Talk Story

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Talk Story

Mo’olelo is a Hawaiian word broken down into Mo’o meaning succession and olelo meaning words, hence, a succession of words or a story. Old Hawaii was an oral culture where history, wisdom and tradition were passed down by story telling. Today it has become all that again as well as just simply chatting and shooting the breeze. "But who doesn’t love a good story?"

INDO-G.LOPEZ 0008.jpg — Surfing is a deeply wonderful thing - anytime, anywhere and any way.

Growing up in the extraordinary place that was Hawai'i in the 1950s and 1960s. Playing a part in the shortboard revolution of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Living the dream in the Country before it was ever called the North Shore. Experiencing the awe, fear and ultimate satisfaction of finding the tube in the early days at the Pipeline. Traveling for surf throughout the world: to the original surf camp at G-Land, the exotic islands off Sumatra and especially to the magic island of Bali, Indonesia - before it became a popular surf destination. Experiencing the beginnings of windsurfing on Maui, the early years of snowboarding and tow-in surfing at Jaws.
But it is the people that surfing molds into truly unique individuals, each with his own special story, that stand out. Many of these surfers who helped create the surfing world of today are unknown for their contributions, or are already forgotten.

Chapter One

1948-1973

Chapter One

1948-1973

01-Early Waikiki | circa 1955.jpg — Oahu was the island of my birth and where I grew up.

I was there during a wonderful time in the history of the Sport of Kings that, for obvious reasons, also became my chosen lifestyle. Of all the islands of Hawaii, I’ve always thought Oahu was the best one for the waves. I started surfing in Waikiki and to this day, am still able to easily find the magic that made it such a special place in spite of all the changes and development that’s occurred since I was 10 years old. All my schooling and early years were in Honolulu and the memories of growing older alongside the growth of this bustling and lively place as it went from a sleepy town to a colorful city, are splendid.
As my surfing skills improved, during the winter season, I would spend my time on North or West shores for the big waves found there. There were times when we would drive around the entire island several times in a day looking for surf but that was when gas cost $.25/ per gallon and between Kaneohe and Haleiwa, one might see less than a handful of cars coming the other way. In surfing, I found a life I wouldn’t trade for any other and I also found a livelihood that sustained me through today.

Waikiki with Dad | 1950 — Waikiki with Dad | *1950*

Hawaii State Surf Championships with Bon Ching and Rell Sunn | David Darling | 1965 — Hawaii State Surf Championships with Bon Ching and Rell Sunn | *David Darling | 1965*

USA Championships Huntington Beach | Art Brewer | 1968 — USA Championships Huntington Beach *| Art Brewer | 1968*

Ala Moana | Gordinho | 1969 — Ala Moana *| Gordinho | 1969*

Early Pipeline | Art Brewer | 1968 — Early Pipeline *| Art Brewer | 1968*

Huntington pier | Art Brewer | 1968 — Huntington pier *| Art Brewer | 1968*

Huntington Beach / 1967 — Who can say when it all began?

**It's hard to remember anything from that long ago.** Backtracking through the haze of memories is like looking for footprints in a swamp. Surfing was an easy hookup, even before I got my own surfboard. It was undeniable. Just watching it, I could see surfers were having a great time.through the haze of memories is like looking for footprints in a swamp. Surfing was an easy hookup, even before I got my own surfboard. It was undeniable. Just watching it, I could see surfers were having a great time.

Gerry, RB and Reno Abellira, aspiring yogis | David Darling | 1969 — Gerry, RB and Reno Abellira, aspiring yogis *| David Darling | 1969*

Sunset Beach, Herbie Fletcher and Barry Kanaiapuni | Jeff Divine | 1971

Gerry with the latest surfboard design | Art Brewer | 1969

Golden Breed Expression Session | Jeff Divine | 1971

B.K. the man at Sunset Beach | Steve Wilkings | 1971

The Hang Ten Surf Contest, Sunset Beach | Jeff Divine | 1972

First cover shot, Ala Moana | John Severson | 1971

“When in doubt, paddle out.”

— Herbie

I like to think that saying came out of the first adventure.

The profound simplicity of the expression has helped me many times over the years in situations other than just surfing. Somehow we all discover that surfing lessons often have a lot more to do with life than they do with surfing. When you're wondering about that step you're about to take but haven't yet, remember...

Ala Moana bowl with Reno Abellira | Steve Wilkings | 1972

Summertime at Ala Moana, Herbie Titcomb, Brother Kit | Steve Wilkings | 1972

Smirnoff Contest, Waimea Bay | Steve Wilkings | 1975

1973 World Championships, Ocean Beach California | 1973

Chapter Two

1973-1993

Chapter Two

1973-1993

Maui no ka oi means Maui is the best.

And in 1973, it was pretty special. Honolua Bay, Mala Wharf and Maalaea were the surf spots that brought me over there early on and were a big part in my decision to relocate. Honolulu had become busier but looking back from even today, I realize that it was just the nature of Honolulu. I’m sure Honolulu has always been and will continue to be a busier city forever…people come there, fall in love with something or maybe everything about it and never leave. I’m still glad I went to Maui because I got to experience a time in Maui that will never be again. In 1973, the population of Maui County was 50,000 and the County included the islands of Molokai and Lanai. I lived in Olinda, what they call Upcountry Maui.

At home in Olinda, Maui | Dana Edmunds | 1975

At first, coming from the great and consistent surf on Oahu, I found Hookipa, with windy side shore trades, a disappointment. But Maui grows on a person and I soon became accustomed to its subtle nuances, appreciating them completely. With the variable wind and swell directions, it took a while to figure where the combinations were best and only then, did I understand the No Ka Oi of Maui. It was from Maui that I staged all my visits to Indonesia. I discovered new things there like a taste for riding big waves. I found my wife while we both were learning to windsurf and eventually our son, Alex came along. I found paddleboarding and tow-surfing. I delved deeply into dirt biking. Mountain biking started and Maui was a prime spot for it. It was from Maui that I came to find snowboarding and the next phase of life.

Early Uluwatu, Bali | Dana Edmunds | 1975

Board carriers at Ulu, Bali | Dana Edmunds | 1975

Uluwatu was a world-class surf spot.

Jeff and I would go out there four or five days in a row until its intensity just wore us out, then we would stay in Kuta for a few days surfing a much tamer Kuta Reef. A day or two of that and we would long for the power, the size and the sheer magnitude of Ulu. We got a little motorbike; I would drive while Jeff held both boards behind me. Often we would be the only ones there.

Chairman of the Board, Lightning Bolt ad | 1976

Windsurfing at Hookipa Beach, Maui | Gordinho | 1984

Paddling boarding at Makena Beach, Maui | Erik Aeder

On the set of Farewell To The King, Borneo | 1987

On the set with Ben Davidson, Conan The Barbarian, Spain | Leonard Brady | 1980

Shapers the store at the Kahului Shopping Center | Erik Aeder

Feeling pretty cocky I took my time as I pulled my bottom turn around,

trying to stall closer to the barrel than I had on the previous rides. This was easy. With all the speed and extra time to choose positioning, there was nothing to it. Standing tall and casual at the bottom, secure in my line, I turned to look back at the curl behind me. That was almost my undoing.

Grubby Clark spreading the Aloha | Art Brewer

“Yeah, it can go from good to bad in a hurry here, this is a seriously heavy wave.”

— Dave

Face in the wave, Pipeline | Denjiro Sato

Father and son, at Pipeline | Denjiro Sato | 1989

Kava Cermony, Tavarua Island, Fiji | Jeff Divine | 1995

Paying dues at the Pipeline | Jeff Divine

“Surf to surf tomorrow, never surf like there’s no tomorrow. Leave that to the young guns, their bones are strong and heal quickly and they have more enthusiasm.”

— Lopez Rule #1

Chapter Three

1993-Present

Chapter Three

1993-Present

Snowboarding was my first real experience with snow & I guess it was destined to become a big part of my life.

Our son, Alex was 4 years old when we first came to Central Oregon and it was a place that appealed to something deep inside both Toni and I. It was the space…the wide-open space that attracted us to begin with, or maybe the forests of Pine trees, the clean air, the high desert, it was probably all of it. For me, first with Oahu and then for both Toni and I with Maui, rapid growth and development drove us to find someplace with more empty space. Bend seemed perfect especially after a snowboard trip during the week between Christmas and New Year’s in 1993. That was the biggest snow year in the past 20 years since we came and never left. But every year has been extra special and over time, all of us, Alex included, realized this was a place to put down roots. People used to often ask us, why we would leave Maui and we would look at them and think they probably had not been to Bend or if they had, then they hadn’t been to Maui recently. It isn’t that one was bad but more a matter of what a person was looking for in life or, simply, in a lifestyle. I guess Bend was what we found.