Anyone else get some today...?

[jtran10]

Don’t know about GF beers. Some might.

Get coffee and breakfast treat at Companion (can she eat buckwheat) rent bikes, access the Route 1 bike path and ride the mile to Wilder.

Head up the right hand Englishmen Loop. straight at intersection, look for right turn onto Lost Cabin. Take right on Eucalyptus Loop to top. (For longest ride, left on Eucalyptus, Enchanted Loop, then continue climb back on Euca). Right onto ? Trail up to Empire Grade. This gives you access to campus.

Before crossing the road, there is a single track just inside the fence going to right or down hill. This is Mailboxes. Great flow on the top, with optional jumps and features. Two steep technical sections. At bottom head right and then right to get back into Wilder. Follow left to get to field near lower High St. semi legal.

Over on campus only the fire roads are legal. All the single track is biked a lot. I’ll get you some info on those. There are a few sweet runs that connect down to U-Conn or Rincon, back to Emma McCray (which is a great flow-y downhill) ride to parking lot, down to Rt 9, up through Costco and the bike path that goes up to Escalona Drive. City ride back to rental place. I’m on the route. Stop in and say hello.

Another option in Wilder is to loop back down Bowman (?) toward 4 Mile beach and then ride bluff trails to 3 Mile and back into Wilder Ranch. Not technical or exciting along the cliffs, but pretty.

I also liked Cow Bell(?) and Horse Trail.

More later.

Thanks for all the tips (again).

[ate'em]

Stoke to share! It's been three long dry months living way to close to a way to pacific Pacific, but I got a nice surf in this morning in Ventura. Nothing perfect, but everything magic. Sunny day let me wear the 3/2, nice view of the islands from the light offshores, and lines rolling down the point at low tide. Yes please.

Rode the new board that I've been looking at for a month. First time I've gotten a board custom shaped. 8'0" mini-longboard, setup 2+1. It did it all. Knee paddles out to the lineup, sharp bottom turns, snaps off the top, and then enough foam to get forward and noseride a nice clean wall down the beach. So stoked. So so stoked.

[jtran10]

Looks like we need to eat 30 meals in town to scratch the surface

[Ottime]

Looks like you missed Johnny Harborside.

Anyway, Cowells is in better condition than I thought. It needs some solid swell to get in there right now, but the 8@12 was making thigh to stomach high rollers with even a few standing up. About 120 yard rides, occasionally longer. But certainly a log wave.

Weather patterns been good for swell generation recently. As well as holding back the typical spring on shores. Looks like they should be rolling through all month. Perhaps you’ll score some quality.

[jtran10]

Looks like you missed Johnny Harborside.

Anyway, Cowells is in better condition than I thought. It needs some solid swell to get in there right now, but the 8@12 was making thigh to stomach high rollers with even a few standing up. About 120 yard rides, occasionally longer. But certainly a log wave.

Weather patterns been good for swell generation recently. As well as holding back the typical spring on shores. Looks like they should be rolling through all month. Perhaps you’ll score some quality.

120 yard log rides sound good to me. I guess one thing that hasn't been covered was rental shops near Cowells? I'd imagine there are shops with foamboards everywhere near the wharf.

[Ottime]

Yup.

I’ve got a log and a Costco foamy you’re welcome to borrow as well.

The log is a ‘63 Rick. Barely any rocker, huge concave through the tail and big ass skeg. Weighs about 30#. It is a log.

[jtran10]

Yup.

I’ve got a log and a Costco foamy you’re welcome to borrow as well.

The log is a ‘63 Rick. Barely any rocker, huge concave through the tail and big ass skeg. Weighs about 30#. It is a log.

We'll be in a "Kia Rio or similiar" so not sure if we can get the board(s) from your house to the beach, but I'll see what's up when the time comes. Appreciated!

[Ottime]

I’ve got a soft rack as well. But the Rick might crush the Rio.

Got back out to Cowells yesterday just as the tide slipped below 1 foot. It was fun. Suuuuper long rides. Several from the top to the beach. We did have a solid swell. About head high on the outside, dropping to waist or even thigh by the beach.

I bet it was even better as the tide dropped negative.

It is still breaking in there but it takes swell.

[Long duc dong]

Shoulder high and fun today at 28th Street this am. Not great but I'll take it.

[Ottime]

Swell has been pretty solid up here. More on the way.

[whitekingsalmon]

South coast of Sri Lanka Goin off today... double to triple overhead...there's been solid surf every day since I got here at the beginning of the month...Greece soon.. life is good

[billyk]

Looks like we need to eat 30 meals in town to scratch the surface

Am I too late to offer SC restaurant tips?

Vasilis is a great Greek place we used to go to all the time when we lived in the area. Great chicken kebabs and garlic bread.

Right around the corner from Vasilis is the best chocolate place in the world, Richard Donnelly Chocolates. The guy makes his chocolate from scratch, and has won several awards.

And, perhaps surprisingly, there is a pretty good Chinese restaurant in Felton called Chopstixs. If you happen to be hungry and close by, it’s not a bad choice.

Also, you can eat at the club house at Pasatiempo golf course, which is not bad.

Edit: Oh, and while you are in the area, pick up a loaf of Kelly’s sourdough bread. You can find it in any of the local grocery stores, but they also have their own place Kelly’s French Bakery. It’s a little different from most of the other sourdough breads in area (which I also like), softer, milder, and highly addictive. I have to get a loaf any time I go back.

[Ottime]

+1 on Donnelly’s. Seriously good chocolates.

Those other places Billyk mentions are also good. But yeah, if your lady (or you) like chocolates it is worth checking out Donnellys

[jtran10]

Not too late billyk, heading 2 weeks from tomorrow. Thanks for the recs!

She doesn't do soy either, so hopefully Mr. Donnelly makes some soy-free chocolates. She'd love that. I will definitely buy a loaf of sourdough and bring it down to the office in SD for the week.

[billyk]

Not too late billyk, heading 2 weeks from tomorrow. Thanks for the recs!

She doesn't do soy either, so hopefully Mr. Donnelly makes some soy-free chocolates. She'd love that. I will definitely buy a loaf of sourdough and bring it down to the office in SD for the week.

I had no idea soy was commonly in chocolate. In any event, Donnelly would know every ingredient he put into them, so you could ask. I think he has a web page, too: donnellychocolates.com.

If you are interested in golf at all, Pasatiempo is a pretty historic course. It was designed by Alister Mackenzie, who also designed Augusta National and Cypress Point. Mackenzie had a house on the course, and said it was his favorite course. But maybe he was just trying to sell real estate.

If you drive through the neighborhood, you can see a large number of the holes from the street, or close by. But maybe you’d have to be a golf nut to do that ☺️. I also have some beta on how to walk the course at Pebble Beach, which I did several times, if you are interested.

But enough of golf. You are coming to surf, right? There I’ll have to defer to others.

[Ottime]

Now that we are expanding, if either of you are interested in red woods, there are old growth on the loop (no bikes) in Henry Cowell, a really cool hike in Fall Creek (no bikes) through a lot of second growth in a typical SC mountain ravine, as well as second growth on Emma McCray (Pogonip), parts of Rincon (Henry Cowell), Lost
Cabin (Wilder) and much of DeLaveaga.

Also, tide pools at Natural Bridges if you are looking for a coastal stroll.

Ano Nuevo might be running tours out to the elephant seal breeding grounds. Not sure if they go on in May.

If you are north of town, Davenport Roadhouse has decent food. And does Whale City bakery.

Davenport Landing is a cool beach to stroll. Different than down south. A little more wild. Some reefs to explore. Parking right there. If you do any beach stuff, aim for low (negative even better) tide to expose the creatures and reefs.

[Ottime]

BTW,

There are two Donnelly brothers. If that info becomes important.

[Long duc dong]

Surfed Cotton's/wires area yesterday and it was great. Head high and lined up on the sets.

[PowerWhore7]

yes SC was firing yesterday...good shit right down the way from you at State Park, running barrels

[jtran10]

Now that we are expanding, if either of you are interested in red woods, there are old growth on the loop (no bikes) in Henry Cowell, a really cool hike in Fall Creek (no bikes) through a lot of second growth in a typical SC mountain ravine, as well as second growth on Emma McCray (Pogonip), parts of Rincon (Henry Cowell), Lost
Cabin (Wilder) and much of DeLaveaga.

Also, tide pools at Natural Bridges if you are looking for a coastal stroll.

Ano Nuevo might be running tours out to the elephant seal breeding grounds. Not sure if they go on in May.

If you are north of town, Davenport Roadhouse has decent food. And does Whale City bakery.

Davenport Landing is a cool beach to stroll. Different than down south. A little more wild. Some reefs to explore. Parking right there. If you do any beach stuff, aim for low (negative even better) tide to expose the creatures and reefs.

I'm a redwood junkie. We did the parks near Crescent City last August, and have previously done Humboldt Redwoods on another trip. I've also hit Big Basin, Samuel P. Taylor, Armstrong. Lol.

I'm figuring on this trip seeing some 2nd growth on our bikes will be fun vs. having to hike through old growth, but will definitely head towards Henry Cowell or Big Basin again if we want to make a day of it.

Looks like the elephant seal walks only go through 3/31, but that sounds awesome. Worth checking out if we head north of town? Saw that there was a spot for oysters in Davenport as well, so kind of wanted to hit that up. Recommended?

[2nd mate]

Cross post from the fishing forum. Its very easy to miss spotting fish when these waves are pumping. Diego Garcia, BIOT. There is a strict NO Surfing policy on the island. Probably a good thing since nobody here that I know of could hack this swell. Sharky and reefy too. There is an underground group that rides, but mostly on inside breaks. I should be back on my magic model in about 2 months.

[Ottime]

Dunno about the oyster place. But I’ve eaten good oysters around here.

Waddell was fun today. Got my first waves on the short board since breaking my ankle in September. Almost forgot how much fun it is. Had a fairly solid session as well, which is nice. Kind of mixed up combo swell. About head high, fast and firm.

[Ottime]

Surf has been cranking. At least for April. 2 days on the shortboard. 1 on the step up. So much fun being back at it. Ankle gets tired quickly. And I’m pushing it into new positions, but it is coming back.

[jackstraw]

Waddell was fun today. .

Did u see NH plate?

[Ottime]

No, but was not looking.

Today was insane combo. NW dropping to 5.1@12and S 2.5@15 on the cdeps. So many spots working that combo that there were people everywhere but crowds no where (except the obvious spots). Super glassy even at noon. Bruised my rib (I think) on my first wave on an inside top turn. Still surfed a little over an hour it was so good. Just could not front side snap without a jolt of pain. Decided to get tubes instead. Seriously so much fun. A hair overhead on the drop. Can’t believe this is late April.