HOME SPOT - ROME

Intro

When I moved from Brescia to Rome in September 2005, I already had a good relationship with the ocean, because I traveled every summer with my family by caravan. I had some of the best experiences of my life during these wild and interesting travels. I was a lucky guy in 1996 I had the opportunity to be in contact with the nature through this new way of travel. I remembered that we usually would park close to the beach, where I could go diving, fishing, snorkeling, swimming and playing with the boogie or surfboard. Growing up my parents took me to explore the North of Italy all the way to the South, while visiting both side of Italy's coasts allowing me to travel around Sardinia Island, Sicily Islands, Croatia and Greece.

bs with first 7.3

bs with Sophie

South Italy

I think it was through all these amazing experiences and adventures, that I have been attracted to the power of the ocean and the beauty of the nature. Since that time I never stopped to going to the beach, and I want to continue doing this for all my life!

- Ostia Nov 2008 -

After this short intro of my past, today I want to describe my favorite surf spot in a place I call home, Rome, Italy.There is a place not far from the center of one of the most beautiful cities in the world where you can  also go surfing!!!!

Ostia beach is not the best spot of Lazio region, as Santa Marinella or Gaeta, but sometimes with the right conditions of wind, swell and luck you can get long and heavy rides.

bs - home spot -

How go to the beach...car or train?

You can arrive to the beach by car or by train (the train ticket only costs € 1,50 each way) from the Piramide  underground station. It only takes 25 minutes because it isn't really far from the center of Rome.

If you take a train, get off at Castel Fusano stop, and you probably will not like what you will see, because to get on the beach there are some limits to access. That is because there are private access, but usually you can pass through some of them without problems, even though you can walk to North for 15 minutes and you will finally find a free beach, that it calls 'al Curvuone'.
If you decide to be brave and face the crazy traffic of the capital, you have to take Cristoforo Colombo Street and going straight for 25 minutes. When the street is almost at the end you are in Ostia.

bs - Ostia, Nuova Pineta - 

bs - cold and alone Dec 2011 -

Home surf spot

The best season to surf is winter; this is  when the biggest storms come with strong wind. The water is usually cold from September until April, which means that you need to wear a 4/3 wetsuit. Sometimes it's  possible that you can find some great sunny and warm days with waves.

The beach offer different beach breaks, usually I'm going to surf to Nuova Pineta, Circoletto, Lega Navale. If you want go a little bit to north close to the Ostia's Port, you can find some point where the water is very shallow!

- bs & Gabry -

- Maurizietto, Macio & Scarparo -

- Youtube -

bs  -  Ostia - ph Axelpix ( http://axelpiperno.com/ )

For this week end 11/13 January 2013, weather forecast provide a good swell...stay tuned!

Thanks to my love Steph, Axelpiperno.com, my family and all my friend!!

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

bs and Stephanie - La Jolla, CA -

Intro

Hi guys, I'm back in Rome after some surf trip and time with my love in San Diego, California.

That is my third time in Califonia, and I decided to spend all my holiday with my love. We traveled around San Diego, and I had the opportunity to surf in different beaches.

If you think you would like to go to San Diego, CA you will find many surf spots. You have many possibilities to choose the best beach with the best condition for you. Drive along the coast on Highway 101 is the easiest and funniest way to discover the part of Pacific Coast. You can pass through some of the most famous surf spots that you seen in the movies and you might be luky to meet a pro-surfer.

Last time that I went to California I preferred surf around the city of San Diego that is in the south close to the border of Mexico. It was on September, the temperature was quite good, in the morning it was often cloudy which didn't help me to wake up early. The ocean was cold and I used my 4/3 wetsuit, although I saw some local surfers that they surfed without wearing wetsuit (....crazy!). 

I rented a SUV that was really confortable because my longboard fit inside. The rental cost around $800 for two weeks plus 220$ beacuse I was wrong about something when I booked it on line (hotwire.com)....doesn't matter, I'm sure that was a trick of the car's company to steal money from costumers like me that didn't pay enough attention on the insurance's contract.

 bs - sk8 -

Surf Routine

Usually I woke up around 7 and I checked web cams of different beaches where I could choose the best surf, with less people, that it means 20 surfers minimum. It's almost impossible to surf alone in San Diego, especially if you're going to surf early in the morning. I think that people surf 2 or 3 hours before they go to their offices. Sometimes it was really crowed in the water.

The best beaches where I went are Scripps Pier (La Jolla), Wind n Sea (La Jolla), Pacific Beach, Del Mar and Imperial Beach.

If the condition was not really good, flat or windy I went back to sleep, and when my honey decided to wake up we planned something else to do together, after a long breakfast and some Italian coffee!!

bs - Del Mar -

bs - Del Mar - 

Things to do

There are many things to do in this wonderful city.

I went with Stephanie to Torrey Pines hike where you can walk in a magnificent landscape, 200 meter above the ocean with some amazing view points.

We had some nice happy hours in Downtown. There are different kind of places to relax, drink cocktails, beers or glasses of wine made in California. In this area there are every kind of shops including surf shops, clothing, sex shops on double floors, offices, banks, fast foods and like a big surprise in the winter I saw a small ice skating rink in the center of Downtown by the shopping mall.

I also walked in Balboa Park, this is a huge park where you can running, lay down on the grass or have a pic nic and visit numerous different museums. I visited the free botanic garden inside, and some other parts.

In one part there are different kind of roses that smell of a soft sweat perfum. I walked along the path for about 10 minutes and I arrived in a desert setting. The landscape changed completly and roses were replaced of cactus and other desert's plants. It was really cool!!

On Tuesday there is Taco Tuesday in Old Town where I tried the best and cheapest tacos of my life.

In Little Italy there is an organic market every Saturday where you can make some good purchases of fresh veggies, fruits, flowers, jewelry, sauces and wines. You can taste different kind of food, I ate some from India and Mexico, which were really good!

- Torrey Pines hike -

I can't wait to go back in CA!!!!!