Just a Little bit Hairy

The wind had almost died as dusk settled into our sandy little nook, deep in the rugged Nor Cal cove. Suddenly the harsh glare of a maglite illuminated our campsite.



Good evening folks, I'm Officer Michael S.... the park ranger began as he read our faces with the light. Here's the situation:

You have violated four laws- lighting an uncontained fire on public lands, camping in a restricted area, ownership of a dog without a leash, and...

Shit- the fun's over, I thought. I didn't even hear the fourth violation. No amount of pleading was going to get us out of this situation. At the rangers prodding we found ourselves preparing the tents, food, beer, guitar, and miscellaneous gear for a treacherous semi-vertical hike up a debris field in the pitch dark. This could get ugly I thought.

***

Noodles and I had arrived at the impressive cove just before 1am on Sunday morning under the light of a semi-full moon and a thousand stars suspended lazily in the sky. The water sparkled before us like a million fire-flies as we descended through prickly bushes and poison oak. Slipping and sliding down the hill we were happy to land on the solid boulders lining the cove below- only to find that high tide was in full swing.

Noodle's head lamp, a bike light strapped to her head via a shoelace, had been relogated to a hand held at the point. As we hopped from rock to rock we carefully inspected each step to make sure it wasn't going to be a slippery mistake. Ten minutes later we had made it to within 30 yards of the beach only to be stumped by a vertical spire of rock which protruded dangerously over the dark, swirling waters.

Putting our heads together we decided that going over it might be the best idea so I climbed swiftly up to inspect the other side of the spire. Wrong. Stretching my hand to the top of the wall I got the uneasy feeling that the hold was going to be no good. Sure enough, the rock broke away cleanly and crashed to the ground below.

Fuck- I muttered. Katherine! Come spot my feet, I'm coming down. This way is useless. My head lamp was effective when my feet were securely planted and I simply had to look up for a hand hold, but trusting someone else to guide you blindly down was a whole different story. My adrenaline was pumping by the time I was back on solid ground and it took a couple minutes of breathing to reform a cohesive plan.

On further inspection of the extended ledge we found that you only needed to make one smooth move to reach the other side. The disadvantage being that the ocean was sending in a nice dose of spray with each intermittent wave so you had to act quickly. We put our packs down and Noodles rounded the corner first. I then shuttled the gear (including a loose sleeping bag, two packs, a pillow and guitar) to her on the other side. I followed her closely behind and we scampered to the beach.

Success! We hooted and howled at the moon as we glided toward the welcoming camp fire. Dodger finally greeted us about twenty yards from camp with a gruff growl and bark. Once he realized it was us the wags and wiggles were in full effect. We stoked the fire and settled in with a beer and toke and sang a few tunes as the jitters wore off. The crisp, salty air promised a stellar day to follow.

Part two tomorrow...

1977 Alfa Romero convertible raffle!?! $30/ticket

Need a beach cruiser, or just something rediculously Italian/suave to rock around town this summer?

My friend Cal from the Crab Shack is raffling off his 1977 convertible Alfa Romero and tickets are popping off at an enticing $30 each.

Here is what he had to say:

I hope you are all well. Especially you!

Well, it's time for me and my Alfa Romeo to part ways.
I am going to raffle it off for only $30 a ticket, with only fifty tickets available.
That's right, a 1977 Italian convertible for only $30.


It's cheaper than renting a car for the weekend, and it can be all yours. Highly stylish, by no means perfect but boy-howdy, what a car for thirty bucks.

Gather your change, bundle some singles and win a car for thirty dollars.

What could you possibly have to lose (besides thirty dollars)?
What could you possibly win? A classic Italian car with a giant racing stripe.

The raffle will take place 9pm on Friday, June 4th at the Homestead in SF. You can enter from anywhere- just let me know if you in- but tickets are going fast! Hit me up for more info.

Good Ol' NESurf.com For Sale

Growing up surfing New England's inconsistent summers, I was constantly checking the regular rounds of websites with hopes that swell was on its way. One site where I would waste hour- upon-hour day dreaming and plotting was NESurf.com. Now and again I revisit that familiar friend to see what is happening in the NE surf scene- browsing photos, community topics, and maybe even checking a cam or two, for old times sake.

Now that summer is around just weeks away and friends and family are making their yearly migration to Martha's Vineyard, MA, that nostalgic twinge sets in to the back of my mind and I miss those warm(er) water sessions and lazy, humid evenings. When I checked the local MA/RI reports today I was surprised to find that NESurf.com is up for sale.

Gay Head, MV, MA. Copyright Surface 2010
NESurf has 4000 registered members, a cross-section of dedicated surfers from Maine to Rhode Island. While there are an abundance of surf tools out there on the interweb, NESurf has grown and flourished, entrenching itself as a premier source of surf information in the region. The owner of NESurf is looking for a business savvy buyer (most likely with an established shop in the region) with the dedication and ability to grow the site to its full potential.

The value of the site is minimal but with the right strategy and vision this could take NESurf to the next level- or the sale could spell out a short, unnoticed death of a site that has treated so many of us New Englanders well. Anyone interested in giving it a shot?

Trolling the Coastline

Frequently when you head off to the beach to score some quick waves, the first spot you arrive at just doesn't look that fresh. Enter the search. The questions pop up quickly. North or South? Beach break, sheltered cove, or the long haul to a point? Do I have the right board? How about heading back to bed?


Arriving at Ocean Beach this morning we found mixed up, inconsistent wind swell scattered up and down the beach. At mid-beach we hiked the dune to get a better look. Blue skys in every direction were greatly tempered by the frigid breeze hauling off of the Pacific. How about a gander at Pacifica? Sure- can't hurt.


The next lookout- hurtling down the steep curves of Highway 1 into Pacifica. Oh man- it really doesn't look like much here.

Then Rockaway- yep, it's flat. Finally hitting the crest over Linda Mar our suspicions were confirmed- nothing.

So we reset our bearings north, and an hour after we began our "quick trip" we were reparked at Ocean Beach. What is it that they say about the grass is always greener.... Once in the water it was actually pretty decent. We managed to post up on a nice little sand bar and as long as you battled the current a bit- little drops, quick spitters, and random ramps were on offer every few minutes.


Well I guess that's just part of surfing. The search is inevitable, but sometimes you gotta just stick with your gut and take what you can get.

Numi Tea Garden- Brewing a Thousand Stories

Sometime you enter an establishment and feel immediately at home- like someone had been expecting you all along, thrown a pot of water on the stove, and set the table just for you. This was my experience today at the Numi Tea Garden in Oakland.

Following an excellent breakfast at Rick and Ann's in Berkeley and a brief walk through of a metal recycling facility in the pouring rain, my friend Robin (Spencer Environmental) and I decided to pop into a renowned tea garden just off the freeway. Surrounded by clutter and noise, Numi is a welcome oasis in the industrial sector of Oakland.

Natural light fills the earth-toned space as we took a seat on hand crafted chairs and comfy couches, and stenciled above my head the words In Each Cup Brew- A Thousand Stories promoted pondering. The tables are made from gorgeous finished stumps and casually face a modest stage in the corner. The staff was super welcoming and not afraid to deal with our terrible pronunciation and numerous questions.

Numi is best know for their Certified Organic Puerh (pronounced 'pu-err') Teas, an ancient Chineas healing tea with vast health benefits & rich taste. Numi's Puerh is harvested from 500 year old wild tea trees in the Yunnan mountains of Southwestern China.

The leaves undergo a "secret" fermentation process which not only yields a superior taste compared to younger pruned bushes- but aids in cancer prevention due to elevated levels of antioxidants, reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides, provides Vitamins B,C , E, P, K & GANA, and rejuvienates life. While I can't claim to be a tea connoisseur or aficionado- I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and taste of the robust Chocolate Puerh which we enjoyed until caffeinated to the gills.

In addition to the Puerh options, Numi's extensive list of teas includes a plethora of White, Green, Black, Oolong and Flowing Tea, balanced by an unassuming food menu featuring A Light Feast of Gormet Food Offerings from various local food purveyors. We snacked on a bowl of pistachios and dired mango and a killer Muhammara spread. I'm eyeing their organic muffins and scones for my next trip.

Next time you and a friend are looking for a great excuse for a lazy afternoon of shameless relaxation and worldly pondering, this is the place to go. The zen garden also holds monthly community events featuring local artists, films, and world/jazz/experimental music. Check them out- or at lease pick up some of their outstanding tea the next time you are in the east bay.

Surf Stoke Wednesday

How to kill it while working for the man on a leisurely Wednesday:

- Stroll into the office at 11 following a 3+ mile run up the hills of SF, through the woods, and down the Panhandle, having already conducted the days most urgent correspondence from the comfort of your living room

- Celebrate G mans birthday with cake, doughnuts, and candles

- Pitch your favorite outdoor publication of the moment some fine goods from the likes of GoLite, Ryders, GU, and Sugoi

- Follow the practice specified on your Road ID -- Shred all Day Every Day- on the surf, snow, or concrete, just get on your stick.

- Finish with Beer.

We went with the nicely balanced California Ale from the Beach Chalet Brewery - home to a killer happy hour M-F, Adirondack seating in a sun drenched, grassy back yard, and live reggae on the weekends. If you haven't been, make a point of going this summer on a sunny day- but bring a hoody. The conditions are known to change quickly.

Truthfully it's been a LONG time since I did anything closely related to shredding, but at Gordon's prodding we arrived at Ocean Beach around 2pm to find impeccable conditions. 3-5 foot clean, peaky lines were rolling in at a regular interval from the WNW an SW and there were only a few guys and gals out- perfect.

Devon and G are not regular visitors to the heavy beach break of Kelly's Cove but paddled out closely behind me and suddenly we were in the money. I caught an easy left to start, pumped a few times and popped out to find Devon taking off on a nice right bomb. She gracefully slid down the face, raced away from the curl, and with a little turn- set the perfect line to the beach.

I arrived back on the outside just in time to catch Gordon take off into a steep, green drainer of his own. I haven't had this much fun in months, I thought to myself as I dropped and made a quick bottom turn into another steep right. We traded off turns and wipeouts for a solid hour and exited the water with pure elation our faces. There's no place I'd rather be on a sunny, windless day than our very own urban surf paradise.

Your very own United States "We Footballin' South Africa" Song

On the Eleventh of June, the lords year Two-Thousand-and-Ten, South Africa will host the most prestigious international competition in the universe.The glorious month long battle for the World Cup has people across the globe hanging flags, preparing feasts, tuning their tv's, and clearing their throats to cheer and sing their teams to victory. For those of you who don't follow the worlds sport, get excited because the United States Futbol Club might just be situated to make a legitimate bid, though they have to make it past a formidable English squad in group play.

When I dropped in to Kezar Pub this evening I was excited to see a banner of international flags proudly displayed outside the beer saturated venue. What other event motivates people in every corner of the world to arrive at their local pub- at any hour of the day- to down pint after pint in honor of the sweat, blood, and tears expelled by their fellow country men in ruthless competition with the worlds best? Futbol brings out the best in drinking, camaraderie, and songs in almost every country involved- yet I couldn't think of one fun loving song (soccer or beer related) to define our beloved America.

Is our sauce really that weak? I thought I'd have a poke around the internet to see if there was anything legitimate in the way of American soccer/drinking songs, and the results were hilarious.

This takes the cake as the top result for "American Sport/Drinking Song":


While I am a adamant supporter of ripping on country music, Hank Williams Jr. and the Charlie Daniels Band, this can not really be the closest thing we have to a national sports anthem. Or could it... There is a facebook group that calls themselves the USSSCCC- dedicated to coming up with a nationally accepted and supported song/chant so we can effectively express ourselves on the world stage. If we don't come up with something quick I fear that we as fans may bring shame to what it means to be a World Cup Championship worthy nation. I'm not asking for much, just a few stanzas, so we will have something to retort to our international brethern. So act fast! Join the USSSCCC and lets come up with a song or two for Team U-S-A!

Otherwise I'm moving to Canada.

Ps- this doesn't count

Circus comes to Central town

Sunday morning, before hitting the shack, Dodger and I went out to enjoy our daily skate/run around the neighborhood. I felt good. I was finally getting back to 100 percent following the debauchery that was Boulder and NYC and was looking forward to a smooth day.

We headed toward the coffee spot and turned the corner to find household after household hawking their goods on the street. After I passed the fourth such occurrence, I started to get the notion that there was more to this than coincidence. Hopping off my longboard we approached a group of people clad in matching blue jumpsuits and asked what the deal was.

The gentleman in charge responded that it was a neighborhood wide yard sale- and that he had seen a flyer for it in the last week or so. Damn- another beautiful opportunity to search the streets for some cheap art- blown. Jumpsuit man went on to tell me that he felt particularly fortunate because it gave him ample opportunity to raise money for his circus troop. Oh- of course, I thought.

I was slightly crunched for time so this I let this little tidbit roll off, and mumbled something about having to head into work.

As I moved past them the ring Leader pronounced “You don’t have to go to work. You could just skip it. There are consequences to every action.” Hmmmmm- well all right, fuck it. Now you’re speaking my language. Thanks clown.

I wished them well and skated around the corner to my apartment. Dodger was having a terrific time and wanted to continue, but followed me since I was opening the garage- which inevitably leads to my car- and he for some reason thinks that every time we get into the car we are headed somewhere EXCITING.

As I flipped the latch I had that uneasy feeling that there were eyes on my back. Oh no- more circus counseling, I thought. The eyes that met me were not those of my new found ring-master friend, but of our neighbor from across the street burning into my forehead.

Hi, how’s it going today? I offered as smoothly as I could, considering he had caught me off guard and suspicious.

Do you live there? he asked gesturing at my building behind me.

Whaaa? Yea- in the back. I waved toward the back of our building.

Were you up Friday night around 3-4am?

Ummmm- no. I responded shortly with a “whaddaya want” look on my face.

I had wisely decided to sleep at big V’s that night as I knew that Mississippi Man and Co. were going to boogieing on down all night.

Hmfff. He looked further disgruntled. He wanted blood- and I wasn’t about to give it to him. At that moment I noticed the egg that had trickled down the garage door and onto the cement where I was about to step. Ugh- I guess we really pissed some people off. With a quick look over my shoulder I made my way to my car. I’m outta here. This was too much fun for five minutes.

There’s never a dull moment in this neighborhood.

Eating Berries in the Sun

If you know me- then you know that I am a big fan of carbs for breakfast. Over the years I have been known to eat an abundance of cereal, a bagel, or a homemade blueberry muffin (or 3). Lately I’ve taken a liking to eating berries, granola and yogurt on the wooden stairway in our backyard. It is a simple, but thoroughly satisfying concoction.

When I was little I drew a picture and wrote “I like mornings best”. Although there was a time when I would sleep till 1pm religiously and couldn't stand to be woken up- I have once again found my love for the morning. Sitting on those steps I can see all the trees and their mini ecosystems thrive in our little enclave of backyards. The light is perfect and the sun often shimmers through lightly suspended dew to create awesome color displays.

There is nothing better than a fresh start with no stress on the mind. Anyone got a vocation that lets you session the spot on the stairs or hit beach more than I currently session the office chair and computer screen?

Matt and I surfed Linda Mar yesterday. It appears that summer has arrived. It felt like a terrible New England slop fest, and it was freezing. Let's go to Baja!

There's a band in my living room

It's another killer Saturday morning here on the Bay and I'm pleased to find the members of Mississippi Man strewn haphazardly around my living room- a girl friend of mine from Denver snuggled in the middle. It smells a little like booze and cigarettes, and their lack of stirring as the Dingo paws his way through the mess gives the impression that they had a pretty damn good time.

The Elbo Room was packed last night for a good reason. Mustaches and suave throwback 19th century outfits littered the venue as the 5 piece Mississippi Man got things going with a Americana, folky rock set with high pitched harmonization and high paced keys and drums. They have strummed a lick or two in our little apartment before, and I was happy to see that their stage presence is almost as solid as their freestyle jams. They have a little ways to come before they take it to the next level- but that's why they are leading off for a (slightly) more mature band in Silent Comedy.

Slient Comedy brings a bit of southern spice, revival, and good old rock and roll with their semi-formal black shirts and hats. A fiery fiddle draws you in as the guitar, bass and drumbs hold it down. They even throw in a nice touch of harmonica and keys to the mix and the occasional call and response/chant in such songs as Bartholomew. They are the kind of band that gets you off your death bed with a pure burst of euphoric energy to shake your ass.

So if you find yourself in Cali this summer tracking these guys down is a must.

Lost - not the show stupid...

As explained in the text- Deep Survival - when "becoming lost", true survivors come to terms with where they are at the moment of realization that they are not where they believe they 'should' be, and become an active player in their current environment. They must not say I am lost, but say that I am here, now. They must make the best of a given situation and establish a short term goal (find water, build shelter, backtrack, etc).

The majority of us who don't go into a defined profession out of college have our moments of post-grad occupational confusion and frustration. I'm coming to terms with my short and long term goals and am at a point of reevaluation. Here I am. I made it to a destination of my choice- San Francisco. The only requirement I had for my future following college was that I wanted to be close to the ocean (where I can surf). Landing here I not only have an expanse of outdoor and urban access that offers some of the best ocean, mountain, art, music, and spiritual opportunities in the world, but I have found a community of eclectic and energetic souls who are also challenging themselves and the world around them with. I can feel the energy, and although I’m not sure what my purpose is, I need to continuously evolve to become the master of my current environment.

Unleashing the Session

The session has been in a rough state lately.

The waters have been wind blown, sloppy, and unattended to- and I'm struggling to keep my senses- even as the days grow longer, warmer, and more beautiful. I need to get wet again, submerged, brutalized, and hopefully fall back into that beautiful rhythm that allows one to reunite with the energy waves all around.

So today, after my return from a mini-session to the middle of the country (Colorado) and the East Coast (NYC), I found myself thinking about how this whole sessioning thing got started.

Well- initially I could trace it back to my random banter with Matt and Colin about getting some writing off the ground this winter, but that didn't really seem to be the start of it. So I looked further. It could have been my decision to forgo the local college offers and head off to Colorado to expore the 'wild' west, but that didn't seem to sum it up either. And neither did my drunken exploration of life as a kid looking up to my elders while summering on Martha's Vineyard. No, the endless session started far before the broken bottles, dip stains, and puke on the tennis court railing.

It began with my father- as he left Nebraska over 40 years ago, in search of what he did not know, just the inkling that there had to be more than the stagnancy and monotony of the Omaha suburbs. And before him it started with our forefathers who somehow survived the harrowing journey across the Atlantic and landed in Fall River with not much more than a cow. They had enough guts to strike out with the hope of finding an unspoiled land of opportunity, somewhere in the fertile lands of a young United States. And before them, in fact, well it might just be traced back to our entrepreneurial beer brewing ancestors in Copenhagen.

The fact of the matter is- this session is the fruits of a seed planted many, many moons ago. My main struggle at the moment is to identify how to grasp all of that energy and to turn it into something useful. I need a better understanding of where I've been and to be a man of action, even if that action means being still.

I need to recommit and figure out what the hell it is I have been doing over the past two years, and how to use that knowledge to find my bearings for the future. This ship is staggering through the shallows, and I'm feeling a bit sea-sick. We all come out of our our protected youth at some point, as graduates or drop-outs, abandoned, as pushed, loved, lost, reborn, dejected, or committed individuals- and must find a way to tend to the sparks that have been nurtured for us and build a steady a flame for our own survival and happiness.

I want to commit to consistency. There are too many convenient hindrances to use as excuses for my lack of progress to where I want to be. I need to show some spine and execute. So, for the next 100 days I want to throw something down the TES line, with the end goal of having a semblance of consistency in my life- for the first time ever.

So cheers to steep drops, stupid anecdotes, and useless banter. Fuck it, if you stick around and read on, hopefully you'll find something in my search that will inspire you in your session too.

Drop some knowledge on me when you have something to say. I appreciate any and all input. I need some inspiration. Anyone know where I should start?