Fantasy Surfer League...Be Part of the Action

Last year sometime I was reading SurferMag and came across an ad for an online fantasy surfing league. When I got home that night I checked it out online and created an account, which is free by the way. Now since I was traveling so much for work, last year, I really had no time to dedicate to it.

At the beginning of Jan 2008 I got an e-mail from SurferMag, who runs the fantasy surfing site, about the upcoming season......oh ya I forgot I hand an account. So I logged in and started to become acquainted with the site, the ASP tour and it's surfers. Now at this point I really did not know much about surfing and it athletes but now after 9 months of being a part of the fantasy surf site and playing I'm much more knowledgeable.

So I just wanted to introduce this site and league to you because it makes you be part of the action....ok maybe not physically but it's just as fun to strategize and pick your team.

As I had mentioned before to create an account is free at http://www.fantasysurfer.com/ and the rest is a piece of cake. The overall concept of the league is to pick as many surfers as possible with your $50,000,000 salary cap limit will allow for each ASP tour stop. Simple right.....it's similar to many other fantasy leagues out there on the net.

The reason I really like this fantasy league is because it is really based upon the surfer on how well they do and not tied to a team results. Not to mention the fact that surfing is not your tyical main stream sport....it's much better. When picking your team you really have to do your homework for each event because each ASP tour stop is different from each other, bringing out some surfers strengths and other surfers weaknesses.

The grand prize for the top point getter at that end of the season wins an awesome surf vacation for two in an exotic location......live the surf life for a bit. Also if you join varies clubhouses you are also eligble to win prizes each tour stop basis on your standing, such as signed surf board by your favourite pros and other gear.

Also you can watch every ASP surf even live via webcast, which is streamed with pretty good quality, to cheer on the team you built for that event. Just google the event name to find the site, found on the ASP tour site.

It's never to late to join the league and take part in the last couple of events and if you enjoy the fun of fantasy sports leagues and surfing this is dream.

Have fun and surfs up...Dudes....LOL.

Quiksilver Pro France 2008 - Ace's Wild over Slater

Kelly Slater was not able to wrap up his 9th ASP World Title in France this week as Adrian "Ace" Buchan edged him out in the finals, 15.74 to 15.16. It was close to the previous tour stop final with the exception that Slater could finish strong in the end. Buchan had two relatively high wave scores in the first 15 min of the finals at 8.17 and 7.57, which proved to be the only two waves he need to beat Slater. Kelly Slater did score an 8.43 with 13 mins left but couldn't come up with enough to beat Ace.

Quiksilver Pro France 2008 Finals Video Highlights - Ace vs. Slater

Also interesting that heavy hitters like Mick Fanning, 2007 Pro France winner, was knocked out of the compettion in the round 2 by Gabe Kling and Joel Parkinson beat by the wild card Michel Bourez. Actually Michel Bourez ended up finishing 6th, which is really amazing for a wild card but he did beat Kelly Slater last year so he has skills.

All in all it was another great ASP tour stop in France and all eyes will be on Kelly Slater in his quest for world title # 9 in Mundaka, Spain.

Whistler Restaurant Listing

Here's a quick listing of most of the restaurants in Whistler. I will be posting reviews of my favourite restaurants in Whistler in the near future so check back to see what I have to say.

Asian

Amami
4274 Mountain Square 604-932-6431


Chinese

Joey Chan's
2059 Lake Placid Road 604-966-0966


European

Après Restaurant
4338 Main Street 604-935-0200

Bavaria Restaurant
4369 Main Street 604-932-7518


French

Bear Foot Bistro
4121 Whistler Way 604-932-3433


Greek

Zeuski's Taverna
4314 Main Street 604-932-6009


Indian

Tandoori Grill
4368 Main Street 604-905-4900


Italian

Il Caminetto di Umberto
4242 Village Stroll 604-932-4442

Trattoria di Umberto
4417 Sundial Place 604-932-5858

Old Spaghetti Factory
4154 Village Green 604-938-1081

Quattro 4319
Main Street 604-905-4844


Japanese

Sushi Village
4272 Mountain Square 604-932-3330

Teppan Village
4293 Mountain Square 604-932-2223

Sachi Sushi
4359 Main Street 604-935-5649

Sushi Ya
4370 Lorimer Road 604-905-0155

Zen's Sushi
2202 Gondola Way 604-932-3667


Mediterranean

Caramba
4312 Main Street 604-938-1879


Mexican

Tex Corleone's
4005 Whistler Way 604-905-0839

Il Tipo's Mexican Grill
Creekside 604-932-4424

Steak & SeafoodKeg Steakhouse
4429 Sundial Place 604-932-5151

Monk's Grill Steak House
4555 Blackcomb Way 604-932-9677

Hy's Steakhouse
4308 Main Street 604-905-5555

Rim Rock
2117 Whistler Road 604-932-5565

Morgan's
Creekside 604-932-3010


Pub/Bistro/Grill

Cinnamon Bear
4050 Whistler Way 604-932-1982

Citta's Bistro
4271 Village Stroll 604-932-4177

Earl's Bistro
4295 Blackcomb Way 604-935-3222

Fifty Two
80 Bistro Inside the Four Seasons 604-966-5280

Garibaldi Lift Co.
2320 London Lane 604-905-2220

The Brewhouse
4355 Blackcomb Way 604-905-2739

Palmer's Gallery & Grill
4010 Whistler Way 604-932-3282

Mongolie Grill
4295 Blackcomb Way 604-938-9416

Ric's Grill
4154 Village Green 604-932-7427

Dusty's Bar & Grill
2320 London Lane 604-905-2171

Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub
Inside the Pan Pacific 604-905-4047

Lakeside Lounge
2131 Lake Placid Road 605-966-5705


West Coast

Araxi Restaurant & Bar
4222 Village Square 604-932-4540

Aubergine Grille
4090 Whistler Way 604-935-4338

Crab Shack
Beside the Coast Hotel 604-932-4451

Evergreens Restaurant
4050 Whsitler Way 604-932-7346

La Bocca
4232 Village Stroll 604-932-2112

Milestones
4308 Main Street 604-938-4648

La Rua
4557 Whistler Way 604-932-5011

Wildflower Restaurant
4599 Chateau Blvd 604-938-2033

Christine's
4545 Blackcomb Way 604-938-7473

Earl's Restaurant
605-935-3222

Jordan's Crossing
2131 Lake Placid Road 605-966-5705

JC's Cafe & Deli
2131 Lake Placid Road 605-966-5705

Transworld Snowboarding Interview - Caught Up with JP Solberg

How's it going all just wanted to share an interview conducted by Transworld Snowboarding Magazine on JP Solberg, one of my favouite riders. Since JP Solberg has been let go by Burton, big mistake, along with Romain De Marchi and DCP he is now sounding off in the interview. I can't believe they dismantlement and discontinued the UnInc product line and team. Any how here is the interview....enjoy.

Caught Up with JP Solberg

The Solberg duo of brothers Stian and JP rolled through the offices the other day to catch a little Cali sun before heading back to Norway for some downtime. JP just got back from a surf trip in Indonesia carrying home an extra friend—a little stomach-wrenching parasite. One thing he didn’t come home with though, is a board sponsor. This kid’s off Burton and just reppin’ Nixon and Active now and he’s hungry for some support. With a stack of banger video parts and some of the smoothest backcountry blasting, he won’t be rollin’ sans sponsor for long…

So you’re no longer on Burton. Did the departure come as a shock or did you see it coming?

The thing about those people is that you don’t really know what they want to do. There are so many people pulling strings in different directions and that was one of the more frustrating things about being with such a big company. You never really know where you’re going, or what direction. But you know I’ve had the best years of my life riding for that company so I’m not going to be bitter about anything. And you know it’s not my company and I don’t make the decisions there. And in this case change is good and I’m really looking forward to new challenges and working with new people. You live in a bubble when you work for Burton you know, but I want to be proof that there is actually life after Burton. I felt that over the years a lot of riders are scared when they’re with Burton because what do you do after? But there is life after and I want to be the epitome of that.

How has this affected your take on snowboarding?

I’m the most stoked on snowboarding that I’ve ever been. Part of growing up is realizing how grateful you have to be for the opportunity to travel around and enjoy what you’re doing. I think when you’re a kid and everything is going so fast you don’t really get to stop and think about what is actually going on. Looking back it’s been so rad. I don’t want to stop doing this. So hopefully I can move forward as fast as possible and get back on snow. I can’t wait to go snowboarding with my friends. With Burton they kept me so busy, and I look at all my friends who ride for other companies and they’re just chillin’ you know. I’ve always seen myself on their note, but with Burton they just run you hard. It gives you a little bit of work ethic, but I don’t see anything being harder than riding for Burton. I mean fuck it, I’m not in the machine anymore, I’m not locked down in the matrix, I’m breakin’ free!

Do you have any film projects lined up for next winter?

Next winter I really want to stick with Justin [Hostynek] and Absinthe. I really found my way back to that crew and they put me on in the beginning and gave me a chance and it just worked out really good with Transcendence. This year I had a really good year and got to be injury–free. People thought that I was taking a break from snowboarding, but it was just because my body wouldn’t allow me to ride. If you look at other sports, there’s like this whole system of people that want to help you get better and get you back into what ever you’re doing. Whether it’s football, soccer or any kind of sport if you get hurt, then these people come in and tell you what to do so you can continue down that path you’re already on. But with snowboarding, I’ve found that when you get hurt, a lot of people are like “alright, next” ‘cause there’s always someone next in line ready to come up.

Snowboard Video Games

What's going on fellow riders! Over the last two months I have seen two new video games come up regarding snowboarding. Now I know what your thinking, not another Cool Boarders game. No these two games actually look really good. These games somewhat capture real life snowboarding from just cruising to hitting up the backcountry. I guess they would be similar to the Tony Hawk series, which have amazing game play.

The first is Shawn White's snowboarding game by Ubisoft for PS3, Wii and PC. Here are some key Features of Shaun White Snowboarding for Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 system, and PC:

- Open World Mountains Choose how you ride in open-world mountains across the world. Conquer extreme peak conditions, create your own paths in the back country, or compete with fellow riders in the terrain parks.

- Your Friends Are Always Around Play in a world where your friends are always around. Do your own runs on mountains populated by real gamers, or join your friends for a quick session from any mountain.

- More than Just Snowboarding Have fun with your friends on and off the board! Throw snowballs, hike to access secret spots, film your friends doing ripping tricks. You can also upload your videos online to share with the world.

- Ride Your Way Express yourself through tricks, riding styles, and highly customizable avatars – both in single-player and in the online world. Use the intuitive dual analog control to pull off a huge variety of tricks that express your style.

- Next-Gen Technology Built on the Assassin's Creed engine, this game creates a massive world with gorgeous visuals and realistic NPC interactions. This is also the first time a snowboarding game is completely driven by physics instead of animation.





The second snowboarding video destine to hit stores for the holidays is Stoked for the Xbox 360 by Destineer. I'm really exsited about this game because Destineer was working together with Absinthe Films. In Stoked, craft a snowboarding career with your own customizable style and ride five famous mountains featuring over 45 square miles of open terrain in each location. Discover new drop points by helicopter. Dynamic and ever-evolving weather conditions await riders as they choose where they ride and what they ride in by tracking conditions that suit their tastes.

Riders get instant drop in access to multiplayer action where they team up with friends to create a wide variety of riding experiences, both cooperative and competitive. Players can also go up against other riders on Xbox LIVE in a series of sponsored events to boost their fame!

Stoked features some of the most influential professional riders in the world: Travis Rice, Nicolas Mueller, Wolle Nyvelt, Annie Boulanger, Romain de Marchi, Tadashi Fuse, Gigi Ruef, and Bjorn Leines. An impressive line up of 30 authentic sponsors also appear in Stoked including but not limited to: Burton, Dragon, Arcus, Von Zipper, Eleven, 686, Billabong, DaKine, Electric, LibTech, Nitro, Northwave, Oakley, Quiksilver, Ride, Hart, Rome, Salomon, TechNine, Vans, Volcom, and more!

You can also Own trick spots, show up rivals, and build your reputation. Take pictures of friends and capture video of your best moves to win the kind of attention that lands you on the cover of a snowboarding magazine. Conquer massive mountains and carve your path as a snowboarding phenomenon in the deepest, truest backcountry snowboarding video game

Whistler Night Clubs and Pubs

Below is a listing of all the Clubs and Pubs in Whistler for your partying needs after a day on the slopes.

Maxx Fish

Maxx Fish draws a hipster crowd of visitors and locals with its mix of house, R&B, funk and hip hop music. In addition to the DJs spinning for the crowd there are air hockey and foosball tables to keep patrons busy. Wednesday's get packed as it is local’s night so it's a good idea to get there early.

Address: Whistler Village Square Whistler BC Canada V0N 1B0
Telephone 1 604 932-1904
http://www.maxxfish.moonfruit.com/


Cinnamon Bear Bar

The Cinnamon Bear Bar is an upscale bar conveniently located in Whistler Village. Patrons can enjoy a drink, some tasty food and a game of pool in a sophisticated environment.

Address: 4050 Whistler Way Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 932-1982


Garibaldi Lift Co. (GLC)

Located at the base of the Whistler Village Gondola, the Garibaldi Lift Co. (or GLC) brings in Whistler's hippest visitors for apres-ski. A unique tapas menu is available and specialty martinis are served alongside imported beers. Later in the evening, reggae and ambient house music acts as the soundtrack to the snowboard and ski videos playing in the background.

Address: Box 67, 2320 London Lane Whistler BC Canada V0N 1B0
Telephone 1 604 905-2220


Tommy Africa's

Tommy Africa's features a wide array of music, with hip hop, r & b, top 40, house and more getting the dance floor jumping. Tommy Africa's often brings in DJ's from around the world.

Address: #101 - 4216 Gateway Drive Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 932-6090
http://www.tommyafricas.com/


Garfinkel’s Night Club

Garfinkel’s Night Club is one of the premeire nightclubs in Whistler. Open seven days a week, Garfinkel's offers different theme nights, live concerts and more.

Address: #1 - 4308 Main Street Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 932-2323
http://www.garfswhistler.com/


Savage Beagle Bar

The Savage Beagle Bar is one of Whistler's hottest nightspots, located in the heart of Whistler Village. Popular with tourists and locals, the Savage Beagle is known for their fresh-squeezed juice martinis.

Address: 4222 Village Square Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 938-3337


Moe Joe’s

This locally-owned nightclub features a mix of live music and DJ's. The casual atmosphere makes it a popular place for parties and stags.

Address: 4115 Golfers Approach Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 935-1152
http://www.moejoes.com/


Crystal Lounge

More of a laid-back pub than a lounge, this bar offers specials most nights of the week along with a regular menu of traditional pub snacks and reasonably priced drinks. Crystal Lounge is one of a number of establishments in Whistler to watch sports on big screen TVs.

Address: 4154 Village Green Whistler BC Canada V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 938-1081


Longhorn Saloon & Grill

The Longhorn Saloon & Grill is located in between the Blackcomb and Whistler gondolas, making it a great place for people watching. They serve standard pub fare and often have live DJ's spinning the latest party music.

Address: 4280 Mountain Square Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 932-5999
http://www.longhornsaloon.ca/


Buffalo Bills

Mainstream music gelled perfectly with the classics, a huge dance floor that begs you to let your hair down, and an energy that hits you the second you walk in the door!

Telephone: 1 604 932-6613
http://www.buffalobills.ca/


Merlin's

Boasting that it has the most famous patio in Whistler, Merlin's is busy throughout the day as it is family-friendly until 7pm and offers a number of apres-ski food and drink specials. Things get wild after dark with a range of fun activities such as karaoke, big-screen sports, theme parties and table-top dancing.

Address: Blackcomb Daylodge at the Base of the Wizard Chairlift on Blackcomb Mountain
Telephone: 1 604 938-7700


Black's Pub

Black's Pub is located in Whistler Village, within the Sundial Boutique Hotel. The pub is a popular spot for apres-ski drinkers and after a day of adventure the large outdoor patio is a great place to enjoy one of the 90 different beers available.

Address: 4270 Mountain Square Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 932-6945
http://www.whistlerpubrestaurant.com/


Tapley’s Neighbourhood Pub

Tapley’s Neighbourhood Pub was founded in 1981 and is one of Whistler's original watering holes. Tapley's hosts a variety of sports nights, showcasing North American and international sports.

Address: 4119 Golfers Approach Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 932-4011


Amsterdam Cafe Pub

Amsterdam Cafe Pub is one of Whistler's top spots to see and be seen. The bar's interior is decorated in a Euro-pop style, music is always pumping from the sound system and the there is an often-busy patio overlooking the Village Square. This pub is a great place to check out with friends after a day on the hill.

Address: 4232 Village Stroll Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 932-8334
http://www.amsterdampub.moonfruit.com/


Whistler Brewhouse

The High Mountain BrewHouse serves food with a northwestern flavour. All lagers and ales are brewed on the premises, with tours being offered Wednesdays and Saturdays at 3pm. The pub boasts two pool tables, 14 TVs, a big screen, two fireplaces and a sunny patio.

Address: 4355 Blackcomb Way (beside Municipal Hall) Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 905-2739
http://www.drinkfreshbeer.com/whistler.html


Brandy's at the Keg

Feel like a serious meal? Try Brandy's for a hearty meal of steak and potatoes. With space for 160 people, HDTVs and a long list of cocktails, Brandy's is a great place to relax after hitting the slopes.

Address: 4429 Sundial Place Whistler BC CAN V0N 1B0
Telephone 1 604 932-5151


Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub

An Authentic Irish-style pub, the Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub features nightly Celtic music, 30 draft beers and over 20 single malt scotches. Located in the Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside Hotel, the pub is popular with an apres-ski crowd looking for good beer, good food and good craic.

Address: #170 - 4320 Sundial Cresent Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 905-4047
http://www.dubhlinngate.com/


Dusty's Bar and BBQ

Popular among locals, skiers and snowboarders alike, Dusty's Bar and BBQ has both meaty and vegetarian options on the menu. The folks at the pub travelled the southern US finding tips and recipes on how to create the perfect BBQ, and a range of drinks are available to compliment each meal. Visitors can enjoy watching hockey on the big screen, listening to classic rock tunes and playing interactive trivia. The bar also features a large, sunny patio.

Address: 2320 London Lane Whistler BC Canada V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 905-2146


Citta's Bistro

Citta's (pronounced Cheetah's) Bistro is one of the original establishments within Whitsler Village. It has evolved into a popular spot for locals and tourists alike, attracting them with good food and a large outdoor patio.

Address: 4271 Village Stroll Whistler BC V0N 1B4
Telephone 1 604 932-4177

Save Trestles

Attention...Attention...Urgent Message.

Cool, now that I have you attention I want to share some information on an issue that I recently became aware of from my trip to San Clemente, California which is "SAVE TRESTLES". For my readers who are not surfers, Trestles is a famous and historical surf spot just south of San Clemente in the San Onofre State Beach.



What is occuring in this area is that the Transportation Corridor Agency is seeking to build an extension to an existing toll highway that will pass right through the coast line in the San Onofre State Beach, including Trestles Beach. If constructed this project would directly threaten the world class surf break at and around Trestles (including Uppers, Lowers, Middles, Church and Cottons), the project would also result in the destruction of Southern California’s last remaining pristine coastal watershed and substantially degrade habitat that is critical for the survival of at least seven endangered species, including the Southern Steelhead trout.

From this project of destruction came about a movement so that voices can be heard to protect this area from development called "SAVE TRESTLES".

Save Trestles website

Save Trestles....At Issue

On September 22, 2008 10:30am to 8:30pm, in O’Brien Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, the SAVE TRESTLES movement will be attending a hearing to show their strong support for San Onofre State Beach. So if you are passionate about surfing show your support for this beautiful area so that generations to come can enjoy what Trestles has to offer.

Boost Mobile Pro 2008 Final - Kelly Slater vs. Taj Burrow

Hello fellow boardsport enthusiasts just wanted to share with you some of the best competition surfing ever that when down in San Clemente, Lower Trestles, yesterday. It was 8 time ASP champ, Kelly Slater, against Taj Burrow.

The finals competition heat was 40 mins long and in the first 10 mins Taj Burrow busted out two amazing waves, 9.00 and a 9.63 out of 10 to put the pressure on Slater early. But that only seemed to fire up Slater because in the last 2 mins of the heat Kelly Slater ripped through the waves and scored a 9.27 to beat Taj by a total of 18.97 vs. 18.63...Slater had a 9.70 after Taj scored his high waves. It was definitely an amazing sight to see Slater work his magic in the dying mins of the competition and you can see it too in the link below.

Boost Mobile Pro 2008 Final - Kelly Slater vs. Taj Burrow

Kelly Slater is going for his unprecedented 9th ASP championship this year and it looks like he just might get....this is history in the making.

Transworld Snowboarding Good Wood 2009

The 2009 version of the Transworld Snowboarding Good Wood awards have been finalized, so with no delay here they are:

Good Wood boards > $400
1- K2 Believer
2- Nitro Wiig
3- Burton Uninc
4- Nitro Team
5- Ride DH
6- Lib Tech Skate Banana Series
7- Salomon Official
8- DC MLF
9- Gnu Riders Choice BTX
10- Rome Mod


Good Wood boards < $400
1- Burton Hero
2- Gnu Carbon Beam MTX
3- K2 Darkstar
4- Capita Stairmaster
5- Nitro T1
6- Stepchild Powder Sucks
7- Forum Substance
8- Salomon Drift
9- Technine Team Gooner
10- Rossignol Retox


Good Wood boards Woman > $400
1- Gnu B-Pro BTX
2- Rossignol Diva Mag
3- Rome Lo-Fi
4- Roxy Eminence BTX
5- K2 Fling
6- Forum Craft
7- Lib Tech TRS BTX
8- Burton Stria
9- Ride Canvas
10- Flow Myriad


Good Wood boards Woman < $400
1- Technine Womens Jib
2- Forum Spinster
3- Capita Saturnia
4- Roxy Ollie Pop
5- Gnu B-Nice MTX
6- K2 VaVaVoom Rocker
7- Atomic Fallen Angel
8- Burton Blender
9- Salomon Lily
10- Rome Detail


Good Wood boards Pipe
1- Burton Vapor
2- Gnu Danny Kass BTX
3- Capita FCG
4- Forum Seeker
5- Flow WX

Whistler 2008 / 2009 Seasons Pass Math

Now that the 2008 / 2009 Whistler season passes on up for sale and the early bird special price is valid until October 13, 2008, I just wanted to share some insight on which pass to buy. I know this is a bit much but it might help in trying to decide which pass to get for the season.

Whistler Seasons Pass Link

This year seasons pass at Whistler has gone up again by about $100 or so. Also with the addition of the Peak to Peak there are two type of passes and tickets, with Peak to Peak include and without, so here goes. Below is a matrix of the the different types of pass available and the number days you will need to pay off your pass. Note all costs are based on the early bird pass pricing and is compared to the Edge Card daily rate for calculation purposes.



So all in all if you are going to ski or snowboard at Whistler / Blackcomb over 26 times it is worth it to get seasons pass. I usually ride about 40 to 55 days a season at Whistler so my seasons pass is well worth the money. If you don't planning on riding more than 26 days here are some options:

- More than 20 days but less than 26 = Get two 10 day Edge Cards and pay for single day riding with the card discount

- 20 days = Get two 10 Edge Card or one 10 day and ay for single day riding with the card discount

- 15 days = Get one 10 Edge Card and one 5 Edge Card. The 15 day pass doesn't seem to be worth the price.

- Less than 15 days = Get one 10 Edge Card and pay for single day riding with the card discount

Remember all these calculations are based on the early bird pricing and is dependent on the Whistler / Blackcomb Edge Card discount schedule. So remember visit the Whistler site or contact their customer service for more information or guidance. Please note the suggestions above or just that, so I am not liable for any loss of money if you purchase any of the passes mentioned above or changes to the pricing.

Hope you all have a great season and see you in Whistler.

2009 ThirtyTwo (32) Website Up

Hello, just wanted to let you know that the 2009 ThirtyTwo, 32, snowboard boots website is up. Check it out.

Rome Snowboards - No Correct Way Premiere Live Online

I know it's last minute but I just wanted to pass on a great chance to check out Rome's new 2009 snowboarding flick, No Correct Way, live premiere online tonight. The Live webcast of the premiere starts at 9:30pm PST so go to the following link and check it out....it should be a good one.

No Correct Way Live Online

Southern California Experience

I have to say I extremely impressed with my travels in Southern California, which included San Clemente, Newport, Dan Point, San Diego, Laguna, Huntington Beach and LA. Every city was clean and the locals where really nice even in LA, which was surprising for me. One thing that stood out to me and was consistent from city to city was the service that you get in restaurants and shops. It was the best service I have ever experienced and I have traveled many places throughout the world.

Thanks Cali...I'll be back!!!

Surfing in San Clemente

While in vacationing in San Clemente I had chance to give surfing a shot. I have always loved the sport of surfing since I was a young kid. What attracted me to surfing was the aspect of connecting with your environment, traveling to exotic locations and the smooth flow of the surfing style. Now what kept me from pursuing surfing was first the obvious, I didn't live near the ocean growing up in Toronto, second I really sucked at swimming. Two main ingredients to be a good surfer. For me the closest thing to surfing was snowboarding, but in the back of my mind I always want to surf in the ocean. Don't get me wrong I love snowboarding and the mountains and that won't change....it's so much a part of who I am now.

Back to my surfing experience in San Clemente. The first day on the board I was just getting a feel for padding and trying to catch the waves. It wasn't too bad because San Clemente is one of the best places for beginner surfers and the water level where I was was not deep, about waist to should height. Also I read on the net that beginners should start learning to surf in the white waters of the waves, which is basicly the tail end of the wave cycle. I did pretty good for my first day, almost fully stood up and rode away. The next couple of days I did much better, started to get use to popping and standing on the board with a little more confidence in the white waters. One my last day I wanted to try to get more in the wave rather than the tail end white waters...boy was that a mistake. Each time I tried to catch the wave like a more seasoned rider I got slammed by the wave, and let me tell you it was the hardest falls I have ever experienced. The waves energy is really powerfull even if they are not that large. Boy was I hurting the day after.

Overall I was proud of myself for trying surfing even though I'm not the best swimmer and it looks like I will be doing alot more surfing in the future here in BC, Tofino, and in SoCal in San Clemente...my new favourite place. Also I going to take some surf lessons, most likely in Torfino, so I can really learn the fundaments to be a better surfer. If you have the chance give surfing a shot, it's a really unquie experience and it's not as scary as I thought is was going to be.