Have you ever stopped to consider how surfboard design might be different today, if so many bright and promising people hadnt gotten so sidetracked and entangled (specifically mid 60s to mid 70s) in dubious peripheral activities? Heres the most profound irony behind that whole movement: “The man who sired the radical/hippie/psychedelic/anti-establishment shortboard revolution is a conservative, non-drinking, drug-free soul who always reached his ends through a thoughtful combination of sought-after knowledge, experience and intuition. He has always had a firm grip the realization that the fastest way to get somewhere is often the longest road. He passed up everybody else in surfing nearly three decades ago, and did it in part by riding the same board for years…” (Excerpt from “George Greenough the Ageless Artist”, by Paul Gross, The Surfer`s Journal, Vol.3, No.1, Spring 1994). Dale
Yeah in the 60’s and 70’s surfing was the destination at the end of dubious peripheral activity street. All that other stuff was just stops on the road. Vietnam provided the gasoline. Most 9-to-5’ers still look at surfing and surfers the same way. It seems like everyone who ends up in any aspect of surfing was escaping something else along the way. “Anybody who isn’t a liberal before he’s 21 doesn’t have a heart. Anybody who’s still a liberal after he’s 21 doesn’t have a brain.”
makes me think about how John Yablonksi’s acid inspired vision of a seemingly blank granite boulder right in the middle of yosemite’s famed camp 4 jump started a whole new realm of high level rockclimbing. it took his opened mind to see what all the rest had walked right by day in and day out. it’s now the most famous boulder problem in the world. the irony is he didn’t climb it, showing it to his bros, who got the glory. if you know Yablonksi’s final chapter, you’ll agree that the true visionarys rarely get the respect and recognition they deserve. it always takes a couple folks to stick their ass over the edge and tell us whats out there…
makes me think about how John Yablonksi’s acid inspired vision of a > seemingly blank granite boulder right in the middle of yosemite’s famed > camp 4 jump started a whole new realm of high level rockclimbing. it took > his opened mind to see what all the rest had walked right by day in and > day out. it’s now the most famous boulder problem in the world. the irony > is he didn’t climb it, showing it to his bros, who got the glory. if you > know Yablonksi’s final chapter, you’ll agree that the true visionarys > rarely get the respect and recognition they deserve. it always takes a > couple folks to stick their ass over the edge and tell us whats out > there… interesting. why is it that rock climbers and surfers has so many similarities? i admire those surfers, people that i have never met, probably never seen, but know they are out there. those people who shape their own boards, or have an old beater they have surfed and taken care of for years. they innovate, improve upon designs. make their own furniture and tools. have a garden. are understated people, you would never know they surf unless you tracked them on those days you knew thier was surf and saw them leaving in thier clean, no stickered cars/vans in plain clothes early enough to be home to buy bagels and fresh juice for their spouses and kids. maybe i just have a totally wacky vision, but i find those people admirable. i think many of the contributors to swaylocks are people like this.
rock climbing is the closest thing to surfing i’ve found in so many ways. the interface with nature, balance of mind and body, the ethics and history, not to mention cool equipment…climbings full of the exact same debates on style and approach as surfing. and as with virtually all aspects of surfing(except prob. shaping) it’s the under 18 crowd whos leading the way. it’s pretty much already happened in climbing across the board. after seeing kids like makua rothman and ryan rawson charging jaws its clear surfings not far behind.
rock climbing is the closest thing to surfing i’ve found in so many ways. > the interface with nature, balance of mind and body, the ethics and > history, not to mention cool equipment…climbings full of the exact same > debates on style and approach as surfing. and as with virtually all > aspects of surfing(except prob. shaping) it’s the under 18 crowd whos > leading the way. it’s pretty much already happened in climbing across the > board. after seeing kids like makua rothman and ryan rawson charging jaws > its clear surfings not far behind. Bruce, This is a fascinating thread, and I hope it continues… as a side note, there is a flip side to the advantages of youth: my (albeit limited) business/personal insights have also shown me that the most capable and impressive individuals are often those who are approaching middle age, in peak mental and physical condition, have many years of wide-ranging knowledge and experience, have made all the money they`ll ever need, are still deeply curious and enthusiastic about life, and radiate a strong sense of quiet confidence… Dale
…Was my goal,but I settled for the northface of Yosemite instead.Herb
…Was my goal,but I settled for the northface of Yosemite > instead.Herb I wonder how many surfer/climbers are out there. I used to climb a lot in the 70’s/80’s but now surf much more than I climb. (Still manage a couple rock climbing trips a year and try to bag a peak once a winter.) I know at least two other climbers at my home break, one a transplant from the East Coast and the other a Yosemite wall rat. They both like big waves. I suspect the linkage is adrenaline-based as much as anything, combined with a love of nature.
interesting. why is it that rock climbers and surfers has so many > similarities? i admire those surfers, people that i have never met, > probably never seen, but know they are out there. those people who shape > their own boards, or have an old beater they have surfed and taken care of > for years. they innovate, improve upon designs. make their own furniture > and tools. have a garden. are understated people, you would never know > they surf unless you tracked them on those days you knew thier was surf > and saw them leaving in thier clean, no stickered cars/vans in plain > clothes early enough to be home to buy bagels and fresh juice for their > spouses and kids. maybe i just have a totally wacky vision, but i find > those people admirable. i think many of the contributors to swaylocks are > people like this. To truly understand, one must become a fool. To really see, one must desire blindness. To possess all things, one must give away all. To send money, contact me via my email address. Dharmon
i know at least a dozen climber/surfers here in the la area, all adept at both. climbing was the main focus of my life for 12+ years. what’s mind boggling is the level that the “post chris sharma”( the kelly slater of rockcliming) are taking climbing to. i’d agree dale that as far as craftmanship goes the older more experienced have the edge. beside the obvious skill level that comes with time, i wonder how much getting older makes us care more about the actual things/objects/art/traces we leave behind. one part of the reason i stopped really climbing was actually feeling mortal as i crept into my 30’s. i honestly think that feeling invincible(sp?)in my teens and 20’s made me somewhat so,and allowed me to do some of things i did. when that stopped the whole game changed for me. anyway, water’s a hell of a lot softer.
Keith, “…water’s a hell of a lot softer.” Your words are so true… and I sure know that song all too well. Dale