Alex Is One Step Closer To Mexico's National Junior Olympic Games

Back in March, the kids were invited to go to the Juegos Estatales de Surf in Jalisco held in Barra de Navidad.  It was our first SUP racing competition since August of 2019.  We thought that one event may be the only race either of the kids would see until perhaps later in the summer.  That was until we were contacted by the Team Manager for the Jalisco State Team a few weeks ago.

After some information gathering by the Team Manager it turns out that both our kids could qualify for Mexico's SUP Nationals since they are "permanent residents" of Mexico.  They did not need to be Mexico passport holding "citizens" to compete and qualify for future junior Team positions representing the State of Jalisco.  We live in the State of Nayarit but since they had never been Nayarit Surf and SUP Federation members they were allowed to be associated with the State of Jalisco Federation in which they won their age categories back in March.  The Nayarit Surf and SUP Federation never really looked to recruit the kids either so Jalisco is our Federation now. Very cool!

Alex begins the distance race.

Then there was a twist to all of this. The Jalisco Sports Federation that governs all the State supported sporting activities is called "CODE Jalisco". Alex was asked by the Jalisco Team manager if she would be interested in competing to qualify for an event that is called Juegos Nacionales Conade. The event is basically Mexico's Junior Olympics where the States would send their Junior Champions to compete in sports of all kinds like track and field, gymnastics and archery. Trace would unfortunately be one year too young to qualify. If Alex qualified she would be invited to travel with the CODE Jalisco Surf and SUP Teams and go to the Junior National games. The State of Jalisco sports federation would pick up the travel and lodging expenses. Fortunately, the qualifying event was in Puerto Vallarta so off we went both Saturday and Sunday mornings last weekend.

We knew it was going to be a smallish event but when we arrived the first morning there was a good sized group of teenagers on the beach with coaches and several were in sports uniforms.  They were all tall, super fit and they immediately wondered who the blonde girl was with blue eyes as she set her bag and paddle down on the beach.  Turns out that the Code Jalisco Canoe Team was invited to participate over the weekend to see if there was potential in their ranks to race stand up paddle boards.  Once the Team Manager arrived and told everyone the schedule for that morning she introduced Alex to the larger group speaking specifically about her winning the Jalisco State event in March and having paddled at several large events in the States.  Alex immediately felt like she had a target on her back now that she was labeled as the most experienced and accomplished paddler in the field.  The time had come to make sure her race performance matched her paddling resume.

Alex on the water doing a Sprint race demo.

The girls were in the water first and it was immediately clear that no matter what size you are, how strong you are or how accomplished in another water sport you are having SUP paddling and racing experience is the most important factor.  Alex had 5+ years of experience to pull from and it showed.  The girls on the water began seeking out Alex and asking for some advice for the race starting in a few minutes.  The girls could certainly paddle but did not know how to paddle equally on both sides of the board, turn or feel comfortable on the board in a standing position.  Their canoe expertise did not help much in this racing format.

We did see some of the kids that competed in the event in March.  It was good to see those folks again and keep those SUP friendships going.  The two strongest girls Alex raced in March were here paddling as well and are getting better each time we see them.  One of them is even a CODE Jalisco member of the track and field team and cross trains racing on her paddle board.

All the canoe Team members were really friendly and were happy to have Alex join their group conversations and some of the boys wanted snapshots with Alex before the weekend was over.  By the end of the weekend, Alex won the distance and sprint races for her age thus punching her pass to compete in the Conade Nacional Games as a member of Code Jalisco.  The event was pushed back from June to October or November this fall.  How this might overlap other events like the separately run Surf and SUP Nationals in the second half if the year is anyone's guess right now.  That event will include Trace. This kind of thing is pretty exciting since we thought SUP racing in Mexico this year was a one and done kind of thing back in March.  Looking forward to training leading up to this event later this year.

More Murals Decorate Sayulita - Xochi

There is a new restaurant in town called Xochi.  They have remodeled what was the Calypso space just off the Plaza and given pretty much everything a new look inside, front and back.  The huge mural sits a couple levels up from the street and should you raise your gaze towards the back of the restaurant you will see this amazing piece of work.  Love this kind of thing but we have yet to try dining there just yet!

The view of the front of Xochi.

Spring Has Sprung In Sayulita

 Throughout most of the year the Primavera(spring) trees look like any part of the green jungle that surrounds us.  Then, when spring arrives, the trees lose their green leaves and these yellow flowers blossom.  As you look around town it is clear that there are a many of these trees sprinkled around town and only show their presence this time of year.

The view from our rooftop.

Our neighbor's Primavera tree though rooted next door leans mostly over our property.  I am forever cleaning up the front garden, sidewalk and driveway from the leaves and twigs it drops all year but with the coming of spring my attitude towards the tree certainly changes.

The view down our main hallway.

Sayulita From The Air

Amazing shot by Curt Barter.

Back To SUP Competitions!!

 It has been over a year and a half since the kids competed in SUP racing.  All racing events were shut down for 2020 so the kids continued to practice and wait...and wait...and wait for their next opportunity to stand on the starting line again.  This last weekend the state of Jalisco Surfing Federation held its State  Championships.  The kids were invited through their Team coach who is a Jalisco Surfing Federation member to attend the event.  

The Eco Sport loaded and ready to leave.

Ashley was in the States so it was up to the kids and I to pack up and head south for the 5 hour drive.  It was the first time I had been away from Sayulita since August 2019 due to COVID and the first time I had gone on the road with only the kids since we arrived in Mexico.  

The three day event was held in Barra de Navidad.  The kids would compete in three events over the course of the long weekend.  We stayed along a canal system that led out to the protected bay and beach so the the kids could put their boards in the water near the house rental and paddle over to the competition that was going to take place in the area of the town's malecon and jetty.  Pretty cool to be able to paddle over to race.

Barra de Navidad was quite a bit different than Sayulita.  Much quieter, really clean, fewer cars, few vendors/performers and very pedestrian friendly.  The downtown area had wide sidewalks, legitimate one way traffic and we never had to dodge motos delivering tortillas or 10 year olds driving golf carts.  Yes, it was super nice but it did lack Sayulita's energy and vibe.  It was a nice change of pace for a few days but it made us appreciate our home a bit more.

Trace charging during the Sprint event.

The kids were competition rusty and nervous as they arrived for the day one sprint competition.  Upon arrival it was clear that it was a small event as far as racer numbers and we even recognized several competitors from other racing and surfing events we had attended in Mexico. It was clear that Trace and Alex were two of the most experienced racers in the competition with just a couple of exceptions. As soon as the horn sounded for the first race it was clear to most everyone as well that these two were a little bit different.

Alex pulls away during the sprints.

The kids had only a little competition and won their divisions easily.  A good start and after a short intermission it was on to the other side of the town's malecon for more open water and the Technical race.  The juniors would race first for 2 laps with 3 turns each lap and then the adults would race 4 laps with 3 turns each lap.  Alex would race with the adult women's Open division.

The Technical race is fun to watch as competitors navigate turns, waves and each other during the event and lead changes are common.  Trace was up first and is his strength.  Make turns, ride waves, sprint and then repeat.  Trace loves it.  After the first lap the other competitors started to make mistakes while Trace paddled clean and finished well ahead of the 2nd place paddler.

Alex was up next and was in an Open group that included the men's division.  Alex isn't quite as skilled as her brother in the turns on her larger board and spent some time in the water.  She made up for it on the straight runs with her 14' board and managed to still finish first in the women's division and finished third overall beating her coach who finished just behind her.

Alex outrunning her coach to the finish.

Sunburned and exhausted that would be all for the day and we would have to wait until morning to hear if the surf was good enough to run wave events or if the long distance event would be bumped up one day from the originally scheduled last day of competition.

Alex approaching her turn to head back out for more kilometers.

At 8am the event organizers met and the updated event schedule was announced.  Race day! So, the kids headed off through the canals to the distance race.  The morning was beautiful, winds calm and the water was flat.  Conditions that were so much different than what we are accustomed to in Sayulita and it allowed for some fast paddling.  It would be a group start and the kids sluggishly got on the starting line still tired from a full day in the sun the day before.  Trace would be racing a little over 8K and Alex a little over 12K.

Just a beautiful morning to be on the water or near it.  Lacking any real competition the kids cruised to first place finishes in their events.  Trace actually like the conditions so much he even considered going out for an additional lap so his sister couldn't say she paddled more than he did that day.

So that was the event.  The next morning we got an early start to beat the end of the weekend traffic headed north.  The change in the schedule for the distance event cancelled out a "rest day" for us where I had hoped to walk around town a bit and explore.  We will have to return and perhaps do just that in the future.

So glad the kids received the invite to compete and we thank the Jalisco SUP Community.  Considering they were guests, not members of the Jalisco Federation and not even Mexican everyone was super nice, welcoming and complimentary of the kid's paddling skills.  Of course they blew some folks away with their Spanish language abilities since they were not exactly what they appeared to be when they arrived at the competition.  Their results didn't compromise anyone's pursuit of qualifying as a Jalisco representative for the National event in the fall so their presence just really raised the level of competition for the event and opened a few eyes as far as what needs to be done to elevate Jalisco's place in Mexico's SUP development.  The final Jalisco results and point system will be tabulated for only Jalisco Federation members without Alex and Trace's results.  

Some folks were very curious about the paddles and boards the kids used and some even took them out to test drive.  Spreading the stoke!  Hopefully the trend towards more small races continues into summer and  and the kids can be on the water racing again.

Alex sharing her gear with new friends.

"A Month In Sayulita" Is 10 Years Old!!!

Holy shit!  How did that happen?  In March of 2011 we packed up and headed to Sayulita for one month to see if we could actually make the move to Mexico.  The kids were 3 and 5 at the time.  Later that year in October we made the move permanently. 

Ten years later we are still here and have called Sayulita home for almost a decade and it has been a ride that we never could have expected or planned for during this "test drive" in 2011.  Such a kick to see the photos and posts we made each day during this month long blog.  Check it out!

A Month In Sayulita 

Welcome 2021!

 So much to look forward to after this last year.  Welcome 2021!!  We are soooo ready for you!

Felices Fiestas!

 Felices Fiestas to you from our family in Sayulita!

Photo by Sayulita Life

Snow And Agave

Yes, it may be Mexico but it's not all beaches and palm trees.  It snows!

Alex Turns 15!

 

Alex turned 15 this week and stepped up to make her usual crazy awesome birthday cake.  It never matters who's birthday it is.  She always produces something made to order and always delicious.  This year it was 6 layers of rainbow cake with frosting in-between then topped with brownies and cookies with brownie/cookie sprinkles all over.  This monster must have weighed 6 or 7 pounds.  It truly was beautiful when she cut the first pieces and the rainbow colors were able to show themselves.  

Some extra paddle time will be needed this week for sure.  Pretty much anyone who comes over is asked to eat cake so we don't have to handle it ourselves.  Sayulita has it's famous "Cake Lady" but we have our Alex.  Feliz Cumpleaños!

Summer Break 2020 - COVID, Kids etc

It really has been a blur since March.  I write this on the day we were supposed to leave for all our summer 2020 adventures.  Travel, camp, family visits, SUP races and many other fantastic experiences.  Instead, we are home.  All the things we looked forward to this summer either cancelled or postponed.

We really have nothing to complain about.  Our family is together and healthy even though COVID-19 has made it's way into Sayulita.  We have family up north who have tested positive and friends here in town who have tested positive as well.  All of Mexico is a hot spot and we are seeing more masks where we did not see many masks before.  Signs have appeared at the entrance to business basically telling people not to enter unless they are wearing one.  Sorry all you "Karens" out there.  Masks are required.  Our state, Nayarit, is still shut down as far as beaches and ocean go but there are many days the town has plenty of tourists sitting under umbrellas or arriving before first light via tour busses from somewhere.  Our neighboring state, Jalisco, is officially open for tourist business with some restrictions.

The kid's SUP Team is back at it and participation is strong considering the Team usually does not practice this time of year.  No, officially we are not supposed to be paddling with the beach and water closures but a group of local kid's paddling around on 11-12 foot stand up paddle boards, maintain social distancing is a much smaller concern than a tour bus arriving with tourists for the day.   No paddling since the beginning of April has had a big effect on all our fitness levels and we have all been sore as our bodies remember what it is like to paddle again and try to shed the added "quarantine weight" put on since March.  So fortunate to have an activity like this down the street.

The response from the SUP race world to COVID-19 has been "Virtual Races".  These are races and events where paddlers follow some basic race course guidelines and use a GPS device to time themselves paddling a particular distance. The kids have begun competing participating in these kind of races.  It is fun and interesting to compare them to kids and other racers from places like Italy, the US or Portugal.  They have not done many of these races just yet but as they get into better shape we will be putting the stop watch to their efforts and see how they stack up.  Trace is particularly charged up since he is beginning to feel like his shoulder is feeling good enough to really participate again.  Some of these races are held over the course of a few days, a week or are ongoing for several months.

Trace got the "ok" from his physical therapist to not come for treatment any longer and he feels good to go.  We are stoked to see him happy again on his board.  In June he also became a teenager.  Yes, our Trace-man is 13.  WTF?  He is eating a bunch and growing but yet to really start getting taller in leaps and bounds.  Slow and steady is just fine with us since we won't have to buy bigger shoes as fast.

Trace with ANOTHER surfboard!

He has not mentioned basketball at all since school ended so we are not really sure where his interests  lie with that.  He has expressed some interest in working out with a trainer or getting in the gym after taking notice of another boy who paddles in the US and his workout routine.  Glad to see he is seeing what it takes to be good at something you like to do.  You have to do more than the next person.

Ashley received her second voluntary "leave of absence" from Delta.  This will keep her home until at least Halloween.  Though flights are rebounding it just does not make sense yet based on the amount of hours she can work to go back north.  As part of her taking a voluntary leave she qualifies for unemployment benefits and she is owed back pay of a full month so far due to system malfunctions.  Getting any kind of assistance with the overloaded unemployment system has been impossible.  She loves this kind of frustration and sitting on hold for hours only to be disconnected and told to try again later.  This is her favorite way to pass the time. 😁 All in all she has been able to remain mostly sane and keep busy with house projects and her plants but the urge to travel has started for her.  We were supposed to be off adventuring by now to cure that urge but here we sit.  Just not a good time to go anywhere.

Alex has continued to do her horse program and the beginning of SUP again has helped her keep moving 5 nights a week.  Something she needs.  She has been doing lots of art lately and may actually have some interest from a local ice cream shop to paint some signs for them.  She has done several for the horse stalls at her ranch and they get better every time she does one.

A while back we ordered a 14' race paddle board for her since it would be the next size up for her to train with as a 15 year old.  It is an older model and previously used but the price was right and a shipment from our rep was coming this way anyway to join with.  We have been trying to get it down here for a couple months now but anything coming across the border right now is a major challenge.  If and when the board arrives we hope this helps spark her enthusiasm to train and compete in the virtual races offered that I mentioned.  It will help her compete at an equal level as far as equipment goes.  It is hard seeing your times go up against competitors efforts knowing you are paddling a shorter and slower craft than they are.

We have heard nothing official as far as school goes.  Alex will be doing an online school program but Trace will be attending the same school, CVIS, here in Sayulita.  We have no idea what that is going to look like and we have already seen parents starting to scramble and strategize for the beginning of the school year.  Next month is the time when we would see new families come to town and CVIS would normally be the place where you would see the new faces.  This year who knows.  With the economy the way it is in the US and the virus situation being no better in Mexico we wonder if we will see shiny new first year families.  These families tend to have younger kids but they bring new energy to school and other activities that is welcome as well.

I think that is about it for now.