Re: [Paddlewise] Conquering Kayakers?

jrussell wrote:

> What makes people want to paddle to conquer? (I realize it's not just
> paddling, of course.) 

The classic answer is "... because it's there."   Perhaps appropriate in light
of the recent discovery of the remains, high on Everest, of the guy who first
uttered it.

The existential answer is "... conquer?  Conquer what?  We paddle (climb,
sail, triathalon, you name it) to explore our inner reaches and personal
limits."

The first is not really an answer.  

The second one attracts me.  For me, difficult stuff is a personal test or
exploration, and not a conquest.  How can anybody "conquer" an inanimate
object?  After the summit has been mounted or crossing transited, they are
both still ... **there.**  What is different is me -- sometimes in profound
ways, sometimes simple.  An endorphin rush, a calming of the inner voices and
psyche, sometimes an insight or two.  Maybe a few somewhat stronger muscles,
or a better understanding of my companions, even ... intimacy with a loved one
who shared the experience.

Conquer?  I don't think so.

> The second part of my outloud musing was that it seems to me
> that, more often than not, these folks are men. So I wondered (and this got
> me into a bit of hot water since I'm female) whether there was some gender
> thing going on here (and *I* wasn't the one to use the word testosterone!).

Is it chicken and egg?  Do more men do difficult stuff because more men are
interested in it, or do fewer women do difficult stuff because they did not
get as big an original endorsement of testosterone?  There is some evidence
that doing difficult paddle trips (etc.) elevates testosterone levels (I
think).  This issue is perhaps an imponderable.  As well, to ask the question
this way suggests it is somehow "wrong" to assert oneself within a natural
environment.  

Finally, there is evidence of a unique psychology associated with folks who
**must** test themselves repeatedly -- they are driven in ways the rest of us
can never understand.  Maybe the best evocation of this syndrome is Jim
Wickwire's paean to self, "Addicted to Danger" (see below), if you can get
past the "me ... me ... me" tone.  A close second is Maurice Herzog's classic,
"Annapurna."  

When Art Hebert writes his book, maybe we'll get more insight!  (Hurry up,
Art!)

Addicted to Danger:  US$14, Pocket Books, ISBN 0-671-01991

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
(definitely NOT addicted to danger!)
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