Four score and seven year ago…
No wait, that’s not it.
It was only one score ago that I first walked the streets of San Francisco, visiting a friend before heading south to start my Los Angeles life. Seven years ago, as I had hoped from that first day in 1998 in San Francisco, I finally got a gig here. During the day, I sat at my desk and looked out the window that faced the Bay. At night, I drove up 92 and across Skyline Blvd to a guest house in the redwood forest. I spent my weekends hiking the woods along Skyline and every other place north and south of the city. The seven months I lived here engrained in me what I knew my whole life: I belong here.
The movie that brought me here was Chasing Mavericks. I new nothing of surfing and had no desire to take up the sport. However, what I learned on that film has given me a deep respect for those who surf, as I realize that surfing for them is what hiking is to me: it’s a connection to the planet, to life, to all existence. I feel that when my feet tread forest floors; they feel it when they ride that wave.
In all those seven months, and even all the times I’ve come to visit since then, I’ve never hiked the bluffs above the beach the movie is named for—the premiere surfing spot Mavericks Beach. I felt it was about time to do so, especially with Tucker by my side. Starting across from Half Moon Bay airport, the trail takes you up and through Pillar Point Bluff, up to Pillar Point, and down to Mavericks Beach in a little over 5 miles round trip.
The trails looped around on the bluff, and before heading toward the open waters, we travelled inland, where the clouds hung low on the tops of the mountains peaks.
No wait, that’s not it.
It was only one score ago that I first walked the streets of San Francisco, visiting a friend before heading south to start my Los Angeles life. Seven years ago, as I had hoped from that first day in 1998 in San Francisco, I finally got a gig here. During the day, I sat at my desk and looked out the window that faced the Bay. At night, I drove up 92 and across Skyline Blvd to a guest house in the redwood forest. I spent my weekends hiking the woods along Skyline and every other place north and south of the city. The seven months I lived here engrained in me what I knew my whole life: I belong here.
The movie that brought me here was Chasing Mavericks. I new nothing of surfing and had no desire to take up the sport. However, what I learned on that film has given me a deep respect for those who surf, as I realize that surfing for them is what hiking is to me: it’s a connection to the planet, to life, to all existence. I feel that when my feet tread forest floors; they feel it when they ride that wave.
In all those seven months, and even all the times I’ve come to visit since then, I’ve never hiked the bluffs above the beach the movie is named for—the premiere surfing spot Mavericks Beach. I felt it was about time to do so, especially with Tucker by my side. Starting across from Half Moon Bay airport, the trail takes you up and through Pillar Point Bluff, up to Pillar Point, and down to Mavericks Beach in a little over 5 miles round trip.
The trails looped around on the bluff, and before heading toward the open waters, we travelled inland, where the clouds hung low on the tops of the mountains peaks.
Upon seeing the ocean, that brilliant Tucker smile appeared.
Out in the distance, that golf ball shaped thing (apparently radars for the US military), is Pillar Point.
Tucker was allowed along the cliff’s edge, but down below the beaches were off limit to him. It wasn’t until we reached Mavericks Beach that Tucker could climb up onto the rocks in the harbor.
He even ventured far enough to get his feet wet.
But of course he had to if he wanted to enjoy the natural agility course--and he's never been one to turn down a chance to climb on anything.
There were no surfers out that I could spot, but there were birds aplenty out on the rocks and people with dogs running about the beach and rocks at low tide.
Tucker enjoyed the experience so much, he decided to act as greeter for a short spell to those who walked up the trail from the parking lot.
Although I am not a surfer, I feel a connection to Mavericks for what the film was for me. It was during that shoot that I found where my heart belongs; I envisioned exactly what I wanted in a house if I couldn't live here now; I found that house in Burbank and the job provided what I needed to buy it; and most importantly, because of all that, my life was set up so when I met Tucker a year later, there was nothing stopping me from adopting him.
Mavericks, then, is responsible for not only letting me find and experience my soul space--that place where my heart soars and my soul is at peace--but also for blazing the trail to my soul dog.
While surfers love Mavericks for the giant waves that challenge their skill and give them the ride of their life, I love Mavericks for the wave it produced in my own life. I'm still riding it, and loving every second of it.
Mavericks, then, is responsible for not only letting me find and experience my soul space--that place where my heart soars and my soul is at peace--but also for blazing the trail to my soul dog.
While surfers love Mavericks for the giant waves that challenge their skill and give them the ride of their life, I love Mavericks for the wave it produced in my own life. I'm still riding it, and loving every second of it.
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