I was out to dinner with a colleague the other night and we started talking about adventures that ranged from SCUBA diving to hiking in the national parks. I'm always impressed when I talk with other people that are in their 40's + and they still live an adventurous life; and for Jim, there's no moss growing around his feet.
He started telling me about a trip a few years ago where he and a few buddies did a cross-country trip over the Baja peninsula of Mexico from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Cortez on dirt bikes and ATV's with their only "safety net" being a van with their food and supplies that met up with them at the end of each days ride. "When you get out there, under the sky with the grains of sand flying up in your face, it's magical. It's you and nature; you get lost in the adrenaline and the moment - nothing else exists!" That, I felt, is the way life should be.
The trip sounded amazing; how long would a trip like that take? Jim mentioned that the trip across the baja was only 10 days, but he was gone a little over three weeks. Three weeks! Was he hanging out on the beach drinking cerveza's and surfing? "No" he replied, "I crashed on the 7th day." To make a long story short, he wedged himself into the van that night and rode around with the support crew for the rest of the week.
By the time Jim made it back to San Diego, he could hardly walk; he hadn't seen a doctor yet. That evening, he laid down on the floor of his hotel room - that was the last he'd move by his own free will for about two weeks. A luggage cart, taxi, wheel chair, and gurney ride later, and Jim was in the hospital. Not a fun way to end such an amazing trip. Or was it? If you're not living life to the fullest, is it worth living? I'll let you ponder that one; now, back to Jim.
About a week later, a nurse came in Jim's room. He had broken 7 ribs, hurt various parts of his back, and his entire body was bruised. It was a miracle he made it back to the U.S. That's when Nurse Nancy asked Jim the question he hadn't thought of since he left home: "When did you call your Mom last, Jim?" An expletive enraged shout boomed out of Jim's mouth. In the fog of the adrenaline, adventure, and pain, Jim had forgotten to let those nearest to him know that he was OK, hurt, but OK.
I found out about this adventure of Jim's because I started telling him about the SPORT module of Virtual Halo. He was amazed. "That" he said "is an amazing app. I hate technology; I'd give up my cell phone if work would let me, but I can't. This would give me a reason to by a smart watch!"
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