On 29 Oct 1996, it was written:

> Here is the question. Why should a middle aged guy, ie over 40, surf?
> In particular, why should he go back to surfing after a 25 year
> hiatus?? What is the attraction??

no, the real question is "why did they quit in the first place?" i can
understand how somebody can get into surfing and live that life and one
day wake up and discover - whoa, dude.....i'm over fourty. you know,
the days just blend together....seasons become years......and you're
still doing what you've always done, only bolder and better than
ever....still just as stoked and still waiting for that perfect day.

even if you find yourself a kazillion miles from the beach at some point
in your life, if you're a surfer know you're going to get back to the
break at any cost because you have no choice. ultimately, nothing is
more important, matters as much, or could ever keep you from it. you'd
die getting there just like you'd die doing it if it came to that....
just like that moth flies into the campfire......it's instinct - it's
impluse - it's uncontrollable, and it's life itself.

not that you don't have a life or an alias that gets you through your
slack time on earth. you might even wind up doing something as horrible
and meaningless as selling auto parts just to get through, but like the
blues brothers.....you're on a mission, and maybe you're the only one
who knows just how important that mission is, but you gotta do it
cuz you have no choice. it's divine pre-destiny.

ranjack