Amtrekker

Hey Team,

Thanks so much for the feedback on yesterday’s video. Your comments were overwhelmingly positive and I’m going to do my best to get more of them out there. IN FACT, why don’t you kids feed your eyeballs on this little guy!

I’m done.

Brett.

Kind strangers keep ‘trekkers trekking. I think Mark Twain said that…maybe.

Or was it Steinbeck?

Hey Team,

It never fails to surprise me when I see first hand the kind of power having a clear set of goals has over people. Knowing what you want and being willing to announce your objectives creates magic. If your goal were a destination then telling everyone you meet about it is like catching a ride with someone through all the traffic-congested freeways (I’m talking to you 405) and getting dropped off a block away without having to deal with all those “getting lost” bits.

I’m in Portland, Maine right now trying to hunt down a lobster boat to go out on. Yesterday I got an email from a contact I made through the site that lives in the area. I asked if he knew anyone in the Portland that could help out. He said he had a friend that tried to get on a lobster boat this summer and no one was interested in having tourists on their boats even if they were willing to work. He also said I probably wouldn’t be able to get on a boat at all in Portland.

Of course that made me think twice about going out to the wharf today. Fortunately, both times I thought, “Forget that guy, I’m going anyway. How dare some dude tell me I can’t do something I set out to do?”

The first guy I met was walking into a shack when I stopped him.

“Hey, man”

“What’s up?”

“I’m trying to find a lobster boat to go out on in the next couple days.”

“I don’t know. I don’t think anyone’s going out the next couple days.” He said in a think New England accent. “You from the West Coast?” Apparently I was the one with the accent. (I hate it when that happens.)

“Yeah, California. You don’t know anyone that’s going out anytime soon at all?”

“ehhhh…” I could tell he was done talking to me and ready to move on…which is why I kept going.

“I have this list of fifty things I have to do before I can go home and one of the things on the list is to go out on a lobster boat. I travel around the country crossing things off my list and filming my adventures.”

“No s#it?! What’s your number? Is that with two T’s? Yeah, I’ll see what I can do. I’ll give you a call by Friday.”

You gotta love the power of the list.

Didn’t stop there either. I actually went out on a lobster boat today and accompanied some guys when they went off to sell their catch. I’m hoping to see a little more of the process though so I hesitate to cross it off the list until I at least spend a little more time here trying to get on a boat earlier in the day.

Too bad my camera broke. I saw some pretty cool stuff today that I’d love to share. It’s on video though so you’ll just have to wait for some editing time. Stay tuned.

I’m done.

Brett.

P.S. +2 points for anyone that knows the title reference without cheating.

AND +4 for points for anyone that donates!

All points redeemable for karma.