Mathis Riley

January 12, 2005

Water Water Everywhere

By Mathis Riley

Sands Beach was closed earlier in the week due to water toxicity. For surfers from southern California, this is not surprising - beaches down here usually close when it rains because of all the city filth that gets washe...

January 5, 2005

Surf Column: Johnny Utah

By Mathis Riley

A couple months ago Newsweek magazine rated UCSB the nation's #1 surf and ski school. You might have seen the ranking; it was accompanied by that classic picture of UCSB taken from out beyond campus point.

November 17, 2004

Trippin’ on Blue: Birthing a Board

By Mathis Riley

I haven't bought a new board in three years. Of course, in that time I have picked up the occasional inheritance from missing housemates and yellowing pieces of crap from garage sales, but I haven't had a brand-new, ding...

November 10, 2004

Surf Column: Irons and Rasta

By Mathis Riley

I have been watching a lot of surf movies recently. I totaled up the hours for last week and I think it came out to about 16 - yeah I know, pathetic. Surf movies are like porn: a poor substitute for the real thing, but w...

November 3, 2004

Trippin’ on Blue: Confessions of an Addict

By Mathis Riley

Sometimes I wonder what I am doing back here on the sports page. Surfing is not really a sport; it is more akin to some sort of addictive hobby. It is fundamentally different from the team sports that fill this page.

October 27, 2004

Surf Column: Trippin’ on Blue

By Mathis Riley

So I didn't have an article last week. My editor got mad, and I still can't figure out why; seems to me you can't hire a surf columnist and then be all surprised when he flakes out on you.

October 6, 2004

Trippin’ on Blue: Kook’s Upside Your Head

By Mathis Riley

Surfers have this whole discrimination thing going against beginners. We invent derogatory names reserved solely for those that suck at surfing. Kooks. It is not cool to be a kook. It is not cool to be nice to kooks.

September 29, 2004

Surf Column: The Ranch

By Mathis Riley

I want to start by stating that I am not giving anything away. Don't bother sending your angry letters accusing me of exposing secret spots, because the Ranch is not a secret spot. A huge chunk of pristine coastline stre...

May 27, 2004

Surf Column: A Ride to Ride

By Mathis Riley

Mexico is right there. It doesn't take any planning, all you need is a car, some cash for gas and time. The further south you can go, the warmer the water, the thinner the crowds and the cheaper the beer.