Newsletter: week of June 23rd

Bud, I did it.

After six days and 477 miles on a bike, through a major storm and a heat wave, I made it to Rochester, NY, from NYC on an e-bike entirely powered by the sun. It was, by far, the hardest thing I have ever done, and every day I learned big lessons.

The first day, I learned that e-bikes aren't meant to tow a 100lb trailer up a 15% grade hill.

And that when bungee cords snap, they get twisted up in your wheel and then need to be sawed out.

I learned that a wrong turn will cost ya because turning around "the big rig" is a pain in the ass.

I learned that no matter how much water you drink or food you eat, 105 degrees is too hot to be biking 60 miles in.

I learned that putting on music and singing really loud, as you fly down the road with the wind filling your shirt, is incredibly fun and freeing.

But above all else, I learned that strangers can be angels, and there are still many reasons to believe in humanity. More on that soon. In the meantime, here is everything I was scrolling by, watching, and listening to while on the road.

What I scrolled through:

Faith No More's "Midlife Crisis" and the Observers Paradox
"This is the photographer's curse: you become so good at seeing life through a lens that you forget how to see it with just your eyes. Every moment becomes a potential frame, every experience gets filtered through the question, 'Is this worth documenting?'"

Project Indigo - a computational photography camera app by Adobe
I'm excited to try this out. Adobe promises a lot of the smarts of photoshop, reflection removal and noise removal, to name a few, but also pro controls and multi-frame blending. Anyone dive in yet?

You Can Now Turn Your iPhone into a 1990s Game Boy Camera
Many people sent me this! I love the idea, but the fun of shooting with the Game Boy Camera is holding the Game Boy Camera. I will, of course, still be trying it out, though.

What I watched:

Neon Lights - Gawx
Annnnnd I think I'll be renting a fisheye lens real soon. Maybe this Venus Optics Laowa 8-15mm f/2.8 when it becomes available? I'll put it on my A7c... This is going to be fun!

The Strange Freedom Of Knowing Nothing
What's a hobby you could dive into that you currently know nothing about? I would love to learn more about taxidermy.

Photographer Gioncarlo Valentine on Documenting Tender Moments in Black Life
I love how Gioncarlo Valentine's work is simple, yet stunning. It's nothing over the top, yet it still conveys a great deal of emotion.

Summer Solo Tent Camp--Going With The Flow
I've seen my future, and it's bright.

What I listened to:

Planting by the Signs - S.G. Goodman
The album has finally dropped, and Nature's Child is the runaway hit for me.

Modern Girl - Bleachers
Great for climbing hills!

Bein Myself - Lil Wayne & Mannie Fresh
I can't believe a Lil Wayne song has made it to the newsletter, but for some reason, this got a lot of play on the bike trip. Welcome to Tha Carter also went a few miles with me.

With that, I hope you have a great weekend. I'm just landing in Cancun, Mexico, for a weekend with old friends. Send recommendations if you have them and pray for my liver ;)
As always, I appreciate you, bud, and hope you have a great weekend <3
-Becca