12 months ago

About this time a year ago we were in the middle of the Ether tour. Kidman, Richard Kenvin and myself had driven up to the Santa Cruz/SF area for some shows and it was a stormer of a time. Alex at Aqua made the SF night genius, we hung with Danny Hess and then had a brilliant night with the Santa Cruz folks, Patrick Trefz ringleading all the way and winding up in an insane Italian restaurant with some of the most entertaining people I've ever met. We then nearly froze in the Trefz basement and had to hit the road early to get to Rincon as Skip Frye was there celebrating his 50th year of surfing. To be honest, I had no desire to go. I'd driven a lot the last couple of weeks, I wanted to warm up, sleep, enjoy Santa Cruz and then see what sort of amazing lunch Trefz would provide, but we were back in the van and away. Skip's mana was working- we made Rincon by early afternoon through the lightest traffic I've ever encountered on the drive south, entertained by a genius Kenvin monologue. Thrashed as we were, the water was restoring and I sat and laughed and watched Kidman, Skip and his Japanese surf team killing it, even managing a few waves in there. I sat on the shoulder and RK got a few as the sun went and it was an incredible day, one of the best in what became a rough year. Skip is a force of nature, long may he ride. Here he is prepping an 11 footer while some slack jawed fool with a board half that length marvels.

There is some good stuff on the way- Swift Soup Kitchen on the 23rd, Mackie's back in the shaping bay, T-shirts are coming very soon and I thank you profoundly for your attention. Please stick with us for another year.