I do need to go throw the gear together, or take a nap, or keep fiddling with iTunes.

Whined a bit getting up, had a big breakfast, dropped M off for her last day at her present job (boss is a flake, long story, so very good riddance in my book), and knocked out 2 hours of trail running at a casual pace, grooving out to the new toy.

I’ve had philosophical objections for ages concerning listening devices and long hours in the woods. Music is certainly an insulator, but I think that’s a valid choice. I had the iPod on for about 70% of the run, more to test the earbuds (comfy) and revel in the new old music than because rocking out was essential to my training paradigm. Now I just need to get more than 6 songs.

It seems to me that when being outside, in whatever form, becomes routine that things change enormously. Not in physical fact (though that’s tangential, and likely) but mentally. For instance, I’ve spent enough nights camping in various forms that just going camping as an activity really doesn’t hold much appeal. Its a means, whether that be saving money, getting away from people, saving time, or having unobstructed access to the night sky. (I am routinely impressed by how little light pollution we have here on the edge of the city, the 0100 stars on our porch are tremendous.) So to with music. Why not bring it out into the living room?

Doug Robinson wrote great words about this in A Night on the Ground, A Day in the Open concerning his days pioneering the hippy climbing scene in the Sierras and hauling a boombox up to a high camp so he could listen to The Rolling Stones. The damn thing probably weighed 15 lbs. The shuffle is sort of back to the future moment for me; I never imagined the possibility of such a thing in my first decade on the earth.

Allright: time to go explore the dark side of the state.