Road Trip

My buddy Chris just got back from his epic road trip which he blogged about. Now I want to do the same. Thanks CR. http://www.thefunthing.blogspot.com/

Enjoy. -MR

New Board Revisited

Well, I’ve ridden my new board three times now since I picked it up from Bob Miller last Sunday and I’m extremely happy with the outcome. I’ve always found it funny when someone gets a new board and when asked how it rides, their response is a quick, “This board is bitchin’ man,” or something along those lines. I’ve only came across a couple of people who didn’t like their new boards. I’ve owned a Mandala Quad, Doc semi gun and Pearson Arrow longboard all of which I hated. Nothing against the shapes or shapers, I just didn’t connect with the boards. That’s what got me making my on equipment, I knew what I wanted and how I wanted it to surf. As with this board, most people thought I was nuts have this D fin glassed onto it including BM but he did it for me anyways, and I’m glad he did. The best part about having this board made, besides the fact of getting a new board, is getting it exactly how I wanted it. I’m still amazed and surprised that BM shaped this beast exactly how I envisioned it and all he had to work from was a crappy little sketch that I gave him. It surfs completely opposite of my pig shape and that’s what I need in my limited quiver. I guess it’s the anti-pig. It handles the medium size surf (so far only head high) with grace. It packs a whole shit load of speed when in trim and the turns are drawn out and smooth. This board is bitchin’ man! -MR

Happy Birthday MK

Today is MK's birthday. Lets catch some waves at Boatdocks in her memory. -MR

Crazy Week

This past week has been hectic with work but great news arrived on Friday. I got the call from Bob Miller on Friday afternoon that my board was finished and he was picking it up from the glassers that evening. I don’t even know how to describe the giddiness. I think I even got goose bumps. It’s such a great feeling knowing that a board is on the way but when you get word that it’s finished, it’s just overwhelming. Maybe I was just over reacting but it’s been awhile since I last bought a board. Plus I’ve thought about this design for the past four years. Drawing the board and tweaking it until it looks just right. Deciding which rails and bottom contours to apply and rethinking them over and over again. Then finally conveying what I wanted to Bob and having him make it a realty exactly how I imagined it. I really couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. The final test it still yet to come but I’ve already surfed it in my mind time and time again. Here’s a photo of Bob with the board when I picked it up today. More photos are still to come.

Another highlight this week was meeting Jim “The Genius” Phillips on Thursday night. He ventured up to the Log Shop in Pacifica to discuss board design, show a few beautifully crafted gems and educate the general public on this art. -MR

Powers of Ten

Southwinds

The smell of wet pavement and the tic, tic, tic of drops hitting the metal roof can only be one thing, RAIN! Man do I love the rain. Not only becuase it washes the piss from the city sidewalks and cleans the dirt from the urban structures but because it's so refreshing. I might be the only cheerful person on these glummy days but it's becuase I know what these low pressures just off our coast bring us, South winds. These south winds at my favorite surf spot means it's going to be off-shore. Yeah, yeah I know what you're all thinking, the first few rains also brings that nasty shit smell runoff. This is true but it also cleans up the sand bars which have been lacking latley. Now I'll just sip on my Razzmatazz Jamba Juice loaded with my free immunity boost and then I'm on it. -MR

Sea Ranchers

The Sea Ranch rests about 100 miles north of San Francisco on the rugged Sonoma County coastline. This area is steep in California history which has been occupied by the Pomo people, loggers, fur trappers, gold miners, sheep farmers and in recent years, vacationers. The Sea Ranch is a coastal development with modern vernacular structures that follow strict design guidelines. The houses resemble barns clad in wood siding that blend into the native landscaping. Recently we finished a couple houses for some very happy clients up there. So we took an office trip awhile back to visit and here are some photos on one of the projects. The other project might be in the April ‘08 issue of Dwell which we really want to happen. As you can tell from the first photo, my wife is thrilled out of her mind. -MR

And to keep it surf related. Here's a photo that was taken up the road in the town of Gualala. The large surf poured over the beach and into the lagoon forming a nice waist high a-frame.

Here's our firms website to check out the other project we've completed in the past.

http://www.mdarch.net/

Glass House

Velzy

History Lesson

Mr. John Kelly

The great surf pioneer & activist has moved on. You will be missed but never forgotten. -MR

Fading Light

The days are getting shorter. Get it while you can. -MR

Aircraft Pilots Unite

No words can describe it. -MR

Back to the Basics

Here are two wave riders demonstrating what the seals and dolphins do best. -MR

One California Day

I've been waiting to see this film for a long time and it's finally coming to SF.
-MR

One California Day is a visual journey through six distinct coastal regions, capturing the California surfing experience through the surfers who live it. Shot in brilliant super 16mm color film, the movie examines the variety of subtle differences that make California so unique.
Opening Night October 4 @ 8pm
Oct. 5-7 @ 7pm & 9pm
Tickets $10

http://www.onecaliforniaday.com/

Taco Bell Rental

Awhile back I came across a free surfboard. Here's the story to it and the letter I sent to my fellow wave riders.

Hello All,

Last week at Linda Mar a gentleman was having a really frustrating surf session in the wind chopped waves. To add to his problems he somehow dinged his board on the soft sandy beach. After exiting the water he proceeded to jam his surfing board down the garbage can but because the lid was on only the nose made it in. So he karate kicks the lid off and drops it in, tail first. I say to him, "Excuse me sir, do you not want that board?" He replied, "Fuck no bro! This shit is water logged, surfs like hell and now it has this hella big ass rail ding." Then I responded with, "Sounds perfect, can I have it?" He says, "It's all yours bro!" As I'm taking the board to my car I watch him stumble around the parking lot like he's searching for his car. He comes back a few minutes later and I'm thinking, great he changed his mind, he wants the board back. But that wasn't it. He came back to give me the leash for the board. So I scored a new old short board and a new old leash. I knew exactly what to do with it. It was BM that gave me the idea. I fixed the ding with some bondo and painted it to hide it's identity.

I have the key for now but will hide it somewhere near the board today after work, if the board is still there. Once the key is hidden I let everyone know where it's at so you can all ride it.

The rules:
1. Do not let anyone see you uncover the key.
2. Sign your initials on the board and date it.
3. Do not pee on it.
4. Lock it back up and don't let anyone see you hide the key.

Enjoy,
MR07

So the board sat there for almost two weeks chained to the world famous Taco Bell. I ended up hiding the key under a rock right next to the board. One day when I showed up the board was gone but the key and lock where still there. I have no idea what happened to it but I sure gave me a good laugh. -MR

JR Countinued

JR in action. -MR

Surfing Influences Part One

Let me introduce to you my best buddy JR. He was born in the Philippines and moved to the great USofA during high school with his dad, mom and two older sisters. I met him my first year of high school when I joined the swim team. He was by far the fastest and most talented swimmer on the team. So naturally I wanted to be his friend not only because he was a great swimmer, funny guy or even an upper classmen, but because he was friends with all the hot girls. Throughout high school classmates always asked me to teach them how to surf but I was hesitant for the reason I never wanted the responsability of watching over someone in the water. With JR it was different because he was already a better swimmer than I. The first time I took him out was in the winter of ’97 which was a testing time to learn in these waters. We went out during the weekday after school and sometime during class, and always on the weekends. I gave him my beater board and a holy farmer John wetsuit to use. For anyone else it would have been hell but JR never complained. In fact, he enjoyed it and I’m sure it’s because he was hooked since that first wave. It wasn’t long after that he bought a wetsuit and used board for himself.

Over the next year he just progressed like no one I’ve seen before. Within a few months he was getting barreled. Not no half-ass semi cover up but full on shacked. Completely covered up and making it out clean as a whistle. It was like he’s been doing it for years. I still remember his first barrel vividly in my mind to this day. The best part about that tube ride was he never claimed it when he came out. He just finished surfing the wave and pulled out like it was no big deal. Most people including myself would have thrown my arms up in victory. What impressed me the most was his wave knowledge. JR was able to find these tubes at breaks where it normally didn’t throw over. Maybe it was both luck and skill playing a role but either way it sparked a competitive drive within me. Before he got his first barrel it was just fun and games. Now it brought out this hunger in us both to push each other to improve.

The best surf trips I ever went on were with JR and we always had a great time even if the surf was flat. I went on my first surf trip with JR when I was 16. We took my ’81 VW, diesel pickup down south for a weekend trip. That was a great truck some memories. It was slow and unreliable but it gave us 45 mpg. Since we were always broke it worked out just fine. I told my mom we were just heading to Pismo Beach for a couple days, which was the initial plan. Somewhere on the drive down there I found out that JR has never been to LA so we took a little detour. A few hours later were cruising through Hollywood in my little truck with the boards hanging out the back. We did all the touristy stuff like take photos of the Hollywood sign, see the walk of fame and check out the hookers on Santa Monica Blvd. Finally we made our way to First Point, Malibu where we surfed that evening in some really fun waist high waves. I don’t remember where we slept that night but most of the time on our trips we found refuge in the back bed on my truck parked in some quiet neighborhood or industrial park. My mom at first wasn’t too happy when she found out but she got over it. Maybe she realized I’m too much like her, going off and doing think spear the moment. Many more trips followed that one and each one had its own lesson learned, hair raising adventure or never do that again experience. Like the time we almost were car jacked in Salinas or when the tread flew off the tire and had to drive on the spare at 40 mph from Santa Maria to Santa Cruz because we had no money to fix it. Also the good times like finding new spots along the California coast and the trip we took to the Philippines and found some excellent untouched surf.

After high school we gradually drifted apart, mostly do to school and work but we always kept in contact. It’s kind of like the movie Big Wednesday how the characters grow a part but they still share that common bond of surfing that brings them together in the end. Well, that’s how we are. We still find sometime to get out and share some waves. JR is still riding the green Bob Miller board he’s had forever and that is thrashed. The whole deck is one big delam and it’s covered in dings but he’s still out there surfing as good as ever. Thanks JR for all of the great memories with many more to come. -MR

photo by: MR

photo by: Skip Hoard http://sandhphotography.com/

The Jena Six

It’s sad to see that this crap still goes on today. It really needs to stop now. -MR

Surf Exploration by Sea

How great would it be to explore the Pacific coastline in one of these. http://www.nordictugs.com/index.cfm
-MR

Glide House

One thing I love as much as surfing is architecture. Every now and then I'll post something about architects, designers and architecture. What better way to start it off than with the Glide House designed by Michelle Kaufmann. Michelle is a great Bay Area architect doing the right thing.

http://www.mkd-arc.com/
-MR