Kook Session - Fightin' For Position, notes from the Roque

Organized enough for ya? 9/23

    Sunday. 47th and midtown.  High tide, about 5:30 in the afternoon. Water still reading 70F.  Air a bit cooler; 'bout 68 (broke out the rubber long sleeve top).  Strong NNE winds, 10- 15 mph. contributing to a southbound current that was a force to be reckoned with.  Chest high surf that supposed to be somewhat clean.  I wasn't feelin' it.  At all.  I fought it it the entire hour I was out.  See, if you fight it, you cannot find your groove.  Then that Stoke you drove 45 minutes for to help forget about the heartbreak of another Redskin loss, that Stoke that eases in the cooler autumn temps and the dreaded end-of-session wind chills, that Stoke that just smooths out the wrinkles of the day... it don't happen. Sucks.  I fought for position in the lineup for just one ride. Just one.  I fought the current.  I fought the rips.  I fought the close-outs and getting caught inside time and time again.  Just one.  Among the few times I would sit for a moment to catch my bearings whilst spitting salt watching the shoreline go by like a movie reel, I would find myself thinkin', "I want just one decent ride. Fuc#ing one!"  A real kook session, lemme tell ya.  And then, a stomach high left with a rare soft shoulder. Snagged it and shot across and down a surprisingly smooth face into the soup. Swung around right into a wall of foam and knocked down backwards.  But now I was in knee deep froth, and about six or so blocks down south.  Time to walk.  Just as I took off I caught a glimpse of three more souls entering the arena.  As I trudged back (against that wind chill I mentioned), the Ride had me considering another attempt on the coaster.  But as the aforementioned three struggled to find the evening's elusive stoke, I relented.  Notice, I did not reconsider...I wanted back in.  I relented.  No fun, no groove.  No groove, no stoke.

A calmer 9/20.  Late evening closed out floater.

 

The 7'4" SS gave me my One.  One ride, one peace.  For that

I am grateful.

   The night's warmer, Fordham Brewing's Spiced Harvest Ale. 6.6% ABV, 18 IBUs. Pours amber in color with a thin tan head.  I could smell the pumpkin and clove as I brought it to my mouth, but the taste was all clove, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.  Like having pumpkin pie without the pumpkin.  A gingerbready maltiness dominates with a light sweetness and hop touch.  Compared to the Fall beer selection that is out there, average.  Nothing that I thought to stand out.  I graded it a C.

"I've had only two, in dog beers"
               -Anonymous
"Need more than that to deal with
those damn 'Skins"         -Rogue 

Last Man Out, notes from the Rogue

Surf Check

 
 











 
   This time of year can be felt as much as it can be seen.  Days are warm, not hot; low 80's, upper 70's.  Nights are cool, not cold; upper 60's, low 70's.  Very pleasant. Autumn is rollin' in.  We got fall beers coming out, we got football, we got harvest...at tonight's 48th street lineup, I could smell the alluring scent of a fired up BBQ grill wafting across the beach from someone's deck tonight, and we still got surf in the lower 70's, a huge plus.  Hopefully the conditions will continue through October.

47th-48th Street Mid-town, 9/17 Swell

9/13. Similar conditions ...66th street, Holidays- knee to waist

 













   Weeknights are nice, and tonight was no exception.  Beach was empty, and the lineup numbered three including me.  Overcast, but a warm south-southeast wind off a blue-orange horizon  High tide brought in thigh to waist with an occasional chest. Little bit of chop mixed in.  A strong northbound current made for fast frontside rides. Tried to get a backside, unsuccessfully, not that I'm any good at 'em.  Speaking of that occasional chest high, I blew one of the last rides of the night misjudging it and pulled out.  Should've gone for it.  By this time there were two of us.  As I watched the other guy...a youngin' probably in his twenties... shred a left roller into shore, I managed to set a quick rail and carved up a right waisty to finish the night.  Last man out.
   The latest brew pick is 16 Mile Brewery's Inlet IPA, an English style IPA that ushers in the scent of malts and toffee sweetness trailing with floral hops.  Pouring a sparkling copper hue with a finger head, this beer measures a robust 80 IBUs which can be felt in the tremendous bitter (but not unpleasant) hop bite.  The taste begins with a nice malt base that does a fine job of balancing the big hop finish.  An excellent example of an English IPA, Inlet is named after Delaware's Indian River Inlet, a popular local surf spot.  At 6.10% ABV this one'll warm ya on those brisk autumnal days whether you want to enhance the stoke after a fall surf session, or during an intense football rivalry. I rated it an A.

Connecting the Indian River Bay with the 

Atlantic Ocean, the Indian River Inlet provides 

fishermen and seafarers alike coastal and offshore 

adventure.  When stormy weather abounds, 

strong currents and large swells test the skills 

of local surfers.                     -16 Mile Brewery  

Va. Beach Surf Check, notes from the Rogue

Virginia Beach roller, 9/2

                                                                                     

   After ripping and avoiding a ripping in some serious beachbreak mid-week, my girl and I took a weekender down to Virginia's coast, and as a side to our journey we were able to do a little surf check before the an approaching storm moved in. Virginia Beach is known for breaks that have a bit better shape than what I'm used to in MD.  However, they have their flat spells/crap swells just like the rest of us (little localism there).  On Sunday evening however, the surf was about thigh high and very clean.  Even had the opportunity to watch a seven year old local grom grab a sweet ride into shore. -Side note: the swell beginnings were due to a front off the coast; a forerunner to Hurricane Leslie making his way up from the Carib.  Hoping for some of that sweetness of my own through the end of the week.

Charging the beach, OCMD 8/30

 















   Our main destination and one of our favorite Right Coast towns, Williamsburg is known for it's restored 18th century colonial capital and a local brewery by the name of Williamsburg AleWerks.  This brew review features AleWerks Chesapeake Pale Ale. At an estimated 35 IBUs and a 5.3% ABV, Chesapeake had a biscuity malt nose with a slightly citrus-fruit taste.  Not real aggressive on the hops with this one.  Poured a hazy amber-orange with a thin white head.  Good lacing, decent carbonation, and a smoothness to the hop finish of my pint made this beer an above average, but not outstanding Pale.  I rated it a B-.

"Ale, proper drink for Americans."
               -George Washington, 1788