It took me a bit of time to truly immerse myself in the rhythm and mindset of this book.

However, as I delved deeper, it became more and more captivating. Weisbecker's main narrative is filled with vivid and diverse characters and settings. His reminiscence episodes not only provide background but are also highly entertaining.

The climax of the book offers a rather profound and somewhat mysterious perspective. The last 100 pages are particularly rich in self-evaluation and revelation, which can sometimes be quite painful.

This seems to be a moment where the counter-culture and real philosophy come together and have a few drinks. There are indeed some valuable insights and takeaways from this.

Overall, this book is a unique and engaging read that offers a thought-provoking exploration of various themes.

A deep, and deeply self-indulgent, account unfolds. It's about a good ol’ self-reverential surfer-dude's trek to find a surfin’ drug-brother.

I would have DNFd (Did Not Finish) early on, but the amazingly fresh and original writing that opened the account caught my attention.

Unfortunately, the whole shebang soon degenerated. It became a misogynistic diatribe filled with talk about drugs and surfing, drugs and drinking, drugs and other people's women, and his own harem of exes. It was probably a lucky escape for those women.

I finally quit when I got tired of the slut-shaming and skipped to the end. The end was more of a trailing off, with an epilogue added on.

Overall, I'm going to give this 3 stars. I give 5 stars for the great, original writing at the beginning, which I averaged with 1 star for everything else. This book had its moments of brilliance, but the negative aspects outweighed them in the end.

A fun wild ride!

It was an adventure like no other. The moment I hopped on, I knew I was in for a thrilling experience. The wind rushed past my face as the ride accelerated, sending my heart into a frenzy of excitement.

The twists and turns were like a wild dance, taking me on a journey through a world of excitement and anticipation. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins, making every moment more intense than the last.

As the ride came to an end, I was left breathless and filled with a sense of joy and satisfaction. It had been a truly fun wild ride, one that I would never forget.

I can't wait to go on another adventure and experience the thrill of a wild ride all over again.

Surf Adventure / Surf Epic / Surf Saga

This captivating story is a wonderful mix of just the right amount of back story that is expertly woven into the current adventure. It is truly well done. It reminds one of "Travels with Charlie" (complete with a dog), but instead of traveling through the US west, it takes the reader on a journey with a surf board through Central America.

Despite having a bit too much descriptive wording in just a few spots, this book easily overcomes this minor flaw and rises to the top of the SURF QUEST list. The author has managed to create a vivid and engaging narrative that will keep readers hooked from start to finish.

Whether you are a surfing enthusiast or simply a lover of adventure stories, this book is definitely worth a read. It offers a unique perspective on travel and surfing, and takes the reader on a thrilling ride through the beautiful landscapes and cultures of Central America.

It was fine, mostly.

The drug smuggling aspect was actually rather good. Even though I missed the beginning of it, kind of zoned out for a moment, it still managed to hold my attention. And the traveling part was also quite enjoyable. The descriptions of surfing were fine, painting a vivid picture in my mind. However, the descriptions of a teenager's breasts were not fine at all. It was super creepy and made me feel extremely uncomfortable.

Also, the writing was way too verbose. It seemed like the author was just trying to show off his extensive vocabulary by using every fancy word he could find in the thesaurus. Come on, brah, just keep it simple and straightforward. Sometimes, less is more.

Overall, there were some good elements in the story, but the creepy and overly verbose parts really detracted from the overall experience. I hope the author can take some of these criticisms to heart and improve his writing in the future.

Weisbecker's work truly stands out. It masterfully mixes spot-on descriptions of the euphoric aspects of surfing with detailed play by plays of all of his expatriot exploits. This isn't your average Daniel Duane snoozer. In fact, it could very easily be transformed into a big budget action film, chock full of explosions and near misses. Despite all of Weisbecker's drug and barrel filled misadventures, the story ultimately has real and profound messages about friendship, loyalty, and the search for what is truly important in life. It takes the reader on a wild ride, filled with excitement and danger, but also with moments of deep reflection and growth. If you own a surfboard, this book should be at the very top of your reading list. It will not only inspire you to hit the waves but also make you think about the deeper meaning of your own life and experiences.

Some really vivid and unadorned descriptions are provided of the various types of characters that, as a surfer, one ultimately shares waves, food (both legal and illegal), and the back of a van with.

It makes for a great road trip book, filled with interesting anecdotes and encounters with these diverse individuals. However, I couldn't help but feel that it was somewhat lacking when it came to the actual surfing part.

The author seems to have focused more on the social and cultural aspects of the surfing lifestyle rather than delving deeply into the technicalities and excitement of riding the waves.

Perhaps a bit more detail and description about the surfing experiences themselves would have made the book even more engaging and well-rounded.

Overall, it's an enjoyable read, but it left me craving a bit more of the surfing action.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas meets Heart of Darkness with a twist of Endless Summer.

It's truly not your run-of-the-mill travel book. Nor is it the typical surf diatribe that one might expect.

Surprisingly, it managed to hold my attention firmly. I found myself constantly eager to pick it up and continue reading.

The story is a captivating blend of friendship, surfing, and travel. It also offers a unique mid-life coming of age portrait of a character who could be seen as a Miami Vice bad-guy or perhaps a good guy on a quest.

There's something about the way the author weaves these elements together that makes it a truly engaging read.

Overall, it's well worth the time of reading, as it takes you on a journey that is both unexpected and deeply satisfying.

Whether you're a fan of travel literature, surfing stories, or just a good adventure, this book has something to offer.

It's a refreshing departure from the norm and a must-read for those looking for something a little different.

So, if you're in the mood for a book that will transport you to another world and keep you on the edge of your seat, give this one a try.

You won't be disappointed.

This truly is reminiscent of Easy Rider, Blow and Endless Summer. It is part memoir and part travelogue.

The author, facing a midlife crisis, sets off to find his old "partner in crime" who disappeared to an unknown place in Central America. Amazingly, he drives all the way from New York to San Diego, and then along the Baja Peninsula to Costa Rica in a pickup truck, accompanied only by his dog and a tiny house in the back.

There are quite a few harrowing tales about failed smuggling operations in the seventies. Their operation initially met with little resistance, enabling them to amass a fortune. With that, they bought a ship, a Lear jet, and hired a full-time ship's engineer. Imagine piloting the largest shipment of contraband pot (thousands of tons) through the Verrazano Straights, New York Harbor, and into Newark in a ship that resembled something from Mad Max.

Without spoilers, I really got the impression that the truly dedicated surfers were a very "zen" group who respected the ocean and the environment. That's why they moved further south to avoid the invasion of investment bankers with big vehicles who had taken over most of the prime spots in California and even northern Mexico.

This book was written around 1998, so I can only imagine that the situation has worsened.

If they were to decide to hand out prizes for the individual who purchased the most copies of this book, there is no doubt that I would be the winner, without a shadow of a doubt.

For numerous years, I have been persistently prodding each and every one of my friends, relatives, Romans, and countrymen to read this remarkable book.

If they didn't commence reading it immediately, I would somehow manage to force my copy upon them, and naturally, I would go out and buy another one. And thus, the whole cycle would begin anew.

Weisbecker manages to capture something truly compelling throughout this entire book.

Being broken down in an end-of-the-road Central American town becomes emblematic of so many other things.

I simply cannot express enough about it.

I have reread it once again. It is simply a wonderful book that continues to captivate and inspire.

I was given this book by a friend, who is a historical legendary surfer of Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu. I am by no means a professional surfer or a world traveler. However, I spent many years traveling from San Diego down to Mexico to surf before it was deemed "dangerous". I believe this is the reason why I found this book so pleasant and engaging, aside from the fact that Allan writes very expressively and well. He can keep a story moving forward nicely.

I think this book is truly fantastic. The author is well-spoken and has a really good vocabulary. It is obvious that he is smart and has an attention to detail. He observes people and nature in a very insightful and sensitive way.

This book brought back so many of my own memories of crossing the border, driving at night, and heading to some beautiful, remote spots in Mexico. Although I never made it as far south as Allan did.

I got really hooked very shortly into the book. I really wanted him to find his friend.

It took a bit of a heart-rendering turn in the middle, and I found myself reading many chapters in one sitting, unable to put it down.

I feel compelled to find the perfect person to give this book to. Somebody who is a free spirit, loves surfing and traveling, and will enjoy and escape with this book as much as I did.

Aloha.

I am not usually a fan of memoirs.

It is all too easy to fall into the trap of self-promotion and history revision.

However, this particular memoir is truly excellent.

It takes on the well-used theme of a journeyer who doesn't precisely know where he is headed but discovers it along the way.

I could directly identify with the author's story and thoughts, having had my own "way out there" trips and experiences.

Especially those tricky episodes of massive geographical and spiritual detachment.

I had assumed that building a bridge between the author's experiences and the reader's understanding through a book was nearly impossible.

Most people with such experiences are not so skillfully expressive.

But this author has done a great job.

Good job, man.