March 2010 Archives

Presented by Land Ops (landops.com)

This is a short test video showing aerial HD captured from a GoPro Hero HD camera mounted on our electric TREX 600 helicam. The testing was done over the Santa Ana river bed in California. If we can get all the kinks worked out from these little cams we will purchase more and use them to film our events. They are light and high quality. The support from GoPro is something to be desired.

Land Ops helicam is being used to film a reality game show/documentary for social media distribution this year. Land Ops conducts unique off road adventures, camping, geocaching and glamping. Get more info at Land Ops. Membership is free and events are free. Sign up today.

The Changing Mediascape  
I am asked more and more as Land Ops pioneers a new path of adventure, "what is Land Ops?". My answer usually describes the unique tactical games we play outdoors in this beautiful country we live in. Yes, this is what we do, but the real adventure is being part of a rapidly changing mediascape. As technology allows more and more people to produce high quality video programs you will see more custom tailored programs to suite your particular interest and/or cluster of interests while the old dinosaurs of programming fall behind. It's already happening. On the distribution side, we all knew that Blockbuster would never make it if it stayed in hard copy DVD distribution with brick and mortar stores. I'm surprised they lasted this long after the Enron deal fell through. We all know where technology is going and this reality has already begun to transform the market. Reference Seth Godin's Blog; But It's Better Than TV  http://bit.ly/dcuvxt

Potatoes Set Free
There is a tremendous opportunity to become part of this rapidly evolving mediascape. Those who once were couch potatoes enslaved to the programming of a few thousand writers in Hollywood are now free to set the stage, produce and distribute for themselves. Maybe sloppy at first, but I'd rather see the fresh creativity of a sloppy new producer than the sequel of polished puppet show master. Nothing against real puppet shows mind you.

What's Being Harvested?
Someone once told me that there are couch potatoes and then there are those who know how to harvest them. At one time I was a potato of sorts and I myself was being harvested (advertised to). Now, we potatoes are starting to take over the farm. The difference between us new farmers (producers) and the old producers that harvested us is that we're not harvesting people. We're planting and sowing, growing creativity, and harvesting fresh ideas. It was only last year that we launched our aerial helicam giving Land Ops the ability to capture high definition video from the air without having to pay $800 per hour. We are not a major film company with big funding. We're a grass roots adventure group with the power of technology and we're using tools like these to capture a fresh new crop of video entertainment.

The New Media Farmers
When you go on a Land Ops adventure you are stepping into the future of how more and more films and documentaries will be made and distributed. We're not simply a camping, glamping, geocaching or off road group, we're the future of adventure documentaries and creative shows. We are not power hungry. We're not looking to dominate anything. We couldn't corner a market even if we had the mega-funds to do it. That's not the objective here. That would be fighting upstream and going against the trend. This new era of media is meant for hundreds of thousands of previously enslaved couch and computer potatoes to become the new generation of media farmers, providing unique and enjoyable content. This is what we are a small part of.

The Edification of Members
We have a vision that the members of Land Ops who participate in the exciting outdoor adventures, will be the stars in their own show. We're only providing the stage and the opening acts. We want them to catch the vision and bring new related skills, hobbies, interests, technologies and their own brand of creativity to the adventure scene.

I love to say; be sure to make today nothing less, than absolutely an adventure of a life time. This is an adventure. The Land Ops model has been changing over the last few years. The idea itself started as a seed over a decade ago. We want Land Ops to be an adventure of a life time for all our members who participate. We may have high and foolish dreams, but we're going to have a lot of fun seeing how high they'll fly.

I feel good about tomorrow. You want to go with us?

Chris Doering, Land Ops Director

Reference Seth Godin's Blog; But It's Better Than TV  http://bit.ly/dcuvxt

This video was produced specifically to describe one tactical exercises found in the Land Ops play book. Watch it in High Definition (HD) on Vimeo.

Geocaching | 3 Clue Rendezvous from Chris Doering on Vimeo.

This geocaching operation is straight out of the Land Ops tactical play book. For more unique games like these go to Landops.com

Update from Land Ops;

Effective May 27th, 2010. All class "A" events, "Glamping Suite Packages" and "Adventure Camp Packages" will have at least one dedicated HD video camera assigned to their vehicle, helmet and/or chase vehicle. These types of events are meant to be for those who want their adventure recorded and edited into a professional documentary. A dedicated camera will allow us to get a more personal experience from your perspective as you ride, search and tackle navigation challenges. Other aerial cams (weather permitting) and ground chase cams will also be present, but one will be mounted to capture your experience. Video which is NOT used in your documentary will be burned onto a DVD and provided to you for your own personal use.

Many will be equipped with the GoPro HD Hero as pictured here. This is a wide angle HD cam for action segments.

Be sure to make today, nothing less, than absolutely, an adventure of a life time.

Land Ops

Land Ops
Uploaded by popular demand. For some reason people like to watch my test flight videos. These were my hottest links yesterday on Twitter. Never mind the real thing.

I promised Dennis (bystander in the red shirt) that I'd load this tonight on YouTube. So here it is, maybe a little late. A little wobbly because of the wind coming up the Santa Ana river bed. I'm still fixing my throttle trim, plus it was quite windy.

P.S. I don't know who the golfer is.

A Love for The Outdoors
I have always enjoyed going camping. My parents often took me camping in the beautiful state of Michigan as I was growing up. I remember learning to tie my shoe in our family tent. In fact, the same green tent you see at Land Ops base camps is our old family tent from Michigan purchased over 45 years ago.

Basic Necessities
Over the years I have often wanted to take friends camping with us. Although they liked the idea of camping in the middle of nowhere, they would often want to venture only as far as the local campgrounds. This is because toilets and showers were always close at hand. The problem is, when you want to truely go out and adventure, the basic necessities are nowhere to be found. It was not uncommon for friends to beg off because, although they like the idea of adventuring, they really had a hard time going where there would be no real bed, shower or toilet.

Resorts Introduce Glamping
Glamping which stands for glamorous camping was started by resorts that provide an outdoor experience, but with the basic necessities and hotel hospitality close at hand. Glampers still sleep under a canvas tent, but instead of sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag they actually sleep in a bed. Glamping resorts can offer some very unique glamour services such as spa massages, wine tasting, five star meals and more. This is because the glamping sites are generally permanent tent structures somewhere on their resort property. Some glamping units even have electricity.

Adventure Glamping with Land Ops
We've taken the glamping idea and applied it to mobile adventuring and exploring. The Land Ops base camp is typically setup out in the middle of nowhere. This has always hindered our friends from attending who were less inclined to go because of the "roughest" part of roughing it, no facilities. Sleeping on the ground didn't appeal to them either. So we've smoothed out the roughest part and we've spiced up the fun part too. We don't just go camping, we have a unique playbook of off road geocaching exercises, puzzles and games. Land Ops is a like a rolling science fair of navigation, radio and computer technology.

Glamping with Land Ops is NOT meant to bring a hotel resort into the middle of the desert or mountain range where we conduct our events, but it's the best hospitality you will ever get in the middle of nowhere. In our Glamping Suite, adventurers will stay in a large tent that is tall enough to stand up in, sleep in a bed with real pillows and bedding (not in sleeping bags), shower in a private tent, and use their own private flush toilet. Breakfast is served daily.

Don't worry, we still make you do a few rough things like cook your own hobo pies and roast marshmellows over the campfire.

Land Ops combines geocaching, off road adventuring, exploring, glamping and adventure documentaries all in one weekend event. Membership is FREE. Some events are FREE and some require PAID admission. There also two types of glamping packages. See more details on our Land Ops glamping page.

Now our friends join us as we explore the hidden trails and treasures of our land.

As I like saying, be sure to make it nothing less, than absolutely, an adventure of a lifetime.

Chris Doering
Land Ops

The Ultimate Reality Show - Geocaching vs. Potatoes

What is the ultimate reality show? It's the show that you yourself are in. Geocachers are not the couch potato type. They escape the couch and the computer to do something real. Couch potatoes watch reality shows while geocachers go out for real adventure. Every time you leave your front door and head out with your coordinates you are on a real life outdoor adventure.

Geocachers are not potatoes they more the harvesting type. Geocachers are real adventure seekers. Some more than others, but you all have real adventure in you. As much as you geek on the computer at some point you, so as not to become a computer potato, you break away and demonstrate what you actually are. Yes, I know, you carry a GPS device and you're still a bit of a geek whether you admit it or not, but you rise up out of your seat, turn away from your monitor, and head for the hills...as long as that's where the caches are.

Land Ops salutes the geocachers' spirit and all those who step from the potato realm and into reality. That's why we've decided to do geocaching documentaries, starring you...yes YOU! I realize you are somewhat of a potato right now because you sitting in your chair along with so many others reading this on your computer. I give you the chance to step out once again into reality, step into adventure, and not only so, but to capture your adventure in HD. We're your own personal reality show provider.

Celebrate the real adventurer that I know you are. Our events are meant to thrill you, record you, and honor you. We set up the event, we have a tactical playbook full of geocaching exercises, we put prizes in them and puzzles, we record your participation in HD from both the ground and from the air, we produce your documentary with narration and original music scores. This is YOUR reality show! No it's NOT aired on the Discovery Channel. We're going to plaster you all over the internet and you are going to harvest (capture and amaze) the computer potatoes by showing them what you do. They're going sit in front of their computer and watch you on your show. Let them be the potato, let them grow sprouts, you be reality show. There are couch potatoes and computer potatoes and then there are those who harvest them...geocachers.

One more thing my friend... If you think a GPS is cool wait until you see some of the other gadgets we play with. Bill Nye the Science Guy watch out, Discovery Channel step aside, Land Ops is capturing the reality of adventuring geocachers and telling each one of their stories. The potato harvest is great, the true geocachers are few. Don't just sit there, what are you waiting for?  Sign up NOW! http://www.landops.com

Chris Doering, Geocachers' Producer