Carryovers: Ten Things from 2014 to Build on for 2015

Yeah, I know, this list is sssooooo 2014. But it's a top 10 list, a retrospective, so that's cool, right? What I'm thinking about here are the things I enjoyed the most in 2014, and how they can help look forward to 2015. It's not definitive, but it's fun to remember sometimes. So in no particular order:

1. Music - When I look at the music I listened to in 2014, I am looking at what is different than other years. An artist that came onto the radar screen, or back on, who wasn't there as much in years past. There are two that standout: D'Angelo and Stevie Wonder. This has been a year where I have been in the habit of putting music on and just leaving it on, bollocks to the TV. D'Angelo's "Voodoo" and newly released "Black Messiah," I can just put on and let roll. And Stevie. Well shit. I don't even know where to begin. "Songs in the Key of Life" is like an emotional autobiography that can just float me around the house. And "The Definitive Collection" is a greatest hits where you know every song, you can nod your head doing dishes at the kitchen sink, or slow it down and just, well, wonder. I know, sorry :)

2. Bocce - I think I have been threatening to play bocce on a regular basis since I worked at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and we were kicking around the idea of playing at lunch. Moving to a new house at the end of the summer, one with an expansive outdoors, pushed the envelope, and younger daughter Ava has picked up on it. We prefer bocce through the woods. Other friends have picked it up as well, and it is a great way to walk around outside, catch up, drink beer, and just imbibe life while pretending to work on your eye-hand coordination.

3. Stand-Up Paddleboarding - I had been digging the occasional SUP adventure in previous years. And older daughter Anna has keyed in on the same thing. 2014 was the year I pulled the trigger and bought a used board and paddle from a friend who is a front of the pack SUP'er always upgrading. Paddleboarding, as much as, or maybe more than other things this past year has created a number of adventures, both with the girls, who have both picked it up, or with friends--from a 9-mile Father's Day paddle, to around the cove shenanigans, to epic and windy Deepwater Point and Trippe Creek throwdowns. I hope to make 2015 even more a year of the SUP.

4. Reading/books - In terms of number of books read, 2014 was a non-starter. But it was big for reading, especially in terms of re-reading. I've talked about Robert Hass on here, ad infinitum, but even reading a book like "Sun Under Wood," for the umpteenth time, I am struck by how books change with your life experience. Until you have gone through something, you don't get what the writer is really saying. In 2014, I discovered Kenneth Rexroth, who is huge for me. I also made it a point to cross a book off my to-read list that I have wanted to read for years, in Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian." I would like to hope that 2015 is the year I will finally cross "Ulysses" off that list, but right now I am caught up in non-fiction and in Borges.

5. Tribe/Carpe Diem/Stupidity/Adventures - In life, you have your family and you have your tribe. Sometimes those two overlap. Your tribe are those folks that get you, who are like you in some ways, who resonate. I've said it before, but I am fortunate to have a tribe who will read Blood Meridian, drink beer together, and sign on and show up for endurance adventures in stupidity. I have maintained that one of the reasons I want to keep in decent shape is because I don't want to miss out on any adventure that sounds fun. I love that I have fallen in with a bunch of 40-somethings, or soon to be 40-somethings, who refuse to grow up; who are moved to move, to get outside; and who want to carpe every single diem.

6. Trust the Universe and Louis Goldstein - I have definitely had some fog or haze over my eyes at various points in 2014. I've lost my way, been manic, and tried to claw my way back to where I thought I was supposed to go. I think it took me until the fall to step back and trust the Universe a bit more. But this isn't a passive trust I am talking about. When I graduated from Washington College, the longtime Maryland Comptroller Louis Goldstein was one of the speakers. His words of wisdom to the graduates was his mantra, his guiding philosophy in life: "If it's to be, it's up to me." I think that is an equal part in trusting the Universe. Trust, yes, don't feel like you need every answer or a road map ahead of time, but if you want something, and you want to make something happen, then it is up to you. If you are more religious, it's the same thing as saying "God helps those who help themselves." Trust the Universe, And get off your ass.

7. (Cold) Beverages - 2014 has definitely been the year of Dale's Pale Ale for me. I've enjoyed it before, but it became a staple like bread, eggs, bacon. My refrigerator is rarely without some waiting to be imbibed. 2014 was also the year of Irish Whiskey, whether Jameson's or Bushmills. And that has been a taste I didn't know I had acquired, generally preferring bourbon for my sipping.

8. Graphic Novels - This has been the year that pictures and art commingled themselves again with the words I am always searching and searching for. From Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker with Iron Fist, Hawkeye, or Captain America, or Neil Gaiman with The Sandman, or Frank Miller and Brian Michael Bendis with Daredevil, storytelling for me regained some of its vital visual nature, which informs how I think about writing and telling stories. Even Ava and Anna have taken to graphic novels, Ava more so.

9. Outings/Adventures - I have always been one for outings. If the girls and I are sitting around bored, and the weather is decent, we have always had the mindset to jump in the truck and go explore. That became even more important in 2014. The girls are interacting with the world differently month by month; the language they use to understand things; their quirky senses of humor; their curiosity; their experiences, both shared and unique. I hope our outings and adventures continue to be a big part of how they engage the world.

10. Slowing down - I've been a runner on and off since I was 15. Since 2005, I've been running marathons, trail races, ultra marathons, what have you. A funny thing happened this year. I started hiking, whether in group adventures like our Mason Dixon expeditions, or hiking in the Virginia mountains, or making time to wander the maritime museum where I used to work, or a couple recent strolls around Oxford. Not being in a hurry. Allowing the sites to sink in. Sharing stories, imbibing the history behind buildings, rocks, parks, benches, an unmapped stop in a tavern. There is something to catching your breath, only to have it taken away by something you didn't expect and wouldn't have caught if you were in too big of a hurry.

That's my top ten list from 2014, ten things that helped define some of the good parts of the year. And ten things I hope to build on as we begin 2015.

Cold Bones

Cold bones shake the soul awake. They toughen the skin.

Cold bones make a warm house happier. They make sweat from a winter run better earned than money.

Cold bones dig down jackets and newbie hats. They are a fan of thermos coffee on the sidelines of a kids' game.

Cold bones seek out bonfires and bourbon's bite. Stout beer is made for cold bones.

Adventures are made up largely of cold bones and innovation and shelter owe their lives to cold bones.

Mountains are not climbed without cold bones and no deer stand or duck blind can tell a story without cold bones.

In the summer, I wake up, walk outside and feel no different. Life is unchanged. Perspective still groggy.

In the winter, cold bones remind me I am alive.

Mason Dixon Existential Adventure

The Mason-Dixon Line is a tractor beam for Marylanders. When I went to college in Raleigh, N.C., people called me a yankee when they heard I was from Maryland. When I've gone north, people call me a southerner. No one knows what to make of us. Geocultural shapeshifters defined by our proximity to Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon's line.

We drive over the line on Route 70, crossing into Pennsylvania when we visit my wife's family outside Pittsburgh. I've always been fascinated by the thought of it. I was downright giddy when I found out that there is a 193-mile Mason Dixon Trail, which connects the Appalachian Trail to the Brandywine Trail. We've even tread on some of it at White Clay Creek State Park in Newark, Del. There are different sections mapped out and detailed for hiking trips. It doesn't take much to get me amped for a trail adventure.

Then there is the me who digs being down a literary-historical-philosophical rabbit hole read of an adventure. Imagine how cool it would be to tie together an in-the-world trail adventure with an in-the-mind imagination-bending quest. Enter Thomas Pynchon.

Tom Robbins, a literary hero of mine, called Pynchon's "Mason & Dixon" essential reading for the enlightened. Pynchon's novel imagines the lives and work of the surveyors who would divide the north and the south. I've been looking for a reason to dig into Pynchon and "Mason & Dixon" in particular. And I've been searching for some kind of in-the-world adventure to get back on the trails that have fueled and filled my soul. It's time to make a you-got-your-chocolate-in-my-peanut-butter Reese's Peanut Butter Cup hybrid.

We've got a core group of willing existential adventurers who are going to read "Mason & Dixon," and then go experience the trail. Logistics are still being worked out, whether we will cover the whole trail, section by section over the course of a year, marking where we stopped and picking up there later, or just hit some of the most scenic stretches. Our current crew includes birders, teachers, a former rugby player, historians, trail runners, marine biologists, writers, among other semi-arbitrary labels. The roster is expanding.

Mason Dixon immersion. Deep, cool, fun experiences. Thought-provoking stuff to read. Soul-searching adventures to ponder and write about. Meaningful ways to connect with great people and experiential ways to connect with American history and landscape.

Details, progress reports, updates and further Mason Dixon Pynchon trail musings to follow. The adventure is just beginning.

Boardom: Get Up, Stand Up

Valliant and Ryan Hickey approach a beach for a quick recharge during the 7.5-mile paddle from Easton Point to Town Creek in Oxford, Md.

Count me in. If it sounds fun and/or epic, I don't want to miss it. One of the reasons I try to stay in reasonable shape running, longboarding, etc. is that I don't want to have to sit out any adventure that stacks up to be cool.

That's what happened when Joel Shilliday proposed a 7.5-mile stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) trek from Easton Point in Easton, Md., to Town Creek in Oxford. I hadn't spent much time on a SUP and can't recall the last time I paddle more than a mile in a kayak, canoe, etc. But I wasn't going to miss connecting two towns in a way almost no one has done.

Joel, Ryan Hickey, Jim Campbell, and I set off at around 6:40am with the sun coming up, boats departing for a local fishing tournament, and flat, following seas. I grew up on the Tred Avon River, making the same Oxford-to-Easton route hundreds of times in a 13' Boston Whaler.

The view from a SUP board on a scenic waterway equals the full body workout you get from paddling while standing up. And the Tred Avon River boasts creeks and cuts next to multi-million dollar estates; by water, you are able to see what's at the end of the long, wooded lanes you pass driving along Oxford Road. All you need is a Robin Leach voice-over.

Jim had to turn back about half-way to make a meeting and Ryan, Joel, and I continued on, arriving at the Oxford public ramp next to Schooners Landing at about 9am, with one brief sandy beach layover, mostly just to enjoy the trip and the morning more. That was my first stand-up paddleboarding trek of any substance. I look forward to many more.

Ted Knab, Zach Skaggs, and me Mikey V. at the western end of the Cross Island Trail, Chesapeake Bay and Bay Bridge in the background.

My primary adventures in "boardom" come on a longboard skateboard. We had a fairly recent group skate on the Cross Island Trail on Kent Island earlier this month, further details of which can be found on the Rise Up Longboarders blog. The next uber-longboarding adventure will come in mid-October as we take the RUL crew to western Maryland for 21 miles of smooth, scenic pavement (42 miles round trip if we do the whole trail) on the Western Maryland Rail Trail.

That trip is another case of something that looks way too fun to pass up. I can't imagine many folks have given the whole trail a go on longboards, as the discipline of long distance skateboarding isn't as widespread around here as it is, say, in the Seattle area. Novelty aside, though, it just looks like a blast--a windy, scenic paved trail, no traffic, as the fall foliage starts to re-color itself.

So the fall adventures are shaping up. We've got some trail running designs, both locally and beyond; some longboarding road trips; and some fall stand-up paddleboarding, not to mention a fall road marathon or half-marathon. The kind of stuff that makes me want to rise up early out of bed and cruise out into the cool, fall weather.

Sweet Inspiration...A Fab Five(ish)

It's easy to be inspired out on the Appalachian Trail in the White Mountains. Since I can't always pick up and go, I also look to the examples of a number of inspirational folks to remind me to follow my own passion.

What's a dream worth? What about a dream in action, or rather a dream acted upon? That's where the value comes, in my book. Having a vision or a passion and working to bring it to life.

How many of us live lives we consciously create? Do we spend our time the way we would choose if money, mortgages, etc. were not a part of the picture? More likely we make compromises--we give up some of our time towards work, to be able to spend other parts the way we want.

For me, time spent exploring a trail on the run is a connection to something that has been a part of me as long as I can remember. A sense of adventure and in being outside and being active. Writing gives me that same sense, as now does seeing our girls light up playing with them or seeing my wife laugh a belly laugh--the kind where other cares fall away. Those are moments in a day, where I am living fully.

I try to make those moments occur as frequently as I can. That's part of the reason I get up to run or to write--to be connected to my life being lived fully. It's a part of who I am. We live in a time and place though, where what or who we are is largely thought of in terms of what we do for a job. What we do to make money, or how we spend our days to earn a living. In many cases, this is where a compromise comes. We justify doing something with our time that is not exactly what we would choose, say, if we won the lottery. But by working a particular job, we are able to spend what free time we have pursuing our passions.

Marginalizing our passions can be a slippery slope. By the end of the day, we are beat, or busy, or distracted. Before you know it, you don't even realize where the time went and you hit a mid-life crisis and buy a Harley and ride across the country...;) Okay, so maybe you don't but that kind of crap-what-happened-to-my-life crisis can manifest itself in many ways.

I prefer the idea of preventative medicine/action when it comes to the mid-life crisis. The kind of action that says keep your dreams/passions close and actually make strides toward them, even if baby steps at first. Sometimes that's tough. And it's during those times, I dig looking toward/at people who are out there doing it. People who are walking the walk every day. In some cases their example provides a model. More often, and equally important, they provide inspiration. Here are a handful of folks and companies that are sweet inspiration for me--not that I want to be doing what they are doing (though in some cases, sure!), but that their example and their passion inspires me to follow mine.


Atayne - Jeremy Litchfield and Mike Hall are making clothes out of trash. Not just any clothes - performance running gear. They didn't like the way they saw things being done, or the wasteful and inferior running apparel they had to buy. So they set out to change the game. Their story is inspirational--check out their website and go to "learn" to get an inside look. The environmental example alone is stellar. But what good is the story unless their product performs? I've been wearing one of their shirts, and it does perform and more. I've worn shirts from a number of different companies, and in terms of comfort, staying dry, staying odor free, Atayne has it dialed in. If you're looking to outfit yourself for training or an upcoming race, give them a shot. You'll be glad you did, and sleep better knowing you also made a good choice for the environment. Double bonus!

Rise Up Coffee - Tim and Abby Cureton have a similar environmental ethic. They've taken something that inspires them, coffee, and approached it giving thought to ecology, economy, community, and of course quality. In the mornings, the Rise Up Coffee drive-thru stand in St. Michaels serves everyone from the superintendent of Talbot County Schools to watermen, carpenters, CEOs, and parents taking the kids to school. Tim, Matt Sevon and I share an admiration for Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard's stellar corporate history and philosophy, "Let My People Go Surfing." A read through that book will help you redefine what it ought to be like to go to work. A stop through Rise Up is an inspiration and a treat. The company name is an homage to a Bob Marley song and a connection to our Rise Up Runners group.

Andrew Skurka on a cross country route through the Snaefellsnes Peninsula during his 550-mile traverse of Iceland this summer. Skurka has turned long distance backpacking into a vocation, as well as an avocation. Photo courtesy of www.andrewskurka.com.

Andrew Skurka - Imagine graduating from college and rather than finding a job in a nice cubicle somewhere, you decide to hike from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific--some 7,778 miles. Then imagine that you find sponsors, figure out a way to let the world know about your trip, and figure out a way to turn your wanderlust and perseverance into a full-time job. If this is you, your name may well be Andrew Skurka. Skurka has gone from his original pioneering journey as the first person to hike the entire Sea-to-Sea Trail across North America, to become the first to hike the Great Western Loop (6,875 miles); he's walked across Iceland; circumnavigated Yellowstone National Park; and this summer completed his first 100-mile trail run, finishing second in the tough Leadville 100-mile trail race. I interviewed Skurka for the article I did on fastpacking for Trail Runner magazine and you can't help but get inspired listening to, or reading about his adventures, knowing he has found a way to shun a conventional "career" by turning his passion and talent into a way of life.

Rob Brownlee-Tomasso - RBT is an artist, a graphic designer, a cyclist, a British car restorer, and a vegetarian, among other things. He is one of the most hilarious and unhypocritical people I've met. As frequently as he can, he rides his bike 29 miles to work (to St. Michaels from Denton) and then 29 more back home, often hammering more than 30 mph when he gets cranking. Rob's example is frequently a call to action for me. It is common to hear him say, "I rode my bike home yesterday and finished a painting last night." To which I think, damn, I should have done more with my evening or day! It was actually working with Rob and watching him do his thing cycling that pushed me to return to running more than four years ago now. He never said a word, but being around someone pushing himself the way he does, motivated me to do the same, and changed my life as much as any adult decision I've made.

I can't come up with just one person who combines writing, adventuring, and the environment the way I hope to, so I offer a medley here. People telling stories by the examples of their lives and their own adventures. One who comes quickly to mind is Amby Burfoot, long-time editor-in-chief of Runners World magazine, former Boston Marathon champion, and still senior editor and writer at RW. His book "The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life" is one of the most rewarding and inspiring quick reads out there. Ultra runner Dean Karnazes figured out how to leave his day job and turn running, adventuring, and writing about it into a full-time gig. His feats of endurance are limited more by imagination than physical boundaries--he comes up with uncanny ideas and does them. He has become the most visible and controversial ambassador to his sport, motivating hundreds of runners and would-be runners to follow his example.

Tim Cahill, is a wonderfully hilarious and thought-provoking writer, who is a founder of Outside Magazine. He was the only writer at Rolling Stone magazine who loved writing about the outdoors, and ended up taking that passion into founding one of the most recognizable outdoor magazine in the country. Bill McKibben is a conservationist, environmentalist, cultural historian, economist, and great writer. He is someone who, when you read, can change your worldview and cause you to act and approach the world differently. I've often said I'd like to have Mitch Albom's job, just based out of Baltimore instead of Detroit. Albom writes for the Detroit Free Press, does commentary on ESPN's great show, "The Sports Reporters," and then expanded his world exponentially when he wrote the runaway non-fiction bestseller, "Tuesdays With Morrie." The world is Albom's oyster.

Basecamp Communications - I've worked in PR, marketing, and communications for the past 10 years. I read and enjoy pondering branding, brand strategy, various media, and stellar PR. But the folks at Basecamp Communications figured out how to turn PR into a dream job. I first encountered them because they handle PR for Backcountry.com and have been running the whereskarl.com website for Karl Meltzer's Appalachian Trail thru-hike. These guys and girls have come from various backgrounds to focus their talents and time on promoting outdoor adventures and companies. They use PR and communications to highlight the stuff they dig and inspire people and/or call them to action. That's the way I'd like to do PR!

That's my very incomplete short list of various folks and companies that inspire me personally. When I feel like some of the things that get me the most charged are relegated to fringe status, and I think about following a passion, and if it can be done, I check back in on what some of these folks are up to and/or I think about their example. OR, maybe I go for a long trail run :)

There are plenty of other inspirational folks out there. Who are some more? Who inspires you? What are they doing? Let's add to the list.