Hey, you Californians aren't such bad guys after all (plus a vid ...)...

[linter]

wanted to publically thank michaelf, joe blair, john ashley, tim stamps and bob at bob's mission beach surf shop for making my brief time in CA pretty darn fun.  i did more talking than SUPping, 'cause the waves were above my skill level, but everyone went out of their way to fill me full of SUP knowledge.
   after a missed connection, i finally hooked up with joe, who gave me a guided tour of his shaping shop, as well as the local breaks (including swami's, which was going off!).  joe's a great funny guy and can talk SUPs and SUP design at length and in depth.  if you're in the cardiff area, you should definitely go hang w/ him if you can.  his shapes are hot stuff too and i have more than half a mind to get me one.
  also: if you want to rent a board, bob's the man.  25 bucks gets you a half day on a selection of SUPs than include the Jimmy11, the Infinity SUP noserider, one of Blane's boards I think, and a good half dozen others.  Sweet!
   Anyway, twas a blast.
   My first day in the san diego area, the waves were wwway out of my league (but not Steamroller's, as my earlier vid post attests).  Today, things calmed down a little bit ... though not enuf for my tastes.  i went out at tourmaline, small stuff, klutzed and spazzed around for 2.5 hrs or so, caught maybe 2.75 waves, had a good time nonetheless (boy, the energy of the water is so much different here than it is on the east coast; it's *alive*! and moving all the time) and then went to swami's with joe and later on ended up back cardiff where one SUP was out.  Don't know who it was but I took a vid anyway.
    .
   Now it's back to the east i go ...
   thanks again, guys.
   

[surfcal]

Linter,
Thanks for the kind words, I guess I should have paddled with you this morning, but the big high tide at Turmo is such a nuisance.
Stop by again next time you are out.
 

[steamroller]

WHAT?!?!?....i didnt know you rent boards...i thought only sold um...after seeing leleo and ikaika all over the place i been wanting to try out  a PSH ripper...think i might come and visit in the near future...

[motopilot]

Liner where in Cali where you at?  I sometimes have layovers out there and would love to find a shop/people with SUP rental.  Was in Santa Monica a couple of weeks ago for 24hrs.  Got in around 4pm and our hotel was only 2 blocks from the beach.  Did not have any gear but sat on the beach and watched everyone surf a nice sunset session. 

[surfcal]

Motopilot
 For Rental I have a varity of boards (mostly mine) that I use as rentals and Demos
Some of them are: Infinity 11'0, C-4 10'6, 11 Jimmy Lewis. 10' Blane Chamber (Jamie Sterlings board) , 10 Bonga, 10'4 Stu Kension, a couple of our own shop boards and the 10'6 Avsio hollow carbon fiber (my ride) and a new Kings 10 we got today. and as long as you are about my height (5'7')a bunch of different paddles.
 If any of you guys on Stand Up Zone are in town (San Diego) and need gear. just come on by and let me know that you are a member here and I'll spot you a rental for free.  ( just a thanks for having this site) and Haliewabill also, 
 Thanks everyone

[linter]

surfcal: now you tell me about the free rental!!!???
   btw/ the paddle i got from bob worked great, and i'm 6'.  plus, it was all carbon fiber, the first one i've used, and i liked it a lot.

moto: this time i drove down from LA to san diego to see a pal in la jolla.  mainly, though, i'm in LA about once every month or two.  i've always stayed in w. hollywood but i think i'm going to need to find a beach hotel to stay at, with a rental shop nearby, maybe in the malibua area or similar.  anyone got any ideas?