So I went up to the mountains on Sunday. Took a 3 hour drive, to the mountains north of Sun Valley but south of Stanley and the Sawtooths. I just wanted to get out, get after it, now that it's not as baking hot or smoggy as it had been over the past summer.
It's about 8 and a half to nine miles round trip, and the elevation gain was roughly about 1800 feet, which is not a leisurly stroll through the woods but certainly nothing I hadn't done before. Still kicked my butt though. It was almost a masochistic feel- there are two different stretches where the path climbs nearly 600 feet in just over a quarter mile, up a rocky path strewn with loose scree. Your heart pounds out of your chest, you sweat- and by the time you are near the top, you are above 8000 feet, which is the point where I start feeling more lethargic and low-energy than usual. Going back down is just as challenging- you are flexing your knees, calves, and your feet to avoid slipping and tumbling down the trail.
The pain brings rewards of breathtaking scenery- a spectacular mountain lake near the treeline, in a rocky basin surrounded by crags and peaks. There are hundreds of such lakes, and hundreds of hikes you can take to them. Maybe some day I'll reach all of them. Maybe this is why some people subject themselves to physical punishment- that which does not kill us makes us stronger, and the reward can be breathtaking.
On another note- this isn't an old fashioned fifth grade-style book report, because I'm really only gonna talk about one specific part of it. The book is called "The Wise Man's Fear" written by Patrick Rothfuss, and it's the second part of a three part trilogy, the third volume which is scheduled to come out roughly the same time as George R. Martin's "The Winds of Winter." Which, in other words, means that it may or may not ever come out at all. Had I known that, I might not have started reading an unfinished work. But anyway- rather than recap the entire plot (in which, basically, a young man travels around the world learning various skills in the hopes of ultimately avenging his family's death) I'll just talk about one specific section.
At one point, the hero travels to a society dedicated to martial arts training, so they can farm themselves out as mercenaries to various other lords and nobles, in return, this provides the backbone of their economy. But the style of fighting is geared such that it focuses on speed, agility, grace, and self-restraint as opposed to brute strength. As a result, well-trained female fighters in that society are regarded as even deadlier and more effective in combat than the males. Also, they have a unique perspective on sex and romance- sex is seen as casual intimacy between friends as opposed to long-term monogamy between partners. Love and sex are two very different things to them. I could learn to thrive in such a society- sounds almost like my ideal. And, I love to see some women seriously kick some butt. Too much "Conan of Melnibone' type shenanigans in fantasy fiction, nothing wrong with that of course; such works are classic for a reason, but it's a refreshing change from an old cliche. But alas, it is a work of fiction...
Anyway, if you are looking for some reading, well actually, start with the first book which is called "The Name of the Wind." "Wise Man's Fear" is the second book. Maybe we'll even get lucky and he'll finish the third book before George Martin finishes his series. So that's all I got. See ya.