For those of us who are naturalized citizens and have lived elsewhere to be able to have a sense of contrast, every day is one of wonder and gratitude at this country, what it represents, and how generally well it functions as a matter of routine. That this country could be destroyed on the whim of grand and malevolent ambitions is truly tragic.
I moved from one of the four largest cities in America to a rather remote, mountainous location 7 years ago. I’m 30 minutes from a town of about 2500 and an hour from a city of around 25,000. There are no city lights to inhibit seeing nightly the full canopy of stars. I can hike out of my front door and not ever see another person as I hike through inaccessible State Lands. The contrast of this and my previous life is still jarring. I know this kind of living isn’t possible for most but the experience, just as you indicate, really puts things into perspective.
“It helps to leave it, which makes you see it immediately with the greatest possible clarity.”
So well put.
I left SF in 2015 because I wanted to live closer to the natural world, but also because I felt like a hypocrite rooting for “sustainable energy” when I had no idea what it actually would take to provide myself with clean water, power, warmth, food, shelter, etc.
Nine years of living off-grid on a remote ridgetop has now taught me all those things, but also given me an enormous appreciation for the incredible gift of industrial infrastructure.
Now I drive three days a week to work in town where I can heat a room with the flick of a switch, then come home to warm my house with firewood I cut, hauled, dried and stacked alone. The dichotomy never fails to spur thoughtfulness.
We left Salt Lake City in 2019 for a small town in the Black Hills. We were hiking around here, but 10 miles is a bit over my limit because of my disability. I just had injections in my back so I’m hoping they work because it’s been a couple years since I’ve been able to get out there. But your description and writing is beautiful and I just wanted to say thank you for the reminder. Thank you!
I’ve seen those mud puddles in Yosemite. And watched as my husband burned through a couple of filters to make something drinkable. It started our two decades’ long game of “what would be the best gift to give the pioneers?” whenever we backpack. We’ve debated between goretex boots and chapstick. From wool socks to some sort of shock system for the wagons. And we always end up back at water filtration - because that alone would have saved so much misery and death.
Thanks for the reminder of little (big) miracles in strange times.
I’m a big fan of the full scope of your work, but your travelogues are among my favorite posts. The recent pieces on your visits to obscure American towns and hiking adventures in Yosemite are awakening fond memories of the trip my wife and I took after taking the bar exam in 2002, when we hiked and camped across the US before entering the “real world.” Looking forward to doing it again sometime soon! Thank you for sharing!
The technical conveniences of our society you refer to and our society overall AREN’T that complex. The complexities are all the many layers of laws, regulations, interests, bureaucracy that aren’t you know essential… to anyone… but them… yes… they are no more essential than ivy vines to a building or corrosion to a bridge or road. Our media, entertainment, education, legal industries could end tomorrow along with rather a lot of government and your modern society would run along just as well or better.
Come hike cactus to clouds , to san jacinto onward to idyllwild. …I do miss coffee with cream tho ( I’m embarrassed to say ) … the hiking got me through the Covid madness.
In my younger days I hiked avidly in the Southwest and in Alaska.
With very young children at home (think diapers) and a not very hardcore wife, the best I can manage right now is one car-camping trip per year at the end of summer in some nearby mountains.
I'll be old and tired, but I look forward to the day my children are old enough to either come with me - or leave me alone long enough - to get into the back country with a tent and sleeping bag.
I grew up in a suburb, then I lived in the (blue) city of that suburb. And then another blue city. And in 2020 I said bye bye blue. And I crave this wilderness, your articles make me crave it even more. But I know: I’m not equipped. However, the craving tells me it’s the default setting of all humans.
When we lived in Torrance had a friend at church that was one of those minimalists. Did the Grand Canyon south to north then back to the south rim in a day. Also on occasion would leave early and drive to Mt Whitney, scale it, then be back home in the late evening. Crazy. I always that would take all the pleasure out of being in the wilderness.
The last time I hiked Yosemite we did a 3 day/5 night near Virginia Lakes. I can't remember the campgrounds we started and ended at. I do remember the breakfast at Lee Vining where we stopped en route to picking up our other vehicle.
I just love your writing, Chris, and I'm very grateful to Robert Yoho for introducing you to me (via your writing, of course). You are the only person I compensate on the internet, and you're very, very welcome.
My wife is into ultrarunning and most of it takes place in the middle of nowhere.
I don't "get it", but I'll support here during her races and run with her and her friends up to 25 miles. They always talk to me like I'm a child when I say I'm fine running 10 miles.
I've done some backpacking in the area you just went to and I just love it. Beautiful area.
If you're ever going to Sweden, she might be interested in the Summer version of Vasaloppet; it's 90km in one go, in the middle of August so the weather can be anything to close to 30C, humid and still air, to 10C, torrential downpour and storm - in the same day.
For those of us who are naturalized citizens and have lived elsewhere to be able to have a sense of contrast, every day is one of wonder and gratitude at this country, what it represents, and how generally well it functions as a matter of routine. That this country could be destroyed on the whim of grand and malevolent ambitions is truly tragic.
I moved from one of the four largest cities in America to a rather remote, mountainous location 7 years ago. I’m 30 minutes from a town of about 2500 and an hour from a city of around 25,000. There are no city lights to inhibit seeing nightly the full canopy of stars. I can hike out of my front door and not ever see another person as I hike through inaccessible State Lands. The contrast of this and my previous life is still jarring. I know this kind of living isn’t possible for most but the experience, just as you indicate, really puts things into perspective.
I may have done the same and possibly am now living where you are based on your description. Jarring (3yrs in) is the exact right adjective.
How's the saying go? "A man who is full has a thousand problems, a man who is starving has one"?
Good job getting back to the basics.
profound !
“It helps to leave it, which makes you see it immediately with the greatest possible clarity.”
So well put.
I left SF in 2015 because I wanted to live closer to the natural world, but also because I felt like a hypocrite rooting for “sustainable energy” when I had no idea what it actually would take to provide myself with clean water, power, warmth, food, shelter, etc.
Nine years of living off-grid on a remote ridgetop has now taught me all those things, but also given me an enormous appreciation for the incredible gift of industrial infrastructure.
Now I drive three days a week to work in town where I can heat a room with the flick of a switch, then come home to warm my house with firewood I cut, hauled, dried and stacked alone. The dichotomy never fails to spur thoughtfulness.
Beautiful writing, flawless imagery. Reminds me of T.S.Eliot's line from Four Quartets (The Dry Salvages) (blank verse, of course):
I do not know much about gods; but I think that the
river
Is a strong brown god--sullen, untamed and intractable...
We left Salt Lake City in 2019 for a small town in the Black Hills. We were hiking around here, but 10 miles is a bit over my limit because of my disability. I just had injections in my back so I’m hoping they work because it’s been a couple years since I’ve been able to get out there. But your description and writing is beautiful and I just wanted to say thank you for the reminder. Thank you!
Thanks for reading. Love the Black Hills!
I’ve seen those mud puddles in Yosemite. And watched as my husband burned through a couple of filters to make something drinkable. It started our two decades’ long game of “what would be the best gift to give the pioneers?” whenever we backpack. We’ve debated between goretex boots and chapstick. From wool socks to some sort of shock system for the wagons. And we always end up back at water filtration - because that alone would have saved so much misery and death.
Thanks for the reminder of little (big) miracles in strange times.
Anyone who played the "Oregon Trail" knows that:
"You have died of dysentery"
Yeah, it’s never “you perished from chapped lips” is it. 😂
I’m a big fan of the full scope of your work, but your travelogues are among my favorite posts. The recent pieces on your visits to obscure American towns and hiking adventures in Yosemite are awakening fond memories of the trip my wife and I took after taking the bar exam in 2002, when we hiked and camped across the US before entering the “real world.” Looking forward to doing it again sometime soon! Thank you for sharing!
The technical conveniences of our society you refer to and our society overall AREN’T that complex. The complexities are all the many layers of laws, regulations, interests, bureaucracy that aren’t you know essential… to anyone… but them… yes… they are no more essential than ivy vines to a building or corrosion to a bridge or road. Our media, entertainment, education, legal industries could end tomorrow along with rather a lot of government and your modern society would run along just as well or better.
Come hike cactus to clouds , to san jacinto onward to idyllwild. …I do miss coffee with cream tho ( I’m embarrassed to say ) … the hiking got me through the Covid madness.
Some more good ones to disappear in . https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/california/cleveland-national-forest
holy foundation is in the mountains
sorry couldn't resist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdV0b-OnKd8
😉💞👍🏼
CNF has some gems for sure!
🩷
Freeze dried coffee + powdered cream + powdered butter + cocoa powder + stevia + boiling water = delicious and convenient
Yum 🤤 thanks
In my younger days I hiked avidly in the Southwest and in Alaska.
With very young children at home (think diapers) and a not very hardcore wife, the best I can manage right now is one car-camping trip per year at the end of summer in some nearby mountains.
I'll be old and tired, but I look forward to the day my children are old enough to either come with me - or leave me alone long enough - to get into the back country with a tent and sleeping bag.
You probably know this but porridge is a great trail breakfast.
It's light, filling, you can premix some cinnamon and sugar in and all you need is some hot water.....
But curry is fine!
Or spam & eggs... but we got no spam 🤷😪
Spam &,Eggs is a great treat.
And now we got no eggs! (Monty Python,)
We lived in rolled up newspaper in middle t'road (also Monty Python)
Wow! You guys had a newspaper?!
And a cup of tea........cold tea
Without milk.........or sugar........or tea !!
I grew up in a suburb, then I lived in the (blue) city of that suburb. And then another blue city. And in 2020 I said bye bye blue. And I crave this wilderness, your articles make me crave it even more. But I know: I’m not equipped. However, the craving tells me it’s the default setting of all humans.
When we lived in Torrance had a friend at church that was one of those minimalists. Did the Grand Canyon south to north then back to the south rim in a day. Also on occasion would leave early and drive to Mt Whitney, scale it, then be back home in the late evening. Crazy. I always that would take all the pleasure out of being in the wilderness.
The last time I hiked Yosemite we did a 3 day/5 night near Virginia Lakes. I can't remember the campgrounds we started and ended at. I do remember the breakfast at Lee Vining where we stopped en route to picking up our other vehicle.
I just love your writing, Chris, and I'm very grateful to Robert Yoho for introducing you to me (via your writing, of course). You are the only person I compensate on the internet, and you're very, very welcome.
I’m pretty sure Yoho interview was also my introduction to Chris’s writing. Sick from the top down. Healthy from the bottom up. 💯
My wife is into ultrarunning and most of it takes place in the middle of nowhere.
I don't "get it", but I'll support here during her races and run with her and her friends up to 25 miles. They always talk to me like I'm a child when I say I'm fine running 10 miles.
I've done some backpacking in the area you just went to and I just love it. Beautiful area.
A Lionel Shriver novel.
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-motion-of-the-body-through-space-lionel-shriver
I've done a 50km and that was quite far enough. But I enjoy hiking the places ultra-runners run because the scenery is often spectacular
If you're ever going to Sweden, she might be interested in the Summer version of Vasaloppet; it's 90km in one go, in the middle of August so the weather can be anything to close to 30C, humid and still air, to 10C, torrential downpour and storm - in the same day.
There's also a bike race, using the same track.
https://www.vasaloppet.se/en/#?race_type=92&race=106
One has to register in advance.