Road Storyteller Woodrow ‘Pack’ Landfair Brings Surf the World Tour to Foley, Gulf Shores Nov. 7 With Book Signing, Free Cookout

American road storyteller Woodrow “Pack” Landfair, who has spent years chasing waves and stories across the country and around the world, is bringing his Surf the World Tour to Alabama’s Gulf Coast on Saturday, Nov. 7.

The day includes an afternoon book signing in Foley, followed by a free public cookout and live performance in Gulf Shores.

Book signing in Foley

Landfair will sign copies of his book, “Road Journals: 48 States. One Ride.,” at Books-A-Million, 2524 S. McKenzie St., in Foley from 1 to 3 p.m. The signing gives readers a chance to meet the author and hear stories from his travels.

Cookout and performance in Gulf Shores

After the signing, Landfair will head to Tambo’s Surf & Skate Shop, also known as Tambo’s Surf Shack, at 3800 Gulf Shores Parkway, Suite 130, in the Pelican Place Shopping Center in Gulf Shores.

A cookout begins at 4 p.m., followed by Landfair’s live performance at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Landfair’s performances blend storytelling and music. He shares tales from the road while accompanying himself on a travel-size acoustic guitar and harmonica.

A quest to surf every coastal nation

The Surf the World Tour is Landfair’s ongoing quest to surf every coastal nation on Earth. So far, he has surfed in 19 nations.

The tour combines travel, surfing and storytelling. Along the way, Landfair stops at bookstores to sign books and share stories from his journeys, often pairing the readings with music.

Chasing waves in every country with a coastline is an enormous undertaking. Dozens of countries around the world border an ocean or sea, and their surf conditions range from world-famous breaks to coastlines where waves are rare and surfing is almost unheard of.

It started with a pawned championship ring

Landfair’s journey began 20 years ago, when he set out on a motorcycle after pawning his University of Texas national championship ring. He traveled through all 48 contiguous states, taking odd jobs and sleeping wherever he could along the way.

That ride is the subject of “Road Journals: 48 States. One Ride.,” published by Harbinger Book Group on May 12 of this year. The book recounts how his cross-country journey began. One review described it as “an engaging narrative that blends travelogue with thoughtful observations about life.”

Landfair’s next book, “Surf Journals,” is scheduled for publication in June 2027 and is expected to continue the story of his travels.

A fitting stop on the Gulf Coast

Alabama’s beaches may not be famous for big surf, but Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have a loyal local surf community that turns out when tropical swells, cold fronts and winter storms push waves onto the shore. Surf shops like Tambo’s serve as gathering places for surfers and skaters, making the shop a natural stop for a tour built around surf culture and storytelling.

The November visit also comes at a pleasant time of year on the coast, with cooler temperatures and lighter crowds after the busy summer season, making it a good weekend for residents and visitors to enjoy an afternoon of books, food and music.

If you go

Book signing

• When: 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026
• Where: Books-A-Million, 2524 S. McKenzie St., Foley
• Book: “Road Journals: 48 States. One Ride.”

Cookout and live performance

• When: Cookout at 4 p.m.; performance at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026
• Where: Tambo’s Surf & Skate Shop (Tambo’s Surf Shack), 3800 Gulf Shores Parkway, Suite 130, Pelican Place Shopping Center, Gulf Shores
• Cost: Free and open to the public