Monday, January 19, 2009

More HI in '09

In the past two weeks I have: ran around the western most tip of Oahu, hashed around UH, filmed and took photos for the first 1 man outrigger race of the season, stand up paddle boarded, watched 7 Pounds, survived another Bikram Yoga class, ran the first peak on Olomana, kiteboarded in Hawaii Kai, ran Coco Head, kiteboarded in Waikiki twice, lost my kiteboard at sea and had to body drag across an exposed reef, had a hawaiian kid take a swing at me at a karaoke bar, watch the Steelers beat the Ravens, and flew back to PDX today.  Besides all that and spending time with Julie I haven't done much:)

Life has honestly been hectic.  There is nothing new to report on the job or Julie front, although there have been great efforts made in both cases to change the current situation.  I'm healing up from my run in with the reef in Waikiki while kiteboarding, as my left foot got pretty banged up.  I'm hoping to get back on the running band wagon in the next few days, as I feel like I've neglected the mileage a bit in favor of time out on the water.  I'm back in Oregon and trying to get things organized and a quality future started.  Please keep in touch and thanks for reading about my crazy life.  Peace......
(Julie and Rob at the start of the Kamanu composites sponsored one man outrigger canoe race.  Julie loved seeing here "art projects" out in the water.  I was out in a power boat filming and taking photos for the race organizers.)
(This is Zsolt Szadovski WAY out in front of the entire field in his Epic V10 surf ski just outside of the Mokes.  He let me paddle one at the finish line and might have hooked me on yet another water sport!)
(This is the finish are of the race and one of the coolest boats on the water.  Julie painted this one.)
(Some hikers took this shot when I ran up Olomana.  My calves are still burning!)
(This is the Coco Head crater hike that I ran up and down.  The hike is straight up the side along some old railroad ties.  The trail is next to the telephone poles in the upper left of the photo.)
(This is me kiteboarding in Waikiki just in front of the Hilton.  You can see Diamond Head in the background.)
(Julie loved taking tons of photos of me on the beach.)
(The kite rigging area in front of the Hilton in Waikiki.)
(More of me kiting in Waikiki.)
(This shot is again in Waikiki.  You can see the boat channel markers on the right of the photo.  This is one of the only deep spots along the reef.  I made it out threw the channel and was surfing overhead + size waves when some whitewash ripped my board off my feet.  The wind and waves pushed me in and a rip current took my board out to sea.  I couldn't make it back threw the channel body dragging and ended up having to body drag across exposed reef in the surf.)
(Julie surfing some fun small surf in Cockroach bay.)

(Julie took all kiteboard shots of me in this post.)

Monday, January 5, 2009

Hawaiian Holidays

(I love kiteboarding in Kailua Bay.)

I've been in HI since Christmas Eve.  The crazy weather in Portland made the airport experience interesting.  Since arriving in HI I've been kiteboarding nearly every day.  The kiting has been amazing and I'm really learning how to control the kite and launch some big jumps.  I've also really gotten into surfing the waves with my kiteboard.  I got one long run in, surfed some big waves on the North Shore, and did a bikram yoga class.  My lower back has been giving me major troubles and I've been beating my legs up bad with all these crazy sports.  New Year's was tons of fun with a big party at Julie's place.  Julie's old theater friend from MD Lynne came into town last Friday and has been enjoying the HI weather and craziness.

I missed my family for yet another holiday season in HI.  I had them all in my thoughts and reminisced about my late Grandma Devol.  I'm still trying to find a job, figure out the future for Julie and I, and get into shape.  I'm headed back to PDX on Thursday.  I'm really hoping to get some things figured out this month and start the new year off right.
(This is the scene at the PDX airport.  16 inches of fresh snow, and counting, in the previous few days.)
(I took this shot of Julie windsurfing in Kailua while following her on my kiteboard.)
(Julie and I enjoying some time out of the wind under my kite on Christmas.)
(This is a cool little tree on the beach with Chinamans Hat in the background.  I took this shot while Julie and I went for a little run along the coast.)
(Fried turkey is soooo good, especially on New Year's Eve at a party with lots of drinks!)
(Fireworks were good fun and made the ravaged turkey carcass look interesting.)
(Julie, Rob, Shannon, ?, and Jimmy on the roof just after midnight on New Years Eve.)
(I did a little hike along the old Pali road and took this shot that shows the new and old Pali.)
(Lynne, Julie's old theater friend that is in town visiting, and Julie at Pinkey's.)
(Lynne negotiating the bamboo forest on the Hash designed by our friend Rob.)
(The Hash "virgins" at the end of the Hash.)
(Julie out enjoying the high winds.)
(This is what Julie wears when it is 75+ degrees and she is inside out of the wind!!!)
(Devin took this shot of me surfing a wave next to Flat Island.)
(I also used the waves to catch some air.)
(I took the following shots of Devin.)
(Devin is getting real good at launching himself into the air!)
(Devin flying high again.)
(Devin surfing some ocean swell headed towards world famous Lanikai beach.)