9 we woke up and Shane was twisted and it hadn’t snowed all night and Luke was sick, so we decided today was a much-needed lay day. I needed to slow down because I was running my body so hard since Vegas. It was absolutely dumping all day and we had to move out of our condo and into our friend Mark Carter’s for the next 3 nights. But I am glad we did the move during the dump and not during the fresh pow day! Took the day off and cruised all day.
10 Up early again on the gondola up… the snow was so good again. We did some fun runs in fresh pow, then Luke and I hit up a little backcountry mission together that was our first run with just us two the whole trip. So much fun, it feels like when first started surfing! Then we headed in. I was bummed because the back door shoot out had run and I was working on getting back because red bull wanted me to do the event I didn’t really want to miss any event at pipe, any chance you have to surf with only 4 guys out there is priceless! But you can’t do everything. I had a sick trip and wouldn’t change a thing.
11 we got up at 520am to make our 7am flight. Everything was packed and ready to go. Jammed to the airport and checked in and now we are on our second flight of the day a direct from Salt Lake City, Utah to Maui. We are flying right into a huge swell meant to hit on Sunday. It has been a crazy start to the 2008-year and I am psyched to see what comes of it. I have been lagging on writing about what I have been up to because I have been so busy and a little lazy. The next few weeks are crazy, I have the swell to surf, a show to shoot in L.A. on the 18th, then another snowboard trip to Canada with the Scott Blum on his G4 then the Monster Pipe event. I hope I can make it all happen
Land on Maui at about 430pm, when I am waiting for my bags I get a call saying the backdoor shootout had not finished and there was going to be one more day tomorrow if the waves are good, so after waiting like 30 minutes for 1 of my bags that didn’t show up, me and my brother just bail head home. On the way I am checking flight times to get out a couple hours later to Oahu. I get home through my bags in the house and grab another backpack and jam straight back to the airport, it was to late to book a ticket so I just buy one at the counter and head to Oahu. When I land my brothers room mate, Boone, picks me up and drives me to this truck and head straight out to the North Shore. Then go underneath Chris Gallagers’ (O’Neill Hawaii team manager) house where I have left most of my boards from earlier in the winter, and grab the few I think I will need. And head to Roy Powers’ house to sleep for the night.
12 Wake up early and head down to the beach to see if the waves are big enough to have the event. Luckily enough it was! I raced back to Roy’s house and grabbed all my boards and went to the Quick house for the start of the event, I got put into the second heat of the morning after not surfing for nearly 2 weeks! I went out and first wave of the heat for me was a solid 6 foot peaky left. I dove straight in and turned really hard and got a good line after thinking I was a little late! The wave spits as I come out! Then I do a cut back to hit the wave and got the timing perfect and pulled the turn. I felt right back at home, as the day went on I got some of the best waves I have had all winter! Then just when I thought I would be going home the call comes in that the Eddie event might be on tomorrow, so I drop the boards off that I have with me and grab my Waimea board I had ready in case the event ran. Then head to dinner and get some sleep.
13 Wake up a little earlier and head to Waimea and deal with the parking problem! Run into Andy Irons and as we wait for the call if the event is on or off. As the sun comes up a touch we see that the wind and swell is a perfect combo for one the best waves on an outer island. So we come up with a plan if the event is off, it runs like this, race back and drop our boards off, book a flight on the way to the airport and drop the truck off at the airport, jump on the flight, land there, get a rent-a-car and head out to the wave, and have someone grab boards for us on our way there. We are cringing as we wait, already getting calls about how good it is! Finally at 9am they call it off, and the plan goes into motion!!!! Some how, some way it all came together and there we were driving down the long beach looking into some of the best waves I have ever seen! After leaving the North Shore at 915am for a 1025am flight! The drive is 45 minutes at least!
We surf for like 4 hours. Getting some of the best waves ever! Then jam straight back to the airport to try to get a flight back to Oahu, Andy and Matt, his filmer, have a flight at 11pm to cali and I was trying to get to Maui. We make it back just in time, and thankfully my brother didn’t come back to Oahu earlier to get his truck because we had to leave one of Matt’s bags in it because we were to late! Run out and grab his bag, say our good byes, and I run back in the terminal to get my connecting flight to Maui. I’m so tired by this point. I land on Maui Luke had left my truck at the airport when he went to fly to Oahu. Perfect! For once everything worked like clockwork. I guess eventually you have to score some time! Then I headed home have a snack and hit bed!
