Did you know you can surf in the great state of Michigan?

When Ryan wrote in about his hidden gem of surfing in the Midwest...we had to see it to believe it.

This was especially exciting for me as I am pretty avid surfer. I have had the pleasure to surf in epic locations such as Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Peru. And this experience was right up there with all of them.

When arriving at Ryan's "Third Coast Surf Shop" in the city of New Buffalo, Michigan, you would have thought you were in a small town on the outer edge of Cape Cod. A single lighthouse was the only structure on this secluded beach.

We suited up and paddled across the inlet over to the penninsula where the waves were suppose to be breaking. And sure enough, after coming over the sand dunes to the beach, there all four of us stood looking out at what looks to be an ocean, but it's not, it's just a really big lake.

We all dashed into the fresh water of Lake Michigan and paddled out for what was to be a great surf session. The only difference of surfing here and in California is the fresh water and the fact that there are no sharks. Typically when you go surfing, the biggest bummer ends up being the crowds. That's why any surfer spends time and money to travel to far off lands to make certain they are as remote as possible and have wave all to themselves. But not here, five people in the water is considered a crowd. And who would have thought you can do all this right here in the good old U.S.A. They might not have been the big waves like you see in California but I can assure you we were having as much fun as any surfer in the world. The saying is true, "The best surfers in the world are the ones having the most fun."

It was too short a time out there in the water with Ryan and his buddies. You can be sure I will visit again. As soon as we packed up and we were back in the RV I started texting my surf crew back on the west coast. "There is surf in Michigan fellas." They all thought I was joking. As soon as they see this webisode they will realize I am not.

Cheers and never stop traveling

Alex Boylan