My story post 36

It’s really pretty amazing how many times things have fallen into place for me and surfboards. From my first shaping job in Ventura to shaping for Dick Brewer.

After returning to live with my parents in December of ’67 I hitch hiked across the country and ended up staying that winter in Connecticut until spring broke and I found a Surfer magazine at the New Canaan drug store news rack. I saw those surf pictures in the magazine and had to get back to California to surf.

Yeah, I knew I didn’t belong in New England. I needed to be where I could spend time at the beach… surfing. I had this feeling I was missing out on something and made immediate plans to get back to surfing. Which included quitting the factory job I had, buying a plane ticket to L.A.X. and finding my way back to Ventura.

After making the flight back to California and getting picked up at the airport by my brother who took me to our parents house. My parents, especially my mom, wondering what I was going to do with myself. She could see the far away look in my eyes because all I could think about was finding my way back to where I knew I had friends and could surf…. Ventura.

After a couple days staying with my parents I told my mom I was going up to Ventura. “How you going to get there” she asked.. “ I’ll hitch a ride.” I told her. She didn’t like that but what was she to do? And hitch a ride is what I did.

My last ride took me to ‘C’ St. just a few blocks from the Morey-Pope shop where I was hoping my friend Peter was still working. Sure enough when I walked around the back of the shop thinking I’d check in the back door, there was Peter. He jumped up and we greeted each other, caught up for a few minutes and then he asked what I was up to. “I’m back” I said, then he told me that Morey was out at the health food store “ go look him up”.

Actually I think Peter drove me there. I found Morey sitting at the counter having a protein shake and told him I was back. We had a brief conversation and I walked away with a shaping job. And just like that I was back at it.

D.R.

Photo by Nathan Dorn