SURFIN' SAFARI SUMMER TWO - DAY SEVENTEEN - August 16, 2020

 



Sometimes things work out.

A caregiver came in to stay with Anna on Saturday. Four hours of relief and, as mentioned in prior posts, with much of Fun City shut down or not very welcoming, surfing is the only thing to do other than sit around and sweat.

It is very unsurfer-like to head out on the hottest day of the summer, a Saturday, and expect to be confronted with anything less than a beach mob, but again, it was nearing 100 degrees.

For the second time in less than 24 hours I launched a Surfin' Safari, taking this summer’s preferred route of San Vicente-to-Sunset to the ocean. The pandemic’s unclogging of these arteries has made Surfin’ Safari Summer Two an exclusively Malibuvian affair, whereas last year we headed south into Orange and San Diego counties with more frequency.

Cruised a mile north on Sunset and noted a packed parking situation. Just after the Topanga Canyon traffic light - at the Malibu Feed Bin horse place - a spot popped up. I broke abruptly, and slickly guided Seabiscuit up against the hillside.

The person behind pulled alongside and gave me an earful. Said I was trying to kill them. That wasn’t true, although my action could have resulted in something untoward and crashy... but I needed that niche, or I’d be somewhere up the coast in Oregon now.

And it was the key move. The spot was right near the stairway to the beach and I didn't even need shoes. I hot-footed across Pac Coast Highway and down to one of my favorite spots in the world. 

Topanga was just gorgeous with waves spreading all the way down the beach so that there was enough to go around for everyone out there.

The surly, bearded regulars of a December morning lineup out there were replaced by laid-back, summery folks, and fabulous surfer girls in bikinis, just out for a good time and darn well having it with the temperature at the ceiling, water clear and crispy cool, waves pumping. 

Absolutely the Best Day of the Summer.

Did I mention there were fabulous surfer girls in bikinis?

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