Nik McQueScoring drainers is always great, but when you score them in Alabama, it's extra fun. Sterling Spencer getting deep an obscure.

Almost anywhere that water meets land (or simply more shallow water) is the potential for a breaking wave. In the US, there exist crazy, off-beat places where most of us would never think there might be surf. But at nearly every body of water capable of producing a fetch there are surfers -- die hards who know which storms, tides, and winds will produce a wave at their favorite spot. And don't go looking for a surf scene or a pro with signature trunks. Aside from the rare visit from the traveling pro trying to score some novelty photos, these are the haunts of blue collar surfers. They are the working class folk who grind out a living and still have the passion to deal with real flatspells, ice chunks, and ridicule.

Most of these sessions aren't spectacular, but every once in a while things come together. Sometimes it's only twice a year, but today we're paying respect to the dedicated salt and freshwater warriors who are on it. This really was a learning experience, and in building this gallery, we made contact with all sorts of interesting photographers from some truly unique stretches of the surfing universe.

Presenting ESPN Surfing's Where? Gallery