Comments on: Space Around You

By: LG

LG — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 14:38:54 +0000

this is why I don’t live in Burlington. mountain living is the deal.

I rode yesterday morning with Chris, rode after lunch with Sandy, and went back up to the tavern last night to eat and watch kids huck their meat in a USASA slopestyle (which isn’t “outdoors” but it beats the hell out of fighting for a table in Burlington) Ran into Jake’s kids and Andy Coghlan… rad.

today, going to the Adirondacks to go ice climbing. outdoors is the deal. need to get away from this e-machine and pack up my gear.

By: Vince

Vince — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 03:34:40 +0000

Scott Lenhardt was pissed at me dissing NYC, and I told him to argue with me here. He also reminded me of Terrill Pond, in the Adirondacks. A few words that come to mind from them trips are: brook trout, Ron, pot, beer-ymids, snoring, shallow dirt toilets, Bianca, snow and floatplanes.

By: Karen Merriam

Karen Merriam — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 03:30:18 +0000

Vince,
Another great post. It brought to mind some distant memories I have of the days when Brent and I were not lazy and we actually chose to spend time sleeping on the ground in tents. Two of the best ‘outside’ memories I have are of camping in Washington State and in the Adirondacks.

The first was a two day trip that turned into a three day trip to the Olympic National Park coastline. We slept under the pines along the edge of the beach. Because we had only brought enough food for 2 days and the raccoons had gotten into our trail mix with their all-too-human little greedy hands, we fought over each noodle in a nutritionally-devoid Lipton parmesan noodles pack. We also had some cran-raspberry juice concentrate and that tasted like it was the nectar of the gods, we were so hungry.

The second was a Memorial Day weekend trip that started with 90 degree weather (complete with a million biting bugs, many of whom drown in our sweat) and ended with crazy howling wind and snow on our tent the next morning. Of course, we were boneheads and didn’t have warm gear. The hike out, on the narrow trail along beautiful Avalanche Lake was tricky and slick.

I remember the downsides of these two trips but only with gratitude and amusement. They provided just enough discomfort to add the edge that made me know that I was not safe and INSIDE. I was OUTSIDE and I felt great even if I was cold or hungry.

I read a book about ten years ago called “Ecopsychology”. It’s a collection of essays, edited by Theodore Roszak, that considers human psychology in the context of human evolution in the natural world. From what I recall, it’s one of the top 10 books I have ever read.

Keep at it.
Karen

By: J. O'Shea

J. O'Shea — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:16:27 +0000

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making the earth bald before her time, he is deemed an industrious and enterprising citizen. – Henry David Thoreau

Some more good advice from your friends at Adbusters: Compare the number of brand names known by your children to the number of types of trees they know.

You’re lucky to be close to some of the most amazing natural beauty I’ve ever seen.

I have a great memory of walking into the crater on Mt. St. Helen’s (if you walk 100 yards past the parking lot, you’re essentially alone). As we were walking across one of the huge frozen lava rivers, it looked like the sunlight was making some of the dirt and ash in the distance appear purple. As we got closer, we realized it was just tiny purple flowers (with no green leaves, etc.) growing out of the ground. Only browns and purples to be seen. Very beautiful. I’d never seen anything like that.

We’re a temporary part of Nature.

Enjoy,