[We're on about a 2-3 week back log of content. It's a little difficult to edit content and get it uploaded from the road. I had to edit late at night in a hotel laundry room and sneak their free internet (we're not staying at the hotel by the way). We're leaving Jasper, Alberta today and should be in Alaska this weekend. Once we get stationed there, we're gonna catch up on our blog content.]
The video above documents the July 8th, 2010 launch of the Mean Machine. Thanks to all of our 78 Kickstarter backers who have realized this small childhood dream of mine that was once forgotten. Everything happened perfectly: The rain and doubting weather calmed shortly before the launch and the sun peaked out afterwards. My dad won the raffle to launch the rocket, and my nephew Gavin won the rocket after the launch, thanks to the deferment of our friend Bernie. We successfully blasted the names of all of our 78 backers high into the sky! I hoped you enjoyed this opportunity to fly! Boom!
We are on the road and beginning to hit a stride! We've had few opportunities for internet use so we apologize for the delay...
Week 1 was a success! We officially left Saturday July 10th at 4:37pm- a 4 day delay from our original Tuesday July 6th departure... so we've trimmed things down a bit and have been moving rather fast to make it to the Calgary Stampede this weekend.
We hit Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Badlands, Wall Drug, Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore, Grand Teton, and Yellow Stone. We are currently in Great Falls, MT and heading soon to Glacier NP! We'll be in Calgary tomorrow night and Sunday.
We've shot a lot of great photos and video that we look forward to sharing with you! It may be a bit until we have the time to sort through our content and post it... but stay tuned!
As we make our way North, internet and cell phone coverage will be limited to non-existent... so as we leave the internet now and disappear into the shadows for a bit, we'll leave you with a quick photo from Yellow Stone hot springs...
The Estes Mean Machine Model Rocket + A Little Boy
Dear Readers + Dreamers,
We know, we know... it's Thursday and we were suppose to leave Tuesday...
And there hasn't been a new blog post in a while... is this dream still happening?
YES!
Sorry we didn't post an update on our blog earlier... BUT WE REACHED OUR KICKSTARTER GOAL! Actually, people supported us way beyond our goal! We raised $7350 towards our original $6000 goal! Thank you everyone who supported us with a pledge, sharing our links, and believing in us.
Our rafting trip was incredible, by the way, and there will be a future post and video on that.
We've been working hard the past 2 weeks moving out, packing, and starting the rewards for our Kickstarter backers. We entrusted the tandem bicycle a few days ago to Mike and we just finished a commercial for our backers Karl + Cara (post coming soon). And it's 6:24am and Marty hasn't slept yet because he just finished the wings and painted THE MEAN MACHINE!!!
We have some additional gear arriving in the mail today and then we're leaving tomorrow!
SO... The time has come to get this Pan-American Dream going!
We are celebrating the funding of our Kickstarter project by blasting a giant model rocket off into the sky!!! THE MEAN MACHINE!!! RADICAL!
This rocket has some history. Marty's been holding onto it for about 15 years and has NEVER shot it off! The rocket represents a small dream, once lost, from routinely putting it off... this seems to happen to a lot of dreams and it shouldn't be that way.
SO, 15 years later we are making it happen! Realizing this small childhood dream will help us realize the Pan-American Dream!
We will be writing the names of all of our Kickstarter backers on the rocket so that all of you will FLY with us hundreds of feet in the air! We couldn't have done it with out you!
For those in the Ann Arbor area, we invite you to the launch! It doesn't matter if you were able to support us on Kickstarter or not, come watch dreams happen!!!
Arrive 10-15min early to participate in the RAFFLE. We will draw names for who gets to PUSH THE LAUNCH BUTTON and who gets to KEEP the MEAN MACHINE and LAUNCH PAD afterwards!!! Uh-huh, Uh-huh!!!
LAUNCH
THURSDAY JULY 8TH, 7:09PM
ALLMENDINGER PARK (BASEBALL FIELD)
700 PAULINE BLVD (NEAR SEVENTH)
ANN ARBOR, MI 48103
IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT, WE WILL BE DOCUMENTING THE LAUNCH AND IT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE NEAR FUTURE ON OUR BLOG FOR YOU TO EXPERIENCE.
Also, if you missed the early Mean Machine video you can see it on our Youtube page at:
Today, we are driving to Utah for a white water rafting trip. We will be spending 6 days on the Green River in Desolation Canyon. A friend invited us on this amazing trip that will be lead by experienced river guides, a firefighter, an archaeologist, and a geologist. We'll be in good hands and the experience and wisdom learned should prepare us a bit for Alaska.
Our first day on the river is Weds June 16th where we'll definitely be cut off from any electronic communication whatsoever until approximately June 24th. HOWEVER, there is a good chance we may be "unplugged" shortly after we hit the road TODAY. We don't have internet on our phones and may be camping on the drive there... So that means, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO WATCH THE OUTCOME OF OUR KICKSTARTER PROJECT WHICH ENDS TOMORROW, MONDAY AT 11:59PM EDT...
That also means we may not be able to express our incredible EXCITEMENT and THANKS in the event our project is funded until we return home on June 24th. We're sorry for the delay... But don't worry that you didn't hear from us for a few weeks. We'll be hard at work on the mean machine, rewards, preparations, and THANKS when we return!
So we're putting it into your hands to spread the word for more backers. It is incredibly exciting to see how far you've brought our project!
61 Backers. $5655 pledged. $345 more needed to make our project happen with 38 hours to go!
Just a reminder, funding is all or nothing. So if we don't reach our $6000 goal, we get Zero.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING SUPER AWESOME AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN!!! We greatly appreciate your pledges and your support in sharing our project link with everyone!
[This video was quick and sloppy since we're very occupied with fund-raising, finishing up a lot of jobs + projects, planning, moving out of our apartment... etc. They'll get better once we get on the road. Promise. Also, our current camera is auto-exposure only, which is whack, and that's why you can't really see the map well- sorry.]
One great technique we learned to realize and actualize a trip of any kind is to buy a map, hang it up in your house, apartment, dorm, or bedroom and highlight you're route. The key to accomplishing almost any kind of goal is to visualize it first. If you can't see yourself doing it, and I mean really SEE yourself doing it, then you probably won't. But, if you use your imagination and begin to develop the visualization of your goal, you'll be much closer to MAKING IT HAPPEN!
Although Google Earth and Maps are a powerful information tool, their power to INSPIRE a trip does not match a physical map. You cannot physically touch and draw on Google as you can a normal map. Also, Google gives you a limited amount of options from getting from one place to another. It plans your route with numbered steps all the way. With a physical map, you're more open to explore and create your own route, not one that a computer or GPS tells you.
Monotone Robot Voice: Look DOWN to next paragraph in approximately 2 lines.
By making your map and route more physically tangible, you make your dreams more tangible. Granted there is the iPhone and iPad which allows you to "touch" the internets... but it's not the same. Could you imagine pirates sailing around the world using Google Treasure Maps on an iPad? I don't think so. It's much more exciting to have a physical treasure map with a mysterious red "X" to crumple and throw into the air when you've found your chest full of gold.
However, Google does have some cool visualization tools. Their maps have street view photos and satellite photos that help visualize a place or route. A friend told me that users can now upload photos to maps and suggested we do so for our route. We're looking into that as a way of documenting our trip.
Some may argue that Google can do everything... but I would disagree. I do like certain technologies and am inspired by them, but I find the majority of technology more distracting. Also, Kelly and I have found that Google can hardly understand a trip of such length. We started off using Google Earth and directions, but Google couldn't comprehend the route very well nor our ambitions. So we've turned to good old fashioned maps with greater success. [Also, you can usually get maps for free from your car insurance company.]
So if you want to take a trip, Google's a great place to start... But, if you really want the INSPIRATION and MOTIVATION to take off work or whatever that is holding you back... then get some physical maps, a globe, and start visualizing what you want to do! Good luck!
We're pushing to get support from A LOT of people but with smaller pledge amounts on our Kickstarter Fundraiser. To do so, we're offering a NEW REWARD for ALL BACKERS! We're gonna make you fly! How? With a big model rocket dream that I never realized as a kid. It symbolizes going after your dreams and the incredible potential of realizing them. A mere $5 pledge will go a long way if we get the support of many. See the video for more details.
(Unfortunately, Kelly has been out of town working... but we're planning more videos together when she's back.)
Also, we've been getting a lot of great feedback on our Youtube channel as well as thoughtful emails from people we haven't even met yet! We love this support!!! Thank you so much! Get inspired, make dreams happen!
OUR GOALS
1. Travel + Explore the Americas while gaining a greater appreciation for our World
2. Produce Art + Initiate Creative Endeavors
3. Teach Free Film + Photography Workshops to Youth in the majority of Communities on our route
4. Live Minimally + become more adept with Basic Survival Skills
5. Explore Local Food + Farms
6. Document the whole Experience through Writing, Photography, and Film
