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Freedom Machines

July 06, 2016Stay Wild

Ural Russian Motorcycles have been on the road to freedom since WWii

Words by Justin “Scrappers” Morrison // scrapperstown.com // @scrappers

Photos by Jenny Linquist // jennylinquist.tumblr.com // @jennylinquist

Remember who won World War II? Fucking nobody!!! Especially the 60 million who died in the deadliest war EVER. War is dumb. Let’s promise to never have another one. Ok? Ok!

I’m a hippy. I was born in the draft-dodging woods of Northern Vancouver Island in Canada. I am wholeheartedly against war. I’m a freedom lover! That’s why I feel sorta funny in my tummy when I look at a Ural Russian Motorcycle and get a big freedom boner.

Ural motorcycles were originally made in Moscow by order of Ol’ Joey Stalin to help the Soviet army battle Nazis. This motorcycle and sidecar helped soldiers move more freely than any other land mobile. They were cheaper to make than Jeeps, easy to get out of sticky situations like mud and snow, and they’re the most nimble thing a couple folks could travel around in during either a blitzkrieg or a mellow ride to the mountains.

Ol’ Joey eventually had the motorcycles made in the small town of Irbit, out near Siberia in the Ural mountains. The town was ideal for making the machines because it was far away from the war, where the factory wouldn’t be bombed.

The bike’s parts were designed to hold up on bumpy Russian roads in those mountains, and major improvements have been made to the engine over the years. If you’re handy and something breaks, you should be able to work with the motorcycle’s “four-stroke, fuel-injected air-cooled, flat-twin engines, four-speed gear box with reverse gear, shaft drive, two disc dry clutch, spring shock absorbers, and disc brakes on all three wheels.” The bike is pretty basic and totally wrench friendly, but it’s fine with me if you just take it to the dealership for repairs and checkups.

Most of the machines that are still being made in the mountain town of Irbit get shipped to the States. Who’s buying them? Adventure seekers just like you! Battle scouts (that’s a job right?) used to drive these bikes out into the war fields looking for trouble, but today a whole now breed of trouble-hunters ride them.

The Ural is a true adventure-mobile. You can travel lighter, cheaper, and go down smaller roads than those big ass RV camper vans the kids are driving these days. Less is more, right? I like to imagine welding a surfboard rack onto a Ural and cruising down the Oregon coast looking for the perfect place to get wild and free. Maybe I’m just a hippy dreamer, but I love how these bikes have stayed the same during their journey from war machine to freedom machine.

Ride in a Ural sidecar for free at the Stay Wild EXPO >>>

Front Row Seats to the Dad Hat Show

July 01, 2016Stay Wild

My name is Scrappers. I saw Forbidden Trim in Long Beach while partying at the Agenda Trade Show and really want to write a movie review about it. Stay Wild isn’t a movie magazine, so this might suck a bruised banana. Enjoy!

A friend told me to see the debut of Forbidden Trim without telling me what it was about, but when I rolled up on a borrowed bike and saw tan long-haired shirtless teens in short shorts skating barefoot in front of the classic Art Theater. I knew this was a homegrown event. Sitting on the curb I watched the world famous Alex Knost walk to the theater with a big cardboard box of merch on his shoulder. I knew it was him because he walks like he surfs; like a yogi balancing on his pinky toe while the rest of his body rolls all floppy against the rules of gravity.

I sat in the third row from the screen next to a kind stranger who hooked me up with a free ticket. I thought this was way to close to the screen, but then Alex and a gang of other local legends sat in the row in front of us. As it would turn out they were all in the movie together. I think everyone in the theater besides me was in the movie.

Forbidden Trim is a psycho-goofy-stoner 1960s’-inspired super-8 war-spy movie with random footage of long boarding and fake volcanos erupting. It has a bikini prancing blond gorilla woman, a lizard woman, a non-Chinese guy dressed up as a stereotypical Chinese guy, a gun-crazed war vet, a ski-mask wearing guy called “The Russian”, and a shit load of dudes walking the nose to an awesome surf guitar soundtrack. It’s not for mainstream audiences because of it’s sexist and racist themes, but it’s fun and you should watch it. I laughed out loud a couple times just for the retarded-on-purpose-ness of the film and audio quality. I was smiling through most of the flick, but then again I’m a white dude from the Valley, so don’t take my smile or ability to write a bad movie review to seriously.

Much like Forbidden Trim the Agenda trade show is fun and you should go if you can. It has surfing, skating, bikinis, t-shirts, shoes, beer, and all the other stuff that comes into play in Southern California. Which influences culture around the world. It seems like a homegrown event, but it’s a really big deal.

Dad Hats: I’m a dad and I own a hat like this. I probably have to stop wearing it now that it’s “trending”. Pretty much every exhibitor and attendee had a dad hat.

Valley Cruise Press: They work with the most lovable artist to make the most lovable stuff, even dad hats.

Hippy Tree: Mushroom print board shorts, BBQing from a tee pee in front of the convention center, and knowing they will do whatever the fuck they want because they are not industry slaves makes me love these guys.

Magic Carpet Yoga Mats: You might know they make cool prints on yoga mats, but you prolly didn't know they make baby mats! Baby yoga is a thing. Deal with it.

Juniper Ridge: Our favorite wilderness perfumers had their mobile distillation unit (old van) out front of the convention. I got to smell their new flavors and products while listening to the awesome music of CAN. They were on mushrooms. It was a beautiful scene.

Shop | Strands: Round beach towels are smart and beautiful. Get one!

Sanuk: If these shoes don't make your feet smile you've got some seriously depressed feet. One of their new shoes coming down the line is the Beer Runner (seen in blue here) designed to help you not slip in the beer isle on late night runs.

Volcom Womens: Is coming out with a mix/matchable line of swimwear that's made of upcycled fishnet plastic. Talk about being "caught up in a good thing" (dad joke wearing a dad hat). Oh, and they've got Mick Jagger's daughter Georgia signed up as an ambassador (she looks like here dad).

Poler: They continue to innovate and other companies continue to rip them off. It's kinda inspiring. I'm especially stoked on the new bag designs, fun patterns & color ways, and this tuff'lill waterproof paneled hat. Check out the line on the wall, it's collapsable, so you can take it beach combing and bust it out if you decide to do a little beach clean up while you're there.

Katin: They've been making surf trunks for watermen since like the 50s', but they've found a way to stay relevant with today's adventure seekers. They make a dad hat that say's "No Problemo".

Mokuyobi Threads: These packs are designed for futuristic space swimming Olympic athletes, so it's hard to belive they're actually made in the USA. Mokuyobi's set up was so freaking grand that if we gave out trophies for badassery they would have first place. Round backpacks may not change the world, but they do make it a more fun place to live.

Landyachtz: They make a ton of different boards, but this cruiser made of salvaged wood really grabbed my inner woodsmen. I want one to ride through the campground with a firewood bundle on my shoulder.

Element: They've got core skateboarding 100% dialed in. That's why it's so exciting to see what they're doing with their clothing, back packs, and shoes. Nearly all the apparel has some sort of green aspect to it that they don't make a big deal about. Weather it's military, work wear, or street inspired their styles are designed to hold up to any sort of sweatyness your day may bring. Plus, it was made in a solar-powered factory or some shit, so you can sweat guilt-free. Their women's line, Element Eden, had this rad denim collection with designs "borrowed from the boys". Girls get all the cool stuff.

Fjallraven: They make remarkably solid adventure gear designed to take far into the wilderness and it's always cool to see people wearing their fun colors in the city. I got my legs waxed at their wax station (dad joke).

Mowgli Surf: There is sooo much love and joy in everything these brohs make I just smile and pee my shorts a little with excitement whenever I see what's new with them.

Treats Skateboard Wax: It just hurts my brain to look at these sweet treat and know that it's wax intended to be rubbed on a curb to be grinded. I would grind upon these treats if I was a grinder, but I'm more of a slider

All Good: These folks come up with the craziest combinations. Like a sweat shirt with long mesh sleeves. Why? Because it feels good dummy. It might look weird, but weird is way better than normal.

Jungmaven: Hemp takes 1/3 the water cotton takes to grow, so everyone living in drought states should wear hemp. I'm looking at you California!

Big Bud: Everything I love about the sisterhood of extraordinary sisters.

Rastaclat: Was serving this crazy sweet treat called raindrop cake. I ate one and it didn't fuck me up. This brand makes shoelace bracelets and are all about spreading positive vibrations.

BANKS: They just got back from Japan and have mastered the art of peaceful photobombing. This guy is the one who told me to go see Forbidden Trim, so you know they know what is known to be homegrown. Plus, they make fancy clothing that balances fashion, sustainability, and full-on function. Dad's love this stuff.

Shaper Studios: There's this new process where artwork is printed onto fiberglass that is used to make a surfboard. There is also this old process of making surfboards with funny sandwich eating guys in shaping bays. Shaper Studios brings the old and new together.

Our Caste: In addition to making awesome men's apparel they make a damn good dry bag in a big variety of styles. I took one to Hawaii full of camera gear this year and that bag is now my champion of bags!

James Brand: A knife is a super handy tool, but when it's designed well it keeps you from looking like a tool when you whip it out to be a super handy human.

The Critical Slide Society: TCSS is for Movers and Shapers as you can tell by this sweet piece of art by Sean Morris. They also win the craziest Aloha Shirt pattern trophy!

ART: Agenda is an art show too. I saw a wall-sized photo of a naked lady with a beer bottle up her vagina and some antlers on a surfboard. Aside from the fucked up stuff, it's nice to see stuff without logos in a trade show.

STAY WILD MAGAZINE: Our summer issue launched here. Check it out, we're on the rack with the big kids like Vice, Juxtapoz, Penthouse, and all the strictly surf & skate mags!

Goodie Bag: Nearly every booth I visited hooked me up with some rad goods. I ended up with more stuff than I needed, so if you'd like to win this goodie bag head over to our Instagram feed >>>

Long Beach: I love this city! Especially the East Village Arts District. I stay on the cheap at the Hotel Royal. The tailor at The Academy makes the only pair of pants I ever want to wear. Bob at Victorious always cuts my hair too short while he hums old soul music. The sidewalks are pure luxury to skate down. They have the smartest bike share program I've ever seen. The people are sweet as pie and always say "Hi". Heck, even the harbor rats are easy to get along with.

The best part of Agenda was the front row seating to the culture flourishing in Long Beach!

Backyarding is All Good

June 27, 2016Stay Wild

All Good makes apparel for camping, surfing, climbing, hiking, boating, road tripping, backyarding and starting campfires with corn chips. It's fun stuff designed to have fun with, so we took some of their stuff and had fun with it in the backyard.

PHOTOS BY ZACH EPSTEIN

More at allgxxd.com

How To Ride Naked

June 22, 2016Stay Wild

Portland's World Naked Bike Ride happens this Saturday June 25th at 8pm. So we figured you should know more about it before you go (if you're reading this you're going). The ride starts at Mt. Scott Park in SE and will follow a secret route that ends with an awesome sweaty naked dance party next to a river you can swim in to cool off. It's pretty wild!

1) Why are we riding? To protest oil dependency! To celebrate body diversity! To promote safer streets by exposing bicyclist vulnerability.

2) EveryBODY is welcomed to join - but only if they intend to ride. Driving to the start location just to watch or take photos like TOTAL FUCKING PERVERTS is fiercely discouraged. So just come to ride.

3) It's a FREE event, but donations to Umbrella are what keeps the ride going each year.

4) Volunteers are awesome and volunteers can still ride!

5) There are 100s of World Naked Bike Rides all around the planet. This one is Portland's contribution to the global conversation.

6) We'll be there riding with you and over 10,000 other riders.

7) "As bare as you dare" means you don't have to ride totally naked if you don't want to. Riding is more important then being totally naked.

You can learn more in the FAQ section: of pdxwnbr.org

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