Okay, I’m a nerd, so here goes. One of the factories that produced Blake paddle boards (some have claimed the nicest examples) was Robert Mitchell Manufacturing Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were an extremely large furniture manufacturer. Apparently Tom met one of the family in Florida and it went from there. These boards were furniture quality and I’ve read mostly went to the East coast and Hawaii.
I found this article while researching the boards made here in Cincinnati.
Living in the Midwest has some interesting advantages. The view from here gives one a perspective not easily achieved from either coast. This is the middle, the heart, the soul of this country. What happens here doesn’t stay here, it migrates. Decay and creation, yin and yang, rich and poor.
Hadji at 90 doin’ what Hadji does. Livin’ life. One of my personal heroes.
Just winding down after a long night at Dee’s (jazz club). I was the emergency bartender, covering for Ron, who cut off the end of his finger cooking on Tuesday. Just like riding a bike, only a creaky old rusty one.
Two, three pound packages of Italians arrived this morning along with two Russian queens. It’s rainy and cold today so they are spending time in the basement until tomorrow afternoon when it is supposed to be sunny and warmer. I’ll keep you posted on my installation tomorrow.
Chris and his crew at Surfindian have expanded and are opening the old Star Surfing Co. space as a new, high end board shop. I have the pleasure and honor of being in the lineup there. Other shapers/labels you may have heard of include, Skip Frye, Donald Takayama, Pauk Strauch Jr., Tyler, Hydrodynamica (Richard Kenvin/Carl Ekstrom), and Michael Miller. That is one intimidating lineup, but I am stoked out of my mind to be included. Look for a Surfindian/mast surfboards collaboration in the future.
Karen and I just had a great time at Seattle’s Bathtub Gin. Probably the coolest place I’ve ever visited. Walk down an alley, past the piles of trash, and enter the virtually unmarked door, and enter what looks like a 17th century London pub. The most extensive gin selection I’ve ever seen. Truly a great time.
Spring has finally arrived in the Midwest.
mast surfboards 