A post shared by Nick (@truenortherncolorado) on Jul 8, 2017 at 5:47pm PDT

In Montana off of tiny dirt roads we found endless lush and brilliantly green fields of flowing wheat and native grasses that stretched to the perfectly bright blue sky horizon like an endless ocean. This area was breathtakingly beautiful in so many ways but the best aspect was the pristine environment dotted with towering clean energy giants powering entire communities while taking away nothing from the natural lands they occupied.

A post shared by Nick (@truenortherncolorado) on Jul 18, 2017 at 11:46am PDT

Further north into Montana tiny specks of small towns were found every 3o miles or so, each with a single grain tower reaching toward the sky, the largest structures on the horizon until the picturesque mountains that served as the most perfect backdrop imaginable.

A post shared by Nick (@truenortherncolorado) on Jul 10, 2017 at 7:52am PDT

After spending time with the unabashed and wild lands that were Montana we ventured south along the western border of Montana to Yellowstone National Park and entered via the North Gate. Mammoth Hot Springs was awe-inspiring with its endless lush vistas punctuated by travertine covered hills that were created due to limestone deposited by the mineral rich and naturally occurring hot springs that run like rivers underneath the thin calcite crust. This area was the most geologically beautiful I have ever seen and makes you thankful that these natural wonders have been so wonderfully preserved for all of us and future generations to enjoy.

Here in Yellowstone native animals like the Bison exist in their natural habitat in all its magnificent glory. This entire area of the United States is magical and it makes me realize how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful and diverse area with such wondrous natural beauty.

A post shared by Nick (@truenortherncolorado) on Jul 10, 2017 at 3:01pm PDT

Do yourself the greatest favor possible this summer; pack up your car, loved ones, and provisions so that you can begin the greatest road trip possible and take in the unimaginable beauty that is our great country.

A post shared by Nick (@truenortherncolorado) on Jul 11, 2017 at 12:21pm PDT

The post The Unimaginable Beauty of the U.S – A Road Trip Through Montana and Wyoming appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

If you don’t know who Alex Roy is, stop reading now. Save yourself the time and effort of learning of another human’s existence. There is nothing here so important that you need to know about it unless you already do. If you are one of us handfull of truly unnervingly-crazy people to know that in 2006 Alex Roy set the transcontinental driving record from NYC to LA with a time of 31 hours and 4 minutes, then you already know that since that mountaintop he has fallen into much less grandiose and obscure “records.”

Ever since his big record was beaten a few years ago, he has been “slaying” records on the Gumball tour, appearing on European television as a “ultimate playboy”, and hosting poor quality youtube videos.  Most recently he announced he set the record for a 3-wheeled trip across the United States. That’s right, he has now set a new “record” for taking a Morgan 3 Wheeler through the US in less time than anyone. But any who exactly? Some sad bastard in the 1930s? And he insisted on setting this record wearing old-timey clothing to complete the 3 Wheeler look. You know who does something like that? Not someone genuinely seeking to set an impressive record, but a rich trust fund kid (true) who is seeking the maximum amount of attention.

Clearly Mr Roy has officially reached the Guiness level of obscure records. If he’s not going to defend his cross country performance, he shouldn’t be setting all these junior-level records. What we are seeing is the equivalent to a World Series MVP  no longer being able to cut it, and then touting his success in the Chilean Miners’ league pennant as if the two accomplishments were somehow equal. They are not Alex.

Listen Mr Roy – no one doubts that you did something great. Or that you are a “car guy.” You cracked our 4 minute mile. You are a legend to the 35 of us hoonatics who pay attention to such things as cross country record drives. Your status was not in question, current holder of the record be damned. But now your status is in question. For all of us, and for you, simmer down. And simmer down now. None of us loonies needs another “record” from you. Again.

The post Alex Roy is Used Up appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The last three months of last year was one rough ride for me. I left my stable job for a new exciting career path that is relevant to one of my passions…only to comprehend a month in that it was a toxic work environment with a dead end future. To top it off, I soiled some friendships over unnecessary issues,made minimal significant progress to meeting my end of the year life goals, and bought a totally wrong tire size for my 1990 Nissan 240sx project car. Nearing the end of December I realize that I was far from happy and would be ending the year on an all time personal low.

No job is worth your self-confidence consistently shot down to the point where you start questioning your self worth. Nor is any job worth trading your morals and what you stand for the sake of fitting in. With red flags flying everywhere, foreseeing no growth despite working over fifty hours a week, and almost forgetting how I really am outside of work, I called it quits on the last week of December.

I found it amusing that right when I thought I had post grad life figured out, I started off the New Year without a full time job and no definite future plan. As a person who finds relief in an organized and outlined future, I was frustrated and lost. I found myself in a state that many people consider necessary in your 20’s. Uncomfortable.

A few weeks into January, a family friend of mine told me she needed a ride to Berkeley. Being that I live in Los Angeles, I seized this as an opportunity clear my mind and reflect on the past couple months during the solo drive back home. The day before we left, I raised all four coilovers about an inch and a half to clear my new but overly huge 245/45R17 Yokohama S Drive tires. I’ve driven to the Bay several times in the past few years taking the usual routes but since life doesn’t always go as planned, I took it as an opportunity to try something new. Get there and back with minimal GPS usage, instinct, and take the roads less traveled.

On the way up, I knew I wanted to take Route 33 from Ojai and Route 198, zigzagging between the 101 Freeway and the 5. Although getting there took about twice as long, every mile was absolutely worth it. Route 33 rewarded us with never ending curvy corners and even snow at the peak of the mountain, a beautiful sight considering that California has been experiencing severe drought. Once at the top we were fortunate to catch golden hour. Amazing photographs ensued.

For the solo drive back down, it was a no brainer to take PCH from Monterey and figure my way back to LA using just road signs. I wanted to take it back to the old days, the days even before the Thomas Guide. When taking the Bay to LA via PCH, stops are a given. Being that I’ve done this trip once in the past, I took the opportunity stray away from the typical Bixby Bridge and Big Sur stops and just find places on the fly instead.

On the foggy morning of my drive back home, I set my phone on airplane mode and vowed to only use my phone for wide-angle shots as I only brought a 50mm lens with me. Taking a road trip with a friend is one story, but if you love your car and you happen to own a sporty one, taking a fourteen-hour trip down PCH alone is a whole different experience.

As the first 90-degree corner approached after a long straight, I down shifted and rev matched all the way to second gear. My bucket seat held me in place as the fresh tires gripped the apex of my lane. I stepped down on the accelerator and let my throttle open. At 4k rpm, I hear my intake, followed by the uproar of my aftermarket exhaust as I crept to redline. My Beirut album was playing low enough that I can hear the waves crashing down the cliff. I shifted up, and smiled. I had become lost in the moment. I felt free. It was then that I had a genuine glimpse of my inner peace again.

As the sun was setting, I took a random turn east bound in hopes to eventually find my way back to the 101. Although I felt lost, I insisted to not turn on my GPS. I was content with that…eventually I became lost in my thoughts. I concluded that when you pursue certain goals or career paths, things might not work out the first time around, or the second, or the third. But you know what? That’s okay, because life doesn’t always work like that. Sometimes things go south and occasionally it can be beyond your control. Sometimes it is under your control and you made a huge mistake and find difficulty coping with it. What’s important is the ability to thoroughly learn from the mistakes and quickly adapt to unplanned challenges. After about an hour of following what seemed like following mainstream traffic through isolated cities, I eventually saw the sign for the 101 south towards Los Angeles.

Although the last few months of last year were rough for me, I wouldn’t trade my hardships for anything less. To truly understand and appreciate what is good, you have to experience what is bad. Ultimately understanding these concepts are gentle reminder that you are trying to improve yourself every day. Similar to the routes I took to go up to the Bay and back, I decided to try an unconventional road for my career goals. Last month I managed to snag several awesome relevant part time jobs that left me with enough time to pursue my personal passion projects. Will I last taking the less traveled path? I don’t know, but one thing for sure is that my drive will.

One of my first victories after this trip? Being able to get a refund on those oversized tires.  

You can follow my photography @alvidee

The post California: The Road Less Traveled appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.