Backpacking and Punk Rock Music
Sykes, Big Sur (CA)
This weekend, six of us hiked to Sykes—eleven miles each way to enjoy natural hot springs and each other’s company. The trail to Sykes is one of my favorite hikes I’ve been on. There’s something about the terrain and landscape that I find peaceful and breathtaking.
The trip was great. Conversations were great. The weather was great. The only thing that was not great was the game of 20 questions we played on the drive back… A snowman? WTF?
Anyway, after a long weekend, we returned to SF. The weekend was’t over for me. I quickly changed and headed to a punk rock show to see Western Addiction, Swingin’ Utters, and Lagwagon. What better way to end an unplug weekend?
While in the audience and watching these bands play, I thought a lot about the weekend—about the ways my friends and I worked together in harmony much like the musicians on stage. We complemented each others actions and requests often times without being asked. We shared; filtered water, snacks while on the hike, fuel cans and boiling water for food and coffee, and even TP for when nature calls. We helped one another when possible, even during 20 questions, which we didn’t guess correctly… A snowman?!?! WTF?! I think the overall trip was one of the best due to the result of everyones contribution to the whole.
I’m not a musician, but I can appreciate and recognize what it takes for people in a group or band to come together, contribute, and produce something greater than what they could do on their own. Working in sync, anticipating needs, moving towards a goal—something we did as a group of six backpackers this weekend, something I saw the guys on stage do Sunday night.
Here’s to the outdoors. Here’s to collaboration. Here’s to punk rock music.
