“Elective suffering”.

I like these guys….they remind me of a lot of my good friends.

Funhogs.

We live down the mountain from a camp I worked at for 6 summers….and from our porch, I can see the counselors returning for another year….driving their Subarus and Toyota trucks….roof racks loaded with kayaks and mountain bikes….vehicles stuffed with climbing and camping gear.

I was part of that tribe.

I know a funhog when I see one.

That’s what I say to Jenny as they drive by….

“Funhogs. Look at those funhogs.”

I keep any wistful inflection to myself.

These guys are Super Funhogs.

There was something that I don’t hear voiced a lot that the guys in this video said that I really appreciated.

They commented on what a privilege it is to be able to engage in this “elective suffering”….to plan and carry out a demanding trip like this….to choose something hard as a diversion.

You don’t hear that attitude really often.

It was a decent way of looking at the situation.

I appreciated how they could tie the trip to their social activism, too…helping bring solar electricity to the Navaho.

Good guys.

Now…I’m gearing up a little so that my family has a chance to be “responsible funhogs”….doing some biking….trying to get back into camping….getting some boats to put out into the water….get our feet wet.

That’s a good thing for a parent to do….and something that I kind of dropped the ball on a little, in the past….to instill a solid love of adventure in your children.

It is a good thing to never reach the end of what demands our attention and curiosity.

I’m not sure how to keep the “mystery of it all” coming for these kids.

Maybe that’s not my job….maybe that’s something they figure out for themselves?

Maybe I’m too hard on myself….our life has been a constant adventure.

What’s the saying about adventure coming by chance and poor preparation?

If that’s true….about the poor preparation….I’ve done a lot to help cement my family’s adventurous experience.

Be sure and check out the section of the movie a couple of minutes in when Alex Honnold is free-soloing Half Dome.

Funhog.

Funhog to the extreme….the most extreme.

The most terrifying extreme.

My palms were sweating.

Like I said before….I’m blessed to have friends like these guys.

Funhogs are….fun to hang out with.