GP2K1 Revisited - Part 4- Monday at Frisco
by Foontonio
"Never exaggerate your faults, your friends will attend to that." - Robert C. EdwardsMonday broke bright, cool, sunny and breezy. Early checks revealed the wind
almost due North and a definite but disorganized wind swell which had a few
never say die types charging the Lighthouse. Others used the ceremony of the
night before as an excuse to sleep in. Neal Carver, GP2K1 breakfast chef, set
up shop again and started slamming out blueberry pancakes. Mighty fine vittles
for our scruffy hoard. Neal was a life saving breakfast king.The balance of the day was spent in various activities waiting for the right
wind and tide conditions to light up Frisco Pier.http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries1/original/ROLL1DX-11.JPG
Fixin Ferg's VW camper.http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries1/original/ROLL1DX-14.JPG
4 wheelin in search of surf.http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries1/original/ROLL1DX-24.JPG
Ferg gets blown away.I guess we headed down after riding around in the Rodmobile doing surf checks
about 4 p.m. Rod was determined to get KC's wife Sveta out on his Paipo and
after a few checks around the south side, it was decided the pier would be the
call.Though I brought my surf gear my intuition told me this may be the best photo
opportunity of surf during the trip. I had two rolls of 800 asa film and my
camera gear. The surf was pitifully small, but to a surfstoked and starved
crew, the opportunity to catch almost anything was a welcome respite from not
being in the warm water. I set up down the beach as our crew spread out in the
lineup ignoring the warning sign to stay 300 feet from the Frisco fishing Pier.
We outnumbered those fish-heads anyway.http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries1/original/ROLL1DX-06.JPG
NealEveryone rode that night. (except me and Sarge) Within the limitations of my
camera (210mm zoom, 800 asa film, shooting at 1/250th) I got pics of almost
everyone on some kind of waves (Some were fuzzy because it was not an autofocus)
Even Sveta who was being launched into waves by Rod on his Paipo. It was fun to
try and anticipate the conditions and skills of the different riders, and a few
guys got rides that made my job easy. Andy, Edmund, KC, Neal, Ferg, Todd, Rod,
Sveta and Dee Dee seemed to have a great time in the less than challenging
conditions. In all, though the surf was small, everyone came away from that
session happy with what they got.http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries1/original/ROLL1DX-04.JPG
http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries1/original/ROLL1DX-05.JPG
http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries1/original/ROLL1DX-10.JPG
Neal snakes Andy.http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries1/original/ROLL1DX-08.JPG
http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries2/original/ROLL1DX-32.JPG
http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries2/original/ROLL1DX-35.JPG
Though I was dressed warmly in a flannel shirt, fleece sweatshirt and hat, the
steady, strong and cold wind cut right through me. I stood on the beach for
over two hours taking shot after shot keeping a casual eye on the sky to the
west. Before long I realized the cloud, wind and lighting conditions were
setting up what was going to be a first class sunset sky. I quickly finished up
my surfing pics in the dwindling light and positioned myself in several spots to
snap some very colorful pics. Some of these were shot as slow as a 1/60th with a
wide open aperture. But with the wind blowing, buffeting me about and the
unstable footing of the soft sand on the dune, a few of these also had an eerie
fuzz focus to them.http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries2/original/TheGPsunset1.jpg
This quick photo session (all done in 15 minutes) involved climbing all over the
dunes in the sea oats and scrub brush of the beach, something I would come to
regret later. By time we left in the twilight of dusk, I was very cold but
happy in the knowledge I'd gotten some good GP2K1 shots.http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries1/original/ROLL1DX-28.JPG
http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries2/original/GPseaoats.jpg
Back at TB we fired up the fireplace and the outdoor charcoal grill as Andy
swung into ferocious action making grilled brats, potato salad, sauerkraut and
D2 made garden salads and munchies. Everyone talked story about the conditions
at the pier and within an hour or two we had another fabulous dinner. Say what
you will about the iffy nature of the GP, but one thing is guaranteed - we eat
good (if not well).Shortly after dinner I began to feel poorly. At first I thought it was a chill
I'd gotten from standing on the beach in the cold wind too long. But soon I was
starting to feel feverish, light headed and disoriented. Though I had a few
Jacks I did not drink enough to be that affected by it.I made my way down to my room to lay down. Before I could I was seized by a
terrible bout of fever driven tremors and hyperventilation. I either passed out
or fell back asleep. I woke up later, drenched in sweat, but still shaking
violently and breathing in labored gasps. Every molecule of my body ached in
sharp pain. My hair hurt. I was in serious need of having to concentrate to
breathe."Fuck!!." Until this point I'd been delighted that unlike my usual track
record, I'd avoided injury. Here I was now, AS posterboy for medical problems,
in jeopardy of having to get someone to call 911 because I was having a hard
time breathing. I staggered to the bathroom to get some aspirin and took a
bunch. In the mirror was a gargoyle I did not recognize. My face was grossly
swollen, eyes almost shut. I headed back for the bed determined to hunker down
and fight whatever it was that was afflicting me. Throughout the night I awoke
several times in fits of short gasping breath, wracking tremors and burning
fever. I drank massive amounts of water and re-dosed myself with aspirin. In
retrospect I think this was a very foolish thing to do.By next morning the aches were reduced but not gone. I could breath again though
shallowly, and the fever had broken a bit (but returned a few times in the next
2 days) I went up stairs and by the looks people gave me I realized I did not
look good. A few asked me if I was OK? Though I said yes, I felt like shit and
was so wasted I camped out in the downstairs TV room most of the day to
recuperate. I'm happy to say by the next day I was feeling much better. I
never lost my appetite and the aspirin seemed to put a dent in my occasional
fevers. I managed to participate in various land based activities and as the
week went on I felt normal (?)I have little or no way of knowing what happened, but a week later when I went
to the doctor for some unrelated checkup I mentioned the episode and a swollen
knot of flesh on the side of my foot that was sore, all red and hot to the
touch, with a white dot in the center. My internist guessed but could not
confirm that it may have been a spider bite. Since I felt fine then, I did not
pursue it. But at one point there I was feverishly envisioning a scenario that
would have my GP surf bros deciding which dumpster to put me in before they all
split for home from the GP.:) That would have been a mistake. MrsFoon would have
hunted them down like dogs. ;)Unfortunately for me, I did not feel well enough to surf again at the GP.
Luckily for me later in the week up at the Bunker, when some real juice came to
town, I did.http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries2/original/OCOct12.jpg
"It takes a long time to become young." -Pablo Picasso
Next: Winding down
http://alt-surfing.org/altsurfing/as_points/gp01_pics/FoonSeries1/original/ROLL1DX-27.JPG
-Foon
Posted to the alt.surfing newgroup
Subject: GP2K1 Revisited:Pt3,Sunday Sesh/Party
Date: 2 Nov 2001 06:57:27 -0800
Organization: alt.surfing Team MarylandSearch the thread at here.
