Surfing 50 States www.surfing50states.com

Memphis Surfing with Elvis! So we woke early, showered, and got our groove on back to Forest City, Arkansas. After heading in the wrong direction we finally made it, where Mr.Mechanic and the gang where waiting. So 9-am they start to work on the motor, fixing n fiddling, replacing and repairing. Hooked us up with our 2nd alternator for the trip, and continued to work on our rig. Forest City isn’t famous for its tourism, and we could see why. Our entertainment was watching the different characters of all different nationalities walk in and fire up conversations about anything from marriage at the age of 13 to tornadoes that rolled thru in 1974. Around 4:30-pm Mr.Mechanic was finished, so we paid him a little more for some new parts and we were on our way. Back to Memphis, Tennessee to try and surf then head to Nashville, Tennessee if we had the time... which we didn’t. So we rolled into Beale St, the most famous street in all of Memphis. After 5pm part of the road is barricaded but we’d been hooked up with permission thru Darren, JJ’s (our rad host) good mate. So we pulled in just before 6-pm, scoped it out and went searching for an elvis costume. No such luck, only plastic wigs n glasses. So we grabbed one of them, called up JJ to come down and surf with us and in the meantime Jonno got a shoeshine from Ernest, the local polisher. We grabbed some BBQ sandwiches from BB Kings joint, scoffed em down and started to spread the word that Beale St was about to be surfed. JJ and Liz rock up and we get this show on the road. Scrounge around the truck for random clothes from thrift stores, trying our best to look like Elvis. Strap two skateboards to the bottom of a surfboard, whip the camera out and we’re good to rock n’ roll! Whilst the ‘surfing’ was not extreme in any way, it was great to see Elvis cruising around his home town on a surfboard, and more importantly the people who we met on the street. The response was great, and at least 10 people surfed with us in Beale St Memphis, which we thought must have been some type of record. There were smiles from ear to ear on everyone that gave it a go, and especially the onlookers walking up and down the street. Our mission in Tennessee was complete, to surf, share the experience, and have some fun times. The party was not over in Memphis for the night. We headed back to JJ’s where him & Jimmy were throwin’ an ‘FMM’ (First Monday of the Month) partaaay! Probably 80 people rocked up for some good times in JJ’s shanty. DJ Tree was spinning the vinyl, or if you’re a true B boy then the decks of respect. Not really, I heard that in a movie once. But times were knarley and we met some crazy kids! JJ, Jimmy, Twitch, Clay, Aaron (DJ A.Boss), Rahul, Biggers, Alex, Alex, Anna, Brianna, etc etc etc all rocked it out, and Clay even performed a rad song on guitar for the camera that you just may see in the movie. He’s a talented guy, and got some great stories. Alex offered us to stay at his apartment, overlooking the Mississippi river. We were trashed, so we headed home knowing it was another early 7-am start, heading to Nashville, Tennessee. Cheers to the great Memphis hospitality, and shout outs to JJ for looking after us like a tiger would look after its cubs. 23 states down, 27 to go... or 29 for the Aussies who thought there were 52 states. BB Hunt & Elvis Durrant