If you’ve ever been to the American Midwest, you’d know that like all places it has an inimitable charm and beauty. Quaint it might be compared to something so grand as Everest or vast as the Grand Canyon but it’s still there. I always found it far from the cities, lost in the woods. To wander and chance upon someplace free from the burdens of civilization. The more work to get there, the more remote the better. The existence of such places a mystery until revealed. For me my father was the one who showed me the outdoors. Since I was young, we’d always camped in state parks or similar places which is fine but as I got older my dad started getting out more himself and thus began taking me too. Hiking, backpacking, kayaking, anything to be in the woods. There’s therapy in the whole process. Picking a site. Deciding trip length and time. What food to bring and what gear and how is it packed. It all comes together as you set out packs on your back. In the first few minutes your body will begin to ache, sweat, and you’ll begin having more labored breaths. Maybe a bit of doubt about well you’ll carry and how far. Then before you know it, the body’s warmed up and what seemed difficult has become natural. Everything’s been prepared it’s just walking the space between you and setting up camp.
On the first night you can have fresh meat or to keep it easy stay with dehydrated every time. Either your close to water and will filter or you packed enough in. Camp is set, the fire is starting to build, the sun is low in the sky leaving just enough light to see through a few feet of trees. You sit back satisfied with the work, drinking in the lack of so many noises. Here it’s the occasional animal crying or moving about, a bit of wind, the crackling fire and nothing else. Dinners getting started, and water’s set to boil for coffee, cocoa, or tea. You finish standing the tent getting any ground pads ready and take in the peace.
Or you find a cave that’s open to the public for spelunking. Some are short some are long but being underground stands out as an experience. The temperature hardly varies. There’s bound to be belly crawls, climbing, wading, and sometimes swimming to move through a route. Everythings muddy from a creek running along most of your route despite the recent lack of rain. Lights often pointed ahead to catch looming head injuries or kneecapping rocks. When you take a break and look around you see ancient formations with water dripping like crystals. Everythings brown but with different shades and shapes rendering each “room” distinct. Then just for fun you and any one your with all kill your headlamps and soak in the complete darkness.
Each trip is unique, but all can provide that sense of purgation, a cleansing of the soul. Every person needs this in some form; a method or methods of achieving catharsis. It could be binging movies, a hard workout, backpacking, or more whatever works and is healthy. So, if you have the need to get away find a local park, cave, beach, whatever and have a walkabout.
Take only pictures, leave only footprints and bring plenty of water.
ooglykraken 