My visits in Chicago have lead me to two different places in the City and two different places in the suburbs. The contrast is very interesting. I'm currently visiting with my buddy Dan from college, whom I haven't seen in over 7 years. He bought a three story house on the west side of Chicago and turned it into a rental property in which he currently resides. The location is right where the old ghetto used to be and is still in the transition section of the developing western sprawl and poor sections of the city. Driving around here can be quite interesting. Learning about the development and history of this area from someone who has been in the middle of this transition is incredible. He has hired and fired dozens over the last two years in the upgrade of his property. Many that he's employed have been killed or have gone to jail do to the drug business which is still rampant on many blocks. His story is incredible...very inspiring. It would make a good movie.
At any rate, tomorrow I'm off to Louisville.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Chicago
Hey all,
It seems that my friends and extended family have all had daughters. Last week, I spent two days in Windsor, Colorado visiting my cousin and her family, the Leonards, and their 15 month old daughter, Anna. I next went to Chicago, traveling 1060 miles in two days to Montgomery, Illinois to visit my goods friend from college, the Nebens, and their beautiful five month old daughter, Ella. I've bounced around over the last several days visiting multiple friends in and around the Chicago area. It's been great! Currently, I'm with the Drachlers and their two month old daughter, Alana. I could probably stay for another week; there are so many people here that I know. In all this visiting, I've gotten even more behind in my posts and videos. I still have videos for the Black Hills, Mt Rushmore, Little Big Horn, and Yellowstone to post.
From here, I plan to head down to Louisville, Kentucky to visit the Stempiens and their son, Joshua! Then it's out to the east coast for a week.
Hope everyone is well!!
Joel
It seems that my friends and extended family have all had daughters. Last week, I spent two days in Windsor, Colorado visiting my cousin and her family, the Leonards, and their 15 month old daughter, Anna. I next went to Chicago, traveling 1060 miles in two days to Montgomery, Illinois to visit my goods friend from college, the Nebens, and their beautiful five month old daughter, Ella. I've bounced around over the last several days visiting multiple friends in and around the Chicago area. It's been great! Currently, I'm with the Drachlers and their two month old daughter, Alana. I could probably stay for another week; there are so many people here that I know. In all this visiting, I've gotten even more behind in my posts and videos. I still have videos for the Black Hills, Mt Rushmore, Little Big Horn, and Yellowstone to post.
From here, I plan to head down to Louisville, Kentucky to visit the Stempiens and their son, Joshua! Then it's out to the east coast for a week.
Hope everyone is well!!
Joel
Friday, October 19, 2007
Badlands
After seeing the Prairie House, I went through the Badlands. Here are some highlights. Again, this was about a week and a half ago.
Little House
Hey Guys,
Sorry for the long stretch of not posting anything. I'm currently in Chicago...should be here for another 4 or 5 days. I'm about two weeks behind on some of these videos, but as I edit them, I post them. Let me know what you think.
Sorry for the long stretch of not posting anything. I'm currently in Chicago...should be here for another 4 or 5 days. I'm about two weeks behind on some of these videos, but as I edit them, I post them. Let me know what you think.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Minnesota, South Dakota
Here are some highlights from the trek across Minnesota and South Dakota. Beautiful country. Let me know what you think.
Route 2 to Superior
Hey all, here's another one. This one took me forever to edit but I think it's one of the best yet. Let me know what you think....
Friday, October 12, 2007
Cold
Well, Brad and I made it through Yellowstone yesterday. It was cold. As we crossed into the park on the eastern side, it was like someone turned on the A/C full blast...in the middle of winter. The ride into and through the park was incredible. The mountains are truly majestic and give you a sense of awe. It was 98 miles from the eastern entrance to Old Faithful and we made it there an hour before the sun went down. In Yellowstone, it would be easy to spend an entire week. There is so much to see: hot springs, geysurs, incredible wildlife. But it was cold and that was all the motivation we needed to not get stuck in the park past sunset. Out here, when the sun goes down, it goes from cold to bone chilling, at least on a motorcycle. Fortunately, we made it out of the park just after sunset. In Western Yellowstone, we stopped for dinner and to get warmed up. After dinner, Brad and I parted ways. Brad headed north to return home to Vancouver and I headed South towards Salt Lake City. I decided that the three or four days of being constantly cold was not worth getting to see the western side of Washington and Oregon. I think I'll wait to see those states when it's warmer.
The cold is a very good motivator. It will be nice to get somewhere warmer.
The cold is a very good motivator. It will be nice to get somewhere warmer.
To The UP
This is a video of me heading over the Mackinaw Bridge up into the Upper Peninsula. The UP is as remote as northern Maine. Beautiful country.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Deer God!!
One...two deer began to cross the road in front of me this morning. I slowed down. If there were two deer, there were probably three or even four. Where was the third? A quick scan to the right put my mind at rest that it was only two and not more. I stopped honking my horn and held my speed...45 mph. The two were already across the road, not about to turn around and come at me as I approached. The third deer popped onto the road as I had just let my guard down. He was there, well hidden and decided to come out on the road just in time to hit me. I had nothing to do except grip the handlebars and wait for impact. Swerving was not an option. I was too close. Luckily, the deer saw me and decided to step it out to the other side. I thought that I might clip his back leg as I went by. I didn't. Brad, the guy I met from Vancouver whom I've been traveling with, tthought that I hit it. My heart almost burst from my chest, such was the adrenaline rush!!
Yesterday, we saw the Battle of Little Big Horn. Today, we head into Yellowstone. We are truly fortunate that the days are warm and clear though last night was very cold. This is a beautiful part of the country. Perhaps I will move here, move into a secluded cabin and become a hermit. Write a manifesto. Study math. Send packages. Just kidding. I would never write a manifesto!
I have many videos to edit and post. Soon.
Yesterday, we saw the Battle of Little Big Horn. Today, we head into Yellowstone. We are truly fortunate that the days are warm and clear though last night was very cold. This is a beautiful part of the country. Perhaps I will move here, move into a secluded cabin and become a hermit. Write a manifesto. Study math. Send packages. Just kidding. I would never write a manifesto!
I have many videos to edit and post. Soon.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Request
Hello all,
I have a favor to ask. If you find the time, please comment on my posts. Comments on my posts will provide two things. First, it will let me know what audience is looking at the material. Second, it will promote dialague and hopefully give me good suggestions on how to improve the content in future posts. I welcome any and all types of comments and will make every attempt to respond in the same thread. If you just want to say hello and/or ask me a question about my experiences, by all means, comment. If you want to tell me my material is great, sucks, or is just plain mediocre, by all means, comment. I am eager for feedback. In no way feel that if you comment, it needs to be a long well thought out post. A one sentence comment is perfect.
Many thanks to those who have already commented.
I have a favor to ask. If you find the time, please comment on my posts. Comments on my posts will provide two things. First, it will let me know what audience is looking at the material. Second, it will promote dialague and hopefully give me good suggestions on how to improve the content in future posts. I welcome any and all types of comments and will make every attempt to respond in the same thread. If you just want to say hello and/or ask me a question about my experiences, by all means, comment. If you want to tell me my material is great, sucks, or is just plain mediocre, by all means, comment. I am eager for feedback. In no way feel that if you comment, it needs to be a long well thought out post. A one sentence comment is perfect.
Many thanks to those who have already commented.
Thoughts On Creativity
I sat in Kadoka, South Dakota eating a continental breakfast and debating with myself. Should I stay or should I go? Why am I even doing this trip? I generally knew the answers, or thought I knew the answers to these questions. I should stay and catch up on writing about the previous three weeks worth of experiences; people, places, things. So what if it costs me some time and another $40 for a hotel room? After all, in addition to seeing my country’s beauty and seeing long time friends, one of the primary reasons I did this trip was to explore and learn about the creative process and how to personally improve in it.
About creativity…I discovered that on this trip, I’m typically the most creative at 70 mph, riding in solitude. Alone, in a never-ending expanse of asphalt and beauty, the thoughts come and come, effortlessly. Wonderful, if you can remember those creative thoughts later when you have time to articulate them on paper or into music. Obviously, recording thoughts is not easy, nor safe, to do while riding when all of your faculties are otherwise tasked. Seeing as how the only musical instrument I brought on the trip was a harmonica, which I used once, getting my musical thoughts down has proven difficult. The several songs I composed in my head during rides were forgotten a day later. To correct this, I planned to pick up a microphone for my portable digital recorder. If I could record my thoughts into the recorder and sing my musical ideas while riding, perhaps the ideas would not perish. I have yet to get this mic.
One of the activities that helped me re-learn and re-appreciate the fleeting nature of creativity is the videos I’ve recorded. When video taping, it is not possible to push off the process until later (except the editing and posting processes which I do push off…practically forever). A beautiful scene or a memorable visit needs to be recorded now. There is no later, no going back in time and recording when you have a moment to rest (unless you’re an exceptional and well disciplined artist). In this way, recording on tape is different than writing words or composing music. Making a decision to record or not to record something will have concrete consequences in the outcome of the creative project. I learned from this and began applying it to my writing process. It is not possible to write at length about everything heard, touched, tasted, seen, and smelled. Instead, I began jotting down thoughts and experiences in my little notebook to come back to later. Hopefully, this discipline has helped.
What have I learned about creativity? It’s fleeting. When you have it you need to get it down. Otherwise it will leave you before you snag a thought or a melody with your medium or choice.
What else have I learned about creativity? All too often, creative thoughts are trumped by the stresses of real life. I’ve found that a paradox exists for me in this thinking. Again, one of my goals for this trip was to experience and creatively record “real life” as I saw it around the country. Yet, my own “real life” affects the creative process and therefore this specific goal. Worldly responsibilities intrude and demand first attention. Thoughts about life after the trip consistently creep their way into my mind. Where will I live? What will I do? How long will I have to complete my essays for graduate school applications? When will I run out of money? This thinking often forces creativity to the side. I usually say to myself, “I’ll write about this experience later” or “I’ll take a day or two at this next stop and catch up on all the thoughts and experiences I’ve neglected to record.” Before long, the deficit of creative thoughts that “need to be recorded” is so great that the task of recording all of them becomes overwhelming, another obstacle. Momentum is lost and recording new creative thoughts seems hopelessly inconsequential; there is too much material still in deficit. The value of creativity is incorrectly placed on the subject of the creativity, namely experiences, rather than the joy of being creative and existing in the realm of new ideas; spiritual, philisophical, musical.
A good analogy to the creative process is exercise. Many exercise specialists will emphasize the need for consistency, not duration, in exercise programs. My brother recognized this and promoted consistency in his successful exercise program at his old company. It is more beneficial to work out three to five times a week consistently, as opposed to waiting and “building up” all the workouts for one day out of the week. This very thinking leads many to not maintain exercise programs; the work-out “deficit” is too high and discouraging. Creativity is the same way. Therefore, the process of recording creative thoughts consistently is as important, if not more important, than what topic or subject the creative thoughts are on. To be creative, you must be creative now, not later.
So, I decided to be creative now, in the present. And in time (famous last words), I will go back and fill in the gaps.
About creativity…I discovered that on this trip, I’m typically the most creative at 70 mph, riding in solitude. Alone, in a never-ending expanse of asphalt and beauty, the thoughts come and come, effortlessly. Wonderful, if you can remember those creative thoughts later when you have time to articulate them on paper or into music. Obviously, recording thoughts is not easy, nor safe, to do while riding when all of your faculties are otherwise tasked. Seeing as how the only musical instrument I brought on the trip was a harmonica, which I used once, getting my musical thoughts down has proven difficult. The several songs I composed in my head during rides were forgotten a day later. To correct this, I planned to pick up a microphone for my portable digital recorder. If I could record my thoughts into the recorder and sing my musical ideas while riding, perhaps the ideas would not perish. I have yet to get this mic.
One of the activities that helped me re-learn and re-appreciate the fleeting nature of creativity is the videos I’ve recorded. When video taping, it is not possible to push off the process until later (except the editing and posting processes which I do push off…practically forever). A beautiful scene or a memorable visit needs to be recorded now. There is no later, no going back in time and recording when you have a moment to rest (unless you’re an exceptional and well disciplined artist). In this way, recording on tape is different than writing words or composing music. Making a decision to record or not to record something will have concrete consequences in the outcome of the creative project. I learned from this and began applying it to my writing process. It is not possible to write at length about everything heard, touched, tasted, seen, and smelled. Instead, I began jotting down thoughts and experiences in my little notebook to come back to later. Hopefully, this discipline has helped.
What have I learned about creativity? It’s fleeting. When you have it you need to get it down. Otherwise it will leave you before you snag a thought or a melody with your medium or choice.
What else have I learned about creativity? All too often, creative thoughts are trumped by the stresses of real life. I’ve found that a paradox exists for me in this thinking. Again, one of my goals for this trip was to experience and creatively record “real life” as I saw it around the country. Yet, my own “real life” affects the creative process and therefore this specific goal. Worldly responsibilities intrude and demand first attention. Thoughts about life after the trip consistently creep their way into my mind. Where will I live? What will I do? How long will I have to complete my essays for graduate school applications? When will I run out of money? This thinking often forces creativity to the side. I usually say to myself, “I’ll write about this experience later” or “I’ll take a day or two at this next stop and catch up on all the thoughts and experiences I’ve neglected to record.” Before long, the deficit of creative thoughts that “need to be recorded” is so great that the task of recording all of them becomes overwhelming, another obstacle. Momentum is lost and recording new creative thoughts seems hopelessly inconsequential; there is too much material still in deficit. The value of creativity is incorrectly placed on the subject of the creativity, namely experiences, rather than the joy of being creative and existing in the realm of new ideas; spiritual, philisophical, musical.
A good analogy to the creative process is exercise. Many exercise specialists will emphasize the need for consistency, not duration, in exercise programs. My brother recognized this and promoted consistency in his successful exercise program at his old company. It is more beneficial to work out three to five times a week consistently, as opposed to waiting and “building up” all the workouts for one day out of the week. This very thinking leads many to not maintain exercise programs; the work-out “deficit” is too high and discouraging. Creativity is the same way. Therefore, the process of recording creative thoughts consistently is as important, if not more important, than what topic or subject the creative thoughts are on. To be creative, you must be creative now, not later.
So, I decided to be creative now, in the present. And in time (famous last words), I will go back and fill in the gaps.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Music Medley
What visit to Fonda would be complete without singing music duets after several beers? Just like old times. Heaven help us!
Fonda's Property
Bert took me to see two of his three properties. One is on a lake and only contains a single fishing shack. The other is where he and Karen are building their house. They're trying to finish the house by Christmas. Karen thinks it will more likely be in early spring. They're living in an apartment right now in the same town as Bert's parents, Manton.
Hartwick
I went with Bert's family to Hartwick State Park and learned about lumberjacks. Of course, how can you spend anytime with Bert and not have a political discussion. Autry is so adorable.
To Manton
After leaving Ann Arbor, I swung through Lansing to visit a music store. Then I headed up north on Route 66 towards Manton. Bert, my buddy from the Marines, is as crazy as ever. His callsign from the squadron is Fonda because he's a liberal hippy. He and Karen own three properties and Fonda recently opened a tree removal business. While I was visiting, Fonda loaned one of his employees some money so that he could pay a fine and avoid going to jail. All in all, it was good to see him and Karen and Autry. It was like old times.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Spelunking in Detroit Part I
These are some crazy adventures in Detroit. We felt a little like archeologists and spelunkers. It's three parts long and about 6 to 8 minutes each. Hope you like.
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