The Dirtbag Dad Diaries

Last Child in the Woods

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:57:00 +0000

Its obviously been quite a while since I've posted anything here. Every parent knows, that sometimes life doesn't allow time for anything other than whats absolutely needed. Work, family, sick babies and everything else really add up.

On a bright note, I've finally gotten the chance to sit down and start reading "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv. It's an enlightening look at the deterioration of our connection to nature, and how we're raising a generation of children that are disconnected from the natural world. In a time where we're constantly told to get our children to excersize to fight childhood obesity, to get them outside, we're still missing something. Gone are the empty lots we played in as children, the woods behind the house, and the natural spaces where children should be able play freely. Louv does a great job of connecting unstructured outdoor play in natural settings with child development, and their adult connection for the natural world.

The book definitely has me thinking and re-evaluating the importance of Levi playing outside. Luckily for me, the outdoors are already a magnet for him. Any open door is quickly used to get himself outside, and he makes it crystal-clear that he does NOT want to go back inside! He's 17 months old now, and we're really going to make sure than he's outside as much as possible, as if we have a choice in the matter!

I will be posting some more thoughts inspired by the book, and also, as Levi gets older I hope to have even more to post. For now, I'm working on a goal of mine that will allow me to spend that time with my family, doing the things we enjoy. My focus will be away from this site for a while, but hopefully not for long. In the meantime, make sure to check out the links on the left, and stay outside.

17 Year-Old Climbs the 7 Summits

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:00:00 +0000

If pop culture has taught us anything, it’s that high school seniors are worried about two things: where they’re going to go to college and whether or not they will still be a virgin by the time they get there. But seventeen-year-old Johnny Collinson has spent his high school years focused on other, more dangerous activities. In June 2009 he summitted Everest. And yesterday, after reaching the top of Antarctica’s Vinson Massif (16,067 ft.), he became the youngest person in the world to complete the Seven Summits, a mountaineering challenge that involves climbing the highest mountains on each of the seven continents....

Read the rest at Wend

The Season

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:03:00 +0000

The Season Trailer from Fitz Cahall on Vimeo.

This looks like it's going to be a great project. You can follow it at www.theseasontv.com .

Surfing the Arctic

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Found here...

Merrry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Merry Christmas from Danny, Levi, and Laura!

The Times A-Comin...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:56:00 +0000

Got a new post on The Outdoor Parent!

As we’ve passed Levi’s first birthday and moved into fall, the milestones are coming fast and furious. Crawling, which didn’t happen until 11 months, and walking is already coming on fast. Words are beginning to pop out of him with a rush of semi-intelligible grunts, shrieks and adorable ooo’s and aahhh’s. He knows a duck says quack, and Rasta (our dog) says Ow Ow Oowwwooooooooo! ...

Read the rest here...

Drifter Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:45:00 +0000

Drifter Trailer from Poor Specimen on Vimeo.

Friday, 7pm Patagonia Cardiff screening! Now I give myself a 20%chance of making it down there after work, but I'm definitely going to try.

Thank you Veterans

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:54:00 +0000

Happy Veterans day! Here's Levi with a special Veterans day greeting for his Uncle who's currently serving...

As parents, we need to make sure our children respect and appreciate those men and women who have served and are serving in our nations armed services. Remember the next time you're in the grocery store and you see a retiree wearing a shirt or hat with the name of this ship from WWII or Vietnam, stop and say thank you. Its the least we can do for those who have and are protecting the freedoms we hold dear as Americans.

Last Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:44:00 +0000

Got out in the water Sunday morning on a perfect 1ft+ overhead day. Glassy, light off-shores, and good clean NW swell thumpings to be had by all (and by all I mean me). Now I know the wave heights weren't huge by any stretch of the imagination, but when you're on a 9'6" longboard getting pulled over the top, you hit pretty hard! That and on my way in on a well over-head closeout set, but when you're in the water once a week or so, you ride that wave for all its worth, and if it brings you to an unglorious (inglorious?) end, then so be it. All in all, one of the best days out I've had in a while. There's something to be said about how a good beating can help clear the cobwebs out.

Peter Pan-ic

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:38:00 +0000

Read a great post in Born to Lose Today that fit here well...

Today, a glorious Sin Diego fall day, I walked up Cowles Mountain (hill) with my three-year-old son. I didn't surf and haven't surfed in the last week, despite the swell. My wife is pregnant and quite ill. I've been on daddy and domestic duty. Delightful and delightful.

Sometime about half way through our walk I surveyed east San Diego and the near suburb of La Mesa, I saw the lake that I run around, pushing a stroller or laboring through predawn miles so I don't miss out on family or surf time later in the day/week. I saw the highways, everywhere highways, that I travel daily for sixty miles. I saw the little canyon that leads to my house from the lake. I saw the hazy western horizon and knew the sea, and decent surf, lay beyond, me missing it. I reflected on my current life. 31 years old, 8 years building a beautiful family with my wife, 9 years in a career I love. I do things I like all the time. I surf, I get outdoors, I create..

.

Read the rest here...

Latest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:23:00 +0000

I managed to get out in the water this last Sunday, first time this month but was still able to get some great rides on the slightly fading swell from earlier in the weekend. I was shocked I even managed to catch a wave on a quick turn-one stroke paddle! I haven't done that in a while. It was a perfect day for me to be out after a long dry spell.

You can see I'm still only posting periodically. We're still winding down from the insane summer, and things with a one-year-old are in constant flux, so getting down to a routine is hard.

For all you parents of young children, I can see now the importance of setting a routine early. Set a schedule for naps, eating etc, and then you'll be able to plan accordingly. We have a good schedule going now, but it took us a while to see the importance but we're getting it down now. I'm just looking forward to an empty calender, time with just the family, and crisp mornings with slight offshores and empty(er) line-ups.

Picture from J-Dub

Levi's One!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:21:00 +0000

BAG en Peru (ViaThe Cleanest Line)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

From The Cleanest Line.

As the speeding and swaying double-decker bus hurtled head-on toward us in our lane, forcing us onto the shoulder of the Pan American Norte highway, I began to rethink our decision to rent a car in Lima and make the two-day drive up the coast to Chicama and Pacasmayo, two of Peru’s most famous and longest pointbreaks...

...Why didn’t we just book one of those San Diego Dentist Surfari Specials that have become so popular where everything is taken care of – food, flight, transportation, lodging, surf guide, masseuse – maximizing your vacation luxury and minimizing your interaction with all local people except the gated resort’s English speaking staff?

Read the rest here.

GASP! Foto Friday!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Don't get to excited, I'm going to try to get a Foto going every Friday, but I'm not making promises I can't 100% guarantee. I'll do my best though, for now, here's a great pic by Matt Chenot, found on GIG.

Serfin!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Sunday morning I finally got out in the water after just over a months hiatus due to the insanely busy season at work. Head-high glassy peaks up and down the coast, and me with no paddling strength in me after being high and dry for so long. The water was warm(ish) and at this point I could have just run and ducked my head in the water and felt good.

Sitting outside I focus on breathing, cleansing all the accumulated stress, and worries that stack up, one on top of the other the longer I'm out of the water. We're coming into the slow season at work, will I still be able to provide for my family? Levi's first birthday is coming up, how is he doing, am I raising him in a way that will leave him ready to face the world on his own terms... birthday party in less than a month, lots of people coming and I haven't finished the back yard yet, need to get those roots out, clean the weeds, fix the deck, paint his room... The onslaught of thoughts keeps coming, then its gone again with the next wave.

Its a little frustrating being so sporadic in my surfing, I'm one of those people that has to get out regularly to keep a skill level up and every time I go a month out of the water it feels like I'm starting over. Luckily with my advanced years I've come to know two things. One is that when you lose physical strength or skill, you still have your mind, and being in the right state, being patient when you paddle out and choosing the right waves, you can make up for a lot of weak paddling muscles. The second thing is remembering why I surf. I don't surf to be the next Kelly Slater, shoot, I'm in my 30's now (sweet, I can say that). I surf because I enjoy it, and it has 100% positive effects on me, physically, mentally, emotionally, there's few things that benefit so many areas of ones life. Being in the water, bobbing up and down with the swells, I barely even notice the hundred or so of my closest friends int he water, as is always the case when the waves are good in Southern California. My mind is cleared, I feel good, refreshed, ready to go another month if neccessary, but I certainly hope not that long.

Thank you Sweetheart, for encouraging me to go surf.

He's Moving Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Levi has always been like his Dad, happy to just hang out, no real need to push on anything, thus he rolls everywhere at 11 months, no crawling, that is until yesterday...

How soon is it going to be until I can't keep up with him?

Big Bear Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:54:00 +0000

Here are a few pictures of the family trip to Big bear last week. We found, through my mother-in-law's remembering of an old childhood spot her family went to past Big Bear, one of the most beautiful spots I've been in a while. There's a waterfall, just a 1-hour drive away, where we can hike up a canyon with a waterfall flowing down through pools, streams, and even a very small cave. With sunlight filtering down through a leafy canopy, I felt like a kid again climbing up boulders and wading through the pools scattered up the canyons slopes.

Levi was as usual wide-eyed in amazement. The water was a bit cold for his taste, but he loves riding on my shoulders so he got some good hiking in!

My camera battery is working on an occasional basis, so all of the pictures we got were with my cell-phone camera, so the quality isn't that great.

Whats Going On

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:38:00 +0000

If you've been checking back wondering what happened to this blog, don't worry, I'm still here. (assuming you like what I write) Things have been pretty crazy, no extremely crazy for the last month or so since I've put up a post. To boil it down, We had a ton of family visit, toured a destroyer(the ship type), threw several large parties, got started starting a business, and turned 30, all while working 70+ hour work weeks!

No that that's out of the way, I am going to try to get back to regular posting. Things are still pretty crazy, but I'm trying to commit some time to making this site worth visiting. Please don't give up yet.

Danny

Hiking

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:15:00 +0000

We’re on a grassy bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The wind howls around us. Try as she might, my wife Laura just can’t seem to get her sweatshirt tied around the backpack carrier in a way that will comfort Levi. He screams and pants as if the wind makes it hard for his 7-month-old lungs to get their fill of air. He’s never experienced this kind of wind before and he does not like it. We’re one and a half miles into a 7-mile hike along the cliffs of Los Osos State Park in central California coast. It’s going to turn into a 3 mile round trip for us, but I’m stoked anyways – Levi went on his first hike today...

Read the rest at The Outdoor Parent.

Here are some more pictures from our Morro Bay trip.

1st Fathers Day

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:41:00 +0000

Yesterday, being my very first Fathers day, was my day to pick out itinerary. Naturally, with my newly healed shoulder (more on that later) we went down to San O' for some surfin! It was crossed up NW/SW swell with light onshore winds to make it nice and choppy, but it fell great to be in the water. I went out once a little over a week ago, which was my first time since I hurt my shoulder almost 3 months ago! Anyone who surfs knows that after that long out of the water, any waves are great waves.

Since my shoulder still feels tender I'm using the longboard just while I get back into the swing of things. I feel awkward having been out of the water for so long, but am not having much a a problem. Maybe next time I'll take the fish just so I don't make the longboard a crutch and forget how to ride shorter boards!

Laura and Levi hung out on the beach and played. I'm extremely proud of Levi's appetite for sand, (see picture below)

Hope all you dads had a great Fathers Day as well. Never forget that you are 100% vital to the well-being of your family, and take your responsibility seriously.

Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:55:00 +0000

Myself and my Beautiful Wife that is! Yesterday was our 4th wedding anniversary. Four down, 76 to go! I made her promise me 80 years. This being a parenthood sorta blog, I think its important to point out the importance of your spouse being the priority. My father always told me "The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." I intend to do that through thick and thin 'til the day I die.

I Love you Laura.

Foto Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:39:00 +0000

Dad taking not one, not two, not three, but FOUR kids out......AWESOME.

Kook Stand-up paddler snaking not one, not two, not three, but FOUR kids surfing on one wave?.....NOT AWESOME.

From here, originally seen on SurfySurfy

Excuses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +0000

As you can tell its been quite a while since I've updated the blog. Between work and an outright busy schedule, I've been unable to post for a while, but I guarantee there is cool stuff coming! I'm working on a redesign of the site and will be back to regular posting soon.

Danny

Happy Memorial Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 May 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Taken from the National Fatherhood Initiative, remember, this holiday is not about barbecuing and the start of summer. Its about remembering all those who have fought and died in the name of freedom so we can live in this great nation, the freest country the world has ever known. We need to pass this on to our children.

Use your day off to teach your kids these important values as you celebrate Memorial Day. Tim Red, our Director of Military Programming and a former service member, has some great ideas for teaching your children life lessons around Memorial Day.

Teach Sacrifice and Service. Don't just talk about it - get out there and serve! Put a care package together with your children, or make cards for service members. You can even sign up to welcome troops home from deployment. For more ideas and opportunities, visit United Service Organizations (USO).

Talk with a service member. If there is a family member who has served our country, have your children visit with him/her to hear his/her stories. You can also visit service members in your community, via your local VFW or American Legion, to hear their stories. They'll love the captive audience and will appreciate an in-person thank you.

Attend a community event, parade, or memorial. Most communities have a Memorial Day parade, an event to salute local service members, or a memorial you can visit. Take your kids to these events and memorials - it's a great way to spark conversation and talk to them about courage, sacrifice, and freedom. You can find a listing of special services in your community here.

Fly the American flag. Buy an American flag and fly it outside of your home during Memorial Day weekend.

While you're enjoying your long weekend, remember our service members and teach your kids the importance of their service, as well as values like courage and sacrifice. Don't miss this great opportunity to teach important life lessons!

Where's the Foto?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 May 2009 01:52:00 +0000

Sorry no photo today. I surprised Laura for her birthday with a weekend trip to Morro Bay. There will be lots of photos when we get back!