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| "Here's an all too familiar scenario: The clock strikes five, you scramble from your cube to the car, gunning it out of the parking lot, hoping to make it to the beach before sundown, itching to catch a couple waves while the last flickers of daylight dance across the horizon." -Dashel Pierson, Night Surf That first sweet ride, usually the only ride before darkness falls. Holidays 'n 66th, 10/14/2020. |
It's the feeling of being rushed that drives me batty. We leave the house late, knowing that the T-Man will be there before us. Yet, worse is the sight of the sun setting as we round the exit onto the Rt. 90 bridge. It's the 2nd week of October; after this bout, only two weeks left before we are done with our weekday surf sessions. Of course, LWatt and I got behind the slowest vehicle on the east coast...that was headed east...towards the Ocean...well, at least Ocean City. The skylight continued to dim as dusk settled around us, the sun now extinguished for the evening. I came careening off Coastal Highway onto 65th, roared up the alley, and swung into a parking space on 66th being guarded by Target himself as we came to an unsettling stop just centimeters from the Target's knees. Okay, a bit dramatic, but we were late. And, the sun was down. And, it was getting to be zero-dark-thirty fast. I slipped into the shortie suit to handle the 68 degree Atlantic temps. LWatt and Target needed only light jackets as they walked to the beach and set their chairs. I darted up to the water's edge, strapped on the leash, and paddled out into the thigh or less semi-chopped surf that was beginning to become a metallic grey, almost fading into the muted horizon like the end of a bad movie. I didn't pay it no mind. I was looking for the next contender that I could carve into...just one decent wave...before it became too dark to discern the next sets. That's what I had found happening the last couple times in the water. And tonight, not only was the light fading, but so were the conditions. Regardless, I got it. It might have been thigh-high, or even a knee scraper- I didn't care. Afterwards I latched onto a couple of "almost were's" before calling it a night. I was in 30 minutes. Maybe? Didn't matter as I was stoked. Got that quick buzz...the instant gratification that comes from that first ride of the evening. Even if it's the only ride.
This week's session was on a Wednesday, as it was a little warmer, and less windy. 'Course lately the middle of the week has also meant less options as our dining conditions have been fading like the surf. Our heading was to Pizza Tugos Taphouse, a stalwart in West OC., located on Rt. 50 East. We've been there, done that and never had a bad meal. Good pizza (it's in their name!), decent wings, and 78 beers on tap! And...that's just what we ordered...a Chicken and Bacon Pizza, and jumbo Old Bay Wings.
T-Man and I got a couple beers from the many tap options. Now there's instant gratification...beer served in chilled glass, the perfect complement to our meal. The wings were fat, hot, and juicy. They were also very salty from being excessively coated in Old Bay. The biggest issue with using Old Bay is while it is lightly spiced, it can be very salty if overworked. The pizza was loaded with chicken and bacon, although the bacon was a tad underdone for Target and LWatt. The crust was very crispy. Overall, good quality. Tugos sported plenty of flat screens with a variety of action including snowboarding, watersports, baseball, and FHV...Funniest Home Videos. Nothing like the action of a few unscripted faceplants. Great classic rock playing in the background. All were conducive to our discussion of off-season joints to be considered in the current social atmosphere. The bill, not so much. One thing about COVIDINA, she has certainly raised our costs (good thing we don't have Crew dues, although I am sure the Target has been working on it). Tugos, like many of the other places we have recently been to, was not very crowded. Just like us, they gotta pay their bills too. All in all, another good session in our Quest for the ultimate. What's the stoke about the Quest? We are always looking for the next one up. Countdown: 2 weeks of surf left. Let's hit it!
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THE RATINGS- Chicken 'N Bacon Pizza: B+ Old Bay Wings: C+ Beer: B+ Atmosphere: B Value: C Overall Score = 2.75 |
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