Ahhhhhhhhh, there’s nothing like a freshie to bring the stoke.
4/24/14
... a boardhead’s psyche like a new board. Especially a board that is not only new to me, but new out of the box and on top of that, this years box. And she’s a thruster. Fresh and perfect in every way, well, except for the rather florescent graphics. And even that is starting to grow on me. Yeah, just in case you’ve been checking out more than just the pictures, this is of course the light air-bigger wave item I was eluding to in the last blog. Picked her up at the Gorge the first Monday in April, then I hot footed it back to Pistol just in time to have it be too windy to want to take her out. (Although I ended up taking her in nearly as much wind at the end of that week and she really was incredibly well behaved.) The wind settled down a little that Thursday and I was all over it. By the second session there at the Rogue jetty, I was figuring out how to hold her and getting glimpses of her magic. She’s already giving up better turns than my 85 (and that’s even now that I’m running the 85 quad as a three fin) and that was a bit of a revelation.
It was a tough call whether to stay at the jetty for another evening sesh, or head over the hill as word had it the crew was out at the Cape on 4.2s. I‘d been looking forward to another opportunity to ride the sixty-something with the new fin set, as well as sail with some company. But as I rolled up and pulled out my 4.5, nearly everybody had quit for the day. Ahhhh but I couldn’t help but notice Clayton’s new 84 Quad sitting there in the grass. Since that’s the updated version of my 85, I’ve been especially dying to try it out to see just how much better it is. Well. Turns out that it’s a lot better. And after awhile, Clayton got tired of waiting for me to come back in, left me the boardbag and headed back over the hill to get some dinner.
Yeah, and I kind of wish I hadn’t tried it now, because I’m feeling even heavier pressure to upgrade. That 84 is that much better than my 85. Woof. Yeah, I was just on fire with the thing. (and I know it didn’t hurt me to be using a 400 superlight the crew at NoLimitz is letting me try out.) Yeah, just looking at the 84 and the older 85 side by side, the differences seem fairly subtle. Not so on the water though. Yeah wow. And the decision is further complicated by my lust for the 84 Pyramid as well as the rather sweet looking but yet untried Goya Quad in that size.
I wonder if anything else can quite define ....
Well I’m embarrassed to admit that job deadlines, elusive conditions, a couple minor injuries and a trip to the Gorge had conspired to keep me off the water for eighteen days straight. But I was completely stoked to be back on it for what was already the second extended run of north winds this Spring and it’s still April? Sure we’re way behind on the rain but there can be no complaint about how windy it’s been and the weather has been astoundingly beautiful mostly.
The Ocean temperature even warmed up a little. Sure It was kind of scary to see a red tide offshore last week but it seemed to pass so I’m holding out large hope we’ll be in the green water for awhile yet.
And much gratitude to Nancy for coming by the jetty on her way north the next morning to snag a few more. She couldn’t stay long, it was smaller, the lighting not nearly as dramatic and I was mostly working on getting the board dialed in while not messing with the injuries. But it’s quite nice to have a couple more shots to share of the new stick in action.
Speaking of wishing I hadn’t done something, that Saturday’s jetty equation came down to marginal swell + a streaky,wildly veering wind - massive current = a total hate sesh for sure. Probably should have driven up to Newport to catch it with the Northcoast crew. I hear they’ve had the place staked out since the middle of the week. Instead, I went out against the advice of my inner voice and got tweaked for it. This in addition to the swim, a carry from downtown and a near beating in the shorepound.
I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve missed just about everything since keeping up with obligations and nursing the injuries. But I’m feeling confident the tide of my luck is coming in and I’ll be way back into the zone of catching it in time for the next blog. And I’m sure I’ll have a lot more to offer about the 92 Pyramid by then as well.
With respect. _____________\_
Photos courtesy of Nancy Pruitt
at the Rogue jetty in Gold Beach
Well, thanks again for reading me and another large Mahalo out to Nancy for taking the time to shoot with me. I’m so stoked to have these -- not only so I can share how grateful I am to be riding such an amazing board, but perhaps they will even get you thinking about your next trip to the south coast of Oregon.
With respect and gratitude. ______________\_
