France Update

Scored really good surf on the 3rd day in Bairittz. Chest high, some larger sets. Offshore in the morning and deal calm wind for the rest of the day. Today is pretty average, but still fun.

Quiksilvr/Kelly Slater invintational is tomorrow so the talent pool around here is pretty high. Most guys are really nice, but are always in the perfect spot for the wave and never back off anything. Ive been staying away from the main break in town, but more than pleased with the less crowed waves down the beach.

Leave tomorrow to head to wine country and the hills. I really dont care about wine, but stoked to drive around the country side.

France in my pants

Thanks to Barb and Sam we enjoyed 1st class seats from JFK to Paris. The seats were huge, big mf'ers that lyout like beds with your own movie player. Ive never flown first class on an international flight so it was pretty nice. You dont get the fancy 3 course meal on the domestic 1st class. Even got a little travel pack with pillow, toothbrush, lotin, and other junk.

Landed in Paris sort of rested at 8am. Spent the last few days walking around the city. Eating lots of bread and drinking lots of wine.

We're waiting to meet Barb&Sam and Kim&Dave today. Then head off to the coast to meet Matt&Tedè in Biaritz were I plan to get a few days of surfing. Havent bothered looking at the reports since we already have reservations and its too late to change our minds.

Im tired of trying to type on a French keyboard.

Alternative Sports

So what's a popular activity of surfers when they're away from the water? I guess these days it's golf. All the cool guys are playin' - Slater and Machado to name a few. Add one more to the list...Me!

Yes, today I played my very first round of golf on a golf course. Actually it was par 3 so not a real golf course. Don't ask me what my score was because I don't know. It happened all way too fast. I was just trying not to hold up the rest of the crew.

I've been to the driving range and I even own a nice full set of clubs, but they've never been used on a course until today. The clubs were actually a present from Jackie's dad who made me a custom set - the right length and for goofy footers. I'm sure he'll be stoked to know they're finally getting some use.

Also went to see the Wu-Tang tonight @ Bumbershoot. I had an all access pass so we were able to watch the show in comfort while the rest of the crowd was crammed into the field area. It was a great show.

Great Expectations

I've been watching the surf forecast all week just waiting for Sunday's report to drop to typical summer numbers, but this time it didn't. When Saturday rolled around the buoys were already starting to show signs of a much needed bump in the waves - 3.5ft @ 16 seconds from the SouthWest. I'd also heard from a friend, who lives in Westport, that Saturday afternoon was really fun. It's not that I needed the extra bit of encouragement, because we were already planning on surfing, but it was enough to motivate me to get up extra early.

Clem and I showed up a little before sunrise. Definitely not what I was expecting from the forecast. Wind was already chopping up the surf. We knew it was going cause problems today, but we at least expected it to be calm that early in the morning.

It didn't stop us from having a good time. There were some fun sets that rolled through and a few even lined up for decent length rides. The session lasted for about 2 or 3 hours, got out just before the hordes of foam tops went in.

Clem on the inside

We had chicken strips, onion rings, and Busch Tall Boy's at the Pine. Clem barely beat me at Shuffle Board. We checked the surf once more before hitting the road. Made a stop to look at a new truck for me, and another for ice cream @ Diary Queen.

1 week until we leave for France.