The Dude (or "Judging a Book")

(onthewatermo) · (onthewatermo) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 06-19-2009, 9:11 AM

The other weekend I was down at Table Rock for a conference and a group took out a pontoon boat. I got antsy just sitting in a glassy cove so flagged down the nearest boat with a tower (lots o Malibus down there) hoping for a pull (international "please" gesture). This guy pulled up, threw me a line with no questions asked and gave me a couple sets behind his 1984 Mark Twain complete with "$50 homemade" tower, handlebar mustache, short shorts (his buddy in the bow had on jorts), Busch beer, and positive vibe towards riding. He epitomized the spirit of the Ozarks and I am honored to have met him. Upload

(stroh) · (stroh) **Join Date: Apr 2008** 06-19-2009, 9:24 AM

Looks like he has a little bit of "The Captain" in him.

(wakemikey) · (wakemikey) **Join Date: Mar 2008** 06-19-2009, 9:36 AM

and he can pick up chicks too this should be a documentary

(migs)

awesome!

(guitsboy) · (guitsboy) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 06-19-2009, 9:48 AM

Out of curiosity, could the dude throw down?

(wakeworld) · (wakeworld) **Join Date: Jan 1997** 06-19-2009, 9:56 AM

Post of the year!!!

mendo247 06-19-2009, 9:58 AM

Radical!

(xbones) · (xbones) **Join Date: Mar 2007** 06-19-2009, 10:06 AM

Completely Epic. The fact that you had the testies to flag this guy down looking like that is as impressive as the chicks that he actually convinced to hang out with him.

A+

(beckycarter) · (beckycarter) **Join Date: Oct 2008** 06-19-2009, 10:12 AM

I'm diggin' that mustache... that must be how he pulls the ladies.

lessons? 06-19-2009, 10:47 AM

Standing ovation clap clap clap :-)

(denverd1)

Yea buddy, that's the stuff legends are made of.

(eubanks01) · (eubanks01) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 06-19-2009, 11:04 AM

How do these type of folks drink so much beer but stay so skinny?!

(dakid) · (dakid) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 06-19-2009, 11:21 AM

quote:
By David Williams (wakeworld) on Friday, June 19, 2009 - 9:56 am:

Post of the year!!!

x2!!!

(onthewatermo) · (onthewatermo) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 06-19-2009, 11:31 AM

I'm glad y'all can appreciate the encounter for the sake of his legend (Table Rock guys keep your eyes out for a sighting).
He stays skinny through diet and exercise, that or by spending long days on the water, giving plenty of pulls and ostensibly free mustache rides (please nobody disgrace the legacy of the dude by suggesting amphetamines...what people choose to do in their bathtub is their own business). Additional points: he kicked the chair that his foot was on to show me that it would fall down flat into a bed, "for the ladies". He drove good lines at the right speed and the wake was quite rideable. When fishermen yelled, he yelled back. When an attractive augmented female from our boat dove in and her top came off, rather than act lewd, he chuckled and said, "she can ride behind my boat any day" (he did give her a pull). I only wish I had a panoramic shot of me riding because I was on a rented board with some old Belmonts wearing a standard orange life preserver. There was no hesitation in flagging him down as I've found the brother/sisterhood of wakeboarding to be a family which transcends stereotypes (his type of stereo was a car battery loose on the floor wired to an amp and some 6"x9" car speakers).

(mike3500) · (mike3500) **Join Date: Jun 2008** 06-19-2009, 11:50 AM

Post of the year, for sure. That is amazing. Thanks for sharing.

(pwningjr) · (pwningjr) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 06-19-2009, 12:56 PM

That right there is the core of the sport: we're all bros!

(wakemikey) · (wakemikey) **Join Date: Mar 2008** 06-19-2009, 1:52 PM

"""""his type of stereo was a car battery loose on the floor wired to an amp and some 6"x9" car speakers"""""

Yesssssssssssssssss haaha

(Message edited by wakemikey on June 19, 2009)

(hayes) · (hayes) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 06-19-2009, 2:06 PM

L-I-V-I-N!

(mike3500) · (mike3500) **Join Date: Jun 2008** 06-19-2009, 2:17 PM

The picture is my official screensaver. Not sure for how long though, maybe through next week.

(pavement_rider)

I agree to post of the year it shows its not about the boat or the board its all about gettin a ride in. Kudo's for the flag down. I started my ski career back in 1977 the same way made some great friends that i still ride and ski with today

(dizzyg) · (dizzyg) **Join Date: May 2005** 06-19-2009, 3:26 PM

This story made my whole week...and it's been a LONG week.
Thank you!

(jsweat) · (jsweat) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 06-19-2009, 3:46 PM

this story but mainly that picture is the greatest thing i have ever heard or seen. that picture is awesome, it definitely looks like he has a little bit of captain in him.

(k9fxr) · (k9fxr) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 06-19-2009, 3:48 PM

Great story

(dirwoody) · (dirwoody) **Join Date: Apr 2003** 06-19-2009, 4:12 PM

Absolutely amazing. Hopefully you got his number to give him a call next time you're in the area!

(bmartin) · (bmartin) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 06-19-2009, 4:21 PM

Nothing like riding with a crew with smiles all around the boat.

(onthewatermo) · (onthewatermo) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 06-19-2009, 4:27 PM

Props to Gary and Jay for seeing the Aesop-esque underpinning: When we're on the water, that is our country club and it doesn't matter if you are throwing a sicko set or getting up for the first time, from brand new Malibu to jonboat with outboard, we share a connection. That very night at a social function, I spent an hour talking with a Missouri Supreme Court Justice about how he use to ski on the Mississippi river for 7 miles nonstop and his eyes lit up like he was back on the water as he described it.

(all_board_rider)

How was the wake in that bad boy?! "his type of stereo was a car battery loose on the floor wired to an amp and some 6"x9" car speakers" so does that mean his type of ballast was a few 24 packs in the back and a keg in the front haha ? deffinitely a killer thread!

(romes) · (romes) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 06-20-2009, 10:34 AM

that is RAD..i bet that ol' boy has some good stories to tell...