iStockphoto / Tyla Clough
New Jersey surfer Ben Gravy just became the first person to ride waves in all 50 states across America. A lot of people thought it could never be done. How exactly does one go about surfing in places like South Dakota or Arkansas? Well, you wait for the perfect storm to cause rideable waves in rivers.
Ben Gravy’s got a pretty sizable YouTube channel with 81,000+ subscribers that he’s picked up organically over the years and last week he was FINALLY able to upload his ‘I surfed my 50th stage!?’ video after a 3-year mission to surf waves in every state across America. He’s also uploaded a cool highlight video (below) of him surfing across all 50 states.
According to New Jersey’s News12, this obsession to ride ‘novelty waves’ made from rivers, waterfalls, and wave pools dates back to his early days in NJ or riding waves from the Cape May ferry:
Longport’s Ben Gravy visited standing river waves in Wyoming and Arkansas, lake waves in Wisconsin and Nevada, a Texas wave pool and a Tennessee waterfall to help complete his incredible feat. He also shredded some traditional ocean waves in Hawaii and South Carolina. Now he’s back home, celebrating his triumph.
“I can’t believe I did it. We live in a world where stuff that hasn’t been done before doesn’t exist,” says Gravy. “I remember turning around and I only had Missouri, Nebraska and Alaska left, and I was like, this is real. I’m about to do this!” (via)
Here’s Ben Gravy, who might have the best name I’ve heard in 2019, after surfing his 50th state. Below is the montage of Ben riding waves in all 50 states across America, from sea to shining sea, a feat that’s never before been accomplished until now.
Alaskan Tidal Pool surfing:
And here’s Ben Gravy riding waves in all 50 states across America. Such an incredible accomplishment:
Ben has a pretty great presence on Instagram. If you’re into surfing, be sure to hit that ‘follow’ button on that Instagram embed above. Or you can find him here at @BenGravyy.
Huge congratulations going out to Ben on becoming the first surfer to ever ride waves in every state. That must’ve been such a cool way to travel see our incredible country!