Michigan is warming up

[off2board]

This week its going to start breaking into the 70's and hopefully we can finally say goodbye to the cold. (though there is usually one more surprise snowfall in April). The water is cold but it wont effect me cause I bought a new wetsuit and the end of the season.
I bought a Rip Curl F-bomb Back Zip 4/3mm fullsuit. A little pricey, but I sware to you...I could tred in ice water (minus your hands and feet)all day with this bad boy. My last suit was an Oneil drysuit and Ill never buy a drysuit again. They are bulky and uncomfortable and mine lasted about 2 years. My new one is easy to get on/off and very easy to manuever around in.
So just passing it on to anyone thinking of getting a wetsuit.
On another note:
Ill be turning 38 this year and I find myself sort of depressed about wakeboarding. 5 or so years ago, I could go out and rip it as much as I want...I could try new stuff, fall and get up again with no problems. Now, almost everytime I go out, I pull, break, stretch, tweak or crack something and its left me with this hesitation to try new tricks on the board. With that going on in my head, I almost feel like a poser cause I still revolve my life around wakeboarding. Good example: I could always easily do a scarecrow..and it was always fun watching everyone in the boat raise thier hands up when I did it. A few years ago, I cracked my jaw and busted my molar doing one, 2 years ago, I tore something very close to my acl and almost put me out for the whole season, and last year I didnt even try one cause I didnt have insurance...I mean come on!!! thats depressing.
Can you go out and not go big and still say wakeboarding is the greatest thing out? Or should I just hang up my license plate that says w8keboard and get one that says surfer. (surfing is awesome by the way).
Does anyone ever experiance this? Or am I out on my own here?

[da.bell]

Well, we all are getting old and I definitely don't do any tricks that are going to put to big of a strain my my body. Call me a wimp but I would rather spend my life with my children alive than dead (one huge jump away is all it takes )

[jbort]

Welcome to getting older club - it sucks but thats life.

52 and a beginner surfer & sometime kneeboarder

[HippoBoatamus]

Just to stir the pot. ----- It is in the 80's down here and we started our season last weekend. I love Texas!

[off2board]

Stir away. Where I live in Michigan we are going to hit 80 tomorrow. Boats not redy to be put in (have to replace steering cable) but my buddies poon is ready to have beers drank on

[KonaKing]

You guys in Michigan must be tougher than me. I have been in 38f water in my drysuit. I would never attempt that in any wetsuit. I dont use the wetsuit until the water is in 50's f.

[HippoBoatamus]

Stir away. Where I live in Michigan we are going to hit 80 tomorrow. Boats not redy to be put in (have to replace steering cable) but my buddies poon is ready to have beers drank on

My wife is from the Lake Orion (sp) area. Her blood is very thin now. I don't how she ever lived up there, she is cold when it hits the 60's.

[Booms]

I am 34 and gave up new tricks on the wakeboard 3 years ago. On Mondays I like to be able to walk with out a limp.
Surfing is the only way to go. I can surf all day with out getting sore and still get people pumped in the boat.

[off2board]

34 and you gave up new tricks 3 years ago? I dont feel so bad. I hear ya about Mondays and limping around though.
I always use to say (and still do), the only time I really feel my age, is when I am wakeboading. It makes me sick to my stomach to say it, but its true.
I wish I could go back to when I started and have the boat that I have now. My greatest goal was to complete a whirlybird (and I havent given up on it just yet). I landed one, one time! it was behind a mastercraft prostar ski boat (inboard) with a fatsack. Okay okay...I didnt exactly land it...I freaked out on my landing and let go of the rope...but I did land it (just not with the rope). I think if I would have my boat now..it would of been a different story.

[Shamus]

34 and you gave up new tricks 3 years ago? I dont feel so bad. I hear ya about Mondays and limping around though.
I always use to say (and still do), the only time I really feel my age, is when I am wakeboading. It makes me sick to my stomach to say it, but its true.
I wish I could go back to when I started and have the boat that I have now. My greatest goal was to complete a whirlybird (and I havent given up on it just yet). I landed one, one time! it was behind a mastercraft prostar ski boat (inboard) with a fatsack. Okay okay...I didnt exactly land it...I freaked out on my landing and let go of the rope...but I did land it (just not with the rope). I think if I would have my boat now..it would of been a different story.

Don't feel too bad, I will be 33 next month...I wounded myself pretty good last year working on backrolls. Slowed me down for last season. Thing is, we all have to work on mondaylimping around is one thing. But the major injuries just don't go over that well. I don't know how many more new tricks I will be learning this year. I just don't quite bounce as good as I used too. I am pretty comfortable doing the ones I am good at now. Wakeboard the butter early and surf all afternoon...no hospital trips. I don't want to be riding hurt all season again. Don't get me wrong, I am still going to rip...just maybe not quite to the extent I used to

[Joeprunc]

Hate to break it to you, we had some really nice upper 70 days the past week, but that last (hopefully) winter storm just passed leaving over 2 feet of snow in the Sierra Mountains...well I guess more water for the lakes. And its on its way East .

As far as getting old, I can't really comment yet on wakeboarding or skiing, but I can relate with dirt biking. I used to charge hard, but after ending up in the hospital a few times I realized that I'm not competing or getting paid to do it. Now I'm happy just to be outside, riding, and getting some exercise.

[Nobody]

You guys in Michigan must be tougher than me. I have been in 38f water in my drysuit. I would never attempt that in any wetsuit. I dont use the wetsuit until the water is in 50's f.

Born and raised in MI...this warm spell is a teaser to trick you into thinking summer is just around the corner. When summer finally comes...it will stay cold for another month just because. Down in here in Florida...we're not interested in water sports until the water is 78F minimum. Sunshine state will completey spoil you.

[specialk]

Hey, Hey, Hey

I am 34 and just started wakeboarding last year, it is my goal to to a Tantrum this year. Here is the way I see it. If Randy, The Naturla, Coulture can still be one of the biggest, baddest, most in shape, hardcore fighter in the world at 46, that doing a backflip in water is possible.

Since getting a boat alittle of the a year ago and discovering wakeboarding, I had so much fun last season progressing to doing wake to wake 180, goofy, butterslides, and multiple attempts at Tantrums and foreward rolls, that starting in the "off season", i get up at 421 am (used to work out at pm, but my kids now don't go to bed till 8pm, and going to the gym at 9 pm is worse) go to the gym 4 days a week, 2 days running 3 miles and 2 days weights, focusing on mainly upper body.

I refuse to believe that I am on my downhill slide to decrepidness.

Come on, someone out there who is 40, tell me you are still having a blast.

I have not injuried myself, other than several face slaps where my helmet and wakeboard seperated and went different directions.

My kids are 3/5, and I have only 3-4 years to get the best I can get before them and their friends surpass me, so I am not going to listen to the naysayers and will be doing a Tantrum by the end of the season,....unless I pull a groin, break a jaw, tear my rotator cuff, then I am going to say screw it, I will man the cooler and be the best boat driver on the water

[murphini]

At 47 I am in much better shape than 37. Weigh less, better aerobically and strengthwise. Just balder. Kids are older (College & High School) so I actually have the time to work out vs. being a slave to soccer/baseball/softball games/practices etc. Really liked that time of life, but I really love this time of life when we can reclaim the weekends for the boat.

BUT, I've become a wimp on wakeboard, preferring to carve huge arcs rather than tear up my knees/back/shoulders on jump tricks. Love the Surfboard--mellow fun. I slalom ski about 3x per year and holy-$&!! that is a workout on arms/shoulders/back/glutes. Makes Wboarding look easy and surfing look easiest.

Want to feel young again, lose weight and drink more beer? (and maybe look cool--but not really?) Pick up road cycling. Great thing for 40 year olds and up and in every city there is a group ride starting at a bar every night of the week with like minded people in their 40s. My group has 8 guys, of which 4-6 can usually show up for a ride. We ride early on weekends or late afternoons or after work during the year. We hit it hard, talk smack to and about each other, and drink a lot of beer afterwards. I even host a MAGBRIH every year with the group:
Murphy's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Into Hillsdale (Hillsdale Reservior in Kansas is where the boat is on the lift). It's about 25 miles south of my office.

We drop a car/pickup truck down at lake at lunch with cooler full of beer, food, etc; after work our group rides to the lake, all the way to the boat, and we cruise around, swim & replenish carbs (aka DRINK BEER) til dark or after. Some wives/girlfriends come also. @ End of night, we put the bikes in the back of the pickup truck and carpool back to where the other cars are.

Killing several birds with one stone.

Sorry to jump the thread, but you 30 year olds, life gets much better in your 40s.