2017-08-17
0

19 Days

Tags : 19 Days ACDSee Software Alien Skin Software Anthropics Bay Photo Labs Fine Art by DB MoLight Nataliacha Doodley Do On1 Software Republic Wireless Route 66 Topaz Labs Warner 5 Color

Category : Uncategorized

19 Days

It is hard to believe, but it is only 19 days until we embark on Route 66. Time passes quickly. Most of all, we are excited!

Advertisers

A special thanks to our advertisers (aka sponsors): presented in alphabetical order

Exclusive sponsors
- Bay Photo Labs – our official photo lab!
- Republic Wireless – our official provider of voice and data services!
Non-exclusive sponsors
- ACDSee Software – Image processing software.
- Alien Skin Software – Image processing software.
- Anthropics – makers of PortraitPro, PortraitBodyPro, LandscapePro and SmartEditor
- Fine Art by DB – Fine art prints for your home, office and business.
- MoLight – Photographic lighting solutions
- Nataliacha Doodley Do – Whimsical graphic arts (our logo was designed by Nataliacha Doodley Do)
- On1 Software – Image processing software.
- Topaz Labs – Image processing software.
- Warner 5 Color – Pad printing.

Not Too Late

It is not to late to jump on the advertising bandwagon. The last to join was Warner 5 Color. They print on most anything. In addition, they can even print on unusually shaped objects.

I shipped Warner 5 Color a few dozen hand mirrors and provided my logo and graphics for the back of the mirror. They are strictly printers. Therefore you provide the product to be printed on, and they do the printing.

Front of the Mirrors

Back of the Mirrors

After searching all over for something to provide them, I found these small hand mirrors. Most noteworthy, they suggested I provide something for the mirror surface too!

These are the proof photos they emailed. I can’t wait for them to arrive. Furthermore we will be handing these out as a “thank you” to select people along Route 66.

2017-08-02
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34 Days

Tags : 34 Days Beach Boys Creedence Clearwater Revival Eagles Earth Johnny Cash music Road Trip Route 66 Songs Wind and Fire

Category : Uncategorized

34 Days

34 days and I breakout the road trip music. Various covers of Route 66 will be in the mix, as well as other great travel songs.

Here’s one of my favorites…

Who doesn’t like Steppenwolf?

What are your favorite road trip songs?

Post them to our Facebook page.

Here are a few more of mine…

Anything by the Eagles (especially Take it Easy)
Earth, Wind and Fire’s September (we’re leaving in September!)
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Travelin’ Band
Johnny Cash’s I’ve Been Everywhere
T. Rex’ Get It On
Beach Boys Little Duce Coupe (and most anything else by the Beach Boys)
and more…

Let’s hear about some of yours. Our facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/groups/2017route66tour/

Next Few Weeks

Next few weeks I will be devoting time to getting ready. On a long trip like this we plan to make stops at stores for provisions, however, there are simply things you can’t forget.

An example of something you can stop and purchase would be shaving cream. However, if you forget a prescription you might not be able to stop and get it quickly. Planning is of the essence.

My biggest fear is I’ll have everything I need to take pictures and I’ll forget clean socks.

2017-07-27
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40 Days

Tags : 40 Days data provider Personal Experience Republic Wireless voice

Category : Uncategorized

40 Days

40 days for this epic adventure to start. With 40 days before we start we are proud to introduce our newest advertiser/sponsor – Republic Wireless.

Republic Wireless is our official (and exclusive) voice and data provider for this tour. What does that mean?

We will use Republic Wireless’ products and services to post updates. Live updates to YouTube, Twitter and Facebook will be done using Republic Wireless exclusively.

My Personal Experience with Republic Wireless

I retired from AT&T in 2012. As an AT&T employee I enjoyed concessions which abruptly came to an end when I retired. My phone bill was now in excess of $200/month for two phones.

As a retiree I wasn’t entitled to any competitive wireless benefits. As a result, I switched to T-Mobile. T-Mobile’s prepaid plan seemed pretty good. $50/phone unlimited voice and data.

A good friend told me about Republic Wireless. T-Mobile had been my carrier for a couple of years. Being a former TCP/IP network engineer, the Republic Wireless technology is groundbreaking and worth a shot. I took the shot.

My $100/month bill dropped to $50/month for two phones. At times, my Republic Wireless bill has been less than $40/month for both phones.

Service

My wife had difficulty transferring her contacts to our new Republic Wireless phone. She called and the service representative walked her through the process. It impressed my wife.

When it comes to calls, the service is great. The WiFi to cell network hand-off is seamless. To the best of my knowledge, no other phone service offers this. Others offer WiFi calling, but once you’re on a WiFi call, you stay on that call or get dropped. This is not the case with Republic Wireless’ technology.

Overseas

Because of my Republic Wireless phone, I was the hit of the group on my last trip to Israel. We had free WiFi in our hostel. I called my wife and the call via WiFi worked perfectly. Soon, others in my group were asking to borrow my phone to call family in the USA.

They would ask, “Do we owe you anything?”, or “How much is this call going to cost you?”

“Nothing”, I would tell them, “WiFi calling is free via Republic Wireless and your call won’t increase my bill one bit.”

When they would ask how much my monthly bill is, I would tell them about $18/month (which is what it was running around that time). They would then add, “I wish I could switch.”

When I asked them why they can’t switch, they would moan about contracts.

Contracts

That’s another thing I love about Republic Wireless — no contracts. I purchased our phones outright, and I have no contacts. In fact, I can switch plans mid-month if I want to!!!

I love Republic Wireless and I’m glad they have agreed to provide us unlimited data while we drive Route 66!

2017-07-14
0

53 Days

Tags : 53 Days advertise advertisers nationwide opportunity Topaz Labs worldwide

Category : Uncategorized

53 Days

Only 53 days until Paul and I hit the road. Things are coming together rapidly. It is our advertisers who will help make this trip a success.

Advertising

After receiving a letter from a restaurant regarding “sponsorship”, I realized some people didn’t grow up in the era when you’d hear on the radio, “This show is sponsored by Brylcream. Just a little dab’ll do you.” Sponsorship is another way to connote advertising.

But, since it is coming across that we’re asking for charity, from now on we’ll talk about advertising, and not sponsoring. My apologies for the confusion it may have created.

Live Advertisements

These are live advertisements. You can either let me or Paul wing it, or you can supply us with ad copy that we’ll read in our videos or reprint in our blog. Here’s an example of how we might advertise one of our “sponsors” (aka advertisers):

“Here’s a great picture Paul took of a local diner. Paul has processed it using Topaz Lab’s Simplify. Topaz Simplify allows you, the photographer…”

I think you get the idea.

Advertise Anywhere

You don’t have to be on Route 66 to advertise with us. Your business can be anywhere. We will pick up a wide viewer audience geographically. As a result, if you are looking for customers nationwide or worldwide, this is a great opportunity.

Rusty Old Car Along Route 66

Don’t Wait

Don’t wait too long to decide. Our days are limited and we can only advertise a finite number of businesses and products.

2017-07-13
0

ACDSee

Tags : ACD Systems ACDSee

Category : Uncategorized

ACD Systems

About ACD Systems

Introducing our newest sponsor, ACD Systems is one of the largest independent digital image editing and management companies in the world. Founded in Texas in 1993, ACD Systems revolutionized the relationship between analog and digital information. Now based in Victoria, B.C., the company has offices in the United States, China, and Canada. Today, ACD Systems holds seven patents, has products translated into eleven languages, and has produced millions of ACDSee products in use in every corner of the globe.

Ultimate 10

As an all-in-one digital asset manager, RAW photo editor with layers, ACDSee Ultimate 10 boldly proclaims that you no longer need to purchase and run multiple applications to achieve your organizational and image editing goals. Combining GPU-accelerated adjustment layers, RAW editing, hundreds of filters and adjustments, and workflow-expediting tools perfected over decades, ACDSee Ultimate 10 makes it easy to create professional-grade photography, original advertising, innovative graphics, and powerful art imagery.

https://www.acdsee.com/en/products/acdsee-ultimate

Photo Editor 10

Cut straight to the creative part with this dedicated image adjustment and layered editing software. ACDSee Photo Editor 10 boasts the 64-bit power to actualize the original graphics, polished photography, and compelling art imagery you’ve been envisioning. Enhance photos with pixel-based editing tools, precision targeting, hundreds of filters and adjustments, drawing elements, and much more.

https://www.acdsee.com/en/products/acdsee-photo-editor

Video Studio 2

Simple to use, yet versatile, ACDSee Video Studio 2 is value-based video editing without the learning curve. Import your own footage, work with your existing media, or generate your own. Create, edit, split, trim, and merge audio and video recordings, add captions and transitions, and make custom selections to build the ultimate viewing experience. Record anything on your screen or yourself, render in HD, and then seamlessly share your masterpiece on social media from right inside the program.

https://www.acdsee.com/en/products/acdsee-video-studio

Online store – https://www.acdsee.com/en/products

Social Media

Facebook – @acdsee
Twitter – @ACDSee
Instagram – @acdsystems | #creativeACDSee

2017-07-01
0

Corvettes

Tags : camera bags cameras Chevrolet Corvettes sponsors Tripods

Category : Uncategorized

Corvettes

The other day it was the 64th anniversary of Chevrolet making Corvettes. They’ve been around for 64 years now.

What do Corvettes have to do with Route 66?

It was a Corvette that characters Tod and Buz cruised Route 66 in the TV series named Route 66. Since then, Route 66 has been associated with the iconic car. In fact, Paul and I are often asked, “Are you going to drive a Corvette.” While it would be nice, there might be some decommissioned sections where a Corvette might be too low to the ground.

As a result of the rough roads, we’re sticking to a large sedan.

OFFICIAL ROUTE 66 DAY

It’s official for us. Only 66 days until this tour hits the road!

For Your Entertainment

Here’s something for you to enjoy…

2017-06-23
0

Road Trip Logger Available

Tags : camera description expenses mileage Road Trip Logger Available tracking

Category : Uncategorized

Road Trip Logger Available

What is a Road Trip Logger? In preparation for this epic trip I came up with a book for logging miles… and then I added expenses… and then I added photos. I call it the Road Trip Logger. It’s available at Lulu Press. Here’s the link:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/d-brent-walton/road-trip-logger/paperback/product-23222984.html

Inside

Inside you will find 3 pages for each day. Here are descriptions of each page:

Record your start location, start mileage, date, end mileage and ending location, as well as a description of your expenses. There’s an additional column if you’re traveling with a companion. At the bottom of the expense table you can total the columns and calculate the difference. It also tracks the method of payment (i.e. Visa, Cash, MC, etc.)
The next page is for tracking your stops. You can record long/lat coordinates, marker mileage, car mileage, and add a description. For example…
- -87.6242613, 41.8795402, 0 miles, 3457 miles, Start of Route 66 in Chicago, IL
The 3rd page of the day is for logging photos. A description of the photo, which camera use used, starting frame number, your flash card used (I number my cards before a trip), and a check box for when you backup the card. It’s not meant to document EVERY frame shot, but when you start a new location or subject.

There are 87 pages which means it covers 29 days. (Yeah… I was hoping for 31 to cover an entire month, but the printer’s limitations were 87 pages max.)

2017-06-19
0

A Day on Route 66

Tags : A Day on Route 66 exciting published schedule sunrise sunset

Category : Uncategorized

A Day on Route 66

When I tell people about this project, they wonder what Paul and I will be doing for 30+ days. A day on Route 66 will go something like this…

5:15 a.m. (i.e. about 1 hour before sunrise): Paul and I will rise so we can be there to capture the rising sun over whatever city we’re in at the time.
6:15 a.m. (approx. sunrise): We’ll be out on Route 66 taking photos as dawn breaks on Route 66
7:30 a.m. Grab breakfast at a local Route 66 diner
9:00 a.m. Get ready to move on to our next location
10:00 a.m. We’ll motor on down the road shooting as we go
noon – lunch at a Route 66 diner
1:00 p.m. This isn’t the best time of day to shoot, so we’ll use this to rest and relax, get images backed up, etc.
4:00 p.m. Looking for a diner to eat dinner at, and shooting pictures as we look
6:00 p.m. Out shooting on Route 66 to catch the sunset
8:00 p.m. Taking some night shots on Route 66 to catch those neon signs
9 – 10:00 p.m. Call it a day after publishing our blogs and vlogs for the day.

Cool Springs on Route 66

Time

Time isn’t cast in stone. As we journey much of our schedule will be determined by what we see, and how long it takes to photograph it. I hope we can stick to our published schedule, but there might be some give and take. There are parts of the country I haven’t explored and they could be boring, or they could be exciting. As a result, we won’t know until the time arrives.

You also lose track of time when you are photographing something of interest. Therefore, we could get sidetracked while photographing something and set our entire schedule off by a couple of hours.

2017-06-14
0

Black Tape and Non-Sponsors

Tags : 2TB drives Automobile transportation Black Tape and Non-Sponsors camera bags cameras equipment gasoline Internet access Laptops lighting loaner car masking tape rental cars

Category : Uncategorized

Black Tape and Non-Sponsors

What’s black tape and who are non-sponsors? Those are two questions I will answer today. Keep reading to find out more.

Black tape sounds like it is related to red tape, but it’s not as complicated as red tape. In this case black tape is black masking tape. We’ve all seen that blue stuff they sell in the paint section of the hardware store. Think of that, but only think of it as jet black.

This is a great marketing and advertising opportunity. It’s unique.

Route 66 and Black Tape

What the scrud does black does black tape have to do with Route 66?

Black Tape In Use

Black tape is what all of our equipment will have over the logos of the equipment we use. Just like in TV shows when you see someone shooting a dSLR camera and you can’t see what brand it is… yeah… that’s what black masking tape was invented for – covering logos.

This resolves an issue of unauthorized use of trademarks. The resolution to this is simple…

If you want us to show your equipment and talk about it, you want to sponsor us. Sponsorships start at $100 and go up to $3000, and are accepted in trade or kind. (Note, sponsorships in kind must be of equipment that we can use on the trip.)

Non-Sponsors

Non-sponsors are those who are not supporting this venture. As we travel along, if you change your mind about sponsorship, you can shoot us an e-mail.

So, let’s think about this…

Suppose Brent has $5000 worth of camera around his neck, and black masking tape is covering all the branding on the camera. He’s photographing a model at an iconic location and someone wonders, “What camera is he using? Those images are great!”

As a result, those would-be buyers will be left in the dark. Sad, isn’t it?

Easy Resolution

The resolution is easy. Here is how you get us to remove the black tape. Because trademarks and logos can be touchy situations, please read carefully…

We need a letter authorizing and releasing us from any liability associated with display your logo and trademarks as displayed on your equipment.
You need to sponsor our Route 66 2017 Tour. He’s a brief summary of what it takes…
- $100 gives you a mention on one specific day of our tour, and we remove the black tape starting on that day, and for the remainder of the trip.
- Additional $100 contributions give you additional mention. $100/day. (Mention means we specifically mention your product and company name during our daily video and in our blog. We will include links too.)
- $3000 gives you exclusive daily mention for the entire trip. We will mention your company/products daily. We will not mention any competitor in that category. (See below for a list of categories.)
- The amounts listed above can be in the form of a company check (must be received by 8/20/2017), a gift card (i.e. Visa gift card), or in kind (i.e. give us the equipment you want us to use. Retail value will be considered the same as cash.).
- AND… most importantly… Each day you sponsor you receive license to USE ANY OF OUR PUBLISHED IMAGES SHOT ON THAT DAY. (We will provide you with a download code to download them and use them to promote your company.) Why would we do this when a license like this normally cost as much as $1000/image? Because we want to get people excited about Route 66.

Let’s Make This Clear

Tags : Asleep at the Wheel birthday birthplace Let's Make This Clear Route 66 sponsors

Category : Uncategorized

Let’s Make This Clear

Let’s make this clear — this is not your a typical road trip. Our Route 66 Tour is going to be very comprehensive. I’ve studied other Route 66 websites and books, and if you have interest in Route 66, you’ll want to follow our adventures.

I’ll bet after a couple of days on the road we’ll be hearing from would-have-been-sponsors. Don’t regret this chance. Now is the time to set up and get on board.

The Plan to Make this Work

We realize there are many of you who will never get to drive Route 66. You’re Americana fans, but for various reasons you’ll never drive the Mother Road. The plan is for us to provide you with an armchair experience of traveling Route 66.

Our days will be half filled with shooting, and the remainder filled with driving, uploading images and video, and writing about our experiences. That’s why we estimate it will take us more than 30 days to complete!

For Sponsors

For sponsors that means 30+ days of advertising. But, not just any advertising. Our plan is to present your products or services in context with our trip.

Let me give you an example…

Let’s suppose your company (we’ll call you Best Widgets) sponsors for a day (i.e. $100 level). That night people following us will see, hear or read, “Hey, we’d like to thank Best Widgets for providing us with one of their widgets today. Here’s a photo Paul took using the Best Widget. We’ve fallen in love with Best Widget and thank them for their sponsoring our lodging last night. Without people like the people at Best Widget this journey wouldn’t be what it is – spectacular.”

For Interested Individuals

Let’s say you’re not a company, but want to help us make this a success. We’ll be happy to mention you too. Just send us your sponsorship and tell us how you want to be mentioned.

Here are some individual ideas…

Sponsor us for the date of a friend or loved one’s birthday. Have us wish them a happy birthday.
Pick a location and sponsor us for the day we’re in that location. It could be a family member’s birthplace, for example. Tell us what’s important about that location and who your message is for and we’ll make sure they get the attention you want them to have.
Sponsor us for a specific location and tell us what you want to see at that location. For example, you may have wondered about the TeePee Motel. Sponsor us for that location and tell us what you want to see while we are there.
- Example: “A special shout-out to Bob for sponsoring us today. Bob wanted to know more about the TeePee Motel so here’s a visual tour just for Bob.”
You might want a postcard from a specific location. Let us know when you sponsor us. We’ll send you a postcard with a handwritten note thanking you for your contribution to our trip.

You can provide sponsorship via GoFundMe.

For Your Entertainment

For your entertainment, here’s one of the best Route 66 renditions by Asleep at the Wheel (live)…

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Author Archives: dbwalton

19 Days

Advertisers

Not Too Late

34 Days

What are your favorite road trip songs?

Next Few Weeks

40 Days

My Personal Experience with Republic Wireless

Service

Overseas

Contracts

53 Days

Advertising

Live Advertisements

Advertise Anywhere

Don’t Wait

ACD Systems

About ACD Systems

Ultimate 10

Photo Editor 10

Video Studio 2

Social Media

Corvettes

OFFICIAL ROUTE 66 DAY

Sponsors

My Wife’s Comment

For Your Entertainment

Road Trip Logger Available

Inside

A Day on Route 66

Time

Black Tape and Non-Sponsors

Route 66 and Black Tape

Non-Sponsors

Easy Resolution

Categories

Let’s Make This Clear

The Plan to Make this Work

For Sponsors

For Interested Individuals

For Your Entertainment

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