Like many kids living in Southern California, I grew up surfing. My brother Jerry and his friend shaped boards in my family's garage, and the famous breaks like Trestles and Doheny were just minutes away from my home.
I was never far from the water's edge or my dog-eared copies of Surfer magazine throughout my teenage years. In the early days, I surfed with Shawn Stussy, the guy who went on to become a surf clothing genius. I remember he always had an extra board for me whenever we surfed Huntington Beach. I think Shawn is back in the clothing business again, but I lost touch with him decades ago.
When I surfed for Orange Coast College in the late 1970s, I bought a Gerry Lopez Lightning Bolt, although it was shaped in San Clemente, a short board that carved through the waves like butter. That Lightning Bolt was the best board I had ever ridden, and even though by that time I had a sizable quiver in all shapes and sizes, it is the board I remember most. Now those same boards fetch thousands of dollars on eBay!
Soon thereafter, my career got in the way of my fun, and I sold off the last of my boards shortly after I landed my first journalism job at the Orange Coast Daily Pilot newspaper.
The reason I'm reliving this story is because this spring I had a chance run-in with surfing legend Gerry Lopez. I met Lopez at a shaper's contest in Ventura and had him sign a copy of his Patagonia-published book Surf is Where You Find It, an autobiography about his days growing up in the Hawaiian Islands.
After reading his book I got excited about surfing again, and so to christen my return to the water I joined four friends on a short RV trip to San Onofre State Beach in Southern California. The RV was your typical 1980s motorhome-complete with corduroy upholstery and hefty brown wood cabinets. These somewhat vintage motorhomes can be purchased for as little as $6,000 if you hunt around. If the engine and suspension are in good shape, these older vehicles make excellent RVs for rough-and-ready camping if you're not into high-end amenities.
To illustrate the story of our RV surf trip, each one of us grabbed a camera and shot the daylights out of the journey. You'll find this pictorial on page 12.
Another of my most recent getaways begins on page 24. It is a look at the artistic side of Napa Valley, a big-time destination for those who love a good bottle of wine. The idea behind the trip was to showcase some of the artists who make Napa Valley home and to give you a list of alternative things to do should you find yourself in this part of Northern California.
Aside from travel stories, contributing writer Mark Quasius dove into a series of technical stories for Class A motorhomes, while contributor John Stewart packed his bags and road-tested Airstream's new International 23-footer.
In all, we've got a pretty eclectic issue for you.
Until next time, stay safe and happy traveling.