Things I HATE about the mat
I am a pretty introverted type of person and even if I am surfing with friends I don't spend much time talking in the water.
That's not always true but for the purposes of this rant let's assume.
I'm surfing and I focus on that. Plenty of time to talk later.
Also I'm blind as a bat and I need to pay attention.
So I'll be floating along, or paddling my head off or whatever and some well meaning surf dude will say "I used to ride a mat like that back in the 60's".
Now I know this is just how normal people "strike up a conversation" etc. but for me, let's just say I am way too literal.
The first thing I have to do is explain that I too surfed the blue and yellow mats when I was a kid and it was a blast.
You would drag (there was a rope handle), paddle and push those suckers as far out as the walled up south swell in Huntington would allow you and you would wait.
A huge set would come in hit you and you would freight train straight in toward the beach.
Running over everyone in your path. It was fun and I enjoyed it.
But in NO WAY are they like the mat I am riding at the moment.
Now out of the water I can talk about these things non stop for days.
But not in the water.
I spend my days literally trapped in tall office buildings dreaming of the next time I can get into the water.
So dude I don't have time to compete your hydrodynamic education while we wait for a set, which even though I am in position for, you will take off on me anyway.
Because I'm on a mat.
Other than that, I'm good...
That's not always true but for the purposes of this rant let's assume.
I'm surfing and I focus on that. Plenty of time to talk later.
Also I'm blind as a bat and I need to pay attention.
So I'll be floating along, or paddling my head off or whatever and some well meaning surf dude will say "I used to ride a mat like that back in the 60's".
Now I know this is just how normal people "strike up a conversation" etc. but for me, let's just say I am way too literal.
The first thing I have to do is explain that I too surfed the blue and yellow mats when I was a kid and it was a blast.
You would drag (there was a rope handle), paddle and push those suckers as far out as the walled up south swell in Huntington would allow you and you would wait.
A huge set would come in hit you and you would freight train straight in toward the beach.
Running over everyone in your path. It was fun and I enjoyed it.
But in NO WAY are they like the mat I am riding at the moment.
Now out of the water I can talk about these things non stop for days.
But not in the water.
I spend my days literally trapped in tall office buildings dreaming of the next time I can get into the water.
So dude I don't have time to compete your hydrodynamic education while we wait for a set, which even though I am in position for, you will take off on me anyway.
Because I'm on a mat.
Other than that, I'm good...
Comments
This usually warrants little more than a sigh, but sometimes I can't help myself and state that I wouldn't ride any shape unless it was fun.
Or you can not make eye contact with anyone else and pretend like you don't hear anyone when they talk to you. Kinda like the "locals" do on the weekend.
Looking like a seal. (Cue Jaws theme)
I'll be riding the 11' eagle tomorrow!
I must complement you on your network of spies and agents!
I thought I was in below the radar.
I would have called ahead for a hall pass but it was an impromptu thing ... everywhere was flat.
To my surprise it was over head (on the mat) and such fun that I went back for a second helping on Sun.