froginhotwater.com March, 2012Riding the G Wave page 2
We aimed for a line just inside Neptune's perihelion arc and timed our arrival to be just ahead of the wave. Picking up speed we watched for the tell-tell ripples behind us as we slowly arched towards our rendezvous.
"Starting to stretch, can you feel it?"
Patrick always noticed the stretch first and like to make a point of it.
"Yeh, I'm feeling it."
The faster we went the more we stretched. This is where a long stiff board is more stable than the RC-board so we hang on and work our way through the wobbles. We can see the ripples behind us.
It's always smart to approach the wave faster than you need to and slow enough just before you reach it that you can adjust if you guessed wrong. We feel the first nudge of the front edge of the wave. Time to stretch out to the limit. The front of my board disappears into the distance. Newton's got his wings outstretched and guides the front of the board into the wave. I shut down the ion drive and we glide in onto the wave.
Out in front I can just make out the outline of James, hot-dogging it into a wave tunnel. That guy is crazy. I aim for his trail and we both enter the chute.
By now we're really stretched out. I'm guessing that this wave is close to lightspeed. Time has slowed down but you'd never know it from the expressions on our faces. Even the birds are smiling. We race onward.
I can tell from James' attitude that he's going for crossover. Why not? We don't often get a big enough wave to make it. I check on Newton, he's cool. He's also our ticket back home.
I dig in an edge and ease towards James' trail. This would be a really bad time to catch an edge and go tumbling.
We both dig harder, curl through the tunnel and cross over into white space. I close my eyes, because everything is pure white. This is the most profound experience. I never understand why more people don't do this. I am in contact with everything in time and space. It feels like I'm floating along a big river except that I can see forever, even with my eyes closed.
Nothing in fact lasts forever and I find myself easing back. I follow Newton's lead and let him guide us back to the others. As we slow through the crossing and begin decompression I can make out the faint whoops and hollers of my amigos. Gradually their forms appear and we all get into a V formation for the ride back to the moon.
"That was exquisite!"
"Can you believe it?"
"Epic, man, epic."
Nothing tastes quite as good as that first sip of espresso after a ride like that.
"Hey, there was a good flare yesterday. Want to go solar wind surfing tomorrow?"
"I'm in, I've got to get my new gossamer sail rigged, but I'll be there."
