expedition

Ascending (the Wrong Peak)

What mountain have you identified to summit? What if you find out you are climbing a different peak than selected? Do you stop your ascent and downclimb? Do you continue upwards, using this climb to enhance your performance for the next expedition? Do you abandon the entire project?

If our passion is climbing, we will likely continue, despite being on a different route than intended. If our goal is a specific summit, we will likely reroute to the planned ascent. If our hope was to curate an amazing narrative, we might use this detour to enhance our story. Being specific when we identify our intentions makes decision-making easier when we reach an inflection point.

Fragments from the Road

Unless a person joins you on the trail, it is tough to recreate all we experience en route. We cannot easily replicate the moments of doubt, the dirt and grimness pressing into our skin, the awe of an unexpected vista, the frustration of missing a trail junction, and the exuberance of a tailwind and friendly grade. Our photos, videos, and narratives might capture a snapshot but do not augment reality. The most compelling way we gain a comprehension of the terrain is if we join the expedition. Thru-hikers embed themselves and accumulate experiences that add exponential depth and dimension.

The highest likelihood of supporting somebody’s understanding of the work that matters is to join the adventure and walk a section of the trail.