Earlier this week, we shared Raspa’s tour video, “Eazy Lover,” showcasing a challenging skate tour across Europe with Levi’s. However, like any memorable journey, there were more stories and unique details from the road that didn’t make it into the short film. Here, Raspa recounts them in a travel diary format.
If you’re unfamiliar with Raspa, this first-person narrative will provide insight into how his spontaneous nature leads him into both thrilling and precarious situations. Keep reading for some of the most unconventional advice you’ll ever hear.
As you mature, your dreams are often met with skepticism. People start asking questions like, “Have you done this before?” or “Can we execute this as a team?” In our case, it was, “Can eight guys in a van cruising through French wine country, blasting “I Want To Be Your Lady Baby”, create a Levi’s edit while on a $20 daily budget, sleeping under tarps, in tents, and showering in strangers’ yards?”
The odds were certainly stacked against us.
At the Jenkem office, Ian [Michna] kept questioning, “Are you sure about this, Raspa? Do you trust these guys? It’s going to be a lot of work.”
“Absolutely!” I’d reply, though a bead of sweat might have betrayed the stress and nervousness I was feeling. But, screw it. Let’s go for it and stretch that budget. Otherwise, I’d probably just be at home overthinking some missed opportunity with a girl. C’est la vie.
I had friends in London who had been riding for Levi’s but hadn’t received much attention. We kept discussing this idea of traveling to the south of France and then making our way down to Spain.
Justin [Biddle] had recently quit his job and bought a motorcycle, so the call of freedom was strong. His friend Shaun [Witherup] was zipping around London on a Yamaha 250, ready to join the trip, with or without us.
Can you imagine the mindset you need to ride thousands of miles on a Yamaha 250? That guy was ready. Shaun also needed to leave his current environment, as some relationships need space, and sometimes you need to go to the ends of the earth to clear your head. I had just broken up with a girl and the other two were in similar situations, so we were all looking for a way out.
So, we put together some paperwork, Levi’s liked the concept, and everything was set. We were out.
I convinced Cons to send us a box of shoes for the crew. I hate traveling with excess baggage (I prefer buying my clothes as I go from town to town), so by the time I arrived with a busted bag full of shoes, I wasn’t too happy. But we managed to stay on the river in Bordeaux at Hubert3000’s place. We hadn’t received the money from Levi’s yet, so we were sleeping wherever we could, and Hubert3000 came through with a great spot, plus plenty of wine and cheese.
Bordeaux is a small city, and within four days, we’d met most of the local skaters. Some people said that Bordeaux was where Tom Penny and Ali Boulala came to hide out 15 years prior while filming for Sorry.
Bordeaux is also known for having a high ratio of women to men, making it one of the most difficult places to leave. We’d hang out at a Spanish bar, watching every one of the guys fall for a French girl.
We then headed south into France: Basque Country. We avoided highways, figuring that we’d find the most incredible spots that way. Dilly-dallying like little hunters searching for untouched territory.
We didn’t have anywhere to stay the first night, so we headed towards the beaches, illegally parked in someone’s yard, and took all our belongings with us. We made a bonfire and cooked the fresh food we found at markets on makeshift grills. This is how you reconnect with the earth. Brotherhood emerged from that fire, yelling, “Eat that sandy burger, you big dummy!”
We all woke up early the next morning. I was buzzing with energy when I saw the clearest, bluest waves crashing on the shore. By the time I thought of the idea, Alè [Cesario] was already naked running into the waves. I followed right behind. That’s the way I want to start every day.
Per diem in France disappeared quickly, but in northern Spain, we could make it stretch further. You’d see the French lined up for tobacco, which was half price.
That’s where we ended up. We could get a campsite for a few nights; one place even had a sauna. Naked Dave decided to dive into the pool while brushing his teeth. The pool was packed, and they all stared at us like we were from another planet. We were exiled, never to return, but what’s a trip without some crazy moments?
At night, we used headlamps and gave out stick and poke tattoos. We all fell in love with a logo on a restaurant receipt and at least three of the guys got that tattoo.
It was the rainy season toward the end of summer in Basque, but we had two locals guiding us around. People saw our Instagram and said, “You’re in my town, let’s meet up.” One guy was a party animal, the other was a spot finder, and who doesn’t like mixing business with pleasure?
We kept the partying to a minimum, as Naked Dave and I were focused on what we needed to accomplish. I’m sure I came across as militant at times. We needed five spots a day to create an edit. The spot finder found us a place to stay; he knew someone with a backyard skatepark. I’m talking about 3,000 sq feet of skatepark hidden away from the world, deep in San Sebastián.
We stayed there for two nights, drinking enough wine to pass out on the hard concrete.
In the morning, we continued moving southeast into Spain, encountering towns filled with older people. Apparently, there is some generational shift happening where older people receive incentives to move to Spain.
Our final stop was in Zarautz. Oh, the cheap food and ocean waves. A skater in Zarautz hosted us for one night. She ordered us pizza, gave us a place to shower, and it was at her place that the name for this video was born.
“Easy Lover” is a famous Phil Collins song that Charlie [Munro] already had tattooed on himself, but Alè wanted the tattoo as well. As soon as he got it, he sent a photo to his girl in Italy, and his phone immediately rang with Italian curses coming through the other end.
Sometimes on the trip, I would peek out of my tent and see Justin passed out in the bush, clutching a wine bottle, with rain pouring down on him. He was doing what I called the “open wound” of living. Wherever you are, that’s your home. You have to open wound it.
By the end of the trip, we were all open wound. Tourists would stop and offer help, but no, we liked the open wound. We liked this soil. And that is how you move on from anyone who tries to break your heart or anything that comes close to breaking you down. Go towards the dirt, the sand, and the ocean. Get down and open wound it. You’ll thank me later.
This longboard trip wasn’t just about skating; it was about camaraderie, resilience, and the freedom of the open road. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most memorable experiences happen when you step outside your comfort zone and embrace the unexpected.
Words by: Alex Raspa
Photos by: James Griffiths
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