I am currently on the road, hitchhiking around the world shooting a documentary, or twelve. I am hoping to inspire those around me through unorthodox, and sometimes extreme methods of living. I have decided that in order to accurately measure and also to enable the best possible footage I will not spend a single dollar on food, shelter, transportation or anything personal for the next full year, and only sustain on what has been generously and spontaneously provided for me.
After witnessing enough negative behaviour in complete strangers to complete strangers to last a lifetime, I have decided to set out to accomplish many things. Prove the world is not such a nasty place full of untrustworthy people, open the minds of society that anything is possible, and that a new friend or opportunity is just a conversation away. When common courtesy seems to have evaded us in 2010, I am setting out in search of the good in the human race. Where have all the good people gone?
I will use my social skills, resourceful thinking and life experiences to accomplish a highly controversial move; travel the globe on less than $500 and breakdown every sterotype and false perception. Its going to be tough sometimes, but I know that what is waiting for me will rock the socks off of everyone reading this. Just wait 'til you see the videos.....

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Alright, well I'm back. I'm more sporadic than a chimpanzee in a sushi bar. Picture that.

Well Ive just been hiding out, more or less, in Sudbury. I'm here with my planting buddy Paul. He lives just northwest of Sudbury in a small town. I travelled with him out west last summer, and we spent the better part of 8 months traveling and working. He was also witness to 90% of the crap I got myself into which in turn affected him. Hes the man, and get used to the name, because I always manage to enable ridiculous events to unravel in front of him, and he complaints and comments will have you on his team. For example, I just cashed a cheque for him. It was for $400. It was forgotten about and stuffed in the bottom of a backpack while he wandered and worked in Australia for the past 5 months. It was days before reaching its un-cashable deadline, and was complete with rips, tears and unknown stains. He is funny like that.
I'm planning to watch the ever important Man United match today; the UCL 2nd leg Quarterfinal vs Bayern Munchen. F*ck ze Germans. They need a win, and it needs to happen. Come on you legends!

Then, permitting this crappy weather I'm staring at holds, I will try today, and if not, early morning tmrw to hitch west, getting to Smithers BC by April 30th. We then take a truck/bus to camp. That's where Ill be planting first contract. Ill want to get all of my crap ready, make sure everything is good to go. Ill have cameras, lenses, wires and junk, computer and junk and more junk with me that will need to be packed and ready, and of course waterproofed before I go into the bush. Ill be posting pics of my final gear before I go, in case anyone's curious.
Today I aired out my tent, sleeping bag, hammock, bags and crap to rid of the mixture of smells. It was campfire meets America. It smelled like Daniel Boone.
As I'm packing my things for another long haul, yet again, I'm starting to think a bit more, and realize now just what exactly it is that I'm doing. I had a good laugh with myself this morning about hitchhiking, thinking of stories, what Ive seen and heard, what society thinks blah blah. It was pretty good actually. I'm really excited this time. I don't exactly have millions to drop on this trip, but I think Ill be alright.
I'm undecided as to which route I want to take. Ive already hitched the Trans Can Hwy 1, and I'm not exactly excited about doing something Ive already done. I like new routes. I even thought about bolting way north, and hitch the tundra line, and come down where I'm planting, way north in BC. To hitch the Tundra line would be pretty cool, in my books.
I'm keen on the possibility of hitching through the upper states, Ive never been to Montana, and have always wanted to go. It would also be faster than hitching through Ontario. The 20hrs to Manitoba is bollocks! I will be hitting Sault Ste Marie on the first day of my hitch, and will need to know then if I'm staying in Canada and going north, or want to hitch through the states again, Michigan, the Dakotas, and of course Montana. I could even dip into Wyoming if I was having good luck.
As I'm packing, getting my last loads of laundry in, and doing my prep to make sure I have everything, I'm getting beyond anxious. I'm like a nerd glued to the backseat window of his parents station wagon when pulling into Legoland.
I have almost everything I need. I left a really good pair of boots in Miami. Those brown ones my producer bought me, they were comfy and had cool laces. Now they are probably in a drainage ditch, or on some poor peddler's feet. I bought a pair last week, at the Honest Ed's famous thrift store. They were $10 worth about $2. I was hoping to plant a while in them, but I doubt they'll last the hitch there.
Other than that, I'm all equipped, and ready to go, for the most part. Spreading my stuff out, it looks like the Outside Magazine Buyer's guide. I hauled that stuff around all over the place, and didn't have to use almost any of it.... But I guess its what you call 'insurance', as when I cut myself trying to be Survivorman and have a bleeding booboo, Ill need to be alright.

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As I almost always do, I have again left this window open for hours while I do other things around the computer, like fold my stuff, pack and write lists. Now that I write this, I have just found out United lost to the Germans, and are out of the Champions League, which is pretty much a bigger bummer than finding there's no toilet paper left in a strange house. United needed to go through on only one goal difference, and they conceded in the 74th, never rebounding from Robben's goal. F*CK. That's like pouring a big bowl of delicious cereal, only to find your roommate has sucked the carton dry. Even with Rooney, we're out of 2/3 trophies, and can only focus on the Premiership. Rubbish!

Well I'm getting ready. Last night with Paul before we reconvene in BC, and my last night with familiarity. Starting tmrw, Ill be hitchhiking again, in the same style. No spending, and lets see what happens! Pretty excited thinking what kind of stuff I can get my nose into this time!
Anyways, you'll be reading all about it.
So what do you lot reckon? Go through the States? Or stay on Hwy 1 with the Canadians?

!

Ok Ive decided to put up maps.