[I am now so very glad that I did go. Once I saw the smiling, beaming faces of Rod, Myroni, KC, Lana, Neal...then a little later Ferg, Lucy, Kim, SteveM...and then, a fantastic bonus of meeting wonderful San Diego alt.surfer Dan King!...I was so happy to be there with them all. Plus that, I made some great new East Coast surfing friends from the newly 
formed Annapolis Surf Club: Chris, Mike, Robb, Kirk (he's also recently started posting to alt.surfing...welcome, Kirk!) & Pat.]

Foon has been a main Stokemeister for all four of the GP gatherings ...through thick and thin. He never turned away. He is the number one GP storyteller & reporter. He has been a major source of heart & soul for it, too. He brings his fantastic sense of humor & sense of ceremony along with him to every GP. I love how much Foon cares about it. It's 
because of how much he cares about it, that I was inspired to go a second time. He is a dear friend.

I was equally going to miss Sarge's wonderful presence there. It was the best news to hear about him being a new Dad. I am so happy for he and Trish. But it was other reasons that were keeping Sarge from attending this year. A feeling that GP was becoming too commercial and established (I may not be saying it quite right, Sarge...but I hope I have the gist of it ok). I really listen to what Sarge and others say about that. I want so much for it to be something that he would like to be a part of again...I hope it will be. 

Mark and Sarge were the main inspiration for my attending a GP in the first place...from posts they wrote way back in 1999. The event is even named after Team Guido. I love the story of how all that came about and how they made Foon an honorary Guido. Those posts were so much fun to read. The next part of 'Road To Hatteras' posts [which I'll get back to ...after I finish posting about the 2002 event] talks about this and is about thanking Mark & Sarge, for lots of things. Proud Papa SurfSarge, I missed you (and your wonderful smile, too)! Mark, I hope very much to have the honor of meeting you some day soon!

I missed Todd, Edmund and Andy there this year (the other ASer's I met up with there last year). Todd and Edmund helped me a lot with surfing & got me out in conditions that I am chicken to paddle out in otherwise. Andy has this great, easygoing way about him (which is reflected in his great surf reports at A.S). They all have a great sense of humor, too. I know that Lucy missed you too, Todd!!! One of the first things Ferg said to me when I saw him this year was, "Where's Todd?". Edmund, I hope some time to sing more songs with you, it was great spending time with you. I 
hope all three of you will get to be there another year. 

Craig K, I wish I could've stayed longer to see you there, but I'll be sure to see you again soon! Flek, I hope very much I get to meet you sometime soon, too! It's so great the way you brought the whole thing together for the 2nd year, please return to one sometime, I know you've been missed! Rico, I am so happy & honored that I got to meet you and
all at Cape Cod, I am still smiling from that wonderful get together! The shirt this year was another _fantastic_ one! Thanks so much to you and Lynne, you were definitely with us all in spirit again!!

All are good points, spoken with much wisdom & heart by AS/ASL folks who I respect, appreciate and love very much. I take it all to heart and listen to what is said.  All I know is that the reason I went is _because_ of AS/ASL, and the incredible way that just through reading everyone's posts on a weekly basis, all you folks already feel like great friends of mine, even before we meet in person. I can't help but hope that you will all be there at one of them sometime. You would all add so much & would be so welcome. But, you will always still be there in my heart, either way. Hopefully I'll get to meet you another time and place, down the stoking surfing trail.

I love hearing about all the different kinds of surf trips & gatherings that everyone at alt.surfing & alt.surfing.longboard do. GP is just one of many. So great to hear people sharing the stoke and good times they have meeting/surfing with each other. I equally so very much understand folks not wanting to meet up with other alt.surfers...I love reading their posts just as much & they feel like great friends to me, just the same....even if I don't ever get the chance to meet you all in person. I love that there can be all of that at the same time, at alt.surfing. And I respect and learn from all of it. I just love the chance to get to check in and read all your great posts, each week. And the many smiles your great humor brings.

I love this gathering of alt.surfers on the East Coast USA Outer Banks. I know that I go because of the alt.surfing friends that I get a chance to spend time with. In my case, I guess it's true...I go for the social gathering part of it. Others go there for the surfing part of it, mainly ...but for me, it's mostly sentimental reasons. Being a rookie surfing 
kuk, I can find waves that keep me fully occupied trying to ride, right here in Northern Mass. at Good Harbor or Hampton Beach. Whereas at the Outer Banks, I have mostly experienced being blown half a mile down shore by the wind, when I attempt to surf (but this time, I had a great day of surfing, that improved my skills a notch). But what I love about trying to surf there, is the camaraderie of being out there with other alt.surfers from other places...just knowing they're out there surfing too, that I love. I feel thankful there is such a gathering where all are welcome to attend. My skills aren't near good enough to join in on other surf trips...but, maybe someday they will be, once I get in good 
enough shape.

SteveM, one of the Original Guidopalooza Five, had some words of wisdom about it all, when I expressed some thoughts about this with him last week. I'm so glad that he and Myroni could be there this year!! I won't even try to paraphrase what Steve said, because I won't say it well. But somehow, what I took away from the conversation, is the idea that it's not always easy for folks to attend every single year, for all kinds of different reasons. Just because someone can't go one year, doesn't mean they won't want to another year. Again, this really isn't what Steve 
said (Steve, if you feel like writing about it more, I always love to hear you). But somehow, talking with him helped me just know that things all work out in the long run. Sometimes I worry about little stuff like that, it's why I would never be good at putting together a surf trip or gathering, and why I so respect and admire people who do. As SteveM says 
so wisely: Just Surf. 

I feel thankful that I got there two years in a row. I may not be able to be there next year. But if can't, I hope to go next year or the one after. I appreciate that it is an event that is held each year. I hope it will continue for many years to come. Special thanks to all who started it & all who have been a part of making it happen these past four years, thru thick and thin...thru the popular times and not so popular times. I love Alt. Surfing (and ASL), and all who post here.
And I love Team Guidopalooza.  

Very Special Thanks To Rodino Rodgers for bringing this year's event together (especially during the final week before it) and keeping it going. Thanks for all the work he does to maintain his great website, too. I was very glad to have the chance to talk with him more this year, he helped me a lot with surfing, too. He is a great guy with a heart of gold and a dedicated, fully stoked surfer.

Foondoggy, thank you for all you do, always. We know how much you had wanted to be there. You, Mrs. Foon, Your Sister and Beautiful MomsFoon were in our hearts the entire time.

Respectfully Submitted,

Dee Dee