Surf dog summers are here!
Awww, that big ‘ol happy/sad sweet boy basset face.
It always makes me smile.
My dearly departed Elvis. King of the beach. If you went, he went.
I have to-go dogs. You probably do, too.
Grocery stores - beaches - airplanes - cab over campers - a tent on the beach.
Whether you’re an outdoors woman or dude, you have a built-in partner along the way. Along with your human partners and human kids!
Windsurfing is our first passion as Ayers family surf dogs.
My three dogs sons, Elvis, Dude and Doodle, windsurf with me in the Columbia River Gorge. Now, it’s just Doodle and I. Here’s the crew…
We are small town dogs. We live in a gorgeous national scenic area. We sail and SUP (standup paddle board) in the Gorge and Hood River, Oregon - the windsurfing capital of the world.
Here’s a YouTube of our surf dog family a couple of summers ago.
We miss the basset brothers, but their souls live on with doxie Doodle and I today.
The Gorge is the windsurfing capital of the world - kite surfers, downwind paddlers - they all live here.
We love nukin’ 20-30 mph hour winds. And currents that crank up river swell that you ride like like waves on the ocean. Expert windsurfers and kite surfers from all over the world are drawn here for endless Gorge summers.
Together, we are a pack of global surf dogs. Whether you’re gnarly or not, we all ride together on the water - and the beach.
Dude and Elvis windsurf with me at Hood River Event Site - this was before we adopted Doodle. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
I am all about keeping it safe and fun for my kids - that's what moms do.
They always wear doggie life vests and leashes, and I only take them out on light wind days.
Yes, they fall off occasionally, but not often - because they are super-low riders with awesome low center of gravity. Short dog complex. In a good way!
Who knew that basset hounds and doxies are natural born surfers? They don't look athletic - but here they are - and all of this was their idea.
My dog kids and I started windsurfing on Mission Bay in San Diego
It’s where Elvis, Dude, my first surf dog Howdy Doody and I grew up.
We lived at Dog Beach in Ocean Beach, CA where we surfed ocean waves and rode surfboards behind ski boats.
After moving to Oregon, we cut back on ocean time but gained epic windsurfing waves and SUP conditions.
My first surf dog Howdy Doody, windsurfed and surfed with me in San Diego - at OB's Dog Beach and on Mission Bay (pictured here.) Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
After living in both states for years, I can say from experience that California does not have endless summers - Oregon does.
Here in the Columbia Gorge, we don't have that morning marine layer (a.k.a. fog.) We have endless sunshine from 6am to 11pm - and nukin’ winds.
Endless evergreen forests, trails that disappear into the Mount Hood wilderness. Secret lakes. Secret beaches.
Dog River, Dog Mountain and Dog Creek.
Sunrise that take your breath away. Sunsets, over the layers of cliffs and mountains and glisteny Columbia River.
Now THAT’S an endless summer day…
Elvis n Dude like to windsurf! And camp! Like me and all the other human and canine surf dogs we know. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
THANK YOU for being here, on board with us.
We'd love to hear about your own ride of life. Send pix!
Our email and social media links are on those colorful buttons on the top right of this page.
We'd love to share your story. Or just connect.
But back to Elvis and Dude, and Howdy Doody...
Think about your old bff, your best dog friend, who was there for you, every step of the way.
If you’re a boomer like me, you’re on your 4th generation dog, since moving out on your own. That doesn’t even count your family dogs when you were just a pup yourself.
Those we have loved and lost - live forever in our soul.
Surfing the ups and downs of life - together.
The ride of life with a dog.
Amen to that.