I was lucky enough to have an australian Swaylock’s member (Bgreen) and a californian (Afoaf) come to my little neck of the wood at the same time recently. It’s always a pleasure to meet guys you have virtually known for long and to share a bit of your life-style with them.
As I had been on a one week’s holiday when Bob came in, we didn’t spend much time together and waves didn’t cooperate, either, so we didn’t get to surf but it looks like he could score real Guéthary waves on the morning just before his departure. Glad for you, Bob. Come back another time if you can, and, as I told you, september/october would be best.
What can I say about Mr Afoaf and family? He was crazy enough to order a board from me a few months ago so that he would find it here upon his arrival. It had to be shorter than the longboards he was accustomed to but with some volume in it and I was allowed to do whatever I wanted as artwork, the only indication being to try and have something that would be representative of both our countries, i.e. U.S.A. and France.
Here’s what I did and Tyler was polite enough to pretend he liked it:
As he actually surfed it (no kidding!) I will let him chime in to say what he thought of it if he cares to.
Tyler is a great guy and I’m glad we got to know each other. BUT meeting Tyler’s son, Art, was an outstanding experience.
My daughter Gabrielle had been asked to do some baby-sitting while Tyler and his wife went visiting Spain for a while, so they dropped Arthur at my place. Now, you might think that a small kid, left in a foreign house, with foreign people he had never met and a big black dog to top it all, would have been afraid to leave his mum and dad? Well, actually, he litteraly jumped out of his father’s arms into mine with a giant smile on his face and immediately proceeded to inventory all that the place had to offer: my drum kit, first, then the dog, then my son’s guitar, then… and keeping smiling and laughing all the time (especially when I would make my best impersonation of the dog, sniffing in his ears and neck…) My own sons being respectively 26, 15 and 14, that brought me back in time quite a long time ago and it made me feel much younger again… Thanks for that, Jennifer and Tyler.
Here is another fine Arthur photo, with Gabrielle:
Well, Bob, Tyler, again thanks for coming such a long way. I just hope we meet again someday.