7/31/14

Salty Habit



James, Lola and Mick surfing a south swell near San Diego. Brought to you by Bing Surfboards.

Fresh Film

Maybe five or six years ago, my uncle gave me a Pentax K1000 35mm film camera that belonged to my grandmother. Entirely unaware of how to use the thing, I took it to a friend who showed me how to load (and unload) film, adjust aperture, shutter speed, etc. The first seven or eight frames were shot in and around my father's apartment, when I still drove a Mustang and managed a motorsport blog. The next few frames were taken at my apartment on Alki, when famed automotive photographer, Linhbergh, was staying with us for the weekend. The remaining frames were shot within the last few months, somewhere near Seattle. Honestly, there's nothing special about any of these images, aside from the fact that they prove film is far more interesting than any other photographic medium, especially the prosumer products you see in the hands of just about every housewife.

7/30/14

South Swell



Alex Knost surfing an early summer swell in Southern California. Shot and edited by Matt Grote.

7/29/14

An Off-Road Entrance Exam

I was apprehensive. In nearly two years of riding - six-months of which I spent bike-free in Los Angeles - I (shamefully?) never slid through gravel or trek up a steep, narrow, dusty dirt trail. So I hope there’s an understanding why, upon hearing the game plan for the weekend, my sphincter wound up tighter than a nun in church. Unbeknownst to my comrades of course... You can’t show fear or you don’t get invited to the fun!

The first day, as recorded in my last entry, was slippery and hot and left me bruised and exhilarated. Grass covered fields pose their own difficulties, but none that shake me all that much. Little did I know, day two turned out to be a long, sun-beaten drive with endless corkscrews and pop-up straightaways that brought me from 20 to 65 miles-per-hour. The latter occurring more when I’d try to catch up. It was beautiful, it was challenging (enough), it was quick, but still, it was paved.

The third day. This was the day I’d been waiting for. All the other days leading up were just preliminary. This was the day my boyfriend would either confirm his endless confidence in me, or develop in him a silent anxiety about the 120 pound weight he’d be carrying if I “crashed and burned,” so-to-speak. But riding gravel and eventually riding soft packed dirt wasn’t what I expected!

7/24/14

California Dreaming



In the midst of Britain’s stormy winter, James Parry escapes to the sunnier side of the pond.

7/21/14

WESTx1000

At the end of October, Kyra and I will embark upon an epic motorcycle-meets-surf adventure. The idea is to ride a pair of dual-sport motorcycles from Long Beach to La Paz and back, more than 1,000 miles each way. Our goal is to witness the start of the 47th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, which will take place on November 12th in Ensenada, before riding south toward Scorpion Bay... and beyond! Our adventure will be featured in Overland Journal and SLIDE Magazine, as well as on Indefinitely Wild and Expedition Portal. A short film, edited by Pursuit of the Arbitrary, will highlight our experience, in addition to long-form editorial and photo features which I will produce.

Once we return to the United States, we'll curate a collection of images which will be displayed in Caffé Vita coffee shops up and down the west coast, as well as a debut at Deus Ex Machina in Venice, CA. The intention of our trip - other than the adventure of it all - is to utilize small displacement dual-sport motorcycles to explore the Baja peninsula; searching for surf, camping along the coast, eating interesting things and meeting extraordinary people along the way. We'll take advantage of any opportunity to ride off-road, avoiding highways and overpopulated areas at all costs. We'll carry only the essentials, eat and drink only what we can afford, and travel as fast (or slow) as we feel like.

This is neither the first nor the last time someone traveled south to surf, but I feel we'll be able to add a little excitement to what is already sure to be an interesting adventure - riding small displacement motorcycles more than 2,000 miles to witness one of the most spectacular motorsport events on earth, the Baja 1000.

WESTx1000 is brought to you by Caffé Vita Coffee Roasting, Wolfman Luggage, ICON 1000, Topo Designs and Tellason Denim. Take a look at our Tagboard for additional info.

7/13/14

Double-Sesh



James Parry aboard his Bing 'California Square Tail' in Encinitas. (via Longboard Retro Days)

7/11/14

From the Phone - Vol.7

Southern California to Seattle... These last few weeks have been playing at a pace I'm somewhat unfamiliar with. Fast Forward. A few days in the dusty butthole of Eastern Washington, riding motorcycles near Leavenworth, hiking and camping along the coast, laying low on Lummi Island. I finally have time to reflect on what has happened, however. To look through my phone and post a few photos. Because as much as I enjoy shooting with a proper camera, I find myself not looking through a lens, but instead at a screen - Instagram, etc. It's a window into someone's world. A way to see what was important. Not food photos, or drunk nights at a dive bar - one shouldn't give a shit about such things - instead what I offer are images from a life spent living in and out of a van, surfing, camping, cooking and riding my recently acquired motorcycle. So with that said, follow the link for some of the latest photos 'From the Phone.'

7/9/14

The Involvement Dream



Patagonia Ambassador, Belinda Baggs, sliding a surfboard designed in 1968 by Wayne Lynch.

The 2014 Touratech Rally

I just spent three days riding and camping while on my way back to Seattle from sunny Southern California. The weather couldn't have been better - blue skies, a touch of rain to keep the dust down and kinda cold in the evenings. The occasion? Touratech's annual adventure rally, an event that brings together off-road riders from all corners of the country, offering them an opportunity to ride some of the best roads, trails and terrain in the Pacific Northwest. Follow the link for a few photos.

7/8/14

Expensive Porno Movie



Check out the trailer for this 45 minute experimental surf film shot entirely on Super 16.

7/6/14

Akela Surf's Zebra Dress

I’ll admit, at first I was skeptical of Akela Surf’s Zebra Dress: the material, the shape, the stripes. These were qualities a bit unfamiliar to me. I’m a petite lady, meaning loose fitting, thick strapped items tend to display me on the “frumpier” side. It was only on a surf trip to Malibu that I understood what had been missing from my life.

Triangularly cut with wide arms, a crew neck and, yes, thick straps made the dress incredibly easy to put on and off. This could be a feature completely overlooked by the average vested woman, but to an avid nature dweller, ease is as important as comfort - which it was just that. Covered in sand 'n salt and sticky from sweat, I had no problems slipping on my Akela dress to slip -more like peel- my wet suit off. I typically opt for a towel which can be cumbersome and precarious. The dress however gave me plenty of room, kept me modest and draped me stylishly. Best of all, because of the thinner (bathing suit?) material I was hardly concerned about getting my dress wet. It warms and dries on a quick stroll in the sun to your post-surf gelato.