New Video

Here is a video I have been working on the past few days. This is when I sailed down to Port Aransas with friends back in March 09. Make sure ya click the HQ icon in the corner for the supa dupa high quality.

Not much else has been going really. Ive been gearing up for the texas 200. I had some crazy sailing in the Hobie last sunday and Im super sore because of it. I sailed over 30 miles and just blasted across the bay on that thing. Its amazing how much ground you can cover when your running 10+ kts occasionally hitting somewhere near 15! I need a GPS confirmation but Im pretty sure Ive been there a couple of times but we shall see what the GPS says.

Texas tea party

Well today they had the texas tea party across the state (nation?). We went over after work and checked it out. It was pretty decent but i still felt like there were unanswered questions. I mean, what was the point? At the hours of 4pm-8pm all the elected officials were at home and what not. We stood and listened to some readings and other things yet i feel like they accomplished nothing. Its time to rally the people against big government. Against big spending. Its time to hold elected officials responsible and make them play by the same rules us "normal folk" do.

Anyways.... This week Garnett and i havebeen providing assistance to Chester, the guy who hitched a ride with us when we sailed back to Galveston from Port Aransas. He won a 30ft gemini catamaran in a hurricane salvage auction and is taking it down the ICW to port a. The boat wasnt ready but deadlines had to be met. They are in Matagorda as we speak with about 90 miles to go.

Well thats about all folks...

Catch Up!

Well its been a while since I have written anything and now Ill have to play catch up. You know.. I have noticed that when a lot starts happening in my life and I havent blogged in a while, I actually dread blogging everything. So, I procrastinate and just let it build up a little more and then the next thing you know, I havent written in a month! So, Im going to take it easy on myself and recap quick and dirty and well, skip a bunch of parts.

I went sailing a few times on the hobie cat the past couple of weekends and its safe to say Im really addicted to it! The speed is hard to describe and when you get everything trimmed perfect and your body weight is perfect you just flyyyyyyyyyy!!! I really want a Hobie 16 so I can take another person in comfort but it just isnt in my budget right now. We shall see what happens :)

So... I went sailing down to Port Aransas like 3 weeks ago and we spent 2.5 days offshore on our way down and about the same on the return trip home. This was my first bad trip offshore and it showed me just how crazy it can be out there. I realized just how hard single handing is going to be and just how important certain things on a boat are ie. an engine. Near the coasts the commercial traffic is just incredibly dangerous and engines and other people on board help make it a tad safer... I dont know. The other thing is just how violent the world seems to be getting. Cruisers are being killed everywhere and that makes me nervous too... imagine that? Me... Dave Rich actually a little nervous by all the cruisers getting chopped up with machetes.

Ive decided to focus a little effort back into just driving for my getaway and I already feel like Im betraying the faith. I love the ocean and I love sailing... I dont know.. Maybe its just not my path for right now. I found an awesome mini-bus for sail in the Kemah area that has been converted into a small motorhome. Its a 98 chevy 1-ton with 36K miles on her! The owners are asking $3500 and it has hot water, sink, stove/oven, small bed, fridge with freezer, and rv ac! The problem? around 10mpg...... UHHHH!!!!!!!! I plan on driving over 100K miles and at 10mpg and $3/gallon, thats $30K JUST IN GAS! So, now Im looking a little more "15-20"ish.... that will help a lot! Plus the van simply will not fit into a shipping container for shipping overseas when Im ready to get off this continent. Just have some thinking to do....

DAMMIT... I always say that! thinking is just getting me no where! Ugh... I need to start acting instead of thinking. Ive got 12K stashed... and by this time next year Ill be sitting around 30K. So Ive set may 1st as my tentative quit date... we shall see how it goes.