Sometimes

There's no place I'd rather be.

What I've Truly Missed

Really, it was far too long. Excuses are pointless in hindsight. It's funny how life makes you forget about your life sometimes. Also, it's amazing and wonderful even when it's not. We'll shortly return to paying odds, but let's get to something else first:

We had first tried to get into the Maze 8 years ago. I was planning on smuggling in Mr. Murph, and was equipped with 2 tire cables, a stock suspension and ignorance.

While we got in later that year, the current trip validates the decision not to try the descent back then. (Trouble found us regardless both times, but those are separate stories)

So down we went to the most remote area of the contiguous 48.
(And we were apparently the first back up this year).
The truck finally earned a name.
(Contact me if curious)





Much has changed since I was last in this area. I suppose that if you had the inclination, you could update your Facebook profile to let people know that you're staying out of touch with and disappearing from everyone. So it goes.

So I finally made it to the Fins, the area that I used to daydream about when the taped topographic maps of the Maze district were hanging on my wall in Santa Cruz.

Returning to the neglected life is a good thing.
While I suppose it was there and back again, it feels more like a through-hike.
I could write more, but other pics are lurking somewhere around here...

Paying Odds

Well, we'll get to this after Utah. It's been far too long.

Creeping Determinism

No, Let's not talk about that...

Merry Merry

So while the lunar eclipse that can be viewed every 500 years was obscured by record snow falls, we had to make the best of it. 2.5 days of straight skiing has left the legs in rare form. Goggles disappeared somewhere during the multi-mountain tour, but so it goes.

Happy Holidays from Summit County.

Ingen Order (3)

Things to Learn

One ought to remember to bring a camera at all times, or risk spending $3.74 at the Wal-Mart to document travel.  Once that is full, pictures can be forthcoming from the road trip back.

While it dumps snow in CO,  the itchy-footed wanderer might consider leaving well enough alone.

Otherwise, one might find himself in 5 degree weather in Wisconsin

Not that WI in winter is completely joyless...

 Thanks for the documentation, Kris.

 And, Best of all, Half-Ass has a new friend.
Now taking suggestions for the name.

Out of Summit

In needing a reset,

 Skis, guns, PBR

Caleb's first shot of the new .30-06

Of course, Half Ass is happy

Happy Happy

Gobble Gobble.

In keeping form, the new view from home.  Was first to drop North Peak this year.  Thigh high before Thanksgiving is unheard of.  Yay.

Answers to Recent FAQs

  1. Of course I do.
  2. I have no idea. 
  3. Probably, given the chance.
  4. While nitrates are delicious, no.
  5. How would that be OK?  That would not be OK.
  6. Most nights, which seems to be directly related to the amount of sleep I've been getting.
  7. An anthropomorphized lion.
  8. The enlightening perspective is not a precursor to feeling better.
  9. If it were up to me.
10. Yes.

Then, in Pictures.

 

Parsing the crepuscular narrative

Or, coruscating in purgatory.

I live in a pyramid. Some days just travel along a continuum of gray. Others are just cold and windy. Then the disc golf, or primal kitchen percussion parties commence. Sometimes we ride bikes, no matter the temperature, past the final concert hall played by Buddy Holly. We've still got pumpkins waiting to be carved, seeds needing to be roasted and a mouse that needs a comeuppance in the walls. And Super Grover is going to pay a visit.

After close to 5 months at it, I maintain hope that I will sleep for more than 4.5hrs in one go.

There exists a terminable time frame to be out here, but the actual remaining penance has yet to be disclosed.

Knowing that in the end, there is a goal to all of this, albeit modified, is motivation, when reminded.

To wit

Semantics

Timing: An awkward start, due to its metaphysical root. Alter two days/weeks/months around and life could be completely different. Awkward.

Tacit: The assumption that what is left unspoken does not lead to other assumptions.

Ultimatum: A sometimes necessary, but necessarily arbitrary time frame by which one must make a Decision (see below).

Should: A falsely held belief that the self or others or life play out in a determinedly, internally idealized manner.

Regret: A non-existent idea or a capitulation towards a passive rather than a proactive approach to life.

Decision: Excluding the ~2% of the time where one's head is stuck up one's own ass, the best possible choice made at any given time considering as many variables as possible. Should it result that the former was the culprit or that the best possible choice turned out to be wrong in retrospect, refer to "Regret."

Bye, TX

George Hamilton, IV... You, good sir, are a liar. Or have a different set of values than I.

So, though you had a few fine things to offer - solace with a lovely dog listening in on guitar and xylophone duets on a ranch, an unusually large number of good coworkers passing through and an unprecedented amount of disc golf, I bid you a belated adieu. You provided this only after relenting from giving me one of the most politically charged and psychologically exhausting jobs in recent memory. You coupled this with my loathing of hotels to prevent my seeing the clear cutting of a forest that was a plan. My happiness lies not with you. A traffic engineer, culture, geologic upheaval or a soul would all lead to vast improvements.

In proper 'Atta boy sandwich style, I did appreciate the little things. Apologies to the arachnids, mud daubers and stick bugs that did not make the cut. Apology retracted for the mud daubers; you are vile terrible creatures.

So, again:

TtSTB T8

Those waiting can now exhale and once again look forward to more abstruse references.

To recap:

Colorado->New York->South Africa->New York->Delaware->Maine->Quebec->North Carolina->Illinois->Delaware->Illinois->Texas



Some pictures from SA are here, here and here.





Lived, danced, bled, played, cried, smiled, burned, laughed, scarred, loved and learned a lot. Not finished yet.
Here's reassurance:

Tentative: TX->CO->CA->IA(OR?)->IL->UT->CO->Snow

Mitote

When you peel away all of your fear, subvert all of your pride and finally get over yourself, you're going to find genuinely good people trying their best to be happy.

















The reason for this result is that if you enact these things, you will personally be happy; people are but a reflection of the self.

Disclosure:

Closure is entirely an internal process.


UPDATE: While this statement remains true, closure isn't always necessary.