Wrapping Up Quiksilver’s Gotta Make A Right To Go
Left New Jersey Surf Tour By Balaram Stack
Day Four — Thursday, July 22nd, 2010 Long Beach Island is a great place to have a good
time. If you’re lookin’ for one, go to Farias Surf Shop and ask for Brian
Farias. Brian and his warm and friendly staff (who are more of a family) left
us dazed AND confused. It took about an hour longer than expected to leave LBI,
as we had to say our goodbyes and keep making rights to go left… Frankie Walsh
was right!
Then we were off to Heritage Surf & Sport in Margate
to say what’s up to some frothing groms in awe after seeing the one and only
MR. We hung with KevMo and crew, talked boards, and watched Dark Fall (www.darkfallthemovie.com)
with the New Jersey Contingent.
We hauled south to Kona Sports, and by “sport” I
mean everything from tennis racquets to baseball gloves to lacrosse sticks. It
was great! I picked up a Yankees hat, we got some wiffleball bats and lacrosse
sticks for the beach (that we never used), and the place is also crammed with
tons of surf goods, all in one. It’s dope!
Then we got a taste of a real Jersey Shore
boardwalk experience when we walked the Wildwood Boardwalk. I think Snookie’s
brother didn’t get a cut of her earnings and resorted to being a human
paintball target. My friends in Jersey want to take most of these stereotypes,
deep fry them, and sell them on the boardwalk. I don’t know any of the Jersey
brotherhood that likes that show, and I don’t blame ‘em. But amongst all the “Italia”
booty shorts and boardwalk games there was the comfort of A/C and mellow surf
tunes at Sand Jamm Surf Shop. Sand Jamm is somewhat of an oasis on the crazy Wildwood
Boardwalk, and it was cool being greeted by a friendly staff. Tons of kids were
working, and the shop had a grip of Quiksilver goods.
All good things do come to an end though, and we
were forced back out into the war zone… A little advice: don’t pull a man’s BB Tommy
gun if you haven’t paid for the game.
Day Five — Friday, July 23rd, 2010 Today we were on a mission
to go north in order to go south — kinda like making a left to go right. That’s
just Jersey, and we’re lovin’ it! We took the Turnpike from the bottom of the
Garden State in Ocean City with Surfers Supplies and flipped it on itself,
heading to the top of the state in Point Pleasant for the Brave New World promo.
Surfers
Supplies is a classic, original shop where Kech had some history with his
signature on the ceiling, along with a few other big names from the ‘80s and ‘90s.
It was my pleasure to sign it with Reef, Amy, and Lisa, and I hope to go back
ten years from now to see it still shining.
Then we hauled it to Brave New World to
give out tons of kissed hands and free eats by Surf Taco (best Mexican food in Jerz)
to some stoked-out kids! Brave is huge, and Reef even did a radio spot for the
promo. It was cool hearing him on the radio on the drive up.
That night there was a showdown at the
Surf Club in Ortley Beach for the 2nd Annual ERGO Nightriders Tow-At Event. Our
team had the youth and the legend — Kech and I. Although I love my Jersey
brothers to the south, Kech and I took it down, sending the Jersey boys like Hammer,
Gleason, Humphreys, and the boys to the bar.
Kech
and I bagged five C-notes each and of course had to repay the boys with a few
rounds. The rest was just a bit of a blurry good time. Many thanks to the Jers
crew for their hospitality and for allowing Kech and I to enter. These guys are
true gentlemen and run it!
Full
results of the 2nd Annual ERGO Nightriders Tow-At Event:
1.
Balaram Stack and Matt Kechele
2.
Randy Townsend and Matt Keenan
3. Jamie Moran and Rob Kelly
4. Sam Hammer and Mike Gleason
5. Ryan Daly and Chris Kelly
Day Six — Saturday, July 24th, 2010 Woke
up to 100 degrees and climbing… need water! Headed to 7th Street Surf Shop on
the boardwalk in Ocean City… need A/C, surf, and breakfast. Larry Friedel met
us there with his fam and teamrider Chris Kelly… woo hoo, time for some action!
It was hot, so the 60-degree drop in water temperature was fine. Girls and guys
were getting their rip on, while MR and Larry rapped out about a classic MR
board.
Heritage Surf & Sport in Ocean City is another good shop. It’s one of three
locations, and each one is just as impressive as the first. We felt right
at home and were set up for the signing inside in the A/C, which was a bonus!
The shop has a strong history over the decades, with surfboard building and
ordering and original surfboards from the Hawaiians when they first came to New
Jersey. It was cool to see a poster for The Eddie resting among all the
historic images.
Day Seven — Sunday, July 25th, 2010 The
Heritage Gromtest presented by Quiksilver (http://heritagesurf.com/2010/07/gromtest-was-sick/) went off with a bang, an
8:00 a.m. start, and plenty of frothing kids! The sun was shining and the waves
were small, but the groms were still ripping. There were even grommet divisions
for “Best Sand Monster,” running/push ups/etc., and a melted chocolate donut-eating
contest. The day went off without a hitch until the last four minutes of the Runtz
final, when it went from 98 degrees and sunny to a major lightning and
thunderstorm within seconds. We broke down the tents within minutes as we felt
we were going to get blown all the way back to New York.
But
everyone hustled, and everything was salvaged! We held the awards back at
Heritage Surf & Sport with all the kids. Then Brian and Jamie Heritage were
gracious enough to feed us and entertain us for the final evening. Much love and
respect to the Heritage fam, teamriders, and most importantly Brian and Jamie!
The
rest of the crew headed to Philly to go to Pat’s King Of Steaks and then fly
out the next morning, while I stayed an extra day and then headed back home to New
York to get ready for the U.S. Open.
Final
Results of the Heritage Gromtest Presented By Quiksilver:
RUNTZ
1. Billy McGarry
2. Mike Vanaman
3. Patrick Taylor
4. Evan Conboy
BOYS
1. Perry Siganos
2. Noah Conboy
3. Seth Conboy
4. Billy McGarry
THE OLD IN-OUT
The 2009 WRV Outer Banks Pro Presented By Hurley Is Moving Ahead Like Clockwork
Along The Graveyard Of The Atlantic... Let's Hope Hurricane Season Doesn’t Dish
Out A Bit Of The Old Ultraviolence
BILL OF SALE Surf Expo Comes To Town Early With Lower-Than-Usual
Attendance Rumors And Category 4 Hurricane Bill Zooming In. Will You Blow Town To
Bro Down Or Sit Tight And Get Right?
