Doc, my son and I are flying into OAK, and so is Dudley, all of us on Xmas Day around midnight. I have room for a fellow old guy in my rental car. I can also guarantee you a board, courtesy of my generous and connected brother.
Now convince your girlfriend how deeply your psyche needs this trip and how beneficial it’ll be to your longterm relationship.
(I’m a sick-o. I can’t stay off this thread.)
Listen, this gathering or whatever it is needs a name. Every time I try to tell somebody about it, I fumble all over the place. I propose we call it (I’m serious) the First Annual Dale Solomonson Invitational – or “the Dale,” for short.
Now I have to justify this.
Personally, every useful bit of information that I’ve learned about spoons or spoon-building has come from Dale. He’s become more than a friend, and as I look at the almost thirty names now of those interested in this gathering, it’s hard to find one that hasn’t been majorly influenced by Dale in some way. Let’s face it, if Greenough was still hanging around the West Coast and was on line, he’d be the one we’d be nagging, but Dale is our George, and his generosity with everything he knows and does is beyond question and already legendary. That’s why I’d like to name this thing after him. It’s a spoon/mat gathering with a paipo or two thrown in, and his influence is undeniable.
Why “Invitational”? Sounds cool…? everybody’s invited…? I don’t know.
Now a preemptive strike. Somebody’s going to object: “Whaddaya mean? You’re supposed to name these things after dead guys.” OK, Dale’s very alive, but how close do you want to get? Life ledged up on him but he made it. I say we give it to him. Anyone agree?
I know there are more tangible ways to honor Dale, but he’s earned this one too, imho.
C’mon, somebody say Amen.
I second.
And since this is the first annual, that means there has to be a subsequent event. and while I can’t wait to get to santa cruz, i vote for the second annual DS invitational to be held in Bali.
(I’m a sucker for warm water and long, hollow lefts)
OK, there’s a second. According to Robert’s Rules of Order, it’s open to discussion.
Come on, weigh in. I know this is a shaping site but break free for a minute.
PS. I want to amend my motion to make it the First Annual Dale Solomonson Christmas Invitational, not only to specify the time of year but also distinguish it from the Easter Invitational and the Summer Invitational… in Bali?
Stoked!
All Hail Middle Peak…My last ride on a spoon in very similar conditions; east wind blowing some 6" chop on the face. Three big bounces and I got to the trough and out onto the flat. Everything felt ok so I grabbed the port side rail and banked it over hard. Felt every thing load up and I’m aiming at the lip about 25 yards down the line. Snap, crackle, and pop. It folded up like cheap lawn furniture and I’m sprawled out on my back looking up at 12 feet of ice cold Monterey Bay. Never found the board to see what broke but I don’t recommend trying ollies with a spoon.
Have fun y’all. Sounds like a blast. John Mel used to make some sweet spoons back in the day. Hope he knows about your meeting.
Santa Cruz by P. Trefz
Snap, crackle, and pop.
I hope that’s not prophetic.
Did you do anything to compensate on your next spoon? Maybe there’s nothing you can do to protect against that amount of stress, at least not with poly. I’ve gone to carbon on the rails, another Dale suggestion. God bless that stuff, it’s like steel. Black is beautiful.
Ohhhh, I was seduced by the power of the Dark Side. I kneeloed foamies for a year, then stood up on a Liddle and never went back. I’ve had Matt Miller’s Nuevo Velo in my hands and the thrummm you get by tapping the deck gave me shivers…
Maybe you can still be saved, Lee.
Email from a mat-bro in the NW saying he can’t make the gathering but plans to celebrate it simultaneously with a fellow bagger and send in a few pics. He’s urging others AROUND THE WORLD to do the same. The Dale is going global. Should we be surprised?
Remember, the harmonics will be right Dec. 27 to Jan. 4.
Also in attendance – foam r5’10" x 22" w/ 10" flex fin – “Impossible is nothing”, Paul Jensen
MOW
wish I could be there!
May organise a southern hemisphere gathering of 2 with my mate G… who has a spoon or two.
cheers!
Lowrider
Do it. And don’t let Homer Simpson intimidate you there. I hope you and G get a couple of shots. We’re going to have a pro with us now. He’ll be shooting everybody every day and burning CD’s on the spot. Whatever total collection we end up with, still or video, Dale gets the first set.
Is the yellow board glass, and what’s the story on the deck pad? The back board, is it balsa? Weight? They all look like the full-on velo rail template with about 5" of nose rocker. Mine’s a little softer w/ 3" – it’s satisfied with less perfect waves but a little harder to roll up on rail and come off the top w/o sticking.
Whatever the rocker, one cardinal spoon rule: if the surf isn’t clean, don’t take it out (see LeeV above)… unless it’s carbon, and even then. That’s when foam boards come into their own, especially if they’ve got a big flexie underneath.
in honour of you guys [and to hopefully share some stoke] , ‘sandgroper’ [Ian ] and I , will be getting a coupla cheapy mats some time in the next week or so …
so we can ride little peelers like THIS …
and they will turn into fast , “head high” waves for us ! It could be FUN , hopefully [at least , that is our intention !]
…Plus , the clubbies always insist on putting their damned flags on the only bank for miles [kms] .
So that way , using a mat during the day , I can still "surf " in “forbidden areas” [lol but true …]
cheers
ben
A history of kneeboarding in Santa Cruz
presented by Scott Wessling
&
A Neumatic session at Honolua Bay
enjoy
chip: y’d be surprised how much fun you’ll have on those little waves on a mat. good luck and good matting. - j
nice film
…ambrose…
MOW
Trying to get on flexspoon to post specific design questions to help me get to cutting foam.
Registration not approved yet.
Anything you can do?
Thanks,
Red
red,
i’ll take it to the friendly webmaster. there were some server issues that got resolved but not without leaving some residual glitches. you should be in there in a day or two.
look forward to hearing what you’re up to.
chip: y’d be surprised how much fun you’ll have on those little waves on a mat. good luck and good matting. - j
yep !
sandgroper and I had HEAPS of fun today !!
we both actually commented that we had the right equipment for the waves today …
…even the guys on 10’ mals were struggling , for some reason , today ???
odd , eh ?!
cheers !
ben
11.45pm here now …so …good night !
[I hope the wind swings to offshore in the next 6 hours , so we can get out amongst it again tomorrow !]
Sorry about the intrusion but I don’t want anyone to miss this poster.
The Michaelangelo behind it is kikstartmyheart Rick Mottola.
Lane yesterday a.m. You’d want a safety rope for these
3rd Reef shows at 20’ (kneelo Jon Manss in the foreground)
14 days to the Dale
Carry on, gentlemen.