Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Surfrider Foundation Santa Cruz Chapter

Coming back to Northern California I was super excited to hook up with the Santa Cruz Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, and I am so stoked on the great group of activists that I met so far and all of the amazing things that they are doing with chapter. When I first became a member of the Surfrider Foundation back in the early 90's, I always was passionate about protecting the beaches that I loved in Santa Cruz, and it is such a cool feeling to come back full circle as an adult and to be able to be an active member of my hometown chapter again.

Since I've been back I've made it to several beach cleanups, and attended some great events, and met some great activists! I am stoked super stoked at how welcoming the Santa Cruz Chapter has been, and if you are in the Santa Cruz or Bay Area I highly encourage you to get involved! You can like the facebook page, and check out the Chapter's website for more info, and I look forward to many more years of protection and enjoyment of our oceans, waves, and beaches!






Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Baja 2012

The hurricane crew was running on one vehicle "play it safe" skeleton crew mode down in Baja Sur, and for the first time in many years in Mexico I avoided personal bodily harm. I did not fall off of a cliff, get stung by a stingray, get stuck upside down on a 100 foot waterfall, fall down a flight of stairs, get robbed at gunpoint, roll a truck, get attacked by bees, or any of the other semi-disastrous occurrences that plagued me South of the border. Instead, great surf, great times with great buddies, and made some great friends. I even avoided the multiple scorpion attempts to sting me on the final day of the trip which has been known to be the most deadly (i.e. only pinch me vs. getting the stinger around to my hand), and decided against the last day of the trip "token shower" and managed to avoid the huge snake in the cantina bathroom. What more could guy ask for? How about a video inspired by the OG Magnus Frennmark? Soundtrack includes The Dirty Heads, Mason Jennings, Miike Snow (remix), and Foster the People (remix). Live Happily Ever Now!


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Majestic Big Sur

Big Sur is one of those places that makes you realize how unimportant things like phones, tv, and other normal everyday what we think are "problems" are in the grand scheme of things. It was fun camping with lifelong friends, and being "cold" for a change. Let's just hope that nobody falls in the river because I bet those shoes would smell bad... Live Happily Ever Now!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Back To NorCal For The Win

We are about a month into our Northern California homecoming and life indeed is pretty sweet on PST. A little bit of sensory overload at this point, but so excited to be starting our wonderful new chapter in the area I grew up in. Also stoked to be in an area that is Green (compost and trash options at Costco and nearly everywhere), and looking forward to hooking up with the Santa Cruz Chapter of Surfrider in September. Live Happily Ever Now.

Border Crossing

Sadie's first look at the West Coast

NorCal Fire

Surf City Sorta (AKA Capitola)

Unlike Texas, CA Beach Rules...

Hiking in South Bay

Mountain Journey

Giants! Timmy Full Moon Heat

At Home - Beach - Friends

Life Is Better With Best Buddy's Birthday Bash And Daughter

Loose Leaf Bliss

Getting Used to CA Beaches


Support CA State Parks

Right Back Where We Started From

Nice Left

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Live Happily Ever Now

6 years ago in June was undoubtedly the worst month of my life. Not only did my sweet Momma pass away, but I was not in a good place in my life overall (you grows up and you grows up). 6 years later looking back, I could not imagine a more different place to be in. Happily married, good job, moving back to California to be with family and friends (and the beach), finding my inner activist with Surfrider, being a better person; and while I still think of my mom everyday (as well as dreams both good and bad alike), most of the thoughts involve smiles instead of tears when I think of her. Here are the lyrics and video from The Transplants "Sad But True", a great song that has gotten me through some tough times.



When the fog comes through the golden gate
And the moon shines on the bay
And everything has changed
Now that you have gone away
Things are getting darker
And it's harder for me to see
And now you're an angel
Lookin over me

Back up back up
Its what you get beat up keyed up this rocky road

Sad but true but the list is too long
If i had to name you all it wouldn't be fit in this song
This magnums got me thinkin and it's making me pissed
Your lives were taken to early and you will always be missed
All the mothers who cry and the fathers who mourn
For every lifes that taken there's another child born
That doesn't make it better and it doesn't make it right
Im just thankful everyday that you came in my life

Back up back up
Its what you get beat up keyed up this rocky road

In a dream you take a trip
Down Shattuck to Durant
Up the hill, to the steps, Sproul Plaza and Telegraph
You pass Channing you pass Derby
You go to Ashby down to Adeleine
Take mlk to fifty-fourth and go down
To Genoa yeah and follow the bart tracks
To Harmon street ahhh Harmon street
Harmon street Harmon street
Yeah it's reoccurring it's like a dream
I live a thousand times yeah
And it's always like the very first time

As time goes on i can never forget
All the times we had memories i protect
Seems like yesterday when i last saw your face
You're no longer here and no one can replace
All the times we had wish they could happen again
I'll hold you in my heart in my heart to the end
If i could make a change it'd be me not you
So hard to sit and cope, so sad but true

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Falls on Bull Creek - Lunch Win

Cubicles got you down? No problem, less than 2 miles from the office lies the Falls on Bull Creek. Fresh off some rain this can be a great cool down spot in the Austin summer heat! Make sure that you bring your 4x4 vehicle to get past the water sections.... ;) Dan is the king of inspiration for mid day weekday cool downs! Wayall!







Friday, June 1, 2012

San Jose Heritage Rose Garden

Growing up my Pop used to take us to watch planes land, and to this day I'm always looking up for planes flying overhead. Fast forward to today, I was stoked when we decided to visit the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, where we were not only able to see the planes rush by, but we also could smell over 3,000 types of roses (depending on the season) while doing it. It was a fun place to visit on a beautiful afternoon in sunny San Jose, and in a world where technology runs my life, it was nice to stop and smell the roses.








Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Port A Camping Trip

One of my favorite things to do in Texas is enjoy the beach (surfing and horseshoes come to mind), the only bad thing is I live in Austin and this is not a day trip under most circumstances. Luckily for me my birthday lines up on the same weekend as the GLO's first Adopt-A-Beach cleanup, so I can make it a weekend camping trip and give back to help protect the beaches that I love so much. We had a great crew that consisted of family, friends, fellow members from the Surfrider Foundation Central Texas Chapter (made some new friends as well), and of course my dog Sadie. Here are some pictures from the trip taken on my birthday present the GoPro2, and on a side note keep an eye on your keys when you are drinking whiskey on the beach, you never know where they may end up...









Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Surfrider Central Texas Chapter Lady Bird Lake Cleanup

This Saturday we will be holding our second Lady Bird Lake cleanup of 2012 with Keep Austin Beautiful. Considering the weather will be about 45 degrees warmer than our last cleanup in January, we are anticipating another great turnout! If you ever have thought about volunteering I highly encourage it, it is a great way to connect with other like minded people while helping to protect our wonderful city for future generations. For more information check out our website, and you can always touch base with me if you have any questions.

Braving the cold in January

Friday, March 30, 2012

The Shins SXSW 2012

The Shins put on a solid set at the Google Parking lot (the afternoon is a good time for The Shins), and being a fan of James Mercer and Garden State both made this a great show for me. Also enjoyed the great ambiance with the Capitol building as the backdrop.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says (SXSW 2012)

I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed after Mos Def backed out of the Google Parking Lot gig leaving Blackstar incomplete, but it was a pleasant surprise to see Pharoahe Monch up on stage with Talib Kweli performing "Simon Says". This song brings me back to the Boiler Room days, so go ahead rub on your _______________.

Monday, March 26, 2012

The Dirty Heads - Spread Too Thin (SXSW 2012)

The Dirty Heads at Wahoo's
After planning for 6 or 7 showcases on Saturday night, I was thrown a SXSW curveball when Wahoo's Fish Taco decided to reveal their four day secret show lineup that included The Dirty Heads on Saturday night. This cancelled my previous planning, as I am a huge fan of The Dirty Heads and Wahoo's.

It was pretty cool to see such a great lineup at Wahoo's where we normally are holding our Surfrider Central Texas Chapter monthly meetings. If you are interested in giving back to our beautiful city and coast (Texas has 367 miles of coastline), I strongly encourage you to attend one of our Chapter meetings, where we discuss upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. Also, I couldn't be more stoked on Jeff and the entire crew at Wahoo's for bringing in such great bands for SXSW, and for always being so hospitable to Surfrider and yours truly during all of our events and meetings throughout the year.

Spread Too Thin
Me, Neil and my "little" bro Walt






Going on our 4th day of SXSW festivities (all day, all night), Wahoo's kept the momentum going with a free keg of Dos Equis flowing when we arrived. Mix that in with a couple of their margaritas (maybe a bulldog or two) and it was good time with lots of good people at this event. The Dirty Heads played 4 or 5 songs off of their upcoming album, including the new single "Spread Too Thin". They had the whole place rocking with their customary lead off song "Neighborhood", along with a solid mix of songs off of their first album Any Port In a Storm, including one of my personal favorites "Check The Level". It was a great setlist, and am looking forward to their new album coming out later this year. I managed to take some Flip footage, and big thanks to Wahoo's and The Dirty Heads for an awesome conclusion to SXSW!

The Dirty Heads - Spread Too Thin (SXSW at Wahoo's Fish Taco)