Surf or Pie

2010-01-06T02:40:00.000-08:00

Something to put up at last - New board, Peek's new lenses and her portrait lights. I've got a day off work cos of the snow so here you go. Hoping to get in againthis weekend after last weekends quick log with Whip. We'll see.....

2009-12-02T06:19:00.000-08:00

2 blog posts in 1 day? Have that.

This one needs to go up though - got some snaps from Rob at Royal of my board mid shaping. Looks sick, I'm getting proper stoked and after my first swim last night the shoulder seems to be healing up proper! Hooray.

2009-12-02T03:09:00.000-08:00

How to do an Angry Dance. By Dave "The" Bass. Aged 40-something and a half. Bless.

2009-11-28T03:22:00.001-08:00

It's all a social blur this week. Film premieres, art gallery openings, connect 4 tournements....you name it, I went to it and drank beer.

Few shots from Habgoods "Scary mask" themed Creature Premiere for Hesh Law. It's sick but STAY AWAY FROM THE BLOOD SHED. Cheers Josef.

Easily the most technically advanced cybertronic mask there. Good work Jim.

Davey zip face.

I answered the door in this get up, the geeky dude selling gas didn't even bat an eyelid.

Your host for the night...

Dead crew.

Slightly more refined was the Leo Sharp 15 year photo retrospective at the 50-50 gallery. This is there for a while and you need to check it out, amazing stuff. Good night out again too aside from getting stranded in Bristol (Cheers Dave for the bed!).

The Captain turned up in his best jacket and had a good time.

Bench crew.

Rick was either over excited or drunk off one bottle. Or both. He calmed down for his moody potrait though.

Nords came along with his wonky knee/leg. Heal up champ.

Born liggers. Glass and Joel.

Serious art fagage.

Theo Hatstyles.

Hard to tell but Sam was really stoked. Connect 4 champion, free beer and a gander at the amazing photos. Cheer up Jesus!

Shit In A Bag And Punch It.

2009-11-24T04:51:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the inactivity on here, having a bum shoulder gets me down and I haven't really done anything of much worth recently.

Well thats kinda a lie - I've just finished editing a load of old and (slightly) newer skate footage I've had kickng around. The end result - a 17 minute 4 song montage of skateboarding you wouldn't pay to see but probably wish you coulda joined in with. Good times. If you want a copy let me know.

I also popped along to the Drift magazine do at the Howies store in Clifton, mainly to see the fella behind Royal Surfboards, Rob Lion. And a nice chap he is too. So much so I've ordered my first custom board in about 10 yrs - a 6'1" HP fish. It's getting shaped as I type. So stoked on that. (I've also bought Whip's old Log. I've officially got a proper quiver now).

2009-11-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

Some more B&W wot I forgot about and that you've possibly already seen.

The Gaffer, new trick #4.

Rickee and Regee

Dave loves Hengrove.

Spex steez. Smith at Filton.

2009-11-04T12:31:00.000-08:00

MEMEMEMEMEME

Me.

Some more holiday snaps this time ME surfing. Badly. Kindly taken by Peek who patiently sat through lulls and my rubbish paddling. Then got bored quickly, wandered off and missed all the best waves I got. Honest.

Hehehe Cheers tho wifey!

First wave of the trip and its a right! Torrey Pines. So nice to get in that clear blue warm water.

Bunch of snaps from the day I had to hire a horrible big log. See Jim - I can do it! The board was a pig though and covered in deck grip. Almost too hot for a wetsuit so I rolled the top half down and filled up with water for a few hours!

Shot from Crystal Pier when things started to pick up. Looks crowded but it was just us 3 in the pic on the peak.

2 from the tiddly day at Del Mar. The top one was probably the biggest set of the day. We did go to a rad hippy cafe for lunch after this.

Seaside Reef near Cardiff. Swell had just kicked in along with some onshore winds. Wierd break - had to wait for a peak to break on the outside reef then catch it as it started to reform on the inside for some walled up fun!

2009-10-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

Continually Updated Bob wrecking himself thread?

Yes - not content with the swine flu last week I decided a more drastic course of action was needed. So I've mashed my shoulder, good n proper. Salisbury Jr cockpocket carve grind to stop to swallow dive to torn ligaments and shoulder "going out and coming back in again". Hey ho. Happarently on the torn ligament scale of 1 - 3 I'm about a 2.7.

Fracture clinic friday, should learn more then. Maybe I'll finally get round to doing some "other" stuff....

Cheers to Muttley for being rad and getting me home in the cushty Quashqai, 'pologies to Dark Helmet for stopping the shred sesh so quickly.

2009-10-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

Here's the first installment of what should be a few things from SD. These are the surf pics I took on the digi cam, I still have some film to get through so that'll be a while. Most of these are from our last day and the big swell that rolled in. I was feeling swiney so we took ourselves off to the La Jolla reefs for a quick wander, some sick waves up there.

La Jolla Skimmer

Holiday board - 6'2" Quad Fish.

Pacific Beach turn, on the tuesday I think...

Two turns from one La Jolla reef.

La Jolla slab near the Seal Beach. This thing was really sucking dry!(And yes I know it's a sponger)

A short walk away a few fellas were giving this left slab a looksee.

2009-10-18T03:26:00.000-07:00

"I went to San Diego and all I got was this ~~lousy t-shirt~~ case of swine flu".

2009-10-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Adventures in B&W part 1 - Windermere.

2009-09-28T05:35:00.000-07:00

Couple more tiltshifts to get me in the SD mood.

2009-09-24T08:05:00.000-07:00

I done got blogged by that lovely Mr Alan Glass.

And a smashing day out it was too.

Especially the indepth description of docking.

2009-09-22T01:55:00.000-07:00

Scott Dad aka The Lizard hit up Bristol for his 73rd birthday the other weekend. Best laid plans went almost to pot due to Bristol traffic but we managed to reconvene down the Dame for a sweet shred, and a lovely bit of grub afterwards. Beaut mate. Even Joxa made it down to media whore for my camera.

Like a duck to water. The new whippy was right up Joxa's steep street. Tailblocker.

Front pivot "like it were nowt lad".

Sloppy Sams slappy slash.

Back once again with the renegade crailer....Whip loved this ting

2009-09-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

Just read this, now I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a UK date.

Here's one of me fav's just to piss Reg off with more whiney whiteboy music.

2009-09-17T00:09:00.000-07:00

Cleared up the man-cave (I have been hording) and sorted out the scanner last night. Found a few snaps amongst the clutter and ran a few off before I was beckoned. All taken with the Agfa I think?

2009-09-14T07:48:00.000-07:00

Now this blog has not been known for being particularly wordy but after scoping Rick's "official" webgeekeryjibberjabber blog I notice he tagged me in a "7 random/wierd things about me" meme, so as I'm still waiting for work to roll in I figure why not give it a go..

1. As a youth I was incredibly skinny, my weight wavered around the 9 stone mark and I would get worried about going out in a stiff breeze. This lasted until I was 25 when I woke up one morning to find I'd been eaten by a fat man. Many of my old Uni and school mates who haven't seen me since then are a bit freaked out now that I'm all man. Those who know me now don't believe me. It's helped my skating though I like to think.

2. I love rugby. Not many skaters/surfers will own up to a love of competitive sports but growing up in Wales it's in your blood (along with Brains SA and coaldust yeahyeah). I played for my school and Town teams up until I went to University where a combination of "other" distractions and English Public Schoolboy Initations put me right off. I still harbour a secret desire to strap on my boots and shove my head near sweaty men's arses.

3. If I answer hip-hop trivia questions correctly I score Hip-hop points and get to wear my hat in a slightly more "dope" fashion depending on the trickyness of the question.

4. To avoid crowds I tend to get up in the middle of the night to drive to the beach to go surfing. This leads to a number of toilet dilemmas as I usually need to drop the kids off when I arrive, but most public convenieces are shut at 5am. In turn I have done a number of "Dirty mum shits" in a variety of places including Fistral Beach, the path down to Croyde and a laybay on the outskirts of Woolacombe. None of these beat the one I did as a 12 year when I was over the other side of town and laid out a curlywurler slap bang in the middle of the tiled floor of a newly built kitchen in a new build house.

5. At 16/17 years old I competed in many Lifeguard competitions and became the 2nd best beach sprinter and 1K runner in Wales at the Welsh National Championship. This may have been aided by the wind, baggy shorts and my slight build (see No1 above).

6. I too got married in Vegas. Not so random now eh Ricky?

7. Under no circumstances should you feed me Jim Beam. It's not big, it's not clever, and it could well be the last thing you do. You really shouldn't give me a spudgun either.

Now there are rules for this so I need to link to 7 bloggers. I'm not sure I know 7 but here goes.

frontside-boardslide.blogspot.com - Jimbob extremeeee blog. He really should do this more but is understandbly busy.

cassettetapekiller.blogspot.com - As is his brother. For years I thought Jim was lying to me about Dave being his twin. As it turns out...

teawhizz.blogspot.com - Total, utter and complete idiot. I farkin love him. All Hail Joxa.

goonicycle.blogspot.com - Carrying on the creative skater thing Mr Smell has been banging out some top tatts and art for years now. One day I'll be allowed to let him doodle on me.

novan.livejournal.com - The Dark Lord of Hollyoaks Frocku.

labrosus.blogspot.com - Alec is a collector of wheels and silly skateboards and a damn fine fella to roll with.

corpseygaffer.blogspot.com - The Gaffer. Catsitter and fixer of just about everything. I wouldn't want to go skating without him.

Now it's your turn...

1. Link your original tagger(s), and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share seven facts about yourself in the post — some random, some weird.
3. Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs and/or Twitter.

2009-09-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon at work blog updates are the new evening interweb geeking.

This is what happens when you eat the plants at the Eden Project.

And this is what happens when you are the son of god and wear blasphamous black metal daps while skateboarding. Sam flips the rail at Chepstow.

Turns out I broke another kingpin yesterday, luckily not going 88mph in Dartford bowl this time. Gaffers fixed me up just in time for Scotts birthday trip to Bristol. Deaner lovin and Pies await. Keep things peeled on the Lizard blog for more I presume....

2009-09-02T08:17:00.001-07:00

I made a tiltshift. I've still not got very much to do at work, can you tell?

Tourmaline midday madness. Less than 6 weeks and I'm back here...

2009-08-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

It's friday, I'm 1 week into my new job and everyone appears to have booked a half day. What to do? Blog something stooopid thats what.

Mystery Steve in his robot costume on the "4 Kooks in A Rover" skate trip many years ago. Good times.

We even made a video. We haven't got any better. Well maybe The Steves have.

2009-08-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

10 yrs deep and hopefully more. The DLH funday again went off. No bacon hassles this year, though they did swing by and say hello. Lots of beer, sunshine, more metal than normal and tiny helmets. Crazy Phil was back from the dead and constructed a smouldering ring o'fire for hoons to leap through. There was even a cake.

Heres to 10 more, cheers Dil and the Deaner!

How rad is this, checks n'all!

Trowbo in the house. WWM fo life!

Wonky angle snap of my layback by Jesus. 80's.

The hairy beast himself. Sam ollie piv for the fanclub.

The man and his creation. Burn it all.

30 second Nath through the hole into fire extinguisher attack.

Yeah it fell over. Yeah they set it back on fire. Not wanting to burn his tootsys. Sam - No comply.

The Saz and the Mabs.

Joe BS Disaster over Molyneuxs head. And yes this was a make!

Gaydad frontpiv before Jerome made him famous.

Jake Collins killed the new whippy. Front feebs.

2009-08-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

Now I've seen some mini ramp wizadry in the past but THIS just about takes the biscuit.

2009-08-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Now that me and the wife are older and more responsible we get invited to civilised do's like Dougals BBQ in Modbury. In a rare opportunity to make a weekend of it we also got the chance to visit Shaldon Wildlife Trust where Peeker's adopted Slow Loris (Norris) lives. The Loris's (lori?) true to form were fast asleep but everything else was having lunch so we got to see all sorts of wee monkey/marsupial/hairy based creatures. It's a small place but all the animals seemed well cared for so if you en up near by go visit, theres a bunch of nice pubs down the hill too - bonus.

Dougs BBQ was a laugh with so much nice food the diet went right out the window (Low carb beers mind). And we got to stay in Doug's mighty campervan, gots to get me one - fairylight's n'all. Cheers for having us!

I even managed to squeeze in a quick surf with Rick on the way back, sunny mushy fun - "LOCALS ONLY"!!.

"Seemples". One for Janine!

"Kook"-a-burra.

Paddle Ricky paddle!
Egg based floater.

2009-07-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

Some days are better than they look. Had a super fun little wave at Putsborough on saturday, wasn't even that busy. The Hellafreshfish went well in the 2ft slop and I got some nice long lefts. Snapped a few with Peeks posh camera when the cramp set in.

2009-07-22T10:47:00.001-07:00

Have a look at this to get a small insight into one of my favourite bunch of skaters ever. The Julian Stranger bs ollie pic is straight up banging, and the daps Cardiel is rocking in the backside tailslide have given me my second flashback today.

2009-07-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

Had a little trip to Barnstaple skate park on sunday as part of Pigdogs "Helltour" which as you'd expect from the name involved sacrifice, heshlaw and some sort of demonic summoning, and not ice creams eh boys?

We had a sick day tho, plenty of shredding and we even managed to get Dougal to pop up from the depths of Devon. Boys still got it even if he was skating in his slippers. I pinched Peek's posh cam and got a few sequences and random snappage. Tim Ward(amercy) once again got the killer shots here.

2009-07-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

The dream is over.

Snapped my leash of 10yrs+ today on a fluffed backhand top turn. Served me well this - not bad for a freebie from Plymouth Uni surf club!

Rad surf though - got in Croyde at 5am, 3ft bit chunky and wind all over the place, but just me in for a good hour and a half. Lots of fun walls. Then popped round to Putsborough where it was a clean 2ft for another 2hrs. Glad the leash went here rather than Croyde. Single-finned right out. Knackered. Stoked.

Keep forgetting to take the camera though.

2009-06-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Sneaky, radical, friday session at the Cretesham. Even managed to drag Jesus over for it too. Think he liked, not too sure if he likes trains tho, looked nervous the whole way here. Either way he was on it.

No - you da man.
Muttleybrophilmate had new wheels and did many, many grinds.

Gaffer rock n rolls on the EVILPOINTYBOARD under a suitably metal sky.

I can only do front rocks if a midget is cackling manically next to me.

Satanic board + Jesus = rad grinds.

HOLY SMITHERS.

2009-06-15T12:52:00.001-07:00

T'were Whip's 30th this just gone weekend. Beach party at HBay was in full effect and so were the waves. Blessed with a beaut of a swell and some lovely weather. Cheers for an awesome day out Champ - welcome to the old mans club.

Some snappers from the day, most by Peek and a few from me.

Birthday Boy cutting the (guiness) cake! Good work Mum!

Beach Crew

Volleyball I up. Yes thats me getting "athletic" on the floor. Double fisting.

Straight gangster chillin

Planes, waves and sunsets.

Chicken man floater badness.

2009-06-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

The view from my tent, Newgale, t'other weekend. Nice way to wake up.

2009-05-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

Off tae West Welsh Wales this weekend for hopefully a little bit more of something like this. (I fear I may have just cursed it...)

2009-05-26T11:24:00.001-07:00

The Gaffer and I made some new rides. Straight Hesh cruising from now on. BA:LA:KU ltd edition decks available to those who shcralp the 1/4 of De'ath.

2009-05-16T01:20:00.000-07:00

I farkin love Bert n Ernie.

2009-05-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

I loves me free stuff. Especially sweet ass rad free stuff.

Firstly I gots me a new camera thanks to Peeks heavy lurking on a free swapshop website. Kodak Coloursnap 35. It's got twiddly bits and a sweet button to press and looks like the Agfa. Shot a roll of random stuff so I've got enough to justify sending off a few rolls I've had lying around.
And to cheer me up after a crappy monday work day I arrived home to find our new adopted puss Sheriff guarded a package from top tatter and 2004's top slam expert Smell. In it was a sick red n black AVE Vans flannel (now I won't show up with the same shirt as Whip) and this awesome piece of art. Yep a panther with a skateboard rocking the meshback. Perfect. Cheers chap (go scope his blog....)

2009-05-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

Now the laptizzle is all back up and running I can waste more time browsing Californian surf blogs. Breaks Selection has some rad boards and some even better La Jolla reef line-up shots. Dream on Bobby.

Peeks talked me into doing a carboot tomorrow, I don't think she's been to one ever so it could be interesting! I hope there's a big market for VHS tapes and 10 years worth of 10 year old 2000ADs in Trowbridge....

Still hoping for a wave tomorrow eve too, calm theeself wind....

Oh and bonus Whip Fish shot, beaut of a board.

2009-05-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

Got the laptop up and running again thanks to the Chairman, cheers champ. All I need now is potatoshop and I'll be getting on this blogging thing again ;)

While Marv was working his considerable tech magic I got in Rest on a big ol day, was lumpy, then clean, then lumpy again. Got a few pics when the wind picked up.

2009-04-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

Seeing as Whip has painted up his old stubby here's a few snaps of my (apparantly) Z-Boy-esque fisher, now renamed the Hella Fresh Fish.

The wisest thing Poulet has ever said to me.

Here's hoping for some waves on sunday!

2009-04-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

Mememememe. Yes this is all about cuddly old me, or rather snaps of cuddly old me in a big rubber suit. The Wife (to give her her official title) has got a swanky new digi cam that takes swanky sequences and zooms in with a swanky lense. Radical.

So here's some snaps of me at Woolacombe (Sequence...and yes I did make the floater. Honest. I can do em.) and Praa Sands on our excellent trip to Kernow last weekend. No snaps of the amazingly fun surf me and Whip and at Holywell on the sunday but lets say one wave there made the trip. But ssshhh it's a secret...

Cheers for the hospitality Whip and thanks to Janine for changing my perceptions of lentils.

(Click ere for biggun)

2009-04-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Righto I'll keep this short n sweet as we're experience "technical difficulties" at Babylon Acres (i.e. my laptop is fucked).

Check out these ace sCumbrian fuckwit bloggos - Smell and Joxas, then let me know when you want a skate trip up to the new skate mecca - Barrow.

Fifty-fifty blog has photos from the French art show that was attended on the weekend, we were not swayed by free beer and goody bags. Honest. It's sick and if you are near soon then head down and scope it.

Hopefully I'll have some pics for you soon.....

2009-04-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

Possibly the best TV interview I've ever seen, James Brown, drunk and on it. JB Soul Army fo life.

Check out the Eddie Murphy james Brown Delirious sketch on the links too. I pissed meself.

2009-04-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

Got a few more colour shots from the AGFA back recently, from a rather splendid day up at the new skootlepark in Filton. RADIO 2!

T'bowl. It's rad fun.

I'm gutted I cut Jesus's hand off in this snap of his grinder, mainly cos you can't see his stigmata now.

Muttley bemoans the fact that Wagon Wheels have gotten smaller while Wayne Rooney looks on with envious eyes...

"Just one more try".
Lets all hope Wes's missus is leniant with his time keeping. Back tailskidder for the kids and the geese.

When Jesus met Benner. Is it blasphamous for the Son of God to throw the horns?

Bonus Deaner shot. I call this "Frontside Chicken and Sausages".

2009-04-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

Ghetto spray job on the ol fish. Always hated the original deck colouring, hope this turns out OK (probably not....)

Oh and Wokings finest mullet cultivator and wheel officiado now has his very own beelog. Check it oot.

2009-03-30T12:09:00.000-07:00

Travelled north with Peek to the Lakes for the first time in a while. Hill climbing, tarn walking, tree snapping fun. Oh and I got to skate with the Barrowvians (and Frocker) two days in a row. And indulge in a stupid amount of local ales, Booths supermarket is the holey grail of ale based fun if you ask me. Plus they sell Tyrells crisps, heaven.

2 from Yew Tree Tarn near Conniston.

MmMMmmossy...

Windymeres.

Squashside fuckin rules, jank for life. Melon BSSmith and Smell tatthandstickle both back in through the lumps.

Farkin Frocker frockin it proper. Serious (non)transtion, Ba:la:ck:pool

Going only where Jesus has been before, Melon smith deep t'shallow.

The worst smelling spot I've ever been too, Zoro smiths the stinkblock under the M55.

Sinkbird over and out. We're done.

2009-03-17T14:54:00.003-07:00

Bargain basement rummage turned up a few old Deaner snaps. I've dug the camera out that I took these with so brace yerself for more...

Hanging em high. Loookat them fresh faces.

The Two Plews. Dangerdanger. Ghetto fisheye on the second.
That deck of Daves went up the treener, it lasted all of a night...

2009-03-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Well firstly apologies for the dely in this here post, I've been wrapping my head around getting my scanner to work properly, waiting for films to come back and actually going for a skate. I did take pics of our epic trip to Tolworth bowl (Aka The Cockpocket) and Crawley last saturday, but also managed to snap the film in me camera, bollocks. Rad day out nonetheless.

Anyways I got back some banging B&W shots of Whips visit and a day out skating them mean streets of Brissol. So here they are, enjoy and I hope the scans aren't too shitty.

(Shot with me AGFA on some fancy Ilworth B&W film, rad. Not quite sure why they are different shades of B&W but I'm feeling it...Oh and I either ordered the wrong size prints or Truprint wen fuckin mental and cropped them all funny, if anyone knows where I can get copies from the negatives let I know.)

Some swarthy looking fellas....

New baby dad nodding off mid session...

Sweary sausages fingers and Jimmywheels.

Jesus loves to jump down steps of a sunday.

Frontal boards.....

...and backal boards.

Apres session warm down, gotta take on them liquids if you wanna go pro...

PS. Click to embiggen em all..

2009-02-26T14:43:00.000-08:00

My scanner sucks but has lent some sort of arty squigglyness to my first batch of snaps. The one of The Mighty Prince Rust-a-far-eye was taken with the Minolta snapper, the rest with the agfa during my wander round the ruins of Coney Beach.

Whips stuck up his bewt poloraiders (and extra squiggles) too. Sickness.

Now all we're waiting for are Jims but he's likely to be a little busy this weekend, good luck Jimmywheels, Clare and t'bump!

2009-02-23T12:38:00.000-08:00

Had a houseguest for the weekend, Mr Pikerust aka Triplecrowner aka The Whipster (Huh). Here we are enjoying a sample of his DAMN fine homebrew after a killer weekend of surfpaddling and plankrollerboarding.

Check out the piker blog for what promises to be a collection of fine and arty poloroiders and supersampled snapshots.

2009-02-20T13:24:00.000-08:00

If you see the man behind this website then please, please, please give him a hug. Thank you..

2009-02-14T05:03:00.000-08:00

Pretty janky surf yesterday. Ended up at Coney and really should have waited for the tide to drop at Rest. Win some, lose some. Coney fooled me by looking alright when I got there.

Pics snaffled from Porthcawl Surf.

I also found some 35mm cams in a local charity shop rummage last week and have shot off 2 rolls with them, including a bunch from Coneys rusting eyesore of a fairground. I picked up a point n shoot Minolta and Agfa SLR thingy which I really need to get the hang of!

Expect some scans of the few shots that actually came out alright shortly....

And just to wrap up this megaupdate-o update I set up my new skate last night, choppychoppy grip job and pie love.

2009-02-05T09:59:00.000-08:00

Kill Citys back and twatting about as good as ever. Get tuned into the Sunday Stooges for a weekly dose of proper skateboarding mucking about. Thissun features Ol Love/Hate bollocks himself Habgood and possibly the worst skatepark ever. I'm not joking.

sunday stooges episode 3, tarmac heaven >>

I'm not convinced on the emo music mind. Sort it out.

2009-02-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

New fin = MORE FUN! Rad weekend this one. Picked up my new fin from True Ames on saturday then had a mammoth, outdoor, skate session with a big crew in Bristol. Sunday me and Peek hit up Croyde for some cold, heavily offshore windy 2ft fun waves. And the new fin worked a treat. Proper stoked on the session, but got the worst chin rub from my new hat/wetsuit (not sure).

Peek got a snap of the board with the new fin, finally looks in proportion, goes like stink. Yes!

Shamelessly pinched this pic from Eyeball (sorry!) but I didn't take any myself as it was fucking freezing. Getting changed, warm and going for a cuppa at Loose-fit seemed a much better idea at the time. I'm pretty sure I'm one of them fellas in that pic tho ;)

2009-01-29T05:16:00.000-08:00

Despite my best efforts to keep this updated regularly I've cxompletley neglected it again. Bah.

I do have a new job so can spend less time pondering the existance of nothing, so I'll blame that. Plus winter has kept things pretty quiet. Been skating Newport a lot, Ideal ramp again and hoping to get in the sea this weekend but winds and a bit of weekend funk may conspire against me.

Thinking of getting back here is keeping me going though....

Ploughing through a few book on the train journey in aswell. Just finished off Alex Wade's Surfnation, which is worth a look, and just getting into the Eddie Aikau biography "Eddie Would Go". Any one got any other recommendations?

2009-01-16T14:21:00.000-08:00

Weekender part duo. Skate day at the new(ish) Ideal miniramp in Brumingham. Check this months Sidewalk for a low down on the shop and the ramp and a rad snap of the sweaty vicar hisself Joxa. Super rad session, cheers to Chris from the shop for letting us have a shred on a wet and horrible day. We might well be back this weekend...

Tis indeed an ideal ramp...

Crew shot

From the rave to the grave. One of the WWM finest AJ thrusts himself backwards with hidden stalefish.

(click for biggun)

If you need help finding it just look for the rad French artwork outside.

2009-01-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

Went for my first run in about 10yrs last night with Peek. Felt strangely good.

I do have muggers daps mind.

SCARPER!

2009-01-12T13:18:00.000-08:00

Part 1 of a two part rad weekender.

Took the new mobile and wifey to Putsborough on saturday, and hooked up with Jim and pretty much all of Devon/Bristol/London in the sea. Fun 3-4ft waves, not overly cold and the first time I've ever worn a full head twatcap. Crowded but we got a few nice un's between us. The singlefin went well but I'm holding out for a smaller fin to get it really cranking.

Knackered after a short paddle out tho! Peek got me some joggers and daps so I'd better get out running!

We hit up this fun left, few rights too. Super crowded for january aswell.

Gearing up for getting cold #2.

It got good.

2009-01-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

Slacking again on posts. No skating, no nothing for a while now, blame the festive funk! All shaping up for a nice weekend as I should get in for a wave, then out for a skate. I'll take the camera.

For now lets all get jealous at Whip who has been getting this for about a week...

H-Bay 3rd Jan. See if you can spot James Bond.

2008-12-30T11:27:00.000-08:00

Peek and I shared the Christmas spirit with the ducks and two swans, cake and bread - they were stoked!

2008-12-24T12:14:00.000-08:00

I's all set for a boozyaleyxmas day.

And I'm cooking.

Could be interesting.Possible surf on the saturday too. Super good at moment and I've got a new job - bah!

2008-12-16T09:47:00.000-08:00

Hell drive to North Devon today as part of my "get in some fun before I have to get a job again" program. Up and out by 5.30am into the foggy, cold, dark and dirtyness. Squirting the windscreen every 5 minutes to clear the dirt is a pain in the arse. I almost talked myself out of it and turned round for home and bed at one point.

Glad I didn't. Ended up at Saunton which I'd never surfed before. Fun little 2 footers with the odd bigger set, bunch of Longboarders out, some had it, some didn't. Rode the 6'6" with oversized daft fin and got a few good ones, getting into the groove with it now, Saunton might be the wave it's made for and I'll be back there.

Snapped a few things as usual.

Cold set.

Quiet crowd.

Right hand rocks.

Reflecting on my daps.

Gearing up for getting cold.

Grainy cruise.

The Peebler, served me well this last year, getting traded in for something bigger next weekend. Will be remembered.
And yes thats my stupidly oversized fin on that there surfboard.

2008-12-15T00:13:00.000-08:00

Wish I'd asked Santa for one of these. Nice.

Get your drool on at Surfy Surfy.

2008-12-09T11:44:00.000-08:00

Still no job, no surf for a while BUT I did manage a rad trip up the m5/6/55 to Ramp City in Blackpool with the crew last weekend. They recently took ownership of the Simparch wood pool/bowl and fullpipe, an art installation that has pretty much travelled the world. And it's rad. Especially the pool. I wasn't sure what to expect from it, but it's as near to a real pool as you'll get over here, probably a lot mellower but still steep in the right places. Oh and the fact it's suspended in the air by struts is a bit wierd yet sort of sick. Frontside dad slashers were had (thanks bacon) and a super fun time was enjoyed by all. I'm going back again as soon as I get my new car (oh yes, the beast is back.....)

Skate snaps here me babbers.

2008-12-04T13:45:00.001-08:00

Wet and cold day in Bristol yesterday, so we ended up having a bunk off session at Horfield. Not the greatest park I've ever been to but a game of SKATE on the flatbank and some wheelies will make you grin through the cold.

Got this snap of Geoorge of the George aswell so not a total loss. This guy is total Brissol bhuy Dubstep quote machine. "Gunna spin some Ben Shermans inneye...."

Had a swift half and picked up a few tasty beers from The Coronation to wash down a tasty take-away curry when I got home. Cheered me up after scrapping my old trusty (but knackered) Rover for £40.

RIP "The Mobile".

2008-12-03T03:22:00.000-08:00

Gotta have a sticker box.

2008-12-01T12:26:00.002-08:00

Got in my last surf before a new job last friday. It's sure getting cold. Took the ol 6'4" fish in and caught a bunch of gooduns, stoked. Turned lumpy towards the end as you'll see in the pics.

Lowtide looking nay bad.

Just after I got out, bumpy but still pretty good.

Rocks and sky

More rocks ha.

Grainy turn, losing light.

2008-11-27T07:57:00.000-08:00

My daily schedule at the moment (as a non-worker, actually when I was working too..er..) consists of trawling the surfblogs.

Dalybread takes some rad shots that keeps me stoked on getting back to Cali. Shakas & Singlefins covers all the artyness I need. Svrf&Destroy is the dirty metal side of surfing and a lot of these are all tied together on the Grass is Greener blog which kinda covers it all.

So now you know what to do if yer bored.

2008-11-24T11:29:00.003-08:00

Found this on flickr - incredibly rad slow exposure of Rest Bay rocks. A large amount of my young teen years were spent mucking around here. Check out the rest of the shots here.

2008-11-23T04:41:00.000-08:00

Aaarrrgghh. Apologies for the lack of blog-ness, I've been slack and there is no excuse. And I keep forgetting the camera when I go for a surf.

Here's a vid of the one band I can go back to time and time again without it getting stale. It's taken from probably the most influential (to me anyways) bit of TV from my youth - the "No Nirvana" show on The Late Show. It was packed full of bands doing songs that are still some of my favourites today. It's all on youtube and it's just made my sunday.

2008-11-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

Had an over active weekend - London, Zoo, Camden comics, Rochester skatepark, mammoth drives and a monday morning junk surf. Rad times. I took a load of snaps from the zoo so prepare yourself for a meerkat overdose sometime soon.

I also missed fridays random so here you go, #3 with a bullet....errr...birdy....

Wee burdy, Pacific Beach.

2008-11-13T07:23:00.001-08:00

It's my last day in my current temp job so as you'd expect I'm spending it goofing around on the internet. Same as all the other days actually.

Anyways I came across this snap of me on Muttlynets photostream from a BBQ we held the other year. Thats my back alleyway 1/4 with real/fake pool coping, me and Wayne shot a vid on it too that I'll put up at some point, it's the highlight of my skatefilm career I think.

The old fart up the road hates us skating this but we don't shred it enough to worry him these days. Anyone for a schralp-o?

2008-11-11T07:19:00.000-08:00

I spent a bit of time in Croyde over the summer, leaving Wiltshire super early, and getting to know the break. It's a rad one when it's on but I never really got in there when it was super good. These photos are probably from the best day I had there, well apart from the day Jim missed by sleeping in. Bummer.

Works better at a lower tide, really fun peaks this day.

Summer time for sure.

This guy had some serious speed lines, this is how my singlefin should (will) be moving.

Slash I up.

2008-11-10T10:37:00.000-08:00

Aahh weekend. Rugby woe followed by skate fun followed by skate woe followed by top grub and computer fishing. Radness.

Jim tweaked his ankle pretty bad on the sunday. He's probably blogged it in an extreme way HERE. Heal up soon champ.

On the upside I quit my temp job today to find something where I may actually get real work to do. Not before I try and get a few days off for a surf though.

2008-11-07T05:07:00.001-08:00

Friday Randoms #2

Bent City 2005 "Dear Skatan" wish list. I think we pretty much got everything we put down, well except Allah - although I haven't seen Crazy Phil for a while so maybe he's converted?

Anyone interested in dicking around in Cornwall for a week next summer please let me know.

2008-11-06T13:11:00.000-08:00

The new board got it's surf baptism in perfect 3-4ft Rest this morning, unfortunately I sucked and I think it'll take a few surfs to get this board sliding right. I did manage a 3 1/2hr session though, and was pretty toasty all the way through, can't see that lasting mind. No pics as didn't take Cam but this place (Err if you are super quick) has a couple.

Picked up some new boots too, but don't tell the wife.

2008-11-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

Waxed and ready to go.

2008-11-04T10:23:00.000-08:00

Ah North Shore, the incredibly quotable 80's surf cheese fest. Starring Occy, Gerry Lopez and pre-tow-in Laird Hamilton. Ask anyone in my year at school who surfed and they will be able to quote at least half this film. Now someone's stuck it all up on Youtube. Get stoked!

"No-one rides a twinny in Hawaii"

2008-11-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

Got my fin before the weekend, looks sweet. Looking alright for surf later this week but I feel a cold coming on so getting tanked up on orange juice and Lemsip Max.

2008-11-02T12:33:00.000-08:00

My wonderful little Niece turned 1 today so we had a family do in lovely old Wiltshire.

Grace also does impressions. This first one is Oliver Reed. (We start em young on the booze in our family).

She also does a mean Ian Mckaye.

Happy Birthday Grace!

2008-11-01T11:25:00.001-07:00

Just you wait until I get a lomo. They'll all come out like these:
www.ryantatar.com

Epic (and I use that word to it's fullest) session at a muddy Filton bowl this morning. Howling, freezing northerly winds, Corspey coffee warmers and FS Slashers in the deep end. The Bear returned and got street. Pics to follow.

2008-10-31T06:33:00.000-07:00

Friday Randoms #1

This year I managed to complete the holy triumviate of things to skate for anyone over the age of 30. And all in the UK, which if you include the pool and the ditch is a pretty rad achivement. These fullpipes were actually 5 minutes from my parents new place in South Wales which I find pretty amusing. Thats Joe "The Bear" Habgood going big for the benefit of the Newport youngsters.

Fullpipes - super fun, but they don't half kill your legs.

2008-10-30T05:57:00.001-07:00

Dave Carnie used to write/edit/arse around for fabled skatemag Big Brother. Now he writes a whole heap of funny shit with his wife about food. Makes I larf.

foodondrunk.blogspot.com

The Vegas stuff about Dude bags I found particularly amusing. Mainly as I've been in that pool and witnessed it first hand. "Awesome".

2008-10-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

Southern California has always held a strange attraction to me. Growing up with the Taylor Steele movies, Rob Machado in Surfer mag every month, the punk that was associated with it and of course the skateboarding made me want to one day visit the places I’d read or heard about regularly. That and the perma-sunshine/waves.

Fast forward to last year and having an idea for a holiday I managed to talk the wife into going to San Diego for a week. We loved it, although I didn’t surf as much as I wanted. I went skating with a local and visited Washington Street and some other places, hung out at Mission Beach and just generally enjoyed the SoCal lifestyle.

[Click Pic above for Peekers 07 SD Slideshow] [Click Pic above for my 07 SD Slideshow]

So much so we went back again last month. We stayed in Pacific Beach again, but this time got a hire car and a proper board. This trip from a surfing point of view was a lot more enjoyable – up at dawn (thanks jetlag!), surf, breakfast, play at being tourists, back for a surf then out for food and drinks. Heaven. I got to have a skate day again with Riik and some other fellas, eat some amazingly good (and nearly authentic) street tacos, checked out SurfIndian store and chatted to Chris the owner about the amazing surf art and boards he has in there and drove up and down the coast through all the surfspots that were the reason for the trip in the first place.

Pacific Coast Highway looking down to La Jolla
[Click Pic above for Peekers 08 SD Slideshow]

The surf was pretty fun all week – 2-3ft, nothing serious but enough to have fun in. I got to surf 27th Street in Del Mar on the last day which were the best waves of the trip.

I’m saving up to go again next year. Even if the wife wants to go somewhere else.

Oh and one morning after a surf I went and took a few snaps at Pacific Beach.

Crystal Pier windswept but fun.
[click for surf slideshow]

2008-10-28T03:25:00.000-07:00

A driving force behind the creation of this blog was to document and make myself go surfing more. I’ve slacked off more and more over the last 10yrs with my surfing and something needed to be addressed.Yes - I do get pissed off at the crowds and the kooks, and this was a contributing factor in forcing me away from surfing, but am learning to come to terms with it. This summer allowed me a chance to get in more than once a week most weeks and it’s fair to say it returned a lot of the stoke I had from surfing.

Which has led me to purchase this puppy. After Whip got stoked on his, and I saw this bargain, I went and got into a lot of trouble with the Wife by buying it.

Let’s hope it rides well, I really need to get out again soon.

6'6" Seed Single fin shortboard. Pretty fat and wide, I keep thinking "mini-mal".

2008-10-27T07:05:00.001-07:00

This is a test...

...icle.