For the second issue of Soda’s online magazine, Erik Pearson decided to share a story based on one of his favorite extra- curricular activities, longboarding. When Erik isn’t running two salons, being a stylist, husband, father, and little league baseball coach, his preferred source of personal stoke is riding his Loaded long board on bright sunny days with his son. Don Tashman, owner and creator of Loaded Boards, based in Los Angeles, took a few minutes out of the joyous task of doing his company’s yearly taxes to answer a few questions about Loaded’s philosophy and upbringing.

The idea of developing a more versatile long board was birthed 7 years ago from Don’s frustration with his short board, which was his primary source of transportation on campus in New York City. The feel of the surfboards he surfed when he was younger as well as with the ever-increasing