a week in the woods, part two — road reads

So it’s approximately 965 miles one way, our door to Cutfoot Sioux Inn. A little longer on the way up because we found ourselves caught in what Patrick called “Groundhog Day” in and around Omaha, what with that area still wrought by the effects of river flooding. We went south to go north, north to go south, east to go west. We passed things a few times over, griped and groused on more than one occasion, and vowed to take a different route home. Still, 965 miles on the short route? That’s a ways. We stayed at Spirit Lake / Okoboji on the way up and back so as to make the haul over two days versus straight through, an impossibility when my husband’s co-pilot (that’s me) isn’t equipped to driving the rig with Das Boat hitched up behind.

All that said, I had time to read on the road. I can’t tell you the last time I bought a magazine, so I indulged and bought one new one before the ride up and two for the ride back. I also had several books along to choose from and got through a few of those. I’m not exactly sure why I feel compelled to share a bit about those reads .. but I imagine as I do, the answer will come to me.

Ready?

Outside magazine
Could there be a cooler, hipper magazine out there than Outside? Seriously? I don’t mean cool/hip like those fashion parade magazines touting clothes which Normal Joe/Josephine Citizen would never buy in a gazillion years. I mean cool/hip as in “whoa, look where these people went!” and “Check out this photo from Belize!” Cool/hip like that. Oh, there’s still fashion. Just in that cool/hip, outdoorsy, trekky, ready to hit the trail or ready to ride a wave sort of way. I generally have to force myself past the cover because even Outside covers can be laughable, much like GQ or Glamour or whatever. Like this one, for September? A taut guy in running shorts crouched down to lace up his shoes. What cracks me up though is it’s beyond apparent this is a dude who, for whatever reason, keeps his legs shaved. Crazy amount of chest hair .. but nary a whisp on those legs. Hmmm. Still plenty of advertising within. Makes me crave a new pair of Birkenstocks, without a doubt. Oh, and at least three ads for “minimalist running shoes” — you know, next best thing to running barefoot and all that. Okay. (But as you know, if you pay any attention at all, is I am a laggard and a late adapter, so … my first pair of those will come in a few more years!) This magazine serves a heaping serving of  wanderlust on a silver platter, taking you to all sorts of wild destinations with its compelling articles and amazing photographs. Patrick didn’t seem too keen, but I’ve got an itch now to go to the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado and ride a surfboard down the inclines of that massive sandbox! I read a crazy-interesting article about this rare fungus called yarchagumba, which grows in a particular little corner of the world — in Nepal’s Lost Valley — and is known for its aphrodisiacal qualities and a whole host of other medicinal wonderment. So much so, there are turf wars and all manner of underground economic effects surrounding its existence and supply/demand inequalities. That article spoke to me about this world’s desire for “quick fixes” .. and the ludicrosity of spending hoards of money to chase those quick fixes down. Silliness. Utter silliness. The best article in this issue was on Best Jobs — it featured several examples of normal (well, mostly normal) Joes and Josephines who chose to leave traditional jobs and start up companies whose mindsets are about the environment, enlightenment, sustainability, flexibility, catering to immense employee health and wellness, and any/all to do with a life spent outdoors. Quote of the mag comes from this guy who was a highly successful entrepreneur who left his role working for some nanotechnology research group to become what he dubs a ‘travel innovator’. He says:

“I gave away everything I owned that I couldn’t ride with and took off on a bike trip across Europe, then a dive trip to Australia. I was underwater swimming with bull sharks when I had the idea for a travel company, and I spent the next two months sitting under a banana tree working out the logistics.”

Um yeah, cool/hip, no?

NO TOUCH MONKEY and Other Travel Lessons Learned Too Late … by Ayun Halliday
I love travel lit. I do. I don’t yet own a passport, but I love travel lit. Silly. I frolicked through the pages of her globe-trotting experiences, soaking up whatever atmosphere she shared, wincing at some adventures and howling at others. And then there were the wince-howl combo’s, which came a few times in this volume. Like her writing about riding a camel. Eegads. I’m sorry, nausea is bad enough standing on solid ground. Imagine being nauseous whilst atop a loping, bouncing camel in the middle of a hot, sun-beating-down nowhere. Like I said: eegads.

Runner’s World magazine, October ’11
Great articles on running legend Frank Shorter, on two guys who ran the 42-mile “Rim to Rim to Rim” trail in/out of the Grand Canyon. Whoa. And a fun piece on Marathon Chefs, where I no doubt will glean several tasty, nutritious, and good-for-me recipes. Some are just too interesting not to try — like one gal’s “Long Run Cake”, brownie-like mini-loaves which include, of all bizarre things, black beans. I was jiggy with the cocoa and the apple sauce, even the coffee. But black beans? I think we’ve returned to that place of cool/hip!

Script magazine, Sept/October ’11
Ah, stories from the trade. While some articles spew suggestions which aspiring screenwriters should already know by rote and ritual and repetition and reverence, others provide gems. Nuggets of wisdom and advice maybe one hasn’t thought about for a while. I love those pieces written by the screenwriters themselves especially, and can usually garner a little something-something from those. But what I adored most in this issue was the feature story about the making of a film by famous father and son, Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. I was delighted to hear of this coming and even more delighted to get some of the backstory and behind the scenes of how the story .. and its making .. came together. “THE WAY” is a ‘road movie’, a oh-so-not-the-mainstream story of faith and reconciliation, about a man who travels to Spain to walk the legendary pilgrimage route called the El Camino de Santiago de Compostela. If you’ve never heard of this, might I suggest a little internet search. Or perhaps pick up one of the many, many books out there about folks who’ve taken this journey, this pilgrimage. I have two books and you can bet your bottom dollar, I pulled them both back out upon arriving home. I started to re-read “The Way Is Made By Walking” last night. This article shared about the creative process and how Estevez came to compiling the characters, which was to draw upon, of all things, the story of the Wizard of Oz. Okay, that’s intriguing! But as the explanation went on, it totally made sense. Says Estevez:

“This movie is a reflection of what’s been on my mind lately, but what I’ve stressed so hard is for this movie to invite the audience to join us — to have your own experience, your own Camino, while the movie’s unfolding. And try not inflict our Camino on yours. You should watch it as if you’re looking for your own backpack and walking shoes and say, ‘Man, I want to be the fifth Beatle!'”

And yet once again, I’m nudged to send off for a passport. This particular 500-mile walk is on my list, without a doubt.

ONE DAY, a novel by David Nicholls
The plan was to read the novel, then see the movie. Well, wouldn’t you know — I get back and discover the movie, which was in theatres before we left, is no longer. Dang it, gotta wait for the dvd, I guess. This book was extremely readable, enjoyable, funny, riveting even. Now for me to say that about a novel, well, that’s saying something. I am not patient with novels. I give a book 40-50 pages and usually end up trashing them because they’re either poorly written for my taste, unengaging or too fraught with details I just don’t give a hoot about. This was not that. Plus it featured English (as in Londoners) characters, which means you’re given a nice flavor of atmosphere and their spin on language/dialogue. Love that. One of the main characters, Emma (played by Anne Hathaway in the film version) has a neat little philosophy about life. As is written so wonderfully:

Better by far to simply try and be good and courageous and bold and to make a difference. Not change the world exactly, but the bit around you. Go out there with your passion and your electric typewriter and work hard at … something. Change lives through art maybe. Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well. Experience new things. Love and be loved, if you ever get the chance.

Yeah, that Emma — my kind of person. That’s some advice for a bulletin board, is it not?

Maybe that’s the message of this post — no matter what you pick up to read, be it magazine or book, whatever — glean something. Walk away inspired somehow. Because there’s always something if you pay attention. What are you reading these days? How is it impacting you? What would you share from the last book you finished?

Thanks for letting me share…