The biggest rush

[photodad2001]

I've been snowboarding for over 20 years now (started in 86), and I've done most boarding sports. I started skateboarding in the mid 70's, skimboarding in the early 80's, surfing in the mid 80's, and even wakeboarded before highback boots in the late 80's. Because I'm old and all I switched to alpine, extreme carving etc., but just over 3 years ago I got into windsurfing.

THAT is what this post is about. My first time ever on a wakeboard I got up and carved outside the wake making surfing slashes even though the 2 guys I went with said I wouldn't be able to do it. Wakeboarding is easy if you have a good driver. Windsurfing on the other hand is exceptionally hard because all that you have learned skating and surfing and snowboarding don't mean sh(#t until you reack the advanced intermediate level of windsurfing. You don't "foot steer" when you learn. You have to rig steer. You don't balance against gravity and a downward slope, you balance against an ever changing wind on a horizantal perspective. My first year was not even helpful because I didn't even know how to rig my gear let alone realize that the mast I had was way too long for my sail and God forbid I had a tie-on boom which is like riding oldschool soft bindings with K-mart snowboots and trying to carve. Sorry to everyone I have bitched about spending money on carving equipment, but when I have 3 months of carving vs. 9 months (wetsuit) of windsurfing I have to spend the equivalent amount to keep my hormones going.

Thank you for listening, I will be on the water this week and when I make the perfect power jibe, ...well, you probably won't here from me, I'll be laying on my back on the shore staring at the sky feeling a oneness with God and thanking Him for that day.

This is my "Craig Kelly". I don't do wave surfing but this guy is the top of all lightwind freestyle.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wda_ZWQniZs&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wda_ZWQniZs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

And for you hardcoarders...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x4xy2_3BfQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x4xy2_3BfQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>