Long Time, No…Anything

It was never my intention to go quite this long without posting anything.  I knew that I was going to be entering a busy time at work, and that it might be a few weeks before a new post went up, but I figured that a month, at most, and I’d be back to posting with my usual regularity.  After all, I wouldn’t want you to have to go without advice and ideas for outdoor explorations.  Alas, no plan survives first contact with the enemy, and the best laid plans of mice and men are wont to go astray, so I now find myself nearly six months out from my most recent post.

The good news is that this lackluster apology post is also testament to the fact that my work schedule is about to ease up, at least a little (perhaps I’ll be able to work eighteen hours a day instead of twenty), and I have every intention of resuming the blog from where it left off.  I already have at least one or two new adventures that are in the hopper, and I know that I’ve promised you posts on everything from orienteering, to packing lists, to knot-tying.  Hopefully as we move into the summer I’ll be able to finally make good on those earlier commitments.

That’s all for now, but look forward to an actual post soon.  Thank you all for your patience and understanding.

Veteran’s Day 2018

Exactly one hundred years ago, the War to End All Wars, the Great War, the war that came eventually be known as World War I, came to an end.  At the time, the world believed that after its horrors, there would be no more wars of that magnitude, and peace would reign.  Unfortunately, history would eventually prove these lofty hopes false, as World War II brought even greater destruction and more potent threats to the world order.  Nor did conflict cease after the Second World War; battles and wars continue today.

To commemorate all those who served during the First World War, and the signing of the Armistice on 11/11/1918, Armistice Day was established.  Eventually, that day evolved into Veteran’s Day, a holiday which gives us an opportunity to thank all those who have served to defend the values we hold dear.  They make sacrifices that people who do not serve in the armed forces scarcely begin to imagine, as do their families, in the name of freedom, liberty, and justice.  When the US was founded, the idea of a military where the personnel were drawn from the civilian population, and returned to it after their service was complete, was new and unique, and it continues to be a foundational premise of this nation’s armed forces.

It has been said that “people sleep soundly in their beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence upon those who would do them harm.”  There seems to be no consensus as to whom first coined this precise phrase, but its sentiment has been expressed by thinkers, leaders, and writers throughout much of history.  Veteran’s Day is an opportunity to thank all of those rough men who have facilitated the secure, civil, peaceful lives in which we find ourselves.  I truly hope that you will take the time to do so.  It seems the least we can do for those who have given so much for us.

Human-Powered

Someone born in the dusk of the nineteenth century who lived to be, say, one hundred years old, would have been witness to some of the most drastic transformations in history, dramatically encapsulated in the evolution of transportation.  This hypothetical person would have grown up in a world where the primary mode of transportation was by foot or by horse, with trains allowing for faster transportation between certain destinations.  Then came the model T, and the affordable automobile soon suffused the roads.  Air travel barely existed as the twentieth century marched on, but by the end of the Second World War, jet engines were a reality.  Soon, the sound barrier was a thing of the past, and in 1969, we put men on the moon.  Imagine, going from getting about on foot or by horse, to having commonplace air travel, automobiles, and watching people walk on the moon.

These advances in transportation technology are just one facet of the progress that has continued into the twenty first century, and enable so many aspects of our modern lives that we rarely stop to think about how incredible it is that we can climb into our cars, get on the road, and drive at seventy miles an hour across the country.  Seventy miles an hour.  It doesn’t seem remarkable, but think about the last time you went backpacking, or hiking.  What was your average pace?  Unless you were really pressing your pace, I’m guessing it was between two and three miles an hour.  If you could maintain that pace, without rest, for a full day, you would be able to cover about the distance that a car can cover in an hour.

The Roman legions could do forced marches of about thirty miles per day, consistently, with all of their gear.  Thirty miles a day is a pretty aggressive pace for a backpacker or hiker today.  I did almost twenty miles in a day on my McCurdy trip, and that was decidedly wearing.  I could have gone further, maybe even to that thirty mile mark, but I certainly wouldn’t have been keen on getting up to do it again the next day.  Sometimes, it can be a little disheartening to consider that the best sprinters in the world can only do about thirty two miles per hour.

Other times, though, it can be incredibly satisfying to go somewhere under your own power, and not that of an internal combustion engine (or an electro-mechanical motor, for those electric car people).  Running, walking, biking: our mitochondria can provide all the energy we need, no alternate fuel source required, to get from point A to point B.  Nor am I only referring to camping situations: I’m rather proud that I can ride my bike to accomplish many of my local errands.

Don’t get me wrong: I fully support the use of technology to improve our lives and make our tasks easier.  I mean, I work in the space industry, in a job that would have been scarcely imaginable just a few decades ago – in the early twentieth century, there was still debate about whether space travel was even possible.  However, I find I appreciate all of these advances and advantages much more when I’ve lived without them.  Just because it might be easier to drive, doesn’t mean it might not be worth taking that little extra time to power yourself to your destination.

Hiking at Night

There are a lot of reasons to hike at night.  It’s cooler, more peaceful, and you’ll definitely avoid sunburn.  There tends to be more wildlife out and about, you’re likely to be treated to gorgeous views of the stars, and on more populated trails, you’ll avoid most of the people you might otherwise encounter.  Of course, there are slight disadvantages, too: namely the lack of light, and the need for sleep.

Realistically, under most circumstances, your best choice probably isn’t to hike at night, unless you happen to already be nocturnal.  Nor would I recommend always hiking at night; sure, you get treated to a very different experience, but if you always did it, it would stop being different.  Day hiking is still the best option for most experiences, but every now and then, there are times when a night hike is most suitable.  Primarily, those times involve trying to catch a sunrise or sunset from a dramatic location, like the top of a mountain.

If and when you do choose to hike at night, there are a few courtesies that it’s best to observe.  First and foremost amongst them is using the minimum amount of light necessary.  I am fortunate enough to have very good night vision, to the point that on most nights, for most trails, I don’t need a light.  If I do decide to use a light, I make sure to use a red light, since the longer wavelength impinges less on night vision.  You’ll also want to be quieter than you normally would be on the trail, especially if you’re moving through areas where people might be camping.

Most importantly, you’ll want to take your time.  The darkness will force you to move a little slower, so don’t try to fight that tendency.  Hiking at night is not for when you want to push your pace and squeeze in a lot of mileage.  Rather, these are the sorts of hikes that you take to enjoy peace, quiet, and serenity.

A Programming Note

Previously, I’ve been trying to publish a new post three to five times a week.  However, due to changes in my personal schedule, I will be changing my post frequency to two to three times a week.  You can expect posts to be published on Mondays and Fridays henceforward.  This should hopefully help preserve the tattered remnants of what could questionably be called my sanity, as well as the quality of the posts.  I will always choose to publish fewer posts, rather than posts that lack the depth and breadth which I hope you have come to expect from my treatment of topics.

Thank you in advance for your understanding.  Look forward to a post on Friday.

Independence Day

The United States of America is not an old nation.  Compared to many of the nations that make up other parts of the world, our country is little more than a newcomer.  After all, a mere 242 years ago, on this date in 1776, the official Declaration of our independence was issued, arguably the start of the United States as its own nation, although the Constitution that defines our government today was not drafted until years later.

This post is not intended to be a history lesson, but it’s a good idea, amidst your celebrations, to think about exactly what you’re celebrating.  The Declaration of Independence was more than just a piece of paperwork making our separation official; there is a reason it has become one of our most treasured documents.  In many ways, the Declaration of Independence represents what separates the American Revolution from so many others that have transpired, and what made it uniquely successful.

Although it is characterized as a sort of litany of complaints against the king, there is much more to the Declaration than that.  The Declaration represents the ordered, rational, philosophical underpinnings of the rebellion that was then underway, and the founding principles of the fledgling United States.  It was not simply an impassioned, populist uprising that won America its independence.  It was a triumph of democratic philosophy and a rational revolution, and should be remembered as such.  That seems to me like something worth celebrating.

Thank You

This is a WWII Era US Army vehicle, refitted to be highway legal.  The flag is from the period.

Memorial Day may be a three day weekend, marking for many the true start of summer, or at least of the summer grilling season, but there’s a reason that it’s called “Memorial Day,” not “Burgers and Brats Day.”  Memorial shares a root word with memory, commemorate, and remember, and that’s what the day is truly about.  It is meant to be a time to remember and acknowledge the sacrifices that our service members have made for our country, in defense of the grand experiment known as democracy.  That experiment may not be perfect, but it’s the best we have.

Now, I’m not saying that you should deprive yourself this three day weekend.  Please, by all means, celebrate, indulge, and make merry.  Just remember, as you’re doing that, the sacrifices of so many throughout history, and those who continue to sacrifice today, that you might have the freedom, the liberty, to enjoy a weekend of sunshine, food, family, and friends.

Thank you to all of the veterans who have defended this country, and the service members who continue to do so today, all around the world, and thank you also to the military families who support them in their continuing mission.  Our nation would not be here today without you.

Update: McCurdy

I just wanted to let you know that I’ve updated the McCurdy Mountain post with new pictures, courtesy of my friend, Jackie, who hiked with me.  Her camera was better than mine, and she was able to get some shots that were even better than those already in the post.  I encourage you to check them out.