Dave, Gibraltar Rd., and The Alchemist

"And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it."

-Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

This started out as a post about parks and wilderness.  I had been forced to go to Yosemite by my friend Dave in January because he couldn't believe a tree-hugger such as myself had been in California for 2.5 years but hadn't ventured to one of the most beautiful parks in the United States.  I went, I loved, so I started to write about it.  As I began writing this post a few weeks ago a technician at work was reading "The Alchemist" on his break and we started discussing it.  I have been told several times that it's a life changing book but had never read it myself and honestly didn't know anything about it.  I did know, though, that Macklemore recommends in his love song to his child that he read it... so naturally, in my mind, it's already one of the greatest books of all-time.  I literally had no idea what it was actually about but was eager to find out how it would change my life as I flipped the first page...

...So the world works out in mysterious ways.  As I was getting through the beginning pages of the book I was finding that it was about a boy's journey for treasure.  Simultaneously, my friend Dave was in his first 2 weeks of what will likely be a 4+ month journey hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).  So as I was reading this book I not only had my own personal journey in mind but reflected on the more literal journey that Dave is going through (of course projecting my own perceptions of what he must be going through without any first hand experience or conversations with him :) ).  So this post is an update on my week as well as a continued "wish you well" letter to him on his journey since I wasn't be able to be at his friend pit stop in Big Bear this past weekend.

Dave's going away party in San Diego.  March '16.  He's the one blurred out in red because he can't sit still.

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho
Dave, this book was given to me but I think it's all for you.  For the rest of you out there that haven't read it I recommend it highly.  We are all on journey's within some aspect of our lives.  It may not be a full on existential crisis we are dealing with, maybe only within our career, decisions with our family unit, or working our way through our grocery list on a Sunday night.  But make no mistake about it we are on a journey through life.  This book is an ode to the journey, and our perceived goal of these journeys.  While the writing through translation (Paulo Coelho is Brazilian) comes through in English as rudimentary the clear and simple message resonates.  Follow your heart, listen to the "Language of the World", and stay true to your personal legend.  That's all I'm going to say about it since most people are firmly in one of two camps; either they really love it and find it to be life changing or they think it's too simplistic and full of cliches.  Books that polarizing are worth it no matter where you fall on the spectrum of enjoyment in philosophical literature.  It's also a super quick read so you won't have felt like you wasted too much time if you don't like it.  So I'll leave it at that and allow this to be a book that opens up discussion between us at a later time.

Dave.

"The boy went back to contemplating the silence of the desert, and the sand raised by the animals. “Everyone has his or her own way of learning things,” he said to himself. “His way isn’t the same as mine, nor mine as his. But we’re both in search of our Personal Legends, and I respect him for that.”"

-Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

I feel like I'm on a journey of sorts.  I mean, we are all on a journey right? But certain periods in our life maybe seem a bit more formative and this is one of those periods for me.  A period of discovery I suppose.  This friend of mine, Dave, he's soul searching too.  But the way his soul searching manifests it looks like he's searching HARD right now (or I assume so based on his nomadic movement around the country over the past year and a half).  I met him in LA in the summer of 2015 and since then he has lived in LA, Denver, Boston, Charleston, LA, San Diego, and now for the next four or so months on the PCT.  This sort of seemingly by the seat of your pants wandering is fun, interesting, and sometimes terrifying to be around especially for someone like me as I pride myself in stability.

This guy's got a lot of nicknames but I think he prefers not to be called by them so I'll just refer to him as Dave.  As I mentioned above he's the one that forced me into my first Yosemite trip so for that I owe him a ton! For the record he's also the person that wholeheartedly thinks there is no way I should be living in LA and that I should immediately pack my bags and move to Portland... maybe Denver.  It makes sense I suppose.  I wear flannel whenever possible, love craft beer and coffee, and want to live forever as a bicycle commuter.  I just haven't ever been there so it's hard for me to completely agree... and also, I'm super happy with what I have here... for now.  Dave always pushes hard for me to think of the final destination (whether intentionally or not) and that can make me feel uncomfortable.  I on the other hand push for (or at least TRY to push for) paying more attention to the process and not worrying about the outcome or goal.  The best way to live is probably some where in the middle, right?  Discussions with Dave are fun and intense, fun because we have such similar ideas and ideals but intense because I think we have different ways of approaching how to live within our similar value systems.  Life is too short to have friends that are exactly the same as you and always agreeable.  I'd much rather be in a discussion a friend with a differing Religious view, that I can debate and compromise with who cares about me despite our differences, than be an off the handle radical (left or right) that surrounds themselves in a bubble of like-minded people.  Dave and I aren't that different, really... just trying to illustrate a point here.

Dave (right) showing me and Joe around Yosemite for the 1st time.  Photo from the Tunnel View of Yosemite Valley, CA.

The PCT:
I'm not going to comment on this too much since I've never done it.  The basics are that it's a 2659 mile hike that takes you over mountains, through deserts, and likely into the deepest depths of your soul.  Many have tried and many have failed.  I have hiked parts of it while spending weekends in Big Bear, CA and the hiking is no joke.  In order to complete the entire trail you need to walk a marathon per day for 102 days...

...Of course this marathon is with everything you need to survive attached to your back and without a Gatorade station and medics every 4 miles.  Weather, injuries, and equipment malfunction can easily turn this into a 6-month ordeal.  Some of you know that I spent 6-weeks living in the wilderness of the boundary waters canoe area and wilderness (BWCAW).  I thought that was a wild time and intense adventure.  Looking back, though, I was with an experienced professor, had a 5 classmates to rely on for teamwork and sharing camp duties, and we had a field station to return to every 1-2 weeks to re-supply.  Wilderness experiences are fascinating to me.  These are the times, in isolation, with no outside communication when we find out what it truly means to be human.  I mean they are the basis of how we survived as a species for centuries and the nomadic version of survival that Dave is doing is truly inspirational to me.  To dive deeper into what Dave is going through start here:

Pacific Crest Trail Association

Also, for some amazing pics follow him on instagram (@pibbs or search for Dave Peabody)

My Journey... this week

Course Map for L'Etape California 2016

I had mentioned a month ago in my post about cycling in LA that I would be doing L'Etape California.  "L'etape" means "the stage" and is a known cycling term for the organized amateur preview of the Queen Stage of a professional cycling event.  The Tour de France previews their Queen Stage yearly and the Tour of California (America's largest stage race) has in recent years hopped on the bandwagon.  Well it happened this past Sunday.  So, I had been a bit stressed out (and also sick) over the past few weeks leading up to the ride/race because I knew that I hadn't necessarily prepared the way in which I would've liked... so that stress and anxiety led to me not posting for a few weeks.  During that time I would sit in front of my computer after work knowing I should be writing so I could post some stuff about my life, but I was too distracted by the feeling inside that I should be out on my bike that I couldn't type, and I was too tired from a cold or allergies to actually get out on my bike on a daily basis.  First world problems are the absolute worst!

Anyway, I like to think of my journey as a constant as well as recurring thing theme, every decision I make (or don't make) has infinite unknown consequences and life path re-corrections.  One pattern that has popped up through my adult life has been an almost yearly decision to sign up for some sort of race.  I don't really like going to the gym and I suppose these races keep me honest with my activity level and keep me moving towards a goal.  The races themselves and the training leading up to the deadline become little microcosmic journeys that create their own obstacles that I have to conquer.  The races also place my memories in space and time which I have found becomes much more difficult as I get older.  Oh yeah, and torture.  I enjoy torture.

So, out of shape (in the bicycle racing sense) I took to the start line with 600 other cyclists at 7:30am and stared down the barrel of a 106 mile race crossing 3 mountain passes, 40 miles of coastal winds, and the knowledge that I had never ridden my bike for more than 77 miles at one time.  "Why The Face" was I thinking?  The first climb out of Thousand Oaks over the Santa Monica Mountains and down through the Malibu Canyons was a quick and amazing reminder why.  Having a fear or anxiety, pressing through, and the feeling of coming out on the other side to me is one of my most favorite and exhilarating emotions.  As I descended down the canyon in a warm breeze with the Pacific Ocean in site I realized that no matter how long and difficult this day would be it would be done with a smile on my face.  This isolation in the mountains quickly turned into social hour on the first flat section as I scoped out riders of similar strength along the coastal highway to work with in order to reduce the wind burden along the coast.  Group selection was going to make or break my day.  Too slow a paceline and I would end up being stuck in my saddle for far too many hours on the day but too fast a paceline would prove much worse as I would likely burn all my matches less than half way through the day and risk not making it to the end.  I got lucky and met up with a group at the first feed station and we worked well together for the next 25 miles to deliver me safely to the turn inland where I separated from the group in order to enjoy in solitude and silence the rolling fields and greenery that is lacking in LA.   Once I got over Casitas Pass I had 23 miles of rolling terrain to mentally prepare for Gibraltar Rd which is an Hors Categorie (also referred to as HC or "beyond categorization") climb meaning it's too difficult to even fit on a ratings scale.  This particular road, that climbs to the top of the Santa Ynez Mountain Range, is 7.4 miles long at an 8% average incline.  As a frame of reference the biggest road climb in Duluth is 40th West (Haines Rd.) which is 1.8 miles at 6.5%.

Course Profile for L'Etape California 2016

Long story short, I made it to the top.  I had set goals for the climb prior to the day which of course all went out the window when I realized what it would take just to get to the base of the climb.  This ride for me was another reminder in a long line or reminders throughout my life that it's not the goal that is the most important it is the savoring of every inch of road along the way.

With my weekend journey (and month long training/stress journey) complete I was happy to spend the next 4 hours enjoying my treasure of cold beer and barbecue exactly where I should be after a Californian century.  At the Beach...

50 ft. from the official finish line of L'Etape California, Leadbetter Beach, Santa Barbara, CA

Dave, if you are reading this I wish you all the safety and peace of mind over the next several months and I'm sorry if I've projected anything about you inappropriately.  Please forgive me.  We, all of your SoCal friends, are proud of your journey no matter where it takes you.  (But I'm going to continue to ignore your texts because I wholeheartedly believe that to have the full experience you shouldn't be using technology to communicate with the outside world... that is, until your time through Oregon approaches and I need to start looking for flights to meet up with you).

My personal treasure will be found I'm sure.  I'll get there someday, and through reading The Alchemist, I've become certain that I'd never be able to get there without being here.  How can I be so sure you ask?  Because here is where I am and that means there's no other place I was supposed to be.

"...and when each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises. I left my father, my mother, and the town castle behind. They have gotten used to my being away, and so have I. The sheep will get used to my not being there, too, the boy thought."

-Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist