California experiment successfully concluded
Around this time 10 years ago I was wandering around downtown San Jose on a sunny Saturday. I had a day to kill after my interviews at the San Jose Mercury News so I roamed the city’s mostly empty streets. People work and raise kids here, they don’t hang out downtown. A couple weeks later I had a job offer from the paper, which paid all the freight to move me, Melissa and our two cats to Silicon Valley.
Back then the valley was booming; now we’re working through our second bust, which has pummeled the paper and put many friends out of work. In three weeks I’m joining them.
I had an option of staying on while the Merc outsources its design and copy desks to Walnut Creek, about 50 miles north of here, but we decided it’s time to move on. We’ve worked under a cloud of doom for the past four years and we finally crossed our enough-is-enough threshold. The paper’s offering a modest severance package, just enough to get us across the lets-try-something-new threshold.
In the next three weeks we’re going to donate or sell everything that won’t fit into the Hiker Hauler. A couple days after my last day at the paper we’re going to pack up the car, head east to North Carolina and ride out the recession at Melissa’s mom’s place.
When we got here I published a series of pages called “The California Experiment” and have spent the past decade testing theories and observing behavior. Prime operating theories:
- Vast wealth generated by the state’s abundant resources leads to delusional “we-can-have-it-all” attitude that generates government gridlock.
- Vast wealth also creates pervasive “it’s-all-about-me” thought patterns (and their corollary, “it’s all about money”). There’s a great band out here called Me First and the Gimme Gimmes; it could not be from anywhere else.
Fundamental observations:
- Staggering natural beauty encourages people to put up with aforementioned insanity. Just the idea of never hiking the trails around here makes my eyes misty (an improvement from yesterday, when the response was inconsolable grief.)
- People come here and never want to leave, leading to permanent overpopulation.
- If you put three Californians together, they will immediately start a suburb and a traffic jam.
- Keeping your money in your wallet and away from those with superior claims is a full-time job. A sign at the Santa Cruz Municipal Pier just before you pull up to the toll booth says it all: “Have money ready.”
It feels like a good time to close down our California experiment and do something else with our lives, closer to family and sanity.
California seduces just about anybody with a trace of mad passion in their veins. But eventually you have to get out of bed and start living in the real world again.
July 18th, 2009 at 11:43 am
We’re way, way sad to be losing you Tom (sniff). You and Melissa are among the best people we’ve been privileged to know.
July 18th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Mike: thanks, I’m sniffing too.
Sorry we didn’t get to hike together more — I felt like if I wasn’t out there trying a new trail every week I’d be letting my blog readers down. Always had fun on your hikes, though.
July 18th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
This news qualifies as a real blow! Your wit and insights, as well as those occasional meanders on a trail, will leave quite a void.
I understand your reasons perfectly, however. For those of us who are true natives, I couldn’t consider moving…but will if opportunity knocks. Here’s to you, friend, for all you’ve given us. As for me, you’ve been a big part of one singular triumph in my life, something that’ll always be with me. Now…I expect lots of good AT material, and without undue delay!
Godspeed and best wishes fro you and Melissa. If the yearning for a good 14er becomes overwhelming, we’ve got a room….
July 18th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Sadly, much of what you say is true (I think it takes 4 Californians to create a suburb).
Living in the greatest place in the world extracts a high toll, as it should. Though we could probably live without some of the “features”.
But like you, I find that the toll is too much. It only took me 46 years to figure that out.
I look forward to your new hiking exploits, I hear the Appalachian Trail is nice this time of year. And if you need a west coast correspondent, let me know (I am thinking of working on the Oregon Coast Trail).
July 18th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
A pretty scathing indictment of California, Tom. From everything I know about the industry and the Merc’s owner, I think you’re making the right decision.
July 18th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Tom, i’m terribly sorry to hear that it has come to this. To some extent it is sadness that the Merc, the paper I grew up reading in San Jose has had to reach this point, but more so about good people like you who soldiered on for much longer than anyone would for a mere job… but now can’t fight it any longer.
I’m also sorry that your voice will not be part of the Bay Area hiking community any longer. Two possible consolations: First, I’m hopeful that I’ll still be able to read your work from across the continent - and second, your work as one of the first serious outdoor bloggers in this area has affected all of us who read or write blogs on this and related subjects.
Best wishes and good luck to you as you move to the next stage…
Dan
July 18th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Very sorry to hear all this Tom. I’ve never even met you face to face, but I feel like I know you. I’ve been checking out your site every day for the last few years, and you can be assured that you will be sorely missed. I don’t always agree with your opinions, but I respect your character, and I admire your efforts to spark some life into the often dull hiking blogosphere. I’ve often pondered getting out of here myself, but didn’t want to leave my current employer now that I have so many years invested. And now that I am married, I have basically two families here.
July 18th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Oh! forgot to offer my best wishes to you and Melissa on your future life in the southland.
July 18th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Thanks for the kind regards, guys.
Keep an eye on your RSS feeds for Two-Heel Drive — things’ll slow down in mid-august for sure but are apt to pick up in September. Autumn on the AT is gorgeous, I’m betting.
July 19th, 2009 at 12:18 am
tom — sorry to see you leave what’s left of the merc. it was quite a trip to work with you, and wish you and melissa well. keep in touch.
July 19th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Wow, I consider it an honor to have met and hiked with you. Your blog has been a fabulous resource for me and my hiking meetup. I will always refer to your past posts when researching a hike/backpack trek. Thanks so much! Best of luck in NC, I loved it there.
July 20th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Tom, if you haven’t hiked the Asheville area before, I recommend it. I found the actual mountains somewhat disappointing there, having spoiled myself with the Rockies, but the waterfalls near Asheville are wonderful hiking destinations.
July 20th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Greetings Dom Thomas. Sorry to hear the contraction of print publishing has suffered another loss. Am eagerly awaiting your next adventure on the east coast and online. Do the cats know how to speak Southern? Good luck and a safe journey.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:13 am
Tom,
Well - but sadly - said! Ain’t it the - awful! - truth! I admire your decision to pack it up and kiss the Golden State goodbye. No lookin’ back through the rear-view mirror! Keep the precious memories alive in your heart and mind. Your soul remains here with us all, each and every time we traverse our beloved trails!
August 3rd, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Thanks for your candour… I wish you and your family well. (Selfishly, I kinda hope the recession causes more people who are “putting up” with life here to move elsewhere… maybe then there will be enough jobs and houses to go around and more room on the freeways…)