The Video
When: Jul - Oct 2015
Where: Banff, Alberta, Canada - Antelope Wells, New Mexico, USA
Who: me, the mountains and all these other crazy people out there
How: Bikepacking via Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, Continental Divide Trail and lots of detours on jeep roads
Why: not sure.
So, this video covers the ride through the Rocky Mountains, it really has no script, no plan. I just shoot some video and try to put it together when I get a chance. There is no drama, there were hard days but they were all fun. I met lots of amazing and inspiring people, both on GDMBR, CDT and in other places.
More info - there are blog posts about each section on the website.
HD VERSION: when/if I get to hop on a decent computer, I will render a proper HD video, thinking of putting it up somewhere for download, along with all other episodes... stay tuned.
Filming - gopro 4 silver and canon EOS M2
Nothing special here, I just wave my camera around and get lots of footage. I use about... wow... maybe 2% of what I shoot. For anybody thinking of doing something similar - you don't need the latest and best to do it.
Editing - I'd like to thank everyone who made it possible!
It took 10, 10 hour+ days, not sure I can justify spending so much time on video work but I think it was more about trying to tell that story, once I started it was hard to stop. There are still issues I didn't get to fix, audio levels and adding subtitles being the biggest. Also, for some reason these monster files made by the gopro cannot be played well neither by my media player or while on the project timeline (I didn't get much previewing done before the final video). Hardest part was choosing what to cut or not to cut from all these amazing conversations with all these amazing people. Ok, i'm done making excuses and complaining, next: music.
What are the chances something can go wrong in 15 hours?
Music and where to get it
All music used by permission or is royalty free or under Creative Commons Attribution License.
(you can download most of it free, or contact the artists for it)
Axl Ludwig, Driftwood Holly, Ground & Leaves and Kayla Luky - YOU GUYS ROCK! I love your tracks and I listen to them while riding. They make me get up and do something, dream of far off lands and get lost in the moment. Thanks for your wonderful music!!!
(sadly for you, the reader - only Kayla and Ground & Leaves have their songs online but get in touch with Driftwood Holly or Axl Ludwig and they may be able to send you a CD!)
Axl Ludwig - A thousand wild horses
Axl Ludwig - Morning
contact: https://www.facebook.com/axlludwigartist/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/axlludwig
Driftwood Holly - Little Bird
Driftwood Holly - Old World of Mine
Driftwood Holly - Coffee Cup
Driftwood Holly - Take me Home Country Roads
contact: driftwoodholly@outlook.com
contact: https://www.facebook.com/driftwood.holly
Ground & Leaves - Hourglass
website: http://www.groundandleaves.com/
Kayla luky - you wont find me
Kayla Luky - these plains
Kayla Luky - The time it takes
website: http://kaylaluky.ca/
bandcamp: http://kaylaluky.bandcamp.com/album/the-time-it-takes
Wayne, Cody & Saline Valley gang - Good morning america (cover)
(performed in Death Valley NP, when I met them in feb 2015!)
Trish - When I leave this town
Kate Jaffe & friend - Out of the Wilderness
Silent Panther - Yard Sale
Kevin McLeod - Easy Day
The 126ers - Secret Conversations
Youtube audio library, just search for them: https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music
Happy Strummin by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Artist: http://audionautix.com/
Second Nature by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Artist: http://audionautix.com/
Sponsors
Well, the only reason I was able to ride the Rockies again was the Blackburn Ranger program. Blackburn, along with SRAM, NINER bikes, BELL helmets, WTB and Giro provided me with nearly all the gear I needed and a brand new full suspension bike. Big thanks to these wonderful companies and especially Blackburn Design which organized the entire program. Thanks Robin and Mike for the continued support even after the ranger year was complete!
Chris Murray Wheelworks - although I only rode his wheels for a short portion of the video, he has been behind me and helping with mechanical advice since I started in 2014. I continued to ride the wheels he built for me in the start for Mexico and on.
Johnson Outdoors - Eureka tents, Jetboil
Since my start in 2014, Johnson outdoors has been helping me with camping gear. Although I have now switched to ultralight tent, bag and sleeping mat, I still live in the Eureka Midiori and use their camping gear while working for 2-3 months in summer.
Support the videos & trip
I hate paying for videos, especially ones that encourage travel and exploration. This is why this and all future episodes will always be free.
If you enjoyed them and you are able, you can help a little here. The money goes towards equipment and trip expenses, the dream is - someday to be able to keep going without stopping.
Thats about it, next 2-3 episodes need to be edited so maybe around aug-sept, 2016!
and until then, I am off to the Canadian forests to plant some trees!