Our Newest Episode to our Rickshaw Run 2016 series is now out and available!
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Motobiking in Vietnam with XOTours!!
A great day and evening in Ho Chi Minh City with Huong, Tam, and Thauo! We highly recommend XOTours to any adventurer of all ages! Great company and staff! They are good people.... and now good friends of Gridskippers! www.xotours.vn
A week in Japan...
Japan... Tokyo in particular... Absolutely has to be put in your top 5 places to visit! The wonders of this culture all centralizing from their capital city, Tokyo, is absolutely a wonderful experience. This trip in particular, went close to perfect. Many things can lead to a perfect experience, although, nothing really sends it home like a perfect flight over. On this trip, I was able to fly on Japan airlines. JAL airplanes are extremely comfortable and their attendants spend the necessary time to making sure you are happy during the long journey.
Once in Tokyo, life under complete precision began. From the daily meetings to the Bullet Train, you could set a watch to the timing of the activities. If the train says it is leaving at 3:15, it will leave exactly at 3:15.
There was really just one thing I was not prepared for on this trip in particular… Our great host felt it was necessary for us to experience not just the Japanese food, which was delicious, but also the historic Japanese ritual of taking a bath in the Japanese natural Hot Springs. This translates to exactly what you would expect. I was about to be naked in a public bath with a bunch of other men. Not really an activity you ever see me running up to experience…. Although after many polite and considerate opportunities to derail this part of the trip, it remained… and we were scheduled to head there during our last evening in Tokyo. So much history in Tokyo, from the Shogun era to the Forbidden Castle, I truly was not sure why we focused on this spa to be the last event but we did….
This particular hot-spring complex, La Qua, resides in Tokyo’s Dome City and uses sodium chloride-enriched hot spring water that is being pulled from 1700m underground. It is said that the water has many healing properties but mainly helps with muscle stiffness, neuralgia, and healing a cold…. That is the brochure portion of this blog. Now for my personal experience…
On the way to the Lobby it is easy to recognize the bath has both a woman’s and a men’s section and these two shall not mix. Unfortunate! I think it would be a bit easier if we were all just thrown in together. Although, I am sure then they would have to worry about many other things… The next a bit of worrisome came when the sign in the locker room detailed that anyone with any tattoos or body markings were not allowed in the bath. I raised my eyebrow and kinda pointed out the tattoos on my ankle to a person in the group. He told to just keep it covered best I could. Apparently, Tattoos or Irezumi as they are called in Japanese were criminalized in the beginning of theMeiji period (some time after 1868) as a way to make a good impression on the west. (A bit ironic in this case...) It was legalized again after the war in 1948 but still retains its image of criminality.
So with nothing on me except my tattoo I headed towards the bath. They give you a hand towel that you are able to wash with and possibly try to deflect any major visual contact with your goods as you walked to the spa, but I really found it quite useless… So I brought a bath towel. No I didn’t… Yes I did. And it would of worked perfectly till our host pointed out a chair that I could leave it on… ahh naked again…
You are at this time given a small wooden bucket that you are suppose to fill and wash yourself thoroughly before entering the bath. That sounds a lot easier then it is, especially under the watchful eyes of the older Japanese men that were very curious why a white guy has somehow found himself in their sanctuary.
Finally after 50 shades of red, I found myself in this beautiful oasis with palm trees and pools of water surrounding. Steam blanketing and the water dark enough where nothing can really be seen at all. So with that I quickly submerged and realized instantly I have been missing out! This place is terrific! It took seconds not minutes to realize that this historic and almost religious custom of the Japanese was spot on. Any stress and muscle ache that I have been possibly carrying just disappeared. It was fantastic. You were able to move up to different pools that had different temperatures and then move to different areas that offered other spa style of relaxation. It was a fantastic experience and one I am truly grateful that we had an opportunity to try.
We experienced so many wonderful things in Japan and there to stand witness to things that i just only had heard about. It is true, they are so all very polite and for a New Yorker you see this immediately! Also did you know they have a national custom for Christmas dinner which is to have everyone over for a bucket of KFC Chicken! I even had to ask this question to many others because I could not believe this was true. Funny enough, they all through this too was our custom in the States.
Many thanks to our business partners and host!
Many thanks to Japan and most of all, many thanks to the wonderful city of Tokyo!
PRESS RELEASE:
“The arts saved my family — and now my family is setting out to save the arts.”
The Rickshaw Run is no ordinary race for a cause. It’s a wild journey designed to capture imaginations, and on January 1, 2016, Gridskippers will hit the road to raise funds for essential arts programming in New York City public schools.
Michael and Joanna Droege, the husband-and-wife team behind Gridskippers, are risking life and limb to race in January’s Rickshaw Run through India — a 1,550-mile road trip spanning the entire length of the country, from Kochi to Jaisalmer. There is no set route, only a starting line, a finish line, and the creative wits of at least 80 participating teams from around the world.
“It is easily the craziest thing we have ever planned to do,” said Michael of the upcoming journey, but he and his family have never shied away from worldly adventure.
In fact, the Droege family’s mission to restore arts programming in public schools started on the tails of a different adventure. Michael, Joanna, and their three children returned to New York City after living in Saudi Arabia for several years, and it was the arts -- including nonprofit programs like ArtsConnection -- that played a crucial role in helping the children assimilate back into American life.
Theater, dancing, and visual art uniquely changed the trajectory of each child’s life: broadening their social awareness, raising their grades, and increasing their self-worth. As is true for so many families living in the melting pot of New York City, the arts have enabled the Droege family to connect with their community.
Today, however, arts programming is at risk in New York City and throughout the United States. With schools increasingly focused on state testing and benchmarks, programs in the arts do not exist without charitable contributions. ArtsConnection is an organization that provides dance, theater, visual arts, media and music, and partners with grade schools across all five boroughs to integrate the arts into students’ overall learning and development.
On January 1, Gridskippers will begin its journey across India in a 7-horsepower rickshaw to raise money for ArtsConnection, and they need your help. You can pitch in to help Gridskippers meet its incredible goal to raise $15,000. Every dollar raised will go to the arts -- but don’t wait! The Rickshaw Race is fast approaching.
To support Gridskippers’ Rickshaw Run, and help save the arts in NYC, visit https://www.gofundme.com/gridskippers.
team@gridskippers.com
EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE!! - 1st video for our Rickshaw Run 2016!!!
Special Thank you to Ellie Jackson & Tom Fuglesang for their Artistry! Also a huge thank you to Logan, Holden and Jack for their Coffee Bean Creativity!!!
Our Rickshaw Design.... "UNVEILED"
After many glasses... ok... Fine!! Bottles of wine... it was decided, that since this race is being dedicated to the children, so be the Rickshaw! This week we sent the Rickshaw artists in India the recently named color "Gridskippers Blue" to paint our complete ride and added even a couple "red" accents for speed and aerodynamics! Then we designed, in 4 different colors, vinyl stickers in the shape of a child's handprint. We are having our children take these hand prints to their class for their classmates to design and sign their own piece of art/handprint.
Once we collect these handprints we will take them with us on our journey East and completely cover the entire Rickshaw with the handprints of the kids! Pretty excited about the idea and love the idea of getting the children involved in our adventure!
Thank you so much to all of our sponsors and supporters!! And also a huge thank you to ArtsConnection, the charity we are supporting on this adventure! They work so tremendously hard to help enrich our children lives, and as you could guess this is a thankless job! So please help us thank them the best way we know how, and that is to support our cause!!! We are moving very quickly to reach our goal! Combining our New York efforts with our partners in Texas efforts we broke the $6,000 barrier this week!! Blessed!! Thanks again! lets keep it going!!! and Happy Halloween!!!
Land of the "Tango"
I had the opportunity last week to spend a few days with some very good friends and business partners in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Always a good trip!
Argentina as a country is always filled with a bit of mystique... Miles of muddy rivers intertwining together both through the cities and landscape... The strong cultural influence has deep italian roots. This European heritage can be visibly seen in their religion, food, ethics and family values.
Fortunately I am able to be a partner with the family owned business RP for the last two years. As their Italian heritage supports, they have built both strong personal and business relationship with not just myself and my family but also anyone else I introduce into the equation.
I found many similarities of the American vs Argentina lifestyle. I believe the most different and where I felt Argentina is in a much more difficult position, has to with money. Argentina has been in a financial crisis for years. As we arrived this weekend, we found it was the Eve of the new Presidential election... Therefore, the financial crisis topics were on the lips of everyone we had the opportunity to sit with. Business credit is non existent. There is absolutely no financing at all available to really anyone except possibly businesses that have a 15 to 20 year positive financial history. Even those businesses are only able to finance 20% of their required amount needed. This ways heavy on many things from entrepreneurial advances to as simple as a young family trying to purchase their first home.
Also they have an interesting import/export business model in hopes to maintain and stabilize the Argentina currency. Any Argentina company interested in importing goods into the country are also required to also create an exporting business that must export amount of goods with value similar of their import value. Amazing! not sure it works as efficient as needed, but it is the regulation. As most countries that have such financial turmoil you see evidence of different styles banking from the standard government issue, to the as they call it, "blue, grey and black market", all which have different exchange rates and styles of obtaining or exchanging.
During this trip we had the opportunity to really enter into the cultural world of Argentina. Tango still being a strong visual and artistic statement in all walks of life there, we had the opportunity to see both. From those sitting on cold cement street steps waiting for the next tourist to ask them to dance for pennies.....
To those dancing in the beautiful restaurant venues at night....
On Sunday we were able to spend the day at the family river house which always is a very good experience and one I think is best as it is served, with plenty of Argentina beef and Argentina wine. Picking up the boat at the warehouse, we began the adventure...
From here we begin our journey up the winding mud filled river seeking out the weekend river house of our friends.
Hourly the house is serviced by what they translate to be the floating grocery store, offering them anything from crackers to water & propane. It is a very good day and one that can only be described as a true Argentinian Asado. Various meats and vegetables cooked slowly over the wood charcoal in a brick oven and served with salad and bottles of wine.... Fantastic!
Their were signs that Pope Francis was from Buenos Aires all over the city. They are extremely proud that this newly established world leader has come from their capital and their love and affection for him is extremely strong!
We decided to peek into his previous church when he was a Cardinal in Buenos Aires the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Argentina as usual played to be a beautiful country with beautiful people! from Messi to Evita to just great family friends and partners!!! We had a terrific visit and looking forward to the next...
What are Silkies?
Last weekend I had the opportunity to fly to Austin, Texas, to join my fellow partner in crime and Gridskipper member, Danny Bowen. Danny is a the kind of man that everyone should have the opportunity to not only meet but also have in their life.
In the 15+ years we have known each other, we have had many of an adventure. Possibly…. not as intense as our upcoming RickShaw Run in India, but usually life threatening nonetheless. Danny always maintain the status of “life of the party” in most get togethers, but what separates him from the pack is his compassion, honesty, and continuous strive to be the best man he can be. Don’t get me wrong, Danny has had a very colorful life, although similar to how both Joanna and I try to live our lives, Danny believes that the journey far out ways the destination. I believe Danny is this way, because or two major influences in his life growing up, his family and the Marines. Danny had the opportunity to serve for our country when he was younger. I believe in this time of military life, Danny grew up and became a man.
With his loyalty to the Armed Service and that people that keep our country safe everyday, Danny puts a lot effort in activities that help this group. Last weekend in particular, Danny invited me to Austin to support his participation in Mathew Lee’s Silkies Hike.
Now let me tell you until Last weekend, I had real no idea what Silkies were and why they were hiking in them. now… I know….
The mission is to raise awareness on post traumatic stress, suicide prevention, and how to effectively help the 22. Support and spread Irreverent Warriors bottom line: "put the gun back on safe, put it back on the nightstand, and stick around a bit longer." Semper Fi.
Sgt. Mathew L. Frederick and a few others are leading the front in austin.
What:
A 22km (13.6 mile) VETERAN's hike/pub crawl with 22 kg on our backs for the 22 vets a day committing suicide (for whoever enjoys the weight, it's not required) throughout the Austin area…in silkies.
Why:
To get our veterans together, to put weight on our backs and feel nostalgic, to laugh, to drink, to party, and remind us all that our camaraderie and brotherhood will never die.
Emphasis on super testosterone & drinking!
CIVILIANS/SUPPORTERS: Please feel free to meet us at the park for the initial festivities and also advance to the locations if you'd like to receive your veterans with cheers, hugs, kisses, photos, videos, beer, shots, screaming, yelling, and excessive PDA.
Uniform of the Day:
U.S. Marines – green SILKIES, body/face paint, desert/combat boots.
U.S. Navy - green/blue/black SILKIES, body/face paint,
desert/combat boots. Corpsman, bring IVs filled with vodka/red bull.
U.S. Army - green/black SILKIES, body/face paint, banana hammocks, body/face paint, desert/combat boots you can put a lot of weight and miles on, you can leave the gay reflective army belts at home.
U.S. Air Force - green/blue/black/pink SILKIES, body/face paint, desert/combat boots...remember there is no air conditioning during the march because it's happening "outside" lol.
U.S. Coast Guard - turqoise/aquamarine/pink SILKIES with dolphin caricatures, body/face paint, desert/combat boots, prepare to hear Coastie jokes from your Navy brethren for the entirety of the march.
CIVILIANS - We appreciate all the love and support and look forward to seeing you guys at our bar stops and at the final party. This is a no shit serious hump for over 8 hours with 22 kilos on our backs, at speed, in some serious temperatures. This is a time for us as veterans to re-live the times we once had, bond, get fucked up, and laugh at all the bullshit we used to deal with...
Gear:
Backpack - The 22 kg is optional
Snacks, protein bars, fruit
Camelback with water
Sunscreen
(HOT NURSES NEEDED - non-medical sexy personnel just bring a sexy nurse outfit...doesnt take an M.D. to give a cold sponge bath.) No need to add anything here!
Police escort is being requested at this time for potential high traffic areas...if not, four crazy mofos with road guard vests will have to do....we'll hopefully have a 100+ people going..piece of cake right?
VERY IMPORTANT!!! We are in need female (preferably bikini clad) volunteers to apply body/face paint and sunscreen to some hardcore Marines and other service members at The Texas Capitol. Remember, it's all about "even coverage"...lather and repeat...lather. and. repeat.
So that was the invite that brought in close to I heard 400+ Service Members into Austin Texas last weekend. It was a great success and a great tribute to the type of people that are protecting our country everyday.
I was extremely proud to be able to be next to Danny as he ran this complete race. As proud of him as I am when he gets up from his seat in a diner we may be eating at to shake the hand of a Vet that may have sat down across the room. It is this type of person we all can strive to be a bit more like. Thank you Danny for always being there for me any my family! And most of all Cheers to the Gridskippers!!! India Here we come!
Welcome to New York! we've been waiting for you!
I woke up this morning very similarly to every other Monday morning: a quick search for my gym clothes, a final push on my ankle to slide into my running shoes, and a quick walk to the gym. Choosing a treadmill, letting my earphones lock into place, this ritual always ends with a touch of the play button on my phone as I enter into a music-fueled physical trance for the next 30 or so minutes. Thus, letting my mind go where ever the music and the rhythmic beat of my own feet take me.
Today, my thoughts went to a very special group of friends that we have had an opportunity to make since we have moved to New York City, Spring Street Social Society http://www.ssssociety.com. Time and time again, I have found that as we grow and learn from the world around us, many times we are not able to take friends or people we have met and are close with, along with us on our journey. Some may find that they are very comfortable with personal situation or area and allow themselves to remain there indefinitely; or others may also be on their own personal journey and, when the time comes, their path may require them to separate from our ours to go in a different direction. Fortunately or unfortunately, the ability to keep learning and growing from each of our personal experiences puts all of us on our own artisan path or journey…
The path that Joanna and I have taken has put us into so many crazy trials, tribulations, and adventurers. Each turn in the path has been very meaningful and now it has us where I believe we are meant to be, New York City… Being able to call Manhattan home for now going over 4 years, has been terrific for us. We have been able to culturally, spiritually, artistically and personally be enlightened in so many areas. New York is absolutely a place that challenges you every single day to be better then the last. Love it!
That being said… many times paths such as this can be an extremely lonely and even terrifying at times. It is very difficult to find people on a similar path in a world that you have (almost unconsciously, for reasons of trying to be true to yourself) isolated yourself into. This world of ships-crossing-paths-in-the-night is exactly where Spring Street Social Society has expertly come to the rescue. Two best friends Amy Virginia Buchanan and Patrick Janelle, both extremely innovative, talented, and persevering, came together to engineer a society that would bring together these people on such paths…. Starting with a simple, although thorough, application process to help identify people with similar “life paths” that also were searching for a bit more, they were able craft a true society that really fosters New York's best creatives and similar like-minded people all searching for a way to find each other.
Spring Street brings together talents from all over the city from fashion, food and beverage, design etc…. and meticulously puts together an event that one can really never even describe in words other then it is just truly an experience. Here at these gatherings, you will find wonderful people very similar to yourself in that they too have similar interests and ambitions. It almost immediately allows your guard to be lowered and the opportunity to meet and find caring and sincere friendships from all over….
It is at one of these gathering we also had met a wonderful adventurer that also was also tackling different paths of sorts. They spoke to us of a few of the last adventures they have taken, one being theadventurists.com Rickshaw Run through India. It took about 30 seconds for us to realize that we knew we must run this race! Also, what a great way to give back to NYC and the Arts programs, the very which have helped us tremendously.
Again, none of this would of ever have been possible without Spring Street Social Society…. As I get off the treadmill today, I realize it is not just New York City that feels like home anymore, it is our time with our friends at Spring Street Social Society. Thank you Patrick and Amy! (instagram/twitter - @aguynamedpatrick and @amyvirginia and @springstreetsocialsociety)
Photos courtesy of www.ssssociety.com
Gridskippers Meeting in NYC!!
It started as simple as a blip on my phone last Wednesday morning...Our Rickshaw Race partner Danny, who lives in Texas, was trying to schedule an October Gridskippers meeting to help plan and organize... Within minutes, we had successfully pulled in the meeting from October to this Saturday and in New York City. The gathering of miles and additional funds ($$) quickly were arranged and our weekend was set! Normally, this would be absolutely fine, and we would embrace this type of spontaneity... Although since we are moving to our new apartment on Friday, we knew this was going to put a bit of a wrinkle in our packing plans... but in the nature of Gridskippers, we could figure it out!
As soon as they arrived Saturday, we were off to one of our newest special favorites in the city and that is the North River Lobster Company. www.northriverlobsterco.com
This special little find has offered many adventures for us this summer! It is located at Pier 83 and their business plan is spot on. The restaurant is a nice size 3-level boat that sails up and down the hudson for no cost to the patrons. They only ask that you enjoy the food, drinks and sometimes live music along the way! It is a great idea and, since they do not push any of the tables to leave between cruises, we always find ourselves taking a few trips out as we enjoy their tasty drinks and yummy lobster and shrimp!
Here, we toasted the group with a drink of our choice and began the first of many Gridskipper meetings that took place this weekend. Our initial topic started with video and photography requirements... The wish list began to emerge as we discussed camera stabilizers, video storage, ability to edit on site, GOPRO requirements, monopod, lighting, microphones, computers and software etc...
With a list such as this, the conversation then turned to backpack sizes, security, followed by clothing requirements and if we really needed a tent... With that, we took our adventurers to Paragon's Sporting goods. www.paragonsports.com Since we are then just a few blocks from Mario Batali's crazy huge shop of Italian specialities, Eately... www.eataly.com We had to spend some time there! What kind of friends would we be if we did not show them that place!!
As I am sure most soon-to-be rickshaw runners have done from time to time, we retired at our local favorite Indian restaurant, Saffron. www.saffronny.com We discussed our future plans with the server, who then graciously took us on a culinary tour of his own personal recommendations! It was fantastic!
Sunday morning, we got up and began to get ready for the next meeting. This meeting, as most New York meetings should, took place at the Yankee Stadium... :) I am sure this was part of some bucket list for our Texas friends and it didn't fail to impress! www.yankees.mlb.com
The planning quickly went to pimping the rickshaw and what we need to ensure this little 7-HP vehicle will be able to endure the race and provide enough protection and some comfort to us, so we too can endure the trek.
With all the power that our equipment will need, the Rickshaw will absolutely need a larger battery. With a bit of research, we found how we can add an additional power source with the option of recharging with solar power. Although traveling at night is frowned upon, for us to finish the race in the allotted time, it may be required. For this, we need to make sure have the correct lighting and I believe we may have found it with these new LED options. The only issue now is, we are pretty sure it is too bright and may be blinding for those that may be driving towards it... so possibly a plan B?
We ended this Gridskippers weekend with the New York standards... A quick trip to Coney Island www.nathansfamous.com and then a nice dinner at home with NYC pizza and red wine.
It is crazy we have been here almost 4 years and we have yet to find our "favorite" pizza place. They really all are very good and better then we have had any where else in the world. I am sure the NYC water really has something to do with this! Although this evening, we chose to deliver from Justino's pictured above and it absolutely did it's job! www.justinospizza.com
With that said it was a great weekend and many things were organized and discussed to move the project forward! Please help us by helping us raise money for our charity ArtsConnection. www.artsconnection.org ArtsConnection's mission is to save and preserve the Arts Programs in Public Schools. These programs are essential to children's growth and need all of our help to keep them preserved and moving forward. This entire race through India is for ArtsConnection and the work they do! Please help and support us! Please give a tax-deductible donation as soon as possible. We have a long way to go to meet our goal!!!!
www.gofundme.com/gridskippers