family waves

Those father/son surf sessions are just the best! What a gift to trade waves with my son, Garrett. Share in the good times and check out the slide show on FLKR. (photos by the ever creative and lovable Rhio).


So.....CLICK IT!

surf like an Egyptian

any which way

Philo Beddoe: Right turn, Clyde.





Check out my quickie surf slide show on FLKR.

Matzo's Surf Journal

surf pics c/o Rhio, my surf babe!












I'm feelin the peelin'.












Mary rocks the Patch!!















The old crouch.


























A little apres surf breakfast.

son of anarchy

Oh by the way, dad....
there's a new family member now!

Flyboys

“What the?!”

As I tore away the birthday gift wrap, it revealed a child’s brightly colored toy plane. I stammered a bewildered attempt at enthusiasm for son Garrett’s gift on my 60th B-day.

“Dude, we’re goin’ flying”, he explained.

And last Friday, our adventure began....







“Bank 20 degrees right”, said my flight instructor. “Hold the controls lightly.”

I realized I was so focused that I was clutching the yoke. I began to relax as Sky Trekker, Sue Bellew, with her 6000 hours of flight experience, talked me through the training process. After all, she was being the brave one by relinquishing the controls to a total stranger.










I flashed back to my aerial photography days in PA and the flight lessons I’d taken as a survival back up. After 30 years my minimal skills were more than rusty.





Gradually gaining confidence, I began to feel the freedom of soaring 3000 feet above the freeways I’d jockeyed on only an hour beforehand.

Later, being back on the ground felt anticlimactic. How could we regain the wonderful rush and contrast to our earthbound reality? How ‘bout a surf we reckoned!

So, on Saturday, we hit the surf at Pacifica.....along with about 100 of our closest surf buds. As I sat in the crowded line up, I fantasized flying off to an out of the way surf destination in my own small plane.

Tattoo: Da plane. Da plane.

b-side

centuries of passion pent up in his savage heart....

Amazing! Startling! Shocking!
& inspired by my free 2MILE decal!

Awesome session today...south swell and fun shape at the Patch.

Tour de Matt

What was I thinking?! I must be watching too much Tour de France.





Earlier....

“Go for it Matt. This is your trail”, encouraged Joel.

“Dude, you always say that based on some ride we did like 3 years ago”, I replied. (I was friskier back in the day)

Suddenly a wild whim came over me. As I shifted into my middle ring, I exclaimed, “Aight. Later!!”

What followed was a wild sprint up the first long and technical half mile section of Marsh Trail.

Well, that was 2 days and 2 dozen ice packs ago. Now maybe I can at least maintain Joel's illusion of my fitness level for another 3 years.

Back In The Saddle

Via con Dios!
What the fuck, Utah?
You let him go!
No, l didn't.
No way! The guy's nuts.
We'll get him when he comes back in.
He's not coming back. -Johnny Utah




Taken from recent email excerpts...

Hey Charlotte,

I just picked up my 3rd bike saddle to try. What a process.... but cool that Norcal lets you demo.

I've upgraded to Fi'zi:k with K:ium rails (Pronounced Koom). The price cannot even be pronounced.

Later -Matt


Hey Matt,

Ooh - sounds so techy classy.

I'm all retro Stone Age with ti rails. -C


Hey Charlotte,

Shyeah..... Ti is like sooo 2010!! -Matt

NOTE: K:ium, a steel alloy, is 8% lighter, yet as strong and has better vibration absorption too.


So, you get the idea. I’m on my third demo saddle now and kudos to Norcal Bike in Santa Rosa for allowing customers to explore the possibilities to get just the right fit!!

The first two Specialized Phenom saddles I tried seemed awesome in theory. Specialized Body Geometry is developed by an ergonomics designer who provides medically proven solutions. The physiology of one’s sit bones is first measured with the BG Fit System (much less invasive than my TSA pat down).

The Phenom Expert saddle was just too hard on the ole butt bones, though. Thus I opted next for the Phenom Gel version. Now my BG recommended size was 155 mm wide (no that doesn’t necessarily equate to a big ass); so, even though my old saddle was 143 mm, I dutifully bumped up to the wider surface area, wanting to be ergonomically correct. My left testicle just wasn’t with the program though! I know, too much information, right?

Enter the Fi'zi:k Aliante Versus. This saddle really mimics the dimensions of my wrecked Avocet Air O2 40R and even has a “pressure relief channel”. Could there also be a “pleasure release channel” cause this sexy saddle is an exotic Italian beauty. Maybe I’ll just get lucky.

Clearly I am very optimistic about the upcoming test ride. To be continued.


Next Day (so many saddles, so little time).....

Yeah, work has been pretty spotty this week. Good thing I have my new gig as a bike saddle test pilot.

Now then, what has transpired with my quest for the ultimate saddle?


Before I even reached the Canyon trailhead, it dawned on me. I was focused on the ride and not the saddle! Need I even say more? Well, no, but I will anyway.

When I Photshopped those clouds behind the Fi’zi:k stock image (above photo), I was going for the visual effect, with little regard to any symbolism. Now I am riding on air!

changes

I still down know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild -David Bowie

primitive man

sea sightings

RoboSnake

Back in the day (ie. 1997) there wasn't a lotta CG; so they actually built this snake for the movie Anaconda! It's on display at The Academy Of Science.

Gary: You don't know shit about the shit we're in out here!