A few months ago, a good friend called me to let me know he “got the wedding invitation for my birthday.”

And, actually, there are more people coming than we were able to have at our wedding. So that’s nice.

And then, a few days later, we’re going to become parents, as the doctor wants to induce if Alexis doesn’t go into labor before the middle of next week.

I’m actually not sure how I’m going to handle the stimulation. It’s going to be an amazing 10 or so days.

Maybe that’s what this:

…feels like.

I’ll report in from the other side.

The Riverside Quarry is about the most unscenic crag on earth and a total wonder all at the same time.

There’s trash at the base of rubble pile which is at the base of the cliff. The chirps of the darting swallows so typical at Southern California cliffs are over-taken sound of dudes riding around on ATVs interspersed with the “crack crack crack” of Nerds In Black chasing each other with paint ball guns. To top it off, rumbling in the distance is Highway 60 shuttling sub-prime Inland Empirites into Los Angeles in 200 square foot cars to work dead end jobs that it cost them more to commute to than they earn.

On the way out there last weekend, Stein, my co-pilot told me he was glad I brought a helmet. “I know,” I said, “I hear there’s a lot of loose rock.”

“Not loose rock,” said Stein, “falling trash.”

Apparently bums, kids and other people who don’t really think it through like to throw things from the top of the cliff. Things like old set top boxes, VCRs, shoes, bowling balls, what have you.

The cliff is seeminlgy (and probably accurately) held together by glue, bolts and chains. It’s like climbing in the gym except with 100 foot pitches and serious hazards

But alas, the climbing is actually quite amazing. Not much in the way of moderates, and I got my ass kicked by Randy, Scoot and Stein, who all climb 12C or better with ease.

We’ll keep you up to date on all the baby’s progress and let you know who’s gonna take the big bucks in the unofficial baby weight/date/sex pool…

Sign up here.

Step One: Get a few pieces of wood glued together and hold them up to try and look old school…

Step two: lay the blank on the ground and look at it. Maybe draw your outline.

Step Three: Cut outline (wear your protection… safety first!)

Step Four: sand…. alot

Step Five: put your boards against a wall in the garage and go… damn, we’re so old school!

Steps six and beyond coming next…. and of course, most challenging of all… surfing your alaia…

Stay tuned.

Apologies to Tom Wegener, who actually knows how to build these things…

I don’t know how it happenend. But it happened. I have a blog.

It all started with Pinger, and wanting to be able to message everybody about the baby at once. You can do that by registering here:

http://followthelightfoundation.org/pingerinviteIII.html

Please do that. it will keep us all informed, and be an exciting thing to use when we get closer to delivery.

And, I guess, continue to check Beach Haus for the development of a new blog…

Acorn RIP.

Ross