Sunday's practice was in light winds and with light crew. We worked out some disaggreements that we had been having with the spinnaker sets and douses. We even flew a new #3 jib. I made it back to the boat then back to Salty's for a drink...Salty's on Sunday is church for sailors. After a fairly uneventful afternoon, I ventured back to the Witch Doc to see what happened next.
I made a new friend from further down J dock. Matt, a naval officer, joined Mary and me for a wonderful dinner prepared by yours truly (it's not conceit if it's true right?). Rice and beans with mixed sauteed veggies, a pound of talapia and a pound of shrimp. With a nice, spicy and semi-latino sabor (flavor), our meal paired well with a few Caronas and some great music. I love sailing...
Monday made for the beginning of my boat work week. I had the J30 (White Dolphin) and more work on the Witch Doc to address. We have been working on an instrument panel for the Dolphin for months now. It is fabricated out of fiberglass and form fitted to the companion way hatch cover. Dan McGraw (the W Dolph owner) has picked up some TackTick wind, speed and heading components that we want mounted within view of all the pit crew. Now with the instruments mounted mid ship and high, they will be very visible to the crew and it looks super clean.
On the Doctor, I was still battling with the solenoid, but I also sorted out the Flying Dutchman system on the main as well as putting the new R2 unit on HouDingy (a late 60's 10 horse outboard that damn sure looks as if it belongs on a Star Fleet cruiser). The days flew by and before I new it, it was Wednesday. Trey the Skipper was en route. The Charleston Yacht Club parking lot was wonderfully full of Melges 20's, Melges 24's, J 24's and J80's. Every morning since my arrival, I meandered through the boats to see whom had shown up over night. Occasionally I found friends to harass. It is great to make acquaintances from all over and see them when you are doing what you love.
On Wednesday afternoon, I finished my boat work early and took off on my bike. I had heard roomer of a skatepark under the I26 bridge. There are a lot of bridges going to and coming from I26, so I just started riding. I love rolling through Chucktown, especially down King, Meeting, Broad and through the markets. There are obstacles that I would love to hit, but I am respectful of historic private property. Now MUSC is NOT historic, so I consider their ledges and stairs fair game. As I had been riding for nearly an hour, I was starting to look for The Recovery Room now rather than the mystery skatepark. I rode directly under 26 where it merges with 17 and happened to look way down to my right; well under the bridge. I thought I saw a 20" biker. I stopped and concentrated. It was a BMXer for sure. But damn did the area look sketchy. Since I wasn't really in the market for some crack or a prostitute (I mean hell, it was only 4 pm) I was hesitant to roll down. Fuck it, I head towards the rider then noticed that it was not one, but three riders. AND there were ramps! Granted, they were ghetto ramps, only a 5' wedge to quarter and a 4' quarter (it had originally been the downside of a jump box) but they were ramps none the less. The most attractive attributes were the three foot high rail followed by a 20" high angle ironed ledge followed by a 16" high round rail. It made for a great run and I was pumped to riding rails again. It had been forever!
I kept the session short since I had a long ride back and I didn't really want to get hurt the day before race week began.
My typing time is up... more to come
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