i like a good high tide, but this is crazy!!!

...the backwash at grandview has been a little tough lately.
this is 1-2' with an occasional 12' backwash!
i think its safe to say he didnt make the drop...

Stormy daze...glad its over.

5ft board on a 10ft face...with a nasty side wind. not as fun as it shoulda' been...

Todos Santos - Road trip - 1.11.10...

green perfection!

So Tuesday afternoon, as im walking through home depot picking out some materials for the shop, i get a call from Larry. he says its firing down south and that he had reserved a boat for us for tomorrow!... "what?...yer' kidding right? where?" he then proceeds to tell me that its gonna hit Todos Santos on weds, and its gonna be HUGE!!!..."Holy S%#T!!! its on!!!!"

So this is the documentation of our trip. we brought along our videographer Justin , so we could get some video footage for the next arena movie. I had my camera with me as well so i took these shots from the boat when i was done surfing. there were a lot of big names out there and some serious waves. Greg long, mike parsons, alex gray and a couple other big wave heroes. i was so amped to be out there shoulder to shoulder with these guys and the shear energy in the water was unfathomable! I was on an insane 6'9" NIRVANA gun which was too small to paddle into the bigger sets, but it was awsome once I got down the face. most of the guys were on 9'6" to 11'0" ft. boards. I got my fair share of waves, but it was a little more challenging being on a shorter stick. but once I got the hang of where to sit, and where to position my feet, it was insane! I was in heaven! BY FAR THE BIGGEST WAVES OF MY LIFE! I will post more as it arrives! so sit back and enjoy the ride!

Mexican border at 7am

amazing sunrise!

ensenada bay...

sketchy boat rentals.

yeah...it was big.

sheet glass conditions!

aquatic paparazzi!!

the swell just got bigger and bigger!!!

surfed out, sunburnt, hungry and grinning from ear to ear!!!

before: fresh 6'9"...this should work. right?

after: OH MY GOD! sweet board....wrong size! wheres my 9'6"at!? ! but once i got into the
waves, they were manageable...barely. it was like being chased by a bull while pedaling a tricycle!

THANK YOU MEXICO!

5'7" twin stringer- tri/quad-kelly inspired...

thanks roy!

many options.

journey to 500!...its finally complete!

those of you who are loyal enough and patient enough to follow
my patchy and inconsistent blog, know that i was on a mission to surf 500 sessions
within one calender year. from jan 1st 2009 to dec 31st 2010. it was more than a mission! it was almost torture at certain points. but it was worth every paddle , every stormy,
rainy day when my body said HELL NO! and my heart said C'MON, ITS ONLY PAIN, WHATS THE BIG DEAL! through fevers, dirty waters, and beyond howling winds, i conquered
my goal! as a matter of fact i did better than that, i hit 501!
but i must say, out of 365 days i did miss about 7 days in total due to
random reasons out of my control. this however made me realise that it would of actually been harder to surf once EVERY single day and not miss one, than to surf 500 times...

ANOTHER BIT OF INSPIRATION FROM KELLY...

IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, THEN YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THE 

BOARD, WITH SOME PERSONAL TWEAKS OF MY OWN.

5'7" TWIN STRINGER

ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I AM SO AMPED TO SEE HOW THIS THING PERFORMS,

SINGLE CONCAVE WITH A TOUCH OF V- IN THE TAIL...

OH MY!

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FOR THOSE STILL INTERESTED...

IM @ SESSION# 426 

AS OF 11/16/09...

IM CUTTING IT CLOSE! I KNOW!

500 OR BUST!

WHAT I'M...I MEAN WE, ARE RIDING...

FINALLY GOT OUR COLLABORATIVE BOARD GLASSED 

WITH WOODEN FINS AND A BITCHIN' ART DECORE,

 LAUREN AND I HAVE BEEN SO STOKED TO GET SOME 

WAVE TIME ON THIS THING AND IT IS AWSOME!!!!

WE BOTH ARE AMAZED BY THIS BOARD...

PROBLY' CAUSE ITS GOT GOOD JUJU!

.

HAND SHAPED BY ROY SANCHEZ AND 

PAINTED BY LAUREN AND I,  IT HAS PROVEN TO BE

A WELL ROUNDED BOARD! IT ACTUALLY RIDES BETTER

THAN I WOULD OF GUESSED! IT SEEMES TO LIKE AIRIALS,

BELIEVE IT OR NOT!...

MORE PICS TO COME!!!

MAYBE EVEN SOME VIDEO...

...

FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED,

 THE  500 SESSION COUNT IS AT #362...

KNOW WHEN TO SAY WHEN...

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AT WHAT POINT DO YOU SAY :ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!?

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FOR ME, THREE IS FAMILIAR, FOUR IS FUN & FIVE IS FRISKY...

BUT THIS IS JUST INSANE!

I BET THE OCTA-MOM WOULD ENJOY THIS ONE!

SURFS UP!

.......SURFING THE POWER OF MENTAL STRENGTH THROUGH ENLIGHTENMENT AND SPIRITUAL ENERGY

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ITS PRETTY AMAZING SOMETIMES,

 WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES QUESTIONING AND STRESSING

 OVER THE PERILS OF LIFE, 

HOW WE LET IT EFFECT US NEGATIVELY,

 AND HOW WE TRY TO CONTROL TOO MUCH OF IT.

IVE RECENTLY RE-DISCOVERED THE POWER OF JUST 

LETTING GO, AND HOW IT FREE'S YOUR MIND AND SPIRIT.

THROUGH FORMS OF PRAYER, MEDITATION, QI GONG, 

FALUN DAFA, AND OF COURSE TAI CHI I HAVE OPENED UP NEW 

AVENUES OF MY BEING, AND DISCOVERED WHAT THE MIND

 IS ACTUALLY CAPABLE OF OVERCOMING.

SOMETIMES ITS EASY TO LET OUR EGO

 GET IN THE WAY OF OUR LIVES AND OUR DREAMS

AND EVEN OUR DAILY FUNCTIONS...

 FOR ME WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I FEEL AS IF

IM LOSING CONTROL, SO I TRY TO CONTROL IT MORE,

WHICH MAKES EVERYTHING WORSE.

(WITH EXCEPTION TO WHAT I AM INTENDED TO CONTROL)

 TO ME, THAT IS WHAT CREATES INNER TENSION, 

INSECURITIES, AND THE NEED TO NUMB OR PACIFY 

 WITH DEFENSIVE THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS OF 

THE MIND THAT ARE CLEARLY NOT POSITIVE.

FREEDOM OF THE MIND, AND A CLEAR MENTAL STATE

IS MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY PHYSICAL ABILITY.

 MORE EMPOWERING THAN ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD, 

AND THE PUREST FORM OF HAPPINESS.

IT HAS CHANGED THE WAY I VIEW SURFING AND WHAT IT MEANS TO ME.

WHETHER IT HAS IMPROVED MY SURFING, I DONT KNOW.

BUT I DO KNOW THAT I ACTUALLY ENJOY IT ALOT MORE!

I BELIEVE EVERYONE DESERVES TO FIND THERE OWN FORM OF 

FREEDOM FROM SOCIETY AND PRESSURES OF

OUR OWN INNER EGO.

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SO TO THIS I GIVE THANKS TO ALL THE HIGHER FORMS OF BEING,

WHETHER IT BE SPIRITUAL, ALIGNMENT OF HUMAN ENERGIES,

 THE POWER OF THE UNIVERSE, OR ALL OF THE ABOVE.

LAURENS NEXT VENTURE: "@SEA" FASHIONS! SO COOL! YOU HAVE TO SEE THEM IN PERSON!

HOT OFF THE PRESS! 

HANDMADE CUSTOM ONE OF A KIND SURF T'S!

GUYS, GIRLS, AND KIDS AS WELL!

LONG BOARD, SHORTBOARD, RETRO-FISH,

OLD SKOOL KEELS, 

EVEN A MERMAID!

SESSION#309...NEW APEX BOARD IS AMAZING!

...finally a new post! it's been a while.

and to the very few of you who are loyal enough 

follow this blog, sorry...i've been distracted. thanks for  

not kicking me off the list

session#309 of 500...

less than 140 days left.

This is the new sled...

I love it!...

My latest design,

Shaped by ROY SANCHEZ...

I call it the "APEX"...

hidden volume,

 low rocker,

performance rails,

7.25" square tail...

just beautiful!

5'10" x 14.5" x 20" 16" x 2.5"...

in less than a week of testing,

 ive come to the conclusion that 

 this is my favorite design so far!

stay tuned for a short vid of this board in action.

or you can go to:

loop'd.com/members/maverik51

let me know what you think!!!

-peace...-e...

SESSION: #246 - THE STREAK CONTINUES: STEADY AS SHE GOES... P.S.- WATCH OUT FOR LARGE FLYING STINGRAYS!

WHILE SURFING AT AVO, I WAS GLANCED BY A LARGE ANGRY STING RAY WHO CAME TO THE SURFACE WHILE I WAS SITTING ON THE OUTSIDE. NOW, IVE BEEN HIT 3 TIMES BY SMALL RAYS (ONLY ON THE INSIDE) AND IT IS DEFINATLY ONE OF THE WORST PAINS I HAVE EVER FELT. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE MY GASP AS  I SEE THIS THING CHARGE TOWARDS ME AT MACH 1. AS IT GOT CLOSER, MY "EL GATO"LIKE  REFLEX TOLD ME TO PULL UP MY FEET, AND AS I DID, THE LITTLE BUGGER BROKE THE SURFACE AND PITCHED OFF TO THE LEFT OF MY LEG AND ARM. SCARY. I GOT A PRETTY GOOD LOOK AT IT. IT WAS THICK AND WIDE! APROX 2FT. WIDE AND THE THING MUST HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 4" THICK!

ALL IN ALL, NO HARM NO FOUL.

THE FUNNY THING WAS,  ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, I HAPPEN TO SEE A BIG SPOTTED SEAL WITH A RAY IN ITS MOUTH, MOTORING BACK OUT WITH ITS HEAD ABOVE WATER.  SOMETHING I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE!  NOW I DONT HOLD A GRUDGE AGAINST THE RAY FOR THE HASTY FLY BY THREAT, AFTER ALL IM IN HIS HOUSE. BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE A LITTLE POETIC JUSTICE THAT THE SEAL WAS HUNTING THE RAY'S... THANKS MR. SEAL.

...thankyou doctor evil.

5'6"x20"x2.5"...due next week. ...E - TYPE...

    This, my friends,  is a rendering of my new shape by roy sanchez. i call it the "e-type". Ive been riding a 5'9" "roi fish" lately, and roy and i decided to work on  a quarky design i  had in my head. It turned out awsome. a little influence from the k. slates, with crafting in the hands of roy,  and a little hydrophysic's  formulative theory  on my part...it became a reality...enjoy!

SESSION #194...PUNCTURED CALF MUSCLE,  BUT IM STILL IN THE GAME!... THANKYOU DUCT TAPE!

"ROI FISH" new board review..+session: #185...

    I CANT BELIEVE  HOW THINGS FALL INTO PLACE SOMETIMES...  THIS WAS ACTUALLY SHAPED FOR A FREIND, AND IT HAD MISSING GRAPHICS SO ROY MADE ANOTHER ONE AND GAVE THIS ONE TO ME. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE ANOTHER FISH, DRAWN OUT LINES, 4" ABOVE THE WATER WITH MORE FOAM THAN I COULD EVER NEED. YOU KNOW, A TYPICAL RETRO TWIN OUTLINE RIGHT!? 

  I WAS VERY WRONG! THIS THING IS SICK!!!!!!!!! IT TOTALY EFFIN' SHREDS! LOOK HOW THIN IT IS. I RODE IT LIKE A SHORTY WHIP CRACKER AND IT RESPONDED WITH SUCH GREAT FEED BACK AND SPEED! CLEARING THE LONGEST SECTIONS AND STILL TOTALLY CAPABLE OF BIG AIRS AND BLOWOUT TAILSLIDES...NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT HANDLES POWER AND SIZE REALLY WELL! A TUBE SLIDER FOR SURE!! GOOD JOB ROY!

  I  AM BLOWN AWAY BY THE CAPABILITIES OF THIS BOARD AND THE FUTURE POTENTIAL OF THIS BOARD.  WITH SUBLTE CHANGES, IT COULD BE  A NEAR PERFECTLY BALANCED AND UNIVERSAL BOARDS.  THE ZEN BOARD, A HIGH PERFORMANCE CRAFT THAT MAKES YOU LOOK AT WAVES OF ALL SIZES DIFFERENTLY. IT MAY LOOK LIKE ANOTHER "POD" OR "BISCUIT" STYLE, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS STICK...

  

TWO CRAZY DOGS AND A BLONDE...

THIS SHOT TO ME SAYS ALOT! THESE GUYS ARE MY LIFE AND ALMOST EVERY THING I LIVE FOR (EXCEPT THE SPIRIT OF SURFING), AND YET THEY ARE SOOOOO CRAZY! AND I MEAN ALL THREE OF THEM!...NOT JUST THE DOGS. THESE ARE TWO OF THE BEST DOGS IVE EVER OWNED! BY FAR! POUND-RESCUE PUPPIES.   PETEY IS THE BLUE NOSE STAFFIE AND GIDGET IS THE RED NOSE PIT/LAB/RODESION MIX (and the craziest one), BUT THEY KEEP ME SANE AND GROUNDED. ITS AMAZING SOMETIMES HOW THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE REALLY OUTWEIGH EVERYTHING THAT SOCIETY HAS PUT A PRESSURED INFLUENCE ON... 

SESSION POST# 176 - Beacons...again...eh. surfed with logan. he rips. makes me wish i was 11 again...

SUMMERTIME...BRING ON THE ZOO!

I CAME ACROSS THIS PICTURE FROM LAST SUMMER, AND IT MADE REMEMBER WHAT COMPLETE KAOS IT CAN BE AND HOW CATCHING ONE WAVE CAN REALLY BE A CHALLENGE AT CERTAIN TIMES...LIKE THIS. 

I GUESS ITS A FORM OF SURF SLALOM RIGHT?...BOB AND WEEVE. BOB AND WEEVE.  NOW QUICK, GO UP FOR A FLOATER!

SESSION POST# 175...I know that i dont post every one, but they are accounted for.

Beacons, beacons, beacons. I cant seem to get away from it. hasnt been that good, i just dont feel like going anywhere else...i think im just lazy. no waves anyway. 

ERGONOMIC DESIGN...NO NEED FOR SILLY POCKETS!

IM GONNA GO OUT ON A LIMB HERE,  AND SAY THAT I THINK THIS COULD REVOLUTIONIZE HANDS FREE TALKING WHILE DRIVING! THINK OF ALL THE OTHER THE POSSIBILITIES AS WELL. THESE HOOPS CAN HOLD ANYTHING! I-PODS, GROCERY LIST, WALLET, SMALL CAT OR KITTEN, EVEN A SPARE BAR OF WAX WHILE YOU SURF! THEY SHRINK AND STRETCH AS NEEDED TO FIT ANY CARRY ON ITEM!

WAY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX! ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES ROCK! I CANT WAIT TO SEE THE NEW BUILT-IN MARSUPIAL LAP TOP- POUCH!

IN OTHER NEWS:

 SESSION: #174...IN THE BOOKS.- I CAN TASTE SUMMER IN THE WATER! -STILL LOVIN' MY NEW SANCHEZ STICK, AND ALL IS WELL IN SURFALOTAPALOOZAVILLE!

session#170...todays menu offered textured faces with a nasty crosschop- 3'-5', warmer waters, grayish windy sky's, harsh current and NO CROWD's...no complaints:)

CREATIVE DYNAMICS @ WORK!

SESSION #166 OF 500...NEW BOARDS= NEW PEACE OF MIND...

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TOO MUCH TIME...

SESSION: #101-157...THE VALUE OF A SIMPLE LIFE...

HOLY MOLY...

  ONCE AGAIN, TIME HAS SLIPPED BY SO QUICKLY. IVE BEEN LOGGING MY SESSIONS VIA MOLE SKIN JOURNAL AND IVE SEEM TO HAVE HAD NO TIME TO POST ONLINE. IM NOT SLIPPIN' OR TRIPPIN' AS FAR AS LEGITIMATE TIME IN THE WATER SO KEEP IN MIND , THIS IS DEFINATLY REAL AND ACCURATE.

 IVE MISSED A COUPLE DAYS BUT MADE UP FOR IT WITH MANY OTHER DOUBLE SESSION DAYS. IN THE LAST MONTH THERE HAS BEEN SOME FUN WAVES AND SOME VERY POOPY DAYS, BUT AT THE END OF EACH OF THOSE DAYS I STILL FIND SUCH APRECIATION AND LOVE FOR THE OCEAN AND JUST LIFE IN GENERAL. 

   THIS JOURNEY HAS BEEN AWSOME! THE LAST 4 MONTHS OF DOCUMENTING THIS HAS BEEN VERY EYE OPENING FOR ME.  NOT LIFE CHANGING, BUT IT HELPED ME TO SLOW THINGS DOWN IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND MOVE FORWARD IN OTHER DIRECTIONS THAT I WOULDN'T OF IF I DIDNT HAVE SUCH A BIG PASSION FOR THE OCEAN AND HOW MANY WONDERFUL THINGS YOU GAIN FROM IT. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT  HELPS YOU TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH AND VIEW TO LIFE ON LAND! THE DAILY GRIND GETS US DOWN AND HAS US FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL, THUS SACRIFICING OUR FREE TIME AND ULTIMATELY DAMPENING OUR SPIRITS. AT LEAST UNTILL THE NEXT PASAGE OF FREEDOM TO THE OCEAN, OR WHATEVER YOUR OUTLET IS....MINE IS THE OCEAN, AND EVEN IF I DONT HAVE A BOARD, IT STILL SOOTHES ME AND CREATES AN AVENUE FOR MY PERSONAL SERENITY. I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A PLACE THAT THEY CAN ESCAPE FROM THE STRESS OF DAILY LIFE IN THIS BIG WORLD WE LIVE IN...

  ANYWAY, TO THE SESSION POST'S: 

 IT'S NOW SESSION #157 NOT TOO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THE PAST 56 SESSIONS. NO BIG SWELLS BUT NOT TOO MANY TOTALY FLAT DAYS EITHER, SO I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT ITS BEEN AVERAGE. 

  THE WATER GOT WARM FOR A COUPLE DAYS AND THEN IT GOT COLD AGAIN. WE HAD ONE OR TWO DAYS OF SUPER FUN SOUTHIES, BUT ALL IN ALL, I WOULDNT TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING!...EXCEPT MAYBE A ONE WAY TICKET TO AN ISLAND THE SOUTH PACIFIC, WITH PLENTY OF WAVES AND PLENTY OF FISH!... AND BEER!... AND FREINDS! AND...WELL, MAYBE I ALREADY LIVE IN PARADISE. YEP I DO!...LIVING, LOVING, LAUGHING AND SHARING IS WHAT MAKES MY PARADISE! ALL THE REST CAN BE ACCOMMODATED AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES. FOR NOW, JUST SURFING EVERYDAY AND BEING HAPPY IS WHAT I AM THANKFUL FOR. MEETING NEW PEOPLE AND NETWORKING WITH PEOPLE THAT LIVE THE SAME WAY HELPS ME MOVE FORWARD IN MY AMBITION TO STAY FOCUSED ON THIS WAY OF LIFE...

  

SESSION: #100-124 OF 500...

  SO HERE IT IS, A NEW POSTING. ITS TAKEN ME LONG ENOUGH BUT I MUSTARD UP THE ENERGY TO POST!...

FIRST OFF, SESSION #100:

   ...IT WAS ACTUALLY A SPECIAL ONE. I VENTURED DOWN TO BLACKS ON A SINGLE FIN RETRO THAT I HAD REFURBISHED FOR MY FRIEND ED. NOT BAD FOR THE FIRST 100! IT WAS WORTH IT! 2-4 FT. AND NOT TOO CROWDED...TO SAY THE LEAST, THE BOARD WORKED GREAT!

SESSIONS #101-109: 

    NOTHING SPECIAL...LOCAL, SMALL...EH...

 

 SESSION #110:

     ODD...I WAS ENLISTED BY MY LOCAL SHOP OWNER TO TEST OUT A NEW BOARD TO SEE IF THEY WERE WORTH CARRYING IN THE SHOP...TO SAY THE LEAST THE BOARD WAS DIFFERENT. IT WAS A MEYERHOFFER DESIGNED LONGBOARD. SHAPED LIKE A FIGURE 8! IT WAS WEIRD LOOKING, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY SICK! IF YOU COULD RIDE IT WITHOUT BEING DISTRACTED BY THE SHAPE, IT WAS AWSOME!...

  

SESSIONS #111-121:

     AGAIN, NOTHING SPECIAL...I KEPT IT LOCAL BETWEEN GRANDVIEW AND ROUND HOUSE WITH THE OCCATIONAL BEACS IN THE MIX...

 

 

SESSION #122:

     BONEYARDS!...WOO HOO! I LOVE THIS PLACE! I MISS LIVING NEAR THERE BECAUSE LAUREN AND I HAVE HAD SO MANY GREAT MEMORIES THERE. IT WAS NICE TO BE BACK OUT AT THE YARD...

  

 SESSIONS #123-124:

   BLAH BLAH...SAME SHIT DIFFERENT DAY, 2-3 FT., SPRING BREAK CROWD, A LITTLE WINDY BUT STILL NO COMPLAINTS!

     

ILL HAVE MORE COMING SOON, I WONT LET IT GET OUT OF HAND AGAIN, I HOPE!

SESSION: #93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, & 99 OF 500...THIS IS A LOT'A WORK!

THIS IS MY SPEED BLOGGING POST!

IVE BEEN VERY BUSY,

 SO HERE IT IS IN A NUT SHELL...

SESSION #99...FUN!

SESSION #98...FUN!

SESSION# 97...FUN!

SESSION #96...FUN!

SESSION #95...FUN!

SESSION #94...FUN!

SESSION #93...FUN!

FOR MORE INFO, STAT TUNED...

I WILL UDATE THESE POSTS WITH MORE DETAIL

AS I FREE UP SOME TIME.