This road trip documentary thing is killing me.

What am I going to do?

Yesterday, Patagonia denied sponsorship.

I’m technically not a legal company, or a non-profit. I’m just a dude, who lost his job, and is spending all his money filming and sharing stories about other people who lost their jobs. It’s definitely not the smartest thing I’ve done. However, I don’t see things any other way.

I emailed the blokes at Surfing 50 States, and Jonno and I talked for about an hour today on the phone. He’s currently in Minnesota promoting his film: Surfing 50 States. You should go out, buy a copy for yourself, and get inspired.

He was sharing his stories about being broken down on the side of the road and getting stuck in Arkansas for two weeks. He also told me how they got people to feed them and putting them up for the night. It’s all about going on a whim, taking your chances, and ultimately, doing what you love. I love to travel and I love to tell stories.

Here are some updates:

1. If I don’t get a car from a car company, I’ll be taking my mom’s 1998 Chevy Surburban. At least this way, we’ll have a place to stay. It’s pretty big. The only problem is, it’s not as environmentally friendly. However, it’s free.

2. Gas is super cheap right now. The SUV gets about 15 miles a gallon. I believe fuel costs should be around $3,000 for the entire trip. Maybe more.

(20,000 miles, 15 miles a gallon, $2.50) Hopefully, gas will stay cheap.

3. We’re planning for 2.5 months. It may take up to 4 maybe longer.

4. The kick-off date is still January 24th- it will take place in San Diego, at the ASR convention. We’re currently working on getting some booth space setup.

5. I’m still waiting to hear back from sponsorship.

6. I’m moving out of Newport Beach, and I’ll be selling almost everything that I own. Time to make some cash.

Wish us luck. If you have ideas, or you would like to sponsor us, or know of anyone who would, let us know.

Photo Source: Surfing 50 States

My brother and I just watched “Surfing 50 States.” It’s about two Australian blokes that decided to come over the United States to surf 50 states. I know, 50 States? There’s no surf in Idaho. Oh, there is.

So, I started thinking. I need a common action, a common theme. We can’t just drive around and interview people. We need something. On the drive back home, we came up with an idea. Our title is called: “The Recess Ends.” We’re on break.

I know, we’re in the recession, and why are we taking breaks? We should be working and planning. We’re taking a break from our lives. Whether we got laid off, or our business is failing we need to stop and take a break. We need a time to reflect, change, and transform. Whatever happens, happens. We can’t go back and change the past. However, we can look forward and see how we can do things differently.

We came up with the idea of taking a few lawn chairs and “taking breaks” across this country of ours. We’ll be taking breaks in the rain, in the snow, in the dessert, wherever we end up.

We’ll have extra chairs. If you see an extra chair, come sit with us. We probably won’t be able to feed you, but you can feed us your thoughts and your stories.

Take a break with us.

The hardest part about this trip will be the transportation. Currently, I’m driving a 1982 300TD Mercedes-Benz. I had Lovecraft Biofuels convert my engine for me last January. It’s been awesome. I would love to take it, but I need a newer car to endure the mileage and drastic temperatures. These are the cars I’m looking at:

From our “About Us”

I am filming a nationwide documentary about our current economic state. It is an unique and an exciting time; we are on the verge of making a difference and impacting our future in a huge way. I want to ask the question: What’s next?

From January 24 to April 16, I will visit the major, most impoverished cities in the United States, from Los Angeles to New York. I will interview everyday Americans: rich, poor, black, white, etc. I will interview students, families, and single adults. In addition, a large portion of the story will be the voices of both small businesses and large corporations. Businesses are shutting down and laying off. Recently, Sharper Image shutdown all major operations; DHL is closing down all domestic operations; Citigroup laid off 53,000 jobs; Chrysler shutdown their plants for a month. And I got laid off on December 5th, 2008. I subsequently applied for unemployment for the first time on December 8th, 2008. We all share a common story– I am going to capture and share that story.

I worked for an Internet startup company that worked heavily with retailers. I’ve been following and writing daily about the economic downturn on company blog. Using my ability to network socially online, I intend to utilize my technical web skills to deliver the stories on a frequent basis. Social media is an amazing tool; it is able to inexpensively and effectively spread ideas quickly and virally. Also, I will also be using traditional media sources such as newspapers, magazines, television, and radio to reach out to localized communities. I also have a friend who will be working as my PR director while I travel.

Furthermore, being ecologically conscious has shaped my lifestyle and my beliefs. I spend my days surfing, mountain biking, snowboarding, and camping. I know our environment is at risk, which is why I insist on my trip to coincide with my green lifestyle. I have converted my 1982 300TD Mercedes-Benz station wagon to run on vegetable oil and it will be my main mode of transportation on my trip. Driving my car has taken my green lifestyle to another level, and I plan on maintaining that aspect while being on the road. The trip will be environmentally friendly. I am also anticipating vehicular support from socially responsible car companies who are inspired to participate and contribute to this movement.

I am receiving help from several companies in my venture, such as Hurley, Guayaki, Adina, and Chipotle. I intend to expand my representation to include additional companies that reflect my personal principles and values; companies that make a difference but are not widely recognized for it. Let’s put the “green” back into our pockets. I want the companies I represent to be profitable so that they can continue to impact this world positively and be around for generations. Good businesses need to stay in business.

Ultimately, I believe the solution to our current economic state is synergy: cooperative interaction, combined effort, give-and-take. I am out to find a solution, an inspiration, a voice. I want to experience, understand, and share my journey and my travels. I want the American public to be inspired. We are in control, and we are going to change this economy, this country, and this world.

Will you be a part of this extraordinary journey?

This idea of mine has been brewing since I got laid off. It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m laying on my floor of my old room typing my first post. To be honest, I don’t even know how to begin. I’m still nervous about this trip. I still don’t know if it’s going to work out, and I’m still trying to figure out how I’m going to get around. I’ll be setting up this site tonight. The following next few days, I’ll be posting on my updates. If you have any ideas, please leave a comment. This is your trip, as much as it is mine