Into the Wild by Matthew Brookes

Foreword by Matthew Brookes

surf van culture I fell upon this little subgroup of nomad surfers—quite by accident—while moving to Venice Beach, California at the beginning of 2021.

What struck me as unique, instead of being pressured to live a banal, 9 to 5 existence—these surfers have chosen to live their idyllic dream—following the waves—wherever that may lead.

Their vans—or salvaged buses—are a way in which they experience the world.

Each day is spontaneous. A different sunrise on a different beach, or perhaps a surf during the full moon, if that’s how they feel.

This is a glimpse into the lives of people who are as free as can be.

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Introduction by Zack Raffin

wild ones Die hard surfers free spirited by nature. The characters that revolve in and around the act of wave riding often reflect the whimsical nature of the activity itself. It takes a certain type of person to build their life around sliding upon pulses of aquatic energy, willing to drop everything at a moment’s notice to ‘get wet’.

since the dawn of the wave riding bonanza. With countless waves sprinkled throughout the state’s 840 miles of golden coastline, those who live here must be mobile to access the full breadth of a surfing life. This isn’t van life as you’ve seen on the internet… in fact it’s far from it. These vans are an organic extension of their owners, directly intertwined in the romance of life.

Surfing has long been characterized as a tribe. Surfers tend to run in predominantly surf-centric circles… and why wouldn’t they?

Whether you’re a sailor, fisherman or surfer, those whose lives revolve around the ocean march to a rhythm much different than the rest. Akin to a good drum circle, the intricacy of the experience is only made possible by the number of dedicated hands willing to chime in.

I’d like to use this as an opportunity to provoke thought amongst the many who may not understand this world. When was the last time you felt truly free? In a world where society asks us to clip our wings for personal and/or professional reasons, the feeling of freedom is often lost in the instant gratification of the next promotion, raise, or milestone, leaving many to look back and wonder where it all went.

‘Into The Wild’ provides a window into a unique vein of California surf culture. A large percentage of the subjects in this book live in their vans, and those who don’t have described their rigs as the vessels in which their personal strain of nirvana is achieved.

A surfer’s van can (and does) provide all of the essential factors needed to chart the course of a surfing life. Vans not only get you to and from the beach, but allow you to wake up to beachfront property for free. Couple that with a spacious interior, the fact you can cook, store surfboards and commune with fellow tribesmen and you have yourself the answer as to why surfers and vans have gone hand in hand for generations.

Everyone feels that at some point, but do you make an effort to fight back?

Over the course of interviewing these eleven subjects, I can safely say that those who make freedom a daily priority carry themselves with an inspiring pep. No one, and I mean no one, can have it all.

So why not live a life based around what you truly love? React in your truth to the rich lives pictured here, but you can’t argue with the facts: freedom is an asset they carry in spades.

The raw, unadulterated lives led by these individuals is centered entirely around what makes them happy. They wouldn’t have it any other way...

Southern California has long been the epicenter of the surfer/van relationship, providing a dance floor for the two to intermingle

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Ram Pro-Master 2018

Bob Badonic

It’s this endless fucking rabbit hole you can nerd into so hard.

I know you grew up in Texas, tell me a little about that experience.

I grew up in Dallas, Texas, but ever since I was 13 I would come to Venice with my mom and sister. I’d spend the summer here hanging out with friends and staying at their houses. I grew up skating and going on snowboard trips with my dad. If I didn’t have skating while living in Texas, I would have been pretty bummed.

What was the transition like into moving to California? Did you know this was the place you wanted to be? For sure. I knew I wanted to be here my last two years of high school. I would tell all my friends, “Once I graduate, I’m gone.” The day I graduated I had my first van ready to go. I went to the ceremony, woke up the next day, and drove to California.

Wow, so obviously there are no waves in Texas. Were you surfing on those summer trips to California? When did you realize it was going to be a part of your life? I would dabble in surfing those

summers, but I was mostly skating. It’s funny actually, we would rent Wavestorms and I remember that my little sister could stand up while I couldn’t.

When I first moved out here, I blew my knee out skating and had to get reconstructive surgery. I tried skating again right after surgery, but I’d go to the park and wasn’t able to do as much as I wanted.

I tried surfing again, and I remember I got a wave at Topanga. I went down the line, locked in, and cruised on the Wavestorm.

I thought to myself, “This is everything I like about skating and snowboarding in one.” I was hooked.

If you had to put words to that feeling, what would those be?

Moving fast, flowing, grooving. Even when I would skate, I would get technical and try and do tricks, but I loved cruising on ramps even more. You get that feeling in surfing every time you stand up on a wave.

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