Level II Fun (Part 1): The Pain Cave

Why do we consciously choose to do things that cause us pain in the moment, only in retrospect to look back and say, “You know what? That was fun.” The outdoors community refers to this as level II fun. Some of the answers may be found here.

A Monster Hike: Arethusa Falls and Frankenstein Cliffs

I had to stop to breathe; this mountain was kicking my ass.  The slopes at the base of the cliffs were talused, debris-filled, and more resembled sand than soil.  Trees and rocks tenuously clung to the side of the mountain and every step was an effort not to tumble down the side of it.   Grasping…

Nature Boys from the ‘Hood

Above timberline, with sustained winds around fifty miles per hour and gusts approaching ninety, while the temperature hovers somewhere just under thirty below, Pierre and Jon hunker down behind a rock for shelter, Pierre’s side screaming in pain.  He calls out to Jon, his brother, “Dude, for some reason the side of my body is…

In the beginning…

First Blog Post!   It’s humbling to think as I sit here and write this that I’m participating in a tradition that includes such names as Wendell Berry, Aldo Leopold, Annie Dillard, Emerson and Thoreau. And while I would not include the quality or import of my writing in such esteemed company, here I am…