Motoventuring From Alaska to South America - A Collaborative Video Blog!

I'm recognizing now that having more recordings in HD would be great for just that reason, but my current electronics setup can't handle it. I'm currently on the fence about upgrading a few things. I ran into these awesome video bloggers driving North in their VW bus and was floored by their video quality in several respects.

Firstly I've been using free and crappy Windows Movie Maker for all of my videos and he has the far advanced Adobe Premier which he's going to let me put on my computer today. I'm well versed in other Adobe programs so I'm hoping the learning curve on their video software won't be too steep and the more advanced features should improve video quality dramatically.

For handheld clips of stuff we see while walking around I just use my smart phone, which has nothing on their incredible Sony Compact DSLR.

For riding videos I usually use my first generation VIO POV, though a lot of it is from Brant's Sony Action and some is from my GoPro. The problem with filming in HD on the latter two is that it eats memory cards and battery too quickly. Also any camera like that which has an outer casing fogs up like crazy and will make you insane.

I love my VIO because it doesn't have a casing to fog up, it powers off the bike and has a setting where it records on a loop constantly but only saves to my memory card when I push a button on a remote. This solves the aforementioned battery and memory card problems. They have a new drool-worthy HD model, but it is $400. I bought my Gen 1 on Gear Trade for $80.

I have friends flying down to visit us in Nicaragua in February and I'm debating if I want them to bring anything down. It's just hard to make the decision to invest in fancy electronics because they are the bad combination of expensive and fragile.

On the other hand, this is the trip of the lifetime, it's only happening once and man that HD looks vibrant!

I didn't mean to criticize the video quality! I'm just hoping that at some point I will get to relive it all in director's cut format!

Aww thank you, it's good to reflect on that. It's definitely true that I have seen many low budget movies with more soul and that were way more fun to watch than big budget blingy flicks.

Windows Movie Maker is a POS program though and I'm very excited about the new software. WMM has so many terrible glitches I feel like I'm constantly figuring out weird work arounds just to make a 4 minute episode. Example: Last episode it was glitching where it wouldn't let me delete an audio fragment, but instead would delete all the audio. So I had to overlay audio segments over and over each other and mute areas to make it work. One time the webcam button was just GONE, no way to record webcam. I had to do a program restore to fix it (after uninstall/reinstall failed to work). Sometimes it just decides to delete all your video when you are trying to trim a clip.


So a stranger offering me the glory of Adobe Premier for free is a freaking Christmas miracle!

+ 1

well I have seen half of your tread and it is one of the best ones I have seen!!! I feel a connection with you, and it is very personal, all I need is a plash of water and I am there!

Keep it up, and I will continue to read/view the rest!

Damasovi

I didn't take it in a negative way. It's just something at the forefront of my mind too because I just met the VW couple and now I'm lusting after their electronics.

I do have most of it in at least a bit higher quality, all of it is saved down for internet upload. It's just not HD.

Awesome! I'm glad you've been enjoying it. We really just want it to be as honest, real and personal as possible. I'm glad it's getting across.

P.S. I made an official Facebook page for the video blog where I'll be posting updates between videos. Please like us on Facebook and share with any friends you think might enjoy them too.

https://www.facebook.com/motoventuring

Just watched all your videos today! Loving every minute of it and can't wait till there's more! I did ohio to panama 5 yrs ago on my drz and found it to be the perfect bike! 2up on the Z is very very impressive. Sending all the good luck and positive thoughts your way!

Somebody commented that we always seem to encounter kind people on our trip, well here you go: Roadblocks, Rebels and Rapey Guys



Most people are still awesome.

Yuck. Hopefully posting here means that it's all satisfactorily resolved.

Assuming it is, Happy new year!

:eek1:eek1 Was Andrea doing what it looked like she was doing??

Another great video, and I really appreciate the fact that you take the time to "tell the story".

Depends on if it looked like #1 or #2 to you.

GOOD STUFF LADIES, GOOD STUFF. So you have to carry your title for your moto? Not just the registration?

Yup. No title, no entry. But the registration is faked too

Good luck on the border crossing. Did you also copy the back of the title so it looks like the other one? So smart to copy and email the originals to yourself.
Epic ride

We actually didn't have the back and had to have a friend scan and email theirs haha, but now I know ALL documents FRONT AND BACK, ALL THE TIME. A good copy can save you. It's the most important piece of advice I can give you so far for a trip like this. Everything else is just kinda go for it and have an adventure, but paperwork can be trip halting. I wish we could get her new originals, every border makes us a bit anxious now and I imagine the documents may come under more scrutiny when we are getting a boat around the Darien or getting into some countries in South America. We'll find out!

You shouldn't have any problems with a copy. In fact I used a copy of my title at every border through every country in Central and South America, in order not to muck up my original. It's funny but the only country I had any problem with was the US who wanted to perforate my original when I left the US via cargo ship. The newbie customs agent said "We only perforate here!" LOL

Here's another tip, copy your insurance card and then edit it to include the country of choice. Most police and border agents won't understand English anyway, just make sure the country name is in the body somewhere. I think the only ones I needed were Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. Make sure you have something in Peru! especially around Juliaca and Puno.