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Cameron Williams
Australia
Registrace 16. 07. 2011
Riding Across a Country With Strangers - The Random Tandem Ep. 3
This video covers the 6-month stretch from Vancouver, Canada, to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where I covered roughly 6,000km and was joined by 10 people on the back seat.
When watching this footage back, I’ve realised that the scope of these videos can result in them being a little unspecific in areas, leaving potential questions lingering in the minds of anyone watching.
So if you’ve watched this video and are curious about some details that I may have brushed past, I’ve put a handful of questions and answers below.
If there’s anything that you are curious about that is not mentioned below, feel free to put it in the comments, I read all of them.
And most importantly, if you're at all tempted to join me on the bike for a stretch, then please don't hesitate to reach out.
Thanks so much for watching this, I hope you’ve enjoyed it.
General Questions:
Q: Is it possible for you to release videos more regularly?
A: It is, but I’m sorry to say that will likely not happen.
This is because there are three barriers in the way of more regular releases, and I don’t have much of a desire to push past any of them.
They are…
1: Make the videos shorter:
This is the most obvious solution, and while I may move in this direction in the future, I don’t foresee myself making anything less than 20 minutes long.
2: Reduce production quality:
There are a lot of steps in the process that take an awful lot of time, like writing a script, finding good music I can legally use, and the most egregious, organising footage into an easily searchable structure. These are all things that I could do much faster, but I am certain that the reduction in quality would be far too severe. I do not earn any money from these videos, so they are made purely for myself, and I really want to keep them as good as I can, even if it means that progress is glacial.
3: Spend more time editing:
The reason why this trip has a duration of approximately one and a half years is that it gets mighty cold in Southern Argentina for roughly 6 months of the year, so in order to not blow out the trip duration by missing my Summer window, I do need to keep my average daily distance above a certain mark, which means that I am in a constant tussle between the desire to spend more time making videos, and the need to keep up my southward progress. So I suppose just know that I am doing as much work on these as I can, while trying to keep to the (rough) timeline of 18 months.
Q: How do I find people to ride with me?
A: At the time of writing, I’ve had 20 people join me. Of those 20, roughly half have found me, while the other half I have found. For the people that have found me, they have come from all over. Some have found my videos online, some have seen a news article, and some have seen this posted about in other places online, such as Facebook and Reddit. (Unfortunately I haven’t yet had anyone who’s just spotted me on the street, but I am hopeful that will happen one day)
As for the people that I have found, that has all been from the same wonderful source, which is the website of WarmShowers. It’s a hosting website that connects cyclists to people who wish to host them, and one of its most useful features is being able to see the exact locations of upcoming hosts. So once every week or two I will send out a deluge of emails to hosts that are roughly on my upcoming route, and once every so often, someone says yes.
Episode Specific Questions:
Q: How did Global News in Vancouver find me, and come to meet me at the train station?
A: While in Vancouver I stayed with a couple named Keith and Shelley. Shortly after meeting Keith, he contacted Global News regarding my project, and the following day, I was contacted by the news. They were really interested in filming me meeting Chris for the first time at the Train Station, which was a little difficult, as I had no idea what Chris looked like before meeting him, so I was of little help to the cameraman is spotting him as he disembarked the train. I distinctly remember the cameraman querying me on this point, and understanding my sincerity when I told him that “Chris could be aged 20 or 70. I really have no idea”.
Q: 4 flat tires in 2 days is likely due to the same cause. Are you sure you just were not just misdiagnosing the issue?
A: They certainly were all due to the same cause, which was that the sidewall of the tire had split open in one section, exposing the wire bead to the tube. This exposed wire bead was rubbing on the tube, and causing the flats. I found this after the first flat, and thought that I fixed it by covering the exposed section with a $1 bill, however each time it reoccured I thought that I had adequately protected it, only for it to reoccur. When the tire exploded, it was because the split sidewall finally gave out.
JJJreact
When watching this footage back, I’ve realised that the scope of these videos can result in them being a little unspecific in areas, leaving potential questions lingering in the minds of anyone watching.
So if you’ve watched this video and are curious about some details that I may have brushed past, I’ve put a handful of questions and answers below.
If there’s anything that you are curious about that is not mentioned below, feel free to put it in the comments, I read all of them.
And most importantly, if you're at all tempted to join me on the bike for a stretch, then please don't hesitate to reach out.
Thanks so much for watching this, I hope you’ve enjoyed it.
General Questions:
Q: Is it possible for you to release videos more regularly?
A: It is, but I’m sorry to say that will likely not happen.
This is because there are three barriers in the way of more regular releases, and I don’t have much of a desire to push past any of them.
They are…
1: Make the videos shorter:
This is the most obvious solution, and while I may move in this direction in the future, I don’t foresee myself making anything less than 20 minutes long.
2: Reduce production quality:
There are a lot of steps in the process that take an awful lot of time, like writing a script, finding good music I can legally use, and the most egregious, organising footage into an easily searchable structure. These are all things that I could do much faster, but I am certain that the reduction in quality would be far too severe. I do not earn any money from these videos, so they are made purely for myself, and I really want to keep them as good as I can, even if it means that progress is glacial.
3: Spend more time editing:
The reason why this trip has a duration of approximately one and a half years is that it gets mighty cold in Southern Argentina for roughly 6 months of the year, so in order to not blow out the trip duration by missing my Summer window, I do need to keep my average daily distance above a certain mark, which means that I am in a constant tussle between the desire to spend more time making videos, and the need to keep up my southward progress. So I suppose just know that I am doing as much work on these as I can, while trying to keep to the (rough) timeline of 18 months.
Q: How do I find people to ride with me?
A: At the time of writing, I’ve had 20 people join me. Of those 20, roughly half have found me, while the other half I have found. For the people that have found me, they have come from all over. Some have found my videos online, some have seen a news article, and some have seen this posted about in other places online, such as Facebook and Reddit. (Unfortunately I haven’t yet had anyone who’s just spotted me on the street, but I am hopeful that will happen one day)
As for the people that I have found, that has all been from the same wonderful source, which is the website of WarmShowers. It’s a hosting website that connects cyclists to people who wish to host them, and one of its most useful features is being able to see the exact locations of upcoming hosts. So once every week or two I will send out a deluge of emails to hosts that are roughly on my upcoming route, and once every so often, someone says yes.
Episode Specific Questions:
Q: How did Global News in Vancouver find me, and come to meet me at the train station?
A: While in Vancouver I stayed with a couple named Keith and Shelley. Shortly after meeting Keith, he contacted Global News regarding my project, and the following day, I was contacted by the news. They were really interested in filming me meeting Chris for the first time at the Train Station, which was a little difficult, as I had no idea what Chris looked like before meeting him, so I was of little help to the cameraman is spotting him as he disembarked the train. I distinctly remember the cameraman querying me on this point, and understanding my sincerity when I told him that “Chris could be aged 20 or 70. I really have no idea”.
Q: 4 flat tires in 2 days is likely due to the same cause. Are you sure you just were not just misdiagnosing the issue?
A: They certainly were all due to the same cause, which was that the sidewall of the tire had split open in one section, exposing the wire bead to the tube. This exposed wire bead was rubbing on the tube, and causing the flats. I found this after the first flat, and thought that I fixed it by covering the exposed section with a $1 bill, however each time it reoccured I thought that I had adequately protected it, only for it to reoccur. When the tire exploded, it was because the split sidewall finally gave out.
JJJreact
zhlédnutí: 7 115
Video
Asking Strangers to Ride a Tandem Bike With Me - The Random Tandem Ep. 2
zhlédnutí 14KPřed rokem
I continue riding my tandem bicycle southwards, through Alaska and Canada, trying to find partners for the back seat. If you're in any way tempted to join me for a stretch in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out. Next episode should be out sometime in January! therandomtandem.com therandomtandem therandomtandem.cam
Riding for 2 Years With The People I Meet On The Way - The Random Tandem Ep. 1
zhlédnutí 8KPřed rokem
I'm Cam. Over the next 18 months I'll be cycling a tandem (2-person) bicycle from the northern-most point in North America, to the southern-most point in South America, with the rear seat occupied by the people I meet along the way. If you'd like to follow along or reach out, then here's the best places to do so. Thanks so much! www.therandomtandem.com therandomtandem.cam instagram...
The Simple Flying Question That Everyone Gets Wrong #VeritasiumContest
zhlédnutí 617Před 2 lety
#VeritasiumContest This video was made as a submission to the Veritasium SciComm Contest, but even if you're not here for that, I hope you have found this interesting, and perhaps learnt something new. This is my first foray into video production, but it's been a blast, and I hope to do more. Thank you Derek, Emily, and everyone at Veritasium for this chance to engage with science education in ...
Danny was a cool guy, i liked him. Much love from Kenya.
Top stuff. This is incredible.
another Aussie dissapears in Mexico. Godspeed Cam.
Hi Ethan, Thankfully I made it safely through Mexico, and it wound up being one of my favourite countries from the whole trip. Although that’s not to say that it was without drama, as one night we had our tent searched at gunpoint, by police that were convinced that we had Cartel associations. Certainly a very strange and rattling experience. But the good news is that I’ve made it to the bottom of South America, and am now finishing off by riding across Australia. As soon as I’m home, I’ll get right to work on the final 4 videos in this series. Thank you so much for checking in.
@@TheRandomTandem Jeez makin us so nervous. Say hi once in a while when you are facing death, kidnapping, murder etc...
not sitting on that shite tandem
Just remembered this awesome series and was so excited to check on your progress. Unfortunately no updates for 11 months. Now I am sad and hope all is well with you. I guess I will rewatch, with my old man brain, it will be like a whole new series for me.
Hi Mushroom, I’m really sorry for the delayed response on my part here, but the good news is yes, I am still riding, and there will be more videos. I've made it all the way down to my goal in Ushuaia (bottom of South America), and am finishing off by riding across Australia, which I'm currently half-way through. I've still been filming, scripting, and storyboarding, so these videos are still very much front of mind. Unfortunately I just haven't had another massive chunk of time where I can sit down and complete an edit. Once I'm home in Perth, that will be all that I work on before returning to normal life, and I expect that l'll aim to complete the rest (episodes 4, 5, 6, and 7), and then upload them at 1-week intervals over the course of a month. Thank you so much for taking the time to check in, and I apologise again for it taking so long to reply.
@TheRandomTandem Hey, thanks for taking the time with such a detailed response. I very recently found you over on Instagram so was very happy to see you out there on a new adventure, caught up on the last one and figured the vids would come along soon. Thanks again. Cant wait!!
Damn this was the same guy who taught me in Aviation.
Hey Cam, your Grandma Berys was telling us about your adventures & how she's looking forward to your soon arrival home. We've just finished watching your first 2 episodes & are looking forward to the others. Hope to meet you some time, Jean & Jenni
Cam this is unbelievable mate! Incredible moments, friends and storytelling. You are a gift to this world my friend!
Are you still traveling? Where are you?
Hello May frent soy de la familia que tomamos desayuno en la carretera en chile
Thank you so much for doing this and making these videos; this is truely inspirational
Are you still riding and will there be more videos? I greatly enjoyed the first three and hope there's more to come. Hope all is well for you! Thank you for sharing your journey with us!
Hi Larry, I’m really sorry for the delayed response on my part here, but the good news is yes, I am still riding, and there will be more videos. I’ve made it all the way down to my goal in Ushuaia (bottom of South America), and am finishing off by riding across Australia, which I’m currently half-way through. I’ve still been filming, scripting, and storyboarding, so these videos are still very much front of mind. Unfortunately I just haven’t had another massive chunk of time where I can sit down and complete an edit. Once I’m home in Perth, that will be all that I work on before returning to normal life, and I expect that I’ll aim to complete the rest (episodes 4, 5, 6, and 7), and then upload them at 1-week intervals over the course of a month. Thank you so much for taking the time to check in, and I apologise again for it taking me so long to reply.
That's really great news to read!
@@TheRandomTandemThat's great too hear. And look forward to seeing how the rest of your journey was. Safe travels.
This is great, I watched Ed Pratt's Unicycle journey around the world recently and this is giving me similar vibes. Also your tribute to Hugh was very moving.
Oh man, the spoke fixing seemed relentless! What an awesome idea, not only such an epic route but inviting strangers to join you on the Random Tandem. Seems like you have made some great connections with the people that have cycled with you and the kindness from folks along the way really stands out. Hope the parts you have ordered have arrived and you've managed to get back on the road. Would love to cycle the length of South America one day (think I need a tad more practice miles first) but this is great inspiration! Look forward to seeing the next video, safe travels.
mate !! it has been 5 months since you posted a video, where the bloody hell are you ? ha ha ha we are starting to get worried !
Hi Cameron, greetings from Colombia. I am so sorry for your friend and you are traveling with him for sure. I know about you thanks to Carla from Spain. Are you in Colombia right now? your trip is fantastic. I living in the east of Colombia in Santander, between Florin and Villa de Leyva (Santander and Boyacá) and I am Warm shower´s member. Cheers and let me know if you share more videos or if you have any other social network to follow you.
Long live spud!
The stolen food gives me anxiety - that's my worst nightmare while touring!
Not sure how I only just found this video (and series), but fantastic work! You did a great job of capturing the Dalton and the places you find along it.
Good on ya Cameron! Crazy to think you were my flight instructor when I was 14, now look at you go! Proud of you Cameron!!
Those turnstiles are stupid. Drivers aren't made to manoeuvre cars and trucks through them, so why bikes?
What a wonderful tribute to your friend. 24:35
I love the name. My partner and I have a tandem- he loves it more than me. The riding would not be easy! This comment is mostly just for support
do you have any plans for Europe? How i can contact you?
Not at this stage, although I’ve cycled Europe before and had a wonderful time, so I would love to return. My email address is camw26@gmail.com, and there’s also a few other means of contact on my website: therandomtandem.com
What a great video, and judging by your IG we have more episodes to come!
I chickened out of that same Clinton-Pavillion shortcut on my first tour from Calgary to Vancouver. Still need to go back and give that segment a go. The descent into Lillooet through the Fraser canyon is one of the most spectacular roads in Canada. The climb out to Pemberton is just as steep though! Rolling down the 99 and over the Lion’s Gate bridge is a spectacular milestone in any bike tour, no matter how far you still need to go. Wish I’d found you sooner, Id’ve loved to come out and help you up some of those nasty BC passes! If you ever find yourself back here, I can heartily recommend the run up Vancouver Island, followed by the ferry to Rupert and Haida Gwaii.
i'm sure glad i stumbled onto this channel. thnx and good luck.
so many bikepacking but none like this one. what a great idea. best of luck.
great show so thnx for that. couple questions...how many kms on the hub that failed? and would it be feasible to carry a spare or are they quite heavy? good luck out there and thnx again.
Thank you! There was around 13,000km on the hub at failure. The failure was actually my own fault too, after I unknowingly rode for a few days with the axle nuts loose. Ot’s generally agreed upon that a Rohloff hub will last 150,000km+ without any problems, so it’s actually one of the things on the bike that I’d never carry a sore for. Not only because they’re super reliable, but they’re also massive, heavy, and cost more than a good bicycle.
@@TheRandomTandem great answer, thnx for taking the time.
We have an old Sears and Roebuck Ted Williams tandem bike.
God is watching out for you.. He provided you 2 canisters of petrol..
I didn't expect this series to be so heart warming... When you said "good bye" to your friend who had passed, it tore me up. I have lost 4 friends in the last 2 years that i had known for nearly 35 years.. My 92yo grandma told me, "if you live long enough you will outlive all your friends over the many years.." it hit me that we all face this when you sat the rocks on your friends photos.
riding a tandem bike is very much like having a passenger on the back of a motorcycle.. You need to teach the passenger to look over your right shoulder as you turn right.. That keeps you both in balance.. Teach your passengers this first and things will flow much easier..
What a great pick up line..!
Brush passes by cars, trucks or buses are very unpleasant. Experienced a few myself. Glad that you recovered quickly.
Cheers, I still have the same flag with me today! (I've gotten as far south as Panama). Multiple people have offered to make a new one to be more aerodynamic, but that thing is special haha.
Super interesting and fun to watch your travel adventure videos. Can't wait to see more! Take care my friend. Un fuerte abrazo.
Wow wish an epic adventure! Wish I could push some pedals with you. Hope to see your completion soon.
Really awesome!
I wish I had learned about this earlier as I would have ridden with you in the US. Not in down to Colorado however.
Great videos Cameron. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Hi Cam, I’m so bummed we couldn’t ride with you in Colorado, and at the same time totally understand and respect your decision to skirt the high mountains in winter (we were a bit skeptical when hearing about your plan to come through Colorado in the winter!). We also visited Co-Motion in Eugene last summer to see the birthplace of our tandem! Many good wishes to you for the rest of your journey!
This is amazing!!! You and all your fellow cyclists have such character.
Element Cycles is my local bike shop! They’re always so nice and helpful.
Great series man. Great story telling. I hope your channel blows up soon.
Thank you so much! While I hope so too, I suspect that it wont get much bigger than it's current size as each video is uploaded a few months apart. Nevertheless, it's nice to know that the folk who do find me (such as yourself), have really done some digging to get here.
If you ever find yourself doing a cross-Canada trip I'm up for helping you pedal for a few days or a week
Great to see the Final Cut. Erik
Ah Cam. So glad to see this instalment-and that you’re still alive and thriving! With you in spirit, I don’t think I’ll have the opportunity to add my push to the pedals. May the wind be at your back and the roads gently downhill my friend.
Hey Cam Sam has finished his CPL and IFR… I can’t see why he can’t join you for a few thousand K’s!!!!! Of course he’ll need internet and he seldom gets up before 9:30 Will that be ok? Rob Taylor
That's wonderful, I'm so stoked for him! Of course he'd be absolutely welcome. The regular internet shouldn't be a problem, but as for the 9:30 wakeup... we might have to do something about that haha.
that little owl 🥺
Northern Pygmy Owl! Cool! Did you hear back if it made it? Thanks for trying to save it at least.
P.S. good choice on the coastal route instead of middle mountains
Also, do you have a small drone with you, or how do you get the aerial shots?
Yep, I’ve got a little drone with me. It’s really handy how little space it takes up, although it’s also super fragile. I sure did hear about the Owl. There’s an update in the video at 30:43.
Dude! Such a great video! Thank you for coming to the shop. It was great to meet you
My pleasure Ty, and any thanks go 100% to you. You guys are absolute legends.