http://relaxedchaosblog.wordpress.com
will be my new blog name that will have all the past and present updates!
Tee Pee Sleeping in New Mexico
Rolling up onto Separ New Mexico was like coming up onto a ghost town.
Convinced that I was was 20 miles from the nearest town I was suprised after sleeping that night next door in a teepee that the convenience store was indeed operational and functioning the next day.
The TeePee I slept of the road en route to Tucson Arizona
About 30 minutes into my rest I heard sounds of styrofoam being pulled apart, it was a large spider so I decided to put my Tent up to protect me from any small insects that might want to pay me a visit to get warm, under what was almost a full moon night on the New Mexico desert.
This was the view from right outside the Tee Pee looking into the sunset over the New Mexico desert
Hearing only the slight breeze from the desert air traveling through the open area in the Tee Per, I was relieved to only hear nature sounds and not the sounds of unregistered immigrants approaching from across borders to hide from Border Patrol agents.
The view that I saw looking up through the ceiling of the Tee Pee
A common location spot for them to do so according to the front desk attendant of the convenience store adjacent to the Tee Pee.
Monday evening I’ll be arriving in Tucson Arizona and hopefully staying with a Sergeant friend I served time with on Ft. Bliss in the US Army in 20
09. I was Infantry or 11 Bravo, he was a Military Police Platoon Sergeant instructor, we got along solely because of our shared addiction to Coffee in the morning and ability to laugh at everything.
I will await for my Hydro Flask water bottles and also my iPhone replacement sent to his house.
December plus 2014 Re – Cap
This Blog entry will be General and Broad in narrative, going over December and early January in the Texas High Desert country as I break out of 2013 and roll into 2014.
Wear pattern on Back Mission Snow Bike Tire getting 1123 miles out of her
When I left Langtry, TX before Thanksgiving in 2013, I was met with bitter cold, mesquite needles and 1 unregistered immigrant that approached my bike in the middle of the desert at night. It was 30 minutes past mid night, Wednesday morning, November 27th, 2013, a morning I will never forget.
Wednesday, November 27th, 2013 pumping up tire with experimental patch that only lasted 1 mile or so at a time. At this exact location in the middle of the night an unregistered immigrant approached my bike that was leaning against this fence then walked away.
Again, my tire thread was already super thin, which did not help me against the debris in the road, forcing me to find a spot in the middle of nowhere. This was why I landed here in the first place.
Only option to camp [with owner permission] was inside a fenced area with Texas temps in the mid 20’s. I had sustained 7 flats in one day after the John Deer mowing Tractors stirred up the Mesquite Needles, after a freak Winter Ice Storm hitting Texas in late November.
Wednesday, November 27th, 2013 examining experimental patch that only lasted a little over a mile at a time into Dryden on this cold and bitter day with no food and a 29 mile ride into wind!
Maps to, water wells, highways and trails on the U.S. side, are some of the tools these folks have, that mostly travel at night under the star lit sky with little moon. Much less ambient light on moonless night, which makes the border patrols night and thermal vision goggles, less effective. I colorfully regaled my experience to agents all of the next day at the local Truck Stop.
Information told to me by a retired Border Patrol Agent, explained that when [citizens from Mexico walking to the U.S] will place their damp cloths caused from wading thru the Rio Grande, onto cactus on the other side to dry. One Retired Agent in Comstock told me that he use to dress up in Spanish Attire and cook Hot Dogs on the open fire to round up folks to come to him, then he would arrest them.
Also [The Spanish Folks] will also cut up car tires for extra foot protection, against the mean cactus bushes of the Texas Desert as they make their way to Interstate 10 from I – 90 which has little to no presence of Border Patrol, just Texas Farms.
Some of the [Unregistered Immigrants] team were broken apart from earlier Border Patrol arrests that November 26th morning. I was unnerved to hear soft sounds of human walking followed with hard sounds followed with human silhouette against the starry sky, nearing my bike in the middle of nowhere and close to the Rio Grande. My mind was trying to wrap around what just had happened after the sounds faded away into the dark.
Wear pattern on Front Mission Snow Bike Tire. I got 1315 miles out of her
The next morning I ran out of Food, Bike Patches and H20 supply down to 1 bike bottle of partially frozen liquid that had to last into the next town, 29 miles away.
To add insult to injury, I was in the process of experimenting with my tires on how many hundreds of miles I could ride from beginning to end.
Not fun when I was going through a battlefield of Texas Cactus and Mesquite branches knows as the Devils Walking Sticks all expertly camouflaged against the chip sealed, Caliche Mud asphalt, mix beneath my 4 inch wide obese tires, making defensive biking an invalid argument.
I was a powerless slave to the road. With each mile towards the the Cactus Capital of Texas, my morale was waning as was my blood sugar and ability to focus diminishing rapidly, I was having a bad day.
Being only 5-7 miles from the Mexican border, this 29 miles stretch before Dryden is frequented with Narco Traffic from Del Rio all the way until Valentine.
The next day after cold and a foreign encounter with a citizen the neighboring country, I limped my bike along, only able to ride a mile at a time before I had to pull over and fill the back tire up with air. Several Yards before each mile, was like biking in wet sand and the muscles in the back of my upper arm was out of energy from using the bike pump over 20 times in one ride, repeatedly!
Finally arriving into the Dryden at dusk, after enduring 29 miles on a lonesome Highway with no food and hardly any sugar in my body, the convenience store had no bathroom, no power with only warm Gatorades and Candy Bars of limited selection due to an Ice Storm earlier in the week, I was so defeated. The store also smelled like warming freon.
The General Store Owner [Tina] gave me her lunch that she didn’t want from a local farmer, who brought in Church’s Chicken. Together we sat and talked next to a propane heater, as I listened to stories about other bikers that travel the Souther Tier.
I met a local farmer [thru Tinas introduction] and was driven to the adjacent town , by Roger Glass, 20 miles up the road.
I needed to quickly replenish my body sugars and attempt the next morning, to get my tires shipped in by Fed Ex by Preston Fray, the National Sales Rep for Vee Rubber, he was out of vacation but pulled a miracle and made it happen.
The next morning at the local Truck Stop, I was able to partially confirm my immigration approaching experience with local Border Patrol Agents throughout Thanksgiving day, as they came into buy food. I always seek to polish my version of the story by sound boarding the experience with the experts in immigration.
I became friends with Roger and his Wife, where I stayed inside a guest cabin on their farm for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, totaling 5 weeks. The first night in Sanderson however, I stayed in the local hotel that had no hot water, unclean bedding that was ran by an individual who had a reputation of not paying his help.
It feels fantastic to be back on the journey . I was excited to experience Marathon and Alpine, TX. Today is the 9th of January and I am heading into into Marfa on the morning of the 10th after getting updates with my BLOG and VIDEO….thank you to everyone! Video shot this morning the 9th of January 2014 link is in green http://goo.gl/aEr1ex
First Colored Sketch
Recently I captured an Old Timey, broken down Wagon when doing a mini broadcast about Old West type scenes in Texas. This photo inspired me to break out my colored pencils with sketchpad, to see what I could artistically draw weaving the drawn image into a scene with several other elements I had in mind. I was excited to see what I could come up with.
Using Visual reference from a photo I captured when eating lunch off the beaten path of my Journey last week inspired me to doodle out an old timey scene with the inspiration I am now biking next to on my Journey.
With several pencils of color at my fingertips, a recently purchased techno song on repeat queued in my iTunes playlist, a fresh cold caffeinated Diet Coke, I started to sketch with a lot of artistic curiosity and a space heater at my feet.
At first, I spent much effort on the detail of the Wagon Wheel with two Cowboys leaning against it.
We all have to start somewhere. I spent a fair amount of time creating the smoke from the engine with a piece of charcoal chalk. I was having a hard time creating landscape to the left of the Steam Train. So I just started adding colorful fall trees like a maniac : ) .
Again, I was using visual reference from that photo I recently captured as I left Del Rio earlier in the week.
I discovered adding color was much harder than I anticipated. As was adding trees off in the distance. Fitting in Trees, Brush and Grass was a spatial challenge left of the old Steam Train approaching, that was already in the scene. Simply put, It was not working out to well for me.
Colored pencils are a tough in my first ever experience. I am sure I will learn better how to round out the Art into a presentable visual form.
In effort to counter my lack of Art Skill, during my first color sketch of my adult life, I added more trees with as much color as possible. Giving it a Fall time time, mexico type color feel. I just drowned out the mistakes with trees roughly placed in the 8 inch by 10 inch paper canvas drawing.
With all my fingers blackening from various pencil and charcoal use, wood shavings were now everywhere then I finally had the sketch as complete as I was willing to have it.
Colored pencils are a tough in my first ever experience. I am sure I will learn better how to round out the Art into a presentable visual form.
I have been hauling around the paper and pencil Sketch set since Lewes, Deleware. It was in this town that I traded a Solar Panel for Art Supplies. Not entirely practical if you consider size and weight. I am now satisfied I had it, for down times like these, when I stop the trip is stalled in order to wait out the threatening weather.
I have been inside a small trailer cabin, waiting out one of the worst storms in a decade, to hit Texas. Snow, Sleet and Black Ice to include high winds have forced me to be creative with my time in other ways.
This isolation has given me a chance to listen to several classical songs on my laptop that I have not heard and also watch movies I had saved, in a folder that doesn’t require an internet connection to watch. I also have no internet or cell phone service in the cabin.
The Final
Whats interesting about my unexpected bad weather layover, is the Judge Roy Bean Museum and Travel Center is a mile away in a town of only 12. Most of the Langtry, TX residents, reside miles away on open and barren farm land, in the hills several miles from where I am at.
I can only hear goats off in the distance where a town local raises them in a pin, diagonally across from the Museum. Also an occasional train, that is close to where I am staying.
There is a small Pit Stop store on top of the hill off 90, with very limited food supply highly overpriced.
My routine these last couple days is wake up, cook, eat and go to the museum updating my Video and Blog, then finish the day by getting essentials at the Pit Stop to bring back to the cabin.
Sharon Cash, the Pit Stop Manager, who’s father is 4th cousins with the late Johnny Cash, tripped over an extension cord backwards, when walking to the register to ring up my order and broke her left hip.
Immediately I called 911, sending rescue from the nearest town, 60 miles away in Del Rio. Also I called my closest friend, Betty Kuffel M.D. to find out further how I could make Sharon comfortable from the pain. Sharon simply asked for her cigarettes, her lighter, her ash tray and her dog that was pacing back and forth around her with a square toy in his mouth.
Also I propped her head up on a pillow from the dog bed making the hard tile floor more comfortable. All was as good as it could be given the circumstances, in the last couple of minutes before her closing shift.
She underwent surgery the next morning and the owner of the store is taking care of her dog. I left message with her employee to get well soon. The experience once again demonstrated to me how fragile life is and really made me want to go and visit my mother and close friends. Muah to Whitefish.
Winter Storm
Thursday, November 21st heading into Langtry, Texas where the weather dropped 38 plus degrees with 25 MPH gusts making me hold out until weather improves.
Recent experiences over the last couple of months have allowed me to truly dial in my greatest passion, which is telling my story through Film.
Staying true to who I always am while saying the words to the camera hopefully leads everyone to the point I am trying to convey, quickly and descriptively. I always tell my friends that we live in a 5 second world, if we can’t get to the mind of a viewer in that time, forget about it.
Thursday, November 21st heading Langtry, Texas where the weather dropped hours after this photo, 38 plus degrees with 25 MPH gusts making me hold out until it improves.
In the past after I would post onto my WordPress, I would then read through my narrative 5 or 6 times in order to polish up my story. Often time I would get so excited to hurry up and post I would send out the blast and edit on the backend, now I try to have the story polished before pushing the content live.
Thursday, November 21st heading into Langtry, Texas pointing to the Mountains of Mexico, where the weather dropped 38 plus degrees with 25 MPH gusts making me hold out until it improves.
I have acquired this new discipline through my film making. The only difference is I just have to take mental notes on what I can do better in the next video. I can’t just go back and change the video after I post it, at least not conveniently without it taking several hours.
I am doing Video instinctually. The backgrounds I pedal past are always changing and I can stop in a second with my hands squeezing my brakes on my handle bars and grab my camera and start shooting.
Thursday, November 21st moments before heading into Langtry, Texas where the weather dropped 38 plus degrees with 25 MPH gusts making me hold out until it improves.
Humor and human interest situations are always great assets to a quality and engaging video I would think. This Journey now has become a discovery between what I like to video and what my audience actually likes to see, I always try and match the two so we are all visually satisfied.
The bike and elements force me to be sharp and think outside of the box and can be creative enough to get folks to keep coming back.
Thursday, November 21st in Langtry, Texas where the weather dropped 38 plus degrees with 25 MPH gusts making me hold out until it improves.
Storytelling through the Film Making process is thrilling. It is starting to allow me to navigate my trip first through my Mind, Body and lastly through my eyes and video lens.
Setting up that one shot to best tell my story for that day, visually is a great feeling. You mind knows when you have done great work, it’s a feeling you get when editing. Nothing more fun than getting the footage and then hours afterward editing the moments that brought you to film the subject in the first place. Its like getting a great feeling two times on the same subject. For example it can be a waitress at a cafe or a person on the street, or a landscape that is beautiful enough to talk about. Im excited when I can bring that moment to my family, friends and blogger folks tagging along.
Thursday, November 21st showering up in this Steel Shower before heading into Langtry, Texas where the weather dropped 38 plus degrees with 25 MPH gusts making me hold out until it improves.
Having all the equipment on board to make it visually happen then having the uncertainty of how my audience will connect is what guides me.
A couple days ago I wanted to show a side of me getting ready in the shower, above the belly button of course and I had shorts on. Anyway, I had to release the little insecurity I had and just demonstrate this old time propane steel shower with me in it, located several yards away from my Yurt, which is a circular tent originally used by the Germans and folks from Turkey. My point to this is, is discovering what works and doesn’t work is what my Journey is all about on so many levels it is this intel I seek out.
Friday Morning, November 22nd in an abandoned Adobe Spanish Trading Post in Langtry, Texas where the weather dropped 38 plus degrees with 25 MPH gusts making me hold out until it improves.
Today, as I sit waiting out the storm in a re furbished FEMA trailer that was once used by a family after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans now owned by a local Texas rancher in Langly, I know what my next move is going to be after the http://www.relaxedchaos.com Journey is finished.
Thursday, November 21st carbo and protein load before heading into Langtry, Texas where the weather dropped 38 plus degrees with 25 MPH gusts making me hold out until it improves.
It’s thrilling to have a plan. I will let everyone know what it is in a much later post as I approach the end game of this mission first.
I can say this much, it is not motivated by money, although money and donations are nice, so feel free. Its motivated purely from my passion and the support of my mother who I love and adore and supports me on everything. At first my mamma was not happy about my Journey, then after a couple weeks mamma came around, thank you mamma.
I will start to warm up to a technique that might get a few more followers to my website after my video and narrative post. The more technical term I am taking about here is called hash tagging or hashtags which use to be called key words or optimization, who really knows. So I guess hashtags are kind of like landing lights at an Airport.
The theory goes without the lights or hashtags, you’re potential audience will fly right by you because they had no indication to find your location, in this case your website, blog or video channel.
At present time I have a slightly different philosophy and that is this. If what I am posting is compelling and captures the minds of my viewers then folks will share that content. If only they can trust in it being timely and consistent. I get excited when my followers get excited and I am in the infancy of all things digital so I have very little room to theorize any of this when people have hundreds of thousands of Facebook likes and YouTube followers. My most immediate goal is to get my content into the eyes and ears of unique followers, using my Journey as my modus operandi, to do so.
As I have already mentioned in previous posts is I have always enjoyed photography and is why I owned a newspaper for over three year in Whitefish, Montana.
Putting together paper deadlines which included all advertorial and ad creation content approved by the advertiser and ready to print, along with story writing and press release information to fill in the white space, all on a weekly basis, I had my hands full.
The paper averaged 20 to 24 pages in length with a 16 by 20 inch, folded tab format. My biggest paper was 56 pages one week when we ran a Historical Edition on Whitefish that also contained 74 paid advertisement. I worked 70 plus hour strait with two other to make this happen, it was coffee, pizza and a lot of passion floating around my two bedroom apartment that was also the office, that is where the discipline came in.
The passion to tell the story, carried me through the low times, when folks would normally quit. Recently I had an old friend combine two small town newspapers into one back in my hometown and only lasted 7 months before he had to close for reasons unknown. I can say that you can make a paper happen if you detach from any expectation of payment or money so you land in your creative space every time you publish, then it might spark and take off. However it is in the uncertainty of failure or success that you either make it or don’t, this was my experience. I was bought out, so my publishing career I felt was a winning decision to do.
Telling human interest stories weekly, about local people and sometimes city politics, through a camera and a note pad for factual narrative and cutlines took a lot of energy.
If I had to do the Newspaper business over, I would have added video to my Newspaper. During the time I was running my local tab from 2003 thru 2006, was about the time Youtube was founded, by three guys over the weekend on a ski trip, in Colorado.
Now I have advanced my craft through desire, on my bicycle Journey, to tell what I am doing in 60 frames per second with sound and motion. This is a perfect combination and upward progression for all the senses and Journalistic passion I produce.
During the of the Journey when I started September 7 of 2012 I filmed, but did not export or upload any of my video content online, regularly.
Now, after sealing in my passion, my true desire to story tell uploading the video is progressively electrical. I am slowly starting to perfect my craft which, will take a lifetime and one of two things will happen. Folks with like or dislike. my online analytic data doesn’t lie and doesn’t care if you get your heart broken, that is why I detach from any and all expectation and just do my Journey.
Video to this VLOG POST is here http://goo.gl/iXuecl
My senses are now firing, which I absolutely love. Now I can be anywhere and have equal excitement to tell it all and cook a great meal to boot. Recipes I have acquired my entire life working worldwide as a personal trainer.
My Snow Bike is merely a tool to place me into the compelling backdrops around the Perimeter of America at any hour, any situation, any weather condition enabling me to film, photograph and write narrative. Biking is much lower on the scale of what I like to do, however it is biking that is the car. It allows my body to be in motion, get oxygen to my brain and gain fresh perspective and motivations to continue. I have proven to myself my own
I then talk into my camera about various locations that I find interesting. Folks online then can enjoy my raw and unscripted words talking about whatever. Mostly my impression of the moment as it happens.
Im always trying to capture fun thought within moments of it happening. Looking for an angle that is unique and not overdone. I love to be original in everything I do, that does not seemed forced. For me, the thrill of the adventure is what excites me.
This week, I went into an old 1930s Trading Post that had no roof in 38 degree weather and 25 – 30 Mile Per hour wind gusts to set up a scene. After I set it up, I sat down with a hot coffee warming my ungloved hands. Every other part of me was triple layered and still felt the unforgiving wind blowing across the Frontier land of Mexico and the US and onto my skin.
The chipped Adobe walls along with old couch, table and surfboard behind me with window looking out was exactly the Wild West, Spanish feel I was looking for. I have to take these days off from biking to be better comfortable and wait out the weather. My food is limited and might have to call in a favor from a Blog Follower, to run supply up to me in this remote land of 15 people, where the temperature has dropped from 79 to 38 degrees with winds 25 – 30, according to the report, give or take a couple degrees, as I wait it out.
U.S. Mexico Border Town Arrival
Wednesday, November 13th, 2013 at a Private Residence on Ft. Clark in Brackettville. Standing with me is Retired Special Force Army Ranger, gave me the Grand Tour of the Decomissioned Fort and met stay in his Guest Home. Many thanks to him and his wife for the great night of stay.
Arriving into Brackettville, Texas after fairing the windy and lonely 48 miles of Barren and Desert Highway from Camp Wood to here, I was pleased to be back into civilization. Now, Im only miles from Del Rio and The U.S. and Mexico Border at the time of this Blog Post. I was a feeling a little tired from less than average night of sleep in Camp Wood, due to the large number of crowing Roosters that had no specific time when to sound off, just every 30 seconds all night prior. The Owner of the restaurant offered 50 % off to all Veterans and afterwards, I stayed next to his land on a patch of grass under an Oak Tree by his lighted sign that said, BIKERS WELCOME, meant for the Motorized kind.
Thursday, November 14th, 2013 camping near the U.S. Mexican Border between Brackettville and Del Rio. It was a chili 38 degrees in this picture.
The Red Arrow Indicates where I was standing and stayed a night as a guest at private residence on Ft. Clark.
Windy, 49 degree cold greeted me in Brackettville, as I waited in a dimly lighted area next to an alternative school to be picked up by a retired Army Officer, Special Force, Ranger and taken to his families private residents on Ft. Clark. After passing through a guarded check point I was in a safe zone, I loved it.
His wife works at the Historical Society on Ft. Clark, so after a pizza dinner we watched old historical films about the Fort and a documentary on the surrounding area.
Thursday, November 14th, 2013 camping near the U.S. Mexican Border between Brackettville and Del Rio. It was a chili 38 degrees in this picture.
Additionally, I was explained about some of the dangers of going to close to the border of Mexico. So much of me wants to go into Mexico to do a little piece on Medical Tourism and the cost of Dental in Mexico versus the United States.
People in Del Rio come from all over the country and mid West, stay in hotels and get transported into Mexico by a Bi lingual , dual citizen women who owns a Dental Clinic in Mexico and splits the profit 50/50 with her Dentists. Also a CROWN IS $267 U.S. Dollars and makes getting one or a few, a no brainer. Now that I realize it is safe to do so and United States Citizens are doing it. So many people are doing this from the U.S. side into Mexico.
I left Brackettville and biked only a short distance before I decided to camp in the only patch of trees between Brackettville and Del Rio. You only fear what you don’t know, so going into a town when the sky is dark, was not how I wanted to end my day.
Border Patrol Officers look for disruption in the gravel dirt road that looks a lot like a ski resort after a Snow Groomer has plowed over the snow. You see the surface is purposely unpaved and well defined with finer dirt. These dirt roads parallel Highway 90, into Del Rio. After speaking to Border Patrol officers directly, they mention they look for folks coming in from Mexico carrying Heroin, Meth, Marijuana or other Contra Band.
Also another interesting fact is because the weather is changing from Fall to Winter, it takes a month or so for folks from Mexico to get use to the cooling water temps. Attempts to crossover into the U.S. around Christmas time is more frequent that right now, inter fall season.
Sometimes folks come into the U.S. just looking for work and a better way of life in the form of simple work. I could hear sounds of gravel cracking [2 times throughout the night] as a couple of U.S. Border Patrol S.U.V’s crept near my camping spot, kicking up little dust, under the starry night.
Thursday, November 14th, 2013. I was on the road biking into Del Rio, when capturing this image. You can see the Pilots in this T – 38 Super Sonic Air Force Jet – Flying into Laughlin, AFB into wind and cloudy blue skies above.
The next morning, going into Del Rio, I saw T- 38’s flying in formation over my head. They are USAF Lightweight Jet Fighters. Also saw someT- 6 Military Prop Planes.The brisk blue skies as the backdrop for these Aircraft made for an awesome entrance into Del Rio, where everywhere you look reminds you of the Old West. The arrival video and the video of the T-38’s click link ———> http://youtu.be/PJ6Zych14wU
Thursday, November 14th, 2013 Another angle as this T – 38 goes overhead for a landing.
Old rusted out cars sit untouched, in lots where the grass looks like an unkept Wheat Field. Vacant and abandoned business structures sit near or adjoining, boarded up with No Trespassing and For Sale Signs on the overgrown grass in between rusted out cars and old farming equipment, mostly, I observed.
Wednesday, November 13th, 2013 as I made my way to Del Rio!
My first night I spent at a nice Motel in Del Rio. I did this to help my mind and body adjust from being so close to Mexico. Also I ate Mexican Dinner next door to the Motel where the servers Father, lives in the Mexican Village of Ciudad Acuna, Mexico.
In Mexico, he runs a successful Mexican Cockfighting outfit and Gambling Business, to a U.S. Citizen that sounds horrifying Michael Vick Style, in Mexico, a way of life.
Also he sells branded clothing during the Rooster Fights for additional profit from the betting patrons of the Gambling audience. However his day Job, is cooking great Mexican food on the U.S. side of the border, where he works with his daughter who said she will not go into Mexico because it is to dangerous. I enjoyed the food a lot, very authentic.
I was happy with a great dinner and stories of across the border. I did decide to not go into Mexico due to time constraints. Also I know if I want to get the feel of Mexico, I will have more opportunities as I head to El Paso.
Also the video of me leaving Del Rio into Comstock link ——-> http://youtu.be/kzxQylHU3-0
Underwater River Bike Action
Sunday, November 10th in the Frio River near Leakey, TX. I was determined to test out my low angle video mount for my bike I created at a local hardware store.
I was determined in a small Country Mountain town of Texas, to get the low angle underwater video shot I wanted, in a section of river that was a little visual paradise.
Motivated from the scenery and the fact I needed to do this anyway, I created a low angle video mount out of plumbing pipe from the small town hardware store. Suddenly I was not going to leave until I could experience the fruits of my labor, edited and up on the internet from a signal I was barley able to receive from the neighboring vacation cabins a slight distance from this river on the edge of the Bluff.
Sunday, November 10th in the Frio River near Leakey, TX. I was determined to test out my low angle video mount for my bike I created at a local hardware store.
The sunlight was non existent under the milky, white, creamy clouds above, so I knew I had to wait for better light. So I waited another day, next to the River for the sunlight to start shining down from early afternoon Texas skies. I so need great light for underwater video and photos in order to show the beauty of the changing Cyprus Trees that align the shallowing rivers edge, for miles.
Sunday, November 10th in the Frio River near Leakey, TX. I was determined to test out my low angle video mount for my bike I created at a local hardware store. TIRE is LEFT of Photo.
Pleasantly surprised by the reel feel of the river temp, I ended up staying longer and filmed more of me under water of the Cypress Trees, where the Bass and smaller fish like to hide. I could see everything. Also, I am sure that the fish did not understand what was in their river.
Sunday, November 10th in the Frio River near Leakey, TX. I was determined to test out my low angle video mount for my bike I created at a local hardware store.
So my underwater mount, made out of plumbing parts passed the test. Also I realized that I can only bike in two feet of water. My bike can also be used as a make shift life preserver, if I end up falling into a creek, river or Ocean that I can’t quit get my body out of.
I will pass rivers, creeks and an ocean shores, multiple times, for the remainder of my www.relaxedchaos.com Journey. I was happy with the results and having the opportunity to understand my bike and mission, just a little more.
Sunday, November 10th in the Frio River near Leakey, TX. I was determined to test out my low angle video mount for my bike I created at a local hardware store.
It was hysterical trying to bike in 4 feet of water. My Snow Bike tires made that task near impossible, unless I could weigh the bike down with something heavier than me.
I am slowly starting to evolve my creative side each day. Please Like my Relaxed Chaos Facebook, if you enjoy what you are seeing and reading. The Shortened Video URL to this 2 minute and 47 Second Video is on this link http://goo.gl/aOaWTS
November 9th, 2013 A Lower Bike Attachment on bike to capture a low angle in water. 3 hours later at a hardware store.
Location and Weather
Wednesday, November 8th, 2013 This Shot I captured on top of a hill from about 400 yards away. I believe these animals were on a ranch that had high fences, still a fun photo regardless.
Recently, I was sitting poolside at the Historic Leakey Inn, after biking 50 miles in the Hill Country of West Texas from Hunt.
And got to laughing at the small town Politics and colorful round table conversations that are everywhere, amongst small business owners, all trying to get a piece of the pie in a town of only 475 people.
A local Nurse Practitioner, who works in Leakey and I went to lunch with two of her staff. I was able to eat at three [3] different restaurants in the 2 days I have been here, in that time, you get to hear and see it all.
Friday, November 8th, 2013 crossing over the Frio River in 1 to 2 feet of Water.
Conversations about everything you need to know are easy to catch in smaller towns. I have found in my experience, personalities and people meeting at the Grass Roots level is harder to happen where population density is greater. Simply put, its harder to connect the dots with people and things, however in small towns, game on!
Having been in small towns for the majority of my Journey simply because my map directs me off the main drag, Im usually placed in smaller and more desirable towns.
November 9th, 2013 A Lower Bike Attachment I designed, on bike, to capture a low angle in water. 3 hours later at a hardware store.
This weekend I have been scouting locations to bike in the Frio River to experiment with my bikes underwater capabilities for my VLOG. I now venture forth knowing that what I see, I have technology on board my bike to bring my world to my online audience about 24 hours later, its thrilling actually.
My first river location was amazing, outside of forgetting how to get back to it and film with the dimming light of the West Texas Sky. I forgot this location because I was in a car and the terrain I did not dedicate to memory. My cell phone does not work in this part of Texas so it instinctual navigation.
So I settled on another location at the tail end of the evening. I only had minutes to set up two cameras and bike through 2 feet of water. This average work of my effort is at this link here….im not overly impressed with the results…..http://goo.gl/49ygaI
November 8th, 2013 jumping into the hotels swimming pool.
It was a building block for my cinematic, travel VLOG Hobby that I certainly intend to perfect so my friends, family and all the folks visually participating, can enjoy this Journey as much as I am past and present.
I should have over 100 next times to get my message across visually through sight and sound on the remaining part of this trip.
All of the Principles of Film Making, I learned in College were fleshing outwardly one by one. First is to pick proper location to tell your story. The very basic kills were taught to me while in Film School by my Professor, Daniel Boulous such as, Scout location first in Proper Light. The light was dimming rapidly under evening light with a partial moon, so I was feeling a creative panic, knowing I wanted the shot. You see, I just did not have it all set up at that moment, time was about 5:20 p.m. Its like knowing all the answers on a test but not enough time to compete the exam and you have to settle with a lower grade.
Photo taken on Saturday, November 9th, 2013 on the Frio River. I watercolored this image from its original due to all the colors on the trees.
Another simply technique I learned is have your equipment charged and ready to work. I did leave my primary memory card to my secondary camera back at the heated Hotel. Sometimes this happens when I get so excited to see the RAW files on my card I forget to take the memory stick out of the computer and place it back into my Camera after the thrill of seeing footage.
So I used my back up card, that is why I have it so it all worked out brilliantly. My first attempt at demonstrating how I can bike in 2 or 3 feet of water, was somewhat successful. I wished I would have been at the location 30 minutes earlier. My visually participating followers of my Journey demand to be able to see and hear what I am talking about. If I I can’t provide this basic level of production quality then no one benefits really.
November 9th, 2013 at the Frio River. Tremendous Water and Trees.
I learn every single day on how to improve. For example, I was going 25 plus miles an hour down a hill and had two cameras going as I started to enter the outskirts of Leakey. I was not talking directly into my primary camera. You see camera rotates around me as to give perspective of where I am at in relation to the terrain to my left and right. Also I was plowing through a headwind which is always an audio challenge when editing your footage in post, cars and planes in the air are also disastrous.
All was fine and dandy, however, my audience can’t hear what I am saying consistently, unless I am staring at the camera that is moving 180 degrees around my front.
I know I would have been able to maintain visual of moving camera if my feet were locked in, so I learned to always make sure my feet are locked in. This way with my body secured into my bike I can maintain visual with the camera when talking, if not, it is wasted footage regardless of the beauty of the location your filming in most of the times.
I found that folks dont mind if the pictures quality isnt the best, but if they cant hear your words, forget it. Also my videos are almost daily. This is my ambitious goal to provide video, narrative and daily capture inside my mission for the remaining months I have left. This accomplishes several things for me and is allowing me to look at each mile left on the Journey differently. Enjoy!
Fuel for Open Texas Road
October 31st, 2013 in Hunt Texas for Halloween Celebration activity. A scary moment for me…not really.
Coasting into Hunt, Texas on Halloween was a blur of unexpected greatness and spooky surprise. Simply put, I rolled into a great time, like onto a movie set of Cheers while living out my favorite 80’s song.
October 31st, 2013 in Hunt Texas for Halloween Celebration activity. The Gal in White was dressed as a ZOMBIE, Gretchen and she owns the entire place.
October 31st, 2013 Explaining to the great folks of HUNT, TX the equipment behind the http://www.relaxedchaos.com mission. After looking at how my hair has grown out on my head is startling.
After 4 solid days in Hunt, Its now time to lock my feet into the pedals of my SNOW BIKE, wrap my legs over my 130 lbs ext. modified aluminum frame, sit down on the hardened black leather Brooks Polo Saddle, adjust my Helmet Strap, turn on lighting and clean my reflective mirrors and allow for new expressions to absorb my senses. I will now be making my way towards Del Rio, Texas snugging the U.S. and Mexico Border.
Fun Shot of my new friends who made it all happen for me here in HUNT, TEXAS. It was the best ever fun I had and thank them for the great times I experienced.
October 31st, 2013 in Hunt Texas for Halloween Celebration activity. I borrowed a Hat Only to be apart of costume fun. : )
Folks have treated me magnificently. When you have over ten people all at once be such great encouragers of my www.relaxedchaos.com, mission its hard to describe how great that feels.
The owner of The Hunt Store initially offered me a place to stay at his Cafe, within minutes of being at his Restaurant – Grocery Store and indoor Bank. A Bank where you can have a beer in one hand and do banking with the other.
The Hunt Store was built in 1946 where every visual aspect of this building inside and out, is packed with old school antiques and signs.
![November 2nd, 2013 Weezer taking a rest post his 4th year birthday celebration on a pink toy present. Over 30 people and 25 plus toys were purchased on his behalf. The adults consumed Gourmet [SQUAB] Pigeon meat raised by local, Nick Vlasek of Hunt Texas Tasted like dark chicken and Access Deer meat mixed with Texas Chili.](https://relaxedchaos07.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/img_8606.jpg)
November 2nd, 2013
Weezer taking a rest, post his 4th year birthday celebration on a pink toy present he recently acquired. Over 30 people and 25 plus toys were purchased on his behalf. The adults consumed Gourmet [SQUAB] Pigeon meat raised by local, Nick Vlasek of Hunt Texas Tasted like dark chicken and Access Deer meat mixed with Texas Chili.
What an amazing way to start my pre Halloween festivities. Events that were purely unexpected and unexpectedly great at the same time.
As I started setting up shelter on the hunt property, early Halloweening town folks, dressed in full kit,
became intrigued by the fat tires on my bike. Within moments, I was telling everyone interested about my story and my Journey. I ended up staying 3 days with a family that was dining at the Hunt Store, at their home.
Marcie is a Nurse Practioner and her husband a metalist designing custom steel pieces for high end Texas homes, in the community.
Her 18 year old son, who lives at home attends Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas. He majors in Aerospace Engineering focusing on mathematics. His older sister attends Texas State, majors in International Business Management, very interesting red headed family indeed, highly driven and successful.
HALLOWEEN VIDEO HERE http://goo.gl/KeD8wf
November 2nd, 2013 a Fun Branding I created and designed my own color scheme. This was for my Facebook Timeline Banner. Lots of fun to do.
WEEZERS [DOG] BIRTHDAY PARTY VIDEO IS HERE http://goo.gl/3DaafH
As mentioned earlier, I was blown away with the hospitality I was given in HUNT, by just about everyone here and in the little towns all around this land.
I vote Hunt, Texas 1st PLACE FAVORITE town in America.
October 31st, 2013 in Hunt Texas for Halloween Celebration activity. This is a sign at the Hunt Store.
Although I will say New York City is my absolute favorite, NYC is in a league of its own and cant compare to anything else. So to be fair, I don’t include NYC as a consideration, that would be just wrong and inaccurate.
NOW MY HOMETOWN OF WHITEFISH MONTANA IS the best place to live in the entire WORLD, its WORLD CLASS and is also disqualified. For it is a conflict of interest.
Who knows if Hunt will ever take second place on the remaining 4,500 miles I have left on this Quest.
The Mixture of great American people that reside in Hunt and the Guadalupe River weaved throughout this Texas Hill Country bordering small country towns are only some of the reasons I enjoyed every single part of this town.
I also renewed my interest in Hank Williams Jr song called, [A Country Boy Can Survive]. The link is here to that SONGS VIDEO on YouTube….http://goo.gl/1d9mV
TOPIC CHANGE ABOUT FOOD and a Simply Recipe I prepared this morning for the road.
Fast nutrition that I will be using on the open road.
This BASIC, NUTRITIOUS, Fast and Fun to Cook meal only takes 10 minutes to prep. Even quicker if you have the 1 minute quick oats. I prefer Steel Cut which will take a full ten on medium temp to cook, 5 minute Oats will do.
What I mean to say is if I have a choice I buy Steel Cut. If I cant get Steel Cut I buy the 5 minute regular Oats, if I cant buy that I settle for 1 minute quick Oats. Your subject to the store your buying the food in. In my case in Texas Hill Country its basically a convenience store and carries limited inventory and only the bare essentials.
I don’t think folks I can get simpler than this one.
Boil Water, add Oatmeal, add 4 Entire Eggs and 8 Egg Whites, add Broccoli, Peaches and Strawberries then mix for a couple minutes on high and pour contents into steel container show below.
November 4th. Cooking a Fast, carbo and protein solution for extended riding in between town location with nothing but open road.
November 4th. Cooking a Fast, carbo and protein solution for extended riding in between town location with nothing but open road.
November 4th. Cooking a Fast, carbo and protein solution for extended riding in between town location with nothing but open road.
Here I added Peaches and Strawberries to offset the Vegge Taste.
November 4th. Cooking a Fast, carbo and protein solution for extended riding in between town location with nothing but open road.
November 4th. Cooking a Fast, carbo and protein solution for extended riding in between town location with nothing but open road.
Capturing my World
Capturing thought in the form of High Quality Video, compared to the written word, is adding a visual dynamic to my narrative that I have always wanted. The addition of New Media to my written world has really opened up pandoras box to my creative enthusiasm that is hitting a fever pitch.
Going full circle with with my Blog shows the respect I have for trying to deliver the best experience to my Blog Followers. People whom I have never even met communicate with me through my Blog and offer encouragement and positive feedback that motivates me beyond belief, so I thank all of you who can share this Journey with me, I am your Eyes and Ears.
Sunday, October 27th at a Texas Outside Resort on the Guadelupe, River. I dove in after talking about how I stay clean on a daily basis and where I shower.
I always kept in mind that folks tend not to like to read now days, and we live in a 5 second world and with every phone armed Internet, HD Video and Photo Capture capability built in we are presented with a lot of distraction.
VIDEO of my Underwater Fun shot October 27th, 2013 next to the Guadelupe, River ———> http://goo.gl/yXD2Jq
I simply remain in my creative space and am just doing my thing, and talking about it online. My desire is to convey the same magic I am feeling on this Journey into the hearts and minds of my followers. Each time I receive a compliment or a thank you it validates my entire Quest. No better feeling than somebody I have never met, goes to my website, then thanks me and say things like all of my co – workers are now following you everyday, we watch you on our break in the board room, ahh that feels so incredible!
I simply talk about what I see around me in my constantly changing environment.
October 27th, 2013 Diving into the Water, at a Texas Hotel – Condo Combo Resort on The Guadelupe River in the West Texas Hill Country.
My senses are in a credit column and are exactly what guide me. Keeping the narrative going with a clear beginning, middle and end and hopefully a continuous theme compelling enough for folks to keep coming back. Yesterday I spoke to the Underwater Camera about where do I shower on a daily basis, then jumped into the bottom of a 10 foot pool and added music by Aaron Static the Intrepid Journey, amazing sounds by him.
Another part of what I spoke of yesterday was how do I charge all of my electronics. Also I went over my newly acquired, tangle FREE USB = Universal Serial Bus Cords that connect to my cell phone, and other Mobile devices. ITS the simple things, like this, that matter so much and enhance my experience on this Mission. Soon I will replace all of my USB cables with tangle free wiring making my electronic collective life more manageable. I want to give a Big Hug to the inventor or Tangle Free Electronic Cords. The Video of that VLOGGING Dialogue is here…..http://youtu.be/c7CkaEKPvxM
ITs almost like going from A.M. Radio to FM 1 IN Full HD Broadcast, it just is logical. With my world and life limited by the [4] bags attached to my bicycle, I have to always figure ways to keep my World organized. I don’t have the option of not making the bed, not doing my dishes or leaving my stuff out, its simply not an option. Not to mention I have to be aware of where I sleep every single day of the week if not in a hotel, a place I go to only if it starts to rain.
Visually driven by what I see around me then capturing situations for my awaiting audience in the online sense, is so much fun. I always keep in mind that I might not ever go back to what I am capturing. And for the folks following I’ll take that photo or video then share for my updates could be the only experience my followers can ever get.
Photo taken October 25th, 2013 by my dear friend Bill Milner, Real Estate agent of the Best of Montana home and from Whitefish Montana. This was the view outside my room growing up in Whitefish my entire life until I moved to Seattle at the age of 19 to pursue a career in Health and Fitness.
NOW I can talk so we can hear me along with 60 High Definition Frames a second versus one High Resolution Photo that allows me to complete my story telling process in the now moment. Now that I am heading into a deep Fall through [MY FIFTH SEASON] New Mexico, Arizona, California Coastline, Oregon Coast and Washington Coast up to Neah Bay the Western most tip of the Olympic Penn near Washington’s State Hoh Rain Forest back thru Idaho and into Montana to bond with Family again prepare for the completion of the Perimeter! I am off to workout so I can get blood and motion to other parts of my body in order to have a physical advantage on my bicycle. From the Gym I am going to head down the road to Del Rio, Texas. A place I will arrive in a couple days. Enjoy the ride as I am sure to!
Relaxed Chaos 