Ya-Gotta-Regatta

A few words to describe The Great Valley Fireman's Regatta of May 08; beer, wet, cold, beer, girls (in surprisingly high numbers), costumes, beer, canoing, chicken dinner, rain, and did I mention Beer.

My parents have been going to this little annual "boat race" since before they were my parents. This was the first year I was lucky enough to be old enough to consume previously mentioned beer legally and on the right continent. The premise of the regatta is to race down a creek approximately 12 miles stopping at each of the 6 mandatory beer stops, where you must consume no less than one mug of beer.


Well as usually my partner bailed on me (seems to be a reoccurring theme). No problem I would race solo if need be, however it was unnecessary because I rescued two girls from their much overburdened rubber raft. We got a late start (a reoccurring theme whenever my parents are involved) and as a result of combined zero canoing experience of my new passengers and some poor advice to them being shouted by my father, we managed to flip the canoe for the first time before we even reached the start line. Let me assure you snow melt is cold.


We arrive at the first beer stop at about the time it is scheduled to close. We are in luck they are keeping it open until they finish off the keg they just tapped. My group of 7 make up a large portion of the people at this beer stop. The girls change out of their wet sweats into their only change of cloths. I am relatively dry already in my under armor and board shorts.


The next few beer stops are not particularly memorable. Perhaps because by that point my ability for memory had been reduced by the copious amounts of beer and the cold. I do remember the second time the canoe flipped, or more specifically stopped being buoyant. A combination of 3 passengers, wet gear, spilled beer and contain rain caused the boat the gently tip enough to fill up the little freeboard that remained. I consider that this one was an act of God, and couldn't have been avoided.


The last time we swamped also was unavoidable. We followed another canoe through a swift narrow deep section of the creek. The gentleman steering the craft tried to turn too sharply and swamped in front of us. He felt that since he ended up in the water everyone else deserved to be in there with him, and grabbed our canoe as we passed him.


The last beer stop marking the end of the race was insane. There were boats of all type scattered everywhere, all waiting to load into a truck to be carted back to the start. While I waited for my shuttle back up to the top I stood in the knee deep near freezing water for about an hour dragging boats to the few open spots on the shore.


We ended the race dragging the canoes up a mud hill to load onto the truck, where I got my hand closed in a car door, before going to get our chicken dinners.


My description of this event may sound negative, and it is, but it was still a great time and I look forward to the next time in in Western NY the first weekend in May. I recommend this type of event to everyone.


As usually here are some pictures, many of them taken with the Fuji camera with waterproof housing I bought just before the race why I didn't buy it in Hawaii and could have dove with it is beyond me.

Pre Race everybody dry and happy

Overloaded rubber raft
First beer stop , a few beers and one change of cloths laterMayhem at last beer stop

Rockstar Barbie Boat
Unknown girls at unkown beer stop

A little blood for you carnivorous ppl

Well, here is another story yet of our crazy escapades around the world and you all (our readers) being able to see some of our redonkulous and unconventional acts or undertakings. Once again I was at the Clairmont Dr. skate park in San Diego...the Krause Family Skatepark they call it, one of the designers being Andy McDonald, so this place is nice! Well I was getting some video footage for this joint and of course, as I do this often when I skate for a video shot, I go faster, higher, and bigger. This tends to leave me planted into the pavement afterwards, as you all will be able to see in my video and photographs from my good friend JP. Here I hit this ramp fakie (backwards) to do a little 180 and I end up over shooting the transition and hitting the flat so I was not really prepared to take the shock of flat ground, therefore proceeded to eat concrete. The video doenst really give it the full effect, but I was there, it felt pretty good. Not the worst, but it def. removed a portion of my back and elbow. BUT, thank goodeness, the wound inflicted, went around my tattoos. Enjoy my friends, enjoy:

Luxembourg Mountain bike take 2

Well I've been heading over to the Bambech trails a few times a week the last few week. Despite the rain we have been having. Unfortunately I haven't been able to convince anyone else to join me, but it has been all good. Found some trails that are narrow and steep, which is what I have been looking for. The mud from all the rain has also made it fun. Also, I just got a V.I.O. POV camera, which is why I waited until after a few trips to post this.

Going to these trails have given me a good chance to play with all my new toys. Been taking my new Garmin GPS to track my speed, distance, and altitude. And took the new camera out to get the videos below.

These trails are a blast, there is plenty of variety. Long leg burning uphills and some nice down hills. I've tried to kept my speed sub 30mph so far because I don't trust these $100 Mongoose bikes. I have only been riding a small corner so far, trying to learn it inside out and find any secrets it may be hiding. Also since I have been riding alone I don't want to wander off to far and run into trouble.

Enjoy the videos, more to come.

NaPali Kauai

It took right up until the end of my time in Hawaii, but i finally made it to Kauai in Feb 08. It wasn't a perfect trip, but it was an excellent trip. Many times it almost was called off.

There was a three day weekend coming up, my last in Hawaii. My plan to hike the 22 miles over Thanksgiving fell through. My crew fell through. I grabbed 3 guys from work (with no backpacking experience), outfitted them with camping gear, bought the food, all the plane tickets, and convinced the boss that the 3 day weekend would have to be a 3 and a half (we would have to cut out of work at 10am Friday to catch out noon flight).

The day of the trip I had a 5k to run at 6:30 that morning before work, not how I would have choose the spend the morning before the 22 miles of hiking. A short stay at work and then we were off to the airport. We landed in Kauai, already behind schedule. After wasting more time in town getting fuel for the stove and water we headed to the trail head through Friday afternoon traffic. We unload and tell the cab driver we need to be picked up Monday at 3pm.

About 4pm we reached the trail, leaving a little over 2 hours of light to hike in. The first camp site was about 2 miles in, but we were aiming for the one about 7 miles in. We made it just as the darkness set in. My crews lack of experience really showed setting up camp and cooking in the dark.

Day 2 the plan was to head to the end beach 4 miles away and then take it easy all day. We woke up early and grabbed breakfast and headed out. We arrived at the beach at about a little before lunch time, despite a slight detour about 2 miles out. We took some time to explore, play on the beach, climb the waterfall and watch the hippies doing yoga on the beach. Over lunch we discussed turning back, and spending the night at the same camp site form the night before. As soon as lunch was finished we started heading back. We arrived back in time to set up camp with a few hours of light to spare.

Day 3 we decided to head to Hanakapia beach 2 miles from the trail head and decided if we would spend the night there or head out. We got there and killed some time jumping on the rocks and playing in some little pools in the river. During lunch we discussed our options. Stay here for the night, or hike out and hitch hike to town and see what happens. The availability of beer in town made that the winning choice. At the trail head we didn't see many hitch hiking options. Then in a stroke of luck we spotted a construction worker with a pickup truck working on the bathrooms at the beach. He was just wrapping up his days work and said it wouldn't be a problem to give us a ride to town.

In town we bough way too much beer (4 cases) and junk food for the night. We hitched our way to the first public beach we could find with cell phone reception on Hanalai Bay. This is where we spent the night drinking. The next morning as soon as we got our stuff together we called the cab company so we could head to the airport and weight our options there(rent a car or try to change our airline tickets). Being under 25 and having to pay the extra insurance, a rental for half a day didn't seem worth the cost. Their was a plane leaving in 30 min that we could change our seats to for free.

As a final adventure of the weekend we got to talk with the airport security and management, because some of the airport personnel got concerned when they smelled the stove fuel fumes from our bags.

Here are some pictures for your enjoyment.

Hanakapia beach this many swimmers have died here sign

Camp Dinner

Group shot without me

187 on a rollerblader in So CaL

Yeah, so coming off the island (Oahu) to Southern California for school I had to bring my sk8s...hence it is a mecca of skating, Tony Hawk living only like an hour away in Carlsbad. So I was stoked when I heard there was a sk8 park within walking distance of where I was staying. So I went exploring on foot and found this nice little cement park under a bridge (Washington St Skate park) So I was stoked and went back to my room to get my ROLLERBLADES, key word. So I get my buddy who skates as well, but did not have his yet...pretty big dude (JP) to have my back. Sometimes skateboarders are jerks at first but once they see that I am pretty legit when it comes to skating they usually calm down and give me some props when i start doing things like 720's and flips. Well, we get back there after walking about 4 miles...there and back there again. So I get strapped in and I am standing at the top of like a 15ft quarter waiting my turn and this dude yells out all the way from across the park, "no rollerbladers". I'm thinking whatever man, so then again this dude right next to me says yeah dude you need to leave, or those guys over there are going to shoot you! I say no way, and then a third dude says to me I am lucky I already haven't gotten jumped or shot. So I know when to pick my battles and I had to hang my head in shame, take them off, walk out with everyone talking smack as you can imagine and walk all the way without getting a session in. Major kick in the junk. BUT...I ended up finding this dope, dope park over in Mission Valley, the YMCA Park, the next weekend. The place over there is out of control:

(an overall of the park with this globe sponsored Brazilian dude I met that was pretty rad.)

But the park has everything. Including the X-games made vert ramp and I was one of three dudes to even drop in from the top. But overall...I still don't understand this whole hatred between rollerbladers and skateboarders. I know boarders don't like us because of little kids on rec skates jacking around and getting in their way and all but seriously, get over it. Everyone has to start somewhere. Then I don't blame them for not liking the sell out gangster wanna be in-liners, but who cares? We all fought the same battles over getting kicked off the local hand rail, the 8 stair set at the High School, etc. Get OVER IT, we all like to roll, get over yourself. Live to skate.

Jeffreyness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1SxGRB3WNk

http://www.youtube.com/user/sk8ersurferdude a lot more of the park here and of Delux and I's videos here.

Ioa Valley Lele Kawa

Thanksgiving 06 some of the boys and I headed over to Maui, for a long weekend of cliff jumping and drinking. About an hour after we landed at the airport it was on. We pulled up to Ioa Valley. Right there next to the parking lot is a bridge that I would guess to be between 25 and 30 feet high over a tiny stream. We talk about how it would be cool to jump off if the stream were bigger. We wander around the park for a while before heading down to a larger stream. Where we get a few started jumps in. 8 foot ledge into about 1 foot of water.

Me Leading The Way On An Early Trip Splash

Then we decide to leave the park to find some bigger jumps. When we cross back over the bridge, there are some kids jumping from a ledge we didn't notice under the bridge about 15 feet above the water. We decide to join them for a little while. This builds our confidence and we decide maybe the bridge can be done.

The Maui Boy Front Flipping

We talk to some locals and they convince us that you can indeed jump off the bridge. However the landing zone is between the 2 brown rocks in the picture above. It is about 4 feet wide 6 feet long and 6 feet deep. In actuality you can't jump the landing zone is to small. What you have to do is stand at the notch in the hand rail, take a small steep and just fall the 30 or so feet. hoping the whole way that you missed those two rocks. The local guy in our group goes first, then the other two of us go for it.

The Maui Boy Goes First And Shows Us How Its Done

What not to do can be found here http://www.adventure-journal.com/2010/09/epic-fail-how-not-to-jump-off-a-bridge/

Makapuu Lighthouse Lele Kawa

Back in July 06 Sk8ersurferdude convinced me to explore the tide pools you see when you look down from Makapuu Lighthouse on Oahu. We were seeking a Blow-hole that was known to suck and blow. Amazing right?
So we spot the mist from the blow-hole as we hike the path to the lighthouse, and turn strait down the hill towards it. Scrambling down the loose lava rock in Reef Mick Fanning's of course, what else would you wear hiking into the unknown in Hawaii.

The Hike Down

We reach the blow-hole, and while it sounds like a jet engine (due to the suck/blow action) the spray is rather unimpressive, mush have been the wrong tide, we always seem to forget to check these details. After snapping a few shots we head left to see what else there is to see. We don't get very far when we reach a 20 foot drop off that is undercut on the bottom 6 feet, and what luck there is a sketchy piece of rope hanging down it.

At The Bottom

Taking our chances we (I) grab on and shimmy down. Sk8ersurferdude seeing that its safe (relatively) tosses down the camera and follows. At this point we note that it is unlikely we could climb back up this way. Next to this drop off is a large tide pool, to our dismay there is nowhere to jump into it, it is completely filled with rocks and is no deeper than a few inches at the deepest spots.

Bummer Tide Pool

We keep making our way around (because we couldn't turn around and head back). Next we find a nice tide pool that looks big enough to splash in about 10 feet by 5 feet and 2.5 feet deep with a little 4 foot high ledge to jump from. We do various flips and dives into said pool, then continue on.
Bakflip Into First Tide Pool

Tide Pool Dive

The next location was the "impossible jump" that I spotted. The pool is about 2 feet deep at its deepest and only 3 feet across and about 7 feet long, not so bad. The jumping ledge is a bit over 20 feet tall and 15 feet from the pool. Also the ledge is made up of some of the sharpest lava rocks around, so bare foot is out of the question and so is a run up. After about 10 min of debating if it was even possible to do without getting hurt. I decide there is only one way to find out, I will try it, at least Sk8ersurferdude will get some pictures of my last moments should things go badly. I place my sandals on the sharp rocks, track start style, take a deep breath and go for it. Much to my joy I made it. Now would never have to repeat said jump, or so I thought. The pictures didn't turn out. Time to risk it all again. These pictures were good. Not to be outdone Sk8ersurferdude tried it.

Impossible Jump Take Two

We couldn't go much further around due to sheer cliffs and an angry ocean so we headed up a ravine in the cliffs.

View From The Top After The Climb

SaC Addict

If you do not understand the meaning of the title, you should stop reading this post now. Your wallet will thank you.

If your still reading it is because you also have this addiction or you have much stronger willpower than me. You already know about www.gearattack.com

I've know about my addiction for a while. I didn't need my friends to point out this one (but it didn't stop them). They first realized how bad I was when I got a great deal on some Solomon CR Lab skis. Why did this tip them off? Because I was a snowboarder who hadn't touched skis in 13 years, and I was living in Hawaii. Yes I was that bad. The pile of sunglasses and reef sandals were also a clue.

Now I only buy stuff that I really need when it pops up. You know like the mountain bike seat last week $200 seat marked down 65%. Did I mention that I don't own a bike? But since I don't own a bike I don't own a bike seat. Therefor I must have needed one, right? Makes sense to me, and that there is the problem. How am I able to rationalize this stuff to myself? I refused to save my credit card # because this would force me to think about the purchase as i found my wallet and pulled it out. This has stopped a few buys ice axes, snowshoes, stuff not in my size that i might be able to squeeze into, and things with only ridiculous colors left.

Now I'll give you the numbers to put this addiction into perspective. I have been addicted since my first taste June 27 2006, after reading about the site in a Men's Journal Magazine.

To date, in a bit over two year I have spent a little over $3,900.

I have made 70 individual purchases, or one every 11 days on average.

This makes my average impulse buy $56.03. Because impulse buys are the only kid that exist with SaC, your not shopping, just grabbing stuff when it pops up.

It averages out to a $4.91/day habit. For that money I could smoke a pack a day (in some states, if it wasn't the most disgusting thing ever), or drink a cheap 6 pack (also disgusting), and I would end up with change.

Not to mention the countless time I spend checking the site a day(4 while typing this post).

So knowing that I had an addiction, and that addictions are bad, I have tried to stop. Cold turkey 3 times, for about a month each. The longest I managed to stop was 53 days but it really doesn't count, because I was without a mailing address and internet for most of that time.

I'm interested to hear other peoples SaC addition stories, and if you managed to quit what was the secret.

Here's a picture of last weeks SaC
(2 Hoodies, 1 Fleece Jacket, 1 Giro Audio Helmet, 1 Oakley A Frame, 1 Oakley sunglasses, 1 SOG knife)

Street Kayaking

During March of 2006 in Hawaii there was a little rain, 42 strait days of a little rain in fact. At times it was raining 10+ inches in an hour. Perfect opportunity to get in a little street kayak.

Street kayaking


Lost the original file, so this will have to do for now.

First Luxembourg Venture

This is my first experimental post so don't expect to much.

I was browsing the internet the other day and stumbled upon a youtube of a POV mountain bike video from Luxembourg. After a bit more research into the matter, I learned that the video was taken at some trails right outside the city. Which just so happened to be about a 10 minute ride away from my house.
The next morning a grabbed my roommate and headed out. As a bonus the ride there included a long steep street which we were able to hit speeds in the upper 30 mph rolling down. A short ride up the hill towards Bridel and we arrived at the Bambesch trails. We entered the trails and with no destination just started riding, picking turn offs as they came. There was a huge variety of trails, and we were lost in no time. After about two hours, when we finally hit the road we decided to call it quits for the day and follow the road back, knowing that we had to ride back up that hill that brought us down.
Not bad for the second time on a bike in a few years.

My roommate heading down one of the main trails

A little narrower trail surrounded by what looks like poison ivy

Map we used to get un-lost and head home