Spring Is Here

March 20th marked the beginning of spring in our earth’s Northern Hemisphere. Because the earth is slightly tilted off its vertical axis, we face the sun more directly at this time of year, meaning more daylight hours and warmer temperatures.

Weather-wise, this year has been really different for many of us. Along the Central Coast of California, we had above average rainfall from January through mid-February. Then, the faucet was suddenly turned off; literally no rain has fallen since February 19. At the same time, air temperatures have shattered records left and right, reaching into the low to mid-90s. To put that into perspective, this area’s historical average temperature for the month of March is just 67 degrees! 

Because of this spring’s unusual and persistent weather pattern, there has been a distinct lack of wind. Growing up as a rabid young surfer on the Central Coast starting in ‘66, I remember being stoked that it was finally getting warmer, but man, it would get windy. Since we were too young to drive, we had to depend on our parents to get us to the beach.

By the time we got there, the surf was already blown out by the persistent northwest winds.

So what did we do during this windy time of year? Skateboard. Many of the tricks we did on skateboards were the same as those we trying to master in the water; the quasimoto (invented by Mickey Munoz in 1959), cross-stepping, noseriding, the spinner and the coffin.  The decks we rode were inevitably crafted in our  9th grade wood shop classes. I mean, why would you make your mother a cutting board when you could build yourself a very cool, custom skateboard – for free? The only wheels available to us back then were those clay “Super Surfer” wheels that wore out in two weeks and worked like wheel chocks if you hit a pebble. Unfortunately, much safer and smoother-riding urethane wheels didn’t appear on the scene until the early ‘70s.

It seemed that in the mid-60s, skateboarding was more an extension of surfing than it was a sport of its own. My brother and I grew up really close to Cal Poly, a California State University. I remember there were a couple of parking lots that were terraced down a gentle slope, and between those lots were these long, asphalt embankments that looked a bit like a wave. On a skateboard, we could ride these berms like a wave. What a blast.

We here at Last Wave are grateful for your business and are thankful for the enduring friendships we have formed with many of our customers. Enjoy the carefree days of summer that lie ahead!

Until next time,

Ted Rich
Last Wave Originals, Inc.