Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey...

     After last year's crash, I made a vow to develop a new habit during my recovery. I grew up seeing the pleasure my Dad gained from reading, but had never experienced it. During school it was strictly business, and I fell into years of the excuse "I don't have time to read". However, I was able to make time, and have since rolled through an average of two books per month, and zero cable bills. I get it now, and find myself often scheduling my day around getting to read. The only downfall is a lack of friends that read, so I find myself with these elaborate conversations, quotes, and ideas that remain internalized.

     And then I remembered that I run this blog, and how under-utilized it has been in the past. It's been a great outlet for some gear reviews, event recaps, and short rants, but I believe I'll had some depth here with a few book reviews. As a self proclaimed adventurer and notorious soloist, I've connected well with authors such as Edward Abbey, Aron Ralston, and Jack London. I definitely enjoy the classics as well as modern novels, but there's a certain vein running in me that enjoys the Science Fiction-esque qualities of older pieces. 

     Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire has hit my buttons on several levels. I found myself throughout the novel making notes of passages I just couldn't wait to go back and explore. 

     Released in 1968, Desert Solitaire is a collection of writings from Abbey's years as a park ranger on the backside of Canyonlands National Park in Utah. He was known for being a very surly, zero f*cks given environmentalist that would much rather spend his time alone in the wilderness than with the company of a society he liked less and less each day. The particular area he was stationed for these writings also happens to hold a dear place in my heart. Canyonlands NP is the area that contains Moab, Arches NP, Green River, and a number of hidden treasures in the desert of Utah. Rather than go into a full synopsis, I'd like to share a few of the parts that really hit home with me in hopes that it will inspire you to step away from the idiot box and pick up a book!

"Where all think alike there is little danger of innovation."

"An economic system which can only expand or expire must be false to all that is human."

"Has joy any survival value in the operations of evolution? I suspect that it does; I suspect that the morose and fearful are doomed to quick extinction. Where there is no joy there can be no courage; and without courage all other virtues are useless."

"Too late for arguments now and as usual not enough time for panic."

"Looking out to this panorama of light, space, rock and silence I am inclined to congratulate the dead man on his choice of jumping off place; he had good taste. He had good luck- I envy him the manner of his going: to die alone, on rock under sun at the brink of the unknown, like a wolf, like a great bird, seems to me very good fortune indeed. To die in the open, under the sky, far from insolent interference of leech and priest, before this desert vastness opening like a window into eternity- that surely was an overwhelming stroke of rare good luck."

"Gaze not too long into the abyss, lest the abyss gaze into thee."

     But above all, the section that raised off the page and screamed at me was the chapter that Abbey explained the value of wilderness as "a base for resistance to centralized domination." Released in 1968, and read in the light of 2013, this passage absolutely dominated my mind for several days. He even explains that his thoughts came from even earlier poets. This was an era before Internet, Monsanto, the War on Terror, and many of the other commonalities we have grown tolerant of. Without further ado, here it is:

"How does this theory apply to the present and future of the famous United States of North America? Suppose we were planning to impose a dictatorial regime upon the American People- the following preparations would be essential:

1. Concentrate the populace in megalopolitan masses so that they can be kept under close surveillance and where, in case of trouble, they can be bombed, burned, gassed, or machine-gunned with a minimum of expense and waste. 

2. Mechanize agriculture to the highest degree of refinement, thus forcing most of the scattered farm and ranching population into the cities. Such a policy is desirable because farmers, woodsmen, cowboys, Indians, fisherman and other relatively self-sufficient types are difficult to manage unless displaced from their natural environment. 

3. Restrict the possession of firearms to the police and the regular military organizations.

4. Encourage or at least fail to discourage population growth. Large masses of people are more easily manipulated and dominated than scattered individuals. 

5. Continue military conscription. Nothing excels military training for creating in young men an attitude of prompt, cheerful obedience to officially constituted authority. 

6. Divert attention from deep conflicts within the society by engaging in foreign wars; make support of these wars a test of loyalty, thereby exposing and isolating potential opposition to the new order.

7. Overlay the nation with a finely reticulated network of communications, airlines and interstate autobahns. 

8. Raze the wilderness. Dam the rivers, flood the canyons, drain the swamps, log the forests, strip-mine the hills, bulldoze the mountains, irrigate the deserts and improve the national parks into national parking lots."

     Let that sink in a bit as you read it through the eyes of today. He's a brilliant author, rough and unapologetic. It doesn't get much better than this!

Run For the Hills 2013 Video!!!

Here we go! Thanks to Dustin Suitors for the excellent filming, edited by yours truly!

The Second Annual Run for the Hills Mud Run at Loose Wheels, Texas!




Run For the Hills 2013 from Vita Brevis on Vimeo.

Run for the Hills Mud Run 2013 Recap...

With a dozen additional obstacles and the infamous water slide expanded, this year's mud run proved to be a sloppy mess of a good time!

Vita Brevis Clothing was happy to be a sponsor and vendor for the event, and I for one had an absolute blast seeing everyone coming through the finish line on the way to a much deserved hosing off courtesy of a local fire truck. I heard several people say last year that it was the hardest mud run they'd ever done, which is impressive with all of the powerhouse events that we've seen in previous years. However, one look at the topography of this property will remind you that this run has definitely earned its name.

Even with the threat of bad weather, we hung out through some wind and rain to finish off the day in ideal conditions for playing in the mud! A HUGE thank you to everyone who came by and showed their support for VB, and props to all the people that came together to make this event a reality!

And a special word to Team Solus- Thank you so much for your continued support, you guys looked great out there! Congrats on the team win!

Run for the Hills!!!

HUGE weekend coming up!

Saturday marks the second Run For the Hills, a local mud run benefitting Firefighters. It's a great event, and has been improved on drastically (even though it was already a blast!)

Take a look at last year's video, and then go to the event site and REGISTER!!! Vita Brevis Clothing is a proud sponsor and will also be set up as a vendor on the day of the event, so come say hi and collect a high five!

Run for the Hills Event Site

What's up with that logo?

I get the question all the time: 

"What does the gas mask mean?" 

"What's the deal with the mask?" 

"What's up with that logo?"

     While it may not be the most self-explanatory design out there, it does have some reasoning behind it. My original logo concept was an hourglass that saw many different manifestations that you may see on some of the very first gear produced. However, it lacked that "stamp" feel, and usually just acted as filler since it couldn't quite demand the aesthetic attention that the gas mask can. 

     For me, the original hourglass represented a countdown, time running out, etc. This bode well with the concept of Vita Brevis- "Life is Short" in that time is always running out- each minute gone by is a minute you'll never have again. But I struggled for years before I really pinpointed what it was about that design that just didn't grab my heart. There was something weak, complacent, victimizing about looking at an hourglass. Sitting there watching the sand fall just seemed far too passive for what VB Clothing was evolving into. The concept of time running out is sound, but there is no action or call to arms with that mentality. Anyone can live their life as a spectator, counting grains of sand until it's empty. But we don't get to flip our metaphorical hourglass over and do it again. When it's over, it's over, and I for one refuse to sit idly by watching it tick-tock away until I'm dust. 

     Enter the mask... 

     A militaristic symbol to many, a warning label to others. It most often represents a fearful situation in which one can't even trust the very air they breathe. A poisoning, an attack, a war. And that's exactly how I view what's happening around us. While our air may be breathable now, there is a poisonous fog rolling over the world as we know it. We see basic human rights under attack globally, while integrity crumbles under the fist of ego and "progress". Freedom redefined, and an entire race of human beings losing sight of what it means to be just that. Kids that can exhaust an iPad, but unable to handle sticks and rocks. People who struggle to smile, who have lost sight of what it means to be happy. Although the opportunity to connect is stronger than it has ever been, we seem to distance ourselves further and further from the world around us. Passive living, waiting on that next great drug or product to come along and make us happy when all we need is ourselves. 

     To me, the mask stands firm as a tool to salvage more life. It represents my opportunity to filter the poison from my life, giving me that vital breath of life and a clear vision as I focus on making the absolute most out of the life I have left. More art, more laughs, more enjoyment. Getting outside and playing, having a blast every single day, and creating things that inspire my fellow man. You ask me what the mask stands for? It's the reminder that I get another chance at living well every day. When I see you wearing my gear, I see a breath of life I was able to share. You may only see a shirt, but I see the ground-up process to become who I am today. I feel like I've squeezed just a little bit more out of life every time I see it. When one dons a gas mask, it isn't just for giggles or because it's the cool thing to do. It's a fight. A fight for clean air, a fight for your future, a fight to survive.The VB mask is an artistic representation of digging in and going forward with all you have. Clear eyes, clear heart. Now THAT is a message I can stand behind. 

     

Bluebonnet Adventure Fest Weekend Recap

     What a great weekend! I was lucky enough to have my P-I-C (partner in crime) in tow for the Bluebonnet Adventure Fest in Burnet, Texas for a great escape to chilly mornings, rocky trails, and another great race weekend with what some newly familiar faces.

     The previous week wasn't the greatest. Our house was a bit tense, then sorrowful as we came to the realization that my beloved Corgi, Scooter, was being rejected and therefore targeted by the other dogs. Spats turned to vicious fights, with the poor little guy being on the receiving end far too often. We concluded that the best solution was to find him a home where he could shine as the solo dog. Thankfully, our excellent network of friends and dog lovers came through with the perfect home. He is now responsible for filling three little girl's childhoods with lifelong memories of growing up with a great dog. Much love and thanks to the Boyle family- I hope he brings you as much happiness as he has to me! I'm thankful to say that we've received several messages that his first weekend at the new home has been full of love and joy. Thank you guys so much.

Farewells aren't the easiest. Be a good boy.

     After holding back grown man tears over my little Scooter bud, I knew the only way to keep from slipping into a funk would be to stay busy. Thankfully, Terra Firma Promo was there to help with their highly anticipated Bluebonnet Adventure Fest at Reveille Peak Ranch, a destination I've longed to visit since they opened. With truck loaded and the final confirmation that it was just me and the wife for the weekend, it was time to hit the road. After a far too heavy dose of Dallas traffic, we passed through West, TX, in the wake of  tragedy. Such a huge event will forever rewrite the lives in a small town such as West. Many prayers to all those affected. 

     Upon arrival and with burritos secured, we set up camp and found the registration table under a beautiful pavilion on the water. This Ranch is more of a resort in my opinion, such a great getaway. I was already committed to the Adventure Race, and Candice's eyes lit up when the Xterra 5k was mentioned. We secured an entry for her and made our way back to camp where we propped up at the neighbor's fire and proceeded to make friends with a great crew out of San Antonio. 

     Race morning is one of my all time favorite moments in life. I love the mix of preparation, panic, and adrenaline. And it was an even more enjoyable experience when shared with my wife. It was even better when they announced that her 5k was the running portion of my race, so we would get to run together. 

Chilly morning Race Face

Ready to Rock

     She did great, especially considering the terrain we ran. I had to hustle pretty hard, but caught her in the last half mile to finish together before I took off on the bike leg of my race. Congrats baby, I'm proud of you, and looking forward to doing some more! Despite the frustration I still experience with running, I kept my mind well and put in a great ride. I absolutely love technical, rocky, singletrack trails- and there was plenty to love. The first 2/3 were flowing single and wide track, but the last 1/3 of the ride was just awesome. I counted 18 passes and infinite grins as I focused through all the rocks on some beautiful trail. Jeep road brought us in to camp (where I was easily passed by an older lady- props to you on a great ride and race!), and we ran to the kayak portion. Here's where it got interesting: Terra Firma keeps the field even here by requiring that everyone use their inflatable boats, oars, and pfd's. I'd severely underestimated just how difficult it would be to paddle that thing across the lake. Several curse words flew, and I found myself just laying back as a reminder of how nice the day was. I was immensely relieved when I hit shore again, only to find that we weren't quite finished yet. After a crab walk through the sand and crossing a cove on telephone poles, I finally crossed the finish line with a 2:04. 10th place in Solo Male (and there were more than 10 in the class). 

Don't fall off, don't fall off, don't fall off...

Handsome bald guy finishing strong...ish.

They had great keg beer, she was a happy girl. Post race happy face.

Post race pain face. Easily cured by said great keg beer.

     One does not simply go to Reveille Peak Ranch and sit back for the rest of the weekend. It's a beautiful property absolutely riddled with great trails and views. After a few hours of visiting and recovering, I felt it was time to at least go check out the flow trail. I'd spent a lot of time looking forward to riding this line full of berms, jumps, and other fun features, and today was the day despite my protesting legs. I had a great solo session on the jumps and managed to piece the entire line together with the exception of one booter that required a little more commitment than I was willing to give alone. Whoever built that trail, kudos and thank you! Was so nice getting to step up the speed and air for the first time in over a year! Afterwards I returned to camp, longing for another trail ride but unsure of my body's willingness. Noticing some mechanical issues with the Remedy, I parked it and cruised the hardtail to see if the keg was emptied yet as I abandoned the idea of any more miles. 

     After a perfect beer on the dock, I threw my leg over the bike and subtly opted to go left towards the trails instead of back to camp. What followed was a three hour ride I'll never forget. With map in hand, I took every bit of singletrack I could until I found myself miles from camp. I then pieced together a loop that delivered so many smiles, I'll never forget it. True singletrack with flowing sections, technical rocks, and amazing views. I knew I was living well when I caught myself chasing lizards and running my hand along the quarts veins in the rock slabs. As much as part of me wanted to just get lost and stay all night, I found my way back to camp just in time for sunset and some much needed dinner. Much love to the friendly faces around the campfire that night, it was great meeting you, and I hope we cross paths again!

     In all, the weekend was amazing. More great memories made, some quality time with the lady, more friendly faces, and a wave of peace that Scooter is not only happy, but bringing joy to his new family. Life is good, let's live more of it!

Break time

Selfie to remember youth when I'm old and gray

Fastest lizards I've ever seen. Thanks for posing!

For my love of Time Lapses...

Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.