ARIZONA

Sisters are best friends ... !

Shani has been a friend since the days I lived on Silverstrand Beach in Oxnard in the early 1980's. Her husband Tony was a fixture / sailmaker in the Ventura sailing community and hellman windsurfer. They untied the lines to their sailboat a couple years ago and sailed south into Mexico. Long story short, we bunked with them in Arizona and ended up HERE !!







They were gonna kick my butt until I asked for a dance.

The " PICKIN ON " CD Series

David West originated and produced the internationally successful PICKIN ON musical series. Bluegrass renditions of albums by CSN, CSNY, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash, Greatful Dead to name a few. Two and a half million units sold worldwide. He and the CACHE VALLEY DRIFTERS were the opening act for many a concert I produced back in the day. I would go so far as to say the band was one of the original NEW GRASS groups. My definition of New Grass would be alternative bluegrass with a taste of core jazz thrown in the mix.

One room in his studio filled with precious antiques.
David is a multi instrument virtuoso.
David and I had not seen each other for 35 years. A friend, Jay Johnson ( owner of SUN SOLAR in Sanat Barbara) , was installing solar panels supplying our motor home with electricity at Emma Wood State Beach when I mentioned I owned a music venue (The BLUEBIRD CAFE) in S.B. during the 1970's. A year later (4 weeks ago) Patty and I were having dinner at Jay and Ceci's home and reunited me with David West and John Wilcox. Two old music buddy's from the Bluebird Café days.


David has about $100,000 worth of vintage instruments in his collection.

THE LAST TIME AROUND

Yesterday afternoon
Two weeks ago
last fall

WHAT I'll miss about California SW

What I'll miss about California

Mountains

View of the ocean as soon as I wake up in the morning

Trader Joe's

Picturesque drives down and up the coast

Bike paths

Patagonia store

Nancy Sunfield

Downtown Ventura

Venice Band

Santa Barbara

Apple store in Santa Barbara

Two Buck Chuck (wine)

Yoga

Dry air

No bugs

IN A FISH BOWL

Time to say adios.
wE ARe liViNG iN a FiSH bOWeL,.. since spring break kicked in the past week.

THE METER READ

It turned out to be another off the chart day. Thanks to El Nino pumping in the rain January, February .. the hillsides are lit up with yellow and purple wildflowers and several shades of lime to deep greens for their backdrop. Air temp. checked in @ 82 degrees in the afternoon (SURFLINE) and the pics below tell the rest. Meanwhile, Sy is north of Point Conception wigging out on double overhead bombs!

In between sets .. the paddle out was a dry one.
Consistent 6 to 7ft (1 to 2 feet overhead) with sets topping out around 8ft for awhile at lower tide.

While C Street was packed the reef here at Emma Wood never had more than 3 waveriders at any given time.

sPRiNg bReAK, DAYLIGHT SAVINGS

WED. 9am. nothing close to 10 ft. TUESDAY,5 P.M.

Small forerunners of the swell due in by morning. 81 degrees now @ 5:30 with a zero to 3 knot Santana wind drifting offshore. Supposedly Epic conditions for tomorrow and 8 to 10 ft. faces.

MONDAY, MARCH 15th






Not a soul on the reef, overhead with great conditions on a beautiful Saturday morning.

EFFECTS OF WEATHER PATTERNS

YES your honor..I did take off in front of that man, my accuser. But sir, I was not in control of myself. It was EL NINO that made me do it.
Ventura Overhead
Mike Lennon, lead guitar and vocals. The band VENICE.
1950's
Around dinner time aboard the land yacht. Emma Wood State Beach.
Secret recording studio, Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Holy Crap, now what will I do? This kinda hurts.