Stadium Arcadium, notes from the Target

Empy beach, empty close-out.  Holidays, 9/19

  Autumn.  Nice time of year.  Empty beach.  Open lineups.  But, the surf has been one disappointment after another.  Or so it seems.  Wednesdays, Thursdays; hasn't mattered.  We always seem to miss the waves.  This week, another example of what tries our Souls.  Riptides in the blink of an eye.  Dragging currents. Sloppy.  Closing out.  And, the ever blowing winds, up to 20 mph this week.  Very frustrating.  The Wattman seemed to be ever out of touch with the next ride.  Couple small skids at best.  The rising moon gave way to an empty, watery stadium.  4th down.  Gotta know when to punt.

Foamy foot massage.

"The stadium arcadium, a mirror to the moon."  -Red Hot Chili Peppers

  We headed downtown to the southside Crabcake Factory on 26th, but like tonight's surf, it too was closed.  The Stoke had to be fed.  Peppers Tavern, Ocean City's 5-Star dive on 16th and the Boards.  Been here a couple of years ago.  Not much has changed.  Dark wooden hole in the ground where real people can get decent tex-mex, cheap beer, and and actually talk to the guy next to ya at the bar.
  With cheap beer comes limited selection on draft.  Very limited.  Three. Natty Boh, Guinness, and a Burley Oak.  Ordered up our brews, added the Honey BBQ and Hot Wings. And Whaaaaaaaa?  No Thursday Night Football?  Had the college game on, but no NFL channel to satiate the need.  The Hot were less than and the BBQ were a little more than.  With no big game we had time left to peruse the boards, check the Sunfest crowds and possible additions to the Journey before heading back for the night.

THE RATINGS-

Hot Wings: C-

Honey BBQ Wings: C+

Beer: C-

Atmosphere: C

Overall Score = 1.94

Fall Mojo, notes from the Target

Sectioning surf made rides unpredictable.  Holidays 9/12.

   Ask people what time of year they like best.  It ain't gonna be spring or summer, nor the Christmas season.  Nope.  The Fall.  When Fall comes in it's magic I tell ya.  Warm days, cool nights make doing anything outside more enjoyable.  Ya got the Baseball Pennant Race in the Majors, the drama of Pro Football.  And College Football?  Nothing like the excitement of the college game.  Shootouts, big plays, nice campuses, cheerleaders. Wattman was fortunate enough to be able to take in opening day of Navy Football with his brother and soph Midshipman nephew.  Good times.

Navy bulldozed Delaware 51 - 7.

  In the OC we've got events almost every weekend, and this weekend was no exception.  BikeFest!  I was able to attend several of the FREE events and take in the whole vibe. To be amongst the array of distorted designs with the contorted riders was definitely an eye opening experience. And 5-Oh everywhere... even on their own bikes.

BikeFest lineup.

  Autumn usually comes with warm water and improved surf, but so far this year our "less than" conditions persist.  Like waiting for that raise that never comes.  An empty beach and near empty line-up awaited.  SW winds in excess of 15 knots didn't quite chop up the waves, but they textured the hell outta them.  Sectioning swell and a strong northbound current jammed up the Watt making it difficult to get more than one set ride before he was walking back down the beach for another run.  Finally as the sun disappeared out west, Watt hit a dead spot, waves flushing out due a rip, he called it a session.
  Like the current itself, we cruised to North OC.  The Blue Ox.  Previously cracked, never rated.  Touts itself a steak house, more like a beach dive if you ask us.  Showin' a bit of wear as well.  One barkeep, seemed busy, focused more on the Bike Week in progress than us.  Ordered a round of beer and found unless you asked for a glass (chilled in a frig), you got a cup.  When the ordered wings arrived, to our horror Ranch...no Blue Cheese!  Both the Buffalo and BBQ were average at best.  TVs well placed, but the Jets and Patriots were not providing much of a show.  We finished our meal and called it a night...the ride home in the rain.

THE RATINGS:

Buffalo Wings: C+

BBQ Wings: C+

Beer: C- (Plastic Cups Suck!)

Atmosphere: C

Overall Score = 2.06

Slacker!, notes from The Watt

"I've never seen you before in my life, but you look to me like a slacker!"  Mr. Strickland, Back To The Future II
Slack tide, Holiday's. 9/5

   It's been rare this year, but last Thursday produced serious flat conditions on 66th. Surf was minimal to begin with. Combine that with a near windless evening and slack tide between high and low- you've got no waves. I saw a father son duo attempting some body boardin'. Wasn't happening.  I didn't even get wet.  Makes ya wanna shoot somethin'. Sucked. Really.
 Opening night of the NFL. A reason for salvage.  Ravens vs. Broncos. Ky West on 54th and Coastal Highway  Plenty of flatscreens. One big screen. They play it smart with subtitles.  Still.  The place was empty. I mean Target and I were 2 of 5 patrons at the bar.  Maybe a dozen (including diners) in the whole place.  Ok. We hit a slow time, but seriously.  The menu looked as good as any and reasonable.  The staff was supportive of the business. EMPTY! The place was void.  They had a choice of three kinds of wings. We ordered two.  BBQ and Peppercorn Ranch.  We got Hot Buffalo and Peppercorn Ranch.  We could deal. Both came out big and meaty.  Plenty of celery and carrot slices.  Well cooked.  The Buffalo were not bad.  Little spice.  The Peppercorn Ranch?  Get some wings...pour the dressing over 'em. That's them.  Not impressed.  Beers were plenty cold. Selection, not so much.  Place has potential.  Repeat engagement dependant on if they're still around and how full the lot is... maybe.

THE RATINGS-

Buffalo Wings: C+

Peppercorn Ranch Wings: C-

Beer: C+

Atmosphere: C+

Overal Score = 2.13

Grab A Little Bit More, notes from the Target

You wreck me, baby. You break me in two.

                But you move me, honey. Yes, you do.      -T. Petty

8/29/2013

   They say there are ninety-three days of summer and you must grab as much as you can of each day.  I believe that is what the Journey is all about. Each week we seek to seize a little bit more outta life than we had before. Ups and downs. Don't matter. It's about winning the little victories. Snagging the stoke each sesh.

    It's not been the best of summers. Cooler than average water temps, inconsistent surf, above norm winds along the beach. But, each week we catch the wave.  Enjoy the ride.  Feed the stoke. We know that Fall is upon us.  Summer is near termination.  You can feel  it in the air.  As we hit Rodeways between 29th and 30th a lil' nor'easter had settled in.  Blowin' 20+ mph winds, chopping up the swell. Suctioning chest to head high swell.  Lefties, Wattman's weak side.  A fight just to get out past the break.  Each wave a battle, mostly lost.  Strong southbound current forcing him to walk the beach back north.  Then facing the rough break again.  Sunset coming faster now.  This evening, it eases the pain.

Rest between sets.  8/29

   More pain relief, we head downtown, the inlet portion of the Boardwalk. First, to the oldest and original boardwalk bar, the Inlet Lodge Bar.  The Watt wanted to do the full run, wings and all.  I was a bit leery.  Not as bad as I had imagined.  Decent flatscreens.  Redskins on.  The food however, had to be delivered from the the diner behind us.  Not too cool on this...I needed more of an atmospheric food induced high.  Backup plan.  The Frog Bar, located around the corner.  We've been there.  Rated that.  But, there is no denyin' the view and the wings they are famous for.  We ordered the chunky blue cheese infused Elephant Hot Wings, the BBQ, and the Jerk. We could only rate two, but all were excellent.  Beer- cheap.  No wonder... 8oz. plastic cups.  And the craft draughts were all spent.  Not excellent. We caught college and pro football on the tube, and drank our "brew with a view."  By night's end of the near last of the 93 days, we had grabbed a little bit more and came away a little bit richer.

THE RATINGS - 

Elephant Hot Wings: A

BBQ/Jerk Wings: A

Beer (Get those damn taps workin'!): C

Atmosphere: A

Overall Score = 3.50