The Goodland Journal: Volume One

Oliver Ambros
Excitement and athletic expression
become surface sentiments in the
outdoors, as something far deeper
emerges from the roots of the Earth:
Humility.
This piece was pulled from our our Story Archive, a collection
of works from previous contributors to The Goodland. Ever
now and then, we will release a story from the Story Archives.
Enjoy! — Basecamp Team
The physicality of the
outdoors easily grabs
attention. Raw power,
challenging demands, and
constant failures. This is
reality for those of us who find
ourselves on the wrong side
of a snow-ridden mountain,
under the force of an 8-10 foot
face, or dangling bloodied and
battered off a multi-pitch route.
We are defined by a home
away from home in a 50 liter
bag, stuffed to the brim with
a life support system that can
make or break the experience.
Grit, grind, and determination
separate those from the day
hikes, the overnights, and the
multi-weeks.
As the outdoors becomes
more accessible to individuals
across the world, it becomes
increasingly difficult to
experience the profound
realizations discovered within
the outdoors. Not everyone
desires the dirtbag existence,
some not even for one night, a
right that is the individual’s to
decide.
As an athlete, this makes me
stoked for the empty trails and
pitches that I get to enjoy. As
an environmentalist, it concerns
me to see a lack of respect
from the “drive-through photo”
visitor and how that mindset
unavoidably will affect the
success or failure of greater
communal action and public
policy in the face of drastic
climate change. However, most
of all, as a philosopher this
out of touch reality with the
outdoors beyond a day hike or
Netflix special saddens me, as
the chase for sentiment beyond
the confines of humanity
becomes nearly impossible.
As we athletes and
adventurers chase stoke,
quiet meditation, danger, and
accomplishment, one reflection
continuously remains the most
important virtue: We rely on
the outdoors and the solitude
it forces. Excitement and
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