Late July, 2010, a perfect time for a surfing road trip. For nine days, DogMan and family (including dogs) will be cruising the California coast having fun, visiting with friends and relatives, and of course scouting for waves.

The outlook calls for modest, fun-sized swell; but of course it's summer time. The beaches and breaks will be packed with surfers and tourists. Starting in Santa Cruz, the itinerary calls for a long leisurely drive south to the sandy beaches of San Diego county. Stops along the way will include anywhere there might be waves to ride, as well as organized time in Ventura County.

Look for DogMan Chronicles updates along the way, click back often to see some semi-real time coverage. As always, the pictures, videos, stories, accounts and outright lies collected from the trip will serve as source material for future columns at the on-line home of the DogMan, and at Pacific Wave Rider as well.

Keep an eye peeled for an unfamiliar surfer wearing way too much neoprene in the water (it's cold in the ocean around Santa Cruz) and you just might encounter the DogMan at your home break. Say "howdy" and swap tall tales, and you could find yourself pictured and quoted in these Chronicles. Share a wave, or snake a wave and you could be the star of one of these accounts.

More to come, now it's time to pack the surfmobile with all the water toys for the time away from the home breaks.

CU Out There,

DogMan