When they turn the pages of history When these days have passed long ago Will they read of us with sadness For the seeds that we let grow? We turned our gaze From the castles in the distance Eyes cast down On the path of least resistance -A Farewell to Kings, Rush (1977) 5:27 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon in August. It’s 95 degrees out, but the concrete street corner of the busiest intersection in the city feels considerably warmer. It’s the height of rush hour and cars buzz busily by from all points of the compass. Bob stands alone on the corner. He is tall and appears to be in his sixties, but he looks youthful for his age so it’s hard to tell. He wears baggy shorts, a white t-shirt, HOKA running shoes, a sun hat, and sunglasses. Over his head, he hoists a hand-made poster scrawled with the message “No ICE!” The opposite side of his sign proclaims, “No Kings!” in carefully printed black marker. An American flag adorns the upper left-hand corner of both sides of the placard. For the p...
10:09 p.m. on a Saturday night. I’m preparing to leave town for three weeks when my phone dings signaling that I’ve received a text message. When I pick up my device, I see it’s from my friend Eric. The two of us have been friends for a good thirty years now. Shared outdoor interests, common world views, and an appreciation of good craft beer made us natural compatriots. But it wasn’t just that. I have common interests with most of my friends. What made my relationship with Eric unique was his ever-present enthusiasm and willingness to actually “do stuff.” If I asked him whether he wanted to ride mountain bikes, the answer was always “yes.” Did he want to go hiking? “Of course!” How about we go to Lone Pine to camp? “Let’s go.” Hey, we should go to the Beer and Bluesapalooza festival in Mammoth. “Ok, I’ll get the tickets.” Whatever the situation, if it directly or indirectly involved outdoor recreation, Eric was all in without hesitation. In fact, if truth be told, at least half ...