Another weekend up in Tahoe. Ahh mountains.

I decided this weekend to work on my charge. When my life feels out of control, I hold back when I surf. I get scared of steep waves, I don’t like speed. I have more experience skiing than surfing and took the opportunity to get my charge back. I took my runs with lots more speed, worked on tightening up my form, even got more air and more tree time than before. It’s nice to get a little oomf back.

Now if the surf will just cooperate, I can throw some charge into the waves!

Surf: Still stormy and angry. But it’s 50 and sunny in Tahoe! Go Snow!

While everyone else was watching Mavericks, I was off skiing. The weather was pretty beautiful. I spent the weekend trying to work on my technique and get my comfort level for speed back up. I figure if I can get more comfortable going fast on skis, maybe facing a head high drop on a short board won’t be so intimidating. Having learned to ski when I was a little kid, it’s coming back pretty easy. I wish I had those skills to apply to surfing. Too bad I didn’t get the chance to learn when I was a little grom.

SURF: UNNNG.
SNOW: 4-6ft.

It’s been raining and raining and raining. The surf is jumbled, big, messy, not to mention the sewer overflows. Eww.

But when it rains, it snows.

Laura, Sahana and I booked it to Tahoe to pick off some snow. After a month of barely surfing, it felt so great to get on skis and go. I haven’t skied in years (I can’t remember the last time I went) but it all came back pretty quickly and I had a blast. Tahoe is really beautiful.

Big fluffy snowflakes are a good thing to keep in mind when it’s shin deep puddles and slopsurf. It’s gotta be snowing somewhere!

I love the ride anything mentality. Boards, inflatable mats, big waves, small waves, weird wooden board like things.

Really dig the song. I wish this video was higher quality, some of the shots are really beautiful.

And just in case you thought I was all folksy romantic guitars, I have this one from Modern Collective. Btw it’s ABSOLUTELY worth watching via Vimeo to see in HD.

Modern Collective teaser ft: Jordy from Poor Specimen on Vimeo.

Late entry to the game:

Some big waves moved in to our area Friday night. Buoys spiked to 30ft and a lot of folks were on edge wondering if the waves were going to come in clean and rideable or big and scary.

It was big and scary.

I met up with Tom in front of Wise. We walked around North Ocean Beach and the Cliff House, gawking at waves there. There were waves breaking so far out ir was unbelievable. We cruised on down to Sloat, Rockaway, and finally Linda Mar waiting for Josh to wrap up his session at Half Moon Bay.

Rockaway was, well, hurling rocks:

There was one lone dude out there. He was holding his own, I didn’t see him get stomped but wow. He was a tiny dot surrounded by big angry waves.

Linda Mar wasn’t as big as projected, but still looked rough. A handful of people were out getting waves.

I stayed nice and dry. Had lovely brunch at the Cliff House instead.

Surf: 3-5 ft. waist to head high and fair-good conditions.

PM REGIONAL OVERVIEW: Mix of old Southern Hemi swell and new/building NW swell on offer this afternoon. Better breaks have waist-chest-shoulder high+ surf, while top exposures are pulling in head head high+ sets at times. Conditions are still clean, with most spots seeing scattered peaks, with lined-up, workable walls. Surf if you can.

I’m currently living in the Inner Sunset. Ocean Beach is a quick MUNI ride away. I headed over that way, snapped a few pics and watched the surfers.

The surf looked rougher than I like, but people seemed to be having fun. A few dolphins were catching waves, what a trip to watch. I think one snaked a dude’s wave tho. Who has the right away? Surfer near the peak, or dolphin anywhere anytime? Hmm…

Check out the rest of the photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracey_t/3866424640/

After 8 months of searching, a board came up on craigslist the same time I had money to buy it.

This is a 9’4″ Stewart Hydro Hull. Never been ridden, never even been waxed. A father bought it for his daughter and she’s never taken it out. He’s been surfing for 53 years and spent about an hour talking up all the finer points of this board and the 10 others he has including the one he’s making himself based loosely on this board’s design. He and his daughter were really nice. I had my reservations about buying a board while my income is unsteady, but all and all I got a pretty top quality board for not much money so I keep telling myself buying this board right now was the right thing to do.

I got a great deal on the board (bag included). Now all I need to take it out is a leash and some wax!

Anyone out there in the SF area got a 8’6 or 9ft Stewart Hydro Hull they’d like to sell?
My budget is $600 for a board in good shape, $650 if it comes with a bag.

Thanks!

Surf Report:
None. Flat as can be.

Gear:
FCS Single Soft Rack

Set out today to grab a few morning waves, test out Veronica’s new board and test out my rack. Got all the rack testing in, but the waves were non-existent.

Bailed on the flat tiny waves for bloody mary’s at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.

The rack did well. It’s easy to put on, easy to secure the boards, and requires no permanent attachment. Holds 2-3 boards and has neoprene around the buckles to prevent the board or your car from getting scratched. Great value for the $$.

About 10-15 miles from where my folks live, these guys are out braving some of the coldest looking surf I’ve ever seen.

Check out the full story at:
http://surf.transworld.net/2009/01/28/indiana-iceberg-session/?show=gallery

I love seeing folks out there grabbing waves in my home waters, no matter how cold!

For more great lakes love:
http://greatlakessurfer.com/