Still Stoked Longboard Skates For Surfers

Old Red,the Icon Van 2.

Some more Old Red pics, following on from yesterday:-

Old Red somewhere

Old Red on the way to Ireland

Old Red "at home".

Old Red on Cregg beach,County Clare, Eire.

Old Red in West Strand carpark, Portrush, NI.

This entry relates to: [ Travel ]

Posted at 10:13:45

Old Red, the Icon Van

Old Red at Home in the Forest of Dean.

Where were you in 72? So goes the classic question from 5 Summer stories, and if you don't know that one then you'll have to write to me at Still Stoked and ask.

1972 was the year of the US Vietnam Draft and on our side of the Ocean, the Isle of Wight festival, arguably the last great rock festival of the UK and captured for all time in Dylan's Desolation Row.

While this was all happening a Danish guy created a new concept camper van, which was placed on three truck cab vans, Bedford, Commer and Mark1 Ford Transit. Of these a small number of trannies were produced for the German market.

Old Red on Rhossili Hill.

In 1973 one of these left hand drive camper vans returned to UK shores and in 1997, 25 years from manufacture, a guy called Donny Wright found this van in a Gloucester back street, in England. He bought it there and then and spent the next 5 years travelling the highways and byways of England, south of Whitby, Yorkshire to Lands End, Cornwall, most of Wales, Northern Ireland and The Republic of Eire.

Old Red on Inch Strand.

This 'journey' of surfsk8 exploration and living on 'the other side of life' took the red tranny around the clock and halfway again. Slowly but surely Old Red, as she became known, got covered in surf and skate stickers and bits of odd artwork, bicycle wheel windvane generator, lorry exhaust woodburner chimney, roof water collection, weird roof racking systems for surfboards, skateboards, and bikes. In all Old red became the surfing madmax surfsk8ers dream machine.

Old Red at Aberdaron.

Known to the police in general and yet never booked, donny evaded the law, somehow. Wheels falling off, two busted gearboxes, all sorts of electrical bits and failures, cracked, split and driftwood wedged repairs to the front engine cross member, blown engine towing a 'gypsy' van, made life intersting and always challenging. Finally in 2001 travelling with Katie, his new found longboard skating friend, and just after doing the hill at a record 60mph outside Bude in Cornwall, Old Red cruised into Summerleaze carpark and popped the rear wheel, losing the halfshaft, which was what the funny bumpy noise had been for the last few days. There was no brake or clutch, thank the gods it did'nt pop on the hill.

After this Old Red got fixed one more time back in the Forest of Dean only to lose the brakes on the way through the mountains of Snowdonia, heading for Hell's Mouth on the far surfing peninsula of Northern Wales.

Old Red with a Pixie!!

In those 5 years Old Red became a legend amongst those who knew her, today she rests in a small field near the edge of the crumbling Hell's Mouth cliffs, looking forever towards the southwestern horizon and the coming of an Atlantic swell. Old Red is an icon of another time, she may rest at peace and slowly rust away in the sea winds or maybe, just maybe she will return.

If you pass that way one day,
Lon Neigwl is the road you seek,
watch out by Siop Penrallt,
and if you see an old surfers van
within a field, by a cliff top near,
be sure to spare a thought
for Donny Wright who revelled in the surfers' sport.

postscript– more images to come tomorrow

This entry relates to: [ Travel ]

Posted at 21:44:42

Van Life

"The Split VW Splitty" by The Seedling Leaf Icon Art

This is the time of year when most people with an urge for movement get on the road, for the temporary summer travels.

I've got some stuff which I reckon is pretty useful for the more serious surfsk8 explorer, who is looking for a full time van lifestyle.

I have'nt come across a gypsy surfer yet but there must be a few amongst the estimated 10,000 gypsy travellers. Likewise of the estimated 3,000 "new travellers" I don't know anyone who has said they travel with surfing in mind. Now I'm talking full time travellers here, which raises the usual spectre of parking up and its legalities.

If you are really serious, and you live in the UK, then this may help. Firstly IT IS perfectly legal to be a traveller in the UK. Secondly, and in my mind most important, is this qualification which WILL stand up to legal scrutiny:-
"Anyone who pursues a nomadic habit of life for economic purposes can argue that they are a 'Gypsy' in planning terms". Furthermore Government Circular 18/94 regarding unauthorised camping "commended tolerance towards gypsies camping in an unauthorised manner, other things being equal". A bit odd you might think, but in terms of surfsk8 exploration this allows resorting to the breakdown scam, through overheating or electrical failure, and permits reasonable time to resolve the problem, for example a couple of days. In genuine cases of van failure it allows for the inevitable delays in sourcing old parts and fitting. Most importantly it is an unreasonable action to move a traveller on who is clearly tired and needs rest, and is a gypsy's legal defence against roadside harrassment.

If you are travelling as a family there can be numerous reasons for human need. Check out the chapter7 website, where all this info is coming from.

So, you want to be a van living explorer in the UK. Take up a nomadic life for economic purposes, start making, buying, selling– do it from your van, and its all perfectly legal. If seriously challenged argue that you are a Gypsy.

Gypsy life revolves around the seasons, so there is nothing stopping you being a gypsy for the 'time being'. Give it a trial period and see!

This entry relates to: [ Travel ]

Posted at 20:51:06