There isn’t anything quite like some good tunes while you’re tearing up some waves, the slope or a halfpipe. The right soundtrack can only make a good line better, yet for some, merely throwing on their headphones before they get on their board isn’t quite enough. These are a rare breed, a hybrid of boarder and musician, who feel just as much at home shredding on a guitar as they do on a skate/snow/surfboard. Here are some of our favorites:

Justin Bieber
I know it’s fashionable to hate on the Biebz, but before you begin with your long list of complaints against this child star, keep in mind that he’s proven himself in both sold-out arenas and on his deck. Most recently, he earned some major cred from Tony Hawk, who admitted that Bieber was able to pull off a trick that he has never been able to: the inward hardflip.

Lil Wayne
Another person admired by Tony Hawk for his unlikely skating skills is Lil Wayne, one of the most prolific rappers ever. Despite being the male with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100 in history, Lil Wayne still finds time to tear it up at his private skatepark in Miami. For only being in the game for a couple of years, he’s certainly come a long way as a skater, and this has earned him a spot as a playable character in the upcoming Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5.

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson probably has the craziest story on this list. At 17, Johnson became the youngest surfer to ever be invited to the Pipeline Masters, but his pro career was shortlived. The next week saw him get seriously maimed after a wipeout, losing many of his teeth and requiring 150 stitches in his forehead. During his recovery time, he picked up his guitar and now, six albums later, Johnson has become an established member of the surf-rock canon.

Seal
Seal’s no stranger to heartbreak, and odds are he’s helped you through at least a few breakups as you sit in the shower, mouthing the words to ‘Kiss from a Rose’ (come on, I can’t be the only one who does this, right?). But when he’s not healing broken hearts, the famous R&B singer can be found , flying down the mountain—yup, you guessed it—like an eagle.

Shaun White
The flying tomato has a band—and it rocks. He may have ditched his famous red mop, but the professional skateboarder and Olympic snowboarder has rounded out his trifecta of board-related activities with Bad Things, his surf-rock band.

Matt Costa
Like Johnson, it was a bad spill early on in his professional skating career that turned Costa into a professional musician. After shattering his leg on a 10-stair set at age 19, Costa picked up his guitar and made a demo tape during his 18-month recovery. This attracted the attention of No Doubt’s guitarist, who offered to record Costa’s first album. Since then, Costa has put out a couple of records himself, in addition to playing with pro skater Danny Garcia.

We were totally stoked to hear that Street League Skateboarding announced the first ever women’s world championship last month. It was about time, because these ladies have been shredding for a while now and were long overdue for some big time comp recognition (not to mention a shot at $30k).

If you missed the championship on October 4, here are the top four women skaters who crushed the competition that you’ll need to keep an eye on in the coming years.

First Place: Leticia Bufoni
Maybe you know her as the gorgeous Brazilian skater who made more than a few jaws drop after her recent photo shoot for ESPN’s Body Issue. That was great and all, but have you seen the woman’s inward heel flip? Bufoni carried the day at the SLS Supercrown World Championship, scoring 22.8 after nailing an impressive 360 flip. She left Chicago with a well-deserved $30k and an $11,000 Nixon watch, all smiles after her historic win.

Second Place: Vanessa Torres
It’s hard to argue when someone says Vanessa Torres is one of the most distinguished, not to mention versatile, skaters around these days. She made her X Games debut in 2003 and became the first woman to win a gold medal at the games— she took the street comp, a major victory in the first ever X Games to feature women. Her SLS appearance was stunning, and it’s safe to say that Torres slid into second place with her beautiful frontside boardslide.

Third Place: Alana Smith
When she was 12, Alana became the first female to land a McTwist in competition, which is ridiculously awesome. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Alana has always held her own when competing against the boys, so it probably comes as no surprise that she is the youngest X Games medalist ever. At only 15 years old, Alana is well on her way to becoming one of the top street skaters in the world.

Fourth Place: Lacey Baker
Lacey Baker has been kicking ass and taking names ever since her X Games debut in 2006, when she took third place in street at the age of 15. She’s come a long way since then, appearing in a ton of videos (her own video, Bombshell, is wild) and most recently took the street gold at the X Games in 2014.

We all need ways to unwind after a long day at work, and depending on your definition of relaxation, this could mean anything from going for a run to curling up on the couch with bae to watch a movie. Yet for those in more demanding, high-stress work environments, this often equates to an equally high-octane stress reliever.

It’s like the old saying goes, “after a long day of running a massive multinational business, all I want to do is get towed by a blimp while riding water skis.”

Okay, I’m pretty sure no one has ever said that, but if someone has, odds are it was one of these executives whose ideas of relaxation involve cheating death in some bizarre ways.

Sir Richard Branson, CEO, Virgin Group
There was no way Virgin’s CEO Richard Branson wasn’t going to top this list. Branson has long made a name for himself as the daredevil head of this venture capital conglomerate, starting in 1986  when he set a record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic ever on his boat. In the years since then, Branson has set multiple records, including the first to fly across the Atlantic in a hot air balloon and the first person to cross the English channel in a hot air balloon. He has made a couple (failed) attempts at circumnavigating the globe in a hot air balloon, and one time he wrote a goodbye letter to his family as his hot air balloon went careening into the North Sea.

Alan Eustace, Senior VP of Knowledge, Google
If you didn’t hear about Google’s 57-year old Senior VP of Knowledge Alan Eustace jumping from space last year, you’re not alone. Although he broke the previous space diving record that had been set by Felix Baumgartner only a couple of years earlier, diving from an altitude of more than 135,000 feet, Eustace pursued his private project in secret. Jumping from space is always extreme, but when one considers that Eustace was 10 years Baumgartner’s senior when he broke his record, it only adds to the jaw-drop factor of this executive’s stunt.

Jeff Taylor, CEO, Monster.com
Jeff Taylor is the guy mentioned earlier who water-skis behind a blimp. I’m not even kidding, this has happened. Several times. In fact, he’s the five-time world record holder for the longest distance ever water skied behind a blimp, which suggests there are other people water skiing behind blimps whom he had to beat to get these records. How has no one told us about this?

Nick Woodman, CEO, GoPro
GoPro has made a name for itself by bringing the extreme to the rest of us. This obviously wasn’t enough for its founder and CEO Nick Woodman, who can be found driving formula-1 race cars when he isn’t busy managing his huge, successful company. C’mon Nick, can’t you do something that’s not awesome for once?

William Barron Hilton, Retired President & CEO, Hilton Hotels
William Barron Hilton has led one of the most recognized hotel chains in the world, served in the military, and proven himself to be an adept pilot. On his ranch in Nevada, he flies all sorts of aircraft, from balloons to gliders to whatever very-questionable-looking aircraft is featured above. Good for you, Willie.

Sandy Lerner, Co-founder, Cisco Systems
Sandy Lerner co-founded Cisco Systems with her husband Len Bosack in 1984, and since then, it has become the leader in internet traffic, with 85 percent of internet activity using Cisco systems. As if that wasn’t a big enough deal, Lerner also got really into jousting. Yup, that thing with horses of medieval fame. Don’t believe me? Head to her massive farm in Virginia where she breeds horses for that express purpose.

Perhaps you’ve stood out on the pier one night and watched the waves roll in under a full moon. All of a sudden a shadowy figure zipped across your line of sight before getting lost in the barrel. You rubbed your eyes and wondered if you’re starting to see things again, before mentally reminding yourself to cut back on the coffee.

Don’t worry, though—odds are you weren’t hallucinating. You just saw one of the many adherents to the cult of night surfing. More than just an awesome idea for a superhero name, the Night Surfer is a rare breed: they often work alone under the cover of night, they avoid crowds and light, they enjoy the thrill of riding the face of a surging black wave, watching the dark infinite depths of the ocean churn and bubble as the moonlight plays on the surface.

So you’ve found yourself wanting to ride among them, wanting to know what strange pleasures they have found in the still night hours. Fret not, dear reader. You’ve come to the right place. This is the beginner’s guide to night surfing.

Step 1: Location, Location, Location
Night surfing isn’t for the faint of heart; it’s difficult to see how waves are breaking or any potential obstacles that might be in your way. This adds an extra element of danger and uncertainty to the whole thing, so it’s best to start in some place you’re pretty familiar with. On a similar note, while for many the whole point of night surfing is to avoid the crowds, it might be best to start by surfing a well trafficked area, like a pier. Not only will this provide you with a bit of light to help get you grow accustomed to how weird it is to be surrounded by the utter blackness of the ocean, but it is also probably a bit safer if there are people around to hear your cries of help in the event that something goes wrong, which brings me to my next point.

Step 2: Surf With a Friend
Again, while the nice things about night surfing is some alone time, you probably want to start with a friend. Even if it’s not someone that’s surfing themselves, having someone on the beach is like a vote of confidence. Plus, when they don’t seen you in a few hours, they’ll know which way to send the search boats.

Step 3: Lighting
Wait, isn’t the whole point to be in the dark? Sure, but depending on your goals, light sources can be a pretty killer addition to a night surf. These can range from anything to the headlights on your car to more professional options like stadium lights. These are helpful because you can actually see the wave you’re surfing, but can also lead to some pretty cool photo ops if that you’re jam.

Step 4: Gear
For the most part, if you already surf, you probably have everything you need. That said, if you’ve found that you’ve fallen in love with night surfing, there are a couple of new pieces of gear that you might want to add to your collection specifically for the purpose. I’m talking, of course, about LED boards and wetsuits. Not only will this make you look like something straight out of Tron, but it’s also a huge boost in the safety department.

Step 5: Weather
The best nights for surfing are clear ones around a full moon. The moon will give you plenty of light to surf by and it’s hard enough to calculate waves in the dark, so you won’t have to worry about the added chop from stormy conditions. That being said, nothing quite beats sitting out on your board under a new moon, only to look up and see all those stars.

So there you have it, you creatures of the night. You’re all go ready to hit the dark waves. What are you waiting for? The ocean beckons.

Have you ever heard that old saying, “If you’re going to break you face from mountain biking, you may as well do it somewhere beautiful?”

You probably haven’t (I just made it up, so if you have that’s, well, weird), but I’d say it’s a pretty good criterion for choosing where to go on your next mountain biking excursion. So in the spirit of this fake proverb, here are some of the best (and most beautiful) mountain biking trails in the good ‘ol US of A.

McKenzie River, Oregon
An amazing single track in the Cascade Mountains, this trail is about the length of a marathon, clocking in at 26.5 miles. The distance will fly by though, thanks to the lush forest scenery. But if you’re looking to take a break from the thrills this trail provides, why not check out one of the many hot springs you’ll pass on your way back to the trail head?

The Whole Enchilada, Utah
If you haven’t taken your bikes through the red rocks of Moab, you simply haven’t lived. It’s hands down some of the best scenery in the world, Moab is also home to the Whole Enchilada, which will take you from 10,000 feet down to the Colorado River. It’s actually made up of several trails all in one, and its staggering diversity is more than enough to fill a day: prairie, mountain, riverbed and forest, this track’s got it all.

Big Boulder Trail, California
The location of the nation’s longest downhill race, the Downieville Classic, this trail is perhaps one of the most epic in the Downieville network. It’s part of 35 miles of trail for your riding pleasure, and if you’re ever looking for a place to pull over and take a dip, look no further than the dozens of swimming holes provided courtesy of the Yuba river.

Lippman Park, New York
Outside of Ellenville, the Lippman Park system has something for everyone. Although it’s a relatively small trail system at 14 miles, there is a staggering variety of technical challenges that riders face here. You’ll find everything from tight berms to raised boardwalks as you navigate the forest, the level of difficulty increasing as you move up the mountain.

Trail 401, Colorado
Colorado is a biker’s mecca. There are so many amazingly scenic trails that picking a favorite becomes basically impossible. Yet if you ask any of the locals, there’s likely to be  consensus that 401 is a good place to start. Its 14 miles of pure, jaw-dropping beauty, with plenty of climbing (you’ll gain and lose about 2500 feet on the ride). My recommendation? Go for a night ride through the wildflowers during a full moon. You can thank me later.

Cuyuna Lakes, Minnesota
The Midwest doesn’t get enough love from the mountain biking community, but the Cuyuna Lakes system is reason enough to change that. Ride around dozens of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes and through thick Birch stands as you navigate 25 miles of trail, which ranges from beginner’s single tracks to runs extreme enough to nauseate a pro. Word to the wise: don’t forget your mosquito repellant. Or just ride faster.

Bull Mountain, Georgia
This ride is gorgeous. I could cruise on single track runs beneath the canopies of Bull Mountain’s beautiful forest forever. No seriously, forever. Not out of choice necessarily, but with more than 50 miles of trail in the Bull Mountain network, it’s easy to get lost. What I’m saying is, bring a map. Or don’t, in which case it was nice knowing ‘ya.

Look, we all have our preferences when it comes to picking a line to shred, but let’s face it, not all skate ramps were created equal. I know, this is probably a hard realization for you, but no one ever said life was going to be easy. So to help you through these trying times, we’ve ranked which skate ramps are the best in a completely arbitrary manner.

#1 Bowl
Oh yes, the king of kings, the almighty bowl. I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up, all the cool kids at the skate parks were tearing up the bowl, and who could blame them? The sheer variety of lines that are possible in a bowl makes this the big daddy of skate parks everywhere, and lets not even get into the staggering variety of bowl shapes, which range from the classic kidney shape to designs which seemed to take inspiration of Rorschach blots. Bowls are awesome and it feels like just yesterday when they were little more than empty pools… [wipes away sentimental tear].

#2 Kicker Ramp
Here’s the kicker about kickers: they’re rad. By far the most economical way to catch some air, the humble kicker curves just enough at the top to launch you sky high. It’s basic, but fancy doesn’t always mean better—so if you want some cooler friends, I’d suggest spending some more time by the kickers.

#3 Pyramid
Here’s a fun fact: the pharaohs of ancient Egypt used to grab their decks to bomb down the pyramids of Giza on festival days to celebrate a totally radical harvest. Actually, that’s totally made up, but if they weren’t using the pyramids for catching some sweet air, what was even the point of them (besides summoning aliens, obviously)?

#4 Half Pipe
Half pipes are like the perpetual motion machines of skateboarding. Once you drop in, you can continue carving up its steep walls forever, the speed you gain on your descent propelling you up the other side. Just be wary though of the danger in this: sometimes once you start, you never stop, trapped inside the half pipe for all of time. Trust me, I lost my friend Chad after he got stuck skating a half pipe for weeks without any food or water (RIP, Chad).

#5 Hip Vs Spine
So this is technically a tie between the spine and the hip. Both are great ways to break your spine and hips, but that’s not the point. The spine is created by two quarter pipes back to back. It’s great if you’re going for a long, straight run, but want to bust out a little something on your way to the finale. The advantage of a hip is the weird angle as you launch over the catty-cornered quarter pipes.

#6 Quarterpipe
It’s a classic, sure. But honestly, quarter pipes are the worst, mostly because you expend all this energy to skate up them, only to be relegated back to flatland after your brief, but glorious time at the lip. No thanks.

#7 The Mega Ramp
“Shouldn’t this be at the top?” You ask. “After all, mega ramps are pretty sweet.”

Totally agree, but the problem is, the only people who can afford them are Bob Burnquist and Mat Hoffman, so this has been demoted due to its, uh, elitism.

“You’re just jealous you can’t skate one.”

No I, uh, well, yeah okay. I’m jealous and mega ramps are awesome.

Weather is not a friend to skaters. Unlike surfing or snowboarding, a bad bout of weather can ruin a day of sidewalk surfing. Whereas storms only mean bigger waves or fresher powder for those on the slopes or ocean, the skater thrives under clear skies. Thankfully, tens of thousands of years of evolutionary processes have given humans a big enough brain to come up with a solution to this conundrum: the indoor skatepark.

Area 51, The Netherlands
Far from its namesake in the Nevada desert, this park in Eindhoven, the Netherlands certainly feels otherworldly, especially when you’re tearing up the bowl while it’s several degrees below zero just outside.

SPoT, Florida
The Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) is the spot to be if you find yourself in Florida on a muggy summer day. Besides the great A/C, the park has constantly changed its setup since it opened in 1993, offering plenty of runs for beginners and pros alike.

Burnside Park, Commonwealth, Oregon
Portland is no stranger to the rain, so Commonwealth is like a ray of sunshine to the local skate community. One of the few concrete parks in the country, Commonwealth looks like someone took Portland’s famed Burnside park and dropped it in a warehouse.

BaySixty6, England
Formerly known as Playstation until the sponsorship changed, this park was recently refurbished by Nike SB and rides beautifully. Whether it’s appropriate to classify this urban park as properly ‘indoor’ is a matter of debate—it has a roof, but no walls.

Cream City, Wisconsin
The Midwest knows the true meaning of ‘cold as f**k’ and it should come as no surprise that it hosts some of the most rad indoor parks in the good ‘ol US of A as a result. Among the awesome parks that dot America’s heartland, you might call Milwaukee’s Cream City the cream of the crop. Seriously though, if you’re trying to recover from your hangover in Beer city, there’s no better place.

The Block, California
The original Vans skatepark opened in Orange County in 1999 and since then, its wooden street and vert structures have become a well-known SoCal icons. Plus, at 20,000 sq. ft. the place is massive, so you never have to wait too long between lines.

Ramp1, England
Located between Liverpool and Manchester, Ramp1 is an indoor skate paradise. While the UK is renowned for its perpetually slate-colored skies, there’s plenty to keep you occupied here on a rainy day. With everything from a huge landing mat to a 112-foot bowl, the park has something for everyone.

Skatelab, California
Even older than the Vans park, Skatelab opened in 1997 in Simi Valley, California. Part of its longevity is attributed to the fact that it is also houses a free museum dedicated to the history of the sport. It’s also home to the skateboarding hall of fame and houses one of the largest collections of skateboards in the world.

Rush, England
Rush is huge—40,000 sq. ft. of indoor skating space, but that’s only half the reason to go there. There are some awesome and unique runs to be found at England’s premiere skate park in addition to a wonderful aesthetic. Hosting not only street lines but also street décor, you’ll feel as if you’re skating around Jolly Old England as you dodge street lamps on your way to the halfpipe.

The Park, Australia
Australia’s only concrete indoor park, The Park at Geelong in Victoria has plenty to boast about. In addition to being a concrete paradise for the skaters of Oz, it also houses Australia’s biggest Vert ramp and the country’s only Mini Mega.