Author: saftythird

Training Objectives
It started in early recovery–a group of friends with a common goal to cut weight and get in better shape chose to hike Cowles Mountain regularly. In the beginning we all walked, and my being …

Conquistadors of the Useless
It was cold. I laid in my tent playing the same game I always play with my climbing partners on cold mornings with looming scary days in the mountains ahead, and waited to see if …

Progress Via Failure
When I started this project, SaftyThird, I was focused on delving into the fringes of our society and our individual lives, the places where the profound lessons hide and the most fulfilling experiences wait, but that many …

A Sour Taste
I slept under the stars–only a sleeping pad between me and the dirt. Cowboy camping. It was so dark, quiet, and peaceful out there in the desert. I wish it were possible to send that …

Thoughts Amidst Change
Running, running, running. All the running had paid off, and we felt like there was a light at the end of the tunnel, but in truth I still have quite a ways to go–even now. …

An Elephant in the Room
Maybe it’s just age, or maybe I was just tired. I don’t see myself as an older, or even an aging man, but I’m certainly not a young man anymore. When I sat down in …

A Dangerous Place to Be
I pulled into Joshua Tree National Park early, finding Galen without issue. I had already nabbed a lucky spot at Hidden Valley Campground, and the day was unseasonably perfect for Joshua Tree in January. The …