Sundays with Von Dutch Paperback - 2007

Richard Karl Koch began his architecture career while still a university student. He abruptly transitioned to photography and spent the next 12 years as a successful architecture and lifestyle photographer. While shooting a story about the Santa Monica Pier, he decided to create the West Wind Sailing Club and School there in the summer of 1975. For the next five years he was involved with West Wind and with the Pier Promotion Program. He also ran (unsuccessfully) for Santa Monica City Council on his own "Save the Pier" platform, and following a major storm that washed away his sailboat fleet and business premises, he became involved in two lengthy real estate acquisitions. In 1981 Richard designed the "Wonderboom," a conditioning device for windsurfers that he patented and manufactured, marketed, and sold for five-plus years. In 1991 he returned to the less physically demanding practice of studio photography. Medical problems forced him to retire in 1996. As of this publication, he was struggling to convince cranky contractors to complete the small unfinished house he purchased in 2005 near the foot of Bartlett Mountain in the high-desert community of Joshua Tree, California, also known as "The New Bohemia" for its thriving artist community. His plans--if the house is ever finished--are to involve himself in his studio and in the activities of the Morongo Basin Cultural Arts Council, and to photograph the wildlife on his 5-acre front yard overlooking the basin. He shares his life with his much-loved and faithful companion, Buddy the Lightning Dog.Tony Thacker is the executive director of the Wally Parks National Hot Rod Association Motorsports Museum and the author and co-author of several books on hot rods and customs, including Hot Rods by Ed "Big Daddy" Roth" (Motorbooks, 1995), SO-CAL Speed Shop" (Motorbooks, 2005), and '32 Ford Deuce (Motorbooks, 2007).