“Wilderness is not a luxury, but a necessity of the human spirit…”
With the words of Edward Abbey marinating in my thoughts, we woke up in the desert. Coming from the rainy Northwest, the morning sun warmed our bones.
We pulled out of Portland, OR last Monday, and if we didn’t know the date, we would have guessed that it was the dead of winter. The windshield wipers were pumping about as hard as our heart beats. There has been so much anticipation, so much preparation and planning for the tour, and this moment in the freeway downpour marks the beginning of all that’s to come.
Every mile post and exit that passed by the window reminded us that Colorado was getting closer and closer. My head was filled with every kind of thought. Is anyone going to come to the film? Are we going to get the logistics figured out in time for the premiere? It’s almost May, is that really snow on the side of the road.
The biggest thought that consumed my mind was support. There are so many people out there who have backed the project, who have sent us messages and emails of encouragement, and who have been kind enough to tell their friends about us. When I think about this, my eyes well up with tears and any notion of insecurity or fear for the tour begins to slip away.
I look over at Allie. She’s talking to a reporter from Durango, telling him about what inspired the film. Allie’s home is on the road, and with Roma the 23-foot Airstream in tow, I can see that she is in her element. This too calms my nerves.
The cold grey clouds begin to reveal blue sky, and I know we’re entering warmer temperatures. But my restlessness and anticipation still lingers. A year ago we starting filming. Since August, days have been filled with editing, writing, piecing together this story… and now it’s time to get it out there.
Blame it on the limited amount of sleep I’ve been getting these days, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that Allie and I would be the only two people in the audience.
We pulled off the side of the road just outside of Green River, UT, and that’s when everything changed.
We woke up in the desert.
Sunshine filled the Airstream, the sand was warming up between our toes, surrounding rock faces were a brilliant shade of red, cactus never looked so good! We quickly became kindergartners on a playground – climbing trees, attempting handstands, laughing… A calm had fallen over us.
The energy of the great outdoors is a powerful thing. It can transform you. It transforms me. Ever since that morning in the desert, my mind has been at peace, and my restlessness has turned into readiness. Ready for the tour, ready to share the film, ready to put ourselves out there to friends and strangers alike. That’s the power of the outdoors. We made this film because we love being outside, and we wanted to share it in a unique way that gets people outside. It’s no longer about Allie or me. It’s about you, and it’s about anyone else who has ever felt the power of nature.