Jake K Blue

I help people make their dream trips easier, more affordable, and more FUN. Watch my travel videos👇
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10/12/2024

If you've followed me for a while, you might remember a story from a few years back when I almost got arrested at Mount Rushmore.

That story summary:

A park ranger with a gun tried to put handcuffs on me...

I jumped off a cliff to get away...

I slashed open my leg and couldn't walk for 2 days...

Still have the scar...

Apparently you're not allowed to hike Mount Rushmore lol.

I had no intentions of repeating any cop or park ranger chases ever again after that Mount Rushmore incident. But yesterday I broke my streak of not being chased by law enforcement at Congaree National Park.

Right now I'm on a mission to visit all the National Parks in America. And Congaree is 1 of 5 I have left in the lower 48 states.

So I was STOKED when I entered the park yesterday and had no idea I would be leaving it with a park ranger in pursuit.

Now I'm gonna tell you exactly what happened...

BUT...

I have preface by saying I don't recommend this AT ALL.

If I was caught yesterday I have no idea what would of happened, but it almost certainly would have sucked pretty tremendously for me.

However, I do also have to admit that I'm laughing way too hard while writing this and that I had an unreasonable amount of fun running from a very upset park ranger.

Soooo with that said...

Here's the story of why I had to run from law enforcement in Congaree National Park yesterday👇

Congaree is a pine forest growing out of a swamp.

It's BEAUTIFUL with thick woods and winding dirt trails for miles and miles...

But because there's so much still water and swampland, the mosquitos are as bad as anywhere you've ever been. Even a short 5 minute walk down a trail was near impossible.

You just get eaten alive.

So when I was forced to run back to my van on my first attempt of walking out into the forest, I thought it would be a good idea to ride my bike down the trails so I could outrun the mosquitos.

It was a great plan and I rode for well over a mile enjoying the park with no problems.

Then somewhere just off the main park road I came to a boardwalk with a "no biking" sign on it.

I know National Parks can be a little unhappy with bikes, so I had no intentions of breaking any rules and getting in trouble. But just as I was getting ready to turn back up to the road and head back towards my van, a blue car swerved off the asphalt down the dirt road in my direction honking emphatically and driving very fast.

So my first thought was, "Oh s**t, a crazy dude is trying to run me over. I better get outta the way."

So I whipped my bike off the dirt road onto the boardwalk and started riding for all I was worth over the swamplands.

Cars couldn't follow me onto the boardwalk, right?

Then I heard a guy screaming behind me...

"OFF YOUR BIKE!! OFF YOUR BIKE!!".

And then it occurred to me that the blue car was probably just a park ranger getting ready to go home for the day that saw me, thought I was out breaking the rules, and got really angry.

So I spent a few seconds thinking about riding back down the boardwalk and trying to work it out with the ranger...

But listening to the raging screams of this dude behind me made me rethink that decision.

Instead I just thought, "Well, I'm already running. Let's make the most of my head start."

And the chase was ON.

I flew down the boardwalk sheepishly making my way by tourists by apologizing and telling them I was lost.

Some of them were annoyed with me, but most of them laughed and let me go by happily when they realized I was just lost and trying to find my way back to my car.

I was making great time, but there was a problem.

I KNEW that the park ranger chasing me would know where the boardwalk ended and probably wait for me at the other end.

So that meant I had to find another way back to the parking lot that didn't involve this boardwalk.

With swampy mosquito doom on either side of me, my prospects weren't great.

Lucky for me, I was ready to make some sacrifices to make my escape😉

So when I got to a spot without any tourists around, I jumped off the side of the boardwalk into the swamp with my bike. Just through the trees I could see another dirt trail on dry ground. So that was going to be my escape that saved me from the swamp AND the pursuing park ranger.

I got to the trail and started riding without anyone seeing me, but remember, I still didn't know where I was going.

All I had was a faint idea of what direction my van was in.

And thank goodness I was right.

It took a little figuring out, but eventually I found the long way through the forest back to the lot where I parked my van.

I felt a rush of success. I had gotten away!

That's when I saw the same blue car that had chased me earlier waiting in the parking lot.

My heart dropped.

Images of Mount Rushmore played through my head of park rangers with guns chasing me through the forest.

Surely I was caught, right?

Right?

The blue car wasn't moving.

What? Shouldn't they be able to see me by now?

That's when I realized the car was waiting at the exit of the boardwalk I jumped off earlier. So instead of looking towards me and the parking lot, they were probably looking the other direction towards the boardwalk getting ready for an ambush.

I took the chance to put my van between me and the blue car so I couldn't see them, and they couldn't see me.

Very quietly and casually, I walked the next 100ft past the tourists straight up to my van, threw my bike in the back, and drove off out of the park at 15 miles per hour just like any other tourist.

HOME FREE.

Now I've gotta hit on a few takeaways from that trip yesterday.

First off, screw that park ranger.

He's probably fine to hang out with and talk to when he's not chasing you through the forest...

But still, eff that guy.

This is now my second time being chased by law enforcement in a National Park. And both times it has been while I was doing NOTHING WRONG.

When I hiked Mount Rushmore, I intentionally avoided the places that were off limits thinking I was just out on a normal hike.

When I was riding my bike through Congaree, I intentionally avoided the "no biking" signs and went the other way thinking I had simply found a solution to avoid mosquitos.

But both times, I've had an encounter with FURIOUS park rangers screaming their head off that started chasing me with no explanation of what I had done wrong.

And to this day, I still don't know why.

When I visit National Parks, I have the upmost intention to be respectful, kind, and loving of the beautiful nature that is in these places.

I leave nothing behind, I pick up trash, and I often make a Youtube video to encourage other people to come to the parks as well.

In fact, I was going to make a Youtube video on Congaree National Park.

But when I have a furious person ambush me in the forest screaming, honking their horn, or displaying a gun...

I run.

Guess why?

I want to LIVE.

Neither of the rangers that have pursued me has tried talking to me.

Neither of them tried to get my attention before chasing me.

And neither of them made me feel safe enough to stop and try to reason with them in the slightest.

In fact, when I tried to stop and talk with the ranger at Mount Rushmore against my better judgment, he rewarded me by screaming, showing me his gun, and grabbing my arm to try to put handcuffs on me.

So I don't think it was unreasonable of me at all to RUN.

And just so we're clear...

I DON'T WANT TO BE A FUGITIVE who's running from law enforcement.

I'm a very reasonable, kind person who's willing to admit when I make mistakes and even willing to suffer consequences to keep the peace in many scenarios.

But if you scare someone into thinking that you're attacking them, do not be surprised when they don't do what you want them to.

This should go for all human interactions that you have with anybody.

If want someone to react calmly and reasonably, then you have to set he example for how you want them to react.

In other words...

If you scream at someone -> expect them to act angrily back towards you.

If you attack someone -> expect the fight or flight response.

But if you give someone patience, understanding, and kindness - > then you give yourself a really good chance of receiving the same kind of behavior back.

Make sense?

I hope so.

Because the truth is that most people are GOOD. And if you treat them like they're good, then they'll usually live up to your expectations.

- Jake "can't catch me" Blue

10/10/2024

I sometimes wonder if beauty follows beautiful people. To explain…I’ve spent many days on top of mountains, floating down rivers, and hiking through national parks. I prefer these places a million times more than big cities.But oddly, sometimes I find myself in a city with the right beautiful wonderful people, and it’s like the skies above reflect the union of wonderful people no matter what physical location we’re in. That was the case last night when I met up with and in Wilmington, North Carolina.We were laughing sharing travel stories when suddenly the sky put on this show. And for the life of me, I can’t remember seeing a more vibrant sunset anywhere I’ve ever been before.I have a few memories of sunsets in places like Glacier National Park and Moab, Utah that are on par…But those are the places that are “supposed” to be beautiful, right?Why then, would a sunset that magnificent open up in the lowland city country of North Carolina? And why do I have memories of a gorgeous moon hanging over Los Angeles? Or the corners of the Milky Way managing to shine through the light pollution of Toronto?My totally anecdotal and unsupported theory is that maybe, just maybe, beauty follows the beautiful people of the world. The beauty of the friendgiving .co hosted in LA…The beauty of the city lights and the stars above during the boardwalk stroll with in Toronto…And the beauty of a sunset dinner among adventure friends and on a random harbor in North Carolina. All I can say is that, if you want to live a beautiful life, find the beautiful people. They are the ones who will show you the world in its splendor.

09/19/2024

If you want to take trips to the places in the pictures below in 2025...

And spend less than $4,500 the entire year on travel expenses with 1 totally FREE trip to Montana's high mountain country...🏔️

Then this post is for YOU.

I've just finished mapping out all 2025 adventure locations for my group travel company WanderBlue Adventure Co.

And for you sharp-eyed travelers, you might already be able to tell where they are gonna be.

1. Iceland to see the biggest Northern Lights show in the past century.

2. Utah to visit Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

3. Red Lodge, Montana for a FREE luxury trip in Montana's high mountain country. (Just show up and everything is included for you).

4. And the US Virgin Islands for a tropical getaway while the rest of America is going to be freezing cold.

It's going to be epic.

And when you become a WanderBlue Adventure Member, you can come on all 4 of these trips for less than the price most people would pay to do just ONE of them.

On every trip (including the FREE Montana trip) you'll get to:

- Stay in a luxury Air BnB

- Get included meals provided for you

- Enjoy free transportation to local activities

- And visit the untouched wilderness areas of America and abroad while saving $10,000+ on travel expenses.

So if that sounds interesting to you, here's what to do next👇

1. Read all the details on the WanderBlue Membership right here https://www.wanderblue.co/travel

2. Click the "apply now" button and fill out your application questions.

3. Book your 1-1 application call with me to reserve your spot.

It's that simple.

So if you want to travel in 2025, save $10,000+ on travel expenses, and get birthday pricing on your WanderBlue Membership...

Apply for your spot at this link now! https://www.wanderblue.co/travel

- Jake "make 2025 your year of adventure" Jake K Blue

P.S.

The WanderBlue Membership to join each of these trips is $87/month. But because yesterday was my birthday I'm doing special pricing that will let you save even more when you apply this week.

So if you wanna see the world with awesome people at great prices, apply before this week is up and 2025 might be one of the most fun and adventure filled years of your life.

09/18/2024

I'm 27 years old today and celebrating in one of my favorite towns in the country.

Stowe, Vermont.

But before I run off into the forest now that I'm finished up with work for the day...

Every year I write an email to share all the biggest life lessons I've learned over my life. And this one is kind of interesting because I've changed quite a few of my life beliefs since last year when I turned 26.

So in honor of turning 27 years old, here are...

27 lessons I've learned in 27 years of life.

1. Most people are good.

Whatever religion, whatever country, whatever social demographic, whatever race, whatever background, whatever profession, most people are still GOOD.

2. Solo travel is the ultimate self development journey.

3. Group travel is the ultimate form of connection.

4. Do things that make people think you're weird.

It's amazing how many life choices we make based on what other people think about us. This is why it's super important to decondition yourself from caring so much about what other people think.

Do pushups in restaurants, sleep in your car, walk around barefoot, laugh absurdly loud in a library, do things that make people look double-take at you.

If you can be ok with being the "outsider", you'll make choices that are actually what YOU want.

5. Therapy helps you get answers, but healing happens inside of YOU when you're alone.

6. I think there's still some crazy fairytale sorta magic still in the world... literally.

Over my last 3+ years on the road I've been woken up by a mermaid, seen golden angels in my review mirror, had an insane UFO fly 100ft over me while I was sitting on a beach, marveled at a flock of "star birds" I have zero explanation for, and stayed in a suuuuuper haunted house that made me more scared than I've probably ever been in my life.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I seriously think there's some wild magic sorta stuff still left in the far reaches of the globe. But whether I'm right or not, it sure is fun to...

7. Be a believer

I hate the term "realist".

The reason why is because reality is determined by what you choose to BELIEVE is possible. So why not practice believing things that are GOOD in the world?

8. You should have a big bed to stretch out in.

I slept in the back of a tiny VW Golf for over 2 years before I got my van. And only now that I've had my van for 9 months am I finally starting to realize how my body is supposed to feel after a good night of sleep.

The little cramps and overuse injuries I got all the time when I was living in my car had A LOT to do with the fact I slept in a curled up ball for years. Now that I can stretch out in my van, my body is healing so much better.

9. Make big purchases.

Too many people are thinking about how to save money by spending as little as possible. It's way better (and more fun) to think about how to purchase more money making power.

Get a new camera, buy experiences, get into rich rooms, and invest in things that make you a better human. It's FUN and makes you more money in the long term.

10. Have a rock bottom plan.

A few days ago my friend Rachel had her truck camper broken into and lost pretty much all her stuff. The Starlink, her chargers, most her electronics, bedding, cash, dishware... almost everything. It got me thinking about what I would do if I lost everything I own. So I made a plan on exactly what I would do if my stuff disappeared and it helped ease my mind because I have a plan to make my comeback.

Have a plan on what to do if your phone, wallet, car, passport, home, and EVERYTHING else disappeared today. Then you'll be ok whenever unfortunate circumstances come your way.

11. Money is not the goal... it's the tool to achieve the goal.

When I started in business I signed up for a mastermind with a man who had a beautiful family and an incredible business. Over the course of about 5 years I watched him build his business to literally making $1 million in a single month. It was ridiculously cool. But despite achieving more financial success than he'd ever dreamed... his relationship success was crumbling.

One of his best friends died after they had a bad argument...

His biggest clients started asking for refunds...

His wife left him and took the kids...

And his dream to move to the United States fell apart.

Now he's living in a relatively small town house trying everything he can to win back his family and get his life back on track.

The lesson out of this story?

Money is NOT the end goal.

It's an amplifier to enhance the things that are important in your life.

Money rocks. Pursue it. Make it. Love it. Spend it.

But remember that money is not the goal. It's tool to help you achieve the goal.

12. People say life isn't fair, but the laws of nature give and take from EVERYONE. The lucky ones are usually just the people who decide to make the best of what they got.

13. It's not about you, it's about the people.

14. Becoming a good leader is SO much different than I thought it would be.

Leadership is not about being the strongest, smartest, or "best".

It's about being the person that holds a vision for the future.

And the best leaders are the people who can communicate and use their vision to give the people around them what they want.

As a little P.S. in this one, the best leaders are ALSO incredible followers and supporters.

15. Have fun. Fun is an energy source that amplifies success. So do something fun.

16. Show up for people.

Book the flight, make the drive, dial the number, send the text. Be there.

17. Let people go.

On the flip side of showing up for people, you gotta realize that sometimes you are NOT what other people want.

Wish those people the best you can, then let them go.

Maybe one day the relationship will change and you'll share a connection again, but you'll never know if you don't let them go today.

18. Go first.

That means be first to stop on the side of the road to help a broken down car. Be the first to jump out of the plane on your skydiving trip. Be the first to show up for the meeting. Be the first to say sorry. Be the first to try something new. Be the first to say no.

Go first.

19. Choose your pleasures carefully.

We all have vices. But we get to choose where we find our pleasures.

Some people drink alcohol and watch p**n...

Some people watch the stars at night and talk with their friends...

Your pleasures are your choice.

So choose pleasures that don't hurt you or the people around you.

20. Have a word/theme of the year.

Every year I choose a word to filter my decisions through.

2021 was the year of adventure.

2022 was the year of community.

2023 was the year of value.

Now 2024 is my year of consistency.

21. Mail people gifts.

I've never been somebody who much cared for gifts on my birthday. I much prefer quality time. But no one is upset when they get a package full of chocolates, note cards, coffee mugs, whatever. Send it.

22. Family is earned. Not given.

23. Intentions > Goals.

The late and great Korby Waters taught me this.

When you set goals, don't be so fixed on the outcome that you miss something better coming along.

That's why I don't set new years goals, I set new years intentions.

That way I keep my eyes open for something even better to replace what I want.

24. The most universal currency on Earth is a good story. So get lots of them.

25. Be a spotlight.

At the end of the day, people don't care about how much money you have, how many people follow you on social media, or who else you know.

People care about how you make them FEEL.

And you have the ability to help other people shine.

Oftentimes it's better to be the spotlight rather than the person on stage.

26. Carry a journal.

I heard once that good writing is special because it can carry emotions, thoughts, and values through an infinite amount of time and space. So if you physically write down your thoughts in your great moments, they will live on forever.

27. Romantic relationships aren't made with the most amazing people, they're made with the right people.

This is a new lesson from my friend Tiana Asperjan I'm still trying to wrap my head around.

In the past I've looked for my girlfriends to be the most AMAZING people I meet.

But just because someone is the most beautiful, the most athletic, the most followed, the richest, the funniest, or the most inspiring DOES NOT mean they are the best romantic partner.

Romantic relationships are better when you search for the people that match what you need.

This is the part that's still confusing to me because maybe I don't know exactly what I need yet. But I think there's a lot of wisdom in this lesson.

I'll let you know how I've done on this one when I turn 28 😉

- Jake "27 years old" Blue

P.S.

My new birthday present to myself 👇

03/27/2024

Time: 2:04pm, 3/27/24
Location: Las Vegas Strip, Nevada

I just got done having lunch at Gordon Ramsay's famous burger restaurant here on the Las Vegas Strip.

The food was great...

The friends were awesome...

But Las Vegas? This place is one of the most chaotic and crazy places I've ever been.

If you haven't been before, you at least know of Las Vegas's famous nickname "Sin City".

For decades people have chosen this spot as the #1 place for debauchery in America.

Prostitution is legal here...

Drugs are "illegal" but mostly allowed everywhere you go...

And there's even a whole community of homeless men that live under the city in water discharge tunnels.

Even going to the Las Vegas Strip at 11am on Wednesday morning you can see mostly naked women walking around selling tickets to shows like it's the most normal thing in the world.

For a small town kid from Northern Idaho, it's a total assault on my senses that freaks me out.

Everytime I come here I want to leave.

But the more I've traveled the more I've learned to appreciate the best parts of all the weirdest places.

And Las Vegas has a strange beauty to it.

Yes, it's a city that probably never should have grown this big in the middle of a desert.

Yes, it sucks up a ridiculous amount of water and causes huge eco problems.

Yes, it's a land that people come to release the most horrible and debaucherous parts of themselves.

But underneath all of that is a weirdly beautiful FREEDOM.

Like I was telling my friend Christi last night, it's a very American city that puts freedom first with almost everything.

Drugs?

You're free to get as high as you want.

S*x?

Hire a dozen midgets to come to your hotel room and do whatever you want lol.

Parties?

You can dance until 5am listening to music every night of the year in Las Vegas.

It's FREEDOM at core.

And I love that part of this weird city.

Is it the place for me?

Oh hell no.

But as I'm leaving Las Vegas today I've gotta tip my hat to a city that does freedom right.

Have you ever been to Las Vegas?

What do you think of this place?

Reply and let me know.

- Jake "goodbye Vegas" Blue
Stay wild, be free

P.S.

I got to visit Gordon Ramsay Burger twice on this trip.

As someone who's a HUGE fan of Gordon Ramsay, I don't think I've ever been more excited to taste a burger in my life.

But as far as "greatest meals I've ever had" goes, Gordon's restaurant didn't blow me away.

Was it good?

Absolutely.

Is it something I'd try to find parking for in my van on the Las Vegas strip again?

Probably not.

But I still do really want to get a reservation to try his beef wellington in Hell's Kitchen.

It'll have to wait until next visit😉

03/12/2024

Time: 9:47am, 3/12/24
Location: Moab, Utah

I used to dread going to the desert.

Growing up in Northern Idaho I was used to water and trees, so the thought of being in a dry environment freaked me out.

So when I was told I had to take a college field trip to visit Moab for the first time like 7 years ago, I was NOT excited.

The thing that convinced me not to bail out of that trip was when one of my classmates told me something along the lines of...

"Don't worry about missing the water, at night, there's an ocean in the sky down there."

And I'll tell you what...

They were right.

There are other places in America where you can see amazing stars.

But there's something about the way the red rock almost glows under the night sky that makes Southern Utah's nights particularly amazing.

That's one of the reasons I'm so excited to start filming my next "Great Small Towns In America" Youtube video down here.

There will be massive sandstone arches...

Delicious desert food...

And (hopefully) some incredible stars shown off in that video.

Starting the filming for that tomorrow, so I'll update you with new videos soon.

- Jake "off to find the ocean in the sky" Blue
Stay wild, be free

03/10/2024

Time: 10:11am, 3/10/24
Location: Herber City, Utah

I feel so FREE today.

Since I bought my van, I've had these cloudy responsibilities hovering over my head like:

- Getting my registration

- Taking my van to get repairs

- And filling obligations I'd made to people

A lot of it was fun and the weather up in Idaho was awesome for a few days👇

But I can only stay in one place so long before I start yearning for adventure.

And now that I'm writing to you from the base of a ski mountain in Utah with all my "normal life" responsibilities filled and all obligations met...

I feel like a free human again.

See, we all have responsibilities that eat at us throughout life.

Whether it's to pay your bills...

Be a good son/daughter...

Or provide for your employees and clients in your business...

We ALL have that stuff. And it's really important to have the character to show up and fulfill those responsibilities.

But it's equally important to carve out time in your life when you can let your inhibitions run wild.

We all need days where we run into the forest without any clue when we're coming back...

We all need days where we are inspired by watching an eagle float on the wind...

And we all need days where we have the freedom to sit and do absolutely nothing if it's what we need...

But, in my experience, most people don't carve out much time to be free.

Instead, they take on so many responsibilities they can hardly keep from drowning.

That's when life turns into a stressful, unpleasant spiral that is super hard to get out of.

It's like becoming your own jailer and holding yourself a cage you built out of your commitments. A "responsibility cell".

So this is a message for you to embrace your FREEDOM.

Watch a sunset...

Go out to dinner and sit down at a stranger's table...

Run naked through the woods and laugh at how cool it is to have life in your body...

Take a drive just to see what's down that road you've never driven down...

Do SOMETHING to rattle the responsibility cell.

Because if you don't, you might forget what it's like to be free altogether.

And freedom is not a memory worth forgetting.

- Jake "break out of the responsibility cell" Blue
Stay wild, be free

02/16/2024

Time: 11:27am, 2/15/24
Location: Coos Bay, Oregon

The last 5 days were up there with the most physically and mentally challenging of my life.

That's because I just got done playing in a golf tournament at Bandon Dunes, one of the top golf resorts in America.

Every year, people like Patrick Mahomes...

Mark Wahlberg...

Samuel L. Jackson...

Plus dozens of other celebrities stop by to play golf here.

And it's easy to understand why when you see a picture of the place.

It's gorgeous with a lot of the tee boxes giving you 5-star views of the Pacific Ocean.

But what those beautiful views of the ocean hide is the fact that golf (especially when you play a round 5 days in a row) is one of the most challenging mental tests you can put yourself through.

I've hitchhiked across America...

Done a 17 mile run barefoot...

Jumped in frozen lakes...

Starved in the forest for 3 days...

Even gotten stuck in the ocean while snorkeling because the waves were too big and dangerous to swim back to the beach...

And I can still say that golf is one of the most difficult mental challenges I've ever put myself through.

So here are 5 lessons I learned over the past 5 days of playing golf at one of the most beautiful golf resorts in the country.

#1: Golf is f*$cking HARD. Like, probably the hardest sport to be good at in the world.

Most the people reading this email probably don't play a lot of golf. So let me take a moment to explain the game to you.

Your performance in golf is scored by the number of swings you take at the ball over the course of 18 holes.

Depending on how many swings you take at the ball before you get it in each hole, your score goes up or down.

The lower your score, the better golfer you are.

Every golf course has an assigned score attributed to the 18 holes where you can score zero points that's typically in the 65-75 swing range.

The problem with golf is that only about 1.6% of golfers can score zero points on ANY course.

That's an insanely low number.

There is no other sport that has such ridiculous numbers.

Like, imagine if only 1.6% of basketball teams could make a 3-pointer.

Or if only 1.6% of football teams could score a touchdown.

It's a ridiculous statistic to think about.

So when you meet somebody that plays golf, you have to understand that they are playing one of the world's hardest games to be good at.

And that sets the stage for the vast majority of golfers to have a self-hating "I'm never good enough" mindset.

I've never heard men say things meaner in my life than after shooting a bad shot on a golf course.

Most golfers say things that would make you think they well and truly hate every part of being alive.

It's crazy.

So not only is golf one of the world's hardest games...

It's also potentially one of the most harmful to a person's mental health haha.

#2: Just because something is hard doesn't mean it's not worth doing.

Knowing that golf is one of the hardest sports to get good at in the world might dissuade a lot of people from wanting to play the game.

But just because something is hard doesn't mean it's not worth doing.

The big reason why I signed up to play in this golf tournament (despite being one of the least experienced players there) was because I wanted the mental test.

Going through 5 days of consistent failure fu***ng sucks.

To give you an image of how much it sucks...

The 1st hole of golf on our third day of the tournament, I was getting ready to hit my driver shot off the number 1 tee with probably 10-15 people watching me.

I had won $120 from the second day for shooting really well on a hole. So I had a lot of people who wanted to come see who this kid was who had showed up out of the blue to play in their tournament. So I really wanted to make my first shot a good one.

Instead of that, I shanked my ball into the bushes 20 yards in front of me. Then proceeded to shoot my second shot 20 yards over the hole into another bush. Then hit my 3rd shot about 2 feet when I tried to hit it out of the bush.

By the time I finished the 1st hole, I had taken 7 shots when the hole was only supposed to take 3.

And that level of pain continued through the whole round.

By the time I finished the course, I had taken 107 shots when the whole course was only supposed to take like 74.

I knew it was a bad round as soon as I started, but I still had to play golf for 5 freaking hours before I could be done failing lol.

It seriously sucked. But that's the whole reason I showed up to play in the tournament.

I KNEW there were gonna be hard days. And I wanted to see what would happen to my mind when I was put in a situation of consistent failure for that long.

Most the golfers I played with would curse, yell, throw their club, and call themselves every bad name they could think of in the book.

One guy missed a birdie putt and immediately said something along the lines of, "Oh way to go you m***a fu**er. You're a piece of s**t, you know that? A fu***ng piece of s**t."

It's like, damn. Calm down bro.

So my goal during the tournament was to keep a positive attitude.

I was definitely tempted to be a little upset more than once haha.

But I forced myself to look at every bad shot as "a happy mistake" that gave me an opportunity to see more of the beautiful golf course I wouldn't have got to see otherwise.

It was hard, but I did it and kept a positive attitude the whole trip.

#3: It just takes ONE GOOD SHOT to change everything.

It's amazing to see how much the mood of a golfer can change with ONE GOOD SHOT.

One of the guys I was playing with had a really hard shot to make where he had to get on his knees underneath the branches of a tree to hit his ball out.

I was pretty sure he had zero chance of making it out. But somehow his ball rolled out from under that tree and landed right next to the hole. And all 5 of us playing together lost our freaking minds cheering, high fiving, and laughing at how good of a shot it was.

It didn't matter that the last 3 holes had crushed all of us. ONE GOOD SHOT changed everyone's mood.

There's a serious life lesson in that.

Sometimes things are hard.

Sometimes you fail over and over and over again.

Sometimes you don't know if you'll ever get to where you're going.

But if you're tough enough to keep going, eventually you're gonna make ONE GOOD SHOT and change everything.

You just can't quit.

#4: Leadership is about helping the people around you perform the best they possibly can and get what they want.

Most golfers are pretty nice people... until they get on the golf course.

Then they suddenly start talking s**t like it's their favorite past-time in the world.

Here's my theory on why.

Misery loves company.

When you're playing golf, you'll inevitably shoot a shot that will crush your spirits.

And in that moment of depression and pain, some people's only way to deal with it is to make as many other people around them feel like s**t too.

There's A LOT of golfers like that.

A great example is a guy named James that I've played with a few times before this tournament.

He's not real good and a lot older than me, so when I hit a good golf shot that goes 50 yards past his ball, he's always quick to be chirping in my ear saying ANYTHING that he thinks will throw me off my game.

"This fu***ng kid coming in thinking he's the hot shot of the group now huh? Good thing he can't make a fu***ng putt."

All sorts of stuff like that.

It's mostly just hilarious to listen to these days 'cause I've gotten used to it. But you almost NEVER hear any positive encouragement outta the guy.

It's no wonder why most people have their worst scoring games when they play with him.

He shares negativity like a disease so that he can make himself feel better about not being the only guy playing a bad game.

I make a point to do the OPPOSITE of that whenever I play golf with someone.

I ALWAYS cheer when someone makes a good shot.

I ALWAYS congratulate people on a great game.

And I NEVER say anything when someone makes a bad shot.

As a result, people love playing golf with me.

I think making people feel good around you is a big part of leadership.

Highlight everything they do right and recognize them for it.

You make a lot more friends that way.

#5: Drugs are a cheater's way to peace of mind.

This might be a rather controversial point of view.

I hate mind-altering substances.

W**d, mushrooms, acid, alcohol, any other kind of drug. I hate them and I refuse to do them.

I can't tell you how many times I was offered a shot of whiskey, a hit off a joint, or a puff of a cigar while I was out on the golf course for this tournament.

Golfers are BIG into their vices. And I absolutely refuse to partake in any of that stuff.

Why?

Because the reason recreational drugs and alcohol are so popular among golfers is that they take pain and emotion away.

I want to learn how to deal with, face, and utilize my emotions without a crutch.

I think if you're always relying on a substance to help you deal with your problems, you're denying yourself the chance to grow and develop as a person.

There are definitely wonderful people I know that swear by X, Y, or Z substance for being the key that helped them change their life for the better. I think that's great.

But I think true wisdom, success, and enlightenment comes from the tools we have within us. NOT from the outside use of substances that help us cheat our way into a certain state of mind.

It's bee a long email, but those are 5 big lessons I'm taking away from my golf tournament in Oregon.

- Jake "time to go visit the desert" Blue
Stay wild, be free

P.S.

I'll be heading South out of Oregon (finally) next week.

Oregon is a great state and I'll definitely be back. But the whole reason I live in a van is to travel and see the country.

And right now I feel very stuck in one place after being here for a full month.

So I'm excited to bring you down into the desert with me in a few weeks here. There is some magic in the American southwest, and I'm STOKED to film a few Youtube videos on it.

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Does beauty follow beautiful people?

I sometimes wonder if beauty follows beautiful people. To explain…I’ve spent many days on top of mountains, floating down rivers, and hiking through national parks. I prefer these places a million times more than big cities.But oddly, sometimes I find myself in a city with the right beautiful wonderful people, and it’s like the skies above reflect the union of wonderful people no matter what physical location we’re in. That was the case last night when I met up with @karoleend and @jtsmartin in Wilmington, North Carolina.We were laughing sharing travel stories when suddenly the sky put on this show. And for the life of me, I can’t remember seeing a more vibrant sunset anywhere I’ve ever been before.I have a few memories of sunsets in places like Glacier National Park and Moab, Utah that are on par…But those are the places that are “supposed” to be beautiful, right?Why then, would a sunset that magnificent open up in the lowland city country of North Carolina? And why do I have memories of a gorgeous moon hanging over Los Angeles? Or the corners of the Milky Way managing to shine through the light pollution of Toronto?My totally anecdotal and unsupported theory is that maybe, just maybe, beauty follows the beautiful people of the world. The beauty of the friendgiving @ellaenchanted.co hosted in LA…The beauty of the city lights and the stars above during the boardwalk stroll with @tianaasperjan in Toronto…And the beauty of a sunset dinner among adventure friends @jtsmartin and @karoleend on a random harbor in North Carolina. All I can say is that, if you want to live a beautiful life, find the beautiful people. They are the ones who will show you the world in its splendor.