There's always this mix of loneliness, fear and unbridled excitement that spells the start of a good adventure. It grows out of a desire to get away and a growing feeling of introversion. Then I hit the road: my truck, my notebooks, music, and anything I might need to go trail running.
I always throw in a couple cute dresses, crazy tights, and sexy shoes just in case. For exactly what, I'm rarely sure. Perhaps for an equally exciting extroversion: a full on exploration of a city. It may be passion that drives me to leave the comfort of my home and the ease of a city, but it's that need to connect that drives my return, if only briefly and colorfully.
I grew up not being able to tolerate spicy food and one day in my late 20s, as quick as a hawk swoops up a mouse, I realized I couldn't get enough of spicy food. My tolerance for mouth burning excitement generally far exceeds anyone else's that I hang out with. I'd rather have my food too spicy than settle for lackluster mildness.
Even faster and more intensely than bland food needing to be spicy, something more cathartic struck today. I instantly needed to explore the icy, snowy mountains. I must explore them. I was driving south after running on the PCT where it goes over Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascades when I realized I'm ready to explore winter in the mountains on foot, perhaps on skis as well.
I've always loved the heat, the desert and running with next to nothing on. Running on the beach and above the surf, or in it. But all of a sudden, inspiration hit in those icy steps on the PCT and I want to run up cold mountain veins, camp on the soft snow with icy winds biting into my tent and feel the life that is all around me. It seems like one would find death and loneliness in the frigid mountains, but I know better.
The mountain is life. The gale force winds are its breath. Trees poking out of the billowing snow are a sign of the warmth below. And I'm a light that travels up the mountain illuminating it for others to see its beauty.
More on these topics later, for now, there are miles to drive along the Columbia River Gorge, a squished banana to dissect, and cold camping in the back of a truck with a teething, grain free puppy who is being potty trained.
Some of my personal necessities for road tripping:
Running shoes
Dancing shoes
Jet Boil
Single cup coffee pour
5 gal jug of water
Sleeping pad
Tent and/or truck with canopy
Sleeping bag
iPod, earphones
Ultimate direction Jenny Vesta for shorter runs & UD Fastpack 20 for longer ones.
UD hand bottles
Good coffee & mug
Kombucha
Puffy jacket
Colorful yoga tights
Yoga mat
Towel
Dr. Bronners soap
Good book
Notebooks
Running shorts & tights
Hoody
Cute dress, tights, sweater
Long socks and short socks (really loving sockwell wool compression socks, cool patterns)
Trucker hat for those no shower days
Knife & nail polish
Almonds, almond milk, apples, canned salmon, hearts of palm, and poke whenever possible.
Want More?
For more daily fitness ideas, inspiration, and humor, check out my Facebook Page
Yoga based core and strength exercises on my YouTube Channel
A little crazy on Instagram
Short, sweet and sassy on Twitter
Sounds perfect!
ReplyDelete