Off The Beaten Path Episode Seven -Eric Hartman

We resume season one of Off The Beaten Path with my interview with Eric Hartman. Eric travels the world and vlogs his experiences as a blind/low-vision traveler and shares some of his adventures with us. We discuss the latest technology and accessibility tools for travel.  Eric also shares his experience as a blind/low-vison artist and the time he spent painting sunflowers where Van Gough painted! Impressive to say the least.

Join us in this casual conversation that touches on the passion that Eric and I  share for problem solving and innovation. You're going to love our humorous  exchange about duct tape and zip ties for repairs!


A bit more about Eric
Eric is a global patient advocate for the Choroideremia Research Foundation. Though progressively losing his vision to CHM, he has pursued his passion as an artist, photographer, and sculptor. Eric has traveled on three continents as a solo traveler and Vlogs about his experiences as “The BLT (Blind Low-vision Traveler) “.

With his cane in hand, he overcomes his own fears to explore and experience this world and along the way developing a global network of amazing friends. some of his greatest experiences have come as a result of being resilient and overcoming travel obstacles. It’s a big world out there get out and enjoy it!

Eric's BLT Vlog on YouTube
https://youtube.com/@erichartman1202?si=xUEwbr81p9wJvQ4b

Experience Eric's art
https://www.art-man.com/

Follow Eric on Social
https://www.facebook.com/heric.hartman
https://www.instagram.com/herichartman/?hl=en

Thanks for listening! Off The Beaten Path is brought to you by Dave Epstein and Awarewolf Gear, makers of the All Terrain Cane and the Urban Xplorer. To purchase a cane or find out more visit https://awarewolfgear.com/awghome

Join our community!
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from Sedona Dave and Awarewolf Gear: https://awarewolfgear.com/signup

Follow us on Social!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awarewolfgear/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Awarewolfgear

Transcript

WEBVTT

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Dave Epstein: Hey, everyone, Sedona, Dave here, and this is off the beaten path.

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Dave Epstein: Today's guest is a global patient advocate for the Choroideremia Research Foundation.

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Dave Epstein: Though progressively losing his vision to Chm. He's pursued his passion as an artist photographer and a sculptor.

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Dave Epstein: He's traveled on 3 continents as a solo traveler, and vlogs about his experience as the blt or the blind low vision traveler.

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Dave Epstein: With his cane in hand, he overcomes his own fears to explore and experience the world. And along the way, developing a global network of amazing friends. Some of his greatest experiences have come as a result of being resilient and overcoming travel obstacles. It's a big world out there. Get out! Enjoy it.

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Dave Epstein: Eric Hartman. Welcome to the party.

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H Eric's iP: Well, Sedona Dave, it's a pleasure man I'm I'm really

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H Eric's iP: I'm really excited to be here and thank you for this conversation.

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Dave Epstein: Absolutely. You've got so

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Dave Epstein: so much to offer our community.

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Dave Epstein: I remember when I 1st got introduced to you, you're you know. You're bouncing around this planet as an extremely well seasoned traveler, in fact, nailing you down for an appointment. You know you're you're you're in some foreign country with your your canes. You're you're doing battle with the windmills. I see your videos. You're approaching windmills. You're in in, obviously some other country. And

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Dave Epstein: to me. That's amazingly inspirational. I mean, you're you're seasoned traveler

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Dave Epstein: you don't. Whether or not you have the fear of being out there alone getting it done. You're getting it done.

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Dave Epstein: And your experiences.

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Dave Epstein: the foreign countries language issues.

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Dave Epstein: Eric, you're you're really quite the inspiration. I'm super super glad to have you on the show today.

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H Eric's iP: Well, well, thanks. Yeah. I I'll tell you that what I have found is.

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H Eric's iP: you know, travel has its stresses, and one of the best preparations, or the best way of enjoying and and and and really crushing it is to be prepared. There's a lot of stuff you can do ahead of time and to be prepared with. But you've also got to be flexible.

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H Eric's iP: you know. And

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H Eric's iP: I have found that 95%

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H Eric's iP: of the stuff that I really would, am really worried about, or causes me the most anxiety I never ever encounter.

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H Eric's iP: and part of that may be prep. But most of the time.

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H Eric's iP: Things go pretty pretty well, you know, but you've just got to be ready to. You know, if you need to ask for assistance, ask for assistance.

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Dave Epstein: You have no problem asking for assistance, apparently because you're really quite successful. It's interesting surgeons, as you say, 95% of the tools they lay out in front of them prior to an operation is just for the what if the in case and you seem to have adopted that as

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Dave Epstein: be prepared or in the werewolf gear world. Yeah, being aware. And that's really where the aware part is just being aware of what could possibly go wrong like what could go wrong?

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Dave Epstein: Nice so chm.

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H Eric's iP: Yep. Chm. Choroideremia

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H Eric's iP: is very similar to retinitis pigmentosa, and it was. It was for many years kind of thrown under that whole umbrella.

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H Eric's iP: But chm is, I think, a slower progression. But I would say 70% of the patients that have come to the Choroid Arrhemia Research Foundation, which I was one of the founding members of 70% of these people were living with an Rp diagnosis until they got genetically tested

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H Eric's iP: and found out they had the Chm. Gene.

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Dave Epstein: And it was genetics that revealed interesting.

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H Eric's iP: Yeah, it can be clinically diagnosed. But there's a

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H Eric's iP: it's so rare we are only one in 50 to one in 100,000.

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H Eric's iP: So the Pre. You know the United States. It may only be 6,000 of us.

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H Eric's iP: you know what? But what's interesting is the prevalence, while it's 1 in 50,000 in most places in Finland it's 1 in 8,000.

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H Eric's iP: So we think our disease was spread

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H Eric's iP: through the Vikings, and wherever the Vikings went, and, you know, conquered, colonized, and otherwise spread their genetic material all of Europe.

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H Eric's iP: And then, wherever the Europeans colonized, that's how this mutation spread across the globe.

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Dave Epstein: Interesting.

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Dave Epstein: interesting,

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Dave Epstein: fascinating the Vikings

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H Eric's iP: Which is, which is really kind of funny, because as a kid, the only famous I

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H Eric's iP: person I ever knew named Eric was Eric the red. So as a child, I used to draw, because I I've always had artistic talent. I would draw

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H Eric's iP: all kinds of Viking ships. And then, who knew that, you know, at age 50 I would be standing at the helm of a Viking ship, sailing it on a fjord in Denmark, you know, so

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H Eric's iP: very cool.

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Dave Epstein: And you've got some amazing experience. I I could probably talk forever about your overseas experiences. Fascinating.

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Dave Epstein: One more question about chm, and then we're gonna dive into Eric. How does it manifest, or how? How does it differ from our I'm I'm your base.

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H Eric's iP: It's it's.

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Dave Epstein: No rp.

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H Eric's iP: Yeah, it's it's basically rp, I mean, we lose from the periphery out. So it's it's it's coming in. And I have advanced. Chm, so I've only got one degree left in one eye.

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H Eric's iP: My! My left eye has a little bit of light perception. My right eye has.

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H Eric's iP: you know, a very minute part when I'm holding my iphone

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H Eric's iP: in the morning to my code numbers in to unlock the phone. I'm only basically seeing 2 of the numbers at any one time.

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H Eric's iP: So it's it's pretty finite.

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Dave Epstein: Okay, Progressive

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H Eric's iP: To ultimate blindness. I was legally blind at at 25.

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H Eric's iP: I have to stop driving at 25, and I'm I'm

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H Eric's iP: 67. At this point.

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Dave Epstein: You're crushing it at 67 I'm 60, and I thought you, I thought I was older. So

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Dave Epstein: you're doing. You're doing great. And you're really you're

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Dave Epstein: quite the role model. I I stand it. I sit in awe.

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H Eric's iP: Oh, come on now.

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Dave Epstein: Well, so you're traveling. You're 67 chm. With like a degree left.

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H Eric's iP: Right, and and I work for my foundation as the director of advocacy. I've been.

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H Eric's iP: you know, through all the different levels of of work at the foundation. But it turns out my real sweet spot is working as an advocate. So I work with Federal regulators with rare disease groups.

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H Eric's iP: And then with our global patient family. So you know, this past summer I was at a symposium in the south of France, went to Denmark and then went to the a World Congress for Retina International in Dublin, you know, last year I was

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H Eric's iP: speaking in Brazil.

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H Eric's iP: you know, like a year ago at this time, so.

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Dave Epstein: Okay, okay? So you're you're a big advocate, a leader in the Chm. Community. Travel is an enormous part of your world. My perception is that you're always on the road. You're always

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Dave Epstein: battling windmills, you know, and and and.

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H Eric's iP: Well, I you know it's it's a lot of fun to get out there. And once I realized there are a lot of people that as you begin to lose your vision, many people

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H Eric's iP: find themselves

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H Eric's iP: being more and more happy staying home

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H Eric's iP: and not willing to take the risks.

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H Eric's iP: and there's just so much to life to experience out there.

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H Eric's iP: You know. I went to Niagara Falls

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H Eric's iP: just this summer for the 1st time, and I went with friends.

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H Eric's iP: But you know I could go up the stairways and stand under the the thunder of all the water coming over, and

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H Eric's iP: just everybody was just laughing, because the experience was so overwhelming. To be there.

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H Eric's iP: and to to feel that, you know or you know, I stood on the the cliffs this summer in in Ireland on the the cliffs of Moher, which are on the western coast, and it's a 700 foot cliff. They got very nervous as I walked towards the edge that the guides like, sir, don't go past the railing. I'm not. Don't worry, you know, but to look out

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H Eric's iP: and see that

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H Eric's iP: that amazing landscape, and and be able to feel the wind. And and you've got the birds, and you know, but for me, with my still limited vision, I can still create an incredible library of Visual Memories.

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Dave Epstein: tremendous, yeah. That that feeling. I was at Niagara, niagara, falls

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Dave Epstein: handful of years ago, I say, handle maybe 10 years ago, and I remember going through the tunnel system to where they they dug a tunnel behind.

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H Eric's iP: Yup! Yup! The the what is it? The Cave of Winds, or something like that?

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Dave Epstein: And boy, was it for me? The the visceral feeling that that feeling being sucked into the falls, the sounds, the reverberations I'm sure it was a great experience for the sighted community, but, boy for for the blind.

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Dave Epstein: What.

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H Eric's iP: Yeah. And my, my, it's funny the sight of people that I was with. They all become very concerned, like, Oh, we can't get too close, and I'm the 1st person saying, Oh, there's another flight of stairs. Let's go up, and I'm going up with my all terrain cane, you know, banging my way up there. And and they're like.

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H Eric's iP: you're gonna drive me crazy. You know. I'm going places they didn't want to go, you know. So.

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Dave Epstein: Oh, well.

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Dave Epstein: what I can't see can't hurt me right.

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H Eric's iP: Exactly, although my mantra is pay attention or die. You know you gotta, you know. Use your cane. Be smart, you know. But yeah, it's great.

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Dave Epstein: Can I quote you on that?

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Dave Epstein: Pay attention, or die.

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H Eric's iP: You know.

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H Eric's iP: Well, and you know, because you never know when you're gonna trip fall, whatever. And and I'm kind of a Macgyver guy kind of like you, and

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H Eric's iP: I try and get myself prepared for any situation, and you know I've traveled alone, and

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H Eric's iP: for 2 months in France painting the landscapes, and

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H Eric's iP: if I trip and fell, and I was in the middle of a vineyard and got scraped up. You know I pull out the

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H Eric's iP: the the sanitary wipes and then get out the liquid.

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H Eric's iP: the liquid bandage, that wonderful nasty stuff that'll burn the bejesus out of you, you know.

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H Eric's iP: But yeah.

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Dave Epstein: One and done you apply it. Move on, Yup.

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H Eric's iP: And and that's it, you know. I.

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Dave Epstein: Okay.

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H Eric's iP: You know it's all good.

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Dave Epstein: Nice nice a lot of travel. I don't do much traveling mostly for trade shows these days.

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Dave Epstein: but you are constantly on the road. And

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Dave Epstein: th. This is where where I want to dive in because for me, through my my perspective. Yes, you're a representative. You're an ambassador for Chm. Going to these shows and

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Dave Epstein: the meetings worldwide.

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Dave Epstein: You've got to get there, and you've got to get there safely, and you're doing it.

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Dave Epstein: Let's dive into that. What.

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H Eric's iP: So if I'm plan. If I'm planning a trip, I gent, you know, always, as I say, I do a lot of research. I want to find out where the meeting place is. Try and get myself at the closest possible hotel to where I'm I. If it's a conference that I'm attending

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H Eric's iP: and I always would put together a an itinerary.

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H Eric's iP: But someone turned me on

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H Eric's iP: to an app that has become a go to thing for me. It's called trip it

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H Eric's iP: the word trip with an IT at the end trip. It.

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Dave Epstein: Trip. And okay.

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H Eric's iP: And and trip it.

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H Eric's iP: What's cool about that is you sign in using your email. As as you know, we are your account name, and that's fine. But when I get a hotel reservation like I went to

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H Eric's iP: to Europe.

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H Eric's iP: and you know I went

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H Eric's iP: to. I flew into Charles de Gaulle. I had to take a high speed train to Montpellier, France, and then I flew from Montpellier to Amsterdam. Amsterdam to Denmark, stayed there for 2 weeks.

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H Eric's iP: went from Amsterdam to or Denmark to Amsterdam, to

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H Eric's iP: to Dublin, and then, when I left, I flew Dublin to Charles de Gaul, Charles de Gaul

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H Eric's iP: to London, and then London direct to New Orleans. So a lot of stuff, hotels, and what I would do is when I'd make my reservation

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H Eric's iP: and you get the email confirmation.

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H Eric's iP: All you do

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H Eric's iP: is hit forward for that email.

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H Eric's iP: and you forward it to

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H Eric's iP: plans at Trippet.

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H Eric's iP: and in most cases it pulls all the information out and drops it into an itinerary for you.

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H Eric's iP: which is super helpful, and if it can't pull it all out.

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H Eric's iP: you know you can do the cut and paste. And if I put in a

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H Eric's iP: hotel, yeah, yeah, the one that I was staying in in Dublin.

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H Eric's iP: It as soon as I started to drop the name in trip. It already was looking up the address of the hotel.

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H Eric's iP: and all I had to do is just click, enter! And the whole thing was then loaded in.

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H Eric's iP: So then I have

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H Eric's iP: trip it.

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H Eric's iP: which gives me

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H Eric's iP: an itinerary that I can forward to any anybody, my my family, or my my employees, my employers. You know, my boss.

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H Eric's iP: I I can. I can send that information out, or to people that are going to be coming to pick me up, you know, because I'm all about networking and trying to find ways of of getting around. So that's really really cool.

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H Eric's iP: you know. And then, of course, I will do

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H Eric's iP: as as much time as I can.

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H Eric's iP: I always go into Youtube because I'm a very, still, a very visual person.

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H Eric's iP: And look at Tours. You know

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H Eric's iP: top 5 things to see.

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H Eric's iP: and you know where I'm going.

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H Eric's iP: you know. And

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H Eric's iP: I I kind of begin to give a whole. I I will type up a list of potential places or things to do.

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H Eric's iP: And then I have that once I get there.

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Dave Epstein: A huge tool. I wish I knew about Tripit

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Dave Epstein: so far. But I got notes down and moving forward, I'll be using tripit. I appreciate it.

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H Eric's iP: They have the trip it has. It's free, but they do have a pro model which I think costs. I don't know. It's I think it may have been $30 or something, or it may not even be that much. But whatever it was, I decided for my.

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H Eric's iP: the the capacity that it gives you to add in stuff easier.

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H Eric's iP: You know it. It was money very, very well spent.

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Dave Epstein: Okay. So the pro version highly recommended. Okay, love it.

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Dave Epstein: love it. And and you know, I take advice for people who are smarter than me in the various fields.

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Dave Epstein: I appreciate the heads up. I have a feeling it's gonna be a lot more travel in my future trip it. I'm on board. Nice sell.

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H Eric's iP: Yeah. And you know the the and I'm I use iphones

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H Eric's iP: and ipads at this point almost exclusively. Though I still have never been able to

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H Eric's iP: master the

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H Eric's iP: A. A

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H Eric's iP: the actual

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00:28:54.090 --> 00:28:57.369
H Eric's iP: ios laptops. No, can't do it.

336
00:28:57.530 --> 00:29:03.125
H Eric's iP: I'm gonna have to go back to Microsoft for that. I just. I've never been able to to

337
00:29:03.530 --> 00:29:07.050
H Eric's iP: get that. But I do almost 90% of my work off mine

338
00:29:07.100 --> 00:29:09.260
H Eric's iP: iphone or my ipad Mini.

339
00:29:09.630 --> 00:29:17.769
Dave Epstein: I was going to ask you about that being an Rp. With 3 degrees remaining recently.

340
00:29:17.900 --> 00:29:32.929
Dave Epstein: as as recent as yesterday, I was trying to use a a desktop or laptop for some editing stuff. It's too big for me I I lose the mouse too quickly it. It's just too big a screen. So.

341
00:29:32.930 --> 00:29:33.500
H Eric's iP: Yeah, I'm.

342
00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:38.030
Dave Epstein: A small phone perfect can see the whole thing.

343
00:29:38.030 --> 00:29:40.269
H Eric's iP: Yeah, the. And you know, I actually.

344
00:29:40.410 --> 00:29:44.379
H Eric's iP: I also have a an ipad pro pro max.

345
00:29:44.390 --> 00:29:49.989
H Eric's iP: You know, I had the bigger one because I wanted to. I thought I could maybe still do some sketching

346
00:29:50.190 --> 00:29:52.621
H Eric's iP: on my ipad, and

347
00:29:54.163 --> 00:30:05.059
H Eric's iP: it's as as a screen for me. It's just too big, but you know there are. There are ways of of using it, though I mean I'll use my ipad

348
00:30:05.290 --> 00:30:06.929
H Eric's iP: to do webinars.

349
00:30:07.480 --> 00:30:10.677
H Eric's iP: and then I use the

350
00:30:11.390 --> 00:30:12.970
H Eric's iP: seeing AI

351
00:30:14.130 --> 00:30:17.210
H Eric's iP: app and click on the document

352
00:30:17.560 --> 00:30:19.180
H Eric's iP: selector.

353
00:30:20.110 --> 00:30:21.670
H Eric's iP: and I take pictures

354
00:30:22.430 --> 00:30:25.119
H Eric's iP: of the webinar of if somebody's got

355
00:30:25.230 --> 00:30:36.770
H Eric's iP: really great information on the screen, or if I'm looking up travel stuff, I could take a picture of the screen. It drops it in a readable text, which then I can copy and drop into a note.

356
00:30:37.890 --> 00:30:43.679
H Eric's iP: and you know there's no mistyping or anything like that. I'm copying right off the screen. So.

357
00:30:43.880 --> 00:31:00.029
Dave Epstein: Okay. Great, great. I like how you're immersing yourself in the in the tech, the high tech for me. High tech GPS on a cane for you. High tech is is the apps is the, you know, the readers, that something that's big enough, that you can see and maneuver around.

358
00:31:00.030 --> 00:31:00.550
H Eric's iP: Yeah.

359
00:31:00.550 --> 00:31:02.160
Dave Epstein: Make your life that much.

360
00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:05.300
H Eric's iP: And you know, you've got things like Google translate

361
00:31:05.802 --> 00:31:08.940
H Eric's iP: or and you get the translate app up.

362
00:31:08.980 --> 00:31:11.309
H Eric's iP: And what I only learned

363
00:31:11.380 --> 00:31:15.370
H Eric's iP: within the last year that I could say phrases

364
00:31:15.560 --> 00:31:17.399
H Eric's iP: I could ahead of time.

365
00:31:17.710 --> 00:31:19.520
H Eric's iP: you know. Say, excuse me.

366
00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:21.810
H Eric's iP: can you get me to security.

367
00:31:21.820 --> 00:31:25.870
H Eric's iP: or to the bathroom, or to the restaurant or to the elevator.

368
00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:27.210
H Eric's iP: and I will

369
00:31:27.650 --> 00:31:34.049
H Eric's iP: look those up and then save each of those phrases. So even if I don't have Wi-fi

370
00:31:34.070 --> 00:31:41.240
H Eric's iP: where I am, I can pull that app up and just press one of those which will be generally the information

371
00:31:41.280 --> 00:31:42.890
H Eric's iP: that I need to convey.

372
00:31:43.030 --> 00:31:43.720
H Eric's iP: Yeah.

373
00:31:44.880 --> 00:31:49.260
Dave Epstein: Okay, you're finding the ways of getting it done.

374
00:31:49.850 --> 00:31:51.660
Dave Epstein: I could learn so much from you.

375
00:31:53.990 --> 00:32:00.989
Dave Epstein: okay. The hardware talked about the the apps that you find to get to give you your successes

376
00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:04.570
Dave Epstein: as you're traveling. Do you have any

377
00:32:04.780 --> 00:32:05.840
Dave Epstein: hmm

378
00:32:05.880 --> 00:32:08.859
Dave Epstein: equipment or gear, or

379
00:32:09.656 --> 00:32:12.719
Dave Epstein: what I would call hardware, you know, in the physical.

380
00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:13.160
H Eric's iP: Sir.

381
00:32:13.160 --> 00:32:14.289
Dave Epstein: Stuff well, to do it.

382
00:32:14.290 --> 00:32:20.719
H Eric's iP: I I never go anywhere. Yeah, I never go anywhere without having at least one backup cane, and

383
00:32:20.840 --> 00:32:22.144
H Eric's iP: I end up

384
00:32:22.660 --> 00:32:27.059
H Eric's iP: because I will walk in places where there are cobblestones and grates.

385
00:32:27.140 --> 00:32:29.980
H Eric's iP: I've I've lost in my share of

386
00:32:30.330 --> 00:32:33.019
H Eric's iP: of tips, and you know, if you're

387
00:32:33.120 --> 00:32:35.599
H Eric's iP: if you're in a in a medieval

388
00:32:36.870 --> 00:32:39.659
H Eric's iP: place somewhere in the countryside of Denmark.

389
00:32:39.750 --> 00:32:41.489
H Eric's iP: and the tip comes off.

390
00:32:41.740 --> 00:32:43.579
H Eric's iP: you know. I'm kind of

391
00:32:43.730 --> 00:32:49.469
H Eric's iP: kind of in a hard place. So I always have at least one extra tip

392
00:32:50.353 --> 00:32:51.599
H Eric's iP: and before

393
00:32:51.840 --> 00:32:54.649
H Eric's iP: I started using the all terrain cane, and

394
00:32:54.920 --> 00:33:04.069
H Eric's iP: I I was losing a lot of tips or canes might break. I've had people break. So, as I was replacing canes, I started saving sections of cane.

395
00:33:04.320 --> 00:33:12.570
H Eric's iP: and I would put those in my luggage so I could. Do you know, during my trip do repairs. Extra pieces of

396
00:33:12.600 --> 00:33:19.130
H Eric's iP: of the shock cord, you know, if I had a restring a a cane, but then I chose. I realized

397
00:33:19.230 --> 00:33:20.389
H Eric's iP: you really.

398
00:33:20.540 --> 00:33:23.350
H Eric's iP: when I travel I've I've gone through

399
00:33:24.460 --> 00:33:36.115
H Eric's iP: 4 or 5 carry ons. I I have learned to always carry on and so people say, I carry on way too much, but that's a whole nother thing. But

400
00:33:36.680 --> 00:33:42.499
H Eric's iP: but I I decided to invest in a really good one. I because I saw

401
00:33:42.740 --> 00:33:48.699
H Eric's iP: someone at an airport, and it just looked perfect to me. And the brand is called offsprey.

402
00:33:49.560 --> 00:33:51.940
H Eric's iP: and they have. Let's see.

403
00:33:52.280 --> 00:33:56.600
H Eric's iP: I can show you what I like about these. This is.

404
00:33:57.780 --> 00:33:59.610
H Eric's iP: this is the carry on.

405
00:33:59.950 --> 00:34:03.559
H Eric's iP: And so it's got the big wheels, which are really good.

406
00:34:03.610 --> 00:34:08.710
H Eric's iP: It's very sturdy. It fits in almost all the overheads. But

407
00:34:08.850 --> 00:34:13.330
H Eric's iP: if you get into one of those planes and they say that doesn't fit in the overhead.

408
00:34:13.969 --> 00:34:15.050
H Eric's iP: it has

409
00:34:15.090 --> 00:34:17.420
H Eric's iP: part of the bag is a day pack.

410
00:34:17.719 --> 00:34:21.699
H Eric's iP: and you just unclip the day pack, and it fits in the overhead.

411
00:34:22.139 --> 00:34:23.289
Dave Epstein: Wow!

412
00:34:23.520 --> 00:34:24.350
H Eric's iP: You know.

413
00:34:24.460 --> 00:34:27.589
H Eric's iP: and it also, I like the idea of having a day pack.

414
00:34:27.820 --> 00:34:29.879
H Eric's iP: but I use this

415
00:34:30.850 --> 00:34:34.120
H Eric's iP: exclusively, and what I also like about it.

416
00:34:34.210 --> 00:34:37.139
H Eric's iP: I highly recommend, if you're visually impaired.

417
00:34:37.260 --> 00:34:39.750
H Eric's iP: get a piece of luggage that has

418
00:34:39.780 --> 00:34:41.950
H Eric's iP: pull out backpack.

419
00:34:43.139 --> 00:34:44.089
Dave Epstein: Perhaps yes.

420
00:34:44.090 --> 00:34:48.770
H Eric's iP: Yeah. Cause. Then, if I'm getting to some ancient

421
00:34:48.850 --> 00:34:50.010
H Eric's iP: house

422
00:34:50.290 --> 00:34:52.719
H Eric's iP: that I'm staying in our hotel.

423
00:34:53.150 --> 00:34:55.130
H Eric's iP: I can put the backpack

424
00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:59.000
H Eric's iP: on my back or my luggage on my back.

425
00:34:59.420 --> 00:35:03.340
H Eric's iP: and then have one hand free for the rail and one to use my cane.

426
00:35:03.530 --> 00:35:06.500
H Eric's iP: So I I stay in contact, you know.

427
00:35:06.620 --> 00:35:07.480
H Eric's iP: Hello! There we go!

428
00:35:07.480 --> 00:35:10.869
Dave Epstein: Absolutely that that seems to me that seems like essential.

429
00:35:11.410 --> 00:35:21.739
Dave Epstein: Do have especially, I'm sure. The staircases where you go are are narrow, steep, you know, not to the Us. Code that we're so blessed to be with.

430
00:35:22.270 --> 00:35:27.750
H Eric's iP: Or you're in a place where the where the staircase is 300 years old and it's rounded.

431
00:35:27.990 --> 00:35:32.900
H Eric's iP: You know the the the marble itself is worn down or the stones are worn, so

432
00:35:33.170 --> 00:35:37.190
H Eric's iP: I need to be able to hold on to make sure I don't slip or fall, you know.

433
00:35:37.190 --> 00:35:39.770
Dave Epstein: Keeping your hands free. That's okay, Super.

434
00:35:40.270 --> 00:35:40.630
Dave Epstein: But.

435
00:35:40.630 --> 00:35:48.710
H Eric's iP: But then but then there's also the an additional one that I just started this year, and I've now used it for

436
00:35:48.790 --> 00:36:05.850
H Eric's iP: a whole bunch of conferences because I go to these different conferences. And you know, as I'm walking around with my cane people, you know, and if it's eye research stuff they know I've got an eye problem, but they may not know that I'm the guy with the choroid Arrhemia Research Foundation, and I saw that field them

437
00:36:06.631 --> 00:36:09.098
H Eric's iP: and I wanna you know that

438
00:36:09.800 --> 00:36:11.790
H Eric's iP: the blind life. Ben

439
00:36:11.980 --> 00:36:15.679
H Eric's iP: did a a promo on this, and I said, You know what again.

440
00:36:15.910 --> 00:36:29.059
H Eric's iP: It wasn't inexpensive, but it is incredibly helpful. It's this stands up on its own. So if I have, this is, I have my my roll on, and this is my personal bag

441
00:36:29.140 --> 00:36:32.859
H Eric's iP: to get onto the airplanes, and this one fits under my seat.

442
00:36:33.120 --> 00:36:43.669
H Eric's iP: and it's got it, you know. I can fit a cane. My cameras, everything in here and otherwise. Then I most of the time. This is now my camera bag

443
00:36:44.060 --> 00:36:45.340
H Eric's iP: in essence.

444
00:36:45.520 --> 00:36:48.049
H Eric's iP: and it goes on my back. You know.

445
00:36:48.420 --> 00:36:52.330
Dave Epstein: Okay. So so the one you just had in your hand that was a field. Right?

446
00:36:52.330 --> 00:36:55.219
H Eric's iP: The field. Them and it's called the City Block.

447
00:36:55.220 --> 00:36:57.030
Dave Epstein: The city block. Okay, so.

448
00:36:57.030 --> 00:36:58.909
H Eric's iP: So it's a it's a big, square.

449
00:36:59.120 --> 00:36:59.970
Dave Epstein: Okay, and.

450
00:36:59.970 --> 00:37:15.009
H Eric's iP: I like the white when you can get many colors. I like the idea of being able to be seen, and it has contrasting colors on the inside for any of us that need that contrast from the outside. And one of the things that I really love about

451
00:37:15.270 --> 00:37:22.160
H Eric's iP: this this field them is they, and and field them for those that don't know. They originally started out

452
00:37:22.210 --> 00:37:28.480
H Eric's iP: designing bags for some of the Paralympics, and and and the

453
00:37:29.460 --> 00:37:34.839
H Eric's iP: the the other athletes for the the Paralympics the Wheelchair people.

454
00:37:35.080 --> 00:37:35.960
H Eric's iP: And

455
00:37:36.380 --> 00:37:42.040
H Eric's iP: one of the things that I've always found with camera bags and other things is, they always seem to scrimp on

456
00:37:42.330 --> 00:37:45.350
H Eric's iP: the zippers. These zippers

457
00:37:45.490 --> 00:38:08.160
H Eric's iP: are the best dog on, I mean, they're super strong. I could use much stronger words, but these are badass zippers, I mean, they've got rings you grab with your finger, and this it they never get hung up, and they've got. It's got lots of pockets so I can. I can put my battery, my charger. You know my my power bank

458
00:38:08.220 --> 00:38:15.448
H Eric's iP: for my phone and Ipad can write in here. I've got a a place here for my external

459
00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:18.900
H Eric's iP: levelly, or whatever you call a microphone.

460
00:38:19.170 --> 00:38:24.569
H Eric's iP: You know, when I'm doing my video blogs it. You've got all kinds of pockets and spaces here.

461
00:38:24.680 --> 00:38:25.600
H Eric's iP: you know.

462
00:38:26.080 --> 00:38:37.209
Dave Epstein: I mean, that's to me. It looks super super impressive what I see from my end is that it? It stands on its own. It doesn't collapse in on itself. It stands.

463
00:38:37.210 --> 00:38:45.759
H Eric's iP: It's got, it's it's got a little kind of foam internal structure. But when you, when you're sitting at the airport I can sit it in front of me

464
00:38:46.740 --> 00:38:52.229
H Eric's iP: and literally put my! If I'm if I have some sort of lunch or something, it becomes my table.

465
00:38:52.980 --> 00:38:57.980
H Eric's iP: you know, if I'm if I'm sitting there because we always tend to get to the airport way early, anyway.

466
00:38:58.200 --> 00:38:58.980
Dave Epstein: But.

467
00:38:58.980 --> 00:39:01.870
H Eric's iP: I just it. It doesn't.

468
00:39:01.950 --> 00:39:03.960
H Eric's iP: It doesn't fall over like a.

469
00:39:04.060 --> 00:39:22.619
H Eric's iP: you know, just a soft backpack, you know. And I like that structure. And because it it does have the structure, it fits perfectly under a seat, and you never have the problem of part of your backpack kind of being in where you, the guy per next to use jamming his luggage in my stuff all stays there, so.

470
00:39:22.800 --> 00:39:25.340
Dave Epstein: Okay to me, it's it's a

471
00:39:25.670 --> 00:39:50.399
Dave Epstein: it seems to be a very well designed, very well thought through product, that things are accessible from the outside. You don't have to go digging in. I I've been through a series of packs, you know, being the the hiker dude and the 1st thing I noticed that it's a top loading pack. So that one question is, you know, how does that work for you? You know nothing's got to spill out the front. But, you know, does a top load

472
00:39:50.924 --> 00:39:55.279
Dave Epstein: serve your needs as a blind, low vision person.

473
00:39:55.280 --> 00:40:01.819
H Eric's iP: Yeah, I I think top load makes it easy. I mean, yeah, you've got to take the backpack off. It's not like having it on your hip.

474
00:40:01.970 --> 00:40:09.099
H Eric's iP: and I'm sure I there, and it has a lot of hooks, and what's cool is it also has its own little bag

475
00:40:09.270 --> 00:40:16.799
H Eric's iP: to carry your cane. You can have your extra cane on the outside, you know. So that's all good, you know, and and.

476
00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:21.500
Dave Epstein: Knows they have lots of attachment points for me.

477
00:40:21.500 --> 00:40:22.040
H Eric's iP: Water.

478
00:40:22.040 --> 00:40:27.080
Dave Epstein: Flexibility of where to hang, where to keep it out of the way accessible

479
00:40:27.440 --> 00:40:41.239
H Eric's iP: Yeah, I've got one of those backpack solar panels that if I know I'm gonna be out and away from the grid for a while I could put a solar panel hanging off the back of the bag, and I can charge up my phone.

480
00:40:42.040 --> 00:40:42.450
Dave Epstein: On, the.

481
00:40:42.450 --> 00:40:43.480
H Eric's iP: You're just walking around.

482
00:40:45.980 --> 00:40:52.250
Dave Epstein: I have got to look into. Feel them love that. And the 1st pack you showed us was an osprey right.

483
00:40:52.250 --> 00:40:56.909
H Eric's iP: Offsprey. Yeah, and and they have a couple versions

484
00:40:57.343 --> 00:41:02.040
H Eric's iP: and I don't have the name off the top of my head, but it has

485
00:41:02.330 --> 00:41:04.569
H Eric's iP: a detachable day pack.

486
00:41:05.730 --> 00:41:09.640
H Eric's iP: And that may not be important to you, but I have encountered

487
00:41:09.670 --> 00:41:12.886
H Eric's iP: so many airlines that will

488
00:41:14.390 --> 00:41:18.699
H Eric's iP: that they'll say, I'm sorry that doesn't fit in the overhead.

489
00:41:18.830 --> 00:41:21.270
H Eric's iP: But as soon as I unclip that

490
00:41:22.020 --> 00:41:30.760
H Eric's iP: it goes in, and that's, you know. That's why I also, for that there's a lot of people that say, I don't want the assistance at the airport man. Take the dang it

491
00:41:33.150 --> 00:41:39.039
H Eric's iP: the assistance, because when you pre board, it means you're getting in before the overheads are all.

492
00:41:39.350 --> 00:41:39.880
Dave Epstein: Yes.

493
00:41:39.880 --> 00:41:44.910
H Eric's iP: Crowded, and in in numerous cases, you know they say you have one carry on.

494
00:41:45.130 --> 00:41:54.859
H Eric's iP: and you have. So I've got the the field, them backpack and the bag, but if I get in there and it doesn't fit, I can unsnap that

495
00:41:55.450 --> 00:42:02.139
H Eric's iP: that day, pack off and sit it next to the other piece in the luggage in the overhead.

496
00:42:02.190 --> 00:42:05.370
H Eric's iP: and nobody cares, you know. But I'm already in.

497
00:42:05.590 --> 00:42:06.680
H Eric's iP: Yeah. So it.

498
00:42:06.680 --> 00:42:07.340
Dave Epstein: Right.

499
00:42:07.600 --> 00:42:09.760
H Eric's iP: It makes it makes sense for me.

500
00:42:11.630 --> 00:42:12.225
Dave Epstein: Interesting

501
00:42:12.820 --> 00:42:15.470
H Eric's iP: And there. There are other things, you know, if you're traveling

502
00:42:16.370 --> 00:42:21.410
H Eric's iP: I forgot to mention in some of the prep. Work. If I make an

503
00:42:21.450 --> 00:42:23.050
H Eric's iP: a reservation

504
00:42:23.430 --> 00:42:39.259
H Eric's iP: for airlines. There are a number of them. And more recently, I've been flying American airlines and American airlines has a disability assistance phone number, so I will book the cheapest ticket, and then they just assign a seat.

505
00:42:39.410 --> 00:42:43.090
H Eric's iP: and it may be row 34, or whatever.

506
00:42:43.240 --> 00:42:45.129
H Eric's iP: And then I call

507
00:42:45.520 --> 00:42:49.349
H Eric's iP: the American Airlines disability number which you can look up.

508
00:42:49.410 --> 00:42:54.710
H Eric's iP: You can just Google, you know, each of the airlines, and they generally will have an 800 number.

509
00:42:54.930 --> 00:42:58.689
H Eric's iP: and I just explained that I'm visually impaired. I'm gonna have a tight connection.

510
00:42:58.830 --> 00:43:01.810
H Eric's iP: and you know you've helped me in the past

511
00:43:02.156 --> 00:43:08.779
H Eric's iP: with getting a seat for closer to the front of the plane, and inevitably I get one of the seats that I would have

512
00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:14.310
H Eric's iP: needed to pay $45 to get to, you know, when you make the reservation.

513
00:43:14.500 --> 00:43:15.720
H Eric's iP: you know. So.

514
00:43:16.000 --> 00:43:17.460
Dave Epstein: I'll find with you the the.

515
00:43:17.460 --> 00:43:24.449
H Eric's iP: And and they just weigh the charges. Yeah, yeah, so it's it's it'll save me it, you know, when I flew to Brazil

516
00:43:24.730 --> 00:43:29.639
H Eric's iP: in total. It saved me a hundred and $175

517
00:43:29.740 --> 00:43:34.460
H Eric's iP: in what would have been fees that would have paid to get a better seat. So.

518
00:43:35.920 --> 00:43:37.440
Dave Epstein: A seasoned traveler.

519
00:43:38.352 --> 00:43:43.200
Dave Epstein: You know your way around. I'm super glad we're having this conversation.

520
00:43:43.200 --> 00:43:47.013
H Eric's iP: And I'll tell you I really like the having used the

521
00:43:47.550 --> 00:43:49.189
H Eric's iP: The all terrain came.

522
00:43:49.460 --> 00:43:50.420
H Eric's iP: and

523
00:43:51.070 --> 00:43:52.779
H Eric's iP: the the urban cane.

524
00:43:54.380 --> 00:43:57.214
H Eric's iP: I I went to Europe with the

525
00:43:57.690 --> 00:44:00.210
H Eric's iP: all terrain cane as my cane.

526
00:44:00.230 --> 00:44:06.619
H Eric's iP: and it was a little problematic trying to find a way I could sort of put it

527
00:44:06.940 --> 00:44:10.039
H Eric's iP: with one piece hanging in the little

528
00:44:10.390 --> 00:44:27.849
H Eric's iP: magazine holder in front of you, but you'd have to kind of press it down to get the the table to come down over it. But the the the urban cane, because it falls up so much smaller, man. It's perfect for the flights. You know that just it rocks it.

529
00:44:28.080 --> 00:44:30.030
Dave Epstein: Nice love to hear it. Thank you.

530
00:44:30.580 --> 00:44:34.944
Dave Epstein: Love to hear that it's great that you're traveling with both. Appreciate

531
00:44:36.240 --> 00:44:45.912
H Eric's iP: Yeah, I mean, well, you know, when I when I go to Europe, that's 1 of the things is that, as we said in in the intro. I make a lot of friends. I was I I ended up

532
00:44:46.180 --> 00:44:57.330
H Eric's iP: in 2,006, spending 2 months painting in France, and I happened just about a sheer luck to be in Paris the day that the Tour de France was gonna end, and I ended up

533
00:44:57.390 --> 00:45:04.429
H Eric's iP: because I'm from New Orleans. I if I see a little spot on a barricade, I would get my elbow in there that Mardi Gras move.

534
00:45:04.510 --> 00:45:06.210
H Eric's iP: you know, because I want to see.

535
00:45:06.250 --> 00:45:24.009
H Eric's iP: and there was a a wonderful big guy next to me, with his 4 little daughters and his lovely wife, and they all kind of moved over because he was so big. You know. He was like an Nfl linebacker. He figured he could just see over me, so he let me stand there and then, of course, I take out my camera

536
00:45:24.030 --> 00:45:28.143
H Eric's iP: and he's like, Wait, wait, you're the blind guy, but you're taking pictures.

537
00:45:29.280 --> 00:45:36.099
H Eric's iP: So I had to explain all that to him. But we've been friends forever, and those are the people in Denver. I mean in Denmark that I've been friends with.

538
00:45:36.270 --> 00:45:36.810
Dave Epstein: Oh, nice!

539
00:45:37.210 --> 00:45:42.500
H Eric's iP: Ever since 2,006, you know I've I've I've guessed their home

540
00:45:42.630 --> 00:45:45.729
H Eric's iP: at least 4 or 5 times, and they come to New Orleans

541
00:45:45.740 --> 00:45:47.740
H Eric's iP: every year, almost so.

542
00:45:48.530 --> 00:45:55.130
Dave Epstein: Great great contacts going through life with Grace, making friends as you're doing it.

543
00:45:55.570 --> 00:45:59.929
H Eric's iP: Yeah, you you just never know who you're gonna meet. You know I was there in Brazil.

544
00:46:00.130 --> 00:46:05.599
H Eric's iP: and I had a lovely gal locally, and she was the Stargards representative.

545
00:46:06.371 --> 00:46:16.928
H Eric's iP: But she was on Retton International's Youth Council. But she and her husband took me to the A. Jungle to go experience this amazing jungle museum

546
00:46:17.400 --> 00:46:21.090
H Eric's iP: and the place was gigantic, but just it was so much fun. But

547
00:46:21.120 --> 00:46:31.709
H Eric's iP: we were way out in the in the boondocks there, and there were all these kids there, and it turned out many of these kids had never met anyone from America.

548
00:46:31.910 --> 00:46:40.419
H Eric's iP: and they heard me talking English, and before you knew it. They were trying to talk to me in English. And that's when I sent you the video

549
00:46:40.450 --> 00:46:46.790
H Eric's iP: of my little video saying, Here I am using the all terrain cane in the tropical jungles of Brazil.

550
00:46:46.800 --> 00:46:53.500
H Eric's iP: and I have to say the one thing everybody should have, and I just pointed to all these kids, and they all is like one course that

551
00:46:54.320 --> 00:46:57.579
H Eric's iP: get the all terrain team. It's great.

552
00:47:02.070 --> 00:47:03.518
Dave Epstein: Already make me happy.

553
00:47:03.880 --> 00:47:09.550
H Eric's iP: You know, and as we finished we walked away, and the gal that was my Guy, she and her husband.

554
00:47:09.580 --> 00:47:12.509
H Eric's iP: She leaned over with tears in her eyes, and she said.

555
00:47:12.560 --> 00:47:16.900
H Eric's iP: You don't understand. Those kids will have that memory their entire life.

556
00:47:17.370 --> 00:47:20.450
H Eric's iP: you know, and I just I just love that so.

557
00:47:22.070 --> 00:47:24.959
Dave Epstein: You're you're you're spreading the joy and the gift.

558
00:47:25.319 --> 00:47:33.019
Dave Epstein: You're an amazing advocate. I I'm super super. Glad I've got you here today. Really, you're you're shedding some terrific light

559
00:47:33.340 --> 00:47:36.960
Dave Epstein: and positivity to the community, too.

560
00:47:37.060 --> 00:47:45.110
Dave Epstein: getting it done to being able to travel, you know, to these really exotic places on your own with the right tools, and that's.

561
00:47:45.490 --> 00:47:46.630
H Eric's iP: Speaking of tools.

562
00:47:46.800 --> 00:47:53.289
H Eric's iP: I let me hold on just a second. I'll step slightly to the side here, because I got all my canes hanging by the front door

563
00:47:53.630 --> 00:47:55.820
H Eric's iP: and let me pull. The

564
00:47:56.050 --> 00:47:58.420
H Eric's iP: all terrain came off the hook here.

565
00:47:58.450 --> 00:48:00.160
Dave Epstein: Off the hook.

566
00:48:00.410 --> 00:48:02.184
H Eric's iP: It's off the hook you. So

567
00:48:03.400 --> 00:48:05.980
H Eric's iP: I love to

568
00:48:06.080 --> 00:48:08.689
H Eric's iP: do photography. Okay?

569
00:48:09.060 --> 00:48:10.080
H Eric's iP: So

570
00:48:10.290 --> 00:48:14.169
H Eric's iP: I've realized that my cane can be my monopod.

571
00:48:14.280 --> 00:48:15.390
H Eric's iP: So

572
00:48:15.500 --> 00:48:20.489
H Eric's iP: what I did was I bought a little stopper that you would put on the bottom of a the leg of a

573
00:48:20.710 --> 00:48:29.860
H Eric's iP: a stool. It's the rubber stopper at the bottom, and I just drilled a hole for the string to come through, and what it does is it gives me a solid flat top

574
00:48:29.930 --> 00:48:31.650
H Eric's iP: to put my camera on.

575
00:48:32.090 --> 00:48:37.570
H Eric's iP: and you for those that have low vision, and they say, Well, wait! If you've got night blindness.

576
00:48:37.670 --> 00:48:41.099
H Eric's iP: how do you take pictures? And I can't use the

577
00:48:41.180 --> 00:48:47.039
H Eric's iP: the actual little viewfinder. It's just too hard for me, but I can see the screen on the back of the

578
00:48:47.060 --> 00:48:48.850
H Eric's iP: of the of the phone.

579
00:48:49.300 --> 00:48:51.370
H Eric's iP: And then I realized

580
00:48:51.800 --> 00:48:54.400
H Eric's iP: in bright sunlight I couldn't see it.

581
00:48:54.920 --> 00:48:57.730
H Eric's iP: But I said, How can I get myself?

582
00:48:58.790 --> 00:49:01.120
H Eric's iP: The darkness? And

583
00:49:01.540 --> 00:49:04.120
H Eric's iP: this is, I call it my camera tunnel.

584
00:49:04.390 --> 00:49:06.049
H Eric's iP: It's a neoprene.

585
00:49:06.450 --> 00:49:07.080
Dave Epstein: Hmm.

586
00:49:07.080 --> 00:49:12.840
H Eric's iP: That I've I've done, because what it does is it allows me. I I put it up to my eyes

587
00:49:14.400 --> 00:49:16.550
H Eric's iP: and it straps around my head.

588
00:49:17.390 --> 00:49:18.120
H Eric's iP: And oh! Here!

589
00:49:18.120 --> 00:49:18.770
Dave Epstein: Oh!

590
00:49:19.890 --> 00:49:23.579
H Eric's iP: So hold on. I'll take you have to take the glasses off.

591
00:49:23.790 --> 00:49:24.630
H Eric's iP: but

592
00:49:25.760 --> 00:49:27.770
H Eric's iP: I strap around my head.

593
00:49:27.770 --> 00:49:29.229
Dave Epstein: And that goes over.

594
00:49:29.350 --> 00:49:35.350
H Eric's iP: And then I turn this and I. And so my camera. This has a screen on the back.

595
00:49:35.410 --> 00:49:36.860
H Eric's iP: a display screen.

596
00:49:37.170 --> 00:49:38.479
H Eric's iP: and I'm able

597
00:49:38.930 --> 00:49:45.099
H Eric's iP: to see what's going on, and and take the pictures that I want, you know. So.

598
00:49:45.100 --> 00:49:57.640
Dave Epstein: That is so so ingenious. We were faced with that issue working with a a canon video cam out on the land, and and my wife was just

599
00:49:57.870 --> 00:50:02.769
Dave Epstein: having such a hard time seeing the screen. So you know, Macgyver, here was.

600
00:50:03.010 --> 00:50:14.009
Dave Epstein: We'll get one of those umbrella hats, you know a little with an umbrella over your head to block? That's not gonna fly. Well, what about a big ball, cap that's not gonna be.

601
00:50:14.330 --> 00:50:18.319
H Eric's iP: You know, you know what I ended up doing and what what got me started. There

602
00:50:18.590 --> 00:50:27.510
H Eric's iP: was my original invention. The way I came up with it is, I go to jazz fest, and they do have a disability area, so I will use my cane

603
00:50:27.600 --> 00:50:31.589
H Eric's iP: as whatever advantage I can, and I get right next to the photo pit.

604
00:50:32.046 --> 00:50:32.579
Dave Epstein: You know.

605
00:50:32.580 --> 00:50:33.075
H Eric's iP: So

606
00:50:34.020 --> 00:50:43.520
H Eric's iP: and I'm right by the stage, but I'm standing there with a big sun hat on, and I couldn't see the screen. So I went home that day, and I cut up a black T-shirt.

607
00:50:44.310 --> 00:50:46.870
H Eric's iP: and I put a little drawstring in it.

608
00:50:47.130 --> 00:50:49.859
H Eric's iP: and I hung the T-shirt over the hat.

609
00:50:50.060 --> 00:50:57.470
H Eric's iP: and it hangs down, and I just cut a hole to stick the lens through. So you have sort of this burqa looking

610
00:50:57.960 --> 00:51:00.570
H Eric's iP: thing where just the lens is sticking out.

611
00:51:00.640 --> 00:51:04.830
H Eric's iP: and the blind man's cane is your monopod coming out the bottom.

612
00:51:04.830 --> 00:51:05.300
Dave Epstein: Yes.

613
00:51:05.300 --> 00:51:24.220
H Eric's iP: I get to take the pictures, but I also have gotten some of the greatest photos. Whether it was Arcade Fire or Elton, John or Rod Stewart, and I call it the Wtf. Shots, because they're they're smiling. Wow! Wow! Wow! And then the blind man's team, this black burka or the photo tunnel, and they're all like what the

614
00:51:24.330 --> 00:51:27.270
H Eric's iP: you know. What kind of camera is he using? You know.

615
00:51:27.410 --> 00:51:28.760
Dave Epstein: You're like. Trust me

616
00:51:29.490 --> 00:51:29.996
Dave Epstein: them all.

617
00:51:30.250 --> 00:51:32.119
H Eric's iP: I'm a professional. Yeah. So.

618
00:51:32.470 --> 00:51:42.930
Dave Epstein: Wow! I I really appreciate your innovation. After my own heart solving the problems. That's how we. That's how I got here. That's

619
00:51:42.980 --> 00:51:50.219
Dave Epstein: and I'm so glad that you're like I'm not. I'm not taking no for an answer. I've got to figure this out hopefully, not losing as much sleep as I do.

620
00:51:50.880 --> 00:52:02.590
H Eric's iP: No, but I mean, you know, I'm I'm sure you're the same way. I mean, I I know I'm gonna encounter problems along the way. So you know, in my luggage or in my backpack. I've got Band-aids liquid, but

621
00:52:02.620 --> 00:52:03.710
H Eric's iP: bandage.

622
00:52:03.840 --> 00:52:09.210
H Eric's iP: you know, all the other things. But I've also got. I I take duct tape.

623
00:52:09.230 --> 00:52:10.629
H Eric's iP: and I fold up

624
00:52:10.960 --> 00:52:17.179
H Eric's iP: like a 4 inch strip, and then I just keep folding it over so you don't have the roll, but you've got a flat thing

625
00:52:17.200 --> 00:52:23.440
H Eric's iP: that might have 3 feet of duct tape. So you've always got that with you and zip ties. I'm

626
00:52:23.620 --> 00:52:27.089
H Eric's iP: I'm a i'm a zip tie and duct tape. Guy, you know.

627
00:52:27.090 --> 00:52:39.809
Dave Epstein: Gotta love it. This is so inappropriate for the show. But, as you mentioned, folding the duct tape to make it more compact, we found this roll of dog poo bags on the street today. It's a full roll.

628
00:52:39.850 --> 00:52:45.040
Dave Epstein: Yeah, gonna leave it there. But somebody did that. They squished it. So it fits better in my pocket, so.

629
00:52:45.820 --> 00:52:46.320
H Eric's iP: Yeah.

630
00:52:46.320 --> 00:52:46.810
Dave Epstein: She's making.

631
00:52:46.810 --> 00:52:47.349
H Eric's iP: There you go!

632
00:52:47.350 --> 00:52:47.975
Dave Epstein: Easy

633
00:52:49.080 --> 00:52:51.719
Dave Epstein: from poo bags to duct tape. Love that.

634
00:52:51.750 --> 00:52:58.760
Dave Epstein: Eric. I could talk to you all day about your travel, your experiences. You're just a a plethora

635
00:52:58.900 --> 00:53:02.525
Dave Epstein: of of of gold, of information.

636
00:53:03.400 --> 00:53:06.475
Dave Epstein: I've got to wrap up. I can't spend.

637
00:53:06.980 --> 00:53:10.729
Dave Epstein: but I could know that I could. You're you're just so so fascinating.

638
00:53:11.990 --> 00:53:18.310
H Eric's iP: Let me let me just say real quick. If if you want any more information about my eye disease to the foundation.

639
00:53:18.310 --> 00:53:18.760
Dave Epstein: Please.

640
00:53:18.760 --> 00:53:22.179
H Eric's iP: Can go to curechm.org.

641
00:53:22.480 --> 00:53:31.340
H Eric's iP: If you want to see some of my travel videos, just go into Youtube and look up H. Eric Hartman.

642
00:53:31.410 --> 00:53:33.530
H Eric's iP: and then type blt.

643
00:53:33.550 --> 00:53:36.670
H Eric's iP: and you'll start seeing my videos

644
00:53:36.680 --> 00:53:46.169
H Eric's iP: of because I I fly through airports and I'll quickly do a review. You know, if I'm in Cincinnati or Charlotte. I'll do a quick review

645
00:53:46.230 --> 00:53:54.216
H Eric's iP: of their disability assistance people, or, you know, places where I've had trouble, especially Heathrow airport. You know.

646
00:53:54.960 --> 00:54:09.210
Dave Epstein: Yeah, you've got so much to offer. We've got to be able to stay in touch with you. Thank you so much for those links the backpacks. Let's keep an eye on on those backpacks. One was an osprey, and I believe that's OSPR. EY. Osprey.

647
00:54:09.210 --> 00:54:15.809
H Eric's iP: Right right? And and they have different types. But look for the one that has either the snap off

648
00:54:17.330 --> 00:54:23.109
H Eric's iP: day pack, because then, you know you can get it into the planes, and it gives you a backpack.

649
00:54:23.180 --> 00:54:25.479
H Eric's iP: for during the day, if you don't want it.

650
00:54:25.700 --> 00:54:28.690
H Eric's iP: invest in something like the the field. Them.

651
00:54:28.930 --> 00:54:35.359
H Eric's iP: you know, but for me, for my camera, because when I travel I've got I've got a Gopro. I've I've now got.

652
00:54:35.600 --> 00:54:38.890
H Eric's iP: you know, my my own little drone, the

653
00:54:39.730 --> 00:54:43.259
H Eric's iP: you know I've I've got you name it. I've got a lot of stuff in there.

654
00:54:43.730 --> 00:54:55.493
Dave Epstein: Nice? Good. Good. Yeah. Now that you just covered my my last question, how do we keep in touch with you? How do we follow you and your your awesomeness? I appreciate that.

655
00:54:56.110 --> 00:54:58.179
Dave Epstein: There is one question that.

656
00:54:58.180 --> 00:54:58.740
H Eric's iP: Sure.

657
00:54:58.740 --> 00:55:04.329
Dave Epstein: I I ask everybody just because it it hit me really hard when I thought of this.

658
00:55:04.713 --> 00:55:08.109
Dave Epstein: So one more bit more of a personal question. If I could.

659
00:55:09.620 --> 00:55:17.130
Dave Epstein: if there was a cure for chm, someone were to approach you and say, Eric, here you go! You drink this 12 ounce can

660
00:55:17.150 --> 00:55:19.560
Dave Epstein: wake up tomorrow, and you will be cured.

661
00:55:19.830 --> 00:55:20.990
Dave Epstein: Would you do it?

662
00:55:21.960 --> 00:55:25.679
H Eric's iP: Well, you know, because I know the science right now.

663
00:55:26.190 --> 00:55:39.610
H Eric's iP: I know that's completely impossible. But you know, if I was younger and someone said, would you like a treatment that could? And and right now, if we could develop a treatment that could slow the disease by 20%,

664
00:55:40.320 --> 00:55:46.590
H Eric's iP: I would take it, you know, but site replacement therapies, things like that, whether

665
00:55:46.660 --> 00:55:58.450
H Eric's iP: they're literally they took. They took a skin sample from me, isolated my my skin stem cells and for research or growing my retina cells based on the skin sample

666
00:55:58.740 --> 00:56:01.320
H Eric's iP: from what's called induced pluripotent stem cell.

667
00:56:01.490 --> 00:56:14.550
H Eric's iP: But their hope is they can grow those cells, and then at some point replace them in my eye or not, not for the full vision, but certainly enough that it might give me 4 or 5, maybe maybe even 10 degrees of of field.

668
00:56:14.660 --> 00:56:19.638
H Eric's iP: So yeah, I would. I would go for that. But I will say at this point,

669
00:56:20.210 --> 00:56:23.239
H Eric's iP: while my blindness

670
00:56:23.740 --> 00:56:25.149
H Eric's iP: has certainly.

671
00:56:25.890 --> 00:56:28.349
H Eric's iP: and it's it's it's

672
00:56:28.540 --> 00:56:30.475
H Eric's iP: it's tough points.

673
00:56:31.290 --> 00:56:34.350
H Eric's iP: the people I've met, the journey that I've been on

674
00:56:34.470 --> 00:56:40.199
H Eric's iP: the travel all of these different people and and experiences that I've had.

675
00:56:40.480 --> 00:56:45.019
H Eric's iP: I you know I I wouldn't trade that, you know. I I count myself lucky.

676
00:56:45.260 --> 00:56:48.590
H Eric's iP: you know, and and I do know people that live

677
00:56:49.170 --> 00:56:50.230
H Eric's iP: full.

678
00:56:50.280 --> 00:56:51.830
H Eric's iP: happy lives.

679
00:56:51.970 --> 00:57:02.859
H Eric's iP: having been born blind, and those are the people that were such an inspiration to me when I was 1st starting up as a visually impaired artist. I was also

680
00:57:02.940 --> 00:57:06.590
H Eric's iP: in in galleries with people who are completely blind.

681
00:57:06.620 --> 00:57:13.129
H Eric's iP: and I could see they were my examples that I didn't need to fear the the darkness.

682
00:57:13.340 --> 00:57:19.180
H Eric's iP: You know that that there's still a wonderful life out there so and take everything you can get

683
00:57:19.330 --> 00:57:20.729
H Eric's iP: with what you've got.

684
00:57:23.850 --> 00:57:29.579
Dave Epstein: Of that priceless. Everybody's got a different answer. And I I appreciate

685
00:57:29.890 --> 00:57:32.701
Dave Epstein: all the perspectives I really do.

686
00:57:33.750 --> 00:57:46.629
Dave Epstein: Eric, I again I could speak to you all day about this. I'm gonna have to wrap it up so. Thank you so so very much for your presence, your wisdom, your stories, your your offerings

687
00:57:49.110 --> 00:57:50.700
Dave Epstein: you're the one, if you appreciate it.

688
00:57:50.700 --> 00:57:55.700
H Eric's iP: If you did want to see any of my artwork, I forgot my last name's Hartman. If you drop the H.

689
00:57:55.750 --> 00:58:05.040
H Eric's iP: It becomes art man. So my nickname for a while was art man. So I have a website. It's art hyphen man.com.

690
00:58:05.720 --> 00:58:17.899
H Eric's iP: And it's it's got some of my pains. Unfortunately, my vision and color perception are are gone to the point. I I love impressionism, and that's what I I painted for many, many years. But it. Yeah, I can't do it now. So.

691
00:58:17.900 --> 00:58:19.799
Dave Epstein: But this is art through you.

692
00:58:19.820 --> 00:58:22.940
Dave Epstein: Yeah, you look at the the masters you look at, whatever

693
00:58:23.140 --> 00:58:30.320
Dave Epstein: this is. This is Eric's perception of blank. This is your art. These are your

694
00:58:30.660 --> 00:58:35.889
Dave Epstein: creation. So they're just as valid as any RAM brand out there. As far as I'm concerned.

695
00:58:35.890 --> 00:58:41.640
H Eric's iP: Yeah, I've I've I've painted in same places where Van Gogh and others did their landscapes.

696
00:58:41.640 --> 00:58:42.260
Dave Epstein: Yeah.

697
00:58:42.260 --> 00:58:43.330
H Eric's iP: You know I mean

698
00:58:43.390 --> 00:58:46.649
H Eric's iP: that some of my, my most wonderful moments are

699
00:58:46.660 --> 00:58:51.349
H Eric's iP: standing in a field of sunflowers and just painting and watching the sun go down, you know.

700
00:58:51.350 --> 00:58:51.790
Dave Epstein: Math.

701
00:58:51.790 --> 00:58:53.519
H Eric's iP: It's it's it's wonderful.

702
00:58:53.600 --> 00:58:59.379
H Eric's iP: Well, I want to thank you very much for this opportunity, Dave. This is this has been great, and

703
00:58:59.400 --> 00:59:11.120
H Eric's iP: thank you for, all you're doing to make our travels a lot better, you know, because whether it's walking up the stairs in 11th century monastery or in the jungles.

704
00:59:11.160 --> 00:59:18.069
H Eric's iP: or just in the really crappy sidewalks here in New Orleans with 600 year oak trees, you know.

705
00:59:18.170 --> 00:59:24.879
H Eric's iP: It's it's it's 1 way of us just continuing to to keep our independence and mobility.

706
00:59:25.160 --> 00:59:26.600
Dave Epstein: Quality of life. Brother.

707
00:59:26.960 --> 00:59:27.859
H Eric's iP: It is.

708
00:59:27.860 --> 00:59:28.270
Dave Epstein: I appreciate.

709
00:59:28.270 --> 00:59:32.039
H Eric's iP: Well, and I gotta get back out to Sedonuts. But I was out there about

710
00:59:32.150 --> 00:59:35.189
H Eric's iP: oh, I guess 20 years ago. So I'm I'm gonna need a

711
00:59:35.520 --> 00:59:41.350
H Eric's iP: take a trip out there only to find out about one of your one of your guided trips out there. I'd be game for that.

712
00:59:41.510 --> 00:59:46.800
Dave Epstein: What you know. What? What good are friends in Sedona? If you can't take advantage of them, gotta get, you know. Here.

713
00:59:47.420 --> 00:59:52.520
Dave Epstein: get some, get some boots on you. Yeah, pound some trails in a submission absolutely.

714
00:59:52.520 --> 00:59:52.980
H Eric's iP: Exactly.

715
00:59:52.980 --> 00:59:55.605
Dave Epstein: Absolutely. Let's get. Let's get this done.

716
00:59:56.040 --> 00:59:57.919
Dave Epstein: appreciate everything. Eric.

717
00:59:57.990 --> 01:00:02.039
Dave Epstein: Have an amazing rest of your day. Successful journeys.

718
01:00:02.280 --> 01:00:05.939
Dave Epstein: Thank you for the information on the packs. Just crush it out there.

719
01:00:05.940 --> 01:00:08.800
H Eric's iP: It's my problem. Mercibo. Cool from here in New Orleans.

720
01:00:09.350 --> 01:00:11.130
H Eric's iP: as them Cajuns would say.

721
01:00:11.850 --> 01:00:14.290
H Eric's iP: Thanks a lot, Dave. Appreciate it, man.