Some of my friends are reluctant to come out on trips with me into the outdoors because they think everything I do is 'extreme'. I find it hard to understand, living in my body (as most people do). I figure this is normal - sure I'm really active and always on the go, but its hardly extreme. To me its just fun.
I read an article sent to me by a friend back in Oz by Cedar Wright, a impressive climber that just did a climbing tour of all the 14'000 foot peaks in California by bike, with Alex Honnald, who also has a big name in the climbing world. They called it the
Sufferfest.
The bit that had me thinking was his categorisation of fun, and it gave me a bit of a Eureka moment as to why some of my friends get that look on their face when I suggest something 'fun' to do on the weekend!
In the article Cedar says:
"According to popular thinking, Type One Fun is fun in the moment fun, perhaps seeing a movie, having a drink with friends, or seeing some awesome live music would fit into this category. We all need type one fun in our lives.
Type Two Fun is perhaps not that fun in the moment, but is fun when it’s over. Type Two Fun might be an epic ski tour in a blizzard that leaves you feeling tired but satisfied, or it might be running a marathon where the joy really only sets in at the finish line. I would argue that this type of fun is probably the most important for long-term happiness and satisfaction in life, but that’s another story.
And then, there is Type Three Fun, which is really not fun at all. In fact it’s so epicly heinous that it’s not even fun when it’s over, it may even leave you with genuine post-traumatic stress. But the reward is that Type Three Fun is the stuff of legends and awesome stories. The only real fun in Type Three Fun comes when you get to share your misery with others later around a campfire, through writing or perhaps in a film. Mountaineering often finds its way into type three fun, where avalanches, frostbite, and a myriad of other near death experiences lend themselves well to enrapturing tales if the “fun” is in fact survived."
I have a categorisation too, in my head. But my categories are
City Fun and
Outdoor Fun. It doesn't exactly match the above, but the people I think about in that way match the categories Cedar describes. And you know what - I have to agree with him on the Type Two fun being good for the soul. Pushing yourself even lightly, mentally and physically is vital in life. not being scared. Finding the boundaries. Training hard and feeling the satisfaction of finishing your goal. Experiencing something new. Discovering excitement as a result. The rush of blood and endorphins for having overcome something scary. This is the stuff life is made of. I want to share it with all my friends. I don't want them to face something big enough that they freeze and lock up, or become too scared to try again, but getting out there and trying something new and seeing the beauty of the outdoors. The mountains, the snow, the wind in your face, water on your skin, the fresh scents of the forest, the quiet darkness of the night away from the machines and lights of the city. That my friends, is where I currently find my happiness, and I want to share it with you all.
Cedar, you have me thinking now. What is my next Type Three adventure. I want to push myself and redefine my own boundaries.. and get a new story to laugh about around the campfire with my Type Two friends :)
