A Week in Los Angeles Riding a LAND Electric Motorcycle
LA → Joshua Tree with a van, two bikes, and way too many “quick stops”
LAND got hit up by an athletic company called R.A.D Global to pull up to Joshua Tree for an ad campaign they were doing called R.A.D Camp. Invisible House. Pro athletes everywhere. Whole production crew. An excuse to get out of Ohio for a week.. enough said, I booked the flight.
I hit up my buddy out there who’s a visual artist for a spot to crash.. And that’s where the journey starts.
Day 1: Van pickup + first link-up
First mission: pick up the van in LA. The contents of the van included two bikes District Street and Scrambler, some tools, and a bed - and now it’s on me not to do anything stupid.
The van was located about an hour south of LAX. Hello LA traffic, I didn't miss you at all. So after my trek from Long Beach to Glendale, I settle in, and decide to take the bikes out to Café Triste. If you know, you know. It’s like a hub for young LA socialites. Everybody looks like they’re either in a band, shooting a short film, or “working on something.”
We’re posted up talking through the week. My itinerary was a couple days in LA, then Joshua Tree for the shoot. While we’re sitting there we hit up another friend… also an artist… also from Cleveland, Ohio.
It’s all Ohio. Always has been.
Now the plan is: tomorrow night, find a spot and shoot some Super 8.
Day 2: Coffee + skatepark + “I’m working”
Next morning we ride to Kafn, grab a cold brew, and shrug off the jet lag.
Then we roll over to Chevy Chase Skatepark for a quick cruise. Told my boss I was working. Which… technically… I had my phone on me.
After that: clean up, grab food, and then it’s time to pick up Super 8 film from Samy’s Camera. Also decided to say what's up to our guys at Vardagen! Need another fun night with you gents at Rooster Fish (IYKYK).
We take the back streets the whole way, roughly 20–30 miles round trip, no freeway. Back roads in LA just hit different. You’re moving, but you’re not stuck in that “traffic purgatory” vibe.
Back to base camp, quick shower, and we throw the bikes on the charger for a bit.
Then it’s time to link with our “model” for the night.
Golden hour: dog escort + random goats
We go to this spot they recommend — can’t say where because that’s the rules.
We start riding up higher, like a small mountain type situation, and out of nowhere this dog appears and just… joins us. Like it’s part of the crew. Won’t leave. Just following the whole time.
Then two random goats show up on the hillside. Not kidding. Just posted up, grazing, totally unbothered.
So now we’re shooting Super 8 at golden hour with a mysterious dog and goat friends. Unreal.
We got some really sick stuff, grabbed food after, and called it.
Check out the footage HERE
Day 3: Emails + LA River ditches
Next day my boss catches wind that I wasn’t really doing “work” the day before. Fair.
So I respond to emails, handle business, act like an adult.
But I tell my friend: I’ve never been down in the LA River ditches. And we’re still riding the high from the night before, so we go.
We drop in, cruise around, get photos and video. LA people might be numb to it, but for me it’s like… this is THE spot from a million movies. You can’t not geek out a little.
We avoid what looks like a car meet down there, then start ripping around. Simple. Perfect.
Day 4: Pack up, Joshua Tree time
Next morning we pack up and head out. I part ways with my friend and hit the road solo — van loaded with two bikes, headed into the desert.
First stop is the Invisible House to get fitted for wardrobe. I’m supposed to be the “stunt double” for pro skateboarder Manny Santiago.
Turns out Manny rides dirt bikes and is way more comfortable in rough terrain than me.
So… yeah. That “stunt double” thing wasn’t really needed. Go figure.
That night I’m back at the lodge. I show the crew the bike and we’re ripping it up and down the road for like an hour. I had to cut it short though because the District needed to be clean for shoot day.
Day 5: Thunderstorm + my first time riding sand
We wake up and the weather looks bad. Then it gets worse. Full thunderstorm.
We drive out to the first location and I’m thinking to myself… I have never ridden in the desert. I have never ridden in sand. I'm not a stunt-double.. what could possibly go wrong.
First ten minutes I’m fishtailing everywhere. Just fighting for my life.
But eventually you start to get it. You let the bike move. Stop trying to “control” it like you’re on pavement. Once it clicks, it’s actually fun.
One of the main shots involved racing around these things called SHERPs.
What’s a SHERP?
It’s basically a massive all-terrain vehicle with giant low-pressure tires that can crawl over almost anything. Like… if a tank and a monster truck had a weird amphibious baby.
But the storm got so crazy we couldn’t really shoot, so we go back to the Invisible House for lunch.
That’s when Manny tells me he found a wild view up on a rocky hill. So we take the bikes up there.
It’s steep. Rocky. Sketchy. Manny rides it like it’s nothing. I’m just trying not to die.
The view at the top? Worth it.
Ride down? I’m not gonna lie… I was scared sh*tless. I’ve never ridden terrain like that. Luckily the Scrambler handled it.
Day 6: 100 degrees + drifting + “don’t get squashed”
Next day it’s like 100 degrees and I’m fully geared up, sweating before we even start.
We roll out and honestly… I’m feeling good. I’m drifting around in the sand, feeling way more comfortable now. Eventually I took a couple falls, but was still having a good time.
Then it’s time for the scary part again: racing around the SHERPs.
We did it like 30 times.
The SHERPs churn the sand up so it gets super soft and unpredictable. And those vehicles are huge. Like… “if you mess up, you’re a pancake” huge.
But we got the shots. Wrapped set. Done.
Search "Camp R.A.D" if you want to see the final product. I think it came out pretty cool.
Instead of sticking around that evening, I decided to set sail back to LA. Once back in the city of angels, it was round 2 at Cafe Triste, this time we opted for an uber. Riding around in the desert for two days definitely had me sore.
Day 7: One last LA day (and then a pretty unreal night)
My last full day in LA was basically a checklist of things I wanted to do before I had to turn back into a responsible person.
I headed out early and rode over to Deus Ex Machina. Browsed gear, grabbed a coffee, and introduced them to LAND Electric Motorcycles. Sat out on the patio and knocked out some emails. It was one of those moments where LA almost makes “working” feel normal… almost.
After that I went into full tourist mode.. hit a couple stores took in some views. I rode over to Stüssy and Carhartt WIP. Midwesterners don’t exactly have the luxury of casually stopping by those places, so I made a point to grab some gear while I could.
Then it was back to base camp (my friend’s house). Threw the bike batteries on the charger and took a nap like I’d just run a marathon. I knew I was going out with a bang that night.
Here’s why it's good to share your location with friends. My close friend is the main production assistant for The Flaming Lips. And the stars aligned, they were playing The Greek Theater that evening, with Modest Mouse, who’s also one of my all-time favorites.
She texts me: You're in LA? I’ve got backstage passes for you, if you can make it.
So that took about zero thought to say yes to.
Before I left, I packed up the van and the bikes and set an alarm (I still had to get the van back to storage before my flight home.) Then it was time to "Get Him to the Greek". I'm "him".
Backstage was a good time. I met all the members of the band. In my brief conversation with Wayne (frontman of The Flaming Lips), he told me he named his youngest son Rex because his older son liked dinosaurs. Which is both hilarious and kind of perfect.
The show was insane. If you've never seen them play, do yourself a favor. One of those nights where you keep thinking, this doesn’t feel real.
Afterward I eventually straggled down from the Greek.
And before anyone asks: I didn’t drive.
I crawled into the bed of the van and just laid there thinking back on the week. It honestly felt like a fever dream and even now I’m surprised how much happened in seven days.
At some point during this trip the line between “work” and “vacation” got completely blurred.
It was one hell of a work trip.