Giant steps are what you take...
Mar. 26th, 2003 06:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tugrikFor the last few months a thought has been crossing my mind that I never expected: I want to hike. This is, well, uncharateristic for me in a big way. Throughout my life, be it in scouts, school or on my own time the one thing I didn't like about any given trip or activity was the part where you had to walk places. I even hate the part about walking during shopping and social activities. I always have, even when I was young and in much better shape. Now, it wasn't the travel itself I minded. Heck, put me on a bicycle, skateboard, rollerskates or any other more-enjoyable form of transport and I was all about going places. It was just walking in and of itself that really annoyed me. I really don't know the cause of that, as this was true even when skinny.
The result, of course, is an adult life where I'm overweight and I can't walk any great distances without notable discomfort or other problems. Wheee.
Maybe it's the motorcycling and all the 'get out and see stuff' that it's brought. Maybe it's the slow-but-progressing weight loss over the last year. Maybe it's some mild form of deep, internal panic about not being able to walk at all in my later years if I don't do something about it now. Whatever it may be it's given me an odd longing for backpacking and hiking, even though I'm currently not able to.
When I'd hear friends or co-workers talk about the 'real' hiking trips -- the kind that take weeks, and follow things with names like the 'pacific coast trail' and such -- I would just look at them like they were nuts. What are you, Forrest Gump, wanting to run across the nation? Or one of those psycho pedal-nazi's that go from Mexico to Canada living out of little sacks strapped to the bikes? All kinds of stereotype-hate came in here for reasons unknown. Now that I've been doing the 10-12 hour enduro rides on motorcycles and finding myself huge chunks of miles away at the end of each day I can start to see it, albeit from a motorized perspective. Somewhere in there is the first inkling of understanding why someone would want to pedal 300 miles as a 'vacation', or backpack from one side of a mountain to another.
When I read the journals of folks like Foofers and other bay area types who talk gleefully about riding and hiking it now provokes a mild envy instead of non-understanding.
One component I can identify is one that I remember from my youth: the gear side of things. Yup, there's that common thread again. When I was a Scout the part I loved the best about camping was the catalogs full of gear. At the time there wasn't much I could afford of it, but I definately had worthwhile basics (mostly thanks to the parents). Still, I was fascinated by the whole slew of camping, cooking, orienteering and exploring gear -- just about everything 'cept the clothes part. The same is true today. I hate the clothing sections of camp-stores and catalogs because they will never make anything in my size, ever. Period. But the rest of the gear? Ooo... toys! And higher tech ones too. In place of old flashlights are LEDs. Multi-fuel ultralight pocket stoves can outheat and outlast anything that came before them, and at 1/5th the weight and size. Backpacks have undergone a revolution in comfort and ability. I don't even have to get into the whole GPS thing. The list keeps going and going. Yes -- REI is definately a 'toy store' in my book.
I've been able to engage in some REI-lovin' by way of my Burning Man addiction. More recently I've been researching and able to play with the ultralight higher-tech backpacker's gear because it fits my current activity: motorcycle adventuring. I've got three different motorcycle camping events this summer that I'm definately looking forwards to. I've already tried out some of the gear on the Yosemite trip last weekend and the Laguna Seca camping trip last fall. But as I research, gear up and get adventuring time in on a set of motorized wheels, I find myself more and more curious of what it's like to do it on my own two feet.
My love of infrastructure is reforming into smaller packages, I guess. Wanting a house that has it all (my dreams of a solar-powered home), then wanting a car that can carry it all and survive in for a week (again, burning man), to wanting a motorbike that can go anywhere and pack it in (the GS in Death Valley worked wonderfully)... this is pointing down to having a pack on my back that, when properly equipped and used, would allow me to be dropped off in (insert name of any national park here) and go live for a week+, just wandering around on my own two feet. There's huge numbers of people who do this. Why can't I?
If I make this more of a goal, keep losing weight and pick up on the exercise... who knows. Maybe I can.
The result, of course, is an adult life where I'm overweight and I can't walk any great distances without notable discomfort or other problems. Wheee.
Maybe it's the motorcycling and all the 'get out and see stuff' that it's brought. Maybe it's the slow-but-progressing weight loss over the last year. Maybe it's some mild form of deep, internal panic about not being able to walk at all in my later years if I don't do something about it now. Whatever it may be it's given me an odd longing for backpacking and hiking, even though I'm currently not able to.
When I'd hear friends or co-workers talk about the 'real' hiking trips -- the kind that take weeks, and follow things with names like the 'pacific coast trail' and such -- I would just look at them like they were nuts. What are you, Forrest Gump, wanting to run across the nation? Or one of those psycho pedal-nazi's that go from Mexico to Canada living out of little sacks strapped to the bikes? All kinds of stereotype-hate came in here for reasons unknown. Now that I've been doing the 10-12 hour enduro rides on motorcycles and finding myself huge chunks of miles away at the end of each day I can start to see it, albeit from a motorized perspective. Somewhere in there is the first inkling of understanding why someone would want to pedal 300 miles as a 'vacation', or backpack from one side of a mountain to another.
When I read the journals of folks like Foofers and other bay area types who talk gleefully about riding and hiking it now provokes a mild envy instead of non-understanding.
One component I can identify is one that I remember from my youth: the gear side of things. Yup, there's that common thread again. When I was a Scout the part I loved the best about camping was the catalogs full of gear. At the time there wasn't much I could afford of it, but I definately had worthwhile basics (mostly thanks to the parents). Still, I was fascinated by the whole slew of camping, cooking, orienteering and exploring gear -- just about everything 'cept the clothes part. The same is true today. I hate the clothing sections of camp-stores and catalogs because they will never make anything in my size, ever. Period. But the rest of the gear? Ooo... toys! And higher tech ones too. In place of old flashlights are LEDs. Multi-fuel ultralight pocket stoves can outheat and outlast anything that came before them, and at 1/5th the weight and size. Backpacks have undergone a revolution in comfort and ability. I don't even have to get into the whole GPS thing. The list keeps going and going. Yes -- REI is definately a 'toy store' in my book.
I've been able to engage in some REI-lovin' by way of my Burning Man addiction. More recently I've been researching and able to play with the ultralight higher-tech backpacker's gear because it fits my current activity: motorcycle adventuring. I've got three different motorcycle camping events this summer that I'm definately looking forwards to. I've already tried out some of the gear on the Yosemite trip last weekend and the Laguna Seca camping trip last fall. But as I research, gear up and get adventuring time in on a set of motorized wheels, I find myself more and more curious of what it's like to do it on my own two feet.
My love of infrastructure is reforming into smaller packages, I guess. Wanting a house that has it all (my dreams of a solar-powered home), then wanting a car that can carry it all and survive in for a week (again, burning man), to wanting a motorbike that can go anywhere and pack it in (the GS in Death Valley worked wonderfully)... this is pointing down to having a pack on my back that, when properly equipped and used, would allow me to be dropped off in (insert name of any national park here) and go live for a week+, just wandering around on my own two feet. There's huge numbers of people who do this. Why can't I?
If I make this more of a goal, keep losing weight and pick up on the exercise... who knows. Maybe I can.
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no subject
Date: 2003-03-26 08:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-03-26 08:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-03-26 11:57 pm (UTC)Much of this is probably upbringing...my dad grew up in New York City, not exactly camping mecca, so there was little to be passed on there. And much probably has to do with largely unenjoyable childhood experiences stemming from a lack of knowledge and/or proper equipment, and thus trying to avoid further unpleasantries by settling on being a computer couch potato for the majority of my life.
I do love things that fold up into little tiny cases though! Gear! Even when I don't know what it is, I just appreciate the stuff. It's the Engineer Gene. But the more I learn about the gear and its proper use, the further I find I can stray from home...that it doesn't necessarily have to be a filthy or unpleasant experience. See neat new things. Wildlife and that big fiery orb thingy in the sky. And the further I stray, the more I find I need gear. Kind of a feedback loop. I don't expect I'll ever be mounting any grand multi-week expeditions, and I'm still not keen on Burning Man, but I'm starting to toy with the idea of, as summer approaches and the weather improves and one can travel lighter, maybe trying some little weekend jaunts entirely by bike and/or foot. Just an idea. For now, I'm content to see nature by day, and then come home to my own john. ;)
Hadn't seen any reports here from you in a while with regard to weight loss...was concerned that maybe you'd fallen off the proverbial wagon and didn't want to talk about it. Slow-but-progressing is fine...time has this nasty habit of passing, whether we do anything about it or not. Too often we give up on something because "it'll take forever," and yet that forever always manages to pass, and we can find ourselves at the other end of it either with a goal achieved or with a lot of regrets, wishing we had taken action what seems like not so long ago. But now I'm getting all philosophical here...point is, glad to hear it, do keep us abreast.
Gotta show you the recumbent some time. With all the bags and doohickeys strapped on there, it's starting to look like Steve Roberts' bike. Haven't even gotten into the really tech stuff yet. Ahhh, gear...
no subject
Date: 2003-03-27 08:14 am (UTC)My family's got strong Boy Scout and 4-H roots, and I've followed that path. Been on several backpacking trips that were managed for me, and several that our crew had to prepare for ourselves. I even earned a 'Ranger' Award through Venturing, learning all those wilderness survival techniques that I probably won't ever need, but are nice to know.
Any advice on the best types of gear, just ask.. I have opinions on everything. :)
Get yourself a pedometer
Date: 2003-03-27 09:28 am (UTC)Little steps like that will make it easier to get into full hiking and camping!
no subject
Date: 2003-03-27 09:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-03-27 04:24 pm (UTC)And I am fairly sure Paka likes rambling too, only he tends to go bounding up creekbeds off-trail and embarressing my 'eeek, preserve nature' tree-hugginess.