Surfing is a Trip

I just picked up this new popsicle stick. I'm digging it and now see why it was so cheap: About Powell Golden Dragon

The Silver Comet Trail is a couple of miles from my house. It's 60 miles. Anyone want to skate to Alabama?

I skated 3 miles round trip today from the start of the trail. This things has some definite potential. Details here and here.

The only downside is that the trail is not wide enough for big carves. Tighten up those trucks and hold on. I only ended up in the trees once today.There's probably a couple of long downhill stretches that will work with a car shuttle.

TRAIL SUMMARY

The Silver Comet Trail is a 60 mile-long, converted rail-trail going from Smyrna, about 15 miles Northwest of Atlanta, to the Georgia-Alabama state line; there is meets the Chief Ladiga Trail, the continuation of the old Seaboard Air Line train route. The Silver Comet Trail is paved continuously from Smyrna to about 2 miles past the town of Rockmart. >From there, there is a gap in the Trail for about 12 miles, from Rockmart to the town of Cedartown. >From Cedartown on to the Alabama state line, it is paved, for 9.25 miles. There is no Silver Comet Trail route between Rockmart and Cedartown but the distance of about 11 miles can be ridden (or walked, or skated) on some scenic, fairly low traffic roads in Polk County (where Rockmart and Cedartown are located). See the bottom of the map and directions page for a link to the directions.

The official start to the Silver Comet Trail is at the Mavell Road Trailhead. However, in 2004, a paved extension was completed, eastward from the Mavell Road Trailhead to the Publix Shopping Center, at the corner of South Cobb Drive and the East-West Connector. The extension is called the 'Silver Comet Extension' and is not considered in the official mileage for the Silver Comet Trail. The extension is one mile long.

Georgia: Silver Comet Trail

The Silver Comet Trail is Georgia's most ambitious rails-to-trails project. It was named for a train that used the identical route from 1947 to 1968. The Silver Comet originated in Boston and ran through Atlanta on the way to its final destination in Birmingham. Rails-to-trails projects, the conversions of abandoned railroads to recreational trails, are very popular across the country. The Silver Comet Trail is adjacent to the Wild Horse Creek Trail, and it meets with the Chief Ladiga Trail at the border with Alabama.

The Silver Comet Trail allows you to bike, run, walk or skate 60 miles from Smyrna GA to the Georgia/Alabama Line. You don't have to share the trail with cars or trucks. No motorized vehicles are allowed! Along the way you'll see wildlife and beautiful scenery. One of the trail highlights is crossing the Pumpkinvine Creek Trestle, a 750 foot long, 126 foot high bridge. A little farther west is the 800 foot Brushy Mountain tunnel - fun for children of all ages to bike, run or walk through.

http://www.surfline.com/surfnews/article.cfm?id=2443

Sheriffs in Walton County, Florida suggest "surfer registration"
by Terry Gibson

Walton County Florida was home to what arguably were Florida's most beautiful beaches, and it still boasts the best surf breaks along the Florida Gulf Coast, including Amazon's, Blue Mountain Beach and Seaside. Bobby Johnson, a board member of the Panhandle Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation with 25 years' surfing experience in the region, says that better wave quality was Hurricane Katrina's only upshot.

"Katrina knocked out the outside bar, so it goes from deep to knee deep really fast," says Johnson. "What were longboard spots are now real grinders."

But now Johnson and every other surfer -- resident or visitor -- may have to get a sort of "surfing license" before getting wet. Citing safety concerns, the Walton County Sheriff's Office proposed the implementation of a surfer registration program for double red flag days. Surfers would have to register at a centralized location and wear some identification, such as an armband. Surfers without identification could be fined.
Walton County Sheriff's Office Capt. Danny Glidewell was quoted in the Walton Sun as saying, "It will help deputies to concentrate on who they need to talk to. It's an attempt to increase public safety and public awareness."

Local surfer Collin Merideth scoffs at the idea of a safety concerns among experienced surfers, saying double red flag conditions are about chest high to a little overhead.
Johnson says he's "baffled."

"Sometimes you see little kids in the water or other folks who have no business being out in rough surf. But surfers make more rescues than lifeguards in Walton County."
Walton County South Walton Fire District Deputy Chief Sean Hughes apparently agrees with Johnson.

"Surfers will rescue more people than our lifeguards and sheriff's department combined," Hughes told the Walton Sun. Jack Slattery, the Surfrider Panhandle chapter's Vice Chair, says that lifeguards also oppose registering surfers, and that it's unlikely the beach safety committee would approve of an ordinance without input from the surfing community. Johnson says he appreciates the opportunity. Others think the police are suspicious of the sudden influx of surfers that occurs in Walton County when cyclone sets up in the Gulf.
"I don't think the Sheriff's department views surfers as miscreants that need to be watched," says Johnson. "I hope that this is well-intentioned but misguided attempt to recognize that the surfing community in Walton County plays an important role in beach management," he said.

But Johnson says he's disturbed by the proposal. He says it represents more erosion of freedom and quality of life in Walton County.

"When I was a kid, my family owned a horse stable off 30A, and we could ride on the beach. It was so cool to watch the horses run down those pristine white beaches. But they banned horseback riding on beaches. We would also have bonfires, and being locals we were always careful to clean up after ourselves. Then they banned bonfires. And for years, our dogs would play on the beach while we surfed; eventually they banned dogs. Since Katrina, the county has let beachfront property owners sully our white beaches with organic material. But if you bring a dog down to the beach, the poodle police will slap you with a ticket before your pooch has time to think about lifting his leg. And, beachfront homeowners can build un-permitted seawalls 40 feet onto state property without any legal consequence, but we have to get a permit to surf? What? Sometimes I think I live in a madhouse."

  

http://www.whoisadamcolton.com/videorabbit.mov

I'm trying my best to out do Mike in the new board department.
Here's the deal. I have my fish for most days and my longboard for micro days and surf lessons, but I didn't have the right board for days when it's overhead. So I traded in my 7'2" funshape and my old 6'3" thruster for this beaut.

This board is a JC (no I didn't get it personalized) 6'4" using SurfTech Tuflite technology. The shape is by Peter Mel from Santa Cruz. I've been really happy with how the surf tech has held up on the longboard we bought a year ago (it still doesn't have any dings). It's also incredibly light. Much lighter than any board I've owned.

Also, Fluid hooked me up with some new FCS m5 fins with the new double foil. Slices through the water like butter.

Check it.

 

Mmmmmmmm......  

  

This picture is posted by request of dbreck. The picture isn't too bad (just a little road rash) but I didn't want to have the pic on the front page. Click here if you dare.

The road right in front of the White House is blocked off from traffic. It's the perfect place to skate. 

"Skateboarding is not a crime."

This is the capitol police. They drove right by Theo skating in front of the White House and didn't say a word. 

Just goofing around on the longboards last Friday. Went out again in the afternoon and it was much better. Saturday was fun to. Long, clean longboard waves.

Here's the video of the session. It's about 7 minutes long.