What motivates someone to climb a
mountain? Or hike with a heavy pack up a big hill? Why do we do these things?
The easy answers come to mind - enjoy nature, challenge ourselves, bragging
rights, even pride - but they all seem to fall short. At least they do for me.
Perhaps they explain the motivation for many of the people on the trail, people
who may be out in the mountains once a year or who are there every week. But
for me it is not so cerebral of an endeavor. I'm in the mountains, or I see the
mountains, and I FEEL something. I drive up and down the Wasatch and some
mountains do little for me, but others sing their siren song that makes me full
of desire. I see beautiful lines and just like admiring the curves of your
lover that you want to reach out and caress, I yearn to affectionately stroke
these monoliths in all the right ways. Is it passion? Love? I think it is even less
than that, it is instinct. It is something that I want without thought, something
that creates a connection at the very base of my brain.
Well, that's me. I was looking
forward to a hike with just Charlie as he is a proven hiker. Last summer he was
hanging with 4 college kids for 10+ mile days while I was staying back trying
to coax Pete along. He's 9 now, so I figure Charlie can pack a little more.
Turns out this makes life pretty hard. Hard to say if the complaining was more
than Rosie, but at least he never ended up crying on the side of the trail.
 |
| Meh |
I
suggest maybe he needs somebody here to impress and he wouldn't complain as
much. He wholeheartedly agrees. I point out that it makes me a little sad that he
will hike hard for others, but not for me. He is unfazed. At least he will not
grow up with a complex of always trying to impress his dad. Nevertheless we
have an enjoyable evening and an uneventful summit of Ben Lomond in the
morning. Charlie's first real summit, and he is genuinely excited. So am I, but
I can tell it is different. And that's ok.
 |
| Ben Lomond Summit. |
 |
| "I can see our house from here!" |
 |
| A classic, no caption needed. |
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| This was a pretty legit idea at the time. A long, dark crevice that I can't follow him in. |
 |
| Good morning, Willard Peak. Oh the things I'd like to do to you. |
Well, that's me. I was looking
forward to a hike with just Charlie as he is a proven hiker. Last summer he was
hanging with 4 college kids for 10+ mile days while I was staying back trying
to coax Pete along. He's 9 now, so I figure Charlie can pack a little more.
Turns out this makes life pretty hard. Hard to say if the complaining was more
than Rosie, but at least he never ended up crying on the side of the trail. 
I
suggest maybe he needs somebody here to impress and he wouldn't complain as
much. He wholeheartedly agrees. I point out that it makes me a little sad that he
will hike hard for others, but not for me. He is unfazed. At least he will not
grow up with a complex of always trying to impress his dad. Nevertheless we
have an enjoyable evening and an uneventful summit of Ben Lomond in the
morning. Charlie's first real summit, and he is genuinely excited. So am I, but
I can tell it is different. And that's ok.
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