‘boy, that really escalated quickly.’ -ron burgundy

We are on a road trip going through Idaho (absolutely incredible country!) and the United States Government puts up a fence between the road, and a wonderful little perch to admire the incredible visage of Mother Nature. Now, I feel the whole situation (in the words of Ron Burgundy) really escalated quickly: Federal Officers driving by happen to see a parked car on the side of a desolate rode and pull off to investigate. They see a happy-loving group of 6 spending a nice afternoon along some of the most gorgeous mountainous ridge lines and freak-out because we had to cross a perfectly mountable fence that said ‘restricted’ government property. Now in the interest of national security I completely respect and understand the reason for fences (hopefully larger ones) in places of need… However, I thought ones like this served more as a ‘guideline fence’ -just think: a beautifully deserted road side in the middle of the desolate north-west is nothing to get so worked up about. I feel sometimes our culture is really going to damage itself with this need to constantly crush the spirit of adventure. Need I remind you this country is so great because it stems from some of the most dynamic humans in all of history: those that risked their lives to come from over seas, those that rose up to escape persecution, those that tamed a wild and vast continent, and ALL with a strong spirit of adventure and will to live. I think we’d all feel much better if half the world’s fences disappeared tomorrow (including the ones we shoot at people desperate for money and a job are trying to cross (…oops did i say that aloud?)). …Just a thought… In the end, I plead guilty to the Federal Court for my decision (yes, I was completely in the wrong), but you gotta be bumping up against limits to know what you’re capable of… Danica Patrick taught me that.

Oops, a Federal Offense is a post from: Olin A. Patterson

My intentions were never to be directly hazardous towards anyone, including myself… However, I must explain: I am fortunate to be surrounded by the most inspiring people on Planet Earth (I am convinced), they are all the most passionate, forward-thinking humans with incredible convictions and a great global consciousness. With them, I have debated ideas, read many books and together have pushed the limits on what we thought we were capable of. The problem I face though, when I am around them- is the outrageous synergy that suffices when we are all together. Case in point: Standing on the northern tip of Argentina looking over a swift sub-tropical Amazonian river into Brazil and getting a powerful Thoreaucratic belief in our head- “I am the monarch of all I survey, my right there is none to dispute….” Regardless: the six foot crocodiles, or the gun toting Paraguay/Argentine/Brazilian Patrolling Coast Guards should have swayed us not to cross (never mind the rivers name!)… But we did and can say we represent a select few who have willingly volunteered themselves on an illegal border crossing. Now, as a disclaimer, what we did may be deemed foolish; but in all honesty- that drive to expand ourselves, to push the boundary on what our axioms and dogmas have us believing is too strong to ignore. Our intent is never to harm… but to empower and expand our perspective on how the world can be made better for everyone. Again, thanks for stopping by!

The Illegal Border Entry is a post from: Olin A. Patterson