Even more chop to surf

I didn't get to surf on Friday and, of course, heard the waves finally built to a reasonable surfing size and offered fun to those who made it down. So, I was determined to make it down and least one day this weekend. I chose Sunday since it was the only free time I had this week. Saturday was a busy one for me and included an 8-mile run, 13-mile bike ride and five hours of babysitting my 10-year-old nephew. (I had the chance to find out if I was smarter than a fifth-grader when I helped him with his homework. It was tough!)

This morning I made it down to Galveston at about 7:30 a.m., parked and walked over to Brian, Neil and Bob. They were discussing the waves. It was windy today, with winds approximately 20 mph out of the southwest. The water was a choppy mess. I realized that I had parked a little out of my designated zone, so I thought I would move it. However, I quickly realized that the car wouldn't start. The battery was dead, which required Brian to go home, get his jumper cables, drive back and then jump the battery.  We got the car going, so I moved it to the proper place. I also decided to surf for a couple of hours, jump the car and then drive to the closest dry goods store for a new battery.

The waves were a mess! Paddling out was a struggle because the waves were beating in so strong. Taking the rip current provided a little comfort, but timing had to be perfect to find the right spot. Even good timing, though, couldn't always get you to the outside. Sometimes, I was pushed back toward the shore at the end of the jetty. And, although, you could catch a wave occasionally on the inside, to get any long rides, you at to be ever so slightly on the outside. All in all, I had some fantastic rides. Neil and Bob did too. One wave would pick me up, while a second wave would carry me in. I also had some serious wipeouts, which is never fun. I got caught up in a bad one that included wave on top of wave just as I was trying to catch my breath, only to realize that I had sucked in part of the ocean. Not good. However, it didn't last...just long enough to remind me that surfing can be dangerous, and that I need to be more aware.

In other surfing news, I went for another surf in the sky and completed my second skydive. If I sign up for the class, I could go solo on my third jump. I'm not sure I'm ready. We'll see. It won't hurt for me to take a third tandem jump just to see if I want to do it. My friend D, took his first solo, but failed to pull the chute cord. Needless to say, they pulled it for him and he failed test jump #1. Too bad. I hope he doesn't give up!

Surfing on air

Friday was a bust this week! I spoke to my super surfing dude Brian at my usual time Friday afternoon and found out that, while there were waves, the current was really bad due to a strong east wind. I really wanted to surf since I wasn't going to be able to surf on Sunday. (More on that later.) I contemplated going down on Saturday after my early morning run and ride. I ran my seven miles and rode 45 miles, and was quite tired when I finished. However, if my Saturday morning call from Brian would have included a more positive outlook on the waves, I would have definitely headed down. He said it was choppy and windy. He also said some of my regular surfing buddies were down though. But, since they had all already left the beach, and conditions weren't great, I opted out on Saturday too.

Sunday was beginning of a whole new experience for me. The reason I was going to miss surfing is because I was going skydiving. It had always been something that I had wanted to do, especially when I was much younger. I had realized lately, though, that if I didn't do it soon, I was going to chicken out. I had mentioned my dream of skydiving at a family party this summer and two of my brothers-in-law had said they wanted to go with me. As fall approached, it became obvious that they wouldn't be able to go, since one had work conflicts and the other had back surgery. But, another old friend invited me along. So, that's what I did today. The experience was incredible! I was, literally, surfing on air. Watching my video was eye-opening. I know I have much to learn about skydiving. I've already committed to doing it again. However, I must admit that adding another hobby to my list will make my crowded schedule even more unmanageable. I'll have to think about that. I just can't imagine, though, not living my life to its fullest.

Sunday 9/11/11

A somber mood filled the air this morning. We had been prepped for it for the past few days. It was the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and memorial services, memorial television shows, memorial op-eds and much more and reminded us about the horrific day 10 years ago when planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, in a field in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. While I remembered and offered my thoughts and prayers to those victims, I paid homage to those victims in solitude, shortly before making my way to the beach. I experienced the beauty of it all before unloading my Senator 9'6" "Petal" and making my waves into the already crowded waves at about 7:50 a.m. Robin and Brian were already out. I had slept in because of my previous action-filled night (more info later -- see photo above).

The waves looked nice, but it was already crowded. I'm guessing that so many people had been disappointed in the waves lately that the first sign of any bump in the water had caused the all to pick up and make their way to the shore. Once I took the rip current into the line-up, I looked back, saw a wave and immediately caught and rode one in. I was inspired! However, my surf experience went downhill from there. I got in the lineup and waited my turn, but some of those guys stole every wave that made a ripple. One, in particular, was very annoying. I wasn't the only one who noticed. I shouldn't complain, though; I just need to get better at staking my claim to waves. Brian said that he saw me get to my knees, although I hadn't noticed I had done that. In fact, I felt like I had some of the best pop-ups of my surfing "life." I need to pay closer attention though and, perhaps, practice my pop-ups in the living room like I have in the past. I questioned Brian about it, and he said he only noticed that I ddi it once. I HOPE SO!  I stayed out about 3.5 hours. It was a good workout.

In another non-surfing note, yesterday, the Galveston Historical Foundation held their third annual Galveston Revival Race, with proceeds going to revitalization projects caused by Hurricane Ike (Sept. 13, 2008). I decided to run in the 10K race. I was a little nervous at first for being in a "race" per se, but had decided that I would run the 6.1 miles just like I had the two half-marathons I had run -- at my own speed.  The run was in the evening (7 p.m.), and it was quite warm. I finished second in my age category. I'm not sure how many were actually in my age category. I'll be looking at the "official" finish times once they are posted during the next couple of days to see my exact stats. I made a couple of tactical errors I think that might have made my run a little better, although I was surprised to have finished second. First, I probably shouldn't have cycled 65 miles in the wind yesterday morning. However, I love my cycling and hate to ever give that up. Second, I should have placed myself better at the start. I got mixed in with much slower runners and was "caught up" in a mass of others and wasn't to break free for the first couple of minutes. Third, I need to always to remember to hydrate a lot before a big ride or run. With that said, I'm still quite pleased. I think I finished the 6.1 miles in about 55+minutes. (I accidentally forgot to stop my Garmin when I crossed the finish line, and I'm not sure how much time had lapsed before  I stopped it.) I am very fond of Galveston. It might be one of my favorite places in the world. I know it sounds silly, but I understand why Glen Campbell sang about it. I love Galveston and all it has to offer ... especially the waves!

(Somber note: My dear friend Ray from the nursing home is probably dying. May you rest in peace Ray! You will be missed.)