Still on the road

I am getting sores from sitting in the car so long, and my skin is drying up pretty quickly...

I have had an epiphany - I now know what a fish feels like out of water... The Friday afternoon paddling session I am planning for G-Port is going to feel good, even if there are no waves.

We're in El Paso visiting relatives. We're having a great time checking out the geology along the I-10 route.

The canyon, visiting with the Johnson's and the Mansapit's has been great, but it will be good to get settled and back into a pattern.

Aloha from the road!

Busy - Busy - Busy

Sorry no pictures and not much posting -

Here's what we've been up to...

*The UCT TWO Change of Command was on August 7th.
*We left nearly immediately afterwards for La's brother's house where I left her and the kids to drive the boat, the plants, some live rock for the saltwater aquarium, the cleaning fluids the movers wouldn't take and the 2 distance SUPs across to Gulfport.
*Drove 2011 miles (with a snapped alternator/power steering/water pump belt in Houston).
*Checked into the house.
*Flew back to Ontario, CA
*Started driving across again, this time with the family.

We're in Las Vegas for today and tomorrow. Will start for the Grand Canyon tomorrow sometime.

I'll post pictures probably this weekend or the next - the Mac is in Gulfport already.

So - instead of pictures, I'll provide an observation (and this maybe common knowledge, but so what) - the fish in the tanks inside of the Bass Pro Shops are endemic to the areas that surround the shop.

HOO-YAH!

SBP2P

Edited to throw in the pictures:

Paddled in a SUP race on Saturday - 11 miles downwind. I came in middle of the pack in my division - 2:14, and my excuse is the lack of training due to travel,work, etc. Lame excuse I know, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Also spent the rest of the day hanging out in Santa Barbara. Strolled around the pier and checked out the sites (including Moby Dick). The Aquarium at the end of the pier was closed, so maybe next time.

Pictures later once my computer recognizes the thumb drive.

Coming down the pipe...

I've been mentally preparing for the move and for the upcoming period where the surf will not be plentiful for me. I have been actively trying to ween myself from surf-driven stoke to other water-driven activities - I'll be fine, but it helps to be prepared.

Among the newly rekindled focus areas is kiting. The surf in SOCAL (and my work schedule) has made kiting take a back seat in my priorities, but with sailing and SUPing, kiting will be a mainstay.

Kiteracing has made leaps and bounds since I had last had my feet wet (under a kite - consistently). Here are some pictures that have begun to stoke the fires...

Aloha

Molokai

Sorry for the lack of postings over the past couple of weeks. We just moved out of our house in preparation for our move to Gulfport. The cleaning process, finishing off work obligations and trying to spend some time with La and the kids were the priorities. I've got some cool aquatic based adventures coming up, so posting will resume.

First off - here are a couple of pictures of my good friend Jimmy Martindale as he was making his way across the Ka'iwi Channel - 32 miles separating the islands of Molokai and Oahu. I met Jimmy when he was stationed aboard the USS Paul Hamilton and I was at PWC Pearl Harbor. Jimmy knew back then that the Navy would take him away from Hawaii and made a career change - I have made 4 transcontinental or transoceanic moves since then and I am beginning to think he was the wiser of us.

Anyways - Jimmy has made this crossing several times now. I'd like to think if I still lived on Oahu, that I'd have done it with him at least a few times.

HOO-YAH Jimbo!!!