The Making of “Cayendo Hacia Arriba: El Secreto De La Vida”

I had the time of my life in Argentina as the Cultural Ambassador with the US Department of State. We worked with 12 schools to create the Spanish edition of “Falling Uphill: The Secret of Life”. I visited some underprivileged schools, an orphanage for HIV+ children, bicycled through Buenos Aires in their city “bicicleteada” with the Secretary of Transportation, and much more. Rather than write 10,000 words to describe this honor, perhaps it is easier to just watch the movies of my trip below.

The first video is about my trip the Chaco and Corrientes, back where I got stuck in the mud so long ago. The second video is about the making of the book at a school for deaf children. The third video was one of my favorite days at an extremely poor community know as “Fort Apache”. The fourth video is about the “bicicleteada”. And the last video is a TV interview partially in English.

Here’s an incredible story. Two legally blind people will be riding a tandem bicycle unassisted from Ushuaia, Argentina to  Deadhorse, Alaska. That’s an 18-month journey across roughly 16,000 miles and 15 countries. They’ll visit schools for the blind along the way to share experiences that have shaped their lives. To follow their journey click here. Here they are pictured at Thorong La Pass in Nepal at 5416 meters.

Here I am sharing my story with an elementary school in Corrientes, Argentina, the same place I got stuck in the mud for 5 days. This is Escuela Bernardino Rivadavia, just one of 14 schools I visited. Read the before and after story in the Diario Epoca.

Here is one of my most popular articles. It appeared in various forms in almost all countries from Argentina all the way up to Canada and about a 1000 people “liked” it.

Viajó por el mundo en bicicleta y halló la felicidad. Meaning: “He traveled the world and found happiness.”

Or read the translated version by Google.

Update: Here is the follow up story on Infobae.com after the publication of the new book illustrated by the local Argentina schools, “Cayendo Hacia Arriba”. Pictured below is Ambassdor Martinez, Press Attaché Shannon Farrell (the woman who made it all happen),  Director Javier Canepa and the professors and staff of Escuela Pública Nro. 3 “Arturo Marasso”, Escuela Nº 26 “Dardo Rocha” and Escuela Nº 13 “Armada Argentina”.

Another one of my favorite stories was this article that originally appeared in the Buenos Aires Herald, titled “Soul Rider“.

I’m very excited. This Thursday the Ambassador to Argentina will be visiting some elementary schools in Buenos Aires to read the new Spanish edition of my children’s book. The kids will be receiving their own copy of the book and the certificate of recognition pictured above. We added another 18 illustrations to the certificate to honor even more students. What a great honor for me to have 2000 books given away to the kids, some whom are so poor that they have never owned a book.

Update: Here is Ambassador Martinez presenting a certificate to Director Javier Canepa of Escuela Pública Nro. 3 “Arturo Marasso”.

Here is my new book on the floor of the print shop waiting to be bound. It’s the Spanish edition of the kids book. “Cayendo Hacia Arriba.” I needed to hover over the guys at the shop, because it just wasn’t getting done on schedule. Grr!

Would you believe they printed enough for 250 extra books just in case there is a mistake in binding?

This is truly awesome in the original sense of the word: something that is both frightening and wondrous. Imagine tightrope walking, bungee jumping and parachuting all rolled into one.

I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies). Trailer from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.

Scott’s Fall News
Cultural Ambassador to Argentina

By the time most of you receive this news, I’ll be on the plane to Argentina. I have one of my biggest opportunities ever—while traveling during a time of war I always thought of myself as the bicycling ambassador, and now I’ve been honored by the US Embassy in Argentina as the Cultural Ambassador for the 2011-2012 school year.

I’ll be working with the embassy’s Outreach Program and Argentine school children to produce the Spanish edition of my children’s book, Falling Uphill: The Secret of Life, which is especially exciting since Buenos Aires has been chosen as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) 2011 World Book Capital. See Argentina’s celebratory sculpture The Tower of Babel. I think/hope my book is in there somewhere.

I’m told every place that I will be visiting is very special. I’ll be traveling to at-risk neighborhoods where kids are extremely poor, as well as a foster home for HIV positive orphans (pictured above is one of many orphanages I saw in Africa), a school for deaf kids, and the two poorest provinces in Argentina. The embassy will be donating 2000-4000 books to children who have never ever owned a book.

It is truly an honor, and I’m very hopeful to inspire so many young adventurers of life with my hard-earned wisdom and a few good laughs. And I’m excited to see the new cultural perspective they bring to the illustrations of "Cayendo Hacia Arriba".

I also get to meet the Buenos Aires city government to talk about bicycling as a way of life and their "Mejor en bici" project (of course bicycles are the cure to all the evil in the world) and participate in their "bicicleteada" this weekend. So, thanks to Argentina itself. As my friend, who coincidentally just left for an embassy posting in Finland, said: this is a rare opportunity because not all countries would welcome a Cultural Ambassador.

Follow The Adventure
Classroom video phone calls

I plan to make as many updates as possible on my website. Also, teachers please contact me to arrange a Skype video phone call from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

This summer I did a mini bicycle trip from coast to coast in Wisconsin, which means from the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan. With more than 15,000 lakes, it’s an interesting fact that Wisconsin’s has more coastline than most states, including California. Wisconsin also has the largest bicycle industry, the first rails-to-trails conservation project and some of the nicest bike trails in the world, and I mean that literally. And lo and behold, I discovered another interesting fact: apparently, according to this sign pictured below, Kermit the Frog is an indigenous species of Wisconsin. Wow!

More pictures and a mini-movie to come.

Social media has really helped promote cycle touring, push the envelope and has become a major vehicle for creating awareness. Here’s a noteworthy adventure and cause.

St Thomas’ Hospital forecourt, London, Tuesday the 5th of January 2010, Steve said cheerio to loved ones and then started pedaling – he will be pedaling for the next 1700 days. Steve’s lonely migration east began in Europe and then Africa but will eventually see him travel by bicycle the length of six of the earth’s continents in a mammoth five year expedition during which he will cycle a distance equivalent to twice the circumference of the earth.

Steve will trace a route through regions affected by the Neglected Tropical Diseases and will witness firsthand their effect on local populations. These are 14 largely ancient infectious diseases grouped together by the World Health Organization. Once widely dispersed, they now thrive in impoverished settings, especially in the heat and humidity of tropical climates.

To invest this hare-brained endeavour with some worthy purpose he’s also raising money for Merlin – a UK based medical aid charity.

Good luck , Steve.

http://www.cyclingthe6.com/

Update: The team is just a few days from reaching their goal, and little did I know when I first posted this story that my friend (more of an acquaintance, but I like to think of everyone I meet as a friend) and fellow world cyclist, Mark Beaumont is on the boat as both an oarsman and cameraman. Good luck, guys. And Mark, hope you brought your bike, because you can do several laps around the world up there.

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British explorer Jock Wishart and Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky have unveiled a remarkable mission to conquer what could be one of the world’s last great “firsts” — the first rowing attempt to one of the world’s Poles.

The challenge will take place in July/August 2011 and is of global significance as both a pioneering maritime adventure and an environmental expedition. The planned 450 mile route across the Arctic sea starts in Resolute Bay in Canada with timing being of the essence as the final section of the journey is only navigable for a few weeks of the year before refreezing. It has only become possible to consider an attempt like this in recent years due to the increase in seasonal ice melt and the much-documented deterioration of the Arctic landscape.

Preparations are already underway for their August 2011 attempt:

• A recce of the route took place by plane in August 2009
• An advanced rowing boat design is being constructed to make it possible for it to be man-hauled across the ice. At a later date, this specially designed boat will be unveiled – believed to be the first ‘ice boat’.
• Jock has begun the challenging process of selecting his crew who will activate a ‘three on, three off’ rowing and resting regime.
• Planning has taken place with scientific research partners to deliver environmental data and insight from the journey

Follow their adventure here:
http://www.rowtothepole.com/

Once again I have applied to be a roommate at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Above you see what would be my bedroom. I also imagine my bicycle, the bicycle that went around the world, occupying a very important corner, along with some maps and photos. I considered my journey as an empirical study of the meaning of life. I had theory: If life means something, I should be able to find it somehow somewhere.

I can’t express how much a dream it would be to live day and night for a month in the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and explore and report on all the amazing science, and, of course, being part of the experiment to see how this experience changes me and everyone I meet. I imagine it would be a great inspiration to people, just as my trip has already inspired so many people to live their dreams, like an 88 year old woman that decided to fly to Bhutan after reading my book.

Below is my application video. I didn’t have time to make a new video to emphasize my love for science. But the Chicago Sun Times liked this video enough to showcase it on their website during the last round.

The ice cream social and book signing celebration for “Ruby the Red Worm” drew over a 1000 people. It was one of the most overwhelming, amazing and fulfilling moments of my life to see the dreams of so many students coming to life. The students were so proud to sign their illustrations in everyone’s book; and the parent’s and teachers were almost just as proud.

Thanks to the Waukesha STEM Academy for going way beyond the call of duty to organize this event, which is no easy job. They also included free ice cream for all the kids. An idea for future fundraisers would be to include cupcakes for sale for books like the upcoming “Cupcake Boy”.

Here is a bizarre evolution of the bicycle industry. We can now print a 3D bicycle much like we print a photograph. See this video min 01:45 for the bicycle print out. And someday we may able to just download the bike from the manufacturer’s website and print it out at home, though I wouldn’t try riding that bicycle around the world.

How to Print a Bicycle | Technology and Science | SlateV.

The new book is finally here! Perhaps no one is more surprised how beautiful it is then me, especially the cover! I puzzled for months about what to do, including a meeting with the art teacher discussing if her best students would want to illustrate and/or color the cover, and whether to have the school vote on a winner. Those ideas were good; however, they weren’t feasible. So after one-too-many sleepless nights, I arose in the wee hours and in one inspired flurry, drew this picture. It’s quite different than anything else I’ve done, and so I like to think I’ve learned to listen to my muses. I also splurged several hundred dollars that I don’t have on a drawing tablet for my computer, which I used to color my pen and ink drawing.