BOOK RELEASE:

Mollusk surf shop: 208 Gray Ave Santa Barbara, CA 93101 United States

01/10/2026- 3:00 PM

Live music, raffle, book release, beer!!

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Two years ago, I began writing this book in the blur of grief, loss and love- wanting to honor Nick Simon in the most honest way I knew: through big-wall climbing, arduous bike-touring, through stories, through action.

Now, the work is done; a 160-page self-published adventure memoir. Every dollar from its release will go directly to the Nick Would Foundation. If you've supported this fund so far, thank you, we’ve raised so much! Now, let's finish this story together and reach our final $20,000 goal.

The Pacific Coast Search by Ryan Doherty Within these pages are stories behind a two-year journey to understand loss, purpose and a way of developing a deeper understanding of ourself. This story reveals adventures varying from an Alaskan Fishing season to a Canada-Mexico solo bike-tour, to a daring 5-day ascent up The North American Wall on El Capitan to an attempt on the colossal Fitz Roy in El Chaltén, Patagonia. 

These chapters follow the growth that comes from pushing limits and sitting with grief. The book holds honest reflections, painful truths, and precious moments of serendipitous connection. It's written for anyone who's searching- searching to heal, looking for direction. It’s a blueprint for how to take action in this short life we get to live. Nick embodied this idea the most; that adventure coupled with sincerity and love is all we need to feel complete.

I hope you read this story and discover your own inner-truth. I hope you feel inspired to take risk, to distance yourself from the inner-ego that circulates in our head, I hope you can let go, get lost in the text and begin trusting our intuition and prioritizing connection and love with the people around us. Nick did all of these things for me and I owe it to him to share it with all of you.

To Purchase the book 

1. Donate $20 to purchase 1 book 

2. I’ll reach out to you via email!

Who Nick Was — and Why This Matters

Nick lived an incredible 25 years. A skier, surfer, climber, climber, cyclist, musician, traveler of 30+ countries, and a fiercely loving human. He wrote over 50 songs, inspired strangers and friends alike, and carried a natural wisdom that made people feel seen, safe, and understood. He was an old soul and his love, warmth, humor, and zest for life were infectious and inspiring. Nick lived every day with gratitude, and humility, and made everyone around him feel welcome and loved.

He squeezed the nectar out of every day.

Nick didn’t just live boldly — he loved boldly. And those of us who knew him are still learning from him. The “Nick Would” Foundation is how we carry that forward.

About The Nick Would Foundation

The Nick Would Foundation was created to give people access to the wild spaces and creative pursuits that shaped Nick’s life: outdoor sport, exploration, art, music, and adventure. Its purpose is simple — to remove barriers so anyone, regardless of background, can step into the world with courage and curiosity.

Nick Simon was my friend, housemate, brother in spirit. A rare person — bright, kind, honest, endlessly encouraging. We shared a home in Santa Barbara in 2022, dreaming up bike tours and ocean-view coffee mornings at Ledbetter Point in Santa Barbara. Nick cared deeply for everyone around him, and he lived with a spontaneity and purity that left a mark on everyone lucky enough to know him.

Nick passed away on October 27th, 2022 in a tragic accident in New Zealand, shortly after finishing a long fishing season in Alaska. His spirit — his “stoke” — remains. The Foundation exists to ensure it continues forward, reaching new hands, new hearts, new explorers.