This is why I surf

The clicking of dog nails on the hardwood floor must have first woken me aroun 6 AM. By 6:45, the reality that I am dogsitting sinks in. Daisy and Sheeba want to go outside. They do not bark or whine, the only noise comes from them walking around, anxious to get outside and do their business. Me, I'm trying to get back to sleep for I don't know how long and then just when it feels like I just fell back into slumber land - cell phone alarm clock.

Throw on clothes, cruise up the road to the estate, park and begin the final preparations for the vacation rental to yogis. Check all the spaces, fill up the Quan Yin fountain etc. Find out that people are going to be arriving at 10 at 9:50, hmm, scratch head, oh well. Find out that they will be arriving at 11:00. That's better. build two beds in the Chumash room. Go back to the parking area. Do yoga and tai chi while occasionally showing some one where to park. Yeah, life aint so bad on the estate...

Check on the dogs. Daisy and Sheeba are way happy to see me. They wag their tails subliminally, trying to hypnotize me into taking them for a walk. "Sorry," I answer them in my mind, "gotta go surf, turn on lights up on the estate and then I'll take y'all for a big walk."

The drive down to the beach is filled with traffic and craziness. Kind of like my mind so I get this reflection and realize I am paying the price from late night food combo of date roll graham cracker sandwitches. Ughh when will I ever learn that it is sugar that gives the hangover? Stop at Circle K for some "cheap" gas - $2.79. One of the pumps does not work. The one I am using is malfunctioning. Lady working comes out to see what the prob is. Ends up saying: "Debit cards don't always work so don't get mad if you have trouble."

This makes me stop think and assess. "Hmm," I think to myself "These gas pump cashiers must be getting handfulls of grief from the public freaking out about us all getting jacked by Uncle $am's Middle East oil heist."

Finally, I get out of there and on my way to what I need - ocean waves. Pull up into the parking lot at Surfer's Point and there's a front row seat waiting for me. I don't have much time so I barely look at the surfing conditions. As I pull on my wetsuit, I can see that there are some waves happening, long lulls in between sets and it is pretty blown out, rough, choppy... but some of the surfers are getting waves. There are even some fluke long rides for the charmed.

Paddle out. Within 5 minutes I have already caught a quick little ride. Cool. From the shore, I thought that I had seen some waves breaking, big, long rides and no one near them. This is where I first paddle out to. After my first wave the waves seem to only be breaking up the shore. Paddle, paddle, paddle. The more I paddle the more everyone else paddles. "Hmm... that's funny," I think to myself, "every one wants me on their left (down wind) or something... did I brush my teeth? check, did I bathe within the past week? check... hmm oh well, make the most of it."

So I paddle back to this one spot where it had been breaking and now I have it all to myself. Sure enough, a set comes thru. I catch the third wave and have my best wave all day and maybe for the past 2 weeks. 150 yards of pure fun ending with a classic shower curtain. Slid right thru the vortex on this one. The otherside is amazement and joy. The feeling lingers into the evening. This is why I surf. Makes all the paddling, struggling and traffic worth it.