Saturday, January 26, 2008

Loblolly visit 1/28/08















Janet and Sasha going to the farm.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

The Day the Contest Was Called Because it was TOO BIG














Michael Charging a Huge Wave (Middle Peak?) Jan 13 2008
Click for large view


The Cougars Surf team showed up at Santa Cruz, Steamer Lane for the contest (the day after Mavericks) and the contest was called off- just too darn big! So what does the team do? Surf all day of course, charging huge waves, and getting swept by an intense current almost to the pier after each ride, fighting to paddle to the steps and walking all the way back to try again and generally having a blast all day long. Check here for more pictures of the team on this and other days.

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Monday, January 14, 2008

Mavericks Contest 08




Posted by Picasa Roark Photo. Album Here


Gallery









SF Chronicle




Posted by Picasa Beverly Photo

Mavericks 2007/2008 is a memory! Marty instigated a paddle-out through roiled waters to observe the action close up. We somehow thrashed out to the contest area. Once there Mr. Phelps (a watcher) bobbed like a jellyfish alongside rescue jetskis and surf groupies while I, (a doer) surfed mushroom rock.

The fog burned off and the day was glorious, warm sun & blue water dazzling our brains into giddy optimism blurred nicely by adrenaline and endorphins from big-surf paddle exertions. Beverly and Michele biked out to the point and embraced the festivities from beach and cliff. Roark studied the scene from the comforts of a party boat, Tim from the cliff over Ross' Cove.

The contest winner decided to split the 57k pot with all 6 finalists - a surf commie aloha gesture capturing the spirit of the day. As we paddled home across the harbor, Mermen guitar riffs reverbing across the water - the party was really just beginning!

Home later; pasta, Michele's special sauce, salmon, Maverick's ale and Ollala berry pie with Bud's vanilla ice cream served by Beverly to a happy crew of Phelpses, Jordans and Bryan. As conversation subsided, muffled by sub- clinical food comatosity, we wondered idly: finale for 403 Garcia St ?

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Grand Canyon!




Sarah On The South Rim Grand Canyon

Hopi Country







Today took us west from Canyon de Chelly across the Hopi Reservation and to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. we had a long drive, but a good time. The reservation is very poor. We drove up on Second Mesa as well as stopped at the Cultural Center and Museum were we had a pleasant lunch.

The South Rim was cold and dreary as we arrived in the late afternoon. We stopped at several overlooks on our way to the the village, and climbed around while taking in the immensity. Just before sunset the the sun broke though the clouds and illuminated the northern and eastern walls. Nice! Album Here

We are holed up in Willaims AZ on old 66 which serves as Main Street. A fine dinner at the Pine Country Diner! Tomorrow we turn for home in earnest on I40 West.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Road Trip Report


















After leaving St.Louis early on New years Eve day Sarah and I were at the Acoma Pueblo in time for an early afternoon tour. The Pueblo is about 40 miles west of Albuquerque on a mesa at almost 8,000 ft. The day was bright clear. A bitter cold wind was sweeping the mesa. We had momentary shelter in the church, built by Indians over 12 years under the heavy hand of the Spanish priests in the early 1600s. Hard packed earth floor, heavy pine roof beams, nine foot thick walls, it served as a fortress for resisting warriors when the Spanish retook the Pueblo after the Indian rebellion of 1680. We froze walking the the dusty streets, but it was quite amazing. (The first time time I've seen a mica window.) Those living on the mesa have no electricity, water or plumbing. According to our guide, water is the major problem. After warming up from our descent from the mesa, we pigged at the all you can eat steam trays troughs at the Sky City Casino and headed east and north for Chinle and Canyon de Chelly.

New Years day was clear and cold (about 10 degrees) early in the day. We found a Navajo guide, Ben Teller to take us into the Canyon. Ben is an old timer who has guided since 1957 and lives in the Canyon near Antelope House. As we hiked down from the rim along a snowy trail he filled us in on the doings of his 10 grandchildren, and the stories of life in the canyon passed down to him by his grandfather. His family memories go back to the time of the captivity at Fort Sumner.

We spent about 4 hours hiking the the Canyon bottom, occasionally passing hogans and small flocks of sheep. About 150 people live within the canyon in cabins and hogans. Ben told us his cabin is typical. He hauls water from the river and stores it in a cave to keep it from freezing in the winter. He has a small generator and uses a Coleman stove to cook.

We exited the canyon near the White House ruins. A fine day. PHOTO ALBUM