Yes, we’ve been some what slack on doing a post since… well, Mexico.. but we have been pretty busy!

We left our dear friend in Morelia and continued north, dropping back down into the desert conditions of north/west mexico.. I would say this was by far THE MOST uncomfortable, and disgusting I’ve felt and I’m sure Carlo too (apart from sleeping in the humid climate of Cartagena in Columbia..) throughout the trip. The heat was incredible, dry like a sauna with no escape but paying for an air coned motel room for 6hours, which i think you can guess is one of “those motels..”.

The crossing into the US was another successful and unexpectedly quick accomplishment! I loved the west coast of the US, it’s simply awesome but a complete culture shock to the system after the year we’d had… All I can say is, “Ralphs Supermarket?!” We’ve been used to corner shops that have bars where the door should be, and having to point at the very limited options on display to the shop keeper! so this was like walking into a palace for us.. We must have spent a good hour walking the isles in awe of all the choices!

We made several stops along the way up with friends in: San Diego, LA, San Francisco.. and took our final “excursion” to visit Yosemite Park, which was epic! Autumn in Yosemite is beautiful, and even saw snow on the ground for a couple days! Then, returning to San Francisco had us wrapped into a new production!

The New Production:
The “Omprakash” foundation, we hadn’t realised properly until we met up with our friend & fellow volunteer Lacey (whom we’d met when at Fairplay/Helping hands in Peru) that Omprakash is directly connected to both organisations Carlo and I did productions for in Peru. Over night she’d come up with an idea!
Within the following morning we’d spoken to Willy the founder of Omprakash, and were commissioned to create a film/documentary showing an outreach program of a volunteer, grant recipient & now member of their committee, Vance, who was riding his bike from Seattle to San Francisco and stopping at pre-arranged university’s along the way, to spread the word of volunteering for no costs through using “Omprakash”.
Visit: www.omprakash.org/howitworks – to find out more details.
Video coming soon!

With the tour already well underway, we had a week for pre-production planning and were soon on the road from San Fran to meet the man ‘Vance’ in Eugene, to then travel back south, getting the footage we needed of him riding the coast, the ‘avenue of the giants’, and riding through wine country – which was a definite crowd pleaser ;)

We spent three weeks on the road with Vance, documenting his outreach tour for Omprakash.

I won’t give to much away, you’ll have to wait in anticipation for the finished result… coming very soon!


Omprakash Foundation - Outreach Tour PhotoTeaser


SAN DIEGO

Tori Roze & The Hot Mess #1

Tori Roze & The Hot Mess #2

Tori Roze & The Hot Mess #3

Tori Roze & The Hot Mess #4

2/5 of the Hot Mess

Causing a splash in San Diego with Tori & The Hot Mess

Yeah, we kind of went for that dead looking look.

Tori & The Hot Mess band shoot - Adele's vs

Some 'behind the scenes' action from Tori & The Hot Mess shoot

more BTS

Getting cold 'behind the scenes' but still having a laugh


COASTAL FREEWAY

Freeway 1 - Coastal Freewayway. Beautiful views from our ride betsy

Has there ever been a picture of us on here together?? Don't think so.. must have been that sea breeze

Gorgeous day & Stunning views

I recommend this drive to anyone going to California! We were lucky with the weather being it was October, the summer was still lingering

Hovering over the edge..

I actually have no idea where this was.


LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES BABY!

Sleepy seaside town at a place called Shell Beach


SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco! Taken at Lands End, cool view of the Golden Gate Bridge

Lands End, another point of view

Nice and close using the 300mm.. Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco Fire Dept

Rolling hills of San Fran

Yeah baby!

San Francisco Blue "Grass" Festival. Were we in a time warp?

Blue grass Festival - and no i dont know who the young guy is ;) ??

Cargo carrier passing Alcatraz!

Stunning image here by multi talented photographer Adele Thomas

Early morning light overlooking the city of San Fransico


YOSEMITE:

Maybe I looked too much at that Ansel Adams book uh? Or maybe not enough...

This doesn't give justice to how magnificent these trees were.

Yep, it was cold in the van.

Sunset in Yosemite

Shining bright

There's a rainbow faintly showing in the mist

Yosemite Park

Yosemite Valley


OMPRAKASH ON TOUR:

Avenue of the giants. Omprakash Movie

Hanging out. The other awesome VW couple Siomara & Rustin, Vance on a GIANT log.. Ricci in awe

Rustin not stuck in a gigantic tree! Unlike someone else we know whom was! lol

this, not only make's Vance look like a flutterby but is the actual bottom end of a fallen sequoia tree.. its huge!

Behind the Scenes of the Omprakash tour film..

The beautiful & ancient redwoods - Avenue of the giants (Old Highway 101)

Yeah, you know, just some location scouting on the way up..

An awesome day off from shooting

The redwoods. Pretty much incredible.

Same same

A shot from the Omprakash shoot. within seconds a bike running at 300km/h will cross the frame

Yeah! Let's go check out that lighthouse!