A buddy of mine and I - we’ve both gotten into shaping - are making the drive out west! From Sumter, South Carolina to Santa Monica, California.
We’re gonna try and make the trip there as long and as joyful as possible, so if any of you guys are in our line and want to go grab a bite to eat, get a beer, or got a couch (haha) - let us know. Would love to see the different shaping rooms and shapes from east to west.
Aloha,
Bryan
just out of curiosity why santa monica?
It was as good a place as any I suppose. I’m not really sure exactly why we chose that. We’re two east coast boys (well sort of, I lived in hawaii when I was young) that need a change of pace. So we’re moving out there.
That’s the plan - to go there, hole up in a hotel till we can find a place (we’ve looked at some - but only so much you can get on the net and through phone calls - you have to see it in person) - and start living. If it doesnt work, we always have South Carolina to come back to.
shrugs Santa Monica was just the place we ended up choosing, as he visited there awhile back. If you have any better ideas of cheaper places in the area, lemme know 
Im a big fan of Long beach the good part is good, I have almost all the major freeways near me, seal is 5 minutes sunset 10 minutes hb 15 minutes and newport 20 minutes. I can get to anywhere fast, not nearly as much traffic as in the santa monica area, I pay 1350 for a huge 2 bedroom townhouse my bedroom is 17x28 to note the size. it has good shopping good food its allaround convienent and close to everything
That might be something we should look into then. Like I said, we havent comepletely decided on any one thing yet. We’re just looking to get in So Cal, work some BS job for awhile till we get settled, and go from there. So yeah…Any advice for osme people heading over there you can give surflab?
Sorry for the somewhat off topic thread, was just wanting to stop by any shapers along the way and meet some new people 
Im from the east coast myself, Florida, did essentially the same thing you are doing. I ended up in a hOTEL here in long beach.
its very expensive here compared to the east coast
work is hard to find.
waves are ALOT more crowded.
4.peoples attitudes are way different
im not trying to paint a negative picture to you just trying to inform you.
Santa Monica isnt a great place for a reloc like yourself for several reasons.
2.its metrosexual and yuppie heaven
3 its probbaly about 30% more expensive than my area
Santa monica is great if you like chic bars trendy food drive a bmw etc. Im not trying to down SM. But as a transplant its probably not a good place to start out since money will probably be an issue. if your comfortable living in the “safe ghetto” you can get a 2 bedroom here in LB for like 850 a month. Safe ghetto is pretty cool no gangs or gunshots or that stereotyped image just lower income familys mainly black or mexican. I lived in the safe ghetto for 2 years never had a problem.
the safe ghetto sounds like heaven!
If you wana hook me up with some info man, I’d appreciate it. We’ll be there by May - and any help would be much appreciated.
www.gazettes.com its our small local paper with good listings.
www.ptconnect.com our regular paper.
Any questions or you need any info, just send me a message.
Hey, I would highly reccomend San Diego. It’s far more laid back here than up in the LA area. You can find a cheap place to rent in PB, which is also a great place to surf. It is easy to find a BS job and if you want to get into shaping, there are probably more opportunities here within an hour drive.
In generaly, things are more expensive in CA than most places on the east coast. I moved out from Boston a couple of years ago and it is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life! I’m stoked to be in CA every day, I love surfing and who cares how much money I make - I have a great life. Keep a positive attitude and you can make the best of any situation - no matter where you end up.
Good luck and let me know if I can help.
PB-Bob
Oh, no, San Diego sucks. Really terrible. The waves are small, traffic is bad, the water is cold, and the women are (well, you get the picture). MUCH better to move to Orange County, or L.A. or even further north. You want to be able to get to an uncrowded break (like Malibu or Rincon)…
Did we mention that the surf sucks in San Diego, our breaks are very over rated. And very high crime rate too.
You guys arent trying to drive me off are you? :((
hehe WE thought about San Diego, but he kinda nixed the idea. It was my town of choice at first.
Hey
Brian, ever considered SantaCruz or farther North…or South of there?
More swell up here, lotsa crowds too.
You hear all those SoCal’ers whine about lack of summer, and winter swells.
Guaranteed you won’t whimper about that up here.
Of course, 4/3’s year round, big whiteys, lotsa old timers been surfing 25+ years and lotsa bigger boards.
I worked above Gladstones one winter…maybe 96? Surf… I was there 3 months and saw 3 days over 6’ TOTAL, and my jobsite looked down at SM/Gladstones. That’s horrid…up here, last 3 weeks, over 10 days over 7’, a couple in the Mav’s just barely breaking range.
Ya wanna try a gun, don’tcha?
I have a gun that’s been collecting dust in my closet from when I surfed in hawaii 
I havent used that thing in over 6 years
We’re definately looking to Southern California though.
You guys arent trying to drive me off are you? :((
hehe WE thought about San Diego, but he kinda nixed the idea. It was my town of choice at first.
just curious. why did you nix the idea of San Diego?
He kinda nixed the idea. He’s looking to be more in the LA area I guess.
Personally, San Diego sounds great to me. I’ve rent is a touch cheaper (maybe wrong), good surf, and I get to watch the Cubbies stomp the crap out of the Padres when they comes to town. Seems good to me
But yeah it’s kinda two way thing, so we gotta figure it out.
He kinda nixed the idea. He’s looking to be more in the LA area I guess.
Personally, San Diego sounds great to me. I’ve rent is a touch cheaper (maybe wrong), good surf, and I get to watch the Cubbies stomp the crap out of the Padres when they comes to town. Seems good to me
But yeah it’s kinda two way thing, so we gotta figure it out.
That kinda talk you may want to consider san francisco
hahhaha just kiddin
