With the right board and in good condition, medium sized Sunset is fully doable even in your later years…lot of elders out there at that size having a ball…find a way to do it, it’s the absolutely quintessential surfing experience…
Surfing with your kids is the best…and a lotta fun when their older, and you’re both sprinting for deepest position on the peak, laughing and hooting…
my next surfing goal is to have a 3 generation session. my daughter just turned 3. my old man is 58 and still sliding the waves.
there have been some realized - australia, g-land, tavarua, winter on the north shore oahu, making boards as a ‘real’ job.
some yet to be realized - hopefully one day…europe, maldives, reunion, s.africa, peru
the ultimate bucket list dream - sail around the world surfing - start in carribean then over to central america then out to south pacific - tahiti, fiji, samoa, kiribati, tuamotus, tonga
[quote="$1"] Bill, how old were you when you surfed your first 20' wave? [/quote]
Tony, I was 22yrs old, 1963 at Waimea. Had I lived in Hawaii, I would have ridden 20 feet in my teens. It's more an issue of opportunity, than anything else. More chances on the North Shore, than in San Diego, for waves of that size.
Surf on every continent (except Antarctica, I’m done with freezing water)
Be able to surf most any board (within reason–I’m a big guy, so I don’t see me ripping on a tiny shortboard)
Have a board or surf photograph (or both) I make end up somewhere cool and unexpected
Surf trip the whole Baja California coast
Surf some chest high lefts that go at least a few hundred feet before dying out - then take a few days off to visit a couple of nice art museums - the back to the lefts - then a couple of days of bike rides - then back to a peak that I could go left and right…France, Spain, I don’t care…
I would like to get spit out of a tube. I mean, I’ve been in a couple tubes that spit, where I felt the spray, but to be blown out of the tube…never…and it probably won’t happen. I don’t have any plans to surf Pipe or Puerto anytime soon. I won’t regret not having experoenced it, but it would be nice…
Yeah--------- A friggin' resin bucket full.
I know you’re a goofy like me.
THAT is a dream wave! Especially at that size =D
in 05 i knew i was sick(cancer) .
it wasn't dx yet.........but(being a veteran nurse for 30 yrs) when you're passing/vomiting up pints of blood,,,,, and have wounds that won't heal............i pretty much knew what was up.
so i surfed my ass off as if there was no tomorrow.............huge big sur............so big THAT everyone else got out of the water........ when i paddled out.
took on big mavs,hawaii...................then a moment of clarity...............
trips to mex for tx,
died on the table.
came back to life.........
............SPENT ALL MY INHERITANCE++++++++
.....3yrs later......no signs of ca...........cured as the term goes.
..............now...................
i see things in a different light....................
surfing is great and all,but
it's the people down the road that you meet,and of course family that's what really counts...................
.......................that's what makes life worth living.
................................now days surfing is not so important to me personally.......................................
i can love it or leave it................and wouldn't lose any sleep over it.
but i tell you true....................
i have done things on surfboards(or skateboards) that most people only dream of doing.
herb..................what a long stranger trip it's been !
[quote="$1"] ........what a long stranger trip it's been ! [/quote]
Nice thing is that it aint over yet. But, always listen out for the fat lady starting to clear her throat!
Herb I hear ya. Thats why I work at living in the moment as a rule. Ya can’t dwell on the past or worry about the future. Ya just wake up and enjoy another day. Enjoy another one my friend
It's all gravy now Herb!
yup bill,
it ain't over til it's over my man ! guys like you and tim dorsey are my true heros.you went out and did it right,before anyone else did it.my hand is always extended to you.
rob,
i do my best to stay on the road and to look forward,,,,not looking back,but with what i have been thru in the recent years it's hard not to reflect.btw..........i have two clark hitachi planers doing nothing,you need one ? lots of other tools too.PM me here,i'll see what gaps we can fill for you.
tblank,
gravy ........ya..........with a big pile of mash potatos for me,please !
herb
Thanks Herb. Sent ya a pm.
speaking of bucket lists,
i just sold my parachute and gear last weekend.
kinda like parting with a long time friend............or something.
heck ,i still got fishing !
herb
I never had a bucket list bill, I always just wanted to surf as long as I could possibly surf while I was healthy enough. I have to admit I wanted to learn to shape, Ive now started doing that and i wanted to shape my boy a board, ive done that also.
I do now have a surfing bucket list today, that is to surf again due to a back injury, I do wish to become a good shaper, I do wish to learn vacum bagging, I long to surf a certian beach by myself one day when its just a framing with strong off shore winds. I now longer search out big surf or are interested in it, but rather just long to be back in the water. I cant wait to catch a wave with my boy or push him onto a wave and watch him stand for the first time.
I never had a bucket list bill, I always just wanted to surf as long as I could possibly surf while I was healthy enough. I have to admit I wanted to learn to shape, Ive now started doing that and i wanted to shape my boy a board, ive done that also.
I do now have a surfing bucket list today, that is to surf again due to a back injury, I do wish to become a good shaper, I do wish to learn vacum bagging, I long to surf a certian beach by myself one day when its just a framing with strong off shore winds. I now longer search out big surf or are interested in it, but rather just long to be back in the water. I cant wait to catch a wave with my boy or push him onto a wave and watch him stand for the first time.
Great Topic Bill, I have accomplished some of the things on my Surfing list.
Things to do are Having a reunion with some of my old surfing buddies. They are scattered all over the place from NJ, Florida, Calif, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Wales and Western Australia. It would be great to have a reunion. Two of my Friends are no longer in the line up They passed on this past year to a better place with perfect waves.
Before I am to old and decrepit Sail to remote locals and surf some quality waves.
Be that Old geezer telling the Gremies that they really missed it back in the day. Oh wait i think I'm already that old geezer.
Sit by the beach with a cold beer at the end of a long session and watch the sunset while a few others catch those last waves. This is one that is been done thousands of times yet worth repeating as often as possible.
Hey Herb. Even if ya sell everything that has meaning in ones life. It is never worth as much as the value of good friends, family and a healthy outlook on life.
I never understood why ya would jump out of a perfectly good airplane.
mine’s so long I fear even starting…but the abridged version includes:
take the Broomtail to a right point at 6 feet (head high) and surf ‘til my arms can’t paddle no mo’…with my older brother Mitch out on the shoulder hooting, and any other of the myriad of surfing friends that we can talk into meeting up with us…crowds of friends, sometimes not so bad.
would love to have the time to mangle some foam, always enjoyed sculpture, love surfboards, looking at them, talking about them, riding them, seems to make one might be near the top of things I would like to do some day
…but after nearly a 40+ day flat spell, and an absolute ton of work and family related stuff that drags me away from the surf at this time of year (ok so maybe the flat spell had good timing…dear lord, I did just say that) mine is just to surf again, you know… a wave over thigh high. Is that too much to ask?
Just playin’ around and saying hello Bill, hope all is good.