A friend’s awesome 2018 challenge, a paradigm-busting TED talk, a futuristic podcast, and a book recommendation!
Howdy folks,
The response to the first Traipsing About newsletter was super positive, sooo how about another!
This Week:
A blog about my friend Paul's daunting personal challenge in 2018, a wonderful TED talk that I’ve watched twice (and will watch again), a futuristic podcast, and a book recommendation about an alternative path.
Onward!
Dakota
2,000 feet up in the Methow Valley!
Fighting Gravity for 1 Million Feet
One million feet: 35 trips from sea level to the top of Everest. Fighting gravity to climb that many feet uphill in a year without any motorized assistance is incredible and badass.
Well, my friend Paul did it. Props, kudos, congrats, and a standing ovation, you beast!
On December 31, 2018, Paul wrapped up his year-long goal to log 1,000,000 vertical feet of human-powered ascending. To count, it had to be sweat, commitment and burrito-driven, all performed outdoors. No trainers or treadmills, no ski lifts, no shuttling, just old-fashioned oomph.
Paul's words:
The goal was based on a few principles...
We are capable of so much more than we think.
Spend time in the mountains with good people.
We all have life goals in work and life, often imposed by others with no understanding of the individual. This was 100% my goal. Something I knew I could do based on many years of testing the body and mind.
It sounded fun!
Experience the mountains through a variety of outdoor human-powered adventures while learning how to ski, evolve the mountain biking, rock climb more, and trail run some bigger routes.
Click through to the Traipsing About blog post to read more about Paul’s challenge. Plus there’s a bunch of my favorite 2018 photos of him in his natural state: fired up in the beautiful outdoors!
The Internet of Things: The World in 2038
From New York magazine and Intelligencer’s 2038, this podcast episode riveted me. Paul Ford’s terrifying and hilarious insights about life in a not-so-distant era seem neither far-fetched nor something I expected. If you’re looking for a great listen during a drive or workout, cue this episode!
Book Review of Nomadland: A Different Side of Van Life
Take a deep-dive into a generation that can't retire. Nomadland is an excellent look at a totally different side of #vanlife than what the media and Instagram lionizes. Never heard of CamperForce, a mobile group of temp employees for Amazon? I hadn't either!
This isn't van travelers with remote work and fancy vans and the choice to stop whenever they want. It's necessity to avoid living a life chained to high rents/mortgages in the face of declining wages and rising housing costs.
Beyond that, it's also is an empowering choice to live freely and travel, to still form communities and live a good life. Check out the book here!
As a counterpoint to extreme physical efforts, over the past year I’ve studied the masks men wear and how it detracts from a full life. (If you just rolled your eyes, keep reading because this applies to you more than anyone. I've been there!) I’m currently developing some themes for a men’s group similar to one I enjoyed in Portland.
I’ll recommend book and movies in this realm in future newsletters. For now, this TED talk is a must-watch for men AND women. I have nothing but respect for Justin, who is a physical badass while still maintaining a soft side with family and friends. Something any man can aspire to do and their partner can cheer about!
