Oh my gosh.
There are a lot of interesting people in the world.
Our tiny world.
Check out this story of Indian ultra runner Kavitha Kanaparthi.
It’s pretty darn inspirational.
There is so much left to see.
I hope that I keep my eyes open all the time.
I may have used this video before, but it got me thinking about our digital age and what it means to us.
I drive around with my cellphone on all the time.
I am reachable.
That’s good when you have a family….it’s good to be reachable.
My inner “luddite” makes me wonder if that’s always good or necessary….to have a phone with you all the time.
We have a lot of personal electronic devices that we suppose are necessities now.
Here’s a community where that isn’t the case.
Because of some big dish installations, wifi and cell phone use is outlawed.
So, some other guys big technology trumps the “small guy’s technology”.
They even have an electromagnetic field sniffer cop who drives around and measures who is “cheating” on the rules.
That’s nuts.
All the people who live on the property are renters, though….so they have to abide by rules of the government.
The government owns the property where the dishes are located.
They sign an agreement when they move here, though, so it makes sense that they shouldn’t cheat on the rules.
The people who live here seem to have a sensitivity to electromagnet fields….and move here to avoid them.
Funny that you have to be someplace with big technology to be mandated away from the small and pervasive technology we know as “normal” now.
All these smart phones.
What did we do before all these smart phones?
I did a post about Alex Honnold’s old van a while back.
He lives out of his van…..so the van was pretty darn nice.
I really liked that van.
Of course, it’s a van for a dude to live in comfortably.
It’s not for other people to live in (at the same time).
So….that part I don’t like.
If you had a bus, with room for kids to run around in, well, that would make more sense for me and my family.
That being said, I liked that old van.
It was a tricked out “fun mobile”….and it suited Alex Honnold’s needs.
Here’s his new van.
It’s pretty darn nice, too.
I wonder what happened to his old van?
I would have bought it….if he gave me a deal.
Hah!
Here’s a short film from Billy Yang about the Hardrock 100.
Here’s the YouTube description:
“You really have to embrace the unknown. You can try all you want to script it – how you see the day going and have these plans. But the mountains don’t care. They’re indifferent to whatever plans, whatever hopes you have…”
The 2016 Hardrock 100 was supposed to be a redemption race. In 2014, The North Face athlete Timothy Olson hit a figurative brick wall halfway through The Hardrock and was reduced to lying on the ground, sick and unable to continue for awhile. He eventually finished but wanted to prove to himself he could do better. He got that opportunity in 2016 when he was selected to run the race again.
Unfortunately for Timothy, deja vu would rear its ugly head and a similar fate awaited him at the Hardrock…
All of Billy Yang’s films are great.
Check him out on YouTube.
Here’s another great Dylan Magastar video….this time about a couple who spent 20 years working in “corporate America” (40 years collectively)…and then made a lifestyle change, sold all their belongings, bought a nice van, converted it….and started traveling around full-time.
That’s a constant with most of these videos….”leaving”.
What’s so appealing about that?
Leaving.
What’s hard to figure out is how to thrive where you are….attack the status quo and make it exceptional….and be happy.
You can’t run to happiness….the constant of “you” is going to follow you wherever you go.
You can distract yourself for a moment….but if you’re not a happy person, changing the view isn’t going to change your dissatisfaction.
You can’t run to happiness….no matter how fast you go.
That being said, I know that there are places that I love that wouldn’t be a drain on my good mojo.
I know the places that I love….and want to get there soon.
But….I’m already there….so it’s no stress.
Where my family is….is the place I need to be.
What’s hard about figuring any of that out?
I mowed the lawn yesterday, and, somewhere during the process, I must have stopped momentarily on a fire ant hill.
My ankle is swollen like a bag of rising bread this morning.
Those bugs biting me left a mark.
WHAT AN ADVENTURE!!
That’s funny about “adventure”….it can happen anywhere and in the most mundane ways.
We went to Tryon to check out the equestrian center last night.
They have something called “Saturday Night Lights” there….on Saturday.
It was a grand spectacle….but didn’t feel like an adventure.
Lots of rich people….horses….rich people riding horses….jumping around on horses.
We left before the horses really started jumping over stuff….the kids were tired and we didn’t want to buy expensive food.
But….the facilities are amazing….world class.
I don’t think that you take a planned tour for adventure.
I think that you just “go”….and then compensate for all the weirdness and random events that you encounter as you make your way through the unfamiliar.
Keep your eyes open and your heart tender….all the adventure in the world is close at hand.
Adventure will bite you if you stand in the right place long enough.
Even standing still….adventure will bite you.
Saturday Night Lights
Two good things….running and Idaho.
How simple is that?
I’ve got to get ready to drive the mail around again.
Did you know that sitting kills you?
Man.
Idaho and running….save the world.
I wish I was out there watching this.
I wish I was out there riding in that big machine…..digging up miles of Idaho potatoes.
I think that most people would find a potato harvest kind of boring….but I think it’s pretty darn cool.
Look at these Idaho fields of potatoes.
Pretty cool.
How’d we figure out how to build all these machines to keep us IN POTATOES?
That’s amazing, too.
People are pretty darn clever.
Here’s a video put out by people promoting traveling with your family.
That’s a dangerous thing for me to put up here.
Jenny will tell me not to “just blog” about it.
You really do have to do it.
My job ….saves us financially….and tethers me at the same time.
How do you travel and pay all the bills at home and….travel and pay all the bills out on the road….and….travel….and….stay employed when you aren’t at the job?
How do you do all of that?
Idaho….selling us on how great it is to travel to Idaho.
Idaho, don’t do that.
I already know, Idaho.
I already know.