107: How you see the world after biking 14,000 miles (with Jedidiah Jenkins)

Hello my beautiful people and welcome back to the Moments podcast. I could not be more excited for this episode I am honored to be sharing it with you. I've been doing really good in the stepping out of my comfort zone department We have a very very very fun guest for today's episode His name is Judge Jenkins. He has written three books by the time we launched this episode And I actually found him because one of my best friend's mom Told me to read the first book that he wrote and it's called to shape the sleeping self It's a book about his bike ride from Oregon to Patagonia, which yes is like a 14,000 mile bike ride if not more And it's all about his story and what he learned and who he met and I just am so inspired so amazed by him I reached out before I even finished the book So you're hearing this episode before I've even finished the first book and he has two more that I get to read now And I think that every single one of us should He's an inspiration to me and I think that you guys are going to love listening to him and his story and Just please enjoy this episode and I hope you can take something valuable away from it And I hope you get to just listen in on a great conversation. All right. Enjoy the episode Cool quick intermission in this one I am genuinely from the bottom of my heart so excited to be sharing with you and I say that all the time But this one I mean I'm telling you guys about element. 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My favorite is the freaking watermelon salt. Oh my gosh second favorite is What is the raspberry raspberry? I get stuck between citrus and raspberry anyways try the watermelon salt Okay, and I have an exciting thing to tell you that you guys can get a free sample pack Which has every flavor with your element order by going to drink element calm sash moments And the way you spell element is LMNT Gabe used to say lemont that's what he still calls it So I think it's funny just think of that when you're typing it in and I'll put a just a link in the description if you want to try it But drink element calm sash moments and you'll get a free sample pack with your order. Okay, peace and love Please give it a try. It's so delicious. I want to ask you like some icebreakers. You know just okay, okay First thing you think of can't think about it too much You just answers. What's your any gram? Have you done the test? Oh, yeah I'm a seven Wings six Okay, I'm a seven. I honestly forget which wing I am, but I'm like kind of I'm a seven but an introverted seven like I love to do things you know jump off cliffs and jump out of airplanes Yeah, you don't gain energy from people love people Interesting Around them for too long I've learned that the older I've gotten but yeah, that's Yeah, I think that From what I've read about it like the seven energy like your any a gram number is really created out of a response to the thing you fear Like your root fear and our root fear is pain. We avoid pain Which is why we're always forward looking like what's the next trip? What's the next thing? How do we say happy? Don't know now because we're like afraid to sit in that pain So I don't think it necessitates being extroverted Yeah, that does make so much sense really puts into perspective on why I run from literally everything I can't sit still Every time I'm home for I love to travel every time and I'm sure you feel this too I think we'll get into it as we keep going, but like I just I'll finally get comfortable. I'll get a good routine going and I'm like no time to go time somewhere else Do something else meet someone else whatever it may be What's your zodiac sign? I'm a seduitorious Okay, that makes that adds up a that adds up a lot of yeah, I'm a set. I mean, I know wait a minute I just did my co-signer or whatever. I mean, I obviously know I'm a seduitorious, but Then like the city I was born in at the time. I think I'm a That it goes seduitorious Aquarius Virgo Okay, okay. Okay. I can see Virgo a little bit especially as a writer that makes I only know Things about the signs that like I am in my friends are I don't know all of them like I'm so much about Aquarius at all But that's cool. Okay, I love What's your current obsession? What do you like hyperfixated on right now? I love these questions I am hyperfixated on well Against my will, but also excited is like my book comes out next week and I have like a book tour across the country And so I get to like sit in bookstores and meet amazing people and flying all over so And I mean, I haven't done that since to shake the sleeping self in 2018 because of COVID, so I'm very excited Oh, yeah, because when the other one came out I know it was like zooms and Instagram lives and it was so it was so bleak Yeah, so okay My gosh, that's so exciting for you. I loved the The artwork for it like the the handwritten. I thought it was so cool Wow, thank you Because I just I loved it and I'm gonna have to try to find one to come to oh, I hope so Reading all the books. I'm literally you you just got to met a gene in to see yourself. That's where I'm not oh So I'm like how I can't even it felt wrong, but I'm like I don't want to postpone this because I want to hear about the new book And we can still talk about cool stuff now It's actually fun to be right in the mix of it. I love that Yeah, like it's like I I feel like I know you now, but I still don't know you know enough Or or everything, but it's super cool and then okay last question before I ends like the other cool questions I have um, what's your love language? Um, I I don't know if there's a test, but I'm just like you know, I feel like I read that book a thousand years ago the five love languages I'm very physical touch I'm very touchy like affectionate like when I'm talking to you. I'm like holding your hand. I'm like Um, I'm very words of affirmation. I'll tell you all day long how amazing you are and I I'm not acts of service like I'm not gonna do I'm not gonna clean your apartment. I'm I just like that Some people like they want to change your oil. They want to fix your roof. I'm just like That doesn't cross my mind I yeah, okay, I see but you say that your Giving love languages are different than what you're receiving are like would you love someone offered to go change your oil Or no, I I give what I want I'm I like okay, but I understand like For example, I don't actually give quality time because I'm so traveling, you know, but then I'm attracted to people who are less and so um I like it when they just want to be around me And maybe they're not as verboses me. I mean, of course everybody loves Words but when they just like want to be with me and just I think that's really sweet I mean, I've learned I thought everybody was a words of affirmation person because I'm a huge words of affirmation person Less now than I was growing up. I think it was like a validation thing. I don't know But my best friend she doesn't care what like I don't she's like don't say it show me. Yeah Yeah, like I could write her. I mean a book about how much I love and appreciate her and she'd be like Oh, thanks. That's so sweet move on. Yeah, and I would be like Yeah, you'd be like reading it and rereading it Yeah, over and over again. It's just I've always found love languages to be so interesting And I also noticed that the older I get the more mine change grew up hating physical time when hug my friends wouldn't touch my mom never give her a hug or anything now I love it like let me just hold your hand. Oh, that's sweet Hey, let me just show my appreciation and in different ways. It's cool, but I love love languages. I think they're fast sweet So I think it's so crazy the way that I even came across you also how do you say your first jet? It's hard jettadaya Jettadaya okay, I'm like the one was like writing this little you know like notice list of what do I want to talk about? I'm like I don't know so many people it's so cute because Like people have followed me on Instagram for 10 years or they've read two of my books And they've never heard anyone say my name out loud and they'll they'll see me at You know the mall or at the movie theater and they'll be like And then and they'll go they'll go hi. I don't know how to say your name, but I it's so cute It's so cute. I'm like oh my god. I'm so glad that you came and talked to me Yeah, it's like they know your name. They just yeah It's cool. They won't because they don't know how to say it You know, it's one of those things you But I found you because I was kind of in this reading fun Like I'd love to read fiction classic romance calling Hoover love all of that I never read an auto bathroom at auto biography. I can't speak ever before and I was picking up My best friend from high school. She was in town. She lives in North Carolina right now. She came home for the weekend. I want to go pick her up I hung out with her mom for a little bit We all used to like chat and hang out in her kitchen all the time But I haven't seen her mom in probably three years and Out of like nowhere we start talking about reading and she's like Lexi You have to read this book. I was like, okay, what is it? She's like I I read it in my book club It's not a book I would have normally picked out because she doesn't do auto peace either She just had in the book club and I'm like all right. I mean of Courtney's mom gave me this book to eat I should I should give it a go meanwhile I have a stack of books probably this big that I've been just avoiding and I'm like I'll get to say it always But I started reading it the night that she gave it to me I think I was on page 20 or 30 when I reached out to you and was like oh my gosh this guy is so cool I feel not even just inspired and the amazing trip that you did But just the way that you like articulate your thoughts and your feelings and how I felt like I was there I was just Wow And I'm not even done with it yet, but I just think that's so random. What are the odds? You know, but how cool like I think about in the 90s or something before there was social media If you liked something There was no way like how would you like if I loved a book How would I even talk like how could I ever reach out to the person who wrote it and say thank you like Like you would have to send a letter to their publisher I don't even know what you would do and who's gonna do that. It's like now and I I'm such a beneficiary of this and you are too. I'm sure it's just people reaching out that you don't know that are like I really you know and they write me the sweetest Messages and those amazing stories and they tell me this and I'm like it's so cool that I get to I get to hear that, you know, it's like such a cool time to be alive Yeah, it's it's like social media definitely has downfalls and there's a lot of cons and a lot of stuff I don't love of course I think that the connection and the reach it has and the way that we were able to just get in contact from a few buttons Yeah, and then And now we can like share with so many people So much it's so cool to whoever's going Amazing and I think that's always been my biggest goal is just connecting with people and Now to be able to do it like this when we're halfway across the country from each other or all the way across the country What is the spirit of your podcast like when you're talking to your therapist or your mom or your friend like what are you guys talking about? Honestly, it kind of started out as me wanting to get deeper on mental health because this all started for me back on Take talk I was just making videos talking about what I had going on in my life What I was learning from it how I could share it in an understandable graspable way and you know a bunch of people were commenting You should start a podcast so back in 2021. I was like, you know what? That's not a bad idea and most of the beginning episodes and honestly still There are a lot about mental health a lot about what I'm going through yeah, how I'm Taking everything learning in my life and sharing it which is similar to the way that you're doing it in your book It's just in a completely different form to completely different demographics, which is super cool, but yeah a lot of mental health and just Well, it's fair. I mean, that's exactly why I write books is like I Growing up as as a queer kid in Tennessee and the evangelical private Christian school like it was I was so afraid to be myself and it was so torturous to like Live inside that mind and like all I want to do is be vulnerable and fully myself So that that so that that kid can what if he stumbles upon this book And it like makes him feel less alone or her less alone or them I don't know like you sharing your story and what you've learned is like I'm sure So important to so many people And I think that it's so cool to just make people feel heard or seen and that's why I think I don't know where I was watching this I was doing my just learning more about you and somewhere and some video or something. I saw you say that You like to what was it something like you tell your stories but someone who's different than you can like feel also what you feel and and Be like they're in your life and then Helps give them some kind of understanding. I don't remember where I was even feeling with that Well, I mean, that's why we tell our stories is so people say even if their life, you know like You don't have to be a gay boy growing up in the south to identify with My book the idea is I'm telling a true human story from a true perspective and I'm being I'm in pursuit of true authenticity and An act becoming an actualized soul and that's everyone's journey to be truly yourself and become an actualized soul And so when you see anybody doing that in any way It's permission and exciting to be like wow if she can do it I can do it maybe Yes, see what I mean. This is why this is awesome because you just that's what I was you know thinking in my brain But the words don't come to me like that like that was that was awesome And I'm listening to me for two years now knows like I have a lot of really Cool trains of thought that go on in my brain. I'm just so ADD and I don't I'm not medicated for it That I just go and like circles and upside down and all over the place So I I love that I can share with everyone who's listening like a different perspective and understand. Well, I love topics that we try. I love that so The ADD tangential brain it's so fun because the neurons are just Seeing because the truth is everything in life is connected. So when you're bouncing around To me that's an even more evolved brain because you know that all the things pinging are related Gosh, it's my favorite. Yeah, it's I used to I grew up hating because it was so hard for me to do school I ended up just leaving school because of it But I've learned that it's it's my the thing that carries my creativity and like my drive and just inspires me to do all these things And I think that if I had any different brain, I would definitely not be doing what I'm doing now. So it's it's fun It's become my strength instead of my weakness, but I love that yeah Super fun. Okay, considering that I haven't even finished Want you to give me an anyone listening because honestly like my demographic It's probably teenage girls and I don't all of my friends. I've told this book about they're like I've never heard of books so I get so excited to I'm like no, you have to read it It's this guy he did this and it's not even about what he did But it's how he tells the stories and all the people that he met and I wish I was finished with it So we could talk about it even more, but for anyone who hasn't read the book Aside from just reading the back of it. What would you like tell them? It's about oh, I love that So how would you describe? Oh, yes, okay, so this is a fun challenge. So when I was The thing okay the thing about getting older when you're in your when you're a teenager The world is telling you who to be In your 20s I think in your 20s usually you try to be the person the world told you to be and then around 27 Something shifts and you go am I living the life I want to leave and some people do this much earlier you might do Okay, but what I you might be 22 and realizing wow, I'm in my lane. I love I love the lane And that's beautiful I did too, but there comes a point as you approach 30 for a lot of people where you go Wow, this is my one and only life Am I living the life I want to live or am I just doing what I thought I was supposed to do and a lot of people have this crisis in their late 20s And so I was like my dream my heroes are writers my dream is to write a book Maybe I won't be good at it Maybe I will but I want to do it. So I said I'm gonna quit my job on when I turn 30 And I'm gonna go on a big adventure. I didn't know what that adventure was and then I'm gonna write a book about it because I didn't know if I was a good writer I knew that I was a good reader and I loved Communicating and I've been told I'm a good talker. So I was like there's probably some through line there Yeah, and so I'm like I'm gonna quit my job and and then I met this guy who had ridden his bicycle from New Jersey to Argentina And I was like that is at thing dope. I want to do that and Going on a bike is like faster than walking, but it's slower than a motorcycle so you can see things But people will talk to you. I want to learn Spanish So I decide I'm gonna go from Oregon To the bottom of South America to Patagonia because when I was in middle school I had two dreams. I wanted to go to Machu Picchu because I was obsessed with Indiana Jones And I want to go to Patagonia because I'd seen like some discovery channel nature show about it and those were on I didn't even know where I had to go. Yeah, it's like I think Downs at the bottom if it was that many months, but I definitely had to look at it. It's like you know how South America comes to the tip It's like that little point at the bottom So So anyway I quit my job and I went on this big adventure for a year and a half and The adventure but also like the book is the book the framework of the book is the adventure But the internal I love how you described it you said it's about so much more And it's the way he tells the story because that's I can't tell you Lexi. That's the biggest compliment because I When I read a book I care more about the language and the mind of the author than I do about the plot Like I just love being and else someone else's mind that when I think their mind is delicious. I'm like Oh, I love being here exactly It's exactly that. It's like whoa. Wow. You're just every every sentence. You're reader like wait I've thought about that or I felt that or oh my god, you know, you know, it's just a little A feeling it makes you yeah, so thank you. That's so cool that you think that and I don't know. I think if no matter what age you are There's You want to live a life you're proud of you're like, you know, when you're 18 you're like is this what I thought? I'd been doing when I'm 18 when you're 22 you're like God, I'm 22. I used to think that was so adult like What the hell am I doing with my life like this job sucks or like what am I and you know We're doing this inventory of like is this the life I thought I was going to live is Is this the boyfriend I thought I was going to have like Am I pursuing people that are worthy of me or just whoever's around or because I fear being lonely like There's all these stories we tell ourselves and this book is about and it's so cool to do that all of us are all of us Think those things all of us because like I So much time even back when I was 13 14 15 having these thoughts worrying about maybe at the time then it wasn't like What am I doing with my life and having these existential crisis is but still I would have these thoughts and worry that like I was the only one feeling them and now especially we live completely different lives and I read this book and I'm like Oh, okay, no, we don't yeah, yes, this is a human experience. I'm not alone Well, and that's that's one of the great like cool things about reading books is that like You think yours and I you said you've never read an autobiography like That the great thing about reading memoirs and autobiographies is that these are someone's real life and you get to like See how so similar you are to people like and it could be You know, you could be living a little cute life in Tennessee and you read the autobiography of Will Smith or you know whoever it is you Oprah and you're like wow like They have Billions of dollars, but well, they're their insecurities are the same insecurities as mine and they're They're feelings get hurt the same as mine and I don't know. It's very humanizing. So I love Reading memoirs such a comforting feeling. Yeah Yeah, now I'm definitely hooked after I finished said well first after I finished this one I'm gonna read the next one and then it's coming out November Yes, I'm gonna be on a spiral. Oh my god It's just dive into the universe. It's like I'm the Marvel Cinematic Universe the Jedadaya You got to do it. It's amazing. I I think you would love Wait, let me think what you would love Hello friends quick little intermission. I am telling you about something I've told you about before and it is my freaking favorite especially with how much I've been traveling lately Aloe moves is the best. It's it's streaming on demand wellness platform It has yoga practice. It has everything you could possibly imagine meditation sessions Hit workouts, but also a guashaw routine for your face anything that you could possibly need and they have something For everyone. They're always adding new classes. 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Have you ever read any of Elizabeth Gilbert? Do you know who that is? I don't think I have Okay, so she she is one of my heroes and she wrote the book eat prey love. Have you ever heard of that? Yeah, it was a Julia Roberts movie, but that movie is based on her book Which is similar to my book? My book is similar to hers hers was first where she went on a big adventure to find herself And I think if you think if you like my writing, I think you'll love hers You should try that book. I'm so excited. I'll definitely add it to the list Okay, great. So you knew Or You did the trip. I don't know if you mentioned this in the book if you did I must have missed it you knew you wanted to write a book before you even took the adventure Do you say that? I don't I don't remember I don't remember if I say they're not but that's the truth I knew I wanted to write a book And I didn't know if I was good and so I was like well if I go on a big crazy adventure Then even if I'm a B minus writer the adventure is still interesting like Super good. I know like it at least they'll at least I won't be boring I might not be profound, but it won't be boring So I was like that's cool and and then let's say nobody wants to buy the book And whatever. Well, I'm still young and I had a job before I'll just I did this coolest thing. I'm proud Because one thing that I really thought about as I approach 27 Is I don't want to regret I don't want to be a coward and like oh, I could never be a writer like writers are so much smarter than me Like who am I to think I could be That because my heroes are writers and then I don't do it because I'm chicken shit and then All the sudden I'm 60 years old and I'm like Why didn't I ever try that? Why didn't I try that like I was so young man. I could have bounced back if I sucked who cares And that's something that I think I believe in so much. It's like If you feel a little tug on your spirit of like God, I want to live in Portugal for a year or like What would happen if I try it? What if I what would happen if I recorded an album? Okay, like I'm gonna record an EP five songs like maybe I'm not good But I'll put it on sound cloud and I'll be like guess what I did it So I just yeah, I just want people to like Do whatever I don't know do whatever makes them proud of themselves Mm-hmm. We're just such a hard thing to do. I feel like there's so much Not even just self-doubt like I I've always been super inspired to just chase my dreams because back when I was 13 I decided to become a yoga teacher at the time like that's so cool In the country and I was so scared to do it But it's weird. I think I was a lot more fearless than than I am now because now I have these dreams and passions to film documentaries and interview people all around the world But I don't do it just because I'm worried that I won't be good enough or I don't know how to Everyone has those fears Yeah, and I think that it's just it's so amazing to hear other people well There's a really there's a really great Clip I'll send it to you after this thing, but it's it's from this guy named Ira Glass He does this really really famous podcast called this American life He's been doing it since the 90s and he's a hero of mine And he he's um It's his youtube clip of him giving a talk and he says He says have you ever noticed that when you're starting in a creative Project or Eric a creative endeavor You notice that your taste is so much better than your skill you're like let's say you love Reading book you love writing and you you read the best books ever and you're like I know a good book And I know a bad book I know a great writing and I know trash writing But then when you sit down to write a short story you're like this is not very good But your taste is so good So what why is there such a gap if your brain can recognize good, but you can't create good It's like what is that and he says He says all artists are like this you only the way to shorten that gap is just by doing it You can't wait until you're perfect you just do it you write you write you write you write you write If you want to make it be a director you film videos on your phone you edit them on on your phone You create videos for tiktok you do it you do it you do it you do it and only in the doing do you become excellent And I think that is so I know and it's you just have to like Bulldoze your way and just keep doing it until you're great and I think that's like liberating just run towards Because I've always felt that things that we fear the most or what we're almost called the most to like run at and to accomplish I don't know why I've always felt that way non the physical sense of like oh, I'm terrified of bungee jumping That means I'm being called to bungee I am terrified of that we just fear things that we want to succeed in because I don't know we just fear failure maybe I think you're exactly right you you fear we fear failure. It's like Do you have okay? Have you ever heard of the phrase tall poppy syndrome No, so this I think America is better than most countries, but um it comes from Australia. That's where I heard it, but It's big I want to be too. It's it's basically like Let's say you're growing up in bokeh and You have big dreams of becoming a Hollywood actress. Okay and Tall poppy syndrome is when you have all these big dreams, but the people in your neighborhood are like who do you think you are? You think you're some big hot shot like you think you're better than us. You're gonna leave us So they you having ambitions and dreams is an indictment and makes them feel bad So they make you feel bad because they didn't chase their dreams They make you feel bad for chasing your dream and they cut you down like so tall poppy is a flower Don't get too tall you cut them all so they're the same height And so okay, and so that happens and it can happen even in families like your own sister or brother can be like Oh, I feel like you happens the most in fantasy. I think that that's where so many people even parents should I do this? Yeah, big time parents definitely. I've always been super blessed my parents have been super supportive But I know that that's not the case a lot of the time so totally so definitely But it's like I just want to be somebody who is the opposite. I want to be like No matter like try it. It's not that big of a deal if you fail like Just give it a go especially now like while we're young. I mean there's so much time to figure it out Might just give it if you live your life with fear of failure and you don't do anything then you just you like You'll grow old and you'll be like what did I even freaking do Yeah, I don't want to get to the age where like I'm 80 years old and I sit back and I regret my life I just want to do these things and now now's the time. Hey man. Oh my god. You're so cool Thank you. I think you're so cool to um, but I want to ask you a couple more questions about the book that I'm Yes, yes, yes, and then I know A bit of time so I need to hear about the other two. Yeah But in like a short version What was the best part of the trip and what was the worst part? Best part of the trip Yeah, yeah, yeah, August I started in August and I finished Christmas of the next year So whatever that is 16 months, I think Um, that is a I know it was awesome A lot of stories in there a lot of memories in there But what is like the moment that gave you that either the best lesson or the best memory or the best laugh like whatever You see that to be what was it and then same goes for the worst Hello, you guys you've heard me talk about this one before and I'm happy to do so over and over and over again Hello fresh. It is my favorite thing for anybody especially r.h She is just now living alone for the first time living with roommate for the first time experiencing a time in your life Where your parents aren't cooking for you or whatever it may be Hello fresh. You get farm fresh pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your door It is so convenient. 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I pinky promise Honestly, there's so many so many things that are tied for the best, but I would say um That we did a four-day trek to Machu Picchu in Peru and it was unbelievable and I like like eight of my friends flew down from LA And so we were like it was so good to see them and we all did it together and I'll never forget that Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you should Message me when you read that part because it was really special to me But interestingly the worst part of the trip was right before that which was Um one night we were we were biking way up in the andes mountains like 14,000 feet was freaking cold at night And and we were in the middle of nowhere and we couldn't find a town or anywhere to sleep and so We just pulled over in a field in this little catch what woman like a native woman who lived there She was like you can you can stay here in her broken Spanish And we were like is it gonna rain and she looked at this guy and she goes no, it's not gonna rain And she looked like a wise witch, so I'm like When she knew I'm like oh this like woman close to the earth knows if it's gonna rain she said no So we lay on we don't set up our tents because it's hard and and so we just lay on the ground on a tarp And we wake up in at 10 30 at night in a Lake of freezing cold water. It's been raining on us and now the water is in our sleeping bags And there's nowhere to go we're we're in the middle of nowhere. There's she doesn't even have a house. She lives in like a cave and So we and it was like 40 degrees And and it was it wasn't four in the morning. It was 10 30 at night It's like that's when half of this and it rained all night and and it was too cold to sleep everything we owned was soaking wet So for a whole night, we're just shivering and rocking and being like I hate it here I hate it here and that was like That's what's the moment that really just I was just like this sucks like everybody wants to go on an adventure this freaking sucks So that was that was the worst That sounds horrible. I can barely fall asleep with my house is too cold. I can't imagine right like I I when I first started reading I was like oh I could I could camp I could definitely just Live in a hammock and do all of this, you know to spike ride a little bit every day And then obviously the further I get in the book, you're like wait Maybe not maybe just because I'm low maintenance and love to see the world that might be that's a little much That's why I think it's well you can like soft launch that you know you go on a few like kind of Easier camping trips and realize if you like it Yeah, this is a very very good point you make um my next question when it comes to this trip It's been so long now 10 years or so I left 10 years ago and I finished So like next Christmas so Christmas 2024 will be 10 years of finishing the trip So I'll I actually want to go back to panic going in next Christmas and like her next new years or something and Like party You definitely should I mean does it feel like it was that long ago or does it still feel recent because there's certain events that happened in my life that feel Yeah, like they just happened you So long ago and other things that happened a month ago that feel like 10 years ago. Where does this fall? I think it feels but it's I it feels like both like I'll remember memories of it feel very fresh But then I think about all the life that I've lived in last 10 years and it's like a lot So I'm like oh wow, I've grown you know 10 years That's half your life. That's one fourth of my life That's like a lot of your life and the first 10 barely matter because you're just a little baby blob Yeah, and do you do you like get sick of talking about it like are you ready to Get to a point where you're not talking about this adventure anymore. You're talking about something new or you still Like so proud of it that you want to talk about it I don't know if that's it. No, I got tired of talking about it when the book came out because it was just like it was the same and and the trip was so difficult and also like I got tired talking about it because I was like I'm freaking done with this bicycle and it's all I talk about now and Yeah, I'm like it was cool, but like get away from me and now I miss the bike and I like talking about it and it's so nostalgic. So like This is so nice. Yeah Yeah, it's just one of those things like everything is temporary. Yeah, the loving it was temporary It was temporary. It's all yeah, it changes and it morphs So I'm glad that you're not at a point where you still Because I was kind of worried. I'll take oh, I hope like I'm not talking about something that one happened so long ago too The book itself is four years old five. Yeah, it came out um this like October of 2018 So five years I just I'm like I know it's I should read you know the second one and then we could talk about that one and the new one But it just it tells so many valuable stories and my god. Thank you That I want everyone to read it and I feel so strongly about it. So you're such an angel Thank you so much. That is so good. I will talk about this book. I'll talk about any book They're just gonna have to be about my book. Just any book that changes someone's life. I'm obsessed That's all I do is recommend books. I'm like Because to sit I I love to I know to sit on a beach or to sit in a coffee shop and just like Nobody knows what's happening in your brain and like you could have the most mind exploding thought And you're just no one knows and that's so cool. Yeah I've been I've been reading this book at night and me and my boyfriend are living like we live together So I'll be reading it at night. He's just doing his own thing He doesn't really like reading and after I put the book around I'll be like And he'll be he goes how was it like what'd you read about like I can't even explain it to you But it's so good. You just need to read it. So my goal is to get him to read it eventually. That's so cool Tell me what you just read. I'm like well, he went here to here But that doesn't matter like that's not the what I'm trying to tell you I'm like the the good part is the juice of what did you see um Did you see the little short film about my bike trip called the thousand year journey No, but I almost it's is it the National Geographic? Yes Google that after this conversation because it's did it my What my old roommate and one of my best friends came and spent a month with me biking in Peru And came to Machu Picchu with me and he was filming the whole time and made a little short film about my bike trip So you can see what it looked like It's very cool. I definitely I because I love the combination to like documentaries or warm my my Reading YouTube or well now I don't know so much, but in the past I love to watch and understand all at once So super cool. I'm definitely gonna have to check it out But we're kind of running out of time somehow that went by so far. So What happens in the next book you wrote was it about an adventure about a journey? or Just give me the rundown. Okay. Here's the rundown. I you're so sweet. Okay So my first book was my adventure book my second book so I kind of became Known for writing on Instagram long captions like almost like small essays About life about friendship When I google you it says Instagram personality and I didn't really understand it with that meant so that I was checking out Instagram I'm like, oh he writes cool last caption Yeah, it's like so it's started it sort of started there because on my bike trip I would write Because most people back in the day. I don't know what they do now But back in the day you would have a blog like you would travel go like you'd move to China And you'd have a travel blog and people could tune in and I was like Just follow my Instagram and I'll write where I am and what I'm doing and so I did that and it I they're already here just read it so anyway That's but I started reflecting all these things and people really responded to it They and so my second book is a book of essays where it's just I picked I pick Like eight topics so it's family, friendship, love, work, death, the soul, and ego and it's like the I just basically Break down what I believe about those things. So if you're like oh, I want to I wonder what Jed thinks about friendship or love So it's a fun that was really fun to write and then the new book which comes out next week is this one It's so cute. So it's called Mother Nature And this is a picture of my mom and it's about I The little Blurb of this one, but I want to hear. Yeah. Well, so my sweet mama is like conservative Christian and I'm like Gay liberal la la la and so we just don't agree about a lot of things and we love each other I'm obsessed with her and we travel together and this is about a big adventure. We did together and it's basically like It's basically all about like how do you stay in loving relationship with parents when like they drive you crazy and you drive them crazy I don't think that that is going to Heal inspire whatever it may do for anybody who has that mommy issue or that doctor Yeah, I think it's I just And I think that your story with her is so cool and even just what from what I've read and like the first half more than halfway of this book Like it's just beautiful that you guys can still stay yeah, so strong and your relations each other even through the differences and I think it just Tells a much bigger story about how sometimes we're gonna all have to do that You should you should read it with your mom and then you guys talk about it on your podcast If I could get my mother to read a book with me I would get her the I get her the audiobook because I read it I read the audiobook and then she can when she's driving around Going to wherever she's going She likes I don't know she's a little weird, but I will make her listen audio and I'll do the real version And I love now because I've heard your voice because I think as I finish the rest of this book You know, yeah, it's so true. Yes You'll hear me reading it to you. Yeah It's true. So cool. So what was what trip did you do with your mom? She walked yeah, so in the 70s my parents walked across America for five years and They were they wrote for National Geographic and they were on the cover of National Geographic and it was very famous when they did that But then when I was little my parents got a divorce and it was really sad and then my dad went on to be famous The guy who walked across America and my mom was kind of left in the dust like people forgot about her And it's always like hurt her heart and I was like mom Let's go on a road trip and retrace your walk across America And I want to know what you were like when you were young like I want to meet you as a young girl Because I only know you as my like mom and moms are different moms are like aliens But you are actually just a young 22-year-old girl who got older like but it's that that spirit is in you Yeah, the more I recognize that in my parents and just adults in general. I'm like oh wait We're the exact same. Yeah, you just have done a little more. Yeah, you're a person and So wait so we retraced ourselves and then I realized that she had kept a journal the whole time And so she's sitting there in the car while we're driving through exactly where she walked and she's reading me what she thought that day when she was In her 20s, and I'm like gagged. I'm like this is so cool That is incredible. Oh my god. Yeah, so I'll always keep a journal because you're gonna be grateful when you're older Oh, it's my biggest thing. I'm actually releasing a guided journal on April 21 Pro as we kind of come to a close. This is perfect timing I want to ask you just a simple prompt from the journal. Do just get your What's your response would be because I journal and change my life and it made me start thinking and understanding myself and other people and just having More compassion for the world in general, so love love that But that prompt is what's something that you not only hide from others, but you also hide from yourself Oh my god, that's deep and let me let me think about it. That's delicious It's a tough one. I honestly I haven't even filled out the prompt for this one. So I'm just throwing it in your hands I mean honestly This is really deep and I like the US that I I think because I was closeted for so long and I like pushed away my like sexuality because I would get me in trouble It is still even now as an adult man hard for me to believe that like I am sexy and I am worthy of affection like if somebody likes me and they're flirting with me Like it's hard for me to even perceive that someone's flirting with me and my friends will be like he is into you Yeah, I had a wall And I exactly like I'm in a friend zone everybody because I'm scared and so I hide my I just hide my sexiness From myself and from others Shake it off Easier said than done. Yeah, I hate that like that's one thing. We'll just do it. But definitely You deserve to feel love. You're so wonderful. Thank you You're welcome. Oh my gosh. This has been so much fun. I think we definitely need to do this again Yes, when you're done And we'll do a three-win with your mom to tell her to read the book and then every of us will discuss I definitely think we could do like a four-way we could all we could all come on and do a podcast your mom Oh my god, yes But you know what I mean. Oh my god likes you. I've had the best time I Me too that was so much fun Thank you so much for coming on and chatting and I can't wait to do it again and get into even more But everyone who is listening make sure you go read all three books because by the time this podcast comes out I think all three will be ready just super excited Um go give them a follow if you want to tell them like anything else that you want them to check out Oh, no, just I mean read Elizabeth Gilbert's books if you want read my books and Definitely keep following keep following Lexi because she's an old soul with an angel's heart and I'm very honored to be in this conversation with you Right back at you and I can't wait to do it again. I'm so glad we did that me too. How much fun. So thanks Lexi Well, you guys you heard it here what an incredible guy and one incredible conversation Thank you so much for listening this week Thank you for supporting this new venture of having guests on and giving me the grace and the time and the Compassion to figure out you know the right way to do it and again always accepting feedback What do you guys want to know who do you want to see where do we take this thing next and how do we do it? We're all in this together. You guys are my family and you know that and again Thank you so much for tuning in and listening. I love you from the bottom of my heart. Okay. Bye now. See you next Monday When we have another guest look at me go