This relationship with my GoPro Hero 5 is not off to a good start.
It started with the website experience. The videos on the site are highly sexy. Everyone is young and beautiful and fit, but the site’s checkout was clunky. The purchase process for a major company like GoPro should be very clean. It wasn’t.
The camera arrived as promised in the specified period (2 days). I was psyched. I wanted to give it a go this weekend. Unfortunately, unboxing the camera was, for me (I am not very mechanical!) a nightmare. It is attached to a fixed base attached to a box with no instructions. So I turned to YouTube for a tutorial. Where I found that thousands (tens of thousands) of people had similar issues with the packaging.
The GoPro Hero 5 fresh out of the box. Now what?
With some instruction, disassembling the package finally makes sense and I slide the camera off the base. Now what? There are no instructions so it’s back to YouTube.
Next, apparently, I need to remove the camera from the frame.
The dozens of web tutorials explaining how to unpack your GoPro vary in quality. All show men with big hands covering the camera and voila! the frame is off. I have small hands, manicured nails and I can’t see what they are doing; they don’t explain it; and the camera has no directions. There are no company videos on the GoPro website dealing with either of these issues. I wonder if I should try to pry the latch open but don’t want to break it, so I call customer service.
After waiting 22+ minutes listening to blaring, unpleasant music, a young man answers the queue. I explain the problem. I ask if I need to pry it off with a screw driver. He doesn’t seem to care but he does point out that that will scratch the camera case. I tell him I understand that, which is why I’m calling for help. I apologize, indicating that he must hear this many times a day!
He says no. No one else has issues with this.
I ask about the number of YouTube videos that deal with my issue. He reaffirms that no one else has problems, but he’ll send me a link to a YouTube video.
Great. (/sarc)
I give him my email three times. (Spelling “Pat” seems to be an issue). No email arrives.
He tells me to go to YouTube (I’m already there!) and type in my questions. Dozens of tutorials (with a total of hundreds of thousands of views) pop up.
Which one, I ask?
He suggests a video that he watched this morning.
Why is he watching these videos if I am the sole customer with problems????
I thank him and hang up.
After finally getting the camera out of the packaging, you need to put in the SanDisc (which does not come with the camera), the battery, and charge it. Open the hatch, install the battery and disc, close the hatch. Now I need to charge the battery.
More problems.
The door to the USB port won’t open. I use plastic pens for leverage to depress the button; I push and shove. Nothing. Do I have a faulty camera?
After nearly an hour of this, I finally get the door to open so that I can insert the USB charger. Now I wait.
I am admittedly not very mechanical. I generally don’t buy anything unless it comes with an 800 number or can be fixed with duct tape. But this shouldn’t be this difficult and my newbie enthusiasm in waning in the early hours of this tech partnership with my new GoPro.
***
Go Pro Set Up: Day 2
The battery has charged to 96% overnight. I remove the cable and close the hard-to-open hatch to the USB port, hoping that with a few uses it will function more easily. According to the YouTube tutorial by some “Dude” (the only guidance I have!), it is time to update the software. This is another user experience nightmare.
First I have to open the USB compartment that doesn’t open. Pressure plus screwdriver and a lot of persistence eventually gets this open again. It still does not function smoothly. I think I will need to get this camera replaced.
I have an option to update the camera from my phone or computer. Let’s try the phone app.
Here are the instructions:
Open the utility drawer, select CONNECT.
Select CONNECT NEW DEVICE
Select CAPTURE APP to see your camera ID and Password..
Ok. Where is this utility drawer???? I have no idea. There is NO instruction. I go to the next page.
CONNECTING YOUR CAMERA
Go to Settings>WiFi on your iPhone (Ok I can do that!)
Enter the password displayed on your camera.
Once connected return to the Capture App
I presume when I go to the wifi settings I should see my camera listed? It’s not, and there is no password on my camera.
I’ll try the desktop app.
Back to the GoPro site. There is no place to download the app. Is it cloud based? There is a page that asks me to agree to the terms but the box to click “agree” is inactive. I search the questions. I leave a scathing review. Even the review submit button doesn’t work.
Digging around the website, I finally find a product guide. Surely this will help. It gives me a URL for the desktop app. I enter the URL:
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Speaking of Epic Fail:
(Fast forward to watch this entire glacial bridge totally collapse!)
Customer support isn’t available until 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning. I make a matcha latte and wait.
Perhaps GoPro is some sort of cult following and I haven’t drunk the KoolAid. Do I need to be 30 years old to use this product? Male, with big strong hands? I’m hardly technologically inept. I actually fall on the “ept” side of this spectrum. I can even be extremely “engineery” (when needed). I didn’t make it through Wharton Business School by being inept. I didn’t learn to fly an ASW20-a (very well) by being inept or technologically illiterate.
Tick tock! Time’s a wasting!
6:54 a.m.
Tick, tock, tick tock.
7:00a.m.
This time I get to tech support quickly, but there is a bit of a language barrier. Everything needs to be repeated two or three times. I am beginning to feel as if I’m in an alternate-universe, endless-loop comedy skit. Doesn’t anyone servicing the U.S. market speak english anymore?
After 46 minutes of working with the tech rep and repeatedly trying to get the camera to pair with my phone (an iPhone7 that is up to date), we have another epic fail. Even the rep gave up.
I am still willing to try the product, but it’s become apparent that a replacement is needed. The door to the USB port does not function properly and it would appear that there may be software issues as well.
Now this gets even better.
It takes 15 days to process a return. If they (reluctantly) process the return, send me a replacement camera and it doesn’t work, the 30 day window for returning the camera + the Karma grip that I ordered will have expired. My house closes in 23 days. So I need to return both the camera and grip because my confidence in GoPro isn’t very high at the moment.
The tech rep indicated he needed to send me 3 emails. I insisted on waiting until they arrived in my inbox (since the emails from the tech yesterday never arrived!) He sent the incorrect email saying I wanted a camera repair. He resent the information (correctly this time) and I will return this via Fed Ex today.
And later today the GoPro accessories I ordered from Amazon will arrive. They will need to be returned and I will be charged shipping. And then there is the SanDisk that I bought at BestBuy ($40) that has been opened and is undoubtedly un-returnable.
Plus a bit of inconvenience, compounded by my the approaching close of my house. I wanted to start using the GoPro so that I could develop some degree of competence (I know, an outdated concept!) En route to Vachon, I’d planned on filming parts of Napa, Healdsburg and the California-Oregon coast. I can go and just buy another camera, but it irks me to have $1500 (GoPro: $399 + Karma Grip: $299 + Tax times 2) tied up in GoPros while I wait two weeks for a refund.
I once met one of the key execs from GoPro at a charity event. He brushed me off and was very arrogant. At the time, I wrote it off as a Silicon Valley thing. Maybe it’s a corporate culture issue as well. It certainly is a stock issue:
GoPro Stock Chart
Which makes me wonder if the company will be around in a few years. My experience isn’t unique. And yet the camera gets very good reviews in its niche.
If there is a takeaway from this it would be that the company needs to see the product experience from the perspective of the consumer, not the engineer. And remember that half of your potential customers may be female!
I may make another run at a purchase because I do need a video camera, and the camera does get consistently good reviews. It may be interesting to see if Round #2 is a repeat or if this was just a fluke.
I package up the camera and drop it off at a local post office service store. The young man behind the desk and I get talking and he tells me about how many GoPros he sees being returned for one reason or another.
Guess I’m not the only one.
***
Go Pro Set Up: Round 2 ?
I am seriously reassessing the GoPro purchase, at least at this time. Yesterday, after dropping the GoPro package off for a return, I attended a class at the Apple store for my new watch (see upcoming separate post on that experience!).
The experience was 180 degrees from my GoPro experience. If I had to set up my watch myself, I suspect I would have had some frustration. But I didn’t have to. The Apple rep oversaw half a dozen different customer setups across various products, as we all sat and chatted at a community table. I signed up for a class the next day.
In class, I had a sense of being part of a learning, helping community. No one suggested that I was stupid because the product was perfect, so any issues naturally had to be user oriented issues. On the contrary, I was congratulated for asking great questions! And the Apple rep spoke excellent English. I could follow, understand and interact with my instructor and my watch.
I am not going to be jumping off cliffs or riding outrageous biking trails anytime soon and, for now, my time may be better spent working on producing quality film footage with the equipment I already have, i.e. my iPhone7. Adding some video stabilization may be all the tech help I need. After that, it’s up to me to visualize, capture, and produce good footage for my blog and followers.
So, for now, GoPro NO.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out Masterclass for on-line excellence:
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
This weekend I visited the NASA facility in Huntsville, Alabama (aka Rocket City for a very good reason!) with #TBEX. #TBEX is a conferencing and networking event for travel bloggers, travel brands and industry professionals.
The Saturn V Rocket, laid on its side, takes up the entire building.
As we pulled up to the building, a series of rockets stood outside in a park like setting. A Saturn I dominates the grounds, and sports an audio playback of a launch sequence as visitors approach the main building.
Inside is an amazing site. A Saturn V rocket is suspended from the ceiling, laterally, running nearly the entire length of the building. Fun fact: The rocket cost 90 times the cost of the center itself!
The history behind this is interesting. Werner Von Braun wanted to enthuse the American public about space science. But he understood his competition: football! How can science possibly compete? He enlisted rival college football coaches Bear Bryan (Alabama) and Shug Jordan (Auburn) to support a $1.9 million statewide bond referendum to finance the museum’s construction of a 22,000 square foot facility. The initiative passed, land was donated by the Ary’s Redstone Arsenal and the project was up an running. It opened to the public in 1970.
In addition to the very impressive Saturn V rocket hovering overhead, the museum includes a variety of exhibits that chronicle the American space program. From early Mercury command models (or as Werner von Braun called them “capsules”, a term which the astronauts soundly rejected!) to a replica of the lunar module and space station, this is heaven for an aviation junkie like me.
Sun stream in, illuminating the top of the Saturn V Rocket
We arrived around seven pm. It had been raining most of the day, but the clouds parted and the sun streamed through the glass building, illuminating the top of the rocket at the far end of the hall. Below, a swing band played music and a series of food buffets were set up. Bars on either side of the building offered wine and beer. And the dance floor rocked with a pair of amazing swing dancers.
We were surrounded by the rich history of our childhoods. (Or mine at least!) Memories of the first moon landing, of Apollo 13 and of all the launches in between and afterward flooded into memory. The precursor of the American Space program was also present in a drawing of the V-2 rocket from Freidrich Duerr, an engineer and member of von Braun’s team. Von Braun’s work on rocketry during World War II would play a very prominent role in the U.S. program.
Huntsville, Alabama: The City
My visit to Huntsville, Alabama with #TBEX was impressive in many ways. Huntsville is a beautiful city. I think that the best quality of life in this country is to be found in the smaller regional cities like Huntsville. In this particular town, a mix of art and science has created a dynamic community. Yes, half the population are actually rocket scientists!
This produces a quirky and engaging population. Destin Sandlin, an engineer and creator of the YouTube series Smarter Every Day, is a Huntsville resident and speaker at the TBEX conference. His science oriented series is educational, hysterical and engaging:
Location of Huntsville Ala
Huntsville, Alabama is really worth a visit. It’s about an easy drive from Nashville (about 2 hours) or Atlanta (about 3 hours). From an educational (and fun!) perspective, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center keeps the excitement of space
alive. Space Camp offers children the opportunity to gain insight into the life of an astronaut. And Huntsville offers hospitality, great food and first class entertainment.
Our first night we were entertained at a party held at A.M. Booth’s Lumberyard with great food and music. I particularly enjoyed the shrimp and grits! Our last evening was at Campus No. 805, a former school turned into a food and brewery entertainment center. If your #RoadTrip takes you any where in this vicinity, make it a point to enjoy some genuinely welcoming southern hospitality at both these venues.
The best part of the #TBEX conference was the people. I met a wide range of people, from all over the world. While we each have a unique story, we all share the common experience of being fellow travelers. The camaraderie was simply terrific. All my thanks to the various people who made this possible.
Coming home, I realized I am ready to move on. Just as the Bell X-1 “Glamorous Glennis” broke the sound barrier and set the stage for the development of the space program; and the space program set the stage for the shuttle; all the events of recent times have set the stage for #CancerRoadTrip.
Let me end this post with some inspiration from one of my favorite movies, The Right Stuff. If haven’t watched this, or haven’t watched it in a while, do!
What’s your favorite line from this iconic film?
“Sounds dangerous. Count me in!”
***
“Our Germans are better than their Germans.”
***
Let’s light this candle!”
***
Alan Shepard: Dear Lord, please don’t let me f#*k up.
Gordon Cooper: I didn’t quite copy that. Say again, please.
Alan Shepard: I said everything’s A-OK.
***
Drop me a note with your thoughts and favorite quotes
My travel wardrobe is black, off-white and grey. It’s simple, easy and classic. I am perfectly happy wearing some variation of this color theme nearly every day. A scarf or two for color. Inexpensive jewelry that I don’t need to worry about.
But trying to figure out what spans travel dress up to dress down over a period of months isn’t simple. And I am NOT a fashionista. (I failed Beauty 101, repeatedly!) So with this background, here are some of my travel solutions:
Eileen Fisher pants in three colors: black, grey and beige
I am a fan of Eileen Fischer’s knit pants, both skinny and full leg. They’re comfortable, travel well and always look good. The fabrics are usually organic and fabulous. They can be dressed up or dressed down. I am bringing black, oyster and grey pants. They roll up into a small cylinder, don’t wrinkle, are hand washable and drip dry well (not perfectly, but well). This covers most seasons, with some layering. I also purchased a simple loose black dress (Eileen Fisher). This will be my only dress I take. Once again, simple, washable, dress up or down. These are travel wardrobe essentials.
I realized I also needed some rain gear for warmer weather. I found an organic cotton rain coat in an oyster color, also from Eileen Fisher. The hood folds into the collar; it’s very light weight and takes up almost no room. Perfect for warm to moderate climates (with some layering for the latter). For cooler weather, I’ll be taking my favorite old Patagonia shell (Mine is orange. I can sometimes resemble a moving traffic cone in this, but I love the color!).
I adore Cole Haan shoes. This wedge (I bought it in a snakeskin pattern) is perfect for adding a bit of pizzaz to my neutral wardrobe. I usually wear a 9. I needed a 9.5 in this shoe. It may be my feet; it may be the design of the shoe which cuts low on the foot. The 9.5 is perfect. I’ll probably pack a pair of my favorite loafers too. With jeans or nicer slacks, this combination should give me some comfort, practicality and flexibility.
My old tried and true Crocs that can walk through sand, water and city
I’m still mulling over exactly which shoes will make the final cut (since space is at a premium), but my tried and true crocs are definitely coming. I can walk all day in these; wear them into the water. I can LIVE in them. The only thing I’ve learned is that the rubber tends to shrink a bit in the sun, so buyer beware on that score! You may want to go up half a size.
I have a closet of shoes and handbags (most of which will simply go into storage for now-the rest will be donated). But on this trip, I’ve opted for something more practical for a traveling tote. Something big and semi-indestructible. I found this Kalya Town Square Bag and I love it!
Kalya Town Square Bag
This multi-purpose large nylon bag can hold all my electronics: computer, ipad, camera(s) plus wallet etc. and then some. It can double as a beach bag or tote. It’s nylon, lightweight and attractive.
Detail on the Kayla Town Square Bag
It also has a tuck away set of loops that, when extended, provide an adjustable, optional hanging “hammock” for carrying a coat, beach towel, camera tripod or another light weight item. Personally, I love this feature for keeping a sandy towel away from everything else!
For travel tops, I’ve become addicted to a tunic style (partly because I’ve put on some weight!). I’ve tried several different products and settled on this shirt. My criteria: reasonable; replaceable; comfortable; hand washes easily and drips dry. (I tested it!) Can be worn belted or straight.
With skinny crepe slacks and nice shoes, this is a good combination for me. I ordered black and grey in this top. I also have one coming in a short sleeve variation to test. Simple, easy. Dress it up, or not. Add a scarf for easy color.
For Hiking
I also added this Columbia Women’s Tamiami Sleeveless Shirt to my packing list. It weighs next to nothing and is perfect for hiking. It’ll also drip dry in no time.
I still need a few easy summer tops. I’ve gotten rid of my old polo shirts-they’re just not that flattering these days. And I continue to declutter my closet and my life. I suspect that over time I’ll shed even more possessions , but give me some latitude here! (Relative) minimalism is a work in progress!
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
What does one pack when you’re looking at an indefinite period of time traveling and locations and climates that vary enormously?
Travel packing takes some serious thought. Weight, bulk and practicality all come into play. Trying to figure out what I may need over the next 6-12 months on the road is challenging, particularly when I love everything from 3 star restaurants to (healthy) street food; from hiking boots to high heels; from purses to backpacks; from urban adventures to rural escapes.
There are two parts to packing for #CancerRoadTrip. In the first part, on the way to Vashon, I will have my car. And when I get back (at some future point), I will once again have access to my car. This gives me an opportunity to pack some light household goods. Last time I moved from the east coast to Tahoe, I learned a few things.
I learned that I like to have some of my favorite kitchen things. A food processor (a Cuisinart Mini-Prep will do the trick); some of my favorite silverware; a favorite pot or two. I like to cook, partly to be aware of my food sources, but mostly because I love to eat well. So my cooking accoutrements matter to me.
If I time my return to the States to coincide with winter, I can pack a suitcase of winter clothes in the car as well. My car is small, so I have to make careful choices. Quite honestly, I haven’t gotten this far yet, and I have no idea what may happen on the road!
But with an uncertain return date, I need to pack, now, today, with a flexible enough wardrobe to take me through everything shy of really cold.
Here are three outdoor/active items that made it to the #MustPack list this week*:
If I’m hiking, I need to carry a few things. This ultra light weight backpack holds a a lot of stuff and weights almost nothing. It also comes in a ton of colors. The material has a subtle design that is very attractive. I love it!
I’ll also be packing my walking sticks and my new Merrill low rise hiking boots. (The heavier clunkier Merrill boots that I love will go into storage for now.) A note on Merrill boots: I need to order one size larger. I normally wear a 9. The size 10 fits me perfectly.
Hiking and outdoor activity is a must. These White Sierra Women’s Sierra Point 31-Inch Inseam Convertible Pant are UV protected. The pants zip off mid thigh to become shorts. They’re rugged, easy to wash, quick to dry, and comfy. The zippers are rugged; great pockets. It fits a bit below the waist.
Traveling with cancer means staying hydrated. And I’m finicky about having pure water. Brita to the rescue. This is a 20 ounce, non BPA water bottle with a built in filter. Simple tap water becomes a healthy way of staying hydrated. It also provides clean water for tea or any other use. The filter works efficiently and quickly. I once had another similar bottle, and it was a disaster. Brita got it right with this product. It’s dishwasher safe. Brita Water Filter Bottle Replacement Filters are small and easy to pack.
Stay tuned as my Travel Retail Therapy series continues. Whether you’re going on a one week or one year journey, I think you’ll find some interesting insights. And I’ll let you know how it all pans out along the way!
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If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out Masterclass for on-line excellence:
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
* We participate in a number of affiliate programs that pay a small commission any purchases made through the site. Your support supports #CancerRoadTrip. Thank you!
Travel adventure can take many forms. What’s your preference?
Physical? Culinary? Historic?
Urban? Outdoors ? Beach?
Reading for a bit of vicarious adventure? (If so, follow me!)
For me, books are a form of adventure and my house exudes the theme. Everywhere I turn, I see some form of exploration, hopefully followed by a bit of real world mastery!
I have cookbooks from my travel adventures, cookbooks about the history of food, about what was “hot”at a point in time. Everything from Asian fusion (before anyone knew what it might be) to classic french techniques and meanderings by Escoffier and Ferdinand Point.
As I sort through my things and pack up the house, packing my books is perhaps the most daunting task. Each has a memory. Each has (or had) a purpose. Each was an adventure, often a travel adventure.
Some were gifts; some were chosen.
Some stay. Some go.
As a long time foodie, I lived to eat during that year I lived in New Orleans. There was actually a program that hired non-chefs as grunt restaurant labor while I was in town. The program rotated you though a series of popular, thought leading restaurants over a two year period. Had we stayed two years, I would have done that in a heartbeat. Forget the heat of the kitchen and the horrible hours! The New Orleans food scene was a mecca of creativity and a fusion of flavors that I reveled in. Culinary travel adventure!
The Commander’s Palace: New Orleans Cookbook, however, will go. This restaurant which served an incredible bread pudding souffle with a bourbon creme anglaise (1,000 glorious calories per bite!) created by a then unknown chef, Emeril Lagasse, holds memories, but these days I eat lightly. It can find a new home and inspire someone else on their culinary endeavors. As can much of my New Orleans cookbook collection. But the memories of the calories linger! I found this post with a picture of the breakfast version of the souffle. YUM!
Adventure in my library also appears in soulful ways. Don Miguel Ruiz, Baird T. Spalding, Bernie Siegel, Lama Surya Das, Chopra, Myss, John Kabat-Zinn, Eckhardt Tolle. Stay or go? I think this entire class of thought stays. This is soulful travel adventure, and it is part of me.
Travel books–which are sometimes part history– are actually a fairly small part of my library. I tend to go places, rather than read about them, and with the web, most of my research is electronic.
I came across Peter Mayle’s A Year In Provence series, one of my favorite travel adventure books. I love his wit and insights into French culture. I think they are a keep. They always make me laugh. In these books, Peter Mayle, an English copyrighter, decides that he must buy and renovate a house in the south of France! The inevitable English vs. French cultural differences and his insights are simply hysterical. I may need to download them in electronic format to take along on my travels.
Then there are the cartography books. Early Mapping of Southeast Asia, an amazing geographical and historical tour de force by rare book and map dealer Thomas Suarez. Thumbing through the pages, I find a four leaf clover that I’d pressed years ago. A good omen for a bit of travel adventure!
Aside from cartography books, a good portion of my library is about aviation and adventure. I bought North to the Orient by Anne Morrow Lindbergh because my father gave me her diaries as a child and I found them fascinating. Ditto for her poetry. She stays. A connection to the past that I want to keep.
West With The Night by Beryl Markham is one of my favorite travel adventure books, whether she actually wrote it or not (controversy abounds about Ms. Markham and all her exploits!). This is an epic adventure story of one woman/pilot who pushed all of society’s limits (and then some) while living in Africa. She was a contemporary of Isak Dinesen, the author of Out of Africa. IMO, this is one of the best adventure books ever written.
A brief excerpt:
Africa is mystic; it is wild; it is a sweltering inferno; it is a photographer’s paradise, a hunter’s Valhalla, an escapist’s Utopia. It is what you will and it withstands all interpretations. It is the last vestige of a dead world or the cradle of a shiny new one. To a lot of people, as to myself, it is just ‘home’. It is all these things but one thing-it is never dull.
Here, my favorite book of all time: The City and theStars by Arthur C. Clarke. This is more of a sci-fi travel adventure. It took me years to track this down and it’s one of the only books I do not lend out. It was written in the fifties and I’ve always considered it to be prescient.
It’s about two societies. In one, Diaspar, the people are immortal, born out of a computer. They live lives of art and leisure, banter and play. When it is time to retire from this life, they save their favorite memories and return to the computer that created them. In this manner, people are randomly recycled throughout the ages, keeping the mix of people constantly changing. They are, in their own way, immortal.
But they never leave the walls of their city. They have been conditioned with fearful tales that keep them confined in their “safe” world and culture.
The creators of this society, however, knew that some change had to occur. So they created the concept of a Unique, a person who had not been born before, who did not share the societal fear of venturing beyond the city walls. This was Alvin.
Alvin, of course, cannot be contained and he leaves the city to find another civilization, Lys. While Diaspar revels in beautiful but meaningless pastimes and pursuits, the people of Lys have cultivated their intellect and humanity. Needless to say, Alvin changes the course of both civilizations.
Did Clarke foresee the vapidness of a distracted consumer society unfolding as early as the nineteen fifties? (Now having said that, know that I have indulged in some wonderfully satisfying vapid retail therapy as I plan my packing for my upcoming trip.)
I think the reason this book sticks with me is (1) Alvin, the hero/protagonist/adventurer to whom I obviously relate; and (2) the prescient nature of Clarke’s observations on human nature. It’s an amazing book. Also available in Kindle format. If you decide to read, it please email me/comment and share your thoughts!
And for anyone looking for some soulful and even humorous looks at life with The Big C, check out our #CancerBookClub. We meet on line, every month, and explore the theme of cancer in literature, film and life.
#Gratitude
#Inspiration
#Kindness
#Adventure!
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Sold! Escrow opened today. I am 60 days to being #HomelessWithCancer.
Last night I totally freaked out. I mean, nearly total emotional decomposition.
I got on line and started looking for places to stay. It’s April, and much of Hawaii is already booked for the summer. It’s high season, which means lots of tourists and high costs. How am I going to handle this turn of events? Will I be able to find a place to stay? Where do I start? Which island when? Coordinating island hopping and travel with no lodging inventory is difficult at best.
Before, I couldn’t make plans until I had a closing date. Now that I have a closing date, there is little available. Getting a temporary place in Tahoe or elsewhere faces the same problems. Everyone wants to vacation during the summer. (Something I’ve never understood–I’ll take the off season weather and lack of crowds anywhere, anytime.)
A wrench in the works.
Friends to the rescue!
One of my old flying buddies and his wife are moving to Vashon near Seattle. They are selling their house in Nevada and renovating a house on the island. But they will be in Greece through the early summer. The Greek trip is something of a #CancerRoadTrip. It’s a celebration of their daughter’s graduation. The cancer connection is Jen’s mother. Her death underscored a sense of urgency about life experiences. Don’t put it off, do it now.
They could use a “construction manager” in Washington to oversee things.
It would give me a temporary base. I could explore Seattle and the various contacts I have up there. I could leave a few things somewhere, then take off perhaps towards the end of summer. This will give me the time I still need to get settled while unsettled.
“Not all who wander are lost.” JRR Tolkien
I enjoy the Pacific northwest during the summer. The winter rains are too much for me. But I’ve thought that having the Seattle area as a home base, and traveling a lot during the winter, could work. Living on one of the islands, with Seattle just a 20 minute ferry ride away might be a great combination. As long as I could escape the winter rains. And living on Vashon for a bit will allow me to test this out.
And Seattle has good health care. Something that is always part of the decision making process.
The decision making process of this entire adventure is an interesting one. How minimal do I want to go? Do I want to even own a house again? How much should I discard? Do I want to live in the States, or perhaps overseas for a while? One fantasy is a small place on a Greek island (with good internet access of course!) as a base. For as long as that lasts! What do I really want and need at this stage of my life? And what will happen with my health?
Questions abound. In travel I seek revelation. Or at least some insight. So, the itinerary is currently (but always open to change!) setting up as follows:
May: Huntsville, Alabama for the TBEX show. #TBEX is a networking event for travel bloggers, online travel journalists, new media content creators, travel brands and industry professionals. And Huntsville is Rocket City! Werner von Braun, “Failure is not an option”, and The Right Stuff come to mind. Somehow aviation always seems to creep into the agenda!
June: Close escrow. Vashon ho! Perhaps Vashon by way of California wine country. Maybe Oregon wine country too!
I loved living on the water in Connecticut. I’m looking forward to being near the coast again. And Chanel’s new humans may be passing through Seattle on an Alaskan cruise. If so, we’ll find a way to connect.
September-ish: Hawaii. R&R. A focus on health and healing. And a bit of adventure!
December: To Australia/NewZealand. I may plan a jaunt into Indonesia/Thailand to keep costs down.
The Australian Open is in January and Rob Kinas, a lawyer out of Las Vegas runs a group called CancerResearchRacquet. The group of international business professionals and tennis fans (and cancer survivors) travel the tennis circuit to socialize, play some tennis and raise money for cancer research. This year (2018 actually), I will join them in Australia. And who knows, maybe Wimbledon! We’ll see where in the world I am!
#CancerRoadTrip where nothing happens as expected! Welcome to life. Isn’t it grand?
Inspiration, joy & discovery through travel. Oh, did I mention with supposedly incurable cancer?
What's on your bucket list?
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CancerRoadTrip is about making lemonade out of lemons.
As you read my story, you may want to start at the beginning to "grok" how CancerRoadTrip came to be. You can click here to start at the end (which is actually the beginning) and read forward! The posts are chronological, with the most recent posts appearing on the front page.
. If haven’t watched this, or haven’t watched it in a while, do!
I am a fan of Eileen Fischer’s knit pants, both skinny and full leg. They’re comfortable, travel well and always look good. The fabrics are usually organic and fabulous. They can be dressed up or dressed down. I am bringing black, oyster and grey pants. They roll up into a small cylinder, don’t wrinkle, are hand washable and drip dry well (not perfectly, but well). This covers most seasons, with some layering. I also purchased a simple loose black dress (Eileen Fisher). This will be my only dress I take. Once again, simple, washable, dress up or down. These are travel wardrobe essentials.
wedge (I bought it in a snakeskin pattern) is perfect for adding a bit of pizzaz to my neutral wardrobe. I usually wear a 9. I needed a 9.5 in this shoe. It may be my feet; it may be the design of the shoe which cuts low on the foot. The 9.5 is perfect. I’ll probably pack a pair of 
I’m still mulling over exactly which shoes will make the final cut (since space is at a premium), but my tried and true 
This 
For 
in this top. I also have one coming in a short sleeve variation to test. Simple, easy. Dress it up, or not. Add a scarf for easy color.
; a 
I like to cook, partly to be aware of my food sources, but mostly because I love to eat well. So my cooking accoutrements matter to me.
White Sierra Women’s Sierra Point 31-Inch Inseam Convertible Pant
to the rescue. This is a 20 ounce, non BPA water bottle with a built in filter. Simple tap water becomes a healthy way of staying hydrated. It also provides clean water for tea or any other use. The filter works efficiently and quickly. I once had another similar bottle, and it was a disaster. Brita got it right with this product. It’s dishwasher safe. 
Physical? Culinary? Historic?
, however, will go. This
restaurant which served an incredible bread pudding souffle with a bourbon creme anglaise (1,000 glorious calories per bite!) created by a then unknown chef, Emeril Lagasse, holds memories, but these days I eat lightly. It can find a new home and inspire someone else on their culinary endeavors. As can much of my New Orleans cookbook collection. But the memories of the calories linger! I found this post with a picture of the breakfast version of the souffle. YUM!
This is soulful travel adventure, and it is part of me.
Travel books–which are sometimes part history– are actually a fairly small part of my library. I tend to go places, rather than read about them, and with the web, most of my research is electronic.
, an amazing geographical and historical tour de force by rare book and map dealer Thomas Suarez. Thumbing through the pages, I find a four leaf clover that I’d pressed years ago. A good omen for a bit of travel adventure!
by Anne Morrow Lindbergh because my father gave me her diaries as a child and I found them fascinating. Ditto for her poetry. She stays. A connection to the past that I want to keep.
. This is more of a sci-fi travel adventure. It took me years to track 
. If you decide to read, it please email me/comment and share your thoughts!
Before, I couldn’t make plans until I had a closing date. Now that I have a closing date, there is little available. Getting a temporary place in Tahoe or elsewhere faces the same problems. Everyone wants to vacation during the summer. (Something I’ve never understood–I’ll take the off season weather and lack of crowds anywhere, anytime.)
bloggers, online travel journalists, new media content creators, travel brands and industry professionals. And Huntsville is Rocket City! Werner von Braun, “Failure is not an option”, and The Right Stuff come to mind. Somehow aviation always seems to creep into the agenda!
September-ish: Hawaii. R&R. A focus on health and healing. And a bit of adventure!
group called 
