back toward the white water. I was so stoked to have finally pulled this off. I knew this was going to be a great session after that. Everytime I was just placing myself in perfect postion. I must have taken another 6 or 7 waves when I dropped in low into a walling left. Are my eyes deceiving me?? She is looking ready to pitch! Im super low on the board and sure enough she graced with me a small head dip followed immediatly by a pummeling for attempting to get away with it. The conditions started to change a bit as the wind picked up a little and it started to get a little choppy. Every once in a while, huge cleanup sets around 1 foot overheard would come through. After going over the falls on one wave, I was caught inside and I must have taken easily 10 - 15 waves one after another right in front of me. I have never duck dived so much in my life! I finally made it out past all that, and it kind of went downhill from there. I got all out of sync and kept pitching myself or missing takeoffs. I finally decided to call it quits and head in. Over all it was an awsome session and Im gaining faith in my new board in bigger waves. Im thinking she can hold her own when I take her with me and my Merrick to mexico. Right now im riding it as a quadfin, but I can put the middle back in if I get into some steeper waves to try and decrease the slip. Moving on. I hung out with my friend Sabina last night. Shes headed back to see her family in Poland next Thursday and she will be gone for a month, maybe longer. I will miss her tons as I love hanging out with her. She is one of the only people that really understands my travel passion and what it really means to take off on a long term trip. To get her money to come to the USA, she took a bus to Sicily and got a job in a cafe of sorts. She didnt know Italian or anyone there. I have alot of respect for that and thats why she understand what Im trying to do. Well anyways...Im waterlogged but getting tan as hell hahahahaha. I tan very easily and I LOVE IT!
PRAY FOR SURF!

The Awsome Session

This weekend starting with Friday, has pretty much been a huge blur. My older brother came to stay with me this weekend from Mississippi. In all we did our best to consume all the alcohol in the Houston area and I think we did a damn good job! I bought a new board Friday night from a guy on Texas surfing forum I post on. Its a 6'0 fish with a nice swallow tail. The board uses regular fins and right now it is set up as a quadfin. 2 regular fins on the side with tiny finger fins right next to them, no middle fin. The board was shaped by a local Texas shaper and its shape is perfect for the gulf. I took it out Sunday afternoon while the swell was still holding. It was an ok waist to wast+ on sets with the occasional chest high. It was however very clean and super lined up. Water temp was around 70 with air in the high 70's. I got in around 4:30 and surfed my brains out till 7:20ish. I caught more rides ina single session than I ever have (somewhere around 20) and the board is super fun. It works so much better in the waves than my Al Merrick. I had some drama go down on sunday before the sesh and well... it was good to get my head clear in the water. Im still extreamly confused about the whole situation thats unfolding before me, but hopefully things will work out for the best. Weekend outlook has building SE swell again... I cant wait to get on it!

Update

Well I havent really had much to post or talk about so I figured I would post just to let everyone know whats been going on. Work is getting extreamly boring and there is isnt much to do. Ill be very happy come april 17th, and work is officially OVER! My older bro might be coming into town to see me this weekend and that will be awsome. I havent seen him in a while and I love hanging out with him. Im goin to try and do my best to convince his ass to move here to Texas. Well... I have a math test I should be studying for so I'll get back to work on that.

Nothing to Report

Well I dont really have to much to say. I got back early thursday morning from Oklahoma where I was attending my grandfather's funeral. Something amazing did happen when we were fallowing the herse and the police car. Everyone was pulling over to the side of the road, even on the other side and we were on a 4 lane divided highway mind you! We even passed a construction crew and they all stopped and stood on the edge of the road with their hardhats over their hearts. AMAZING! The police as they finished escorting jumped out of their cars and stood at attention on the side of the road as we passed. This just amazed everyone as we all come from large cities. This type of behavior and show of respect would have never happened where we come from. Well surf is a freaking wreck right now in texas but we will see what happens for next week. Strong onshore flow should return and start building the surf again. woooooooooooooooooooooo
PRAY FOR SURF!

OHHH btw... here is a link to a video of monday when I was out there. This is around 4 hours after I left when the offshores really started hitting. For those of you who think there is no surf in texas, well here ya go.
SURF VID!

Morning Surf

Today was a nice little session at 37th street in Galveston. 37th tends to break harder and more hallower than the rest of the spots on the island, even its nickname is 37 dump street. It was mostly chest high with semi decent lines. I caught several lefts and rights, none of which were really worth mentioning or recalling, but I had a great time overall. I did however catch a macking headhigh cleanup right on the head. This wave was huge with a horrible sucking face (the tide was going out and makes 37th very hollow) and she was hellbent on killing me. I duckdived and it slammed on my head with all its might and I must have flipped 2 or 3 times with board in hand and it was pretty exciting. This one kid took a horrible pitching wave and somehow made the drop, completely verticle. I thought for sure he would eat it, but he let out a loud yell (maybe yeee-haaawww!! lol) and landed it. The water temp wasnt too bad and I trunked it without a shirt much to the amazement of several guys out. Water was like 67 with severe overcast skies and low 60s air temp. So now Im sitting here at work, and I just love that salty feeling all over me and Im not being sarcastic. Maybe I was just a beach bum in another life or something, but I actually enjoy it. The cakey hair that will stay in any formation you put it, the flaky salty skin, the smell of the water and salt. The problem is Im so incredibly tired due to the 2 hours of sleep I got last night. BLEH!!! I had some awsome post worked out in my head while driving to the beach this morning but I have forgotten it. It was just a rant about dreams and lockdown USA, basically all the same shit Im always bitching about.

Change of Plans

Well...it looks like I will miss out on a sunday sesh due to the death of my grandfather today. I didnt know him very well (met him once) but I will be driving to Oklahoma this weekend to meet my moms side of the family, some I havent seen in over 10 years! I will however be back in time to catch monday going off as a cool front is forecast to pass over giving us some offshores. I just finished my new "The Surfer's Path" and there is an awsome article about surfing on the Marshall Islands. The author mentions a guy he runs into and the conversation they have. The guy just seems to live and camp out kinda wherever life may take him and he says this. "I've never had a career. Soceity looks at you and sets the bar, especially in L.A. What car you drive, where you live, where you work. I haven't had a car in 25 years." "I'm rediscovering the art of human being. When I look at people in today's society, I see human doings and human thinkings, but the 'being' part - what is that? What is it to just be? I want to just 'unbecome', because our whole life is spent because something like being a beautiful creature isn't enough." As more and more time goes by, I realize...I would like to strip down....and leave. There is so much in the world for me to see and I cant keep sitting here, reading stories of how so many other people are living how I would like to live for a bit. This summer is going to rock. Anyways...hopefully I will have some pictures of the surf to post by monday or tuesday.

Here We Go Again

Here comes the swell. Well its looking like another lonnggggggg surfed-out weekend. Im not complaining ny ANY means, just getting a little anxious again. Man, I really love the springtime. Lately things have been a mess with me. I really need to slow down, and take care of the small things in my life that need my attention. Work is a major factor as I dont get home most nights until around 9:30. By then my laundry, dishes and homework are the last things on my mind. I have just been living in this stupid pattern lately to only take care of things on the weekend when I feel like putting forth the effort. That has got to end as I really feel like Im living weekend to weekend and I really cant recall much of what I did all week that has any significance. A weekend of surf like last just complicates things more as I will be spending most of my waking time in the water, and those little things I have been putting off until the weekend wont get done. I have barely seen my roommate and we havent gotten much of a chance to talk one on one lately except for last night. Well anyways. Im very excited about going to Mexico. I have been putting together a small list of things I need to buy before I leave, but believe me when I say small. I plan on packing very light and only taking the necesities, clothes (not much), batteries, sunscreen, shampoo/soap/toothbrush and toothepaste, digital camera, mp3 player, passport, boards. Thats pretty much about it. I might bring my little beard trimmer to keep the beard/mustache in check. I called the other day about my tickets and I found some good deals from Houston to Guadalajara averaging about $107. This is an express bus and has very few stops and flys right across the border so I dont have to deal with all the border crap on the way in. The way out however is a different story. I might try and get across the country before I come back to see Leslie in Tampico. I feel thats the least I can do for dragging her through so much of my shit. Im really looking forward to being in Tampico as well and it seems like a nice place. Hopefully, I will get ultra lucky and catch some nice hurricane surf going off and I will get the chance to surf with her. I hope we get some decent spring swell when she gets here in 3 weeks so I can take her out and show her our muddy water, mushy breaks, and of course.....THE SHARKS!!!!!! Hahahahaha, she is deathly afraid of them and she has convinced herself that in Tampico, the sharks dont come near the beach/surf spots. Hahahaha.....one of their main spots is right on the inside of a long jetty that seperates a rivermouth. Can you say....sharky sharky??????? Well.... I still havent decided if I will post while Im in Mexico or if I will just update with locations of where I am or not blog at all. Im really feeling the "not at all route" because I want to ..... unplug. Bad part is, I might be carrying a cell phone so I really dont know how "unplugged" I will be. Anyways.....gotta pass flyers out here at work. Surf is coming....

The 5 days Texas Went OFF!

Well, its Monday afternoon and Im back at work. I missed the session with offshores this morning because I was just tooo tired. I have driven over 400 miles total for surf and another 160 was going to do me in. I went back down to surf on saturday and I finally made it out of my little slump. I caught some pumping lefts and a couple of nice little rights. It was a tad choppier but still chest to head high. I jetty jumped because it was breaking waaaaay out and the paddle out would have been ridiculous. 1 left I remember in particular, I have a hard time seeing the line when Im goign backside, and this wave was no exception. I made a perfect drop and bottom turned dropping low and grabbing my rail, pumped a little and got myself moving. Standing up a little, I looked down the line and "lost" the wave and I could feel myself losing speed. I turned hard back to the left to try and find her and my foot cranked right into the traction pad and I met the wave's face. Turning back right and down again I finished out the ride just pumping and making little turns. Sunday (yesterday) was pretty good but we decided to check out Galveston and man it was choppy. Still Charlie and I made the best out of it, and we surfed our asses off. I caught a few nice rights. One I made a huge bottom turn and was diggin hard to turn back into the face and WHAM, my front foot slipped right off the board and I ate shit. My last good wave, we went onto the other side of the jetty and one of best surfers in Texas was over there with a few others. This was extreamly intimidating and in such choppy and unorganized conditions, I was very nervous. There I was sitting on the side of him, and some other guy and I just saw this little line coming in. The awsome guy didnt go for it, but the other dude was, and we both raced and I just got very confident and stayed right in the peak, and took that wave. I had a fun little right couple of pumps, but that wave was more about respect and I kind of felt it when I paddled back over next to the guy I raced for it. FINALLY, Im not just a stupid newb in the water! The weekend was pretty fun. Saturday when we got out of the water there was a huge house party right down the street and EVERYONE was invited TEXAS style. Couple of kegs (all this for st. patties day) soem bar-b-que and lots of grungy waaaaaaayyyy suburb, cattle land small town people. Ok fuck it, hicks, but they were being really cool. Everyone was super nice and drunk as shit, so we had a blast. Damn if only everyday I could get outa the surf, have a few beers and some hotdogs and for free at that. Well work calls and surf is gonna suck this week.

Yesterday Recap

Well as for the surf, it was PUMPING! The sets were average chest to 1 foot overhead on the bigger set waves. We had a nice 10-15mph offshore that was almost more of a pain than a blessing. Anyways, I have got to surf more. I totally kooked out and blew alot of potentially good rides. I hesitated waaaaaay too much plain and simple. I did however get a few good lefts, got the bottom turn and tried to smack the lip a little. I only got 1 right, and it was very sub par. BLEEHHHHHH i keep blowing these perfect swells, when will it end?? I woke up this morning to find my knee in severe pain and walking is very difficult. I dont know what thats about but it better heal fast because i have every intention of paddling back out on saturday. Today, bouy is around 9FT again with 10sec periods. I love this.

Update on ... THE SWELLLLLLLL

Haha sorry, I just had to give it a movie title. Surfside bouy is peaking around 8.7-9.5Ft at 8 seconds. The bouy is showing a solid 6.2ft of swell with overall significant wave height of 8.9 at the moment. Our swell period is 8.3sec. check her out at
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=42019
The only problem is the near 30kts winds clocking out of the SSE. They should calm down tomarrow as the front passes over us, and winds are forecast to go W or SW. Hopefully they will be light and clean this up a bit. The jetty at surfside should save us from the longshores and hopefully shelter the swell from the wind a little bit. Ill post tomarrow night after i get out of it. The water temps at the beach are hovering at 64. If they climb again back to 68, im gonna try and trunk it. The air temps tomarrow should be high 70's low 80's and sunny so I should stay pretty warm.

In 48 Hours...

I'll be the happiest man alive. Heres why...


Wait.... I left out a detail...light offshores are forecast as well. It just can't get any better. Wait yet again....68 degrees in the water and swell holding waist to cheast till sometime monday. I feel like a kid again. I'm five, sitting there on the floor on christmas morning. I can barely hold still while my dad goes through and sorts them by name. Daaaaaaaaad, I wanna tear them open nowwww!!!!!!! The anticipation is killing me but I know the surf will be worth it. The best part is, if I somehow to incredibly screw up a day.. I will have another chance, and that is a rare thing for Texas surf. That is the same feeling I had when I was in Costa Rica. The surf never dropped below chest high the entire time. If I had a bad session, I paddled in, had something to eat, laid in the hammocks a tad, and paddled out later for a retry. No worries! I will try and take some pics if I can stay out of the water long enough. I plan on camping on the beach this entire weekend. Ok guys, wish me luck, cause its time to rip.

Skate Vid is Up!

Well I followed through with my promise and I filmed a decent little sesh at our local ditch. Im the guy in the grey shirt, but I was filming most of the time. I also did all the editing for this little piece and I think it turned out pretttttty nice. Hehe, ok well I know your all very anxious to go and see the video, so here is the link
http://media.putfile.com/SkateVid32

Surfing...The Lack Thereof

I have been surfless for quite a while now and im going INSANE!! Notice the new counter at the top of the page? That is currently set on an estimated date but its pretty close to accurate. Right now Im trying to devise a way for my readers (are there any?) to track my location as I make my way through mexico. I have been looking into APRS position reporting system but Im not sure if there are any HAM nodes in Mexico to keep me updated. O well I have some time to figure that one out. I have been tossing around numbers and this is just pretty much gonna be the way, unless my friends bail, in which case Ill probably just head back to Costa Rica. k well im out.

Bombing the Ditch

I took my board to school/work this morning with me. The board is some length unknown sector9. We have a ditch that the concrete goes up on both sides and the entire ditch slopes down as it goes down a hill. The slope is perfect for speed and the front part of the ditch is gental sloping walls while the middle to end get pretty steep and hairy. Sound like a wave? Well it feels just like one! I had a great session out there by myself today. First I was just getting a feel for the board again, doing big carves back down the face and into the bottom, pumping for speed for a return to the lip. Then as I got a little more comfortable, I started turning hard at the top into the bottom, all the while trying to stay as fluid as possible and make it look as good as possible haha. I tried to replicate my movements on a wave and get a better feel for my next waves (hopefully soon) so I can start being more aggressive in the water. At the top of the hill I started going big and pumping in the bottom and heading straight (vertical) up the face on the other side to follow through with a big tailslide at the last second to keep from launching the lip. Ahhhhhhhhh! Ill try and post some videos of this madness very soon, maybe I can get the crew out there this weekend for some shredding.

Damn Clark Foam

My hopes and dreams have been crushed! I have been checking out a brand new Al Merrick 6'2" Sashimi for quite a while now. Today I swung into the shop to have another look and maybe check out some other boards when BLAM! The prices on all Al Merricks have jumped 50-80 dollars! I know this doesnt seem like much, but now this board will not get anywhere close to my vehicle for less than 630 after tax and thats just ridiculous! My friend recently bought a used Surftech Robert August 9'6" for like 450, and its in primo condition. Anyways, I started looking at some other boards and I stumbled across a board maker I checked out once after seeing 2 of his boards in our shops. The brand is WaterCooled and I forget the name of the shaper, but they are based in Australia. So Im checking out the board, it has pretty much the same shape of the Sashimi, a good rocker, and a nice like winged swallow tail. It is designed for small surf to a couple of feet overhead, just like the Sashimi. The problem is, they only have 2, a 6'0" and a 6'4". DAMN! The price difference is 600+tax for Sashimi, and 350+tax for Watercooled. I could deal with the size and just ride a 6'0" but, the watercooled is much thinner, like most australian boards I have seen. This worries me because it will more difficult to get into waves. Whatever Ill figure something out. So work has been a little boring lately. We are slowing down right now as we are in the middle of tax season. Rami and I have just been enjoying the new place and I have been learning the joys of cooking and cleaning. I knew it would all come back. For months my mom made fun of me saying that I would be so sloppy when I moved out, but now I want to cook and clean because its my stuff. For some odd reason its just way different than living at home or something. Anyways, no good surf for next couple of days or so. I wont miss another session dammit. Later

Back From the Dead

Well, at least partly. The surf ha sbeen non existent but Ocean Gods are finally giving us a ray of hope. Surf should firm up to chest+ by thursday, but as usual, I have class at 10am followed by work. Ill just have to wait till our next decent little windswell and hope to god that it falls on a day that is good for me. On a lighter note, we are halfway through feb, and just that much closer to summer. Being that much closer to summer means Im just that much closer to warm water pumping hurricane swells and my much anticipated Mexico trip. Life has been treating me well so far and I can honestly say that everything is going well. Im pretty much all moved in to the place, and Rami (my roommate and best friend of 12 or so years) I bought our beds last night. So im sitting here at work, about to pass out in my chair from boredom. What I would give to be in southern pacific Mexico, in a hammock with a cerveza. Just relaxing, waiting for hightide to come and work its magic on the 6ft. 14sec swell breaking just out in front of me. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Mother Nature save me.

Back From the Surf

WELLL!!!!!! That was a MUCH needed session. Even though I only managed 3 or 4 rides, and they all SUCKED, it was my "seahabilitation" I have been needing. The surf was perfect Texas conditions, about waist+ to chest with some few sneaker head highs on the set waves. The swell peaked at 12ft this morning, but it was extream SSW, and our beach faces a moderate SW, so the jettys were blocking a good deal of the big stuff. Just like the report said, the winds were offshore, 5-10, and just walling the waves up. I was actually quite warm for the first time ever in a winter session. Maybe i was just soo stoked to be in the water again, I didnt realize just how cold the water was; or it could have been the rash guard I wore under my suit. Ahhhhhhhh, there were soem perfect rides to be had, but I just dont perform well in cold water/wetsuits. I feel so restricted, but I guess more surfing in the suit will get me used to it. I will be posting some pictures (if they are ok) as soon as I can get them off my camera.