The Money Shots

For the first time since I started riding a mat, I actually rode a wave, as opposed to thinking I was riding a wave until I saw the pictures of me flailing in the whitewater. As soon as I was in it, I knew I'd done it right. Granted, I didn't do it right for long. I stalled and then had no idea what to do. Nevertheless, I got myself on the shoulder of this wave. I saw that it was a right and, lo and behold, went right.

I'd love to say it was easy. It wasn't. I'd love to say that my subsequent waves were a testament to my newfound abilities. They weren't. My newfound abilities quickly got themselves lost once that ride was over. I was right back where I'd started. Or was I?

I learned a lot during this session. After receiving quite a bit of internet coaching from other mat riders, I had much less trouble today navigating the paddle out. I even managed to duck dive a few of the waves.

I wanted to surf today, however I'm nursing my knee through a recent rough patch of arthritis. I'm feeling better than I did over most of the last week, but I'm not 100%. Still, I wanted to be in the water. Today, my surfboard stayed in the car chillin' while the mat and fins were called into action. Tomorrow I go to the orthopedist to find out how bad the joint has degenerated since my last complaint about horrendous pain almost six years ago. I'm not prepared to give up on this joint yet and I refuse to take knee replacement for an answer. All I want to know is whether there is any cartilage left. I'm not a betting woman, but if this were Vegas, I'd say the odds are that there isn't.