Category Archives: General Talk

Adventure before Dementia

Backpacking, Camping, General Talk, Senior Moments

Senior Moments 

Well, maybe not senior moments. We try to avoid senior moments. Seems many seniors are just waiting to die, we’re out living.

We just returned from a couple of weeks of camping in the desert. It was a totally relaxing. I didn’t take any pics, so you’ll just have to use your imagination and picture the amazing scenery and wildlife we saw, like a whole herd of majestic big horn sheep.

But here’s something that caught my eye: I saw this really interesting spare wheel cover on a travel trailer that said ‘Adventure Before Dementia.’ The phrase sounds pretty catchy, and it also made me think about our own lives. It’s all about perspective, you know? What it means to you can totally change depending on how you look at things.

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My Friend Craig Wisner Lost His House in the Eaton Fire

General Talk, ,

I’m reaching out to you today to ask for your help with a friend of mine, Craig. The wildfires in Southern California have been devastating, and Craig and his family have been hit particularly hard.

Craig is a high school teacher, but he’s more than just a teacher – he’s a mentor to many young people. And now, he and his wife, Lusi, are facing a huge challenge. Lusi’s mother lived nearby and lost her home of 36 years to the fire. Craig and Lusi are her main caregivers, as she’s elderly and has memory issues. And to top it all off, their two children are in college, so they’re juggling a lot.

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Patagonia and Black Friday

General Talk, ,

And so here we are — another Black Friday approaching — and after all these years I still don’t know what to make of it.

I know why it exists. It exists so businesses can make money. Lots of money. In a short period of time.

Is it a good thing? No, not for me. For others; I guess they have to decide for themselves.

This isn’t the first time I have written about the Black Friday phenomenon. I have shared my rants many times over the years. However, this year, I’d like to point out something different. A different company. Patagonia.

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Book Review: The Secret Knowledge of Water, by Craig Childs

General Talk

 

Back in September of this year I reviewed three of my favorite “desert” books. All three were written over 50 years ago. Here I review another that is worth adding to your library.

The Secret Knowledge of Water was written about 25 years ago (originally published in 2000). Like the other three books, this one is also timeless.

The cover includes a wonderful quote from the book:

There are two easy ways to die in the desert: thirst and drowning

For those of us who have lived and explored deserts extensively, this dichotomy says so much.

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The Adventurer’s Son: A Memoir — My Book Review

General Talk

 

“In the predawn hours of July 10, 2014, the son of legendary Alaskan explorer Roman Dial walked alone into the untracked rainforest of Costa Rica’s remote Pacific Coast. ‘I’m planning on doing 4 days in the jungle,’ he wrote his father before leaving, ‘it should be difficult to get lost forever.’

Then he vanished . . .”

This would be the last communication from Roman Dial’s son.

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