When All Else Fails...

When it's raining in San Diego and the winds are howling, hitting the surf or even just a quick paddle session is not on my mind.  I start looking at other options.  Usually when the sun worshipers are crying because of the sudden rains, snowboarders are smiling because it just means more snow in the local mountains.  Due to the passing storms, Big Bear got dumped 2 feet of snow and made for a nice visit to the mountains this weekend.  The sun peeped out for a few hours mid-morning but by afternoon, snow flurries started coming down from the sky.  It's so surreal snowboarding down a white-covered mountain with more snow floating down in front of you.  After a while, the cold temperature kicks in and the winds start to pick up.  Your face gets cold, your nose, toes and fingers get numb and then it's not so fun anymore.  I hate being cold, whether it's in the water or the snow.  But by the time this happened, I was satisfied with the few hours I had on the mountain and had no regrets about leaving.

So when all else fails, and the surf just isn't cooperating... try the local mountains. They're just as beautiful and engulfing as the ocean.