I’m truly sorry to hear about the loss of your brother, Craig. He was a very dear friend and I’m so grateful I knew him in this lifetime. We met on St. Paddy’s Day of last year and we became friends instantly. We met by sweeping sand off the bike path in Manhattan Beach to clear the way for ourselves and others. We chatted about sociology, education, life in general. We shared stories about our lives and he quickly became a very close friend & confidant. He was a great friend at a time I required it most.
He had a great heart and was very generous with his time and actions. We biked along the coast from Torrance Beach to Will Rogers State Beach numerous times and he even showed me new bike paths into inner LA and down to Long Beach as well. He taught me how to bike pack and even helped me install a rack & fenders on my own bike. He showed me a different way of life, a minimalist life. He said he was “downwardly mobile”, which truly resonated with me. Surviving & thriving on less, leaving as little a carbon footprint as possible. He really cared about the environment and did everything in his power to live fluidly and peacefully with his surrounding environment and nature in general. He even helped me pick up trash as we traveled around on our adventures. A truly special and caring individual. I loved him like a brother and will miss him dearly.
I often mention him to friends and speak of the positive impact he had in my life. I use my bike, rack, fenders, and panniers quite frequently so I think of him often and I have him to thank for teaching me the bike packing way of life. He journaled about his days cruising along the coast, enjoying the beautiful California weather. He would bike daily to Torrance Beach from his “residency” in Santa Monica to collect algae, which provided vital nutrients for his blossoming gardens on the four properties he squatted at in Santa Monica on Ocean Park Boulevard. He slept in the crawl space of 2528/2588 4th Street and created beautiful gardens along 321, 319, and 317 Ocean Park Boulevard. A beautiful oasis and humble abode. He resided on these properties, elevating and adding great value to them. He never destroyed nor stepped foot inside the actual houses. These were safe spaces for him to grow and nurture his plants while also providing him shelter throughout the night. He created artworks from cans he collected and greatly enjoyed hanging them around the outside of the houses. He called them his “primitive art” and truly expressed his heart in these works. They were really beautiful.
He had multiple spots where he would eat his breakfast and watch the morning surfers. He constantly ate bagels with peanut butter and onions for almost every meal. An inexpensive meal which provided him the necessary fuel throughout the day. And he loved treating himself to ice cream when he felt the desire and craving to do so. He loved drawing, considering himself a big kid. He also loved biking and all the simple pleasures life had to offer. He chose the downwardly mobile lifestyle due to the fact he was constantly stressed living a “normal” life, only having debt and stress to show for it. He chose this way of life because he could live quite comfortably by reducing his costs and utilizing all the simple, little things life constantly offers us. He used his pension money frugally and wisely. He was quite happy when we spent time together, but seemed to get very low when he was alone and when he let his doubts and worries of life creep into his psyche.
We were pen pals and I let him know how wonderful and loved he was. He was such a special part of my life and I hope his transition was smooth and painless. I will carry his spirit in my heart always, and like I stated earlier, I will miss him dearly.
Sincerely,
Anthony
Thanks to Anthony for sharing his memories and experiences with Craig! It helps to confirm what Craig told us in his post cards: He was happy living in California. And comforting to know that he had a good friend to share some of his experiences.