Skate, Sleep, Repeat Alumnus James Astle creates new documentary out of 400-mile skateboard trek across the Philippines BY NOAH SHOAF
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n a wooden board with four wheels and a camera in hand, James Astle, a special instructor for the Willes Center, rolled through the Philippines. Astle had no camera crew or partner along for the ride, but he said he found support from the Filipino people. Astle turned his 400-mile, 12-day journey across Northern Luzon into “Rolling Moments,” a documentary available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Astle said the message of the film is simple. “If you’ve ever had an idea, go out and do it now. Because the world is waiting for you, but who knows how much longer that moment will wait for you.” “Rolling Moments” begins with a voiceover layered with uplifting melodies and aerial shots of rice fields. Astle said, “Ever since I was young, I loved an adventure. I loved the idea of getting lost somewhere in a faraway land and not knowing what would happen next.” From biking across Los Angeles without a phone to walking from Laie to Honolulu in a day, Astle said those adventures pushed him to make “Rolling Moments.” Crazy idea “I had the idea to skate across the Northern Philippines. Kind of sporadic, but it came to me one day, I’ve got to do this. It would be a challenge. And I thought, why not find a way to share this experience with others?” Astle said he thought a documentary would provide viewers with inspiration and guidance to do something they have always wanted to do..
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“It’s not as hard as it seems to get out in the world and do a trip of your own, whether it is on a bike, a unicycle, rollerblades or even just regular traveling. I am hoping people will see these kinds of adventures are possible, not as far-fetched as it may seem.” According to Astle’s former classmate and alumnus Ben Joseph Howells, Astle is a creative genius. “I have made a career working and collaborating with creatives. Some of them are world-famous, but I have never met anyone more creative than James.” Howells said he loves how Astle fully commits to his ideas. “The fact that he just had an idea, booked a flight, filmed the whole thing and then put it out of his own is incredibly brave on so many levels. “He’s a humble guy, so he would play that down, but that’s brave. The world needs more brave people to chase their crazy ideas.” How to prepare Astle said if you want to follow through with your dream, you need a plan. That requires setting goals, creating expectations and having an open heart and mind. “You shouldn’t be scared because it will only hold you back from experiencing what could potentially change your life. Just go out there and do it, but make sure you have a plan. It doesn’t mean you can’t be spontaneous. The plan is there to guide you to good opportunities.” Astle planned for his trip by using Google Street View and mapped out every road he would take. He also skated 15 to 20 miles each day to get into shape and planned his expenses.
Live in the moment Astle shared, “All you really have is right now. It’s the only thing that really makes life possible in this moment right here.” If you are worried about something, whether that is in the past or the future, you miss out on the present experience, added Astle. “[Right now] you have complete control of how you feel, what you’re doing and where you’ll go. But you don’t with the past and the future. “Take a break, take a moment and take a breath. What is your goal right now? Where are you going? What steps are you making?” Astle said his trip allowed him to be more present. He was not looking at social media or the computer screen. He was on the road. “On the road, you’re aware, and your senses are engaged. As you’re skating, you’re just completely in the moment, and you feel everything. And you start using all your senses. A lot of times, we forget about [using all our senses] because we’re not engaged in the moment as we should be.” The harder, the better Astle shared the trip challenged him physically, but emotionally and mentally, he found strength. “I pulled a muscle in my calf, and it was pretty hard the last 75 miles. It was really difficult. I felt like giving up, but I kept going because I knew it would be worth it in the end.” Towards the end of his trip, it began to rain, making the streets slick, but Astle said he kept going, imagining finishing his trip without regrets.
