Stalking the Yellow Bellied Back Roll

I bagged my first back roll in Dec of last year when Paul stuck a video camera in my face, which made my conscious mind switch off. I had some massive crashes the next time I tried and I decided to wait until the water warmed up in the Spring, then Summer, then late Summer. Fear had crept in like a fog. The longer I waited the more fog. In my mind, the back roll took on the image of a wild animal. A large predator, like a T-Rex. I was yellow bellied. It took the Martha's Vineyard trip, in September, to snap me out of my fog. 30 lunatic kiters were throwing their biggest crashes right in front of the bleachers. Nobody was killed. I was inspired. I sought out the beast. I did battle. I crashed. I regrouped. I crashed again. Then I did it. Just like that. So easy. Of course I could do it. This isn't a T-Rex. It's a Teddy Bear. Now I'm a back roll fool, throwing attempts on almost every run. I love the feeling! Everyone avoids me on the water because of my big crashes. Friends cheer and shout from the beach when I achieve a particularly spectacular crash. It's very gratifying. I can barely move after a back roll session but my brain shouts, "I did it"! I conquered fear. I slayed the Yellow Bellied Back Roll. My tired muscles whisper that the back roll is still winning. Backrolled, W Dennis, WSW, 10-20, 13M Octane/Mako 150, With Dillon, Frank, Andre, Colleen, Carmin, Others.