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JUL/AUG 2019
RIVER SURF|
THE YOUTH AT THE RIVER WAVE BY NEIL KORN | PHOTOS BY ASA SILVER
KANYON WIECHE
I like the wave because it’s so fun with all
of the cool people down there and being
able to surf in the middle of Bend. I just
hope that I can surf for as long as possible
in the future.
JACK ROSELL
I love the river wave because it is the next
closest thing to actual surfing, it’s just one
of those things that makes me and a whole
lot of other people happy. It makes my day
so much better to know that I can go surf-
ing knowing that I am landlocked. It is just
all around a wonderful thing to have a 500
step walk from my front door and being
apart of the surfing community. Everyone
is so nice, we build off each other and
progress into better surfers. My plan for the
future is to work hard but surf harder, I also
envision myself moving to a tropical surf
location when the time is right.
(L to R) Kai Huggin, Griffin Biancucci, Jack Rosell, Thomas Sickler, Fynn Dragan, Canyon Wilcox (not pictured: Kanyon Wieche)
A landlocked surf scene is interesting in that there are just a few in the U.S. In many ways
it is the same as an ocean scene but also very different. There is often a stronger and
tighter community because there is only one wave and it has to be shared. The com-
munity builds around one location rather than many. It’s where the young and old come
together as equals around a lifestyle that is known and no words are needed. It’s actually
a rather small community but has been building each year. The core of the core show up
on the coldest winter days because the wave is “green”. In the summer it’s when kids on
summer vacation get dibs every day while adults are at work.
If one thing’s for sure, the section of park around the river wave has changed Bend
forever. An entire surf culture has sprung up around this scene with surfboard compa-
nies like Cubicle, 3RD Law, and Bixby who are growing and thriving. Even surf legend
Gerry Lopez will shape you a custom river board if you can afford it. The scene includes
an in home surf shop like River Surf Company where you can buy equipment for surfing
because Bend does not have a regular store. Surfers from all over the country pull in with
motor homes and van conversions. Many sleep right there, parked in the street, although
it appears the authorities have been cracking down on people living in their vans overstay-
ing their welcome in one spot or another.
The culture at the river wave is here to stay, even an occasional out of town kook can’t
spoil the fun. Last summer, I was out at the wave and a visibly drunk, out-of-town kook
was just jumping into the wave in between surfers. Each time he almost drowned and
surfers needed to go in and drag him out. Then the “wave police” showed up. The person
was asked politely to leave and he did before any further authorities were needed to be
called.
These seven up and coming surfers are just a small sample of the Bend Surf culture. The
popularity continues and the community gets stronger. These young surfers love their
wave, it’s changed their lives for the better.
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