Friday 4 PM has arrived, and the clock has begun: rush home, pack the trunk and backseats with gear, food, and friends in the best Tetris way possible knowing that everything will be smelly and jumbled in just 48 hours. Drive 3 to 4 hours, listen to music and fend off cramping legs, splurge on gas station snacks, watch the landscape change from farms to rolling hills to alpine. And, of course, push your body's limits just shy of causing injury in the most type II fun kind of way.
This is about 80% of all weekends that promise moderate to decent weather, subject to extreme change once on a mountaintop. It can be intense and tiring, but the high payoff beckons us back time and again.
Every now and then, a rain shower, local event, or need-for-recovery locks us at home. We don't realize its necessity until Sunday when we finally catch up on mundane chores and cooking, sitting down in a tidy house and feeling accomplished. Maybe we will even enjoy a local adventure in the neighborhood or surrounding state forests. This lasts for a little while, but it can be hard to feel grounded at home for weeks on end; the allure of a challenging terrain eventually calls.
Local activities have made us feel more connected to our home and community. Apple and Pumpkinfests, Porchfest (local musicians playing music on strangers' porches all day), and other seasonal events are a huge draw to being home. We also are appreciative of what our community and township provides: bike rides to explore surrounding regions, beer and trivia nights, trail runs, playing board games with friends, having campfires, and just enjoying a day of reading or catching up on a T.V. show.
We need these days. We love these days.
It helps that now, in this freezing, wet, sleet-y shoulder season, it's hard to even get motivated to go outside. The result? Curl up with a hot cup of tea, start planning bulking season at the gym, journal, watch movies, read books, and give your body and mind some relaxing TLC.
The type II fun will be back shortly, don't worry.
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