I've had a while to cogitate on the Strosaker/Gabriel-induced flap. Jim received a little back channel blip from me in reaction to his first post. But, I think we need to legitimize the "W" word. -------------- It boggles me that two aggressive, talented, moxie guys like Jim and Duane feel compelled to typify "99%" of the rest of us as "wimps" because we do not seek to test the limits of our gear and our skills in a way similar to what they do. An analogy might help: I drive a car. It is a straight-up Toyota pickup. It's not a race car because I don't have the reflexes or temperament to handle a race car on ordinary highways, let alone race it. And, so, I don't race it or any other vehicle. Yet, I can enjoy reading (or watching) the exploits of others who are good at racing cars. In fact, the racers often are quoted in newsprint as enjoying what they do. What I **never** hear them say is: "The rest of you drivers out there are wimps ... because ... [you don't race cars]" or words to that effect. The professional racers recognize that "driving a car" is an experience which has a variety of expressions and textures that spans the limits from me in my funky '96 Toyota, bumping down a logging road to my favorite fishing hole, to an adrenaline junkie hitting an open stretch of windy road in his Ferrari. And, they do not feel compelled to knock ordinary drivers because they do not aspire to handle a race car. So, I wonder what it is in the psychological makeup of a Duane or a Jim that compels him to haul out the "W" word to apply to the rest of us? I bet Wes Boyd does not feel it applies to him as he serenely lollygags along the shore of a nearby lake, communing with the migrating geese. I suspect Natalie Wiest never felt it applied to her and Doug Lloyd (the PW poster child for accepting self-abuse) when they did an "easy" paddle on Doug's home waters. And, I sure as hell reject its application to me when I nod my way around the duck hunters and sagging vegetation of my local waters. I enjoy reading about the exploits of Strosaker/Gabriel and their ilk. I'm glad they are out there testing their limits. More power to them, for the rest of us are enriched by their existence. Maybe sometimes they take a risk I would not take. That is their style, however, and they live and die by the consequences of the choices they make. If they decide to make a crossing in fog I would not make, that's their lookout, but I **do not** have a problem with the choice they made. And I hope they would extend me the same courtesy, when I make my choices of paddling style and locale. Is that too much to ask? -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR -- ex-climber (lost several friends, none on my rope, though) ex-surfer (only one head injury) permanent wimp (and proud of it) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
You calling me!.... a wimp!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hey buddy!... in times gone by, this sort of rhetoric has been dealt with by: the casting of the gauntlet and choice of weapons. ...or at other times: the utterance of a hearty, "big deal, peace man." Today we are being incouraged to cast a gauntlet of a different sort, involving the creation of hate crimes legislation, the establishment of a thought police of sorts, and the developement of a general intolerance for negative or contrary thought or actions of any kind. Most people will see this as a further step in the advancement and/or enhancement of civility and courtesey. It is not. Of course this is all off topic and I present it only in hopes of showing the insignifcants of small arguments. Certainly we don't want a perceived challenge to cause anyone to paddle beyond their abilities, but don't worry about being called a wimp. My crystal ball is a bit hazey, but I am realitively certain that there are more significant things to worry about. -- Mike McNally mmcnally3_at_prodigy.net *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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