On our journey south, in search of warmer weather, we stopped in to the beach town of Santa Cruz, California.  Although we only stayed 2 days, this area has rekindled my love with everything about surfing, skateboarding and “California”.  As a kid, I was obsessed with the life of surfing, buying surf magazines and surfing apparel – including way too many pastel OP shirts, bought at the local farmer’s flea market.  You would think that we lived in a beach town, but no, I grew up in the Ottawa valley, far from the ocean swells and pipeline barrels.  The occasional trip to Florida would send me to Ron John’s Surf shop to wander the aisles, acquire a few new stickers and imagine myself surfing.  My actual surfing experience is limited to my trip to the Islands of Nias and Bali in Indoneasia in 1996  – sounds cool, and I guess it actually was.  My skateboarding life is one that I can fondly think back upon – until it was just uncool.  My friend’s and I would cruise the streets late at night, build and skate jumps, half/quarter pipes, and master the “peeing while skating” trick.  Ah, the memories.

Now, the full circle – here in Santa Cruz, my two daughters (8 and 5) have bought their first skateboards, boogieboard and wetsuit tops.  Along with my new long board, we plan to skate the streets and surf the surf.  Now, if I can only figure out how to pass on my finest and best trick…