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Vision-questing in the Mountains: A Practical Guide

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Hi!  I am finding it easier to write/publish on Substack.  So here is the link to my latest blogpost, and if you find my writing useful, please consider signing up there.

This is a slightly crazy blogpost — my key point is that “awe” is like protein – the most important macro in your spiritual/mental diet. Whereas social media/AI is like sugary processed food — unfulfilling.
 
All kidding aside, the post explains the practice of vision-questing, borrowing from the ideas of Carl Jung, the Swiss psychologist. Plus it contains snapshots of some of the more meaningful experiences during my personal mountain quest.
 
Visions don’t have to be psychedelic, hallucinatory experiences. They can be subtle connections and feelings. I feel like these experiences should form the backbone of our emotional lives, giving us the strength and depth to deal with the pragmatic decisions we’ve got to make every day. But maybe that’s just me — see what you think
Vision-questing in the Mountains: A Practical Guide

Warrior Moms

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I pulled into the parking lot of a coffee shop to see my friend Kuay.  I’d met her at the local gym a few years back, when she invited me to join a group of swimmers she was coaching.  Afterwards, I hit the weights, saw her pedaling away on the stationary bike, learned that she was training for her next triathlon.

Now, as Kuay and I sat down at an outside table, I asked about the knee brace.  It provided much-appreciated support, she explained, following her run that morning, adding that her knee replacement surgery was scheduled in two weeks’ time.  She’d done her research and thought through the options.  Whether she’d be able to keep running was an open question.  Over the years, running had been a major part of her life, and she thought she would miss it.  Although she didn’t always enjoy it.

“I like getting to the end,” she explained.  But not every step along the way.  Especially the long training runs.

“Then why did you do so much?” I asked.

She thought about the question for a moment.  Acknowledged some of it might have been ego-driven, because she liked how she felt when she raced well.  But then observed that ego can be a valuable source of motivation.  Because she also raced for her daughters.  “When they started playing sports in school, I wanted to set an example.”

“So, you’re a warrior mom,” I said. Continue reading “Warrior Moms” →

Warrior Moms

Welcome to the World — Bob’s Baby Granddaughter!

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In an eloquent and heartfelt essay, my former colleague Bob Dewey announced the birth of his granddaughter, commenting on how grateful he felt that the delivery was “routine and uneventful.”  Indeed, modern medicine delivers infants with exquisite care and safety.  Bob pointed out that childhood mortality in the US recently hit a new low – only 5 deaths per 1,000 live births, equivalent to a rate of 0.5%.

I, too, am grateful for safety.  My grandson, Arden, recently turned 6.

But…

Continue reading “Welcome to the World — Bob’s Baby Granddaughter!” →

Welcome to the World — Bob’s Baby Granddaughter!

If you want to be a Minimalist, you’ve got to be Fit

Barefoot Ken, Leave a comment

169 years later, Thoreau’s commandment still echoes across the surface of Walden Pond — “Simplify. Simplify!”  The logic has stood the test of time.  Seriously, could anyone want more complexity in life?

But that doesn’t mean simplifying is easy.

To simplify means to “make something easier to understand,” according to the first online dictionary definition that popped up when I typed the word into the search bar.  Understanding takes effort.  And time.  Both of which are in short supply.  So simplifying is a good thing — indeed, it’s the key to solving problems.  In this regard, simplify has a similar meaning to compute.  Continue reading “If you want to be a Minimalist, you’ve got to be Fit” →

If you want to be a Minimalist, you’ve got to be Fit

Pondering Clouds, Sparks, and Disney’s “Soul”

Barefoot Ken3 Comments

As I stepped onto the jet-bridge there was a blast of warmth and a flash of bright light – and then the cool shade of the air-conditioned tunnel.  It was a hot summer day in Dallas.  My ultimate destination was the mountains of California’s High Sierra, where I’d planned a three-week hike — but right now, the clock was ticking down to the departure of my next connection, and I needed to find the gate.  Walk quickly, I told myself.  Pay Attention!

Two days earlier, I’d met a college student for coffee.  A friend of mine, her mentor, thought she’d benefit from my experience.  Over cappuccinos we chatted about a number of things, including the concept of “balance.”  The idea that a person could enjoy success at work and participate in other interests.  And spend time with friends.  And read books.  She was young, so family wasn’t in the mix yet.  In life there are a lot of and’s, I pointed out.  If you want A and B and C, it’s up to you to figure out how. Continue reading “Pondering Clouds, Sparks, and Disney’s “Soul”” →

Pondering Clouds, Sparks, and Disney’s “Soul”

50 Miles at Hainesport

Barefoot Ken4 Comments

On December 31, 2020, I participated in the Hainesport Hundred and 24-hour Endurance Run, completing my goal of 50 miles.  The run was notable for me:  it was my 91st event of marathon distance or longer; it was my 6th barefoot marathon and 25th barefoot race and my longest-ever distance without shoes; and I ran this race without calories or fluid for the first 39 miles as a way to practice another dimension of endurance.

Before getting into my report, I need to give credit to race directors John Swanson and Vanessa Kline of Batona Trail Runs, who organized an excellent event:  it was a perfect site for this kind of race, the aid station was well-stocked, the volunteers were enthusiastic, directions were clear, and given concerns about the lingering Covid pandemic, they managed to execute the event with reasonable social-distancing protocols that met the acceptance of local authorities.

The event took place in the town of Hainesport, New Jersey, and the course followed a 0.9913-mile loop through the local municipal park.  This format requires a certain mindset, because there’s no distraction from changing scenery when you repeat the same loop 51 times (or 101 times for those going the full distance).  In this report I aim to give you a sense as to what a loop-type experience is like — so come on with me, let’s go on a quick tour of Hainesport Municipal Park…

Continue reading “50 Miles at Hainesport” →

50 Miles at Hainesport

A Romp in the Shawangunks

Barefoot Ken3 Comments

Is it just me, or is it getting more difficult waking up this time of year, now that it’s staying dark so much later? 

The other day I dragged myself out of bed for my morning run.  It was the normal time, but pitch black outside, and I felt low in energy.  Unwilling to face cold pavement or the steep climb up the hill behind us, I decided to drive over to the nearby Shawangunk Grasslands… 

Continue reading “A Romp in the Shawangunks” →

A Romp in the Shawangunks

Jessica Velez: Reflections on my 70-miler

Barefoot Ken, , 1 Comment
This is a guest post by Jessica Velez who participated in the 70-mile division of the 2019 SRT Run.  I was at checkpoint #5 when she arrived with only a few minutes to spare, and based on her pace at that point I didn’t think she would make it to checkpoint #6, but she did, this time only seconds before the cut-off, strained, blistered, and sopping wet.  Given the risks associated with rain, darkness, and cooling temperatures I offered her the option to drop here and get a ride to the finish, but she barely acknowledged me, instead got to work replacing the batteries in her headlamp, and then headed off into the dark, wet forests for the final 6-mile stretch, arriving at the finish in 29 hours and 49 seconds, and along the way demonstrating the values of determination, self-reliance, and endurance that we seek to celebrate with this event. — Ken.
Why did I do it? It wasn’t for fun, I wish I had the level of fitness where 70 miles would be fun. When I run marathons- they are fun, I socialize, take in the views, people watch- I actually have a lot of fun with marathons. I signed up for a 70, because as I finished my 50 miler at Rock the Ridge in 2017- I felt like I could have done more. I wanted to challenge myself and see if my body was capable of the “more”. Why did I choose the Shawangunk Ridge Trail (SRT) race specifically? Simply because it was local and scenic and priced extremely reasonable.

Continue reading “Jessica Velez: Reflections on my 70-miler” →

Jessica Velez: Reflections on my 70-miler

Setting Foot in Yosemite (for the very first time)

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My four-week southwestern pilgrimage is drawing to a close, and what stands between my current location in Mammoth Lakes and the San Francisco airport is. . . . Yosemite National Park, John Muir’s temple of the wilderness, in which “every rock seems to glow with life.”

This is sacred ground, with 4.3 million visitors last year.  This year, having just reopened after a month’s closure due to forest fires, no doubt the park will be thronged.  What’s needed is a thoughtful plan:  an infiltration route from a remote trailhead to a suitable vantage point overlooking the valley, sparing me the crowds below.  A chance encounter with a friendly trail volunteer supplies me with exactly this:  a 16-mile route from Porcupine Creek Trailhead to North Dome and the top of Yosemite Falls.

Continue reading “Setting Foot in Yosemite (for the very first time)” →

Setting Foot in Yosemite (for the very first time)