"Do you suppose they will choose to make war against lean, solid dogs rather than against fat and tender sheep?"
Following an idea from the Manly Monk of Vilnius, I declared this weekend the Great Buddhist Backpack & Beads Pilgrimage. The idea was, one step, one mantra, and in 27 miles that would make fifty-five thousand mantra reps. That’s got to be enough to make you a buddha in this very lifetime (即身成佛), right? But... Continue Reading →
1. Things That Worked The Goofy Yoga Shorts. Never mind what the smart-alecks say [looking sideways at Lee], these were SOOOOO practical. They didn’t bind my legs and, when wet, they drip-dried in no time. Caffeine and Sugar. I drank the equivalent of six or seven cups of coffee. I only regret not drinking twice... Continue Reading →
We all made it! The all-night ruck confirmed some clichés that are cliché for good reason: 1) People metamorphose in shocking ways. A bantamweight guy who struggled with sand bags early in the night turned into the Incredible Hulk around 5am. Either he was free-basing something or he’s really, really a morning person. 2) When... Continue Reading →
I had my first encounter with one of the hill dwellers who, I'd been cautioned euphemistically, "isn't real social." As it turned out, we just ignored each other. I was taking a break at the side of the road, he was watering Some Kind of Plant Life 100 yards away, and neither of us acknowledged... Continue Reading →
Maybe I'll just never wear pants again. That's how awesome it is to ditch hiking in 2-lb. pants and a pinchy belt for the sublime freedom of the Silly Yoga Shorts. I took advantage of cold weather today to simulate the much lower temperatures at GoRuck (55-60°F), and I learned a couple things. First, nothing... Continue Reading →
The air here stinks with raunchy, hot freshness in our high, dry forest of fir and pine. For cumulus clouds we have mottled tufts of shadow and our water would burn fast into vapor if only we'd brought some. The polychrome riot of lands where you dwelt visits these hills in a lesser palette, a... Continue Reading →
A lion-dog in winter. My supremely beloved little Snoot was born 14 years ago today outside Cambridge, Mass., and I became his babysitter the very next day. Even after years of callous parenting mistakes--like the dinner party where I ignored his meek "Help me!" looks all night as mere attention-seeking when in fact he had a... Continue Reading →
My first "waterborne rescue" of a non-insect! I was kayaking near my house and chanced upon upon a little white terrier standing stoically on a log. He had his face caught a foot from the surface by his leash, which was lashed to a nub at the waterline. He’d gotten away from his owner, an... Continue Reading →
Today's game was to push the Wheelbarrow of Weights up the Rock of Faeries. Where the incline was gentle, it was pleasant and felt like a funky front squat. But when the path got steep and rocky, the wheelbarrow would pound to a stop on outcroppings and have be manhandled over them (or "personhandled," if... Continue Reading →
