Thursday, June 7, 2007

Adventure

Whether or not you have an inner longing for artic polar exploration, you have to admire the spirit and sense of adventure of those among us in the human race who push the limits of possibility.

One trio’s sense of adventure is chronicled HERE. The story of Borge Ousland, Mike Horn, and Thomas Ulrich is something you must read if tales of pirates, explorers, and adventurers ignite the sparks of your soul and fan the flames of your internal quest for adventure.

I found that one paragraph of the story mirrored my own attitude toward feats of endurance that bring us to the precipice of existence:

“The idea that these men have a death wish seems to amuse them. It isn't a desire to be closer to death that attracts them, they will tell you—it's a desire to be closer to life. They've been to the mountaintop. They know that willpower can be built, that ordinary people, like themselves, have abilities beyond their reckonings. They're just the ones who are out there, scouting the wilderness on behalf of the rest of us. Not marking dots on a geographical map anymore—that was accomplished long ago. What they're exploring now is the inner map, the mental and emotional map. What will they learn, about themselves, from being in a position where nothing matters except to stay alive? What, exactly, is the human being capable of? This is what drives them.”

Enjoy.

2 comments:

Lisa Smith-Batchen said...

Hi Gerg!

You are going to do very well at Badwater and anything else you set out to do in this life!
Running though the desert with you I saw first hand how well you move in the heat:)
I look forward to being in another desert with you and sharing the journey!
Continue the amazing training.
Happy feet
Lisa

Olga said...

So, the Man in lots of dark clothes running streets of Portland:) Looking good! It was neat to see you today.
You are insane, indeed, but it's been official for a while, right?
"willpower can be built, that ordinary people, like themselves, have abilities beyond their reckonings" is a great thing to remember, always.