Vlogging - I still want to vlog the challenge. Not only so I can share the journey but also for me, to have a record. I am so pleased I did record the AT as so many bits I’ve forgotten, it’s also great to be able to go back and re-watch episodes. What I know needs to happen this time, is to have more of a consistent schedule. The challenge I found with the AT was having enough time to upload footage from my SD card, to my phone and then upload it to dropbox, so it could be edited. This could take hours, every night if I had wifi I would be doing this. However, for some weeks, I wasn't anywhere with wifi, so in August last year, I had over 3 weeks worth of footage, which I wasn’t able to get to Flynn to edit!
However, this is only the first stage once the footage is on dropbox it then needs to be edited and then uploaded to Youtube. This time, at the moment, I am planning to have my laptop with me so will be able to help out with the editing. In the ideal world, I would like to have a consistent schedule such as every Monday - Wednesday and Friday and maybe Sunday. Flynn will be back at school in September and can really only do about 2 edits per week. I would like to put a small team together, to have more people helping with the editing. The key thing will be communication - as in who is doing which edit on which day and to also ensure that the are numbered and uploaded in order. I will need to organise this!
I would love to do more interviews while I’m out cycling -e.g. Women Cycling the PCH 2018. I did something similar on the Appalachian Trail (Women of the Appalachian Trial 2017 - which was really awesome!).
The more I think about vlogging (which I will do) the more it comes down to the strength of the wifi - even at home, it can take hours to get the video footage downloaded from dropbox and then uploaded onto youtube. So it’s not that I don’t want to do it - it’s rather the challenge of the wifi is something which is outside of my control!
I’m also starting to think that it’s not going to be possible to upload vlogs while out on the Baja Divide. I’m just not going to have the internet available. I will still record it, but this will need to be edited after the bike ride. I will have to buy more SD cards and record the footage and take this home with me to edit and then let the vlogs come out in January/February!
So I’m going to be my best with vlogging, but if I can’t get it out in real time, it will come out asap after I finish the challenge!
Diet - I want to ensure my diet is much better and I’m not eating crap all the time. Obviously snickers and ice-creams will be allowed!! This should be easier to do, this time, as the time pressure is not going to be so great. So travelling slower does make it a bit easier!! I hope!!
Do I do a Daily Podcast? - I really enjoyed doing my daily podcast in 2017 and this is something I’ve really been considering in 2018 as well. The question is - can I do? Will I have the time and the energy. Plus this is not something I would start, if I wasn’t going to do it.
If I start it - I will do it every day. It’s a big commitment, and I don’t know if I’ll be taking on to much . However, if I did the daily podcast - I would not create separate cover art work or do show notes - it would be recorded (no editing) and uploaded. It would be very basic. However, in the future I could go back and add separate artwork and also add in the show notes -
Or I may be able to find a volunteer who want to create the show notes from the podcast and add them to the media host and website post production. I would record on my laptop, and as long as I had wifi I would be able to post.
You can listen to my 2017 Daily Podcast --> HERE
Open the challenge up to others - I would love to do sections with members of the tribe for example. As I won’t be under such time pressure - this should be easier to arrange. e.g come and join me for a cycle though a particular section. This would be for for a day or two, maximum really for a week, as the dynamics get changed when it changes from being a single challenge to a joint challenge.
Stops - What are my must see bits of the ride?
A visit to Forks - (Twilight!)
I want to visit Alcatraz in San Fransisco and cross the Golden Gate Bridge (I need more suggestions for SF)
I want to visit LA and do some touristy stuff! (Suggestions welcome!)
I want to ride though a great red oak tree - how awesome would that be!!
What others suggestions do people have for me to stop and see? Any particular stops I should make?
Meet Ups - I would like to meet up with members of the tough girl tribe and patrons if possible. Ideally this would be on the route as I’m not sure how easy it would be for me to travel off the route.
Talks - Happy to give talks etc on route - school, women’s groups, guides, scouts etc. Ideally these would be paid talks (to help fund the costs) or I would get something in return e.g. a meal, or a place to stay,
Tracker… I don’t like being tacked (for security and safety reasons). I will have one on my phone so my family can see where I am. I have very kindly been offered a spot tracker for my journey - which is amazing, all paid for as well which is fantastic. I will have a tracker for the journey, more for my personal safety but this will only be for family and a very select group of friends.
Drone - I would like a drone! Could you imagine the amazing footage I could get?!! This would be amazing! Especially these days drone are so small and lightweight, I really do think it would add a lot to the vlogs! DJI Drones are the smallest, most light weight and the best. Mavic Air would be my choice - although it would cost £949 —>> If anyone would like to buy me a drone, or lend me one - send me an e-mail :-) sarah@toughgirlchallenges.com
Rest Days - I want to have a few more zero days, so I not constantly moving all the time - a day every now and then to catch up on personal admin and to allow my body to recover is really important! This time would be spend on the laptop, editing footage for the vlog, replying to e-mails and sorting out admin tasks, as well as spending time in the tribe and responding to any messages/comments etc.
Facebook live - I’m actually surprised I didn’t do this on the Appalachian trail. I’ve started to use Facebook Live more now and we have regular Facebook Live Sessions set up in the Tough Girl Tribe over the summer. I would love to do this while on the road to keep everyone updated on the journey and what’s been happening. Maybe use this when I haven’t been able to get any vlogs out - but again this will depend on wifi. This would also be super fun, as it will allow me to connect with everyone and answer any questions people may have while I’m on the journey! I’m still trying to decided if this should be a FB and Patron only addition or share this on the main FB page and then upload to youtube. (I could create a separate FB Live Playlist on Youtube)
Follow the main FB page @toughgirlchallenges
Instagram - Take 10 pictures each day and share them on Instagram with a longer post about the day and what’s it’s been like - share this post on Facebook as well.
Follow me on Instagram @toughgirlchallenges
Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media, become a patron from US$10 per month -->> www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast
