Photographer’s cross-country trek resumes; sponsors sought
From our weekly issue dated July 29, 2009
Illinois Valley native, Mike Wilbourn, 17, completed the first leg of his trek across America on Saturday, July 18.
He had walked approximately 300 miles. And he already has dramatic video footage and notes for the two-hour documentary he will create after his trek.
Starting in Astoria on the Oregon coast, he followed the Columbia River, crossed into Washington state on the Interstate 5 bridge and hiked west along the Lewis and Clark Hwy. through Columbia Gorge. He crossed back into Oregon on the I-82/Hwy. 395 bridge, passed through Hermiston and ended this segment of his trek in Pendleton.
Because locations for camping were far apart in the Gorge, 20-to-25-mile walks were the rule for days, and Wilbourn came up with a painful, swollen foot and ankle from the forced march so early in his trek. So he took a Greyhound Lines bus home to Cave Junction to have the foot evaluated and work on finding more much-needed sponsors.
He’s been given a green light to continue his trek after resting his foot and, while home, has been working on enhancing his blog and developing more support.
The youngest member of the Illinois Valley-based Southern Oregon Guild of Artists and Artisans, he already has completed several professional-level shoots. They include the Pipeline Masters, part of the triple crown of surfing in Hawaii, where he worked under an ABC News reporter for Billabong, one of the largest sport and surf retail companies in the United States.
Using a Canon HV40 HD camcorder, he plans to film the trip and complete a two-hour documentary of his cross-country trek.
Having made the commitment to himself to complete this walk, spurred further by possibilities for advancing his career as a photographer, and more still by the possibility of meeting President Obama, Wilbourn is anxious to get back on the road. He will leave soon for Pendleton to continue his trek.
He is looking for more support to secure his ability to complete his journey. Anyone interested in helping will find a downloadable supporter’s packet on his blog at discoverusa.wordpress.com where you also can read about his experiences and follow him on his journey.
All donations are tax-deductible if submitted through Southern Oregon Guild, which is a 501c3 organization dedicated to helping artists increase their commercial success. Only funds submitted specifically to support Wilbourn’s project go for his support.
For more information or to make a donation, the Guild can be reached at (541) 659-3858 or by visiting the Guild Gallery & Artists’ Center at RCC’s Kerby Belt Bldg., Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wilbourn can be reached at (541)415-0751. His mailing address is PO Box 3195, Kerby OR 97531.
Advertisement:
Advertisement:
