“What, When, Where, Why, How?”

While looking forward and working on the future of Clearview Works, both the near and distant, phrase like “How are we….” comes to mind and out of our mouths along with a number of other question phrases. How do we plan for this? Where do we go after that? Where is the next stop? What takes priority?

Planning is sometimes an easy thing, sometimes it’s the opposite. Some answers flow as if they write themselves as soon as the questions comes to mind. Others you feel like you hit a brick wall. Sleepless nights, long phone calls, online chats. It all adds to the many different challenges faced when planning something this large and this important.

Some questions can be easy. “Where do we find this info?” Usually a quick search or a chat with someone like a farmer from WWOOF. Others are harder like, “How do we get from point A to point B on the ride while taking account for 900 variables and the unknown?” Even then the answer sometimes comes easy, “We will just wing it.”

No matter if the questions are hard or easy, they are important. There is a lot to account for. Even the smallest details need to be considered. For example what kind of drink holder should Chick and Alice have on the ride? Do they go with a camel pack style and add that weight to their bodies but make access to liquids easy, or hard point mounts on the bikes for water bottles? Things that may seem small or even get over looked, but are very important to know when there is 300+ miles of desert between where you are and where you need to go on any given day.

People may not fully realize the amount of research, time, and metaphoric banging of heads against  walls (sometimes not so metaphoric to be honest) there is when it comes to planning much of this. And the amount of planning needed for the future. The Greenhouse/Retreat center campus and all that entails. The types of set up for all of it. The research needed, the types of plants and animals there should be. Route planning. What farms to visit and who to talk to. Not a minute goes by where there isn’t something to think about or consider through all of this, but we keep chugging along, moving forward, all of us, as a team. Keeping the future ahead of us, learning from the past and continuing to plan even if the plan is to change the last plan. The drive keeps us going and the excitement of the future is the fuel.

I encourage you to keep following along as we draw closer to the start line for this epic and amazing journey. Thank you all for your continued support and please, continue to spread the word.