General

THE HARRISON ROACH CHRONICLES: INDONESIA, PART 4.

Feb 13, 2013

From Foam to Fibreglass - A Harrison Roach Concept.

Thomas Bexon cross-steps when he mows foam. He walks up and down the surfboard blank as though he’s riding his 10’0 on a perfect, never-ending peeler. He keeps a rhythm and pace that I find physically hard to match. Just standing around watching tires me out. Thomas can draw an outline and turn a 10’ / 25” / 4.5’’ blank into a 9’6 / 23” / 3’’ in no time.

* Dust and sweat clung to his beard as I watched his steps in the shaping bay at the Temple of Enthusiasm. Thomas had strode straight off the plane and picked up a planer. We’d just gotten back from our travels in Java and were both eager to get to work on the first ‘Deus - Harrison Roach Concept’ surfboard. After agreeing on an outline he took to cutting out the rails. Next he lay hard on the planer and cut down the thickness to 3 inches. As the dust became heavy, I wished I had a mask. Foam went everywhere. The all important rocker line was set and I began to imagine how it would help to hold the board high and tight in the pocket. Thomas began his painstaking work on the rails and bottom-shape and the extent of his skill became obvious. This is where the surfer/shaper’s understanding proves superior. Anyone can shape a surfboard. I’ve tried, but turning-up and pinching a rail like Thomas takes years of practice. I was happy watching from the sidelines. With Thomas’s job taken care of and my board shaped, it was time to move it along to the glassing room. When Deus first began the surfboard factory one of their main goals was to create a world-class glasser. While they’d be the first to admit they have not quite achieved that vision, they have come a long way from using resin on foam like paint on canvas. Over the last three years Dues resident, Victor Hadiyadi, has arguably become the best laminator in all of Indonesia. Renowned glassers Alex Villalobos, Jake Bowery and all-rounder Rich Pavel have all passed through the temple and guided him on his way. Joel Tudor rates Villalobos as the best glasser in the world. Victor has certainly had some amazing mentors, and it shows. I didn’t give him an easy job. I told him I’d like an opaque bottom, tinted deck inlay, deck patch and no pin-lines. He took on the challenge and blew me away. Victor was all class, and for those in the know… his lap lines were perfect. All that was left to do was design a suitable fin. Joel Tudor once showed me how to blend the curves of two different fins to make a new template. I put his theory to use and ended up with a custom fin drawn onto a piece of cardboard. With the help of the Deus crew we used the template to cut out and sand the new fin. In the same afternoon we glassed it on the tail end of the board and voilà! The first ‘Deus – Harrison Roach Concept’ surfboard was created. * A lot has changed since Nat Young’s board ‘Sam’ was shaped in 1966. Surfboard design has come as far from bellied bottoms as Jon Jon’s mid-air pirouettes have come from Occy’s under-the-lip carves. Our team is influenced by every era of surfing, yet we don’t endeavor to copy or recreate old designs. We strive to take the best of what has already been achieved and mesh the old with the new. Our purpose is clear: to create modern longboards. Thanks to the efforts of Thomas Bexon and the whole Deus team, my new 9’6 is the best longboard I’ve ever had. - Harrison Roach

ENGLISH TEXT BELOW

Setiap tahun, teman-teman kita Tasix Adventure—penyelenggara petualangan ban berlumpur dan adrenalin berbahan bakar terbaik di Bali—mengadakan acara akhir pekan berkemah yang sangat dinanti-nantikan. Mereka menamakannya “ The Wild,” dan jujur saja, tidak ada kata yang lebih pas dari itu.

Ini bukan sekadar acara; ini adalah petualangan wajib bagi siapa saja yang mencintai tanah, tantangan, dan persahabatan yang hanya bisa terjalin saat tertawa melihat teman lain terjatuh.

Hal tentang The Wild adalah misterinya. Kamu tidak tahu ke mana akan pergi, bagaimana sampai di sana, atau apa yang akan kamu temui—seperti hidup, tapi dengan lebih banyak asap knalpot.

Tahun ini, The Wild yang berlangsung pada 7 Desember 2024, mengumpulkan 135 pecinta motor enduro, trail, dan cross di Desa Kopi, Tabanan. Tepat pukul 9 pagi, kami berangkat menuju Desa Gesing, Singaraja. Rute tetap dirahasiakan hingga hari acara, meningkatkan sensasi penasaran dan antusiasme. Dengan dibagi menjadi beberapa kelompok kecil, kami melengkapi diri dengan perlengkapan motocross lengkap untuk menghadapi tantangan musim hujan.

Perjalanan? Murni magis. Jalur berkelok melalui permata tersembunyi Bali, di mana setiap tikungan menawarkan pemandangan yang memukau atau hampir membuat jantung berhenti. Rute tahun ini menghadirkan medan tanah liat merah—dijuluki tanah "keramik" karena teksturnya yang licin dan keras saat basah. Untuk melintasinya, diperlukan teknik khusus yang disebut “paddling the throttle,” sebuah manuver yang mendebarkan dengan motor yang sering bergoyang liar. Dari kejauhan, mungkin terlihat lucu, tetapi saat di atas motor? Ceritanya berbeda.

Setelah menempuh 68 kilometer petualangan liar, kami tiba di perkemahan di puncak bukit yang sudah dipenuhi tenda-tenda peserta lain dan deru knalpot. Destinasi selalu mencuri perhatian, dan yang satu ini tidak terkecuali—tempat tinggi dengan pemandangan 360 derajat yang menakjubkan dari laut, gunung, hingga kota.

Saat hujan turun, tenda-tenda didirikan, dan malam itu diisi dengan berbagi cerita tentang penyelamatan heroik dan kecelakaan yang menggelikan. Dan tentu saja, ada balapan. Bayangkan sekelompok pengendara penuh semangat meluncur di perbukitan dalam kekacauan yang terkontrol. Balapan tahun ini termasuk duel 1 lawan 1 yang seru di sekitar puncak bukit, dengan peserta menyelesaikan dua putaran penuh adrenalin.

Bukan soal menang; ini tentang hadir, tertawa, dan menikmati momen. Para pemenang dan peserta tercepat yang mencapai puncak bukit dirayakan dengan hadiah, tetapi senyuman, persahabatan, dan kebersamaan membuat semua orang merasa seperti juara.

The Wild tahun ini benar-benar sesuai namanya, bahkan lebih. Petualangan, tawa, dan cukup banyak tanah di gigi untuk menyebutnya otentik—kami tidak akan menginginkannya dengan cara lain. Terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya kepada semua peserta yang menjadikannya pengalaman tak terlupakan. Sampai jumpa di petualangan berikutnya!

Every year, our mates over at Tasix Adventure—Bali’s finest purveyors of muddy tyres and fuel-driven adrenaline—host their much-anticipated camp-out weekend. They’ve named it “Wild,” and honestly, there’s no better word for it.

It’s not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for anyone who loves dirt, daring, and the kind of camaraderie you can only forge while laughing at someone else’s wipeout.

The thing about Wild is that it’s shrouded in mystery. You don’t know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, or what you’ll find—kind of like life, but with more exhaust fumes.

This year’s Wild, held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, brought together 135 enthusiasts of enduro, trail, and cross motorcycles at Desa Kopi, Tabanan. The route was kept a secret until the event day, heightening the thrill of the unknown. At exactly 9 am, they shared the destination, Desa Gesing, Singaraja, Divided into small groups, we geared up with full motocross kits to tackle the rainy season’s challenges.

The ride? Pure magic. Twisting trails through Bali’s hidden gems, where every turn promised either breathtaking views or breathtaking near-misses. This year’s route featured red clay terrain—nicknamed "ceramic" soil for its slick, hard texture when wet. Navigating it required a special technique called “paddling the throttle,” a nerve-wracking maneuver that had bikes swaying wildly. From a distance, it might have looked hilarious, but on the bike? It was a whole other story.

After 68 kilometres of this wild adventure, we arrived at the hilltop campsite already alive with the buzz of activity and the roar of exhausts. The destination always steals the spotlight, and this one was no exception—a high-altitude perch offering stunning 360-degree views of the sea, mountains, and city.

As the rain came down, tents went up, and the evening was all about swapping stories of heroic saves and laughable crashes. And then there were the races. Picture a pack of overexcited riders tearing up the hillside in what can only be described as controlled chaos. This year’s races included thrilling 1-on-1 duels around the hilltop, with participants pushing through two laps of sheer adrenaline.

It wasn’t just about winning; it was about showing up, laughing, and embracing the moment. The race winners and the fastest hilltop arrivals were celebrated with prizes, but the smiles, the camaraderie, and the shared triumphs made everyone feel like champions.

This year’s Wild lived up to its name and then some. Adventure, laughter, and just enough dirt in your teeth to call it authentic—we wouldn’t have it any other way. A massive thank you to all the participants who made it unforgettable. See you on the next adventure!