How about this: it’s not just about the kids. If any generation, even old farts, starts heading out into a more creative situation more often, it’ll pay off.
Life is life. Old life is as good as young. I’d be happy to see
more graybeards partying in the woods!
Quite a few old farts talk about going thru the cycle: a love of racing that evolves into touring love. More oldsters might catch that wave, too.
Old as well as young can bring their iPods into the woods
and party around a base-camp, bonfire, whip up a sweat-hut, get hot, jump in the river. Young folks might ski by and be embarrassed for the oldsters making fools of themselves *outdoors*. Ha!
Those who are working to keep America connected to reality shouldn’t forget the 100’s of graybeards (and grayheads) who are addicted to high-tech and racing.
Considering XC ski racing, do these oldsters REALLY love wax, brushes, scrapers, respirators, grinds, flexes, glide-tests, quivers of all the same ski, intervals, entry fees, motels, fast food, colds, injuries, and long drives all THAT much?
Is there a way to get just as much fun in the equation but without all that other stuff, the non-fun part?
A carefree day hammering themselves silly along a
wild trail might make some converts! 🙂 …No one getting dropped, stops for white wine, smoked fish, bread, cheese… “safety check”… Great ski performance, turns in the meadows, huge hills, beauty all around.
My own conversion meant that my ski fun ratio went from 5% of the overall time invested to 90%. Dang!
Oldsters are a handsome bunch, too! 🙂 It’s time for them to start showing up more often in the Patagonia catalog.
But, yeah, it’s weird how kids drop the outdoors in their 20’s. That’s just when they’re getting ABLE and SMART and having resources to put together creative outings.
The HSchoolers go out in a flock coz their coach told them to. They have fun, too. But then they grow up, get car keys, and stop the outdoor fun. Weird.
20’s are the romance/dating years. Outings seem naturally winsome for all that. Romance can’t all be indoors. How limited that is. Fresh air, clear water, a picnic on a private riverbank. C’mon!
One thing I noticed during my dating years was how bars/loud-music parties actually didn’t work well for their intended function. Quick hookups, maybe. But finding compatibility? Time together in a work situation or when doing a creative group/social project is far better. I suppose that’s
what they end up doing. Just maybe not so much outdoors.
Actually, maybe they’re out there. Maybe they’re just secretive. And the media always misses out. Youthful party bonfires and drum circles are popular in our local state park. Our own gang always liked renting a big state park cabin way up north. 20 of us would go up and ski and party. I notice that the local university outing club also now rents that cabin. I bet it still works for them!
I can only hope so.
Anyone we can get out there, connecting more than than consuming, is worth encouraging, yo!
