Recently I had a 10 minute walk across a sandbar into a 20mph headwind, but still grinning ear to ear and lol. Why? I just rode 2 miles upwind on foil and was earning my way to my first legit downwinder. Less than 3 months earlier I rocketed up on foil for the first time, immediately got ejected, slammed the back of my head on the water and thought "that was terrifying and I need a helmet." With a bucket of positive encouragement from my brother Scott, I spent July and August getting wrecked learning how to pump a wing. Counting foil rides by the seconds eventually turned to minutes. On the right day, now I count the miles...which really are smiles. Yesterday I made my way north for another joyful ride home. Following Scott on a rainy day. Photo credit: Herbie Love