Ok guys, saw a thread in LB room and got me thinking about the good old fashioned road trips. Here in WA its the right of passage to do a trip down south with your mates and test your mettle in the surf, get up to a bit of mischief and generally just enjoy how good the SW is (food, wine, fresh air etc..)

I am middle aged with a young family but have not let the road trip's go, they are just a need of mine, sure they have changed a bit and are generally a little shorter, a little more prepared and a little easier then in the past but getting away for a day or two with a couple of mates is hard to beat.

We are blessed with good waves and epic places to camp and stay at within a few hours drive north or south depending on the season, going south is generally more preferred due to the sheer number of options for waves but trips north have been fruitful in the past.

Picking your crew for the road trip is essential and the difference between an all time trip and one that was just 'ok'. I have been the captain and the passenger on numerous occasions and much like going on a mates boat for the day feel I understand the etiquette involved in being a passenger and hold these standards of crew when I am the captain. Some people get repeat guernsey's and others just get the one crack at it (and may wonder why they don't get another invite!)

I love haring stories of road trips, the old ones are awesome but would love to hear how you guys are keeping the stoke alive with road trips in modern times and with the myriad of commitments a lot of us juggle. I am fortunate that my wife and kids understand the need to bugger off for a day or two a few times a year but sadly a lot mates have started to be pinned down and not able to make it, from the outside looking in - this looks like a slow death!

Let the stories fly guys, I am sure there are some epic stories in the archives, pictures and even vids - long live the road trip!

Ah, Sou'wester, I just stumbled on this thread of yours and started laughing almost immediately. So many classic tales.

We used to head to Bells every Easter for the comp. Car loads of crew would pile into old HK panel vans, HQ wagons and whatever else was going. Was always an exciting time of year -generally scored good waves at Winki, Boobs, Evos or Steps (along with half the rest of the population). And to sit on the cliffs and watch the pros in heats was always pretty sweet.

This particular year we got over there and, as always, headed straight to Torquay pub for the first night of absolute madness and drunken shenanigans before the comp started in earnest. As always the night quickly degenerated into a total frothy mess. I remember getting stuck into a jug sculling comp with Luke Egan and Matt Hoy, along with a dozen others. By the end of the evening there dudes on the roof starkers - it was a complete schmozzle.
Needless to say everyone was cactus the next morning - the bakery got eaten out of pies, sausage rolls and anything else that looked half edible in about the first half hour of opening. No worries , all hungover but guess what - no waves. Flat as.

So, the comp got moved down to Johanna. You beauty. I ended up in a mate's FB wagon - the petrol fumes were out of control in the old girl. Was like breathing straight fuel for the hours of driving down to Johanna. And we were all hungover as. So every half hour we'd have to pull over for a chuck. It must've been a sight - the old Holden pulling over every few k's or so , and a bunch of smelly, hairy punks jumping out and hurling their guts out until there was nothing but bile left. Geez it was rough. Turned into one of the worst road trips ever.

Anyway, we finally made it to Johanna - and there's waves. The comps on. Wasn't great, a bit lumpy and pretty solid but slight cross shore. Johanna's pretty sketchy I reckon, kelp and shadows, and it manages to get some juice - so with a hangover from the devil himself it wasn't much of a surf.

Still managed to score some sweet waves on the way back afterwards along the coast - I remember scoring Wye River with only a few out , was clean, and just peeling rights into the river mouth.

Anyway, it was one of the more memorable Bells trips - there were plenty over the years, but that one was an absolute doozy - mostly for all the wrong reasons, but we still had a ball and laughed like drains for most of the time and even scored waves.

Anyway, I suppose that's what surf trips are all about eh, cutting loose, getting waves and feelin' free. Ya can't beat it.

Spot on Mango, what an epic trip, can relate to the first night of a trip getting out of hand and rendering the next day a write off of sorts. Rising like a phoenix the day or two after that is the key, finding the rhythm of having a good time and being up and about for waves!

Would have loved to have been around during that era (and earlier) at Bells - what an epic time to be alive!

Thanks for sharing Mango - Yew!!

Geez road trips, every weekend was a road trip to either Phillip Island or the West Coast? Easter was the best though just like Mandingo except we always stayed at Lorne, huge group of mates doing dawn patrol every day going to the bakery to get food at 6am then surf the morning swell, eat more and choose a different break at Lorne, Cathederal Rock, Fairhaven, Wye River etc etc. At night off o the Lorne Pub Beer Garden and do it all again the next day.
1981 was one to remember, 10ft Glass at Cathederal Rock and I jump off the rocks to paddle out but I miss time the wave and shave the skin off my shins, blood pissing out. But its 10ft Glass so I keep going and surf the next 2 hours, it was so calm I could see the blood trickling from my leg in the water. Luckily no sharks, heaps of scary waves and wipe outs but boy what a long weekend. Bells was huge that year, we saw the footage at a Pub lunch stop and could not believe it was so big that Easter. Best time of my life from about 1979-1986, surf, sex, booze, repeat!!!

In the 70s I started coming down to SW WA on road trips with my older brother and his mates. 14-year-old grom surfing all day, mine sweeping beers at Caves House or Settlers Tav in the evening and sleeping in the car at Injinup car park or round at the Farm.
More than once had to drive the FB Holden from the Tav to where we were sleeping with my bro and mates all crashed out or spewing out the windows. Those were the days

Now I live in Margs so I'm on a permanent surf trip now

I am already loving this thread guys, keep them coming!

Will add that I reckon the crew you take is a massive part, so many epic unpredictable moments happen on a road trip, you need your A-team with you to make the most of it - some one who whinges about the weather or the surf, who dodges rounds, gets the last sausage roll ahead of the driver, drops in, changes the tunes all the time, cant handle their booze, hurts themself all the time - isn't welcome ha ha

Southwester,yes we had one that,wasn't keen on chipping in at the fuel pump !

This is not exactly a road trip as we were only 15 at the time. One of the folks would drop us off at a camping ground down coast, we would set up the tents & they would come back in a week to pick us up.
The surf was a part of it, but it was hanging with ya mates that made it. Surfing at a right-hand reef break in the fog & hearing the cars roll up, could not see or hear anything then they would drive off again. This was way before the internet or any swell forecasts.
Hitching up to the Flinders pub to try & score some booze, then hitch back to camp.
Flat day fun included removing all the labels off one of the guy's tins of food. Mmmm I feel like bake beans then opening up can of peaches. Or let's go for a surf & take your time, while someone would put on their vest, then long john, then we would decide not to go.
In true Aussie spirits, with mates like these, who needs enemies.

Being dropped off for a week as a 15yo sounds epic, would have loved that growing up, sets the tone for later life!

RE. the fuel for road trips, not that long ago (circa early 2000's) I had an apprentice who was the quint essential frother, just went full tilt at anything he did and ripped in the surf...anyway being an apprentice he didn't have a heap of cash for fuel so he did what I understand a few crew used to do - nicked plates in the lead up to a trip and did runners for fuel to get down there and back - very ballsy!

Same kid spent 3-4 weeks with a mate when he was a couple of years older just full rouging it between Carnarvon & Exmouth camping, surfing and fishing, he reckons they went a little bit cuckoo - full living off the land, surfing remote sketchy waves, catching your food everyday (fishing, diving or shooting) and no one around.

Stealing ideas from the Longboard Forum how dare you

Well in short a whole bunch of us became mates from the forum days so once a year we would meet at spot x we had guys from the sunny coast to sydney who would have a cracking weekend surfing and talking **** mainly talking ****
Most have left the forum for a instagram chat group hence how slow the LB forum have become today sadly.

Select to expand quote

MangoDingo said..
Ah, Sou'wester, I just stumbled on this thread of yours and started laughing almost immediately. So many classic tales.

We used to head to Bells every Easter for the comp. Car loads of crew would pile into old HK panel vans, HQ wagons and whatever else was going. Was always an exciting time of year -generally scored good waves at Winki, Boobs, Evos or Steps (along with half the rest of the population). And to sit on the cliffs and watch the pros in heats was always pretty sweet.

This particular year we got over there and, as always, headed straight to Torquay pub for the first night of absolute madness and drunken shenanigans before the comp started in earnest. As always the night quickly degenerated into a total frothy mess. I remember getting stuck into a jug sculling comp with Luke Egan and Matt Hoy, along with a dozen others. By the end of the evening there dudes on the roof starkers - it was a complete schmozzle.
Needless to say everyone was cactus the next morning - the bakery got eaten out of pies, sausage rolls and anything else that looked half edible in about the first half hour of opening. No worries , all hungover but guess what - no waves. Flat as.

So, the comp got moved down to Johanna. You beauty. I ended up in a mate's FB wagon - the petrol fumes were out of control in the old girl. Was like breathing straight fuel for the hours of driving down to Johanna. And we were all hungover as. So every half hour we'd have to pull over for a chuck. It must've been a sight - the old Holden pulling over every few k's or so , and a bunch of smelly, hairy punks jumping out and hurling their guts out until there was nothing but bile left. Geez it was rough. Turned into one of the worst road trips ever.

Anyway, we finally made it to Johanna - and there's waves. The comps on. Wasn't great, a bit lumpy and pretty solid but slight cross shore. Johanna's pretty sketchy I reckon, kelp and shadows, and it manages to get some juice - so with a hangover from the devil himself it wasn't much of a surf.

Still managed to score some sweet waves on the way back afterwards along the coast - I remember scoring Wye River with only a few out , was clean, and just peeling rights into the river mouth.

Anyway, it was one of the more memorable Bells trips - there were plenty over the years, but that one was an absolute doozy - mostly for all the wrong reasons, but we still had a ball and laughed like drains for most of the time and even scored waves.

Anyway, I suppose that's what surf trips are all about eh, cutting loose, getting waves and feelin' free. Ya can't beat it.

Hey Fruity dawg that's bought back some memories. I'd just got my licence a fortnight before and bought my brothers HD panel van, what a beast and my besty and I thought hell yeah everyones gunna be at Bells, lets go the Johanna. Got some great waves the first day and then Armageddon surf comp apocolypse landed. We were surfing and my mate says 'ya reckon that bloke looks like MR?' and then it dawned on us fk yeah that's him and all his mates. Was mighty pist off at first but we turned it around after we realised we were surfing, yarning, watching our heroes in a front row seat camped out the back of the HD with easter buds, VB and a few quieter banks down the way if you didn't mind shanking it. Unforgettable surf trip to celebrate getting my licence and bro's HD

Select to expand quote

backbeach said.
Hey Fruity dawg that's bought back some memories. I'd just got my licence a fortnight before and bought my brothers HD panel van, what a beast and my besty and I thought hell yeah everyones gunna be at Bells, lets go the Johanna. Got some great waves the first day and then Armageddon surf comp apocolypse landed. We were surfing and my mate says 'ya reckon that bloke looks like MR?' and then it dawned on us fk yeah that's him and all his mates. Was mighty pist off at first but we turned it around after we realised we were surfing, yarning, watching our heroes in a front row seat camped out the back of the HD with easter buds, VB and a few quieter banks down the way if you didn't mind shanking it. Unforgettable surf trip to celebrate getting my licence and bro's HD

Ha! Backbeach - so sick mate!
Absolutely spot on - yep, you know that roady brus!

Trips to Bells, friend's mum driving , so cold when you got out that you couldn't move your fingers .... she had to do your fly up

Or ski campervan trip in NZ - similar TIGHTARSE (who had more money than the rest of us put together) who would have to be accosted before he would chip in for fuel , food, booze etc

Then one night in the pub at Wanaka, there is a whole bunch of young female uni students .....

" Are you guys doctors too? Your friend is buying us all beers"

Sounds like your mate was just waiting for the right moment to splash the cash he saved from not chipping in ha ha

Another category of friend that comes along on the surf trip - the sleeper - quiet, unassuming blokes who announce themselves and turn into hilarious characters when on the road trip after a few beers - the sleepers quiet often end up sleeping the next day and missing the surf altogether!