Hunter S. Thompson claimed: “There is no honest way to explain [the edge] because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.”

And while we certainly know that’s true, we seem to have found someone who’s managed to straddle it longer than anyone, refusing to fall off or walk away from the precipice.

Christian Fletcher has been ahead of his time for four decades now — and is still laying asphalt that’s yet to be driven on. And he inspired us. He taught us to tread outside of our comfort zone. He would not let us be pussies and we had to earn everything. Through verbal thrashings. Sketchy motorcycle rides. Late-night juggling sessions. Lineage and origin tests to prove to him that we’ve hit the pavement before. We felt the burn of uncertainty and danger. And while it hasn’t come without its awkward moments, its uncomfortable stares, reverb and pushback from the masses and the underground itself; it’s reminded us of the feeling that we’ve been looking for all our lives. The urge that haunts us when we’re idle. That tells us something is dying inside. It’s why we surf. Skate. Chase waves. Girls. Bigger waves. Bigger airs. Stranger cultures. New experiences. New lines. All for that strange and invigorating feeling that comes postmortem to doing something new. For that deep breath. For the toast. For the story.

For that Christian: we thank you. Seriously. And we hope you all enjoy the stories and videos because the motherfucker nearly killed us (and still might) during the making of all this.

Fairly Normal: Christian Fletcher premieres Friday, December 20th right here.