Hop, Drop, & Roll Tour : The Book of Faves

Introduction:
Hop, Drop, and Roll came from VentilationX wanting to further it's development and branch out beyond the much explored East Coast. Before taking it's movement overseas, the team wanted to cover North America in a single tour to experience the United States as it stands amidst much global tension. Hop, Drop, and Roll would also serve as a film that could humanize the individuals that make up the team and develop an inside look at how they stay inspired to push boundaries and test limits.
VentilationX set out to make this vision into reality with less than six -- months. The team threw benefits and fundraiser parties to bring together various movies and energies to make it happen.
As VentilationX sets out on their journey to define their place in the world of media entertainment, athletics, and entrepreneurs, they will investigate who they are and what purpose they will fulfill. As these young men develop into adults and work to make a difference, they will ask the questions that must be asked and decide what they want to become.
-Hop, Drop, + Roll Tour.
-VentilationX, LLC.
-July 1st-31st, 2008.
-Alex Favin.

Day 1- Philly to Atlanta:
We began our journey at 4:45 AM on July 1st, 2008. We got ourselves ready, said goodbye to family, and hit the road. It was liberating to remove ourselves from the comforts of home life once again and embark on a quest for creative freedom. Driving the length of the Appalachians and experiencing the East Coast in its' rural setting was refreshing for a group of people who embrace urban culture and feed of off of the fast pace lifestyle. We pulled off of the highway to get a look at a freight train lay up on a highway overpass in North Carolina. The lay up was bare, but an engine roared by with a line of cars so we benched it and caught some solid graffiti pieces. Atlanta was a very unique city to experience for the first time. The buildings sprawled out in every direction and had some rough areas just blocks from seemingly well-to-do neighborhoods. We arrived as the sun was setting and got to see Atlanta at her finest. We filmed some establishing shots and familiarized ourselves with the city layout before heading to our housing accomodations arranged courteously by our producer, Andre Robert Lee. We set up camp, got comfortable, and settled in for a few hours of sleep before having to wake up early for our second day on the road. Atlanta will propel VentilationX into a new playing field from the East Coast base it came from. Atlanta can bridge the gap from the teams' early work, into the adventures sought in H.D.R..

Day 2- Atlanta:
If Day 1 was a reintroduction to tour life, then Day 2 was a full fledged understanding of its ideas and concepts. We woke up tired, hit the road, and made our way to the city early. The day started off without breakfast… well, do multivitamin pills count? Our early attempts at tricks and stuntwork brought us nothing but cuts and bruises as we struggled to get into the game. We focused our minds and energy and disregarded our hunger and lack of sleep to pull it all together. After several encounters with the police, we decided to chill out and reminisce on our first film, “X.Y.Z.” or ‘Examine Your Zipper’. We talked about all aspects of the team and the production in VentilationX’s early years. After capturing enough moves on video and still cameras, we decided to scope some different parts of the city. We wanted to crash with some sense of the obstacles we would hit in the morning. Knopf accidently hit the curb while driving the van and put a hole in the back right tire. We swapped the flat tire with the new spare and got back on the road. Throughout the course of the day we gave out t-shirts, mixtapes, postcards, business cards and stickers. We were also able to help out a few homeless people and a guy kicked of his rental car by his friends. It felt great to have a very successful day while giving to those who are in need. There is so much laziness and lack of creativity caused by our society; VentilationX and our movement is about supporting all forms of positive expression. When we create, communities develop and expand to celebrate diversity of ideas.

Day 3 - Atlanta to New Orleans:
Our third day was very long. I would call it, “What day is it?” We started our day at 10:00 AM EST and, well, it’s now 5:45 AM Central Time and we are arguing about whether or not to try and fix the trunk door which just broke. But, let’s go back to the beginning. Our host in Atlanta made us banana pancakes for breakfast which were extremely appreciated because it was one of our first cooked meals that was not fast food. We hit the streets and had a rough time getting started. The sun was blazing and the homeless kept bombarding us. We lost five dollars and a water bottle in a bad investment, which lowered our spirits when we needed them the most. A kind hearted woman gave us water and food at the mere sight of us. After capturing all of our stuntwork, we filmed various well known graffiti spots and soaked in the creativity of the southern aerosol artists. Paralleling the arts’ audible counterpart, the south is staging a takeover in the world of hip-hop. We left A-town at around eight in the evening and did not find shelter until four in the morning. When we found a safe (but illegal) location, we pitched our tent and tried to settle in. One of us made a trip to the car only to discover that the trunk latch was broken, preventing us from accessing the supplies with ease. I write to you as the sun dawns; sick, hungry, thirsty, and without speech. This trip is incredible…a true knowledge and understanding of nomadic life is sure to be gained along with our successes.

Day 4 - New Orleans:
Two hours after falling asleep, we awoke in pools of sweat. The tent had trapped our heat in and was being cooked under the scorching sun. The result was a devastating greenhouse effect. We stood up as a woman pulled onto our plot. She got out of the car and said that if we did not vacate the premises immediately, she would alert the authorities. We packed up and began our search for sustenance. We had little sleep and required food. As always, we got distracted and wound up filming some graffiti at several yards we stumbled upon. The Military Police appeared briefly to see if we were vandalizing property or not, but they wound up being friendly. We made our way to downtown New Orleans to shoot establishing shots. We saw the divide in wealth and economic status between casino goers and homeless natives left stranded post Hurricane Katrina. When we were ready to shoot some stunt-work it began to rain, so we decided to find shelter and re-charge for the intense work we had looming over our shoulders. After being turned away several times, we found a location that would suit our needs. We needed a place with a shower that could assure us that our stuff would be safe. That wound up being a run-down Inn next to the freight yard. We settled in and prepared to sleep, a concept that we forgot existed. We had full knowledge that we had a packed day of stunt-work ahead to meet our quota.

Day 5 - New Orleans to Dallas:
Waking up in the morning feeling refreshed, we got an early start to the day. It was unbearably hot, but we stayed focused on our goal and filmed at a consistent rate. We hit obstacles that were unusual for the team due to the changes in architecture around different areas of the country. We also stepped up our game and tried new moves and concepts in each discipline. The shoot was fun, but also took much longer that we anticipated. Once we let go of our fear of falling behind schedule, we loosened up and enjoyed our time without stress. Upon leaving New Orleans, we drove through the swamplands and bayou which was a beautiful view to witness sunset. It sprawled out in every direction and took our minds away from the fast paced lifestyle of touring. We let the GPS system guide us rather than our step-by-step trip itinerary. It wound up being a poor decision that resulted in a speeding ticket. Knopf went 57mph in a 45mph speed zone and was slapped with a citation. We got back onto the highway promptly and headed straight for Dallas. We located several locations for Boondocking, but decided to drive to a rest area an hour outside of Dallas and sleep in the car. We left the car running as we fell asleep. It was a long day.

Day 6 - Dallas:
We awoke at a rest area on the side of a highway. Two feral dogs were watching us clean out our trash, looking for something to scavenge. Upon arriving in Dallas, we moved through the city capturing footage of the skyline at a quick pace. Club hoppers were using Sunday morning to recuperate while church goers arrived for Sunday worship service. We benched along a freight line and got familiar with the Texas climate, which reaches its peak temperature at 5 PM. With a largely empty city, we progressed rapidly and found time to explore some city outskirts and capture interviews and stuntwork. So, it was productive considering we woke up with a dead car battery. Basically, we woke up in the middle of the night/wee hours of the morning to find our car off, but the lights and AC were running. We had to find people with cables, bring them over to the van, and jump start the automobile. We somehow managed to overcome major hurdles and finish our day strong and positive. We have one more day to wrap Dallas, to make time for the long journey to the Grand Canyon. After we finished shooting for the day, we parked our van between an electrical power station and a meadow that rests along the highway. We nestled in and got mentally prepared for Day 7.

Day 7 - Dallas to New Mexico:
When I opened my eyes to see an ambulance behind our vehicle with EMT’s approaching, I thought about how we had such difficulty finding a place to get a full night’s sleep. The EMT’s told us that we were parked illegally, and the police were on their way. We pulled out immediately and wondered around Dallas until we found a park with shade, a lake, and a giant fountain. We slept for another hour or so until we were ready to film. We drove about four blocks until we found a local middle school that had enough variety in architecture to suit our needs for the rest of our stunt footage. We spent several hours filming and tried to avoid getting sunburnt by practicing and warming up in the shade. A local graffiti artist approached us and talked about the local scene and the developing image of the south. After we finished filming, we found a buffet and ate our first substantial meal of the trip. Once we finished eating, we jumped in the van and headed towards the Grand Canyon. We drove through the desert in a thunderstorm and got to experience the vastness of the plains. The lightning would illuminate the entire sky and open up our vision before disappearing and filling the world with darkness. We pushed through the rain and fog until we reached New Mexico. We found a rest stop and parked in the dirt next dozens of big rigs. We dozed off by 4:30 AM.

Day 8 - New Mexico to Grand Canyon:
I woke up in the passenger seat of the van, with a cold. Our car wouldn’t start again, so we asked around for jumper cables. The drive to Arizona was long. We saw camels, Indian reservations, and the beginning of the Rocky Mountains. The journey was beautiful. The temperature was perfect and we only hit one patch of rain which lasted for under ten seconds. We thought we were close to the Grand Canyon, when our GPS system directed us to a back alley in Flagstaff. We reoriented ourselves and made our way to the Canyon. We stopped off for gas and paid $4.49 9/10 which is the most spent to date for us; both on and off the trip. We checked into a hotel by the gas station which was about thirty minutes from the National Park. We took our first shower in five days and cleaned up before heading to the Canyon for sunset. There were tourists everywhere, but everyone was silent or spoke in an incredibly hushed tone. We deviated from the tourist heavy perches to climb around the Canyon walls by ourselves. The stellar magnitude of the Canyon was enough to take your breath away, but witnessing it all at sunset added to its majesty. We made our way back to the hotel to get into the hot tub before bed, but it was broken. I am sick, tired, and having the most amazing time of my life. This is an eye opening journey. I love tour life!

Day 9 - Grand Canyon to Vegas:
Today began at 4:30 AM when all of our alarms began ringing is unison. Sunrise at the Grand Canyon was scheduled for 5:15 AM, so we had to get up early to made the trip to the park. When we arrived, the sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon and shine light into the canyon. We spoke on where we were as individuals, and as a team. Standing on the Canyon's edge was incredibly powerful for all of us. After we finished absorbing the beauty of nature, we prepared for the journey to Las Vegas. We went back to our hotel, got cleaned up, and set off for Nevada. The drive out of Arizona was great. The terrain transitioned from completely flat to totally mountainous. We crossed the Hoover Dam and saw the tourists flocking to get pictures on the man made marvel. When we arrived in Vegas, we checked into our hotel and got settled. After we went swimming and chilled in the hot tub, we got ready to hit the strip. The phrase coined for Las Vegas is certainly true. What happens in this city, never leaves.

Day 10 - Vegas to L.A.:
We woke up several times throughout the morning to room service trying to clean our room because we forgot to hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign. When we finally woke up, we headed straight for the spa. We started with the sauna, headed for the steam room, and cleaned off in the showers. After check-out, we promoted on the strip, and headed for Los Angeles. When we got to L.A., we checked out some locations and got familiar with the city. We headed to our host’s house and met up with our producer, Andre. We talked about our tour and our stay in L.A. and planned a couple meetings. Once Andre split, we talked with our host about his job as a costume designer. After the conversation, we chilled out and watched TV to relax and get hype for the West Coast. Kicking it in the house that overlooked the Hollywood Hills and the city of Los Angeles was awesome. The view was equal to that of Vegas, but more opportunity awaits us in L.A. We have meetings, parties, and filming scheduled for the next three days. It will certainly be action packed, we just need to keep our heads on strait and move forward like we always do. The West Coast appears to be everything it is said to be and more. I hope this city brings good things.

Day 11 - Los Angeles:
Today started out with a breakfast meeting with Andre. We sat down and talked about Hop, Drop, and Roll and our time in Los Angeles. Once we finished our meeting, we made our way to the Palisades to meet Cameron, the founders of Budokon, a hybrid movement of martial arts and yoga. We talked about the origins of Budokon and watched some training videos that they release to their fanbase through their website. After our discussion, we headed to a local park to share our skills and techniques. We exchanged moves and exercises that could be valuable to each other and had a jam session. We filmed and took pictures of the session until we ran out of energy. We walked back to Cameron and his wife, Liz’s, house with their daughter, Phoenix, and talked about art and the cost of getting involved with sponsors and corporate money. Cameron had great insight into the world of entertainment and making a living and a lifestyle out of what you love to do, instead of corrupting your ideals through commercialization. We wrapped up our time with Cameron and Liz to hit the road and grab some dinner. After two hours of sitting in traffic, we made it back to the house to eat an amazing, home cooked, Puerto Rican meal. After we ate, we headed to Sunset Blvd. to see a movie. After the film, we crashed.

Day 12 - Los Angeles:
We began our day by meeting up with Andre and heading to a breakfast meeting with friend, Doug Spearman. We talked about jobs and future aspirations for the entertainment business at a small coffee shop. Once we finished chatting, we went to a barbeque lunch party and talked to various people about Hop, Drop, + Roll and VentilationX. After we delivered our cake, ate, napped, and socialized, we left the party and made our way to Venice beach. The beach and promenade were full of life, the sun was beginning to set and the air was cool and breezy. It was strange to be on a beach that had mountains within sight. We swam, chilled, and talked on the beach until we were ready to explore the promenade. We saw the vendors and musicians who lined the path as we made our way to the famous legal graffiti walls and skatespot. There were two artists doing pieces on the wall in front of tourists and on lookers. We watched for a few minutes before heading to the skatespot. After we soaked in Venice beach, we headed to Andre’s friend, Fionna’s house. She was throwing a party with her husband. A large group of people came and we were able to promote a lot. We socialized with different folks from the L.A. area and some people who were in town from overseas. We gave away different items and told the various guests about VentilationX and our future plans.

Day 13 - L.A. to Yosemite:
We started our last day in L.A. by talking about the skate scene on the West Coast, and the East Coast’s attempt to put Philly back on the map. We discussed The Franklin Paine's Skatepark Fund and VentilationX’s involvement in the effort. In North America, the East and West Coast are known for their thriving urban skate scenes; VentilationX is working to redefine Philadelphia as a major force in the skateboard industry. Once Andre and our host were ready, we went to eat and talk about NYC and L.A. The entertainment business is centered around these two cities, and there seems to be a rivalry between the people who live in each place. After we ate, we started looking for L.A. graffiti. We hit the L.A. river which is a well known spot and then explored the streets. We accidentally ran into an artist who introduced himself and showed us some of his work. Once we saw some walls around town, we got on the highway and began the journey to Yosemite National Park. It was a long road to Yosemite, but the drive was amazing at sunset. When we were finally arriving at the park, it was late enough that we didn’t need to pay admission. We drove into the park and parked our van on the side of the road. It was pitch dark and completely silent. The conditions were perfect for sleep.

Day 14 - Yosemite to San Francisco:
We awoke on the side of the road with a deer several feet from our car. We filmed the deer before making our way into the heart of the park. We grabbed breakfast in a hotel and jumped onto a shuttle bus that took us to the hiking trails. We climbed up the mountains and saw several beautiful waterfalls. We hiked until we got hot, jumped into the freezing mountain water to cool off, and then climbed some more. We talked about the wonders of our journey and our positive outlook toward the future of VentilationX. On our way out of the mountains, Grubb fell and dropped the camera. The camera was only damaged slightly...the lens cover basically won’t open. Knopf took toothpicks and bark and rammed them far enough into the lens that it was slightly fixed. We then began the journey out of Yosemite. We wanted to stay later, but the clouds rolled in and the rain began pouring down. We avoided paying a fee on the way out of the park and slowly drove away from the national park. We caught several solid freight lines on the road to San Francisco. One after another could be seen from the highway; however, they were nothing like the lines we found in a yard just south of Yosemite yesterday evening, but it was still exciting. Once we arrived in San Francisco, we made the journey to our host’s house. We parked the car and carried our gear inside.

Day 15 - San Francisco:
We woke up this morning and made our way across town to pick up Cas. When Cas opened the door and walked up to the van, it felt like we were back home again. Even though we were on the other side of the country, the vibe was just like any normal day with the team. We ate breakfast together and spent time catching up on everything. After we ate, we searched for spots and began filming. We moved through shots quick and traveled all throughout the city. Talking to Cas and having a fourth person ride in the van added a lot to the overall charisma of the tour. Once we finished shooting, we watched TV until it was time for Cas to roll out for the night. We drove Cas home and brought the car back to our area. When we finally found a spot and parked the van, we tried rolling up the passenger window. We had trouble before, but now the window would not raise past half way. We called roadside assistance and a tow truck arrived to try and help. We worked together and got the window about three-quarters closed and left it for morning. When we wake tomorrow, we will need to take the car to a shop to look at the trunk, window, and tires. The van and cameras have taken a hit, and I hope we can slow (or stop) our damages.

Day 16 - San Francisco:
Once we picked up Cas, we found an autobody shop and left the van behind to be repaired. The shop was apparently frequented by extreme sports teams who needed work on their vehicles. We set out on foot and started searching for spots to film. We got kicked out of our first spot, but we quickly found more that suited our needs. While filming the remaining shots, we walked for miles. We wound up taking a bus back toward the auto shop when we learned how far we were. When we finally got to the shop, we were charged $240 for them to successfully roll up the window and teach us how to open our trunk with a screw driver. We knew that they were taking advantage of us, but we needed the job done. Once we left, we went to Haight Street to shop for Grubb’s birthday celebration. After we bought everything he wanted, our host took us to a set of rooftops that she had access too. We filmed parkour and took photos until a professional photographer arrived. We set up lights and posed for portrait shots that overlooked the city below. The air was cool and the view was awesome. The footage and pictures turned out great. We packed up the equipment and carried the supplies down from the roof. When we made it back to our housing, we unwound and relaxed. It was time to celebrate Grubb’s birthday.
Day 17 - San Francisco:
Today we began by traveling around the city and documenting the graffiti art. We ran into several local artists and talked about the art scene on the West Coast and around the country. After we filmed and photographed the graffiti, we hit some local hot spots and promoted/advertised for our own purposes. After our promotional stops and deliveries, we ate and rested up for our second evening photo shoot. We left to pick up the photographer and his equipment with the van. He lived across the bay in Oakland. We were told it would take about 40 minutes round-trip. Instead, it took two and a half hours; we left at rush hour. We eventually made it to the location to get setup. While parking the van and setting up equipment, an old man who lived in one of the buildings we were above came up and threatened to call the police. We packed up quickly and searched for another location. In our search, we found the highest point in San Francisco, but we didn’t shoot there because it was inside a cloud. When we got out of the car, the air was damp and misty. We left the peak and traveled back to our host’s house and set up the equipments in the backyard. We got some portrait shots taken before packing it all up again. We dropped the photographer off with his equipment and then dropped Cas off. We had a long journey to Seattle ahead. We rested up for the big drive.

Day 18 - San Francisco to Seattle:
We woke up today prepared for the massive journey to Seattle. We loaded up in the car which was already packed, and headed north. The landscape was very mountainous with scattered farms throughout the flat regions. We walked along several freight lines and benched a few more. We needed to refuel and stop for food a couple times throughout the day. It helped break the routine of driving up and down steep roadway through the mountains. When we arrived at our host’s place, we got a tour of the house. We learned quickly that our host and his friends were totally and utterly anti-mainstream. They were mellow and liked skateboarding, graffiti and music; but, they were angry and militant when it came to government and regulations. It was interesting to hear the ideas of people who were different than us, but it was frightening to hear some of their extremist mentalities. When we settled in, a neighbor’s dog, Danan, walked into the house. Danan joined in the evening festivities and ate with us. We all bonded and talked about the Hop, Drop, and Roll tour with everyone before getting ready for bed. We set up camp in the living room and thought about the diverse people and ideas that exist within our own country. This is an incredible place, but I must say, it’s a nutty world.

Day 19 - Seattle:
We awoke to the sun shining in the window. It was a beautiful, warm morning. We got up and headed for downtown Seattle. We documented the different views of the city and then dove into action shots. It was a warm day, and the sun was shining. We progressed through the shots well, but we were hungry and thirsty. We pushed through the heat and got all the shots we needed. We met some people who were interested in what we were doing so we talked to them about the tour and the team. We ate as much food as we could and our bodies could not handle it. We were so hungry and tired that food was not sitting well in our stomachs. We wanted to go out and party after our long day of work, but we were simply too exhausted. We decided it would be better to head home and recharge for the next day of filming. We drove back to the house in Olympia and found the living room packed with guys drinking and talking about herbs and guns. We promoted the team and talked about the local scene. One of the guys went to my school for a year or two before moving. He was real cool to talk to and brought some Philly flavor to the night. The guys were cool and we all sat around and told stories into the early hours of the morning. This day was fun, but totally exhausting.

Day 20 - Seattle:
Today we were going on a graffiti run. We found some wall spots in Olympia that we documented before heading into Seattle. We explored different spots around the city, but spent a great deal of time walking the lines of a freight yard. We saw a good balance of pieces and monikers and even caught an authentic hobo sketch. We called up Tyler from VentilationX and caught up with him. We talked about his filming and the Philadelphia/ Tri-State graffiti scene. Tyler was once one of VentilationX’s graffiti enthusiasts and became known in the local scene by artists and the vandal squad. After he updated us on the happenings of the Tri-State, we said our goodbyes. Once the sun went down, we hit downtown Seattle to experience the nightlife. It was a beautiful night, the weather was incredible. We saw a movie and didn’t leave the city until the early hours of the morning. When driving out of the city, a state trooper pulled us over for speeding. We were doing 90mph in a 60mph speed zone. The trooper gave us a $250 dollar ticket and sent us on our way. When we finally arrived at the house, we got right into bed. We have several large days of driving ahead and we need a good deal of rest. We are about to head East for the first time during the tour.

Day 21 - Seattle to Yellowstone:
When we awoke, we said farewell to our hosts and began to long ride to Yellowstone National Park. We knew the drive was going to be long, but we were in high spirits because our host gave us a fantastic going away present. The scenery was amazing; we passed through mountain after mountain as we traveled East for the first time during this entire trip. The journey East had a bittersweet feel to it. We had a lot left to experience, but it marked the beginning of the road home. The day-to-day lifestyle we have adopted to make this tour possible has become engraved in who we are. It will be difficult to transition back to the lifestyle at home; we live face paced lives, but we are never forced to move as quickly as we do on the road. When stopping off for food and fuel, we passed a cheerleading rehearsal. The temptation to stop and talk was unparalleled. We’ve met and interacted with plenty of famous people on the road...but this was so much more exciting. We stayed focused, and pushed onward. When we finally arrived at Yellowstone, we parked outside of a motel and found a bench/fence to sit on and open our gift. We sat under the stars and talked about life and our various ambitions for VentilationX. Once we were too tired and removed to stand, we huddled up in the van and settled in for a decent night of shut-eye.

Day 22 - Yellowstone to Rushmore:
When we woke up, there were construction workers assembled around the fence we sat on the night before. They began disassembling the fence and sawing it to pieces. We were slightly discouraged. We drove into Yellowstone and found our way to some scenic locations with the help of some locals. We soaked in nature’s marvels as we drove through valleys and hiked up mountain slopes. We found a peak with snow banks and ate as much snow as possible while talking about the environment. After we finished exploring Yellowstone, we packed up and began the journey to Mount Rushmore. On the way to South Dakota we stumbled upon a huge freight yard. We walked the first string of boxcars before getting kicked out. We snuck around and caught several more pieces before a storm rolled in. Dust kicked up everywhere as thunder, lightning, and rain swept in and made for zero visibility. We slowly made our way down the highway at ten miles an hour until the storm passed. We stopped to stretch our legs which resulted in a group 'twenty pushup session' in the middle of the street. When we finally arrived at the town outside of Mt. Rushmore, we found a vacant lot and parallel parked between a tractor trailer and an old hut. We got our sleeping bags out and laid down in the van. The commute was so exhausting after driving through Yellowstone that we talked and then crashed.

Day 23 - Rushmore to Minneapolis:
We awoke overheated in stagnant, sweaty air. The van always heats up and forces us to wake up earlier than we want to. We pulled out of the parking space, sandwiched between an old hut and a tractor trailer, and headed toward the monument. When we approached the mountain, we were shocked at how large the faces truly were. It was an incredible sight that inspired me to pursue a path that would bring positive change, even if faced with adversity. On our way to the next stop, Minneapolis, we found a lake with a perfect place to cliff jump. We pulled off the road and climbed the rock face to get a good take off point. We jumped several times before a lightning storm came in and forced us off the cliff. We were frustrated because we were beginning to jump from higher parts of the rock and lost the opportunity to film some of the harder, more frightening, leaps. We packed into the van and traveled to Minneapolis. Our GPS system sent us off course and one point, but we ultimately found our way. We were off roading through wild turkey territory in our mini-van at one point. We encountered some girls in a small town who wound up kicking it until the early morning. We pushed onward until we found our host’s house. We could not get a hold of them so we fell asleep in the van. We slept outside again, but it was in a driveway. Hop, Drop, & Roll.

Day 24 - Minneapolis:
Today we were startled awake by knocking on the van window. We were fearful that we had parked in the wrong driveway, but it turned out to be our host inviting us inside for breakfast. We were thrilled. We had very few pleasant surprises when we slept in the van. After we ate, we headed downtown to familiarize ourselves with the city and hunt for spots. We had fun filming our stunts and got the opportunity to break-dance along the Mississippi River. After filming, we changed clothes in the middle of the street. A group of girls drove by while we were naked. We ate dinner and then hit the town for a night out. We walked across a bridge that ran above the Mississippi River into the heart of the city. We reached out to an old friend from home who moved to Minneapolis several years ago. She invited us to her apartment for a party. We drove out to her place and hung out. We talked about her developing art career and our various aspirations for certain artists breaking into the scene. Later, we partied and listened to music into the wee hours of the morning. We were so exhausted that we fell asleep there despite having sleeping arrangements at a mansion on the other side of town. We all found a perch and passed out. Our bodies are developing into machines that require very little sleep; but we’re still tired.

Day 25 - Minneapolis to Chicago:
We woke up early because people had to leave for work. We said our goodbyes before discovering that it was raining. We had not filmed all of our stunts required for Minneapolis. We were frustrated because one of our tour objectives would not be completed. Weather is a variable that is difficult to account for while on tour. We were still able to visit a few graffiti spots despite the bad weather. We saw as much as possible before heading to our host’s place to get cleaned up. We knew there was a long drive to Chicago waiting for us, so we took time to sit in the sauna, take showers, and play video games in their home theater. It was a pleasant escape. We talked briefly about the team’s history and future regarding sponsorships, a very complicated topic. When it was time to head to Chicago, we said goodbye and went East. The stormy weather continued and added hail to the torrential rains. We had no visibility and had to drive at less than half the speed limit for a major portion of the drive. We pressed on, even though people were pulling off the road under bridges to wait out the hazardous conditions. The weather cleared as we arrived in Chicago, and we saw the fantastic skyline. We drove past the city to find our host’s place. It was near the downtown area and felt like it would fit our needs perfectly. We introduced ourselves, made ourselves at home, and got ready for bed. We have not gotten a proper nights rest in days and need rejuvenation. It was time to unwind in comfort and recharge for the obstacles to come. Here we come Chicago.

Day 26 - Chicago
We began the day by driving outside of Chicago to find a place to ship some footage home. Our GPS told us that the journey would take us less than two hours, it wound up taking four and a half. When we finally got back into the city, we got right to work. We moved quickly and got some great shots! After filming stuntwork, we drove back to our host’s place and called Mike Trampe of HipHopDX.com. He was in New York with DJ Bedtyme 357 and the HateMoneyRadio crew. We talked business and planned some future collaborations. After business was through, we hung out and relaxed. Grubb jammed on the guitar as we recharged for a big upcoming day. We are down to the final stretch and are working to make the last days of our tour as crazy as the first. There are so many challenges to face while filming on the road; it is hard to find a healthy balance between living and working. We’ve learned to move forward and survive on the bare minimum of everything. We decided to stay in for the night to rest, eat well enough, and clean up. We planned to film a lot the next day and hit the town to party. We need to slow down long enough to let our bodies heal and our minds catch up to reality. Our days on tour are numbered and we want to maximize our time and experiences.

Day 27 - Chicago:
We started our day with some home cooked breakfast prepared by our host. We ate together before heading off our separate ways. We hit the local skatepark to film, but wound up taking over and throwing a mini demo and promoting to everyone. Kids and grown adults alike were wearing VentilationX gear and reading our promo flyers as we rode the park and entertained onlookers. It was painstakingly hot outside and after we filmed and ate we fell slightly ill. Filming in Chicago was great, but we were getting battered and bruised in this city. As the day progressed, we met a local graffiti writer who had suggestions about certain sports to hit. We were hoping to meet up the following day, so we exchanged contact info. We found out that it is illegal to purchase or sell spray paint within the city of Chicago and that writers were forced to commute to the suburbs to buy cans of paint. During the evening, we talked with DJ Bedtyme 357 and discussed his involvement in the Hip-Hop scene. We thought back to our time appearing on his radio program and how we first met. Once business was taken care of, we headed downtown to see a movie. We chilled in the city and wound up theatre hopping late at night. Chicago had been a blast, and although we’re here for a bit longer, it was becoming harder and harder to leave the various exciting cities behind. I didn’t want to stop moving forward.

Day 28 - Chicago to Columbus:
We woke up today having to film graffiti. We were hoping that Dwell would show us around after he finished work, but we had to begin the run without him. We began by looking for some freight yards. We found ourselves lost in a maze of roads underneath a shipping facility. Most of the yards were empty; we kept finding railroad tracks, but no trains. We found a couple of yards with layups, but we were unable to reach the lines. Railroad cops were out in full force and prevented us from accessing certain parts of the various yards. We hunted for good wall spots but only found one that was worthwhile. An old, abandoned factory had become a local graffiti hot spot. We infiltrated the facility and captured most of the outside work before heading inside. As we ascended the stairs that appeared to be deteriorating as we climbed, we heard someone else in the facility. We left as fast as possible and headed to Columbus. We saw gas for three dollars and fifty one cents today; it was the cheapest we’ve seen during the tour. When we got to the city, we met up with Niko from the team and caught him up on the news. He filled us in on local spots and we planned our time while in Columbus. Niko is a hard worker and will add a lot to the last leg of the journey. I was so hype to see my homie. We had not seen Niko since we left. Niko is wild.

Day 29 - Columbus:
Niko and his family made a big breakfast for everyone to enjoy. We ate as much food as possible so that we would spend less money throughout the day. We drove into Columbus to explore the city. It was a small, pleasant town. There were homeless people, just like everywhere else, but it was clean and safe. We got kicked out of the first three spots we hit and we were nervous that we wouldn’t get the necessary footage in Columbus, but we pushed on. It was a very sunny day and we had to fight to stay hydrated. When we finished filming our stuntwork, we went to the local fair to promote. We wound up breakdancing for everyone in front of a booth set up by a major Columbus radio station. When the fair ended, we went back to our host’s house for a barbeque. We ate a lot off food and talked about the successes of the day. After dinner, we went for a walk and talked about Niko and his feelings about VentilationX. We all opened up and reminisced on the past and what Niko meant to the team. We headed back to his families' place to chill. We eventually made our way inside, and fell fast asleep. It was a long, exciting day.