#waves4all

Nothing like jiu jitsu to round out my workouts for the day. I did some DDP Yoga in the morning to make sure I stay limber. This afternoon, I did Speed Kills from the Onnit 6 BodyWeight program. Got to it later in the day, so I was still plenty tired when I made in to train with my favorite savages. All technique tonight. No energy left… 🤣 Thanks, Uncle Lucas, for teaching. One of the main things I love about jiu jitsu is also one of the things I love about surfing. There is absolutely no faking either. You either make the technique work, or you don’t. You either get that wave, or you don’t. The Adventure Mind ideal is all about doing the difficult and scary on purpose. That way you’re not as easily rocked when the difficult and scary stuff comes to you that you didn’t choose. This picture gives evidence of how much I worked today. My beard is all over the place and dripping with sweat. I’m throwing double shakas, as is my MO. The Surfight bull horns are overhead on the wall behind me. Photo credit: @aloya319 (Andrea Loya) @surfightjj @bro_nameth @onnit @ddpyoga @diamonddallaspage @trufit @athleticgreens @usasurfing @cafoundation @hi5sfoundation @stokeforlife #BlindSurfer #Surfight #Trufit #Waves4All #heroesofsport #TeamUSA #ProfessionalAdventurer #JoshuaTheJedi #AdventureMind (at Del Mar, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZtAkH6LZcq/?utm_medium=tumblr

My friend Matt surprised me with a travel bag for surfboards for my birthday. Matt,and his wife Sarah, are some very cool people. Also proud to be on the USA Surfing National Adaptive Surf Team with Sarah. Hawaiian Adaptive Surfing Championships are next week. I’m leaving Megan on the mainland,but she really wants to come. 2 photos here. One shows me lying in the bag doing a cobra pose from yoga. Megan, a black labrador looks inside. In the second photo, Megan has joined me inside the bag. @matt.bettencourt @sb10ct @usasurfing @surfightjj @expeditiontrufit @mikespikerman @gdb_official @stokeforlife @accessurf_hawaii #BlindSurfer #Surfight #HASC2022 #dogfather #Waves4All #StokeForLife #JoshuaTheJedi #AdventureMind https://www.instagram.com/p/CeZmW98vXsD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Ready to paddle for my first wave at the WSA West Coast Championships this last Sunday. Enjoying the moment just before I do. One of my most favorite things about surfing is the calm just beyond the break, and the appreciation of the moment just before the action begins. Photo credit John White. Thanks, AmpSurf, for the sponsorship! I took 1st again, in case you were curious. Pleas send me more blind surfers! @expeditiontrufit @surfwsa @ampsurf_us @ampsurforg @surfightjj @usasurfing @isasurfing @stokeforlife @hi5sfoundation @surfride @trufit #BlindSurfer #surf #surfing #Surfight #Waves4All #AmpSurf #heroesofsport #inspiredsurfers #JoshuaTheJedi #AdventureMind (at Churches Surf Break) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdq-CKyPzLZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Fun times at the ISA World Para Surfing Championships hosted by AmpSurf last week in Pismo Beach. This shot is, I believe, from my last heat on Friday. Photo credit @alex.johnathan For my blind/vi friends, I’m towards the end of my wave, just turning back to go left. My hands are in a kempo bow hand position with my right hand in a fist, and my left hand covering it. I’m riding a green board, and my competition jersey is yellow. Mad thanks to my sponsors and supporters. @kingspaddlesports for shaping me the board I’ll ride very soon. @hi5sfoundation for dropping the $$ on the board. @stokeforlife for kicking down the funds for a wetsuit and helping me figure out some of this sponsorship business. Uncle Johnny @surfride for the kickdown on the helmet I’ve worn in nearly every comp and making the Stoke For Life dollars stretch to get that @oneillusa HyperFreak I wore all week long. The crew at @surfightjj for toughening me up on land. @cafoundation for the athletic grant to make the training and transportation more possible. @trufit for the love and support through my friend and coach @expeditiontrufit (John White). John, I was able to give it my all because I knew you had my back. @teamtoyota for your support of Team USA. Most importantly, I want to thank my lovely and deadly bride @aloya319 for handling so much of the logistics of our trip, so I didn’t have to. Nobody gets my love like you do. If I left anybody out, please know it wasn’t intentional. I couldn’t do what I do without the love and support of many. Mahalo. #BlindSurfer #Surfight #Waves4All #TeamUSA #HeroesOfSport #InspiredSurfers #LA2028 #TeamLoya #JoshuaTheJedi #AdventureMind (at Pismo Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXg3ScRPsGa/?utm_medium=tumblr

Today, I’m thankful for a lot of things. I want to take this moment to express my gratitude for this adorable dog pictured just a few days after surgery. This time last year, I didn’t even know who Chance was. Through some surfing friends, we adopted him in February. We soon realized that Chance had some lingering health issues as carry over from his time on the streets and being mistreated by someone along the way. (Not our surfing friends.) We were not in a position to pay. I’m on an upward trajectory, but I’m not there yet. Through pure serendipity, we met Brian from We Saved A Puppy while sailing with friends in Mission Bay less than a week before this picture was taken. Inside of a few days, We Saved A Puppy had him in surgery to remove to growths from his face and eye, give his teeth a thorough cleaning, and sort out a serious skin issue that was baffling us. They didnt’ charge us anything to do this. Words cannot express how grateful Andrea and I are to @wesavedapuppy for the help they have been. We got our boy the care he needed. If you want to give to a local animal rescue that makes a difference, I’ve got one for you. First picture is a close-up of Chance, wearing his cone of shame with part of his face shaved. The second is of me holding Chance while wearing my leather jacket and boots. The third is of me holding Chance, with Andrea (my wife) close to my left side (on the right in the photo). The “We Saved A Puppy” sign is in front of me in the second picture, but the sign fell over a little in the picture with Andrea. All 3 pictures our outside in a park in Mission Valley. The web site for We Saved A Puppy is www.wesavedapuppy.org @aloya319 @wesavedapuppy #BlindSurfer #Waves4All #WeSavedAPuppy #DogFather #dogs #DogRescue #FurBaby #JoshuaTheJedi #AdventureMind https://www.instagram.com/p/CWtSN2_vu4b/?utm_medium=tumblr

Here’s a few pics of me skating yesterday. I didn’t even know John White took any pictures until later. My friend and coach is sneaky like that. Photo description for the blind/vi tribe: I’m riding down a slight hill. I veered left. And then I cut right. I dropped down low, and then I pumped the speed of the board by changing my level. 1st pic, I’m standing up pretty tall. 2nd pic, I’m down low. 3rd pic, I’m on my way up. @expeditiontrufit @surfightjj @trufit @onnit #BlindSurfer #BlindSkater #Surfight #Trufit #Waves4All #JoshuaTheJedi #AdventureMind https://www.instagram.com/p/CV_R1UIPcmg/?utm_medium=tumblr

Sundays were meant for surfing! Fun time in the water with some of my Waves 4 All ohana at our local semisecret spot in Carlsbad. So much gratitude to my friend and surf brother, John White, for helping me up-level every time we get in the water. Coach John is a classy man indeed. 1st pic is of me carrying my board on my head just as I’m coming out of the water, my red “Blind Surfer” rash guard clearly visible. The 2nd is of Chance, my most favorite little dog in all the world, enjoying the shade of the board while I pack up the rest of my gear. Chance is a poodle terrier mix, almost completely white and fluffy in the best way possible. Photo credit: @aloya319 @expeditiontrufit @trufit @surfightjj #BlindSurfer #Waves4All #TruFit #Surfight #GuardianStrong #JoshuaTheJedi #AdventureMind https://www.instagram.com/p/CUBi6rKJUcU/?utm_medium=tumblr

4 years ago I had my first formal surf lesson. In less than 2 months time, I would compete in my very first surf contest, the US Open Adaptive Surfing Championships. Today I got some valuable time at the site of this year’s US Open with my friend, surf brother, and coach, Mr. John White. 2 years ago, around the time of my last US Open, I stopped enjoying surfing, despite the fact I was doing well in competition. More than being a valued friend and a coach, John helped me to love surfing again. Contests or no contests. I’m honored to have him with me as my partner in the water for the 2021 US Open Adaptive Surfing Championships. This contest is near and dear to me, and I’ll compete in every US Open, so long as I have the option. A contest by adaptive surfers for adaptive surfers. I’d love your support next weekend, if you’ll be near Oceanside. Quick descript on the picture for my blind/vi friends: John and I are standing together. John’s wearing a t-shirt, and I’m in my poncho from the 2019 US Open. The Oceanside Pier is behind us. @expeditiontrufit @trufit @surfightjj @onnit @athleticgreens @hi5sfoundation @stokeforlife @cafoundation @usasurfing @isasurfing #BlindSurfer #TruFit #Surfight #Waves4All #getonnit #AthleticGreens #TeamUSA #inspiredsurfers #heroesofsport #GuardianStrong #TeamLoya #JoshuaTheJedi #AdventureMind (at Oceanside Pier) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTYgy0zHzi5/?utm_medium=tumblr