I wrote the below two paragraphs last December 31.

Milestones, everybody has them…. an important event or turning point. As well, a marker that tells us how far we’ve gone. For the New Year most of us look back and reflect at least a little and say we made it through another one. The marker.

Important events can happen any time of course, and can be something pleasant or not so pleasant. A turning point? Sometimes we can go a long while before we even notice we had one. Then it’s “hey, things are different now and you know what? It all started way back when”. I’ve been going through a turning point for the last half of this…now past year. So I guess you could say it’s not a turn but a long curve. I’ll save the story for another time.

Now it’s December 31, 2007 so I guess I should tell the story…

Some time during the year 2006 I began to realize that the person I was working for went about the surfboard business and building process in a way that was completely different than what I wanted to be involved with. Aside from the fact that work had slowed down to numbers that weren’t enough to make a living at, my working environment was quite uncomfortable. At the same time I was hearing from people interested in seeing reissues of boards that I had done in my past. The whole retro thing and a more history conscious surfing population has helped that, I think.

I wanted and needed a place that I could put my heart into my work, a place where I could really enjoy what I did and the creative juices would flow. So between Christmas and New Years day of last year I gathered all my gear from the shaping bay I worked out of and began setting up my own place.

The turning point can be looked back upon now that the year is ending. And I’ve settled into a nice high end board craft shop I call home, looking forward with hope, encouragement and plan to be making some of the best performing and best crafted surfboards ever in the year ahead.

And may I say thanks for taking some time to read my stories and your interest in D.R. Surfboards.

Happy New Year!

Dennis Ryder