Still Stoked Longboard Skates For Surfers

Jul 01, 2010 :: Bye Bye red

Who would have thought a Transit could fly….. well here's the proof!

Bye Bye Red, I think it is safe to say I don't think we'll miss you, sorry.

This entry relates to: [ Travel ]

Posted on Jul 01, 2010 at 19:49:55

Jun 22, 2010 :: Campervan Alchemy

Teleportation might be a little on the exaggerative side… I think the great big crane thing gives away that there is no actual magic involved!
After yet more stops and starts we were given the five minute warning last night and Donny rushed off with our boy Ocean to hopefully achieve the aim of moving the camper body from one van onto another one.

It is sometimes helpful to know people who know people who have great big lorries with lifts on the back. This combined with a piece of agricultural equipment seemed to meet the needs.

We did wonder whether the camper body, being nearly 40 years old might just buckle under it's own weight, but other than a little bit of bowing there wasn't any problems.

With the camper body in the air the vans could be moved around into place.

A smooth landing later…..

and Silver (what an inspired name…) is born.
There is still some jiggling about to be done, the one side has fitted perfectly against the cab but the other side has a marked gap. Also the fixings to the chassis, which you would hope to be universal on transit 120s, don't all match up so we will have to adjust them somehow. But despite these few things the job has been a success and Donny can go to the Paddle Round the Pier at the beginning of July!

This entry relates to: [ Travel ]

Posted on Jun 22, 2010 at 18:00:53

Jun 19, 2010 :: Re-inventing Red

We were somewhat forced to sell the VW camper as our boy would not sleep up the top and even in the huge bed the VW had, there was not the room. We were at a loss as to where to go next camper-wise. With the ever increasing price of petrol (not to be whinged at, after all it is a finite resource) there was no way we could afford to run a Mark1 Transit with their top MPG of 18 but we love the space and layout of the CI Autohomes which were only put on Transits and Bedfords in the 70's.
So you can imagine how chuffed we were when we found a 1992 transit with the back we wanted. The guy said it had 11 months MOT and was in pretty good condition and did about 30-35mpg. So off Donny went to collect it.

Well, we're no experts, though sometimes I wish we were. We got it checked out at a garage when we got home, as there was something not quite right with the suspension and the guy went white and said he reckoned it was a right-off!!! What a complete downer. VOSA check showed 18 failures and another 13 adviseries. One of the failures probably would have killed the passengers as the seat and belts were only screwed down with wood screws!! Oh Dear.
Not wanting to right it off completely the only way wot go was to buy a better tranny and stick the back of this one onto the new one. Advice said it had to be a Transit Flairside and after a few false starts we found a great one.

After taking out (with some difficulty) the bolts that hold the back on, we got it off with the help of a mate's tractor.



Now Silver is a bare boned beast, all welded and sealed up to get it to last as long a possible. The next step is to under the camper body and the "easy" job of lifting the camper off and sticking it on silver. No problems! We will keep you updated how it goes.

This entry relates to: [ Travel ]

Posted on Jun 19, 2010 at 10:04:57

Sep 02, 2009 :: summer skate

A mean summer and lean time for waves was made up for with some great longboard skate sessions. I've been pushing the carving limits in July and August at Hells Mouth, North Wales. Endless onshore winds and lack of groundswell really tested my patience this summer and the still stoked mantra of "when the surfs flat ride the tarmac" was put fully to the test. I have to say that the tarmac ride was gloriously full of stoke.

I have been riding the retro carve on 60mm OJ orange 79a wheels on Independent 136 trucks loosened till they're about to break free. The carving potential in the carparks is just awesome, the laid back backhand carve is virtually on the pin.
The other summer test has been on Gavin Surrey's Holeys. I have to say I have never seen the point of Randalls 150 and 180 trucks over the traditional geometry and they are just too bulky, setting the deck too far from the ground for my liking. After problems getting Abec 11 Flashbacks from our supplier and a tip off from James at Ocean Sports in Hove, I contacted Gavin after a long break and just had to give his awesome looking and highly finished Holeys a proper go. My humble verdict is these trucks just rock like no other. I have worked them out on the Mk2 Travel Board with 70mm Zigzags and tried all the bushings and right now I'm carving hard on the 75a pinks whilst keeping a stable downhill descent. Silverfish says it all on these trucks and I am absolutely converted. Next up will be some tests on the 5ft Cruiser. A trip back down to Brighton is on the cards real soon this autumn to try out some new ideas and new hardware setups.

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ]

Posted on Sep 02, 2009 at 16:45:38

Jun 28, 2009 :: Marine Reserves

The Marine Conservation Society is asking for support for it's campaign for more of our coastline to be protected in reserves.

The oceans are losing their biodiversity at an accelerating rate. In UK waters there are 22 species of wildlife considered to be facing the threat of global extinction. Once common species such as Atlantic Cod and Halibut are on lists of threatened or endangered species and only eight of the 47 fish stocks found around the British Isles remain in a healthy state. Marine habitats and fish stocks continue to be damaged by destructive fishing techniques, e.g. it has been estimated that for every 1kg of North Sea Sole caught by beam trawl, up to 14kg of other seabed animals are killed.The Marine Reserves Now website

We love the ocean for it's waves amongst other things, it seems only fair to give a little back and support this campaign. The ocean is not an infinte resource.

This entry relates to: [ Surfing ] [ Travel ]

Posted on Jun 28, 2009 at 20:11:24

Apr 09, 2009 :: March Severn bores 2009

A Huge turnout of bore riders in the Newnham - on - Severn area were'nt too disappointed by mediocre bores during the first spring tides of the month. We counted 40 surfers, including a few kayackers, which was a pretty crazy number. I had a short, 250 yard or so, ride in the Newnham channel. This was on the first day, on a small wave which glassed up for a while, allowing a bit of footwork on Tom's massive eleven six log, especially custom made for the bore by Mike Peet at Atlantic Surfboards. That first day I've never seen so many surfers not catching the bore, but on the Friday a good number had stand up rides at Boatyards, with hoots carrying on the wind to the White Hart at Broadoak.

At the back end of the month in super low water I had a cruisy ride at Submarines, helped by a northwesterly breeze, which cleaned the bore up for some noseriding time. The next day I saw Bendy in the distance catch that same wave, while I waited a mile upriver to catch the bore in the channel, as Katie and Ocean watched from the Vostells sluice. That was a real small wave too, but I got a cool solo ride.

Is that the Severn Bore Donny?

It's definitely not happening in the horseshoe at the moment though. Low water and westerlies really have'nt helped and despite the 10 metre and higher nines, the bores just are not anything on February, when on the backend of the month I had a super solo ride fromSubmarines all the way to the Silver Fox, on an 8.9 metre tide.

As I write this I can see from the caravan window the steam rising out of the woods of the Forest of Dean. Although we've had a bit of rain the last couple of days it's going to do nothing for these April bores. Yesterday evening I went down and had to paddle at the head of the tide for 200 yards before there was enough to even knee board it. How I stayed with that bore I just don't know and by the time Bendy came on there was just enough to attempt a stand, but we both wrapped together and came off as it started to die again. I'll go out again this evening on the biggest tide but don't hold out much hope. As for the river levels my predictions have pretty much hit the mark. I never remember seeing the ford at the Silver Fox so exposed in April with only inches covering the stones. It would not be a good place to wipeout.

I guess the highlight of the last month for me was a great surf session at Rest last Thursday the 2nd April. We got there a bit late with the neap high tide at midday, although I planned to surf the turning tide and it was well worth it. Some 13 waves some 13 rides on shoulder to head high waves. The southeasterly had got up a bit and was definitely not the offshore wind forecast, which would have made it absolutely awesome and was the main reason for our going. Anyway I was stoked and even more so when I got out to find Katie had got a stack of pics.

Donny surfing Rest Bay 2nd April 2009 as the tide turned.

Donny gliding a line at Rest Bay 2nd April 2009

Done a good bit of skating too, sold several boards and more than the average number of films, so March was a real good month. After Easter Still Stoked is going to start making wooden surfboard fins, something I prototyped at Llangennith in 2003, so its high time we made some, as they look really nice, wear well and are a lot cheaper to market than glass ones.

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ]

Posted on Apr 09, 2009 at 13:18:56

Mar 07, 2009 :: February bores 2009

I had some good rides last month on the Severn bore in the mid horseshoe bend, including a good solo ride. It's a rare event nowadays to get a wave to yourself and even rarer to get a good wave, so a ride of over a mile on the Severn bore without anyone else out brings a lot of stoke. There's nothing better though than to surf uncluttered waves with your buddies. To do that in the UK the spot has got to be just far enough away so that people can't realistically get there in numbers and you've got to surf at 1st light.

The Thursday bore was the day after the new moon and although the three day prediction was the same, this was the one most likely to be the most powerful and so it proved to be. A few guys turned out to surf the Saturday bore but it had none of the size or power of Thursday's and did'nt connect through for a long ride.



Severn bore whirlpool
Don't get caught in one of these after the bore has gone through. This whirlpool was after an 8.3 metre tide. I've seen them with 4ft holes after 10 metre plus tides!

I paddled downstream for a mile or so to meet the bore head on below boats. I cut it a bit fine and could have probably got a couple of hundred yards more, but then I might have been too far down and not caught the wave building of the sandbank. As it was I got a good waist to chest high wave to the mixer and proned through to the channel with constant fin dragging in the super low water, which you can sometimes get in February. The old saying "February fill dyke" does not read as generally understood full dyke, but fill the dyke and despite the rain and snow this month the river was really low and had dropped off 2 feet since the main february tides two weeks earlier. Getting back to my feet I finished the ride with a good 100 yards of clean wave to allow a fair bit of board walking. It was a memorable ride.



A medium sized severn bore through the Newnham channel.check out this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpbSIbH6dKA&fmt=18

The main tides of the month were fun with a large turnout of bore riders at Boats all coming in from the east bank. I concentrated my efforts in the Newnham channel and had two good rides on consecutive days. The first day when Mark Humpage's microlight was flying above was a reasonably powerful wave, and I got caught on camera. Steve was dropped from the boat for the shoulder and a couple of guys came through from lower down including Ben, who told me the next day that he had ridden to Epney, one of the long rides in the upper horseshoe. Tom did this ride a few years ago at some four and a half miles. I caught a rail in the turbulence at the ford, which did'nt really matter as I was about to bail anyway to avoid too long a walk back. The next day I had a good mile ride from the fish house upto the lower end of the strand ending with a lovely clean section when I managed to get a real nice 10 nose ride with the eleven six locked in steady as a rock. A great end to a good ride but a pretty long walk back. I reckon there were 8 rideable days this month in the horseshoe bend for local guys with plenty of time to spare, but man you have got to be really fit. Stay stoked, Donny.

This entry relates to: [ Surfing ] [ Travel ] [ Videos ]

Posted on Mar 07, 2009 at 17:08:28

Mar 08, 2008 :: Tidal surge predicted Severn Bore 10 February 2008

A Big westerley gale forecast in the Bristol Channel Sunday night 9th of February should impact on the head of the spring tides to produce a large Severn bore for Monday morning, 10th February.
If wind speeds reach an average blow of 70mph and build to 80mph plus we will have the perfect conditions to add significant height to the Severn bore Monday morning. The forecast wind is due to be a powerful westerly equinoctial gale which comes with perfect timimg for the peak of the spring tides. If the blow continues throughout the flowing tide the Severn bore could be very big.
The mitigating factors against an all time day are an unexceptional tide 0f 9.4 metres rather than 10.5 and low fresh water state in the river Severn, resulting from the recent dry spell. Nature being as she is it is incredibly rare to get the coincidence of conditions talked about in the Longwave Extra "The Making of Longwave", where I talk of the day to come.
An intense low pressure system, plus 100 mph winds, plus 10.5 metre tide, plus high fresh water levels all conspire to produce a Severn bore in excess of 3 metres or 10 feet as average heights. For this we must wait on, but in the meantime there will be plenty of spots in the river Severn where Monday's bore could be spectacular. Depending on the sandbanks my bet is on Boatyards, for Sabrina to show that A frame peak that a few of us have been privileged to both see and catch.

This entry relates to: [ Surfing ] [ Travel ]

Posted on Mar 08, 2008 at 15:26:07

Nov 01, 2007 :: Interesting Lifes

Surfers tend to lead interesting lifes. Outside making longboard skates and surfing films I am a river keeper on my salmon fishery on the beautiful Wye near the Welsh border. This autumn since returning from our summer surf camp the river Wye has been stunningly beautiful. Salmon were showing often until the end of the fishing season in mid October, fishermen did pretty well as did the barbel fishermen.

Right now I have been doing bank repairs and making a start on my hurdle making for which I am cutting willow rods from my pollards. Also with the typical low October river levels work has been in hand repairing the summer flood damage to the salmon cribs, which create and maintain the salmon pools. One of the most thrilling experiences must be to see a double figure salmon break the surface and leap in a perfect flowing curve of silvery white. It is a sight which stays with me for years and makes me realise what a lucky guy I am to be able to move between the wonderful worlds of river and sea. As each year rolls by I find myself becoming more engrossed in the world of nature and more stoked by the sensations of the countryside.
Katie often joins me on the riverbank and both here and in the sacred grove of Sabren at LittleDean she will spend many happy moments at this beautiful time of year practising Tai Chi. She has found that the TaiChi helps her balance for surfing and skating and likewise those skills help her Tai Chi thus balancing the Yin Yang of life. Katie's interesting life is taken to a logical end whereby she teaches Tai Chi as an instructor from her own Lotus Leaf Tai Chi. One day soon she will be teaching in the woodland camp of Sabren's Grove, site of the Celtic shrine of Sabrina overlooking the wonderful horseshoe bend of the river Severn, and also on the exquisite beach of Porth Neigwl on North Wales'Lleyn peninsula.

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ]

Posted on Nov 01, 2007 at 16:35:26

Oct 17, 2007 :: Severn Bore threatened

By midsummer the age old proposals, running for something like half a century, to build a Severn Barrage seemed once again dead. The central issue in development terms is always profitibility and viability. Build an effectual dam across the Severn estuary below the Severn Bridges and the first effect will be to create a vast silt trap allowing the whole upriver lake to accumulate mud sufficient to build a swamp before our very eyes within years. No longer would the barrage be capable of generating energy, no longer would the sea even be able to flow up the Severn, no longer would the largest discharge of freshwater in the British Isles be able to flow to the sea down the Severn estuary. Instead it would spill over the banks and find its way to the sea via previously dry land.

The summer floods of 2007 at Gloucester, Tewkesbury, Upton and elsewhere will pale into insignificance against this causal effect of a Severn Barrage. Every hydrologist knows this so why do politicians and developers keep demanding it should be built? Any right minded person knows the reason.

Due to politicians ever trying to promote their parties it seems that again, now summer is over the Barrage is back on the soap boxes.What I can't understand is why the Green Energy Groups keep proposing it when they know it will destroy every part of a unique ecological habitat of undoubted world importance. I have heard that one latest viewpoint is that the ecological disaster can be traded off by relocating the habitat.

What an absolute lie and disgraceful suggestion. How will these people relocate the Severn Bore?

The unique nature of the Severn estuary is caused by one single elemental fact. That fact is the diurnal tide which flows up the river Severn and the moving cycle between Neap and Spring tides, culminating in the fortnightly Severn Bores.

Oh did you think the bore only happened a few times a year and in springtime? It happens twice a month for upto five days, twice a day. In the lower estuary the Severn bore appears to some degree virtually every day.

Check out Longwave

The life histories of every creature and every part of the natural world of the Severn estuary is driven by the diurnal tide and the effects of the Severn bore. Stop this nonsence and sign the petition

This entry relates to: [ Surfing ] [ Travel ] [ Videos ]

Posted on Oct 17, 2007 at 12:50:54

May 26, 2007 :: I woke up today

I saw the beach on Hawaii Isle; Tom Wright had told me, today I saw it. Still Stoked is a lifestyle all about living life to the full and getting your fix on a thing well done, whether its surfing, skating, working or loving. It has got to be done well. So where does all the sh*t go, in the river, in the sea, in the air and we're all having fun?
I pride myself on being old skool, always against the Corporation, always for Nature, always for the cheaper way. What a load of cr*p. Every single one of us is killing this world of ours in one way or another. From today Still Stoked my underground persona, the Wrights' way, is going to change.
Skating or surfing is about skills not expensive tools.
Still Stoked starts here, reduce, reuse, recycle. We're proud in that self satisfied way about all the boards we've been making, the films we've been creating but from here on in the last 10 years was the comma in the first sentence, the rest will be the test and I promise you Still Stoked will do something that matters.

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ]

Posted on May 26, 2007 at 18:58:12

Nov 22, 2006 :: A New Wave Rising on DVD

Well it's taken us a while, but finally A New Wave Rising; Longboarding UK2K is out on DVD. It's such a atmospheric film which brings back good memories of summer and being out on the road. With Old Red now in the great scrapheap in the sky (although he may very well be reincarnated in the not too distant future) it's almost a tearjerker!! Donny will continue to cruise on in Mole, and who knows with Still Stoked's 10 year Anniversary coming up next year and 6 years on from making UK2K maybe we'll see a newer New Wave Rising on the horizon!
Meanwhile we've got some fab offers on with almost 25% off Uk2K and Longwave and a fantastic double pack of DVD's, so we hope they will keep you amused this Christmas time!
Stay Stoked.

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ] [ Videos ]

Posted on Nov 22, 2006 at 12:07:47

Jan 17, 2006 :: LONGWAVE Tidal Bore Surfing Film

I said on the news desk entry for this date that I'd been slotted away editing and working on the post production of LONGWAVE for eight months. Well the last weblog was about the time when the new and upgraded editing suite arrived last June!
LONGWAVE has been a long time coming and a long time making, the best part of 10 years.

Carrying on from the news desk item of this date for "LONGWAVE buy now", I've got a few things to say that I hope all who read this will take in the vein that it is intended.

It's pretty obvious that the Still Stoked Lifestyle is about living in that way which brings an inner glow of well being, as a result of having fun in ways that do no harm to others. The concept of being stoked is that feeling we all get from the satisfaction of doing something well. To me its based on the view that the best things in life are free.

It's also pretty obvious that Still Stoked is a pretty underground business. That's because I come from a time when a lot of guys despised the Corporation and I have'nt changed much.If I could duplicate LONGWAVE and get it to every surf shop in the world, I would. I'd like every surfer on the globe to watch this film and that's the line I take on thelongwave web site.

This is because every surfer comes to dream of surfing the longest wave for the longest time. Apart for the few this will always remain a dream. Many will make compromises and many will live on in ignorance, resigned to sit out in the lineup with woeful faces.

LONGWAVE demonstrates once and for all that surfing on tidal bores is the ultimate longwave surfing experience. Better bore surfing films will no doubt follow but none are likely to make the point better than the footages to be found on the LONGWAVE DVD. The reason being that no commercial film maker or the surfing industry will tolerate the film making format that I pursue at STILL STOKED PRODUCTIONS. I enjoy the privilege and indulgence of doing my thing my way. The products either float or flounder but they never drown.

The stoke of making something from an original thought and sharing it with the world in a way that brings some money back, is the circle that makes me still stoked. Danny Cartwright coined the words "still stoked" in 1997, they say it all.

I believe totally that LONGWAVE will show surfers worldwide that the ultimate longwave surfing experience is out there, always available for the intrepid, always there for the dreamers and always there for the few that live for it and do it for the rest of us. To surf a wave for as long and as far as possible, that is tidal bore surfing. I hope that surfers everywhere buy it watch it and are thrilled by it!

This entry relates to: [ Surfing ] [ Travel ] [ Videos ]

Posted on Jan 17, 2006 at 18:36:38

Jun 24, 2005 :: Keep your fingers crossed

If all goes well we should have Mole all fixed and running smoothly on Tuesday! Hurray! We've still got a fair amount of work to do on the interior but after that we'll be back on the road checking out our favourite spots!

This entry relates to: [ Travel ]

Posted on Jun 24, 2005 at 12:43:10

May 15, 2005 :: The Purity of Mole

MOLE UPDATE!!!
After a bit of humming and ahhing and a lot of toing and froing we've come to conclusion that it is not worth putting in a pinto engine into Mole and so having to cut the bodywork of the van area a fair bit. So Mole's good old V4 engine is getting revamped along with Mole himself and then will go back in, good as new, shiney and clean!! Hopefully this will mean we won't have the problems we were getting with the unleaded petrol and we might even be able to cruise at more than 50mph!!
When Mole's back with us we'll be getting on with the cosmetic stuff and the vey important job of chosing what colour he's going to be next.
Until the next time….

This entry relates to: [ Travel ]

Posted on May 15, 2005 at 14:41:50

Apr 21, 2005 :: Keeping it going

Blogging always seems to start with the best intentions then those intentions evaporate. Or is it just me?
Anyway Spring is in the air, Rainbow has sold to Lauren who says it is the best thing she's ever bought and enthusiasm IS back in the air.
Restoration to Mole, new editing suite, new surfsk8travel plans– and I am going to be more regular!!??*******
catch you all later
donny

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ] [ Videos ]

Posted on Apr 21, 2005 at 19:34:27

Jan 01, 2005 :: Happy New Year!

To all surfsk8ers, explorers, vanlivers and vanlifers, happy people from this and the other side of life, nature lovers and dreamers et al.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, may 2005 bring you endless stoke!
Stay Stoked, Stay Happy, Keep Cruising the tarmac wave and gliding the blue

From all at Still Stoked and The Seedling Leaf.

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ] [ Videos ]

Posted on Jan 01, 2005 at 12:39:46

Nov 04, 2004 :: time flies

Autumn's going fast, summer's long gone with Hells Mouth and Llangennith passing into 2004 memories,and the Severn Bore film still is'nt done. Ah well, just hope when it's finally finished the wait will have been worth it!
Katie and I just spent Samhain on the banks of the river Wye, which was pretty rad as the last flood slowly fell and the flames from our fire and sparks from a yew branch filled the night sky. Getting out in the van in autumn is just awesome; the sensations and sounds of the natural world always fill me with the stoke of life.
We've finished the autumn acorn collection and made a nice bit of cash from a pretty unusual activity. The garden,woods and river all call for our work and attention and somewhere out there a peeling wave is reeling across a secret bay.
Tom keeps reminding me that "the Bore is due" and I keep excusing myself. We checked out an awesome place with land,stream,hill and valley and views to the sea plus a pile of stones which did have planning for a farmworkers dwelling, but it was never started and its a lot of money we dont have.
Anyway the reason this blog has been so quiet is we've been constantly doing stuff and having fun and loving life - hope to catch up a bit now the nights are getting longer.

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ]

Posted on Nov 04, 2004 at 18:02:18

Aug 24, 2004 :: Summer at Hells Mouth

Such a good time was had at Porth Neigwl by Katie and I this summer. We'd gone up to Hells Mouth, as we do, to sell boards, videos, Katie's artwork and our new range of jewellery. Plus, of course, always hoping for perfect peelers and calm seas, for surfing and snorkelling.

Neigwl is our secret spot, we got waves after we arrived and then the sea went flat and we had the most fabulous snorkelling which Katie introduced me to. Fortunately I didn't see the massive eel that Katie met the first time she was out, but the amazing clarity amongst the bladder wrack and maiden's hair allowed us to see shoals of fish, crabs and lobsters. Towards the end of our stay, the hurricane swell came through, clean and glassy around head high and nobody else was out!! There are still secret spots.
Every weekend and a couple of days in the week we set up stall at the Middle car park of Hells Mouth, right on the pathway. Made loads of new friends and sold a load of skates to the local guys and girls and holiday makers. The new range of jewellery went better than expected, in fact we sold out only a few days into our stay and spent the rest of the time making coconut surfboard necklaces in the evenings!!

Rainbow at the Car Park (Photo courtesy of Richard)

We've got to mention Tim(Smeg) and all his mates, who bought boards from us and Paul who absolutely raved about UK2K A New Wave Rising, thanks Guys and Girls for showing us such a welcome, which we always find at this wonderful spot.

The Blue Moon over Cilan Head

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ] [ Videos ]

Posted on Aug 24, 2004 at 16:10:01

Jul 17, 2004 :: 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 on Jul 17, 2004 at 10:13:45

Jul 16, 2004 :: 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 on Jul 16, 2004 at 21:44:42

Jul 16, 2004 :: 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 on Jul 16, 2004 at 20:51:06

Jun 29, 2004 :: Icon Art from Still Stoked and The Seedling Leaf

Katie and I were musing this morning over our usual surfsk8 lifestyle ideas and what to do new for our summer travelling stuff, for selling on the road.

Katie's been doing some real cool paintings lately on some new themes, and suddenly we thought why not icons of the good ole days, like splittys and the like, would'nt they just make the coolest cards and prints? Well I went off down the river bank and when I came back, she'd done this rad painting which she was transferring to photo card.

I reckon it's gonna be a great idea for selling up at Hell's Mouth this summer— that's in North Wales on the Lleyn peninsula, along with our longboard skates and other stuff. Oh ye, When it's on Hell's Mouth has the sweetest wave with the clearest water, and the summer peelers are just so lovely.

Icon Art number one: The Blue VW Splitty

Anyway hope you like the first in our series of Icon Art, its going to be one of many available from The Seedling Leaf, in card, print and original artwork. Katie's so stoked about it so I just had to write and tell you all!

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ]

Posted on Jun 29, 2004 at 20:19:45

Jun 26, 2004 :: Still Stoked Lifestyle - What's it all about?

Have you seen the classic Michael Caine film with the iconic phrase "What's it all about?". Well, people ask me what is Still Stoked Lifestyle, what's it all about?
I reply, "It's all in the surfers' word stoke, that indescribable buzz that permeates body, mind and soul after a good session in the waves".
It's a highly individual thing, often shared in the group of friends but equally sometimes not, because as the other saying goes - "one mans meat is another mans poison".
Still Stoked Lifestyle is pretty well all embracing, as I think the website shows, and that is only a little of our own Still Stoked experience.
Although Danny Cartwright coined the phrase Still Stoked back in 1997 to capture the thrill of riding longboard skates when the surf was flat, it sums up my lifestyle ethic to perfection. It has almost, if not completely, taken on the form of The Life Quest, the search for contented fulfillment.
The Still Stoked LIfestyle, like the phrase What's It All About is the expression of the 'pink feeling' of feeling good, really good, about what you are doing. It is also the point at which the other classic phrase comes into play "variety is the spice of life". A lot of guys may think I am nothing more than a surfinskatin' hippy freak and that's the rub, because My Still Stoked Lifestyle takes the form of many guises from the obvious description above to birdwatcher, river keeper, woodland worker, food grower, walker, lover of fresh air, nature and all things intrinsically free and wonderfull.
I still get the greatest buzz from the sense of movement and sitting in the van with all those travelling emotions of "just getting up and going". In many ways this rolls the total feeling of Still Stoked Lifestyle into one great ball of feeling good, it's easy to share ideas and thoughts on lifestyle and so in my blog, I am going to elaborate on my other lifestyle loves, which all make my Still Stoked Lifestyle complete, if not indeed maybe to the challice overflowing!

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Surfing ] [ Travel ]

Posted on Jun 26, 2004 at 11:39:13

Jun 25, 2004 :: Still Stoked Van Life solstice travels

Rainbow parked up at Pistyll Rhaiadr

After spending the pre solstice afternoon with our druid friends, we watched the setting sun colour the sky over the Wye valley, in the western Forest of Dean and then set out for the magical Pistyll Rhaiadr on the edge of North Wales, to greet the sunrise.

setting sun over the Wye valley

Our solstice travels in Rainbow, the 3rd in line of Mk1 Tranny Travellers, gave us a great van life experience. Last time I was at the high waterfall was back in 1998 in Old Red, when I captured those early days on film in the Still Stoked Longboard Skates video. This solstice visit was where Katie and I chose to be amongst the natural majesty and colour of one of Wales' seven wonders.

Pistryll Rhaiadr

We explored the Welsh lanes past valley, hill, lake and stream, along impossibly narrow roads without a car in sight, beyond the odd farmer's landrover. Few words can describe the experience, it was truly cleansing to our spirits and inspirational to our minds.
The rainbow arced across the craggy valley of the wonderful waterfall, wedding the sun and the rain to give the promise of nature's harvest to come.

Donny and Rainbow

This part of Wales is unspoilt and for much of the year empty.There are byways to travel though hobbit type country that take you instantly by surprise. If any of you want to know where this is then email me to donny@stillstoked.co.uk

bye bye

This entry relates to: [ Travel ]

Posted on Jun 25, 2004 at 10:25:32

Apr 26, 2004 :: The diary of a surfsk8 explorer

This is the start of my Blog, so I thought a few intros are in order….

I started my surfsk8 explorations in 1997 when I took a sort of year out to explore the other side of life. I did this by going out and buying for £900 a 1972 Mark 1 Ford Transit autohome which was so beaten around that it did not matter what I did to it next.

I took my surfboards and my Longboard Skates and started exploring the coasts and towns of southern Britain from somewhere east of Brighton all along the south coast to Lands End, up to Gloucester along the southwest northern coastline,all around the coasts of Wales and across to the northeast coast at Scarborough, and as many towns crisscrossing the interior to suit my travels. I lived on as little money as possible, most going on petrol! I mixed with people from the richest to the poorest, spending time with the alternative groups living in tepees, benders and cardboard boxes. Always i surfed and skated and turned my van, Old Red, into a unique and slightly mad max vehicle which I somehow managed to keep beyond the arm of the law. I wrote a book which is still in manuscript and never got published, but will be one day??? I kept on travelling, surfing, skating, and making films and videos.

Old Red finally came to rest at a secret spot on the north Wales coast in 2001 where he patiently waits for revival and people occasionally pass and think: "that is Donny's van which was in the Longboarding film UK2K.

While this was going on, Tom my son created the still stoked lifestyle website and Danny, Tom's university mate and my friend, came up with the name Still Stoked for the longboard skates which we started producing in 1997.

Many of my stories from 1997 to '98 can be found on www.stillstoked.co.uk and this weblog is going to be a retrospective account of my travels around Britain, Ireland and Europe in my 30 year old vans, of which I have three. As far as I am aware there was no expression called van life before I started my travels. It is an amazing life and extraordinarily easy to pursue in Britain, how long this will continue only time will tell.

I along with many of my generation have slowly but surely progressed backwards in our mindsets to the time when life was free and easy and good – that was sometime happening probably in the 1950s for kids leaving home, for me it was without doubt the coming of pop, rock and liberation in the 60s and 70s. Those who cant remember it aren't those who were there and stoned or smashed all the time, but those who didn't get the opportunities to enjoy the radical breakout of freedom. I did and I enjoyed every minute of it. Today I enjoy it still!

My surfing and skating Blog is my diary of my explorations, discoveries, friends and new family. It will be a slow haul from 1997 to the present with random interjections of what I'm doing right now.

This entry relates to: [ Skating ] [ Travel ]

Posted on Apr 26, 2004 at 09:50:33