Old Mans, Stop #4. August 15, 2008

So back in California and ready to surf in some warm water. Today we headed down to San O’ and surfed “Old Mans”. You know when spots are mentioned in Beach Boys songs, that you aren’t going to be alone. That’s the deal when you surf Old Mans. You take your long board and you just get in there. It’s one of my favorite places in Southern California. I think the reason I like it so much, is because it has the old feel that I can imagine surfing had back in the 50’s and 60’s. There are no attitudes, well mostly, there are some old guys that get grumpy, but everyone gives them a break, and ignores them. The surf wasn’t much to speak of, maybe waist high, but every time I surf there, I’m glad I went. There is just something about driving down onto the sand, and the energy of the place. At $10 a shot, I decided a few years ago to go the state park pass route, and so far this year I’ve punched that ticket 33 times. I would guess that 25 of those trips have been to San O’.
The other thing that is so great about the place is that no matter the swell direction, it will break. Last summer we had a great south swell late in the summer and I got barreled at Old mans on a 6-2, so the point is, the place is versatile and always a blast.
My friend Oliver was with me this trip and luckily for him, he’d gotten a horrible sun burn the day before. The reason I say luckily is because this was the first day this year we trunked it. The air temp was a little cooler than the water, but Olivers sun burn kept him warm!

Short Sands Oregon, Stop #3 August 2,2008

Well, in the last month I surfed quite a few times. I made a trip up to Oregon with the intention to surf a place called short sands, we used to call it shortys when I was learning to surf back in the 90’s. You know, you crank the pearl jam or Nirvana and head out to the cold as hell beach. This trip was no different. The only day I had enough time to get out there was cold, and drizzley. The waves where wind blown and choppy and in the low 50’s. So we walked down to the edge of the cliff that leads to the water and stood with our coffee in awe, and decided to leave it at that. If you’ve not been to the Oregon coast lately, make the trip. In conditions that would make crab fishermen wince, the sights are breathtaking. Rocks and trees jet out of the violent sea in way that makes me wonder how Lewis & Clark didn’t die of shock with their first look. Surf in Oregon can be great, but the problem is the weather, it doesn’t cooperate very often. Someday as an old man, I hope to have a small home with a view on the Oregon coast. I can’t imagine a better way to wake up, drink some coffee and just watch the world.