WHITE NOISE / FIELD JOURNAL No. 001
Not all outsiders chase snow. Sometimes we get lost in forests of color, chasing the unexpected and whimsy.
FOURTH OF JULY TRAIL / NEW MEXICO / PHOTO JOURNAL
01 / INTO THE WOODS
The day is still young, and as you can see, our team rider Xavier Martinez is pretty fucking excited. With the Eyes White Shut crew gathered and ready for whatever the day has in store, we set off into the forest on what would become one exquisite little adventure.
02 / NO HIKING LEGS
We're pretty damn tired at this point, and the adventure has barely even started. None of us have our hiking legs under us yet, and our team rider Xavier and honorary crew member Seth Nunn are already feeling the burn in their calves.
Meanwhile, something about the forest is starting to feel a little strange. We can't quite put our fingers on it, but everything is beginning to feel just a little different.
03 / THE SHIFT
At this point, we stop to catch our breath and finally begin to notice just how bright everything is. The colors are becoming more vibrant, things are starting to move ever so slightly, and a strange warmth is settling over us.
We take a moment to acknowledge how everyone's feeling before continuing our journey.
As we march through all these beautiful colors, we start throwing around the word that would eventually describe our entire hike: whimsical.
And just like that, we're no longer simply hiking through the forest. We're frolicking through the fucking trees, feeling like wizards and gnomes.
04 / FULL GNOME MODE
By this point, our excitement is building and the colors are getting brighter and more complicated. Everything is starting to feel more alive, and Seth and Xavier are getting even more whimsical.
Before long, they’re joking, talking shit, and poking fun at each other both figuratively and literally.
05 / PEAK NONSENSE
At this point, the Eyes White Shut crew is feeling pretty damn accomplished as we finally reach our peak. Both physically and mentally, if you know what I mean. Cough, cough.
We take a much-needed break to enjoy the view, and naturally, the conversations start getting ridiculous.
As we're admiring the mountains, Seth decides to share a brilliant observation: "You know what would make this view better? Boom. A giant Walmart."
Meanwhile, Xavier is entertaining himself by picking up random pieces of wood and joking around, somehow managing to get a thorn stuck in his finger from a hidden cactus.
As I'm taking in this incredible view, all I can think about is how badly I need to use the bathroom. I start explaining how this would easily be a top 10 place to take a shit. Just imagine the cleanest porcelain toilet you've ever seen, a magazine in your hands, and a nice mountain breeze hitting your half-covered legs as you relieve yourself. Absolute paradise.
Then we remember that we spent at least 30 minutes at a gas station earlier and somehow didn't buy any fucking snacks.
All I want at this point is a slightly smushed sandwich. Just something to eat while watching the trees sway and morph together as our trip continues to peak.
At this point, we're pretty much just talking absolute nonsense, but we're having a fucking blast.
06 / ONE LAST FROLIC
As we make our way back down the mountain, the colors are still popping and we’re all feeling a little magical. Before the journey comes to an end, we stop to mess around, throw leaves, and pose for pictures while acting dumb as hell.
At that point, it kind of feels like none of us want the hike to end yet, so we just lean into it and enjoy the last little bit of whimsical chaos.
THE MOMENTS THAT DIDN’T NEED WORDS.
