When I can’t be outdoors, I read about the outdoors. Time spent on the train to work is easily spent reading, especially when the books are about backpacking. I’m no literary know-it-all, but below are some thoughts on two books I’ve recently finished. I recommend them both but for different types of adventurers.
In Wild, Cheryl Strayed brings readers into her life long before her first steps on the Pacific Crest Trail. Her experiences before backpacking the PCT, brutally life-changing, set the mood for her jump to becoming a backpacker.
The story is not about the trail itself, but the trail as a metaphor for the mountains she trudges over to find peace with losing her mother, her marriage and in many ways, herself. Deciding she had nothing to loose and everything to gain, she left Minnesota and headed to Southern California and the PCT.
Her mistakes on the trail are unfathomable to most backpackers. Thankfully Cheryl’s struggles with gear, maps, and the brutality of hiking ease simultaneously as her acceptance of what brought her to the PCT clears a way to move forward in life and her hike.
This isn’t a trail guide; it’s about a mental journey that brings each of us into the mountains: to find peace with something. Whether it’s peace in a life that’s fallen apart or peace and quiet in a loud word, hikers can relate and respect her decision to find peace where she did. Hiking the PCT to find her peace reminds us that some life-struggles call for needed trail-struggles to sort through it.
In contrast, Lawton Grinter, or by his train name, Disco, has hiked every long-distance trail in the US. His trail experience dwarfs that of nearly every other backpacker, yet he continues hiking to find peace and his place in the world.
Through a compilation of short stories, Disco offers readers the perspective of a veteran backpacker who is still humbled by what nature throws his way. In a reminder that no two hikes are the same, he makes mistakes, he makes friends and he makes memories that will last a lifetime.
Where backpackers can struggle with Wild, they will laugh and shudder along with Disco’s tales through some of the country’s most rugged areas. The pouring rain, scorching heat and swarming mosquitos are vividly relatable to backpackers everywhere. Yet, it’s exactly these vivid experiences and his retellings that might loose readers who are either new to backpacking or considering the jump from camping.
Two great books for the coming winter months where, if you’re like me, the backpacking gear hibernates until the spring thaw melts away the snow, exposing the trails once again.
Missing canadian found, I’m back!
Where oh where have I been, you ask? Or maybe you didn’t and I’ll tell you anyway. It’s been a long time since my last post and I have some explaining to do. This summer has been a little more than cramped. Busy doesn’t do it justice. I’ll spare the details and bring you up to speed real quick.
Ready? Let’s go.
First, we traveled to Coos Bay for my sister-in-law’s wedding. Welcome to the family, J! We stayed in yurts at Sunset Bay State Park. Swank camping.
The area is beautiful and yurt camping rocks if you haven’t done it.
Flying stand-by to Las Vegas earned me a day in Portland roaming the town and Deschutes Brewery. Bottoms up!
Kevin, in the middle, didn’t let dialysis tame the bachelor’s party. Vegas, baby!
We headed to McMinnville, Oregon to visit wineries around our wedding venue last year with my parents.
Who says Oregon is rainy all the time?
Next, I headed to Tahoe for Greg’s bachelor’s party. Seeing the wedding theme yet? More to come on this hike later, I promise.
We celebrated Joe’s 45th birthday with bash and some kickin’ cake.
We got keys to our house and Kari started painting, and painting, and painting. And yes, we were closing escrow this whole time…
Then time for wedding #2, groomsman duty with some classy dudes.
It was an honor to dance and party all too hard in celebration of this amazing couple.
Greg and I took some youngsters out backpacking at Penner Lake the night of the super moon. Trail review to come soon.
To celebrate our first year of marriage, Kari and I headed out with the new tent to Point Reyes. Another trail review to come soon.
Any lastly, wedding #3 for the year. Best friend got married and yours truly was the best man. Best-ish, I guess. I invented a dance move for all you Crossfitters. It’s called the WOD.
Things are slowing down and life is returning to a more normal speed. Thanks for staying with me. There is plenty of fun ahead. Let’s make memories and enjoy every step of the way.
Keep your stick on the ice!
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