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TIMOTHY LEARY SAID THE SMARTEST THING YOU CAN DO IS GET SMARTER, AND AFTER TRAVEL, READING IS THE FAST TRACK. READING IS THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION YOU MAKE TO EXPEDITION SUCCESS, BOTH WHAT YOU READ IN PREPARATION, WHAT YOU READ OUT THERE, AND WHAT YOU READ IN GENERAL. READING IS WHAT PREVENTS BOREDOM, IT ALLOWS AN ESCAPE, IT’S WHAT TEACHES AND INSPIRES, AND IN THE COMPRESSED AND REMOTE WORLD OF AN EXPEDITION IT IS A WAY TO BRING NEW IDEAS AND THOUGHTS INTO AN OTHERWISE ISOLATED SCENARIO.

NEVER BEFORE HAS READING BEEN SO ACCESSIBLE ON EXPEDITION, WITH DEVICES LIKE KINDLES REPLACING THE OLD PROCESS OF BARTERING PAPERBACKS, REREADING TATTERED COPIES OF THE ECONOMIST AND DESPAIRING OVER ALL THOSE NORWEGIAN NOVELS THAT SEEM TO ACCUMULATE IN DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBERS COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF NORWEGIANS ACTUALLY AROUND (THERE MAY BE A LESSON IN THAT). EACH CLIMBER NOW CAN CARRY A SMALL LIBRARY LITERALLY IN THEIR POCKET, CHANGING THE WAY HIGH CAMPS ARE PERCEIVED, NO LONGER AS SOMEWHERE TO JUST STARE AT THE TENT CEILING.

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MAKING READING A RECOGNIZED PART OF EXPEDITIONS ENRICHES THE PSYCHOLOGICAL QUOTIENT OF THE TRIP, MAKING IT MORE THAN JUST THE PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL ORDEAL. IT TURNS MOST OF THE ACCUMULATIVE HOURS OF SCROLLING INANE BULLSHIT INTO REAL CONTENT WITH VALUE, AND MAKES ESCAPISM A REAL ESCAPE INSTEAD OF JUST THE SUSPENSION OF INTELLIGENCE.

THIS IS NOT ALL ABOUT JUST READING CLIMBING STUFF, AND HALF THE TIME IT’S ABOUT AVOIDING IT AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE. WHAT THIS IS ABOUT IS EXPANDING THE MENTAL CONTENT OF AN EXPEDITION TO BE MORE THAN JUST THE IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK, BRINGING NEW INFORMATION INTO AN OTHERWISE CLOSED CIRCUIT TO AVOID THE TEDIUM AND MINUTEA OF THE SAME PEOPLE AND FOCUS ALL THE TIME. WHEN EVERY CONVERSATION IS IMPERATIVE, IN YOUR FACE AND DEMOCRATIC EVEN VERY SMART TEAMS RUN OUT OF JUICE, GETTING BOGGED DOWN IN PREDICTABLE CONVERSATIONS BASED ON PREDICTABLE INPUT AND LIMITED REFERENCE. READING HELPS DIVERT FROM THIS, LIKE AN ESCAPE HATCH OUT OF THE PRESENT, STOPPING THE WORLD FROM BEING JUST A FEW PEOPLE WITH A FEW OPINIONS AND FROM EATING ITSELF.

THE UNPREPARED MIND FAILS WELL BEFORE THE UNPREPARED BODY, AND LACK OF RIGOR AND BREATH IN THINKING KILLS MORE POTENTIAL THAN ANY LACK OF TRAINING OR GEAR. SEEING A DISTINCTION BETWEEN BODY AND BRAIN IS TRICK OF CONVENIENCE, AND ANYONE NOT CONDITIONING THEIR THINKING WITH QUALITY AND DIVERSITY OF INPUT IS LETTING PART OF THE WHOLE WITHER AND CAN EXPECT RESULTS – OR LACK OF – TO GO WITH THAT.

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BEFORE THE EXPEDITION

READ THE CLASSIC CANNON LIKE MESSNER, HERZOG AND BONNINGTON OF COURSE (AND FEEDING THE RAT SO YOU CAN EXPLAIN THE NAME TO YOU FRIENDS) , BUT DON’T LIMIT YOURSELF TO THE STANDARD SYLLABUS, GO OFF THE RESERVATION AND STEEP YOUR MIND IN THE OTHER ELEMENTS OF WHERE YOU ARE GOING.

WE THINK IT IS CRAZY TO GO SOMEWHERE LIKE TIBET OR XINJIANG WITHOUT EVEN THE BASICS OF WHO IS WHO AND WHAT IS WHAT, AND ESPECIALLY IN THESE REGIONS IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE DIVIDE BETWEEN WHAT THE WORLD SAYS AND WHAT IS ACTUALLY THERE. TILMAN, FLEMING AND DANZIGER ARE ALL GREAT STUFF BUT THEY ALSO POPULAR HISTORY, LIKEWISE A SINGULAR PERSPECTIVE OF MAINSTREAM PUBLISHING WILL REFLECT A MARKET WHO WILL PROBABLY NEVER SET FOOT THERE, SO

THE CLASSICS GIVE A BEDROCK OF THE CONTINUUM OF CLIMBING AND IT IS INTERESTING TO READ THE SAME THINGS THE GREAT CLIMBERS OF BEFORE READ, SEEING THE WAY THEY INTERPRETED THE SAME WORDS YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU.

EXPEDITIONS ARE MENTAL, WE ALL KNOW IT IS THE MIND THAT TURNS BACK BEFORE THE BODY. LIKE THE BODY, THE EXERCISED MIND SEEKS TO EXERCISE ITSELF, AND THINKING ABOUT THINKING IS A SIGN OF SHARPENING AND GOING BEYOND THE LIMITS OF EDUCATION AND POPULAR CULTURE. THIS IS A GOOD THING, IT IS WHAT YOUR BRAIN IS MEANT TO DO, AND FEEDING YOUR MINDSET WITH STUFF THAT TAKES IT FURTHER THAN WHAT YOU COULD WORK OUT YOURSELF IS WHAT MAKES GOOD EXPEDITIONS GREAT ONES.

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ON EXPEDITION

CONSIDER YOUR READING MATERIAL AS PART OF YOUR DIET, WHERE A MIND STARVED OF VARIETY AND CONTENT ACTS OUT OF DESPERATION NOT DISCERNMENT. IT IS VITAL TO KEEP YOUR PSYCHE IN GOOD CONDITION, TAKING CARE OF IT WHEN IT GETS STRUNG OUT, RESTING IT, NOURISHING IT WITH GOOD CONTENT – JUST AS IT HELPS NO ONE TO STARVE YOUR MINDSET IN AN ENVIRONMENT WITH SO MUCH GOING ON.

DON’T FEED YOUR MIND WITH THE JUNK OF SOCIAL MEDIA ANY MORE THAN YOU WOULD FUEL YOUR BODY ON CRAP FROM McDONALDS BECAUSE THE RESULTS WILL BE THE SAME. WHEN FACED WITH THE CHOICE BETWEEN SCROLLING BULLSHIT AND READING SOMETHING WHERE YOU LEARN, LAUGH OR GET INSPIRED, CHOOSE THE ONE THAT ENRICHES THE EXPEDITION.

DON’T GET HIGH-BROW ABOUT THIS EITHER. FORCING YOURSELF TO HACK THROUGH JAMES JOYCE AS SOME SORT OF INTELLECTUAL ORDEAL MAY NOT BRING THE MENTAL RECOVERY YOU NEED, AND THOUGH THE SPECTRUM OF READING SHOULD INCLUDE SOME RIGOR, IF YOU LIKE JEREMY CLARKSON, DAN BROWN AND VIZ THEN INDULGE. JUST AS CHEWING GUM HELPS DIGESTION SO TOO THIS STUFF KEEPS THE MIND ENGAGED WITHOUT THE STRESS OF DIGESTION, AND IF BOREDOM STALKS YOU LIKE A BLACK DOG – AS IT DOES MANY CLIMBERS – THEN ANYTHING WILL DO.

READING AND MENTAL STIMULATION SHOULD BE LIKE YOUR PHYSICAL DIET, AND INCLUDE AN ARRAY OF INPUT TO MEET YOUR NEEDS, AND TRYING TO SQUEEZE AN EXPEDITION THROUGH A SINGLE APERTURE OF MINDSET IS UNHEALTHY, BORING AND A WASTE. READING MATERIAL THAT ENGAGES AT MULTIPLE LEVELS INCREASES THE BANDWIDTH OF MENTAL STATES TO ACT FROM, AND WE HAVE ALL SEEN TEAMS STAGNATE OR CRASH DUE TO LACK OF CONVERSATION AND BURN OUT.

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AFTER THE EXPEDITION

IF YOU DON’T COME AWAY FROM AN EXPEDITION BURSTING WITH MORE QUESTIONS AND IDEAS YOU HAVEN’T HAD YOUR EYES, EARS AND MIND OPEN.

THE POST-EXPEDITION PERIOD WHEN THE NERVES ARE STILL RAW, THE DETAILS STILL VIVID, THE DUST STILL ON YOUR GEAR AND THE NORMALCY OF HOME STILL HASN’T SET IN, IS THE TIME TO FEED YOUR PSYCHE WITH INFORMATION AND INSPIRATION. ALL THOSE THINGS YOU WANTED TO ASK AND KNOW BUT COULDN’T AT THE TIME, ALL THOSE PASSING IDEAS YOU BANKED FOR LATER WHEN THE TASK AT HEAND TOOK PRECEDENCE, ALL THE RECOVERY YOUR BRAIN NEEDS AFTER WEEKS OR MONTHS AT THE FRACTAL EDGE – START READING AND POURING IT IN BEFORE THE THIRST GETS FILLED WITH THE MUNDANE AND DISTRACTING.

POST-EXPEDITION IS A GREAT TIME TO PULL BACK YOUR SCALE OF PERSPECTIVE AND REASSESS WHERE YOU WERE AND WHAT YOU WERE DOING, AND PUT YOUR TRIP INTO HISTORICAL CONTEXT NO MATTER HOW MINOR THAT MAY BE. BEFORE AND DURING THE TRIP THINGS ARE TOO FOCUSED AND TOO FAST MOVING TO FOLLOW UP EVERY VECTOR THAT PRESENTS, BUT AFTER YOU HAVE THE TIME AND CONTEXT TO FOLLOW UP WHAT CAN BE SURPRISING LEADS.

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IT’S A WASTE TO MISS THE INTELLECTUAL OPPORTUNITIES OF EXPEDITIONS, WHICH DOESN’T MEAN TREATING THEM AS RESEARCH SABBATICALS BUT DOES MEAN LETTING THE MENTAL FACULTIES ATROPHY WHEN THE TIME, THIRST AND REST GAINED FROM READING ARE ABUNDANT. READING CONTRIBUTES TANGIBLY TO THE TEAM PSYCHE AS MUCH AS INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE, AND OF ALL THE THINGS THAT GO TOWARDS A GOOD TRIP IT IS EASILY THE CHEAPEST AND EASIEST TO OBTAIN.

ON OUR EXPEDITIONS YOU WON’T FIND AN INUNDATION OF POPULAR INFORMATION LIKE YOU WILL WITH PLACES LIKE NEPAL WHICH HAVE ENTIRE AISLES IN BOOKSTORES DEDICATED TO THE TOPIC, SO ANY INSIGHTS WILL ONLY COME FROM THE BOOKS YOU CHOOSE TO READ. LIKEWISE OUR TRIPS TAKE PLACE IN REGIONS WHERE THERE WON’T BE READING MATERIAL JUST LAYING AROUND WITH WHICH TO RELAX AND STRETCH A TIRED BRAIN, SO YOU NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR MENTAL DIET AND YOUR PART IN THE TEAM DYNAMIC.

THERE IS A CLEAR CONNECTION BETWEEN GOOD CLIMBING AND GOOD BOOKS, SOMETHING THAT CAN BE VIEWED EASILY WITH THE EMERGENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE JUNK END OF LITERACY, WHERE THE LENS OF 250 CHARACTERS AND 30 SECOND READS APPLIES TO BOTH ENDS OF THE EXPEDITION EXPERIENCE AND DETERMINES ATTITUDES AND EXPECTATIONS. CONTRAST THIS WITH SOMETHING LIKE THE WRITING OF TILMAN, NEWBY OR BONATTI AND THE PSYCHE AROUND EXPEDITIONS SHIFTS – IN OUR OPINION FOR THE BETTER – PUTTING BIG NEW OBJECTIVES BACK AT THE CENTER OF CLIMBING RATHER THAN A SIDESHOW OF MINOR STUNTS.

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