Hawaii 08: Laird Hamilton

I continue to meet legends of fringe sports like my ride with Andy Hampsten last April. This one tops Andy thou and may go to the top of my met one of my heroes list. You can keep your Brett Fauvre and Dale Earnhart Jr, I met Laird.

Laird Hamilton is a legend among surfers. He is the modern king of big wave surfing - and I mean scary big. We were sitting in a coffee shop in Paia, Maui - a lazy hippy town on the north shore, - when all of a sudden Linda nudges me and says "Hey, that's Laird Hamilton!" If you've ever seen him in the American Express commercials or the cover of various sport magazines, there is no missing his 6-2 physic, or tousled blond brown hair.

Go rent 'Riding Giants' if you want to see Hamilton in action. I'll be re watching my copy when I get home. Or better yet, rent the 80's classic surf movie 'North Shore' where Laird played the arrogant bad guy, Lance Burkhart. Yes, I own that as well. I love that movie.