Why I do It

This post is really not a post but a ranting. I was sharing with a friend the few pictures that I had taken with my phone while standing on the top of one of the many mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe. He made a comment and I felt the strong need to elaborate and build upon it.

"John: Damn.

John: Thats beautiful stuff.

Me: I took those pics with my phone camera

Me: Imagine the direct view

John: Yeah, it's lovely.. I always loved going into the mountains.. it makes you feel secluded, isolated.. from the world outside.

Me: And then...

You give out a cheerful yelp.. born in the bottom of your gut, built up over hours and hours of a haggled existence behind an artificial window into the infinite world of our digital subconscious.. and push yourself over the rim of the wall of snow you stand on. Gleeful screams lose themselves in your throat as you streak down the mountain, snow and pure joy trailing behind you, kicked up in a dust as the planks of wood you've strapped yourself to glide over this most beautiful expression of nature's nectar...

That is what you do in the mountains. That is what you do when there's nothing but pure white softness surrounding you.. cold and clean air, burning your lungs with it's complete lack of pollution.. That is what you do on a mountain. No matter if you have to drive two hours or ten, that is what you do.

You stumble and fall, roll and sink into clean wet bliss. You fall and laugh, getting up with your face red and stinging from this most pure expression of starting anew. You wipe yourself off, brush yourself clean and then you grin and shove off.. just to do it all over again.

You pause only to catch your breathe.. either because of the absurdly gorgeous thing that you're so utterly blessed to experience.. or because you're completely exhausted from making sure you experience it to your fullest. By the time your knees shake and your thighs burn, your eyes are hooded and the smile on your face is plastered there. You won't worry about how to get to sleep tonight. You'll just worry as to whether or not you'll make it to your bed, your bedroom, your house, your street, your town, your state.. before your body loses it's grip on the slim edge of this world's existence. That is why you do it. That is why I do it. So I can wipe myself clean, start renewed and exhausted.. the grin on my lips intense, yet slowly fading.

Until the next time.."

So it's random, and long.. and overly dramatic. But I felt the urge. I didn't know what I was writing for.. but now I realize I was writing to express what I always wanted to express when standing on the edge of a mountain. Writing to try and capture in my horrible attempt what makes me feel like I'm flying. Why I always want to go back, even if I'm sore and broke, or have to drive there and back for a total of 8 hours. I spent more time driving yesterday then skiing.. silly, but true. Next time, I'll make sure that that statement is reversed.

Love, Peace, and Happy Trails,
Tar