Happy 2016! I never imagined a future beyond 2015 (Back to the Future and all…), so everything’s coming as a welcome surprise. Blank slate.
Especially when it comes to The Hundreds. We have spent the last year and a half recalibrating who we are, what we do, and most importantly, why we do it. As we cross over into the new year, we continue the evolution with even better product, higher-profile collaborations, and the authentic The Hundreds experience.
Before the close of 2015, Mike Shinoda, our wives, and I road-tripped it out to Death Valley. “Why… Death Valley?,” you and everyone we know ask. There’s the obvious: Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth, as well as the driest and lowest in North America.
But, more interestingly, Death Valley is a land of extremes. Climate, elevations, topography… As social media comments polarize us further apart as people and drive us to opposite ends in ideology, Death Valley seems only appropriate in today’s societal atmosphere.
Plus, you experience sights here that you won’t find anywhere else on the planet. The white stuff above is salt, not snow. Same for the jagged clumps of “rock” below. Razor-sharp salt.
My wife does her best Joshua tree impression.
A commercial break for The Hundreds X Timberland. That purple dusting comes from the natural landscape. Greens, burnt oranges, and lavender dust coat the hillsides.
U2 shot their Joshua Tree cover here. So did George Lucas, with Star Wars, and plenty of other familiar movies and pop cultural photographs. Zabriskie Point:
Plenty of beautiful stuff to look at, both natural and manmade. Rhyolite Ghost Town showcases more cool art than abandoned buildings. Like “Lady Desert: The Venus of Nevada,” a giant, pixelated nude woman, by Belgian artist Dr. Hugo Heyrman.
“Last Supper,” created in 1984 by artist Albert Szukalski.
The best thing you can do is rent a Jeep and trim the mountainsides yourself.
Come across abandoned ghost towns, and forsaken landmines.
And some of the most epic views of a lifetime.
Back at The Hundreds Homebase, team rider Charlie Blair shows you how.
Bago is BACK.
2 of my favorites: Neave Bozorgi and Gabriela Bloomgarden.
This was the T-shirt I designed for Friday night’s “What a Time to Be Alive” group show at Slow Culture. If you aren’t familiar with Manzanar and the Japanese internment camp blight on America’s record, I suggest you study up on it, to prevent history from repeating itself (which, has already begun with our nation’s perception of Muslim-Americans).
Oh, right – totally forgot – before we left Death Valley, ran into a film crew as they were shooting a new DeLorean Motor Co. commercial with MY car! Stay tuned…
And, speaking of U2’s Joshua tree, it does exist… You just have to be willing to brave the drive, hike, and the extreme cold to find it.
To read the full story on how we reached the actual Joshua tree, click HERE.
We finally found what we were looking for on this Sunday, Bloody Sunday where the streets have no name. What a beautiful day. Even better than the real thing.
Okay, I’ll stop.
El Niño collides with Southern California, making for grey days, white caps, and big waves.
Every New Year’s, we have the tradition of visiting Disneyland. It’s a nice way to close out the holidays and also usher in the next year.
To make room for Star Wars, they closed off this entire side of Frontierland over the last few days. Do you care? Do you even know where in the park this is?
My favorite parts of Disneyland are all the little secrets and Easter eggs hidden throughout. Most of ’em, you just have to look up.
The Peter Pan ride has been revamped. And, by “revamped,” I mean, they changed out some lightbulbs.
As you already know, I’m a big Walt Disney fan. Did you know he actually failed at most of his endeavors throughout his life? Most of those cartoon classics we celebrate today were actually box office duds during his career. It wasn’t until he opened Disneyland in the final chapter of his life (an enormous risk that virtually shut he and his brother out of business), that he proved successful. Goes to show you that you have to appreciate the big picture in considering a man’s (or woman’s) legacy, not just a win (or loss) here and there.
My fave character makes a triumphant return: The Hatbox Ghost in the Haunted Mansion.
Foreshadowing?
Just returned from zero-degree days in Keystone, Colorado, with Ben and Patrick.
They’re dipped in our Liful collaboration. Remember – only 25 of each piece made. That’s a genuine duck down jacket. This stuff isn’t cheap – I must admit – but, it’s for a reason, as you can see.
The Hundreds X Liful drops Tuesday… right here on thehundreds.com and in our flagship stores.
It’s nice to be home.
Looking back. Moving forward.
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