When and Why did you start........AGAIN?

noshuzbluz · Joined: 18 May 2000 Posts: 791

This may seem somewhat redundant to some but it seems as though I'm one of many that left the sport and came back for whatever reasons and I was curious as to how long did you stepped away from it and why you came back? I guess the most important thing is that we returned.
Anyway for me, I left about 7 years ago because I got busy doing other things but really, I let that happen because I got complacent with the whole thing. It was before all this freestyle stuff started so there was really nothing new happening with windsurfing. I got in to the back and forth jump here, jump there thing at Rio and I guess got bored with it, not realizing what benefits I was getting from sailing regularly. I remember saying to myself "I can go back to that anytime" NOOOT! 7 years and ahemmmm, 30+ pounds later I tried to sail only to find that I was a 48 year old overweight, outta shape fat man. I knew how to sail but for a fraction of the time I use to. Really, why drive an hour to sail 20 minutes? So, I lost the weight. Got the gas back in the tank and I'm stoked and ready for my first season back. I can't tell you how good it is to have a sunburned/windburned face again after a pretty rewarding day sailing.....Life is good.....
Cool

windward1 · Joined: 18 Jun 2000 Posts: 1400

I left and came back again, but I only left because I had to go to the bathroom.

Windward1

teerok · Joined: 12 Aug 2009 Posts: 59 Location: The Sunset

I just wasn't thinking straight.

noshuzbluz · Joined: 18 May 2000 Posts: 791

crashman · Joined: 15 Jul 2002 Posts: 83

Left ws-ing when I graduated high school on 1992. Got really into racing bicycles and needed the money. I couldn't afford the distraction until I quit racing in 2000. Went out and bought gear again that spring. Now I'm flaking on my favorite sport again as a recent skin cancer bout and some stern warnings from the Dr. have me re-prioritizing my free-time. However the tug to WS is pretty strong and my wife is wishing that I don't sell my gear as she is certain I'll be back. I'd be happy to just sail at Waddell and Dport a few times a year, but those probably aren't the best places to sail if I only go a few times a year...

I actually think that the spurtiness of my windsurfing habit contributes to the stoke- I've never gotten bored and have always enjoyed my TOW.
John

cruzanboard · Joined: 14 Jun 2009 Posts: 57

Left the sport 24 years ago. Came back in 2008. Was into WS in college at UC Santa Cruz. The sport seemed in its infancy. Changing every week. Graduated and committed to giving up the sport and getting a real job. ( I would have otherwise stayed in SC as a WS bum with my buddies.)

Got a job, moved to Sacto, married, house, kids, etc. Then had the scary medical issue that made me wake up at age 48. “Go out and do what you want to do.” (OK, maybe combined with “midlife” too.) WS is still a blast, still love it. And damn, Im addicted again!

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

When my career and WSing conflicted too much, it was the former, not the latter, that I gave up, aided by my poverty-level military pension and an understanding wife who loved her well-paying career. Second-best choice I ever made.

Mike \m/

kellyv · Joined: 15 Mar 2010 Posts: 28

Nice thread.

I too finally decided to get back into fighting shape this year and head back to the Gorge this summer and storms fall-spring. I've been hitting the gym like a monster the last couple months. Dropped 30 lbs so far. Probably gained 5 pounds muscle. Stronger than I've ever been. Will probably still need to get a larger harness though. Ha. I haven't been on the water for about 7-8 years. And was quite sporadic for 6-7 years before that. So I would say I haven't been really chasing the wind regularly with passion for about 12-14 yrs (the age of my kids). I used to live in the Gorge and teach windsurfing from '88-'91 back in the peak of the sport and the Gorge.

I decided to get a "real career" happening because I didn't want to teach windsurfing forever so went to school. Also got married '95 and 2 kids shortly after. My career choice wasn't the best for making any dough right away, so it required a lot of attention to build up a portfolio. Of course I was wasting away and not focusing on my physical mental self during this time.

Now that my kids are older, the career is happening (sort of), I figured it was time to get my sorry butt back out doing what I LOVE to do. Chasing wind. The bonus is my son says he wants to check it out. Heck, might even get into kitesurfing for the lighter days. Who knows. Can't wait for that first session. I'm sure I will discover just how light on my feet I used to be, so it will take some adjusting. Wish me luck!

Smile

DanWeiss · Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 2296 Location: Connecticut, USA

crashman · Joined: 15 Jul 2002 Posts: 83

I should add too that it seems like windsurfing is like bicycle riding- after 8 years off I beach started sailed around, gybed, and waterstarted on the first day. I was rusty for sure, but it came back quickly.