An Insolent Southern Man

I've been in a funk since 2009...

Every year, around my birthday, I do a bit of introspection. I look at where I am now and where I've been over the last few years, and I always try to add in where I want to be in the next few years. This year, I found myself stuck in the same holding pattern that I've been in for the last couple of years. It seems like it's been a slow moving, downward spiral that was leading to a place that I wasn't sure I wanted to go. Yeah, I could have held on for a couple more years. Maybe my luck would have changed. Maybe not.

My wife and I made a five year plan when we got married. So far, none of what we planned on doing has happened. It's been all my fault too. I've been sitting back, waiting on a career in photography to take off. I've had the technical skills, all the gear needed, and I've had lots of practice. I've even had the endorsement of some pretty hefty names in the business. At the end of the day though, if you're not making money with it, you might as well have been bagging groceries the whole time.

So, after some thought, I decided to give it up. I've already sold the bulk of my gear, with what's left going up on e-bay very soon. I've decided to go back to work doing whatever will pay well, and will give me at least a 40 hour work week.

Does punching a clock and working for someone else suck? Yes. Does having a talent for photography and not making a dime suck even more? Yes. Yes, it does.

Along with these changes, I've decided to take back my life. I've decided to get outside more, and spend less time on social media. I bought a mountain bike, and I've decided to start riding more. I'm going to start eating right and getting in bed at a decent hour too. Baby steps... But at least it's a start.



Changes to this blog are coming as well. In fact, it's probably going away entirely. The whole idea of me being an insolent man was because I complained about so much for so long. Not anymore. I'd rather try and take back control and be in a much better mental as well as physical state than where I've been over the last few years.

As soon as I can, I'd like to get another, more inviting blog up. One that charts my progress and covers my hikes, travels, and rides... things that are far more important than me whining and complaining. As soon as it's up and running, I'll post a link here.

In the meantime. It's late. I'm going to bed. Work in the morning, riding in the afternoon/evening. Y'all take care.

--

There are over 800 miles of trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Not all of them have a pretty waterfall, a high mountain vista, or even some historical reason to get out on them. But if you're going to hike all 800+ miles, then you have to hit all the trails - even when they don't present anything upfront. In all honesty, this was a pretty boring loop. If for some weird reason I should ever decide to walk it again, I’ll walk it in a clockwise direction instead of the direction we went. I’d highly recommend anyone interested in going on this loop do the same thing.  I also don’t recommend carrying trekking poles either – at least until trail crews clear out the big blow-down on Scott Mtn. Trail.

In almost every guidebook and park trail map, there’s a section that tells you to take a raincoat, no matter what the season. In cooler weather, I consider it a must. Getting wet and then being cold can lead to hypothermia, and that’s never good. For summer hikes though, I’ve left the jacket in the car a time or two; especially in the lower elevations during hot, muggy summer days. To be honest, I did have it with me for this hike, and I seriously doubt it would have done me a lot of good though. This was a cloudburst. I’ve been out in rain before, but this was ridiculous. I’ve taken showers and not gotten so wet.