MISSION REPORT: Gettin' North
Because I had made plans to climb them half a year ago flipping though pictures of their snow capped glory at MEC. Because I was excited beyond belief about standing on the islands highest peaks pushing my alpine standards by climbing 3 formitable peaks in two days. And because it was my entire reason for coming to the North island in the first place you will understand that dissapointment welled within me like an angry seagoddess who's learned all her salmon have been caught and gutted.
Its morning, and I'm all geared up: light food purchased and arranged neatly in the bag, layers of clothing carefully selected, alpine maps, compass, emergency gear, everything. I close the door to Suzanne's place walk for the train station but know almost instantly I wont be able to do it. My heel is throbbing with pain* being in my alpine boots and by the time I walk on the train, I have to take the boots come off.
I ride the train anyway, frustrated, not sure what to do, brain scrambling to figure out a way to make it work. Over an hour passes and I find myself standing on State Highway One, thumb freshly holstered, head craning into a stopped truck.
"Where you going?" he the Maori trucker asks.
I realize, I have no idea. That my dissapointment has completely overwhelemed me and I'm just moving blindly with no plan of action.
"North." I say. "Goin' north."
"Sweet as, mate. Hop in."
As often happens not knowing where I'm going prooves to not be as large a problem as I thought. I hoist the bag in the truck, and after several conversations, vehichles and walks along the highway a new mission begins to materialize in my brain:
MJPH'S NORTH ISLAND SUPER MISSON:
Objective: Get to the upmost tip of the island using northing but your totally healthy thumb and favouring your totally unhealthy heel. Do a three day coastal along the sub-tropical beaches camping on the beach and living off the land.
Parameters:
a) You cannot pay for travel.
b) You cannot (under any circumstances) futher injure your heel.
c) The complete and total ellimination of upperbody tan lines.
So began my hitchhiking adventure, and as the rides (15 over 3 days) lengthened and the conversations with their drivers deepened, the climbs of Mt. Ruapehu, Nagahoe and Tongariro slowly slipped from my ego's mighty grip. I found myself happy to be on the road, happy to have used my flexibility to my advantage and happy to have found a way to head into the bush.
MJPH
*See REES-DART TRIP REPORT
Its morning, and I'm all geared up: light food purchased and arranged neatly in the bag, layers of clothing carefully selected, alpine maps, compass, emergency gear, everything. I close the door to Suzanne's place walk for the train station but know almost instantly I wont be able to do it. My heel is throbbing with pain* being in my alpine boots and by the time I walk on the train, I have to take the boots come off.
I ride the train anyway, frustrated, not sure what to do, brain scrambling to figure out a way to make it work. Over an hour passes and I find myself standing on State Highway One, thumb freshly holstered, head craning into a stopped truck.
"Where you going?" he the Maori trucker asks.
I realize, I have no idea. That my dissapointment has completely overwhelemed me and I'm just moving blindly with no plan of action.
"North." I say. "Goin' north."
"Sweet as, mate. Hop in."
As often happens not knowing where I'm going prooves to not be as large a problem as I thought. I hoist the bag in the truck, and after several conversations, vehichles and walks along the highway a new mission begins to materialize in my brain:
MJPH'S NORTH ISLAND SUPER MISSON:
Objective: Get to the upmost tip of the island using northing but your totally healthy thumb and favouring your totally unhealthy heel. Do a three day coastal along the sub-tropical beaches camping on the beach and living off the land.
Parameters:
a) You cannot pay for travel.
b) You cannot (under any circumstances) futher injure your heel.
c) The complete and total ellimination of upperbody tan lines.
So began my hitchhiking adventure, and as the rides (15 over 3 days) lengthened and the conversations with their drivers deepened, the climbs of Mt. Ruapehu, Nagahoe and Tongariro slowly slipped from my ego's mighty grip. I found myself happy to be on the road, happy to have used my flexibility to my advantage and happy to have found a way to head into the bush.
MJPH
*See REES-DART TRIP REPORT
posted by Michael J.P. Hall at 12:00 PM
3 Comments:
Hi ManJayPerHall,
I am sorry about your heel. Right now we're learning about artistic performers as agents to make the divine more accessible to the audience. Back in the day artists'd go through tons of training and psychophysical devolopment to be able to reach their goals (collapsing dual distinctions, refining technique and stamina, infecting "presence", etc). And detatching from ego was one of the biggest lessons. It's hard for me to imagine performing/practicing/composing without it. Is creation all ego?
Ambitionachievementpassion?
But citing your post, its absence can be a beautiful thing.
We just left Varanasi, now we are in Delhi. In March, I'll be in Mumbai till the 16th, then where ever I please after that. What will you be doing?
Happy tanning:)
Re: Thailand - not for me this year... but my brother (nick woolsey, email nick[at]playpoi.com) should be in Pai (central/inland thailand, apparently an artist wonderland/gathering place) practicing his art with other like-minded folk... so if you get the hankerin' for some fire-spinning and/or dancing/whatever, drop him a line.
Re: your writing - fuck yeah.
In other news i'm moving back to the Drive on sunday, and taking your (money) bed with me... so it'll be in the neighbourhood upon your return.
Sweet. I'm back mid april now, so I had concerns...
MJPH
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