Gravel Rash

Well i dont know how many of you know what S.A.D. is. I get it every winter... By the end of winter i am usually pretty sad. Cant wait for spring to get here.

So it being middle of winter right now i am not feeling real happy so i thought i'd go for a skate no my new board and get a happy "rush"... 

Now i have been collecting bits and pieces for my long board for a while now and was really happy when i finished it last week. As you can see from the pictures!!!

The wheels are Avilas, and they just soak up the bumps. Super soft and grippy 75mm wortk of goodness... I tried the board a couple of weeks ago and it just rolled beatiful...
iving in East Corrimal there are plenty of hills so off i went seeking a small adrenalin rush.... Found a hill with what looked like a small gradient and off i went... No worries not too bad smoothish ride.... Went back up the hill and tried again, this time from a little bit higher.... But instead of heading straight i took a turn down this other street that looked like it would turn into a curvey ride... i didn't count on how quickly things can get out of control. An on coming van threw me off and i started to wobble. I freaked. and tried to jamp off. But alas my legs could not run as fast as i was rollin so.... I ended slaming the toothiest ashphalt imaginable.... Needles to say i lived. I even got back on the board and went down a smaller hill just to prove to my self that i was OK. Truth is i nearly gave myself a concussion. Blurry vision and what not, i was lucky i put my arm out and i smashed my head on shoulder, if i had hit the concrete i would ave passed out for sure...And had worse scars than the ones i am gonna get from this!! check it out!!! :D



As it turns out as i put out my arm i pulled up my shirt and so exposed my hip side to the ashphalt and that is how i got gravel rash. I was not a complete idiot and was wearing knee and elbow pads and gloves, so the skin loss was minimised. Next time a helmet will be added to the outfit!!

Well so much for using sport as a way to improve ones mood! I guess i better be more careful next time and scope out the ride in full before attempting any more death defying acts... :)

Wetsuits tales

Wetsuits. Which is the best suit!?!? The one that fits you best.
I did so much research before attempting to buy a suit that i even had a dream one day where i was explaining the benefits of each suit so some bugger over the phone( work in a call centre!)
I phantsied for a while getting a top of the range suit. Fandangled stretchy and thin and warm materials. But that was not to be. I tried on RipCurl and Billabongs and even tried on a Triple X thru their online shop, but to no avail.  I found that all this suits were made for men and unfortunately as a stocky short girl, they didn't fit very well.  I mean they sorta did, but not really.  Top end was not too bad but they were all too long in the arms and legs and tight around the knees!!  :)
Finally found a women's suit that fit nicely.  It is a Billabong, just like me old suit. I found the guys at Byrne's to be helpful in that they left you alone to try all the suits you want but didn't really help you much with the fitting. On the other hand the guys at Skipp where terrific in helping me find the best suit. They even made me move around pretending to paddle and checked for good fit!! :)  if you are a kook like me i would recommend them.
unfortunately no top of the line suit for me, but when it comes down to it, i didn't really need one. Wollongong is not that cold really... water never drops to 15C and is only 16C for a short period of time, so my s/s FOIL 203 should be quite enough. The thing i was most after was flexibility so i cant complaint. The Triple X suit was pretty sweet though and if the lower leg fit had been better it would have definitely been a winner. The material was so soft and stretchy!!  The RipCurls had me tempted, but the fit was just not good enough for the price, and their ladies ones i found to be rather smallish too.
We are going on a holiday to Egypt via Bangkok so maybe if i find a cheap steamer i might still grab another one!!  Got a good tip from the lady at the Skipp shop regarding up keep of a suit. Soak it in warm water with fabric softener add once a month! i sound like a total goer!! My last suit could stand on its own but i always rinsed after use and dried it in the shade... Cuddly soft suit hmmmmmm!!! Sounds great to me!

sydney surf sistas: Autumn Freesurf -Freshwater Beach- April 9 2006

sydney surf sistas: Autumn Freesurf -Freshwater Beach- April 9 2006
Finally i might be able to go surf with other kooks like me!! If there are any other kooky chicks out there in the wollongong area looking for like minded surf buddies, drop me a line!!