Sunday, July 19, 2020

Nuking Winds at Sherman Island

In anticipation of a windy day at Sherman Island, I prepacked my minivan with Windsurfing gear, including my Goya 84-liter Quad Custom Pro and 2018 Fanatic 105-liter Freewave STB.

I woke up at 5:40 and checked the wind forecast at Sherman Island. According to iWindsurf, the wind was already 26 knots! With the ebbing tide running until noon, my best shot would be to drive there ASAP.

After a drink of water, I packed my wetsuit, apple, and banana and was off. The drive to Sherman Island took about 85 minutes. I parked at Sherman Island County Park (which was already getting full of cars, even at this early time). There were already many windsurfers on the water!

With the strong wind, I rigged my Ezzy Elite 4.0m sail (my smallest sail) on an Ezzy 370cm mast. I decided to use my Goya 84-liter Quad, as I needed the extra control provided by the four fins. With the ebb tide, returning would be easy.


The wind was mighty and gusty. Sailing across the river was quite challenging. Usually, on my single-fin Fanatic Freewave 105-liter board, I encounter a lot of spinouts during these conditions. However, the quad fins of the Goya Custom kept me planted without any hint of spinout.

Here is my GoPro Hero7 Black video of my excellent windsurfing session:


 
There were many large ramps, and I had some lovely long jumps. Although I tried multiple jibes, I failed all of them.

After two hours of excellent windsurfing, I was physically exhausted. I unrigged my gear, drove home, and returned at 12:30pm.




Friday, July 3, 2020

Exploring Morro Bay

With July 4, Independence Day (a 4-day weekend) rapidly approaching, Inna and I were considering various travel options. We really wanted to get away from San Jose, but the increased incidence of COVID-19 made planning for a getaway difficult.

Considering various alternatives, including Mendocino, Lake Tahoe, Bear Valley, and Morro Bay, we decided on Morro Bay. Having never visited Morro Bay, we liked exploring new locations, hiking new trails, and surfing at newly discovered beaches.


Inna found a reasonably-priced hotel - The Landing at Morro Bay - with an excellent cancellation policy (cancel anytime); we decided to book it for the July 4th weekend (July 3 to 6th).


Friday, July 3, 2020

On Friday morning, after packing our Toyota Sienna minivan with surfboards, beach chairs, and clothes, I drove the 180 miles (3 hours) to Morro Bay, mainly on Highway 101. The drive was not challenging, and the traffic was not heavy (with only a few slowdowns on the way). Arriving at 12:15, we proceeded to The Landing and checked in early (the usual check-in is at 16:00), but our room was already prepared.


Since we were hungry from our long drive, we walked to the Dorn's Cafe next door (also highly recommended by Ellen Miller) for lunch. We decided to sit outside on the patio, but we ended up shivering. Even the fire pit on our table did not provide sufficient warmth. Morro Bay was much colder than San Jose, and we did not anticipate the lower temperature.


We were immediately brought freshly baked bread and water when we sat down. I ordered a Clam Chowder (delicious) and a Turkey/Avocado/Bacon sandwich with French fries. The sandwich was recommended by our waiter and was delicious. 

Inna ordered the Fish Sandwich (made with Red Snapper) and a cup of Clam Chowder soup. She also liked it a lot. Alex ordered the Fish & Chips with Clam Chowder. We were all very happy (though a bit cold). Inna and I also drank some freshly dripped coffee (which helped to revive us).


After lunch, we decided to walk along Embarcadero to Morro Rock. Along the way, we explored multiple shops. We found out that Kayaks and SUPs could be rented for $15/hour, and many restaurants had patio dining open.


We also found a few cuddly sea otters sleeping in the calm waters near us, and Inna took hundreds of photos! Walking to Morro Rock, we found another set of sleeping/frolicking sea otters, and Inna took even more photos.


We made our way to Morro Rock beach, where we observed a few surfers riding some of the smaller waves there. The surf looked confused, but many longboarders were surfing well. We decided to try surfing on the morning of July 4.

While Alex and I watched the surfers, Inna rested her foot (which began to hurt). Once she felt better, we returned to The Landing Hotel and decided to visit the Estuary or the Morro Bay State Park boardwalk. Inna hoped to catch closer glimpses of various native birds. Although we saw some egrets in the distance, we never saw any birds nearby.


Since we still had time (before dinner), we decided to visit the nearby Black Hill (which has spectacular views of Morro Bay and surrounding areas).


The hike to the top of Black Hill was short but steep, and we ascended quickly to the peak. The views from the top of Black Hill, the golf course below, and Morro Rock in the distance were magnificent.


We returned to The Landing Hotel and rested a bit before eating dinner. Since I had an uneaten portion of my turkey sandwich left, I decided to eat it for dinner. Inna and Alex, however, ordered some take-out from The House of Juju restaurant. Alex selected the "Athena" burger (Angus Beef cooked medium, served with our Homemade Kalamata Olive Aioli, Feta Cheese, Lettuce, Red Onion, & Sliced Tomato). At the same time, Inna ordered a Shrimp Taco with Italian salad. Alex liked his burger but did not say whether it was better than his usual SuperDuper.


After dinner, Inna walked to Dorn's Cafe and ordered hot, black tea for everyone (and some lemon cheesecake dessert). The cheesecake was delicious!

Returning to our room, we decided to relax after our long day of walking and hiking. Although The Landing Hotel is newly refurbished, its walls are paper thin, and we could hear our upstairs neighbors walking. It brought back memories of dorm living at Lehigh University.


Saturday, July 4, 2020


I woke up early, at around 05:50, to prepare for the planned surfing session at Morro Rock. Alex and I quickly dressed and arrived at Morro Rock at about 06:20. The whole area was enveloped in thick fog, though the parking lot was already quite packed at this early hour.


We waited to see if any surfers would enter the water, and a few went surfing (though we could not know whether they were surfing). At around 07:15, the fog cleared considerably, and we decided to try our luck at surfing there.


Alex chose his old shortboard - the Kym Thompson 6'6"- while I chose my trusty Wavestorm 8'. After climbing down some rocks, we entered the chilly water.

Waves were quite disorganized, coming from different directions. I managed to catch a few waves. They were not as powerful as the ones we are used to surfing at The Hook in Santa Cruz. Catching waves took much more effort, and Alex and I missed many opportunities. By 09:15, the ocean calmed down, and the wave height and frequency decreased. We decided to head back to shore and return to The Lodge for a quick shower and breakfast.

Returning home at around 09:45, we cleaned our wetsuits, took showers, and changed into fresh clothes. Inna made breakfast reservations at Dorn's Cafe for 10:45, and we headed there (once we were ready).

I selected the Denver Omelet (ham, cheese, and green peppers) and 3 buttermilk pancakes, while Inna and Alex chose Harry's Scramble (ground beef, eggs). Alex selected buttermilk pancakes for his side dish, while Inna chose the hash browns. We really enjoyed our breakfast and stayed on until 11:45.

With breakfast/lunch over, Alex returned to our hotel room to study Calculus while Inna and I headed for a few hikes.


Our first hike was in Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve. We hiked along small (elfin) trees with moss growing over them. There was a lot of poison oak on the trail, and we even got lost for a bit (as the trail is not well marked).


However, it was a relatively short hike with many interesting tree formations.


For our second hike, Inna explored the Bluff Trail in the Montana de Oro (Montana de Oro State Park). After finding parking (quite full), we started our hike, overlooking the California continental shelf and the beautiful cliffs that stare back at the cold Pacific Ocean.


We enjoyed the multiple overlooks, birds, and squirrels that inhabit the bluff. In one part of the hike, we walked down to the beach, looking at tide pools, mollusks, and oysters that washed up onshore. The hike was relatively flat but long, requiring about two hours.


After we returned home, we rested and decided to eat some delicious local ice cream at Crill's Salt Water Taffy. We were lucky to arrive in time to order (as Crill's closes at 17:30 on Saturdays). I liked the rocky road, cookies' n' cream, and mint chocolate chip flavors. Crill's purchases Burnardoz Ice cream (which tastes homemade). 


Since Inna had a horrible migraine, we rested indoors in our hotel room until dinner at 20:00. Inna made dinner reservations at Dorn's Cafe at 20:00 (we wanted to eat at Ventura Grill in Pismo Beach, but it was unavailable)

Dinner at Dorn's Cafe was delicious as usual (but this time, we sat inside). I ordered a cup of the delicious clam chowder and Fish & Chips (with exquisite tartar sauce). Inna ordered the "Shrimp Scampi," which was also outstanding. Alex enjoyed his "Pasta Pomodoro". For dessert, we shared a delicious mousse. 

Sunday, July 5, 2020

I woke up early, at around 06:30, to prepare for the planned surfing session at Morro Rock. Alex and I quickly dressed and arrived at Morro Rock at about 07:00. This time, the day was clear, and there was no fog. Many surfers were already in the water.


Alex chose his old shortboard - the Kym Thompson 6'6"- while I chose my trusty Wavestorm 8'. After climbing down some rocks, we entered the chilly water.

Waves were disorganized but bigger than on Saturday, coming from different directions. I caught 7 other waves, with the first being my best and longest ride. By 09:30, the ocean calmed down, and the wave height and frequency decreased. We decided to head back to shore and return to The Lodge for a quick shower and breakfast.

Returning home around 10:00, we cleaned our wetsuits, took showers, and changed into fresh clothes. Inna made breakfast reservations at Dorn's Cafe for 12:00, but we tried the "walk-in" method and were seated at 11:30 for breakfast/lunch.

After our brunch, we decided to go kayaking in Morro Bay.


We were able to paddle close to both seals and sea otters. Many sea otters were sleeping, and others were playing around.


When approaching the seals, they made a lot of seal noises.


After kayaking, we decided to cool off by eating ice cream at Crill's Salt Water Taffy. I enjoyed the strawberry & rocky road flavors, while Inna and Alex stayed with their favorites: cookies' n cream and rocky road.

With plenty of time left on this warm summer day, we decided to hike around and explore Morro Rock. Near Morro Rock, we noticed many man-made rock formations and large boulders, which we had not seen before.


We had to carefully step and climb around them to reach the ocean nearby.


After returning to our hotel (The Landing), Inna thought it might be fun to hike at Elfin Forest. With a short 10-minute drive, we quickly parked our van and started on a fast, 1-mile hike.


We saw many miniature trees, with overlooks of the ocean and the surrounding saltwater ponds.


Walking on the wood-covered road was pleasant and enjoyable. After the short hike, we returned to The Landing for rest before dinner at our favorite Dorn's Cafe.


Inna ordered a cup of the clam chowder and Sauteed Scallops while I enjoyed a bowl of the delicious Clam Chowder and the Spinach Salad with Blackened Salmon. Alex tried the Steak Sandwich with a cup of Clam Chowder.



Monday, July 6, 2020

We woke up around 06:30 to prepare for the planned surfing session at Morro Rock. We were also considering surfing at Pismo Beach (which may have had more organized waves). Alex and I quickly dressed and arrived at Morro Rock at about 07:00. There were only a few surfers in the water.

I debated whether or not to drive to Pismo Beach. Since it was our last day, and we needed to return to San Jose for Alex to take his MITx Computer Science mid-term, I decided to surf at Morro Rock.

Both Alex and I chose our trusty pair of Wavestorm 8' surfboards. After climbing down some rocks, we entered the chilly water.


Waves were very disorganized, coming from multiple directions. Some waves were forming, and others were collapsing; choosing the right wave to surf was hard. Both Alex and I tried to choose the best wave with limited success. I caught a few waves, but they either closed out early or died on me, so my rides were not memorable. Alex had better success and managed a few longer rides.


While surfing, Inna decided to walk over to Morro Rock, taking photos of birds and some of the last minutes of our surfing session.

At around 09:30, we packed our car and returned to The Lodge to change, check out of the hotel, and eat breakfast at Dorn's Cafe.


Our last breakfast in Morro Bay was delicious, and I enjoyed my Denver Omelet with a side dish of buttermilk pancakes.



Morro Bay Trip Report
Highlights
Lowlights
  • Three-hour drive to San Jose



Monday, June 15, 2020

Windsurfing at Coyote Point

After many months of closure due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Coyote Point Park in San Mateo (my default windsurfing destination) re-opened on June 15th.

As Coyote Point is much closer to my home (usually a 45-minute car ride vs a 90-minute ride to Sherman Island), I was eager to reclaim at least a small part of my rapidly fading windsurfing season.

With iwindsurf.com predicting heavy winds on June 15th, I drove to Coyote Point in the late afternoon and rigged an Ezzy Elite 5.0 sail for my Fanatic 105-liter Freewave Stubby (using the smaller 30-cm single fin). Other sailors were already out there, some on 4.5m sails and others on larger sails. From short discussions, the wind in the channel was much more robust, with large ramps, but weak on the inside (near the shore).


I headed out for my first session and encountered strong, gusty NW winds after slogging to the channel. I rapidly started planning, experiencing huge ramps. I proceeded to have a series of unending jumps until I figured out how to avoid the large ramps (by quick turns).

I captured some of the finer moments in my GoPro Hero7 Black video:



I had a fantastic, exhilarating day of windsurfing! It was so much fun. Best of all, I was not even slightly tired after an hour of sailing.

I attempted one jibe but failed in the heavy wind and swell. 

Sunday, June 14, 2020

Grilling on the Weber Genesis II S-345

After spending 3 hours assembling the very complex Weber Genesis II S-345 Grill (which I purchased from Costco for $949), I was finally ready to try grilling steak! I bought a 15-pound propane canister (outdoor supply hardware) for $65.


My first attempt was to grill a prime rib using the iGrill thermometer. According to YouTube directions, I needed to examine the steak for 2 minutes, rotating it by 90 degrees, flipping it over, and continuing. The internal temperature of the meat must reach 145°F to cook the thick meat properly.

I liked using the iGrill, which helped ensure my meat was safe to eat. The steak came out so delicious!

For the longest time, I had an issue with the automatic lighting of the side burner. Eventually, I reached Weber tech support (over the phone), who asked me to check the wiring. After tugging at the wires, I am happy to report that the side burner lit just fine!


Saturday, June 6, 2020

Learning to SUP surf at Capitola

Having difficulty catching waves on my Firewire Spitfire, 6'6", I decided to try my luck at stand-up paddleboarding from my last experience at Sayulita. It might make it easier for me to catch slow waves in Mexico.


After some research, I settled on an F.One Madeiro 8'5" wave sup on Craigslist. I also needed a new paddle (Cruz carbon) and a board bag (Abahub Premium 8'6").

My first day of paddle boarding at Capitola was not very successful. I found keeping balance with incoming waves challenging and spent most of my paddling time on my knees. After one hour of struggle, I was tired and slightly disappointed with my progress. I decided to educate myself by watching SUP videos on YouTube.

SUP  Paddling Technique
1.     Rhythm
: a.      Do not pull the blade through the water
b.     Ripping the blade through the water creates a poor connection
c.      Only bring your body up to the blade as fast as your board speed allows
a.      Reach only as far as you are stable
b.     Obtain full bottom arm extension
c.      Relax your grip and your body to produce full extension
: a. Don't start the power phase until the blade is secure
b.     No splashing – visualize sticking the blade in mud
c.      Shift Weight off the board and onto the paddle during the catch
5.     Producing Power
: a.      Use big muscles – not arms
b.     Use legs, hips, and torso
a.      Exit around when the elbow reaches the torso or bottom hand hits the thigh
b. Don't paddle too far back
c.      Feather the blade by dropping the top shoulder and breaking the wrist inward
7.     Recovery Phase
a.      Relax and breathe

Stance and Body Positioning
1.     Low and wide stance
2.     Low grip for better leverage



Windsurfing at Sherman Island

With strong gusty, 25+ knot winds promised by the iWindsurf forecast, I rushed to Sherman Island in Rio Vista.


I arrived at about 4:15pm, parked my minivan near the Sherman Island County park (as parking in the actual park was completely full), and rigged my Ezzy Elite 4.0m sail. I selected the 85-liter Goya Custom quad fin for my board of choice, as the wind was gusting to 40 knots, and other sailors reported using 65-liter boards with 3.7m sails.

I was concerned about the strong flood tide, which could make it difficult to return to the starting point. (At Sherman Island, ebb-tide sailing is the best strategy for Westerly winds).

The wind was powerful and gust. Sailing across the river was quite challenging. Usually, on my single-fin Fanatic Freewave 105-liter board, I encounter a lot of spin-out during these conditions. However, the quad fins of the Goya Custom kept me planted without any hint of spinout.

Here is my GoPro Hero7 Black video of my excellent windsurfing session:



After a few blasts across the river, I encountered difficulty returning to my original launch - due to the strong flood tide. I ended up doing the "walk of shame."

On another day (June 28, 2020), I recorded another fantastic GoPro Hero7 video session:




Wavestorm 5'8" Fish

Over the past two years, I have been using primarily two surfboards for surfing:
  • Wavestorm 8'0" soft-top surfboard (Costco $99)
  • Firewire Spitfire 6'6" FST epoxy (purchased used for $525 from Rodney/Craigslist)
As I started progressing on the Wavestorm, I switched to the Firewire Spitfire 6'6 FST, but my progress slowed dramatically. I could no longer catch any waves despite a lot of hard paddling.

This year (2020), I decided to focus on improving my bare paddling and pop-up technique on the Wavestorm and learn to surf sideways before switching back to the Firewire board.

I noticed that Costco Online started selling a shorter version of the Wavestorm - the 5'8" Fish. It may be a better option for me to help with my surfing progress.

I purchased it online for $119 + tax, and it was delivered on  June 4th, 2020. Alex was eager to try it out and surfed on June 6th and 7th. Alex liked the board but thought it was difficult to catch waves on it (though it turned remarkably well due to its 4 fins).


Since Alex is very good at catching waves, it would be a problem for me. I decided that I might not be ready for such a shortboard and should stick to my 8' Wavestorm longboard until I perfect bottom turns and overall technique.

Here is a short video (from Nikon P900) of Alex surfing on the 5'8" Wavestorm:



Friday, May 15, 2020

Review: Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt GPS Bike Computer

For a few weeks, I have been thinking about using a bike computer to help me improve my fitness training when riding my Specialized FSR S-Works mountain bike at Almaden Quicksilver County Park (and other parks & trails).

Until now, I have been using my iPhone 10 with an Apple Series 3 watch to record my rides using the Strava app on my iPhone. The Strava app recorded my GPS position and heart rate but not instant speed or cadence. Did the knowledge of cadence or speed really help?

I decided to purchase the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt bike computer bundle on Amazon ($330), which included the following sensors:
  • Heart Rate Monitor (TICKR)
  • Cadence
  • Speed
After installing the cadence sensor on one of the pedals and the speed sensor on the rear hub of my mountain bike, I also attached the bike computer hold on the front handlebar. 

Installation difficulties:
  • No manuals showing how to install the sensors were included. I searched for YouTube videos to figure out the proper installation procedures.
  • The speed sensor was troublesome to install on the rear hub. It took a few minutes of viewing YouTube videos to install.
  • The cadence sensor was easy to install on the right crank arm.
The Bolt computer is configured using a Wahoo Bolt app (downloaded from the Apple store). I configured it and also enabled access to Strava. It was ready for use after a couple of firmware updates and reboots.

Today, Friday, May 15, 2020, I could finally test the Bolt bike computer on my usual Almaden Quicksilver bike ride. 

I put on the Heart Rate monitor, turned on the Bolt bike computer, and pushed the "start" button. I also started the Strava app on my Apple watch (as a reference).

When I started paddling, the Bolt reported: "N/A" for my heart rate and cadence. I was disappointed that it had not already found the active sensors. It took about 5 minutes to see reliable numbers on the Bolt display.

The primary usefulness of the Bolt was to see my heart rate, speed, and time on the trail. Cadence was not very useful.

When I completed the ride, I paused the Bolt computer and thought it would immediately upload data to my Strava account. Unfortunately, it does not do so until it's connected to WiFi.

After arriving home, the Bolt eventually synchronized and claimed to upload my data to Strava, but nothing showed up on my Strava account.

Overall, the Bolt is not very useful for my training. The Apple Watch works just as well and without worrying about charging it, syncing it, or wearing a separate heart sensor.






Monday, May 11, 2020

Keiser M3i Spin Bike

With my City Sports Gym closed (due to the COVID-19 outbreak), I decided I needed a stationary spin bicycle to keep my cardiovascular fitness. Although I try to mountain bike as often as possible, I don't always have 2 hours.


After much research, I settled on the Keiser M3i bicycle because it's available at my City Sports gym, and I was already familiar with this model and brand.


I ordered the following bundle:
  • Keiser M3i Indoor Cycle
  • Media Tray
  • Stretch Pads
  • Polar Heart Rate Monitor
  • M-Series Assembly and Maintenance Kit
  • M-Series Converter (to connect to Zwift, Peloton)
  • Dumbbell Holder
Except for the M-Series Converter, all the components arrived on May 11, 2020, and I assembled the bike in my garage, with Alex's help, in about two hours.

I installed the bike outdoors in my backyard because I did not want to use precious family space in our living room.

The first recording had some problems, but the Polar Heart Rate monitor worked well (and reliably). Since I still don't have my M-Series Converter, I used the Peloton app on my iPad Air 2 to follow a 60-minute Rock'n'Roll ride with Jen Sherman.

Once I receive the M-Series converter, I plan to try Zwift and Sufferfest. I plan to use the M3i spin bicycle to enhance my aerobic health.



Update on 9/1/2020
 
Due to the smoke in the Bay Area, I moved the Keiser m3i bike upstairs so I could ride it indoors. Hot or cold, I can ride it anytime now.

I tried Peloton on my iPad, but it wasn't worth $10/month. I get the same results using the Keiser App built-in FTP test with Spotify playing my tunes. I suffer just as much, sweating like a piggie.





Saturday, April 25, 2020

Back to Almaden Quicksilver

With the coronavirus raging in San Jose (and across the United States), I resumed exercise. I thought that Almaden Quicksilver County Park would be closed, but I learned it was still open on closer inspection.


On April 17th, I rode my Specialized FSR S-Works mountain bike on my standard 10.5-mile trail. According to Strava, my ride took me 87 minutes. With a 1640-foot elevation gain, this is my favorite workout ride near my house.

 


During the next week, I rode my Specialized mountain bike on multiple occasions, with some improvement in overall time.

Here is a GoPro Hero7 Black video of the downhill portion of my ride:



On Saturday, April 25th, 2020, I managed to ride the Almaden Quicksilver Park with the fastest time (this year) at 81 minutes.


Thursday, April 9, 2020

Windsurf Jibing at home

While home during the Coronavirus quarantine, I decided to practice windsurfing jibing on land.
I found the following YouTube video extremely helpful for practicing jibing at home.


Carve Jibing Steps
  1. Look around to make sure the jibbing area is clear
  2. Move the backhand farther toward the clew
  3. Unhook from the harness and use your hips to maintain speed (do not sheet out)
  4. Steer on a broad reach for maximum speed.
  5. Take the back foot out of the rear strap and place it on the rail (do not put weight on it)
  6. Push the sail forward and inside the turn with your front arm while pulling up on the front foot strap, letting the board carve.
  7. When approaching a run, start moving the sail across the board (pushing it forward, not backward!).
  8. When contorted, slip the front foot out of the foot strap and place it on the rail (with the heel on the rail)
  9. Step forward with your back foot touching the mast base, sailing backwinded.
  10. Slide the arm closest to the boom toward the mast and flip the sail.

Here is a video of Strap-to-Strap jibing from Sam Ross on YouTube.


Strap-to-Strap Jibing Steps
  1. Look around to make sure the jibbing area is clear
  2. Move the backhand farther toward the clew
  3. Unhook from the harness and use your hips to maintain speed (do not sheet out)
  4. Steer on a broad reach for maximum speed.
  5. Take the back foot out of the rear strap and place it on the rail (do not put weight on it)
  6. Push the sail with your front arm forward and inside the turn while pulling up on the foot strap of your other leg, letting the board carve.
  7. When approaching a run, start moving the sail across the board (pushing it forward, not backward!), but keep carving the board!
  8. Move the boom hand close to the mast, and let go of the other hand
  9. As the sail rotates, grab the other side of the boom underhand and sheet in (while sailing in switch stance)
  10. Slip out the front foot and put on the rail

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Billie Jean King's Eye Coach

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, I could no longer play tennis at the Sunnyvale Tennis Center. I purchased Billie Jean King's Eye Coach to maintain my tennis skills. 


Florian Meyer had a $20 discount on this device, so I could purchase it for $145.
Florian also offers bonus Eye Coach training videos here:
Additional instructional videos can be found here:
I use the Eye Coach daily for 15 minutes and hope to maintain my tennis technique.