The Pilot

Last minute preparations. We are good to go. Latest forecast is for clouds and partial sun mid-week. Oh well. 

I am charging batteries on the new quad-copter. It is a cheap one from China (is that a redundant?) that may, or may not, make it back in a single piece from its maiden test flight, scheduled for later this afternoon. It most likely is not powerful enough to carry the payload of a GoPro, so I will be testing one of my feather-light spy-cams, the T189 HD 1080DV. The camera should fit securely under the drone fuselage with a velcro patch, meaning that I will need to add a shim to get the camera’s fixed lens at a workable angle. How the tiny drone hovers at a fixed height, pointed downward at about a twenty-five degree angle will be the true test of this poor man’s aerial videography. 

We added a Blue-tooth external speaker to Whitey, a JBL Flip 4 to the audio package as well as a nice suction phone holder that attaches to the inside, fixed, driver’s side wind wing. The pop-up sleeping unit is in and ready for testing tomorrow night. The new rack installed without a hitch (don’t say it) allowing excellent access to the two swing doors and nearly unlimited four-bike mobility. Other than packing camping and video gear, we are set. 

The printer left an e-mail Friday announcing that Whitey’s decals are ready for pick up. That will happen immediately after spin class tomorrow morning. I’ll haul them back for install and hopefully be on the road by early afternoon. I should add an asterisk here because in my experience even a partial vehicle wrap always takes twice as long as estimated. This is a new vinyl adhesive however with a manufacturers claim of user (installer) friendliness. We shall soon see!

The plot has also thickened, as any good story porridge should, after a very successful meeting yesterday with a potential client/partner who’s idea for a video series resonated brightly between us. Took us three beers and almost as many hours to wrap the opening ‘broad strokes’ concept. I’ll keep you appraised of progress as we enter the pre-production phase. I will offer the three general components of the idea, or what they call floating in Hollyweird. 

Bicycle maintenance.

Girls racing, riding and repairing. 

Society and stereotypes. 

I am working on the pilot. B-roll shooting, hopefully under sunny skies and from overhead, begins tomorrow.