Rio Nexpa

About two months ago we all started talking about taking a trip to Rio Nexpa, a fast barreling, river mouth wave about two and a half hours drive from Troncones.  We had almost written it off after tropical storm Manuel, but a couple weeks ago we saw a forecasted swell that we felt would be one of our last opportunities to make the journey before departing to Nicaragua.  We talked to our friends Russell, Pedro and Coco to get a plan together to make the journey.  Coco was already heading up with a couple friends a few days early and we decided to pack up the kids early Monday morning in Russell's truck with Pedro following later that afternoon.

This trip was about hanging out with friends, testing our surfing skills and checking out a new place without much of a plan.  Knowing that was the idea, it made the drive up from Troncones very enjoyable.  Once north of La Mira, the road opened up onto the coast for what was probably one of the most beautiful drives that we've ever experienced.  We passed sweeping vistas of the ocean, saw gaping river mouths and arroyos that emptied into the ocean along with an undeveloped coast line that could have easily passed for Malibu back in the early 60's.

We arrived mid-day to find the surf absolutely pumping.  The set waves were going 4 foot over head, producing an almond shaped barrel at the top of the point and then connecting into the bay.  A massive sand bar had built up from the river ejecting tons of sand and rock during the tropical storm in September.  This essentially allowed you to walk right out to the point and paddles 30 yards into the line-up.  The 30 yards that needed to be negotiated was one of the sketchiest that we've encountered.  It is a shallow waist high bar that drops off significantly and composed of rocks and gravel.   The lip of the larger set waves detonate just a couple clicks away from the shallow bar threatening to drill you into the gravel parking lot beneath should you time it wrong.  While it didn't happen on the paddle out for any of us, several beatings on this wave were served up during the few sessions we had.

The paddle out:

Melissa cover shots:

 

Scott looking for a barrel:

 

Coco cover-up and broken board:

 

 

 Pedro looking for a sponsor after a couple months riding a short board:

  Flaco showing how it's done:

Mary Jane's:

 We ate dinner here both nights and had a great time. It's where bad parenting decisions meet limited options in town for dinner. We had a blast with the crew watching the days surf videos here that were taped by the owner and played nightly drawing in most the surfers in the small town. We didn't get to try Mary Jane's "special pancakes", but the food that Martin and his wife cooked while we were there was delicious.

The crew left to right: Nicky, Slater, Coco, Scott, Melissa, Russell, Pedro

 Waterspout over the ocean seen from Mary Janes deck:

 

Helen & Jorge's our home for a couple days:

We're really going to miss this crew when we leave in a week. They've all become good friends and we've had a great time with them in Mexico. The photo credits on this mainly go to Russell on the surfing pictures. He really got some great shots of Nexpa. We'll have to add surf photographer to his resume which also include world's best Mexico guide, Property Manager and great friend. While we have to say adios in a week, you know we'll be back soon!

Russell and Melissa at dinner:

 

Hear My Train a Comin'......

Last week I returned to Los Angeles on a much anticipated week long trip back to the states.  The trip had been planned for some time with the main goal of going to see Furthur (basically the Grateful Dead for readers not on the bus) with longtime friends from high school and college that I'd been seeing shows with since the 80's.  Collectively the four of us have seen a few hundred shows so to say that we're obsessed with the band and the music would be an understatement.  Details aside we were treated to the three of the best shows we've seen this band perform.  It was the end of the fall tour and right before a pre-announced year hiatus for the band in 2014 meaning we won't see them for a year possibly two, if ever again.  The shows were spectacular with the band winding through many songs we'd never seen them perform in addition to the cultural phenomenon that the Dead always bring with them that you really can't get anywhere else, ever.    If it ends there,  what a great way to go out on top.

Tres amigos at intermission on Night 3:

 

Furthur at the Greek up close from the pit:



 

My time in LA was also used to reconnect with friends and co-workers who I hadn't seen in awhile.  I quickly realized how drastically my life has changed in the past 5 months hearing people talk about work.  Don't get me wrong, I miss contributing to a team and being in the game due to my highly competitive nature.  However, I don't miss all the baggage and drama that comes with being in that type of setting.  At times I felt stressed just hearing about people talking about work.  Needless to say, it really caught me off guard.  The other thing that struck me as being odd other than being stressed about hearing friends talk about work was that you can't go anywhere in the US without spending money.  At every turn, I found myself talking out my wallet to pay for something.  This is quite a change from not carrying a wallet, phone or ID  the last 5 months.   Granted, I had a laundry list of things I needed to get before the second leg of our trip but still it is unreal how quickly money is spent when simply spending a week back in LA.  Both of these realizations had me asking questions, like what's the next play?  Which actually has me pretty motivated to consider where we go after the trip is over.

Melissa with her birthday board brought back from LA at El Rancho!:



 

One of the considerations beyond the predictable return to the states, get a job and jump right back into trying to climb the corporate ladder is living here in Mexico permanently.  While here we've met a lot of new friends and had some interesting opportunities icross our path.  This includes pitching a land owner we've become friendly with on the idea of opening a surf camp on his large ocean front property.  While not an immediate possibility due to the capital needed for start up, it would be a fork in the road we would go down as a family if it came to fruition.  There are some downsides we've weighed where Jordan and Slater are concerned that are cultural which are tough to wrap our heads around.  Plus, with a heavy cartel presence the last four weeks in our area has us thinking about possible problems that could arise with that element in the mix.  We're leaning toward returning to So Cal heavily, but still tossing the idea around.  

We're quickly approaching the second leg of our trip with our flight to Nicaragua booked on 10/30.  We fly into Managua, spend the night and then take a 3 hour drive south towards the Costa Rican boarder to a remote area rich with surf breaks.  Rancho Iguana will be our home from Nov-Jan.  Then after that things are up in the air.  Costa Rica?  El Salvador?  Panama?  Back to So Cal?

We're taking on a quick trip north tomorrow for the next 3 days to Rio Nexpa which is a remote town that features a heavy barreling river mouth break.  It's a relatively unplanned trip.  We're throwing the kids and a few things into a friends truck and traveling north to meet new people, surf new waves and wander down the path of life without a map.  It's been something we're getting pretty good at as a family.  We're riding a train with many unannounced stops, but I can hear the next train coming and can't wait to find out where it's going to take us.