Transitions exist on a range of varying scope and size. Sometimes they’re small, encompassing mere moments, a brief lapse before you’re headed off in a new direction. Others take longer, years perhaps, decades, even lifetimes. Some of these transitions happen easily, even naturally, while others are forced to come about. It seems like a law of nature that the bigger transitions are necessarily slower, often more difficult, and they usually have the biggest impact.
Winter’s Shadows.
Traces, shadows, ripples, remains… Each moment has it’s immediate impact as well as another that can be felt long after. Some things we work hard to forget, while other times it seems no matter how hard we try we can never remember something exactly as it was, or how we wished it might have been. Moments compound, time shrinks and memories expand to encompass a miriad of emotions, thoughts, and experiences.
When the winter comes a better part of me becomes lost to the world. My job, my location, my state of mind, all become focused on my immediate surroundings and the tasks at hand. Try as I might to catalogue, to remember, to share, so much is wrapped together and buried under layers of snow. This season’s memories might not be buried quite as deep under that immaculate blanket of white, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t just as many. Time has a way of getting away from you, and while sometimes you’re the one out ahead, more often we’re playing catch-up while continuing to push forward. It’s been a little while but I’m very pleased to have a moment to look back with you on a season some have been calling the worst. Personally I’ll need more evidence than a few numbers and some dirt patches, because when I look back on these pictures, they tell a different story, I think you’ll agree.
Pilgrims of Gnar
The video is grainy, shaky, and shot from my phone. I didn’t make it in a shot where I wasn’t pointing the camera at myself and I missed out on capturing the tough moments, hard conversations, deep belly laughs and silent tears. Looking back through all the footage it’s somewhat unbelievable what we accomplished. Not because we’re strong or smart or creative. It’s amazing because we managed to say no. No we’re not taking the easy way, we’re not looking for shortcuts. We set out to be deliberate, to do things simply, correctly, honestly. We managed to do this and more, to embrace our path, to pursue it with a devotion I’ve never before found. We’re not trying to set an example, to hold anything over another. Our goals are infinitely simpler than our lives: have fun, be happy, that’s about it. There’s a lot of the world to be seen, a lot of mountains to be climbed, but at the end of the day, I wouldn’t want to do it any other way. I’d like to show it to you here, but I’m not that techy, so you’ll just have to click once more.
The long road home.
Cars equal comfort. They make things easier, faster, and less committing. When you drive to the crag or the trailhead, it’s like you’re leaving a safety net in the parking lot. With a bike, not so much. When the day is done or the climb is over, there’s no jumping in the rig and punching the cruise control home. When you’re cycling for transportation, the ride home is as integral a part of the climb as the summit, whether it’s a few blocks home from the gym, or a week-long ride back from the desert. The lesson is this: the climb isn’t over when you reach the top. You’ve still got to get down, you’ve still got to get home. When you’re on the bike, there’s no easy escape, no quick way to pull the plug. This requires commitment and dedication, but it also builds patience and understanding.
This is the last installment in our series of trip reports from the fall’s Pilgrims of Gnar expedition. At 35 days and over 1500 miles of riding, this experience taught us a lot about ourselves, each other, and life on the bike. A journey this long tends to change your perspective and leave you in a daze, but even as you readjust to the world around you, the important lessons and values avoid erosion.
Resolutions, Pacts, and The Rock Project
Happy New Year! 2014 was one hell of a ride: our first Bike to Ski adventure, 6th year of Car-Free life and our 3rd year embracing 100%, completely Bicycle-Powered adventure. We traveled literally thousands of miles by bike to climb, ski, hike, party, eat, sleep, and generally enjoy this beautiful planet. I’m not one for resolutions but this time of year I do find myself taking stock of where I am, where I’ve been, where I’d like to be, this includes making sure I’m on track to be a better, more thoughtful, helpful, and considerate individual. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no saint, in fact, I’m often somewhat of an asshole, and while I continue to work towards being a more kind and compassionate individual, in my heart I know that this is who I am – a frank, no bullshit, straightforward kind of guy, and rather that try and stifle who I am, I think I’ll be more effective by embracing my personality and directing it in a positive and productive way. What exactly does this mean? Well, I’m still figuring it out, but it has a little something to do with this…
Zion National Park – A Bike to Climb Photojournal
I’ve been racking my brain, typing till my fingers bleed, trying every different angle, but none of it feels right. This fall we cycled over 1500 miles across 5 states to spend 2 weeks climbing in one of my favorite places on Earth: Zion Canyon. A trip report won’t do, and I’m not convinced there are any words or ways to convey to you just how much this life means to me, how much it’s changed the way I climb, live, and see the world. I’d love to tell you about each pitch, each mile, every day and every climb, but I know that’s not how it works. I want to grab hold of your shoulders, to shake you and show you what’s real, what’s important and why this life is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, but you’ll just think I’m crazy.
Maybe it’s the easy way out, maybe I’m missing something or just loosing touch with how to tell a story. Maybe, but something tells me this trip was too big, to deep, and too crazy to properly share, and that my attempt with words will only confuse the issue. What happened out there? Sometimes even I wonder, but I rest easy knowing I shared it with my two best friends on earth, knowing they had their minds blown as wide as mine. This time, I’m gonna keep my mouth shut. This time, I’m gonna let the pictures tell the story.
Continue reading “Zion National Park – A Bike to Climb Photojournal”
International Mountain Day
Sorry to be late to the game, but after coming back from my weekend I heard that I had been inadvertently celebrating International Mountain Day, awesome! After a little more research I learned that this year’s theme was Mountain Farming, more awesome! Seeing as how my life pretty much revolves around these two subjects, I thought I’d share the little bit I learned about this great holiday, as well as a few thoughts on the importance of mountains in our lives. Continue reading “International Mountain Day”