Right around the time this post hits your inbox a new video is going to be released.  And honestly, it is one of my absolute favorites.  Not because I may have wet my pants from fear while making it (and those are unconfirmed rumors!), but because it represents a change in the way I’m making content.

The video is called Is This STILL the WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS HIKE? and is me taking a five kilometer hike on a narrow walkway super-glued to the side of a 330′ cliffside.  But what made it fun was that it was actually truly authentic.  About ⅔’s of the way through I mention that the scariest part of the hike … having to walk over the gorge on a swinging suspension bridge … seems to be no longer a thing.  From my perspective it looked like a new bridge (a real bridge!) was now in its place.  But as I got closer it saw that it was just an optical illusion.  The scary bridge was just behind the wooden one and it only looked like folks were on the new one.

So yea … my light hearted banter as I approached the illusion was real … as was my realization when that illusion broke apart.

(The Reality)

But what made me happy about the video was that as I was editing it, I could really feel it.  Usually after watching it several dozen times … that’s how videos get created, by sheer repetition of scenes as they get tweaked … I’m pretty numb to the content.  But this video?  The visuals kept recreating the story for me, over and over.  I kept feeling the hike … and I think you are going to feel it too.  So yea … I like this one!

As far as the break?  I realized that there have been things I’ve learned over the past few months.  Like how titles and those thumbnails you click on should be created.  Creators have a suite of analytics tools available which help us see what’s happening (and hopefully why).  I can see which videos get clicks and which don’t.  So I’m taking a week off and studying just that … and then I’m going to update my older content to take advantage of what I’ve learned thus far.  I’ve put in a fair amount of work on those and I feel like I shouldn’t just leave old gems to get dusty.  Not if I have the means to freshen them up a bit.

(Another Shot Of THE FEAR)

As far as what’s next for us (and you!) … we leave Granada on May 20th, heading for Madrid.  Just a few days there as we have a friend who is having a birthday.  And then we’re heading up to the region of Galicia on the 24th for several weeks.  I won’t spoil the fun, but it’s a beautiful part of Spain and I can’t wait to find the stories there and bring them to you.

And finally, a little behind the scenes information that won’t make it into the videos.  For a few weeks after that, I’m going to be solo.  Nikki has to go back to the states to manage some personal matters and I’m staying in Europe.  Which means planning is going to be interesting/different.  I have no idea yet exactly what I want to accomplish in those few weeks, but current possibilities are (1) Scotland, (2) riding in narrow boats in England, and (3) spending a week or so circling the entirety of Iceland.  In the next few weeks those will be more or less locked down and I’ll fill ya in on the details.  And if you have any suggestions for how to fill in some time here, I’m all ears!

More next Saturday!

RICK

🎬 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfX3c8A5hKPHuoKJZQMi0u9AZfpODdTy4
OUR CURRENT SITUATION: LIVING THE SPANISH LIFE! (AND EUROPE TOO!)