Topics

871

SUP General / Ski racer

« on: November 13, 2010, 07:51:34 PM »

It's a real privilege editing Dave Kalama's blog for him. His latest post is one of the reasons why. I get to read this stuff first. How cool is that. But you get to read it now. What a guy. I want to be like him when I grow up.

http://www.davidkalama.com/2010/11/14/once-upon-a-time/

872

SUP General / happy halloween...

« on: October 31, 2010, 12:16:35 PM »

...to all you folks. Looking forward to the festivities in downtown Hood River. Fun stuff. Of course Diane is going insane, making horrors d'oeuvres for our guests and coming up with appropriately themed cocktails. Drop by if you're in the neighborhood.

Looking forward a nice GIN martini (NOT vodka like my brother, who I had no idea was gay), with the traditional three eyeballs.



A family tradition that is probably an indication of how little wiggle room there is in our genes. My Dad always had three olives in his Martini. I didn't know that until recently, but I've always preferred three as well. So does Bob (Stoneaxe). Not four, not two, and certainly not one. three. When a bartender brings my martini with anything but three I am uncomfortable until I get the right number.

873

Environment / Toxic Dispersants

« on: October 29, 2010, 08:58:29 PM »

I read Al Jazeera pretty often--Yeah, I know, I'm a little weird but it's quite good actually, kind of like Christian Science Monitor only different. Anyway, they posted this article today: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2010/10/20101027132136220370.html

874

Random / Freedive--Astonishing control

« on: October 27, 2010, 03:59:48 PM »

I obviously need to work on my breath holding. I nearly passed out watching this thing.

875

SUP General / Hero Worship

« on: October 27, 2010, 01:48:40 PM »

Neat article by Dave on his site. Even heroes have heroes: http://www.davidkalama.com/2010/10/27/star-struck/

876

Technique / Mr. Kalama's tips on Noseriding

« on: October 21, 2010, 08:47:40 PM »

Dave has been busy this week. First a fine post on using your paddle during turns that has me itching for big surf, then this excellent piece on Noseriding. Driving me crazy. Obviously Dave has been having too much fun in the surf.

http://www.davidkalama.com/2010/10/22/nose-riding/

877

SUP General / Using your paddle

« on: October 20, 2010, 01:04:31 PM »

New post by Dave Kalama on using your paddle to add power to your surfing. One of the bast yet, I think. Looking forward to warm water and big waves so I can try this out. http://www.davidkalama.com/2010/10/20/using-your-paddle/

Anyone who has seen Dave surf, even in little dinky waves, is left wondering "how the heck does he rip that wave up so comprehensively". Here's how. It's all in the paddle.

878

Downwind and Racing / Do We Need 12'6" in Racing

« on: September 17, 2010, 08:21:27 AM »

Dave has a new post on 12'6" -- really well thought out and compelling I think. I'd sure like to see 14' become the stock class. http://www.davidkalama.com/2010/09/17/do-we-really-need-a-126/

He also must have been out with Darrell Wong shooting wacky pics again, this is a new one to me.

879

Downwind and Racing / Boink round the rock

« on: September 12, 2010, 06:35:15 PM »

That was the sound of me hitting the wall about mile 11. I did the worst prep ever for this race, and boy did I pick a lousy one to screw up on. Skipped breakfast because I had too big a dinner, didn't get any sleep because dinner included a scoop of espresso gelato that had to be half caffeine. didn't get my camelback hose routed properly, which meant I had to struggle to get water, and wore too many clothes. Other than that I was ready. Weak as a kitten and dumb as a box of hammers.

First half was fine, downwind (very light) and feeling good. I was in the second lead group, still close to the first group of  Thomas Maximus, Chuck Patterson, Rod Parmenter, and a small bunch of elite paddlers. I was probably in 20th place or thereabouts. At the turn, still feeling good, picked off a few guys, then we turned the corner on the upwind leg. Ugh. Nothing to do but hug the shore and gut it out, which I did. I was holding ground all the way until about the third false corner. Those things sure take the wind out of you "almost there, whoopee...oh crap--more island." I had been falling back a little and a few folks passed me, but everyone looked to be tiring a bit, and I still felt good, so I picked up the cadence. Big mistake. We turned the corner and the wind was right in our faces.  Within ten minutes my arms felt like stringbeans and my knees wobbled. I wanted water and electrolytes desperately, but I couldn't get the camelback hose, and when I tried to reach back for it, my arm cramped up. I finally popped the straps and dropped the camelback to the deck, then picked up the hose and held it in my teeth to get some water. Bending over gave me a wicked ab cramp, so when I dropped the bag a second time I didn't try to bob for it again. I decided to dump the windbreaker too, since I was boiling inside it. When I pulled off the windbreaker I initiated a terrible set of cramps. Abs, sides, and under my arms. People started streaming by me. I paddled ineffectually to the corner and turned blessedly downwind.

The cramps  limited how far I could reach and how hard I could pull, so I started going just for little swells and adding just enough power to catch them, then resting. I limped the last two miles this way, losing four more places, but I finally made it. I finished 48th I think, out of roughly 200 people. I did it in 3:15:something Thomas won, I'm sure he was well down in the two hour range. Looking forward to seeing all the results.

Great race, excellent organization. They had a fine announcer adding color. No idea who she was but she did a great job. Nice to see so many friends. Not so nice to be beaten by them. Bob, from Gorge performance kicked my butt after drafting me through the upwind segment. I never knew he was there. The board he shaped for himself is very fast. Lee kicked my ass too, passing me on the last leg. I tried to haul him back in, but I had nuttin'

880

Downwind and Racing / Off to paddle around the rock

« on: September 10, 2010, 05:50:23 PM »

I signed up for both races--not sure why a did that--a thirteen mile race followed by a 2.5 mile sprint. What was I thinking. Ah, well, it's just 15.5 miles--a walk in the park. We'll see how I feel about that after the races.

Look me up if you're going. I'm the fat geezer with the really ugly F18.

881

SUP General / Tired of the crap

« on: September 02, 2010, 09:46:58 PM »

OK, enough. All you old longboard geezers and shortboard guys, stop reading in Surfer magazine how SUP sucks and shut the F*%K up. I'm just here to surf, if you don't like what I'm riding I could really care less. Give me lip and I'm taking every wave you ever look at. End of story. Especially you assholes with grey pony tails on longboards. Grumpy old f&$ks. If you don't want to try something new THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM.

God... Oregon. Home of guys protecting something nobody wants. You should be happy for the company.

882

Downwind and Racing / Racing Boards in Portland

« on: August 06, 2010, 11:06:27 AM »

Got an email from Bob at Gorge Performance yesterday in response to a query about a Naish 14 glide. He's got a nice selection of racing boards in stock. Perhaps the race board famine is over. Naish 14 Javelin (I haven't tried one of these, maybe I should demo), Slice, Bark competitor, Jamie Mitchell and the Aumundson.  If you're looking for a race board in the Northwest, a visit to Bob's might be in order.

883

SUP General / Spammed and hacked

« on: August 01, 2010, 05:29:29 PM »

If any of you have been trying to get on Ke Nalu, my apologies. It's been under bombardment by some russian spammers. Thousands of spam comments per hour, and finally they broke something and the post indexes went all screwy. I got it all fixed and the storm seems to have abated. I've been blocking their IP but they seem to have lots of bots. What fun.

884

Random / Ferrari 4 Sale

« on: July 25, 2010, 10:20:21 PM »

I'm selling my beloved Ferrari--I've been in it once since I got back from Maui. It just doesn't fit the Hood. Should finance a few new boards. Ebay 140432136499

885

SUP General / SUP in the Hood

« on: July 24, 2010, 06:20:17 PM »

I counted 42 stand up paddlers out in the river this afternoon at one particular moment. Literally anywhere you looked there were paddlers. Dead calm, hot, and the water felt wonderfully cool. The guys at Big Winds were working their asses off at the event center concession while the kite and windsurf only places were closed. The big winds guys told me they are two to three times as busy when the wind dies--renting SUP boards as fast as they can.

Remarkable.