I was going to blog something more significant tonight, but I just can’t seem to put the thoughts together. I have no idea why.
It’s interesting, but it’s easier to blog up in the mountains, at least on the couple of occasions that I’ve done it. Even then, it sometimes takes a while.
I noticed it last weekend, when I arrived at my picnic spot at about 1:00. The hike had already chilled me a little bit; getting a little sweat on the brow whilst smelling pine trees will do that.
But it wasn’t until after I’d had lunch, after I’d blogged the hike, after I’d partially written about the hike, after I’d done some reading, after I’d sat and looked down the canyon, after I’d just lazed about in my chair and just stared up at this view:
that I finally started to relax.
It took hours.
It’s not just blogging, it’s thinking in general. It was only after those hours that I started really thinking clearly, or at least more clearly than I feel like I do on a daily basis. It’s as though I couldn’t start thinking about the things in my life that I want to think about and deal with until I’d been out there, away from the city and all its distractions.
And by the time I got to that point, the sun was setting and it was time to go home.
The same thing happens when I go on vacation: it takes a couple of days for me to actually “come down” from being in the city.
Is it just that living in the city means that you’re always under a little distracting tension? Is it just LA, or is it a city thing in general? I have no idea.
So instead of blogging anything of great significance, I’m going to put up the picture that has generated more feedback than any picture I’ve posted so far on the site: the sandwich.
You can even click on it now for a bigger, more mouth-watering picture.
I know what you’re thinking: “how can a man who drives up into the forest and makes a sandwich that good on the tailgate of his truck possibly be single?”
Yep, it’s a mystery. 😀
The GeekHiker 
All thoughts left my brain when I saw that sandwich again.
By: just a girl on August 23, 2007
at 4:43 am
mmmmmmmmm … sandwich… aaaawwwwwwgggggg (wipes drool off chin)
By: Homer-Dog on August 23, 2007
at 5:35 am
you really are getting a lot of mileage out of that sandwich photo. i’m not tired of seeing it!
By: charlotte harris on August 23, 2007
at 6:06 am
I’m starting to think the next time I do a personals ad I should put up the sandwich picture rather than my own! LOL
By: geekhiker on August 23, 2007
at 6:55 am
yeah, if i saw a toasted turkey bacon club on craigslist, i’d ask it out on a date
By: charlotte harris on August 23, 2007
at 8:23 am
Oh, Charlotte, Charlotte, why do you have to live so far away? I’d be more than happy to make you one. 🙂
By: geekhiker on August 23, 2007
at 8:33 am
i’ll take ya up on that sandwich whenever you’re out this way visiting the USGS map store, or hiking the appalachian trail or whatever!
By: charlotte harris on August 23, 2007
at 10:31 am
Charlotte – I may just take you up on that – I haven’t been out there since I was a kid! Oooo, map store, *drool*
And if you ever come out here (to like, you know, get away from those darn cold winters you guys have) I’ll put together a fresh sandwich just for you!
By: geekhiker on August 23, 2007
at 11:18 am
Mmmm… that ‘which looks yum. Not I need to go eat some dinner because you made me hungry.
Glad to hear that view helped you relax. I love serene settings.
By: a life uncommon on August 23, 2007
at 4:01 pm
Who says a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? You certainly got the attention of the ladies through that sandwich pic.
I’m afraid even with preparing the sandwich on the spot, my sandwhich still wouldn’t look that good!
By: dobegil on August 23, 2007
at 6:31 pm
I’m hungry again…you know there are mountains and trees and nature to go hiking through where I live. You should come visit. Incidentally, we also get turkey and bread and sandwichy things here so if you’d like to make me a sandwich that would be great. Fabulous. So it’s settled. You’re coming.
By: Ruby on August 23, 2007
at 7:12 pm
a life uncommon – thanks, I hope you had a good dinner. I believe you’re a local, so if you ever need a “serene spot” recommendation, just let me know.
dobegil – evidently so. I had no idea that sandwich was so attractive!
Ruby – Next time I’m in the neighborhood, I most certainly will. Send me an airline ticket, and I’ll be there even sooner! 🙂
By: geekhiker on August 24, 2007
at 7:03 am
Sorry, it makes me want to gag! All that meat and is that ICEBERG lettuce!? ACK!!! I do like the toast, so I’ll give you that…I must have my sandwiches toasted!!!!! 🙂
By: *kb* on August 24, 2007
at 9:19 am
*kb* – LOL, you caught my iceberg! Sorry, all I had in the house. Better watch out, though, maybe I’ll post a picture of some of my BBQ sometime in the future! 🙂
By: geekhiker on August 24, 2007
at 10:08 am
Fish and veggie burgers on the grill are A-ok! 🙂
By: *kb* on August 24, 2007
at 11:10 am
I’m really not all that high maintenance, I swear!!!!!!
By: *kb* on August 24, 2007
at 11:10 am
I think in the city, especially one like your sprawling Metropolis, people always have tension even when they feel relaxed. There’s all the little noises, constant movement and all the people.
I think we pick up on other people even when we do not have a typical connection (friend, family, SO). With someone we know we’d probably recognize they way they were feeling or at least know something was up. When we are surrounded by strangers feeling tense from life why wouldn’t we sense that as well and just not recognize it until we leave the city and have the chance to be away?
(I so sound freaky in the head. I blame it on time of day[written about 1 am])
By: just a girl on August 25, 2007
at 9:22 am
*kb* – I’m never opposed to veggie burgers!
Just a girl – I think what you say here has a lot of truth to it. When we’re surrounded by other people’s tension, it passes on to us. We’re all feeding each other’s tension, in a way.
Scary thought.
By: geekhiker on August 27, 2007
at 7:06 pm