We all have one.
Tradition.
Superstition.
Some surfer types have routines before paddling out.
Routine.
I usually get a happy going, smile a bit, maybe burn one.
Swap my wedding ring to my right hand because if I don't, it will slip off in the water...
I paid 8.00 for that ring.
Then I walk the trail, never the road.
Then I hit the waters edge, stretch, watch sets, rips.
Stretch some more...the last bends to get the hammies ready, I drag my fingers in the sand around my feet, outline a heart, step back and write 'surf' in the middle.
Good to go.
Routine.
Tradition.
Today...
I barely burned one...
I walked the road....
Forgot the heart...
but remembered the ring...
Surf wasn't much but it looked fun, it was sunny out anyway.
My fourth wave was maybe 2', a little lefty peak.
Took off, little bottom turn, ran to the nose, back step to bail by crouching and grabbing the nose as I slip under the whitewater.
Routine move for those who don't do the leash thing.
Routine.
Instead...
My rear foot gets stuck in the wax, my knee rolls over onto itself as I grab the nose.
I heard a 'pop', felt a twitch...and on a pain scale of one to ten, I felt a 7 run from my ankle to my hip.
I came up screaming like a pig.
"A" paddled by and asked if I needed help to the beach...no I said, not yet, I can't tell whats hurt yet...lolz...
I proned in, let the board go and hobbled up on the beach.
Sat there a bit, two came by to see if I was OK, Heather came over and we looked at the swelling knee under my suit.
Yep, getting big.
She carried by board to the trail head for me, I couldn't lift my leg and had to walk backwards in the sand.
The trail is a muddy mess. I mean it's got a rope, ya know? With all the rain, the bottom of every hand cut step is a 10 inch mud puddle.
L got out of the water by this time and though I think he could have carried me up, I decided that both of us slipping in the mud and tumbling down the steep trail would be way worse than what I had already done to myself.
That and he had shown me his big white ass when I rolled up to park so...
Drug myself up the trail, down the road to the van.
Got the top of the suit off but I knew I couldn't do much more till I got home.
I gave Heather a ride to her house (her husband was still in the water, she had cold toes already so she was done) and called the wife.
"Go to the hospital!"
No I said, they will cut my wetsuit off, can't have that!
So I hobbled home, parked in the back yard.
Crystal helped with the suit, by this time, my knee was a grapefruit, a Texas grapefruit.
We got the suit off and looking at the bruising, yep.
To the hospital.
Routine.
So, on a stupid little wave, I hyper extended my knee in two directions.
Because I forgot about the routine.
Dammit.
Out for 2 weeks or longer, won't know till I go back to my doctor on Monday.
Dammit.
So remember people, hold to tradition, whether any one is looking or not.
We all have our idiosyncrasies...some will save your knee.
Back to bed ofr me, see ya.
