April Plans and ADZPCTKO

It was nice to hear from our friend, Clearwater, who contacted us last week. He will be hiking the PCT in 2008 ("at least California," he says), and wanted to know if we can take him to the trailhead in Campo, CA.

He booked his flight for mid-April, and will stay with us in Los Angeles for a couple days for final preparations. Then we'll drive a couple hours to the PCT monument at the Mexican border.

If it all works out, we may be able to attend ADZPCTKO (Annual Day Zero, PCT Kick Off). And if the planets are in alignment, we may actually be able to walk the 20 miles into Day Zero with Clearwater.

Wheels in L.A.

We gave away our car before leaving for our thru-hike and have been fortunate to not to have needed our own since arriving back to Los Angeles. For the last two months, we've had an unbelievable streak of car-sitting for generous traveling friends, so Lauren has been using their cars to get to work.

I've been doing quite well on my new bike, although riding a fixed gear is like learning to ride a bicycle all over again.

Tonight my friend Austin reminded me about Flexcar. Here in Los Angeles, an annual membership of $35 gets you access to car rentals on a micro level, just $5 per hour. Their locations map shows that I live just one block from two available flexcars ( a "sports car" and a "wagon").

All this convenience, and I don't even have to worry about gas, insurance, maintenance or parking. Pretty sweet deal. I'm going to have to check this out.

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UPDATE: When I checked the cars in person, the "sports car" was a Mini Cooper, and the "wagon" was a Scion Xb.

ATJ Profile

Our friends Sally and Ellen at from the AT Boundary submitted our names to be profiled in an upcoming Appalachian Trail Journey Magazine. The brief article about our two days on the trail corridor in the Mahoosucs will run this month.

If you'd like a sneak peek, you can check out this downloadable PDF file.

A Minor Loss

Last night I said goodbye to an old friend, sooner than I would have liked. My faithful Fuji bicycle, my partner in commuting for the last three years, was stolen while I was at the library. She was locked up securely, but not securely enough I guess.

Together we'd criss-crossed over 13,000 miles of Los Angeles pavement on my route from Hollywood to Santa Monica.

I hadn't put any money into maintaining it recently, so most of the components were worn to the ground. By the time I walked home from the library, I was already at peace about the loss. Nevertheless, I was also hoping that whoever yanked it would land on their head when they changed my worn out gears.

This morning I picked out another bike online, since it's the main way I get around. This time I wanted a no-frills, ultra minimal bike to beat up that won't be as enticing to thieves. I settled on this generic fixie that flips to be a freewheel, and includes two brakes.

I like the orange I ordered. But if I have two weeks that I don't need to ride it, I found a nice forum that describes in step-by step detail how to repaint a bike with a custom color.

The Story of Stuff

Have you ever wondered where all the stuff we buy comes from and where it goes when we throw it out?



Annie Leonard presents a well organized, and thought provoking presentation of this system in crisis. Visit The Story of Stuff where you can watch the movie in 4 minute chunks, or all 20 minutes at once.

My favorite part is in her conclusion, proposing another way.

"Some say its unrealistic. Too idealistic - that it can't happen. I say the ones who are unrealistic are the ones that think we can continue with the old way. They're dreaming.

Remember, the old way didn't just happen. It wasn't like gravity that we just have to live with. People created it, and we're people too. So let's create something new."

If you can't stand listening to some 'tree-hugger' talk about 'the environment' then this video is definitely not for you... Oh wait, yes it is. You live on this planet too.

Captain Morgan

One day we were hiking and met two hikers heading south. We said hello and began to pass, when I noticed a purple goatee and handlebar mustache scribbled on the face of the second hiker.

I said to him, "Hey, I like that look," to which the first hiker replied, "Yeah, he's trying something new," referring to his 3-day stubble, after which he kept on moving in a determined manner.

A minute later, we met two more hikers who looked like they might be a part of the same group, so we asked if they knew the story with the ones we'd just met. We learned that the first hiker had scribbled on the second guy's face several days earlier, and no one had told him yet. They had been calling him Captain Morgan, and he said he liked that as a nickname.

Adjustment - Part 5 - Los Angeles

Last night Lauren and I were reviewing our trip photos and each of us got choked up in our own way. I was transported back to the excitement I felt in Georgia as a novice thru-hiker, and the thrill of hiking through Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Lauren was missing friends from the trail who we share deep connections, and the simplicity of life out of a backpack.

So many memories packed into this summer.

And who could forget Maine? We both agree we'd like to be there right now and see what goes on in those small towns and outposts during the deep winter.

Instead we're getting back into inevitable responsibilities of town life, but approaching them with renewed appreciation and focus.

Lauren has been looking to get back into her educational background in food science, which she's been out of for five years. She got a break this week when a food processing plant near downtown called on her to test samples in their microbiology lab. After two days, so far, so good!

I have been looking for design opportunities, while continuing to pursue entrepreneurial projects through my graphic design company, Studiofluid. One highlight has been doing identity and design work for our friend, Matt, who we met on the trail. His seasonings company is top-notch, and I'll be highlighting it when our work is complete.

Apartment Views

Today we awoke to a fantastic gift on the horizon, the snow covered peaks of the San Gabriels. The following photos are taken from the living room window of our new apartment.



Although our apartment isn't furnished yet (we sold most of our extraneous belongings on ebay and most of our furniture on Craigslist) the stunning views from our windows make up for the pile of cardboard inside. For the moment anyway...




We've been settling into a pretty nice routine back here in Los Angeles. Each morning Lauren and I have been waking up together and going for a 5 mile walk. We head out our door and into the hills, past the Observatory, where we take in views of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding peaks.

Meandering to the Middle East

A Seafaring Gentile is a blog about a young man's adventures, discoveries and observations while traveling abroad in Spain, Morocco, Egypt and beyond. He also happens to be my younger brother.

When you get used to his writing style, his vibrant depiction of humanity is quite engrossing. I'm not sure how often he plans to update, but when he does the stories and photos are quite inspiring.

Be well, man. I'm proud of you. I hope you find what you're looking for and much more.

Some Call it Winter

The rains are officially upon us. We woke up and looked out the window, excited by the promise of thick gray clouds and the cool dreary mood. I don't think it has rained in Los Angeles since we left seven months ago.

Rain is a rare blessing here in Southern California. I think we typically have only 10-14 rainy days all year, all within the months of November to April. Aside from the renewing and life-giving properties, when it rains, life is different. The pace of life slows down. People don't leave the house. Traffic comes to a grinding halt. It's literally headline news. People here react to a rainy day as a hardy new-englander might react to a severe ice storm.

I was a wimp this morning and decided to do some yoga stretching instead of venture out into the downpour. Quite a contrast to life on the trail, where we would venture forth regardless of the conditions. Lauren joined me, and then went out for a walk anyway.

As I look out our windows, I delight in the anticipation of what is to come. The scorched earth of the San Gabriel Mountains will be quenched and the threat of fire will fade away. The vegetation will once again begin to grow, and stabilize potential mudslides. Everything will turn lush and green. Soon we'll look out and see the snow-capped San Bernardino Mountains towering above 10,000' in the distance.

As a native of the east coast, it's a stretch for me to call it winter, but I love this time of year.

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UPDATE: This evening I happened to turn on the evening news to see a "special live report" from a news correspondent. He was showing viewers how to use their windshield wipers and check their wiper fluid. Surreal to say the least.

Appalachian Trail Journeys

Last week we finished writing a short article describing our volunteer experience on the boundary in the Mahoosucs. The article will probably run in Jan/Feb issue of the A.T.C. publication Appalachian Trail Journeys with accompanying photos, so be on the lookout for it.

Why Does A Salad Cost More Than A Big Mac?

Cheap and filling food is far more prevalent these days rather than nutritious options. On the trail, it was disturbing to see the limited options for the locals, especially in the south.

Jason Kottke pointed out a thought provoking article about the new "Farm Bill" and how Government spending does not match-up with its own Nutrition Recommendations.

The bill provides billions of dollars in subsidies, much of which goes to huge agribusinesses producing feed crops, such as corn and soy, which are then fed to animals. By funding these crops, the government supports the production of meat and dairy products -- the same products that contribute to our growing rates of obesity and chronic disease. Fruit and vegetable farmers, on the other hand, receive less than 1 percent of government subsidies.

Them Damn Kids

We just found out that one of our friends from the trail, "Lifesaver" has released an album with his band "Them Damn Kids," under Chestnut Tree Records. They have a fragile, melodic sound, that Lifesaver shared with us at various points along the trail on an acoustic guitar.

They will be touring the west coast next month, actually playing down the street from us in Hollywood on December 2, 2007. See you then, Lifesaver!

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UPDATE: Nice job at the show, Lifesaver. It was good to see you and catch up. Sorry we couldn't stay until the end. We're enjoying your CD.

Adjustment - Part 4 - Los Angeles

We're back on the west coast and doing quite well.

We ended up switching our plane tickets and returning two weeks earlier than anticipated, which has turned out to be an incredibly refreshing decision. After being nomadic since April, it feels good to have a stable place to call our own, and to make headway with all of the adjustments of health care, jobs, and other loose ends.

Our new place is approximately one mile from where we used to live, and we couldn't be happier. It's quiet, with nice breezes and on the fifth floor of a seven story building; we rarely take the elevator just to prolong our trail legs a bit longer. From our living room we look out to the mountains, Griffith Observatory & Hollywood Sign, Downtown, and two Frank Lloyd Wright houses.

Our friend was moving out as we were returning, so we were able to take over the lease and slip in at a way-below-market rent. Half the price of our old apartment, or 1/3 the price that our old landlord is charging since we've left!

You can reach us at our new address:
Ben and Lauren Thompson
5217 Hollywood Blvd #508, Los Angeles CA 90027