Well, here I sit. Posted up on the couch watching old wake films, new surf videos, and plenty of Chelsea Lately. Why, you wonder, would I be sitting on the couch at 1:15 in the afternoon on a Friday watching so much tube? Well, I just had my third, yes three, ACL knee surgery. Sadly, this is not an uncommon occurence in our sport. And just off the top of my head I can think of over 15 riders that have had knee surgeries.

With the commonality of a torn ACL, I cannot help but ask myself why I continue to put my body through the pain of injured knees all for wakeboarding. I know that by the time I am 40, which I consider young, my knees will probably be arthritic. I understand that if I have grandkids, it'll be tough to teach them how to shred without some pain in my knees. And for me to be able to wakeboard when I am 70, they're going to have to have major developments in joint medication. Still, with knowing all of this, I was snowboarding, surfing, and wakeboarding on my torn ACL up until the day of my surgery. It IS too much to ask for me not to ride and "take it easy" on my knees.

The only fact I can conclude from my two days laid up on the couch and watching ride films, is that I need to shred. There is no feeling in the world like glassy water and lifting off a huge wake. Fresh powder and a smooth toe edge on top of a mountain is unreal. And paddling out with offshore winds at sunrise is an undescribable feeling.

So, while my parents and local friends are stopping by to visit me and giving me advice on how I should stay away from riding in the future. I know the truth, I know that I will ride, and I know the satisfaction I feel from it all is well worth the pain and percocets that I'm having today.

Why do you ride?