Explaining Larry Linkogle is a difficult task. Explaining what Linkogle lives for is a challenge in itself. Some say that Larry is out of his mind, a ‘fucking mad man’ and needs to be institutionalized. Others find themselves dealing with someone who just wants to make the best out of life for himself, his friends and family. Larry doesn’t believe in taking risk, his belief is that; life is being on the wire, everything else is just waiting. While away from his Temecula Metal Mulisha Compound, Larry spends his time visiting his native friends amongst the shores of O’ahu Hawaii. Time out here isn’t consumed sitting behind the bars of a dirt bike; he’s here to surf.
MM: Lets just get to the background on this one first Link. You grew up riding, racing, freestyle, and now surf? When did that come in the picture for you?
Link: Surfing has been in the picture for me since I was a little kid and always has been a huge priority in my life. It had to take a back seat obviously because of living in Temecula and riding a dirt bike. Growing up I usually hit up Carlsbad or Cardiff with my 6-foot board learning the ropes. When I was in my teens I met up with Nathan Fletcher, who still to this day is one of my best friends, Trigger and a whole group of guys who shared a lot in common. We all lived for riding, surfing and skating and we all had a trade off of what we wanted to do. Nathan wanted to ride more and I wanted to surf more. So hanging out all the time really help push us in each others direction.
MM: In your words what do you feel is more difficult to adapt to, moto or surf?
Link: It’s a tough question really. Moto is super gnarly because the threat level, you’re going huge, you’re fast and with surf… you’re dealing with mother nature and you can’t predict what’s going to happen. You can fall on a big jump riding a dirt bike and eat shit but with surfing, you can fall and have mother nature hold you under until she’s ready to let you up. Another way to look at is like hitting a ramp, it’s consistent but still gnarly but with surf… every wave has it’s on personality and completely unpredictable on what’s going to happen.
MM: Have you considered signing up for this year’s Surfercross?
Link: I have thought about it because all my friends that surf are there but everyone I HATE from the moto industry is there too. I would rather just come hang out with the boys then deal with the industry kooks trying to act all rad in cool guy Ethica boxers and sick extra large gold watches. It’s just not for me really. We have some boys on the team that compete like Garland, Faisst and when Ox was around which I have always supported and been pumped for. But when it comes to me… over it.
MM: Who else on the team has some skill on the water?
Link: I think pretty much a lot of the guys on the team surf. Wes hits up Oceanside with me all the time, Garland straight up rips and I think he was like a State Champion in high school or something like that. Ox surfed all the time with Trigger in Baja and before he passed went out with our friend Sonny Garcia to North Shore and dropped in on some 20+ plus surf. [ Props Ox ] Julian and Dunne have been out a couple times giving it a shot and weren’t to bad either. It’s more than just surfing though I mean, it’s a great way to keep your core balance, hang out with your friends and have a good time.
MM: So lets talk Hawaii…
Link: Before I left I hit up the Mulisha team store at the La Jolla Group office and stocked up on some fresh gear for the trip. Every time I travel I always bring extra product from hats, tanks, boardshorts or whatever we got to hookup friends or fans along my way. It’s a good feeling to give back, yet alone make new friends and have them always remember Metal Mulisha has their back. It’s also another way for me to test out all our stuff like the new Unseen Boarshorts and the MM Realtree Boardshots. People where pumped on those and they worked really well out in the water! Big props to the Mulisha design team on those things.
Anyways, I hit up the North Shore for 2 ½ weeks and stayed with my close friend Makua Rothman. Everyday while I was there was pretty big and life threating. Pipeline was a gnarly show in itself everyday with surf ranging from 12 – 25 feet. It would be like going to Danimals Domain after Brian Manley and Dan Pastor have been out a month straight with tractors and water trucks. So back to talking about how big it was… gnarliest of the gnarliest should sum it up.
MM: How did you get out into the water?
Link: I wanted to get out there everyday and get something going, basically itching for it. I was hanging out at Makua’s pad and Nathan rolls over and is like “You know what today is Larry? Today is a perfect day for you to get swung in to one of these big ones! I’m going to call up Marky Mark and you’re going for it”. So I was like, “fuck alright” and sure enough I was out on the beach loading up on Mark’s ski looking out on these monster waves and choppy water just ready for it. So pretty much I went out as as planned and did exactly what Fletcher was talking about, got swung in and it was such a sick feeling dropping in and riding those waves. Larry Haynes was out filming that day to and I was lucky enough to get this stuff captured on video with his setup. He’s a really cool guy, super respected in the community for his work so over all… the experience itself was all time.
