I know this is a snowboard jam we're working on here, but I get a lot of inspiration from surfing. I'm kind of a surfer in the mountains...an earth surfer out there Surfing the Earf. The surfing world is going through some major identity crisis right now, with companies like Abercrombie&Fitch (Hollister) totally hijacking the image of the sport, and dudes are just turning their back on the whole gig. This New York Times article talks about people making their own backyard wooden surfboards, and guys like Tom Wegener in Australia who are producing kits for building your own Alaia.
There are a couple of things I love about this. First, I love the notion of building your own board, based on your own ideas, and then taking it out and learning to surf all over again. It doesn't matter if it isn't perfect. Perfection is an impossible ideal. The point is to experience the sport in a new way, one where the surfer is able to experience the future, present, and long history of surfing all in one ride.
I also love this quote from the editor of the Surfer's Journal: “They’re essentially swimming surf culture into deep water and saying, ‘Let’s see if you can handle this.’ ” Basically taking the poseurs and money men to task. While the soul of the sport is at risk, core surfers are taking refuge in the benevolence of the Polynesian surf Gods of Yesteryear, or something.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/travel/escapes/04alaia.html
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