Good to be back
Trip Start
Nov 03, 2009
1
11
29
Trip End
Ongoing
Mancora, Peru
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
A 2 sol van ride to Tallahara, then a 35 sol cab ride, and we're back at Las Olas in Mancora. Feels good to have nice lodging and other people around to interact with. Northwest swell on the way, so the plan for now is: rent a car, grab Alonso, and shred uncrowded waves. Ha-ha just making it rain again! Missing my friends and family, but Mike and I have been exposed to so many new things already and we still have another month left.
Looking forward to it.
2/18/10
The feeling of euphoria rapidly coursed its way through my veins once more. Taking a set wave at Los Organos during low-tide will do that to anyone.
It's comparable to a left-hand version of Playa Negra; one peak, jagged rock, and the wave lined up perfectly…you could either stall for monster pits or you could race it, linking together multiple turns all the way to the beach.
The paddle out was a long one, but that natural high I was experiencing kept me going; stroke after stroke ached incredibly…a good thing to have, pleasure from pain so to speak.
Alonso came at 6:30 a.m. and we pilled into Patrick’s ideal Toyota 4-Runner (Japanese version though, and diesel) and we were rapidly on our way south to "El Gulf", the spot Gustavo told us about before our journey to Lobitos. Bumpy and sharp-winding roads were countered by good music and a positive energy, which we all seemed to be experiencing. I provided CLIF bars to everyone for breakfast which ended up being a lifesaver because it was firing!
Beach-break with no one out and offshore winds meant many good lefts and rights were waiting for us, eager to give us what we were searching for; euphoria. Gosh, just took a break to reflect back on just how good that session really was. Got at least 10 barrels; very good barrels, even the rights.
2 hours later we headed into Talara and hit a local panderia. 8 rolls, a Pepsi, and sweet bread were down the hatch almost instantly…all of that for a mere 2.80 sol. After a minor set-back (confusion about rooms) we were back on the hunt…this time Los Organos was the target.
The view from the cliff made it look pretty shitty, but once in the water it was clearly 5-6 ft. on the sets. The fast, super bowly takeoff took some getting used to, but once dialed in we were having the times of our lives again only after a two hour break. Our “set-back” with rooms only helped us in the end…no crowd and the tide was a little higher now allowing the wave to connect all the way through. Even as the muscle pain and wave hold-downs became more intense my mood couldn’t be altered. I know there is probably a scientific explanation, but the feeling one gets from surfing is pure magic.
Internet forecasts look promising for the next four days…hopefully that “magic” will last as well. Just wish all my friends were here to experience this with me. Ha-ha but then again, surfing with only four other people in near perfect conditions isn’t half-bad.
2/25/10
Feverish, achy, and very moody…a great state to be in before our 16 hour bus ride tonight to Lima. Can’t seem to shake this bug and Mike is annoying the shit out of me. Alonso and I have agreed he’s like a girl because you have to wait on him forever.
Should be stoked on Lima, but honestly I feel like it’s a mistake (like Bocas, just bad timing). Long hours of travel, expensive (120 sols per ticket), and we may not even score waves. I’d rather head to Quito now and then wait on a NW swell to surf San Manteo or Mompiche.
And as of right now I can’t even party because I’m sick. At least we have a free place to stay at Alonso's dad's house and Patrick is there as well…so if there is a wave we’re going to be on it. Just hope we don’t miss out on Quito because I am really looking forward to it. 20 days left…going to be packed full of activity.
Tonight should be interesting and nerve-wracking because two buses on similar routes collided last week killing at least 28 people (my parents are worried).
So after we are fed dinner, a couple Alprozolams and my I-pod will be necessary in order to keep my anxiety down. We should already be out of the room, but once again…waiting on Mike.
