Malibu/Surfrider Beach, CA

... they had some large hurricane swells on both coasts this past week that produced some pretty good waves - Malibu's 'Surfrider Beach' got the most publicity largely because of the antics of veteran pro surfers 'Laird Hamilton' and 'Alan Sarlo' "shredding the place" which included some impressive runs "shooting" the spans between the pylons that support 'Malibu Pier'... everybody on the beach must have had a video camera...

(Internet Photo - 'Ron Berkes Photography')

... very cool shot here - 'Hamilton' upper on 'SUP' board - looks like he almost had to duck - 'Sarlo' the lower of the two... mind ya' that Hamilton is now 50 years in age and Sarlo probably around 56... was hangin' out in a bookstore in Annapolis, MD years ago and came across this photo book titled 'Ageless Athletes' - chronicled age 50+ (and mostly 60' and 70's) climbers, hikers, skiers, surfers, martial arts, runners, body builders etc - came away impressed by the physical appearance of the surfers and climbers in particular - not so the runners sad to say - sure that they were in good shape but most looked like they wouldn't have made good stock for a bowl of beef noodle soup... wish that I would have bought the book - now can't even find it on-line...


... pretty good 'YouTube' video as well - don't know who photographed/edited it, but includes some nice 'Quadcopter' footage...

... was out there in 2010 with 'buddy Matt' and 'Laide' - that's 'Malibu Pier' then...

... typical surf conditions...

 ... maybe 3ft to 4ft swells...

 

... great!...

... first exposure to 'Stand Up Paddleboards' (SUP) - well, actually, a few days earlier further down the coast at 'Huntingdon Beach'...

... believe it or not - either direction...

... hardly a soul on the beach - not complaining...

... more 'Pelicans' than people...

... mainly hangin' near the mouth of the 'Lagoon'...

 
... many 'Seagulls...

... some type of small 'Sand Crab'...

... unidentified "Sea Creature"...

... the overlooking 'Malibu Hills' - lots of "low income housing" up there we bet... 'Laird Hamilton' owns a "beach shack" up there somewhere - as well as one in 'Hawaii'... what a bum!...

... 'Laide' and 'Foxy'...

... 'Matt' strollin' through the sand...

... just got off the phone with him, actually - doin' real well just after this latest 'surgery' - one tough guy!...

... a final surf shot for Matt...

... Edit 09/06/14... found one more brilliant 'YouTube' video from 'Dual Hemisphere Media'...

... great left facing barrel ride at around 2:20...

Return to Balance

... man - just got over around six weeks of 'Giardia' ( look it up - sucks!)... summer chest cold the past two weeks... what next - so was gonna' take it easy today ... 'Tim' and 'Li'l Buddy' gives me a call around 2PM today.... "hey man, we're headin' out to the beach... come on out"... "OK! - see ya' there"....

... 'return to balance'...

... 'ditto'...

... cool stuff...

... Laura finding "balance" on the water - broken ankle and all...

... 'Li'l Buddy...

... the 'artist' at work...

... he's havin' a pretty good day... 

... in spite of all the wind...

... more creations...

... this ones pretty amazing...

... these things look like people from off in the distance - Tim said that he was talkin' to a fisherman last week who told him that he was downstream a-ways - didn't want to venture up any further to avoid bothering the guy he spotted already fishing upstream - after seeing the figure not moving for a long period of time he decided to venture on up - it was one of the 'stoneheads' (an old name for these things)... this ones keepin' his eye on Tim...

... that's an 'NRS Big Earl' inflatable paddleboard that Laura's havin' fun on - a pretty nice board for the river...

"Two Tough !!##!!" ...

.... this past Friday evening with 'Matt and Stinky'... just the way it is folks...

... edit 08/25 - got hollered at again...

Mountain Machines

... bought this cool little 4WD Suzuki SX4 off the "showroom floor" back in 2008... great little "daily driver"... oil pump failed around this past April - blew a hole through the engine block that you could easily poke three fingers through... man, other than some minor issues (which the dealer or Suzuki, or both, jumped right on) always been a great car - cool lookin' as well... around 30MPG with five speed manual transmission and lock-in 4WD ta' boot... but now what ta' do??!!... "Blue Book" around 5K ... scrap value probably $300... replace engine around 3K cost to get back on the road...

... in the process of searching on-line with regard to options for a "fix", found these guys in Colorado - 'Rocky Road Outfitters' - http://www.rocky-road.com/index2.html, who sold a (+/- 2.5") lift kit for this thing... f*k it... might as well spend a few "bucks" and build a "toy"...

... to make a long story short, bought the lift - replaced engine with new factory "short block" (Autoland Suzuki - Uniontown PA) - dropped off the car, along with some "ideas", at 'Pro Trucks' http://www.protrucksandcars.net/ in Murrysville, PA to install the lift and come up with a wheel/tire combination that fit the "plan"...

... after a bit of "trial and error" fitting components, along with some minor body modifications, here's the result...

... very cool!!

... it turned out that Jeff and the boys (and Mary Lou) at Pro Trucks were more into the project than me - the original plan (my idea) was to install 29x10.5x15 'Super Swamper' tires mounted on 15x8 'Pro Comp' wheels - turned out to be way to big without some serious body modification/cutting...

... I got out of the way and let Jeff run with it - had a good idea and he deals with a good supplier who was willing to work thru the bit of "trial and error" to complete the "project"...

... anyway, 'Hankook DynaPro M/T's' on 'ProComp' 15x7 rims... the rest is top secret regarding fit... call Jeff at 'Pro Comp'...

... 'Rocky Road' SX4 Lift Kit - install by 'Pro Trucks'...

... looked at an optional flat black paint job - cost more than the car!!!!... f*k that... installed a few "graphics" bought off 'Amazon' for around $20...

... ditto...

... obligatory "Death Proof" skull and lasers...

... good girl...

... bad girl...

... one bad ass "Zuki" in our opinion...

... ha!... got us searching the "archives"...

... an old 'Dodge Power Wagon Macho' - purchased off the showroom floor in '78 for $5700!! - first new vehicle ever owned... only existing photo of the original... ignore the young "dickhead" in the photo...

(internet photo)

... better internet photo - short bed - 360ci engine - everything factory - suspension, wheels. tires, paint - Chryslers last hurrah - brilliant engineering... piece of sh*t from the factory floor, though... returned this thing to the dealer for everything from the windshield leaking (a sieve - never got fixed), doors wouldn't latch, front driveshaft yolk snapped at 8k miles, exhaust fell of at 150 miles!... bad-ass when off road and running, though - all the while being driven by a 22 year old "psycho"... was abusing it - that's what the dealer always said when I returned it for repairs... reflecting back after all these years years, however, I would have to say that we both had our issues - him more than me, though (HA!)...

... REAL POWER WAGONS!!...

(internet photo)

... these things were designed by guys who kicked Hitlers engineers asses...

(internet photo)

... bad boy!!...

(internet photo)

... "pavement queen"... not!!..

(internet photo)

... "swivel frame" - saved our guys asses in the Pacific in WWII - know an old guy or two (WWII vets) who picked these things up at old army surplus auctions for $50!!!!... back in the day...

 

(internet photo)

... Ha! - "electric windshield wipers" - just one of the features of this "old boy"...

(Internet photo)

... !!!!....

... Mini Machines...

... a very young "buddy Matt" on a 'Yamaha 125' - that's the Yough River Trail access at 'Wheeler Bottom' long before the bike trail was built - there's still RR ties/rails up there at this (then) time...

... man on the "Moon"...

... edit... 08/17...

... found some cool "Power Wagon facts"...

 ...http://www.vintagemotorcarsusa.com/Details_new.php?id=228... 

.... if there were only 40+ of these things (swivel frame) built way back then, then I'm privileged for just goin' for a ride long ago...