Look, there is no way to find a silver lining in recent events on this land of ours. The dumpster fire burning in DC is affecting the real world, most recently with the layoffs of thousands of people who keep public lands accessible. As AJ contributor and wildfire expert Amanda Monthei noted:
“Trail crews in Montana, especially, have been absolutely decimated. Helena-Lewis and Clark NF lost 15/17 people on their trail crew, which managed 1,300 miles of trails in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Do you know what happens when trails aren’t managed? They erode, overgrow, or get so screwed up with trees falling in storms wind that are completely unnavigable. This happens over the course of, like, six months. Trail ripping crews will reduce access to your favorite trails. I hope you like hiking with a Stihl 290 and a couple gallons of gas, because from now on you’re going to need it to access your favorite wilderness areas.”
There is absolutely nothing good about the loss of all these public servants. There is nothing good about what is happening in DC. If you’re like me, you probably feel anger, sadness, grief, and frustration. Everything normal. But life goes on; I say this not as an exhortation, but as a simple fact. It just does it. And then we have a choice. We can stay in bed or get up and make the most of it. Adventurous people don’t stay in bed (okay, maybe a little). We remove the snow that is collapsing the tent, we remove the burrs from our socks. We find comfort in uncomfortable situations and move on.
What is evident to me, however, is that however we move forward, we must do so collectively. The adventure world has always celebrated the lone wolf, the stoic, tough man who always strives to rise. That’s not what we need. The American spirit of rugged individualism and technology that confines us in self-imposed bubbles has created the illusion that we are fine on our own. We are not. We are interdependent and always have been. I don’t know what it means to work together or encourage each other, because the answers to those questions are uniquely personal. But I do know that we desperately need to build our networks, create new friendships, and strengthen the ones we already have. Maybe that means taking in someone who lost their home in a fire or bringing food to someone who lost their job or making a call. I DON’T KNOW. You’ll find the right stocks when you look for them.
This, to me, seems like the most important thing we can do. It’s easy to become obsessed with what’s happening nationally. And it’s understandable to make lifestyle changes in the name of progress (like driving an electric vehicle or whatever). But the most powerful and important thing we can do is help each other, face to face, person to person. Don’t know how to help your friends who are struggling? Ask them.
Stephen Casimiro
Editor + Founder
