Meet writer dogs. Rider dogs. Best dog friends. Surf the couch, the www, or a wave. Wave back at us!
It's all about the ride. The ride of life with a dog.
I’ve been riding short boards all summer long, windsurfing in big Gorge winds.
Meanwhile, Doodle’s been hanging 20 toes in the sand and playing meet/greet with beach goers.
It was his time! I wasn’t sure we remembered how….
Here’s a GoPro from Sunday’s practice session for King of the Hook freestyle contest next weekend.
It still works! Hooray!
I’ve been riding short boards all summer long, windsurfing in big Gorge winds.
Meanwhile, Doodle’s been hanging 20 toes in the sand and playing meet/greet with beach goers.
It was his time! I wasn’t sure we remembered how….
Here’s a GoPro from Sunday’s practice session for King of the Hook freestyle contest next weekend.
It still works! Hooray!
We rolled again last weekend down the streets of Hood River. Here we are in the 2018 Hood River Holiday parade. Left to right: Kelsey the Christmas tree girl, me - Barb and Doodle “windsurfing,”,Dasher, the 7-foot roof weiner and Red the truck. Stacey (waver) and Wade (driver) not pictured. Photo (c) DogDiary.org
Ride along with us - Surf Dog Diaries - in our annual Christmas parade in the Columbia River Gorge. Together, we’re surfing the streets in Hood River, Oregon.
Doxie Doodle and I surfin’ the streets 12/7/18. We did the same thing last weekend in 2019 Photo: (c) Terri Vann, DogDiary.org
All the Whos were out on the streets - Hood River Holiday parade. Photo: (c) Blane Franger, BeautifulHoodRiver.com
We surf dogs love our home town, tiny town - Hood River/ Who-Ville. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
Hood River Holiday parade float. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
Doodle windsurfs. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
Surf dogs - human and canine. Photo: (c) DogDiary.org
Back of the windsurf rig - license plates from our three stomping grounds. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
We surf dogs have lived (and surfed) in three states, searching for life’s perfect wave - Dog Beach (California,) Dog River (Oregon) and Dog Mountain (Washington).
Yes, those are real places, all important to the history of the wild, wild west. And surf dogs everywhere - man and animal.
By the way, Dog River and Dog Mountain are neighbors here, across the Columbia River where we live and surf.
We started parade surfing the streets in San Diego’s Ocean Beach in 1992, promoting our old home beach, Dog Beach, which needed repairs.
Back then, my first surf dog, Howdy Doody and I marched with the O.B. Geriatric Precision SurfBoard Drill Team - an OB institution, and a killer-good surf club.
OB geriatrics were surfers that were 30 or older. We carried surfboards in parades. Howdy and I “skied” behind a ski boat or “surfed” land boards down Newport Avenue.
At the time I was OB Town Council President. Howdy and I were co chairs of the OBTC Dog Beach Committee, responsible for fixing up America’s first leash free beach.
The parade tradition carried on, after the OB Geriatric surf club retired for good, and after we moved to Oregon.
Today, doxie Doodle is the fourth generation Ayers family surf dog to ride waves, and parades, with me.
All four of my surf dogs were low riders- three bassets and a doxie. All were rescue mutts. No pedigree necessary.
Dasher in this year’s parade. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
My dog son, surf doxie Doodle, and his rad rig. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
Surfing the streets- downtown Hood River, on Oak Street. The Surf Dog Diaries crew. Left to right: Tree girl Kelsey Jacobson, Barb and Doodle Ayers, dog mom Stacey Castleberry. Photo: (c) Robb Severdia, DogDiary.org
Christmas Tree girl Kelsey Jocobson. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
Who’s that green “Who” of Who-Ville?
Kelsey Jacobson, our next door neighbor girl, dressed as the Christmas Tree in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie.
On her shoulder is the cat that tore down the Griswold’s Christmas tree, tangled in lights.
Here, we all come out to celebrate the holidays - together - at the parade. Or ANY day!
Together, we are all the Whos in Who-Ville.
As the parade ends, the countdown to Christmas begins… with kids and adults chanting…
… Then lights fill the sky -
and songs fill the streets - carols filling homes and hearts all around…
All the Whos in Who-Ville. Hood River Christmas parade & Tree Lighting 12/7/2018. Photo: (c) Blane Franger, BeautifulHoodRiver.com
From Doctor Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas:
The front window view the week of the parade. Holiday magic on our Columbia Gorge cliffs! Photo (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
Who-Ville got its first gift of snow the week before the 2019 parade, decorating hills and homes… rivers and forests, mountains and roads…
Doodle and I, Surf Dog Diaries writers and riders, lit up by snowflake lights.
Photo: (c) Terri Vann, DogDiary.org
Snow magic - Santa magic - Grinch magic.
The spirit of Who-Ville.
It can happen any time - any season.
Give with your whole heart - just like your best friend dog does - every moment of every day.
JOY TO YOUR TWO FEET AND FOUR PAWS!
Barb & Doodle Ayers
Surf Dog Diaries