Roadshow Recap ~ Week 2: Houston, Dallas, El Paso

From the Eyes of Katie... The Intern:) 

“For those guys & gals that dare to discover and strive to experience life to its fullest…” -Good Vibe Tribe 

Wouldn’t it be great to turn our biggest fears into our greatest conquests? For we’d be the conquistadors of our own journeys! I mean, that’s how we should all strive to live, right? Instead, we wrap ourselves up in the ‘I can’ts’, ‘I shouldn’ts’, ‘I won’ts’. 

This is pretty much me when you wake me up at 7am, asking me to go to a cycling class, when it’s already 100 degrees outside. Yes, Good Morning Houston, it’s hot out here, but what’s even hotter is the Soul Cycle class taught by the fierce and ever so beautiful, Tanysha. Blasting music and shaking muscles, the tiny room is filled with energy, execution, and absolutely no excuses - or so I heard! Maria and Charlie get back to the bus drenched in sweat but still revved up as ever with lingering endorphins. Naturally, they cleaned up with some Fresh Body Wipes and then we drove off to an activity I was definitely down for - lunch!

When it comes to exploring different food origins, I thought I was pretty cultured. I wasn’t just the Kraft mac and cheese kid. However, my palate could use a stretch from the same Mexican, Italian, and the take-out they call Chinese. Maria, on the other hand, is a total “foodie” and could give all those Travel-channel hosts a run for their money. Outside the Fort Worth area, we ended up going to a small Vietnamese place.  After learning how to pronounce it - “was it ‘F-OH’ or ‘Fuh’?” - I sat down to my first bowl of pho - a dish similar to chicken noodle soup. Served in a huge bowl, one large enough to include a free facial, I tried it and totally fell in love. This was the first check mark in a series of new favorites including Korean wings, Thai Pad See Ew, and Turkish coffee. And let me tell you, nothing beats a cold Horchata from the local El Paso taqueria on a sizzling desert day.

The following days were filled with an Academy Sports buyer meeting, various Cycle Bar and Palm Beach visits, blogger outreaches, and, of course, more Walmart ambushes. Yes, we are still running a business out here in the elements, despite iffy Wi-Fi, temperamental air conditioning, and constant bumping on the Wipe Mobile. Unfortunately, Sam ended up going back to the office in Atlanta to keep things running a little more smoothly with the business. Despite the hiccups, it was really cool watching the business interactions that did take place. I was able to participate in conversations with professionals from large corporations. The store managers were so nice everywhere we went and they were genuinely interested in our roadshow. A lot of them would actually ask me how the intern experience was going. They reminded me to take it all in, often hearing and acknowledging, “opportunities like this one don’t come around often”.

On our way into Dallas, we couldn’t pass through Waco without making a pit stop to see Magnolia Market at the Silos. Even though Chip and Joanna weren’t present, I was still in HGTV heaven. When we finally got back on the road, the Good Vibe Tribe got a little bigger with the addition of The Bucketlist Boys, Justin and Elisha. Their most recent video, “I Learned How to Do A Backflip in Under 6 Hours” had just exploded on YouTube and we knew they’d bring a lot to the table when it came to content, creativity, and even driving. Charlie never got around to attempting the backflip with Justin. However, our dear Charles did earn the reputation of “Diesel”, the best big rig driver on Route 66. Elisha, on the other hand, had an incredible feat to make it up a mountain, a quarter mile away, in 15 minutes. Though the most activity we had seen from Elisha all week was reaching for the cold Spaghettios can after he woke up, he kicked it into gear as soon as there was a bet involved. Much to everyone’s surprise, Elisha summited the beast in under 15 minutes. With Diesel as Master of Maneuverability and Elisha running for the next Mountain Man of America, you could say I was inspired to take the next leap of faith.

My biggest fear - one so massive it wouldn’t even have made my bucket list - would be the fear heights. I once cried on an elevator ride in New York because I knew I was going to the 88th floor. As if the act of looking out the roof window would kill me...  I wish I could tell you that I was five and it was cute. In reality, though, it was tenth grade and the only thing that died a little bit that day was my dignity. Though I had, and still have, a legitimate fear of heights, I hope this confession assures you that no matter what you are afraid of, it’s all mental guys. I was able to enact this new mindset in Dallas, when the the entire tribe was offered free helicopter rides! To my own surprise, I wasn’t scared, but purely excited to hop aboard with Eli The Heli Guy! Doors off, headsets on and we were up in the sunset sky! Eventually, dusk turned to dark and we were flying above the Dallas skyscrapers. It was topsy-turvy, as city lights were stars and my feet reached out to the atmosphere. This was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

So often we think of challenges as winning or losing, but what ever happened to the value in simply TRYING? No, this is not the same concept as every kid gets a trophy. After all, trophies are just symbols of winning.  This is the old college try that isn’t diminished by others opinions or approvals. This is a “damn girl, you got it!” This is a, “Yeah, I do yoga”, maybe only three times in my life, but I do it! Let us stop getting caught up in being perfect at everything and leave being “the best” to the pros, because that allows a lot more room for “I tried it” in all of the things that you never thought you could do. When we finally let go of fear, we become the best, badass version of ourselves.   

I’m not saying that by purchasing a butt wipe, all your life’s wonders will become complete and your fears will be no more. No, that would be misleading. But, for those guys and gals that dare to discover and strive to experience life to its fullest, there’s goodwipes. It’s a quick fix to a hygienic problem, even fear, that we all - as humans - face. Adding something to your daily routine that will increase your self confidence, starting from the basics of hygiene, can be the first step to a quintessential day with endless possibility. Think of it like a time when you’re wearing your favorite underwear, only better, because this time around, they won’t have skid marks.