A funny thing happened on Friday night as I was prepping my gear to go surfing. I decided to pull the tape measure out and see exactly how long my 9’4″ Tyler is.
When I wanted to buy a new longboard I had a specific one in mind: a 9’6″ Robert August “What I Ride”. I know I already explained this in a previous blog, but I happened into the Tyler as I was hunting on Craigslist. I wasn’t looking for a Tyler because they are so few in comparison and I didn’t think one would be in my price range.
Well, as I was loading my SUV with Baby Gorilla’s 10’0″, my gear, and my 9’4″ I grabbed the tape measure.
I don’t have a board bag for it yet, so it would be good to know its exact length in case I found one that was 9’4″ or 9’5″. I’ve only found 9’0″, 9’6″, 10’0″, etc. Basically every 6 inches, but not that odd ball length.
It seems that the guy I bought the Tyler from was mistaken. His ad said it was 9’4″ and when I went to look at it and eventually purchase it, he stuck to the fact that it was 9’4″.
So I put the tape measure nose too tail and to my surprise it read 9’6″!
Was I mad? Of course not. I just realized that the next time I’m in the market for a new longboard I should bring along a tape measure in case the dimensions aren’t written somewhere on the foam under the glass. 
Since I was originally looking for something 9’6″, I was really stoked to find out I got something 9’6″. Now let’s just hope in future blogs I get my board length correct when I am talking about it.
So with that beginning to my weekend, I went to bed like a kid waiting to sleep through the night that was heading to Disneyland the next day.
It really was like that. And what was the forecast that made my anticipation so high? 1 to 2 ft with the occasional 3 footer. Haha…yep! I’m so perpetually stoked that I don’t care how small it’s going to be! I can’t wait to get there and surf!
Gooch, Spock, Baby Gorilla, the Rev, Rip Van Ronnie and I surfed our favorite surf spot yesterday and another surprise happened: Our occasional 3 footers turned out to be closer to chest high.
So in the end, I found out I have the exact size board I wanted and the waves were better than anticipated even though I was still stoked just to go surfing.
Get out there and have fun. I know I can’t help it. 
Thank you and God bless,
Surfer Yoda
It was a lot of fun yesterday with the crew. After breakfast, Gooch, Spock, and I stopped in at Zuma Jay Surfboard shop in Malibu and talked to Jay while Gooch picked out a new fin. It’s fun meeting and talking with shop owners around the Southland. You learn a lot about local breaks and some of the funny things that happen that you never heard about. For instance, during the last big fire that closed PCH, Jay managed to borrow a fire fighter uniform and surf Malibu with Nobody else! A news reporter snapped a photo of him riding a beautiful peeling wave dressed in yellow from head to toe! Silly but totally funny. And just imagine surfing MaliZoo without anyone around!
I’ve seen that picture. In fact, I think it’s in one of my old Longboard Magazines about that very swell that hit Malibu during the fire. Early 2000′s, I think.
I was going to say the blog rocks but then read Baby Gorilla’s reply. My pales but it’s fun reading these and having fun through them.
Thanks, Aunt Gloria. I’m glad you’re reading them.