It’s a June day in Phoenix and I am standing in an asphalt parking lot, so that description isn’t all hyperbole. I imagine those people who are fleeing the heat watching me with a concerned glare for my sanity; here’s a stationary figure standing on blacktop, staring upwards at the sun through funny-looking glasses… and smiling.

In 2012, the Transit of Venus took place. The event is spectacular. Venus passes between earth and the sun, evidenced by a tiny black dot that slowly moves across the sun.

While standing in that oppressively hot parking lot I was struck with a thought of tremendous weight. I was looking at another freaking planet nearly the size of earth, twenty-six million miles away, and beyond even that was the massive sun, dwarfing the tiny black dot I could barely interpret as a planet.

The event holds singular importance in my life. It is an occasion marked as the day I truly imagined the overwhelming scale of our solar system and galaxy itself. My perspective changed from “mega” to “mini” as I conversely compared my massive size to that of a tiny ant. I was at once tremendous and utterly insignificant. I use this powerful memory as stored-up emotional power to celebrate my losses and then temper my victories.

It was a moment of true wonderment and magic. It made me think of ancient men who witnessed a solar eclipse. It’s a dramatic event to the people of the modern day. It might have been an event of colossal importance to our ancestors.

It’s difficult to imagine the shock and fantastic thoughts that went through the heads of people witnessing solar eclipses before the widespread knowledge of astronomy. This line of thought flirts with topics of myth and magic, creation stories and legendary figures, and these tangents tug on threads of our shared tapestry.

It’s something we all share, whatever name you want to give it: wonderment, curiosity, faith, imagination, and idealism all apply. At the core it is the ability to separate yourself from the mundanity of modern living and to really believe. Just like that kid from The Incredibles, we’re all waiting for something amazing.

On Monday, August 21st, all of the United States will see a solar eclipse. While much of the country will see the eclipse reach totality, or the moment when the disc of the moon completely covers the disc of the sun, we’ll all be able to see some of the solar event. Check out the website Vox to learn exactly when the eclipse will peak from your viewing area.

It’s a perfect opportunity to share the moment with friends and family. For some people it’s an excuse to make a day trip and drive a few hundred miles to see the eclipse reach totality.

Make sure you grab a pair of solar viewing glasses or goggles designed to view the eclipse. Otherwise you can permanently damage your eyes. And don’t even think of taking pictures of it without use of a special filter! These glasses can be picked up online or purchased from local observatories, museums, and science centers; alternatively many retail outlets are picking up on the massive interest and are stocking up with the glasses.

Still not convinced that it’s worth watching?

That’s alright, but you won’t get another chance in the United States until 2023. I felt the same way when I first waited for the Transit of Venus, but it was an event that caught me by surprise and taught me something tremendous and worthwhile. Put yourself into a state of expectation and interest, the kind of wide-eyed anticipation we cherish from childhood.

Treat yourself to a few minutes of honest wonder and unabashed curiosity. You can bet your ass I’ll be out there too, watching with hushed observance and a belly hungry for wonder.

The post Waiting for Something Amazing? Experience the Solar Eclipse 2017 appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Heading Skyward at Lookout Mountain Flight Park

Among the many reasons to visit Lookout Mountain (hiking Point Park, spelunking to Ruby Falls, Rock City, etc.), it’s home to the largest hang gliding flight school in the world. Since the 1970s, the school has trained more students in the sport than anywhere on the planet. The crystal clear weather and optimal wind conditions are ideal for novices looking to get into hang gliding for the first time, or for anyone seeking a path to solo certification. The school even offers lodging for students who want to spend days or weeks onsite to fast track their in-air education.

A River Runs Through It (Literally)

The fact that the city is technically landlocked — well, it lacks an oceanfront anyway — shouldn’t deter you. The Tennessee River stretches from Knoxville through East Tennessee (including Chattanooga) and onward to Alabama. Along its 650-plus miles of waterway are ideal spots for kayaking, paddleboarding, canoeing, swimming, and … pretty much anything water-related. The docks along Chattanooga’s waterfront mean boaters can dock right downtown and paddlers can put in without ever leaving the city.

Whitewater Rafting the Ocoee River

The Colorado River, Idaho’s Salmon River, and Oregon’s Rogue River all get plenty of coverage among glossy travel brochures for their world-class whitewater rafting opportunities. So, most travelers are surprised to learn that some of the country’s best rafting is actually less than an hour outside Chattanooga. The controlled release of water by TVA (the state’s power company) ensures that the flow of the Ocoee River is predictable and guarantees consistent Class III and IV rapids on every scheduled outing. Ocoee Rafting has been running the river for more than 40 years and can provide everything you need — including gear, guides, and transportation — for a day on the water.

Run, Climb, Ride

In the downtown core, overlooking Broad Street, lies High Point Climbing Gym — the nation’s largest urban climbing wall with lead, top rope, and auto-belay walls. For climbers who’d rather venture a little farther, myriad bouldering opportunities await along the dramatic rock cliffs that line the Tennessee River. Trail runners and mountain bikers can avail themselves of nearly 60 outdoor trails within a 30-minute drive of downtown Chattanooga.

Add to all this the fact that the city has culturally come into its own in the last decade. Coffee shops, record stores, world-class restaurants, and brewpubs are popping up on every corner. Plus, it’s still one of the cheapest small cities to visit in the eastern U.S. Which all begs the question: why haven’t you visited before?

The post Chattanooga, Tennessee Is the Coolest Outdoor City You’ve Never Been To appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Firstly, there’s the leather-bound journal. This essential piece of kit has been logging notes an ideas of philosophers, sea captains, and explorers for centuries. But the journal that’s included does little good without a free-flowing writing instrument, and here a simple Bic or pen you stole from the Post Office just won’t do. Bespoke includes a wonderfully-analog fountain pen in their kit, and it lets your ideas flow through your hand to the paper as quickly and freely as air.

What else speeds up inspiration? An adult beverage. Good thing there’s a heavy-duty bottle opener included. And after you’ve drunk yourself to Dali levels of imagination, you could easily find yourself wandering off and encountering a bear of three. You’ll have your liquid courage to defend yourself, but even better is the Opinel Knife who’s design dates back to 1897. I’m sure it’s killed a few bears in all that time.

Even if you don’t make it out alive, at least your last days will have been recorded beautifully with everything that comes with the Bespoke Post Frontier box. I take this kit with me on my motorcycle adventures, and is easily how some of my best writing gets recorded. You can grab one here for yourself, or just in time for Father’s Day coming up.

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