Windsurfing is ...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 4:11 pm

It's raining. No wind. Maybe tomorrow ...

I hung up the mirror and vacuumed. Went shopping for batteries and a new tarp for the next trip to Nitinat.

I was re-reading the April 2004 issue of Windsurfing Magazine to kill time. On page 46 there is an article by Glen Dubock with the title "The Reward is in the Struggle" and it reminded me of last weeks discussion of "The Walk of Shame". The Gman suggested "The Walk of Addiction" which I thought was pretty funny and right on too.

After reading the article though I think "The Walk of Perseverance" hits it on the head.

I liked this paragraph in the article:

"Those knuckleheads, and other windsurfers I met along the way, changed my life. Maybe it was small, but a 1 degree change in course can make hundreds of miles of difference in a long voyage. When I'm even older, nothing will take away the things windsurfing gave me the patience, the confidence, the places it took me. Wind comes and goes. That stuff sticks Windsurfing taught me the need to be healthy and stay in shape, and I am here to tell you it helped get me through a tough time by giving me a goal and hope when I needed them. It schooled me in the value of perseverance and the pleasure of doing something challenging pretty well."

Ain't it the truth! It's not a sport it's a religion ...

Windsurfing is like licking honey off a thorn. (apologies to Louis Adamic)

mortontoemike · Post by **mortontoemike** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 4:48 pm

Sorry. I was fooling around with Firefox and forgot to sign on. Blame me for the above!

monkeymanmike · Post by **monkeymanmike** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 4:58 pm

Raining??? NO wind??? You should check out the webcams!!!

mortontoemike · Post by **mortontoemike** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 5:27 pm

Dateline: Burnaby.
It's been raining all day. The sun Just came out.

HARRISON - 12 mph <<< Tomorrow I go!
Jericho - 10 mph
Squamish - 9 mph
Boundary Bay - 2 mph

I SHOULD LIVE IN VICTORIA!

Russian Dood · Post by **Russian Dood** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:20 pm

Apparently for some people it an endless search for a comfy term for WALK OF SHAME.

JL · Post by JL » Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:27 pm

WALK OF SHAME

KUS · Post by **KUS** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:34 pm

not everyone can live in Victoria....unfortunate for those who don't. But hey, think of all the money and suntan lotion you save living elsewhere in BC

Rain...Rain?? Last nite I think we had a few drops...no wait....that was my sprinkler system, hahahhhahhahah. Man, the wind rocked today!!!!!! It still is actually but I'm all used up.

I told ya, Mike, come and visit dood. We have lots of room.

Just call first, you can house & beach-sit!

TURTLE · Post by **TURTLE** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 8:00 pm

Thanks MB for the reflective insight. I have experienced and I definitely relate.

As for the Walk of Shame...that is what I have been calling it...but like "No Fear"... there is "No Shame", only perseverance...

The "Walk of Perseverance" is kind of like Fireman verses Firefighter ... finding the politically correct language, however I am not sure windsurfing has ever had anything to do with being politically correct. It is without the trashy selfishness that can happen in some sports, however I am not sure that politically correct fits the windsurfer's "ticket" either.

I never really internalized what one windsurfer's (who uses the site) coined phrase means "Love the Hate" until I started wave windsurfing. One loves the nasty weather in windsurfing(and it goes well beyond this reference to many others after a beer or two).

Oxymorons are embedded in the minds of more than a few I have found within the windsurfing community.

For others windsurfers, it is simply THE WALK OF SHAME.

mortontoemike · Post by **mortontoemike** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 8:06 pm

MarKUS. Gotta work next week but the week after that ... Beach you say?

KUS · Post by **KUS** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 8:09 pm

yeah, I say, just watch the weather and call, may be up North that week but thinking of blowing it off if it's too nice.

mortontoemike · Post by **mortontoemike** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 11:19 pm

Russian Dude, it's not about the name, it's about attitude. The name's irrelevant dude! It's all about attitude!

Russian Dood · Post by **Russian Dood** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 11:35 pm

mb wrote:Russian Dude, it's not about the name, it's about attitude. The name's irrelevant dude! It's all about attitude!

Whatever you say, man. I'm not the one who's trying to find better one

For me WALK OF SHAME works just fine.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 2:31 am

As a guest to this community I would just like to write a quick comment to your very good discussion...
-I peronsally believe that the WALK OF SHAME is the best name for it becuase it gives sailers who are pushing their limits something to almost fight againast.... Whether it be the first time sailing in waves or their first time at Cook street.... I found that when i was learning and still am learning, one of the main goals in the back of my mind is to work as hard as physically possible without dying to NOT walk the WALK of shame... So in afact it helps to be called The walk of shame, because it gives a sailer a goal for almost every session!!!! but on the other hand i enjoy seeing sailers learning because that way i know that more people are joining the sport that we all love and i would happily give them a hand if asked. which im almost 100% sure every kiter and wind swooper at cook and on the island would do!!! so look at the walk as a learning curve and keep sailing and being happy with where we live and what we have!!!!

ANoN

jjjim · Post by **jjjim** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 1:06 pm

O.K. I'm gonna be honest. For me there really is no shame. But i do find that I can get really spaced out while doing the walk, or even just taking a little rest. The change from normal life to the watery realm, the adrenaline, the exhaustion, all seem to combine to really get the ol' brain way out there. It's part of how windsurfing just takes your mind away from the unfortunate banality of normal life. I find I think new thoughts from new perspectives that just wouldn't happen if I was sitting around doing the usual. It's part of the fun. So I say, doing the walk is a good time for spacing out.

TURTLE · Post by **TURTLE** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 5:40 pm

This walk, for some is the near death, or high stress situation that leads to the reflection about the way one thinks. It is personal and individual...

It is philosophy, and religion all wrapped up into a defining moment that can mean so many things to so many people.

In windsurfing we cut our own lines in the water, and go our own way...
while others "Love the Hate" and others define their thoughts in other ways.

Windsurfing is ...

Windsurfing is ...

In a different light

Walk of shame

Praying to the Wind Gods

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