EPX Space Cowboy Retreat

photography & article by David Christopher Lee

A monochrome magazine cover featuring a bearded man with text highlighting his name, John David Washington, and the title 'DAVID'S GUIDE'.

50 members from around the globe gathered at the EPX Ranch located 15 miles from Barstow, California. They came from as far as Madrid, Spain to camp in luxurious RVs and partook in Bacchanalian festivities. EPX Founder Paul Kirchoff & Brooke Kirchoff single-handedly organized this mini “burning man” retreat where members ate, drank, danced, and enjoyed the desert sunsets’ pure red and purple light.

I treated guests to two photoshoots, one on top of the hill and the other at dinner. Guests dressed up to express their creativity with spacey costumes, cowboy hats and sparkly outfits. I grouped people together based on their outfits and staggered them onto the mountainscape to design the proper perspective and composition for the photographs.

behind the scenes

Pianist Will O’Brien and electric Violinist Dave Kim showcased their incredible talents with a moonlight impromptu music session. DJs Ofier Zig and Alejandro Illera Daccach got the crowd going two nights in a row. The first night featured a space-cowboy theme where guests raged between glowing planets and a gargantuan inflatable astronaut. They played deep sexy beats and progressively got the crowd jumping up and down.

A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.

The second night was hosted in the Valley of the Gods with a mini Acropolis setup complete with Greek statues and Roman columns. The surprise of the night were glowing 10-foot-tall puppets and danced with EPX members. One of the afternoons was hosted by the talented Kent Kellough as he did a deep house afternoon in the midst of the canyon.

A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
Alejandro Illera Daccach, Dave Kim, & Ofier Zig
A magazine cover featuring a woman with blue eye makeup, titled DAVID'S GUIDE for the June 2022 issue, with cover lines about individuality and an interview named BEAUTIFUL BELLA.

A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.

One of the most relaxing moments was chilling on the vibrating floor filled with grass which was brought to us by Craig Goldberg and Lin Fisher. The last evening was hosted in the middle of the desert with an all-white audience. Guests sipped on white wine and ate wood-fired pizza.

A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
The party doesn’t end until sunrise!
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
Dancer, flamed thrower, gymnast and ultimate badass Foxie Flambe, provided the energy of the weekend.
A magazine cover featuring a woman with blue eye makeup, titled DAVID'S GUIDE for the June 2022 issue, with cover lines about individuality and an interview named BEAUTIFUL BELLA.

A magazine cover titled DAVID'S GUIDE featuring a man and a woman in outdoor attire with desert scenery in the background.

A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
connections
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.

A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
clothing by Maison Marvaan

For more information, visit EPX.

A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.

Two women smiling and posing, one standing and the other sitting in front, in a natural outdoor setting with texts overlaying about lifestyle and consciousness.
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
jacket by Maison Maarvan
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.
A man stands in a desert landscape, wearing a white jacket with the text David's Guide and Dave Kim and the Electric Violin.
A person wearing a black outfit and a hat stands on a rocky hill with a vast, hilly landscape in the background.

EPX is a super hot next gen social and business network dedicated to accelerating success, living a life of adventure, building powerful and authentic relationships, and dramatically increasing one’s personal performance across health, mindset and leadership. Members range from legendary astronauts to pioneering explorers to World Cup and gold medal champions and business thought leaders in multiple industries around the world. In the next 30 days, the company will announce a new platform and invite others to join.

For more pictures from the weekend, click here.

David Christopher Lee

Editor-in-Chief

David Christopher Lee launched his first online magazine in 2001. As a young publisher, he had access to the most incredible events and innovators of the world. In 2009, he started Destinationluxury.com, one of the largest portals for all things luxury including 5 star properties, Michelin Star Restaurants and bespoke experiences. As a portrait photographer and producer, David has worked with many celebrities & major brands such as Richard Branson, the Kardashians, Lady Gaga, Cadillac, Lexus, Qatar Airways, Aman Hotels, just to name a few. David’s work has been published in major magazines such as GQ, Vogue, Instyle, People, Teen, Men’s Health, Departures & many more. He creates content with powerful seo marketing strategies.

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