Lots and LOTS of working on”Bugsie”…
Oh, and FINALLY surfing!

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“Bugsie” Needs a name… Leave your best one for her and
I’ll put it in the running so you all can vote on an upcoming post
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“Let’s wake up fairly early”
I’d said the night before… 9 hours later, I rolled over and stretched
my weary bones.

So began a frenzied day, calling shops, parts stores, and more.
Desperately  working on my car, roaming all over town in search of
parts and completely tearing apart nearly every part that connected to
my engine.

There was more than one moment that day where I thanked God for my years
of working on Buses with my Dad, and airplanes on my own… I learned SO much
in those days… SO many things that allowed me the ability to know exactly how
things work… And how to put them back together so they’d work even better.

(without any leftover parts!)

After a (very) exhausting day of nasty grease and silt covering work, I was easily
convinced to go surfing by the Santa Cruz gang… I’ll admit though, this was the first
time I was wearing 4 layers (including my scarf!) before getting into water… It was
going to be CHILLY!

(Photos by Barbara)

Cold Water Eric Action Figure!

And boy, oh boy was it ever cold… 49 degrees!!
My two wetsuits, booties, and borrowed hood blocked out the cold at first… But then
I gave the hood back, as it was far too small… And experienced an INCREDIBLE
sensation after my very next wave.

You know that feeling you get when you’re sucking down the largest ICEE or slushie,
known to man? The feeling you experience when someone stuffs a giant snow ball down
your back… Or your pants?

Well, apparently, when you dive head first into 49 degree waves…
You get all those same excitingly mind numbing tingles! It literally shocked me at
first… It took me ’til the 3rd wave I dove through to put 2+2 together and realize that
what I was feeling was actually brain freeze!

This Florida boy has always avoided water that bloody cold in the past, haha.

Finally, a picture of me surfing!

Yup, I still look pretty darn goofy
There was so much kelp in this area that I was soon forced to try my hand at
surfing without using a leash (the cord that connects you to your board). At first,
I’d tried to surf without ditching the leash, but on my second good wave, I’d just
built up some speed and was starting to cut down the face of the wave, when
a bunch of kelp reached up from the depths and grabbed my leash.

Next thing I knew, my board had STOPPED… But I had not.
Head over heels, I flew forward… And that’s about the time I discovered that whole
“brain freeze” thing I mentioned

So, I took off the leash… And on my NEXT wave; the board, no longer being bound
to me, decided it wanted to head into shore! I’m not sure if you’ve ever tried it, but
you should know… Swimming in two wetsuits and a pair of booties; through massive
clumps of kelp certainly isn’t easy!

Haha, ahh well… At least it gives me a great opportunity to show ya’ a bit more of
how insanely cold it was, and just how much seaweed there was in the water

Our surf session was cut short just before nightfall and we all set off back toward
my dear friend’s home (who’d graciously allowed me to extend my planned visit
from lunch, to what looked to be DAYS!). The night was filled with great food,
friends, music, and believe it or not, blogging about the first day of this adventure.

Here are a couple of the images Nancy snapped that evening


My Mondo Sized Feet…

The Musical Gang!

So, that was my Sunday… And a cheery day at that, even considering the incredible
amount of stress I was under trying to get the car running so I could be on my way.
I was already 2 days behind!

Monday was an incredible day… From oversleeping, to painstaking… AND painful
motor work… To a Grandpa (not mine) who became my hero… From tears, to joy.
(Oh, and some KILLER photos of the Golden Gate Bridge

But you’ll have to wait for tomorrow… Can ya?!

P.S. I think this is the first time I’ve EVER blogged using just one single image
I’ve taken… That give you any idea of just how busy I’d been?! Insane!

Haha… I promise tomorrow’s post will feature none BUT my photos, and there
are a couple I’m especially excited to share with you

“Bugsie” Needs a name… Leave your best one for her and
I’ll put it in the running so you all can vote on an upcoming post