The Little Book of Outdoor Wisdom: An Adventurer's Collection of Anecdotes and Advice

by John Long

Overview

There’s a reason we pause at the vista overlook and be quiet for a second. The wilderness, or simply being outside in the natural world, provides us with a psychological reboot. It declutters our minds, washes off the guff, gives us a chance to see and feel ourselves as expansively as the Tunnel Overlook in Yosemite Valley. But the process is different, and in some ways, more powerful than the benefits we get from sleep. The Little Book of Outdoor Wisdom is a collection of all-new essays from legendary climber and outdoor writer John Long, an exploration of what connects us fundamentally to the outdoors and of why we return again and again. Through evocative anecdotes and sketches, told in Long’s visceral yet poignant style, readers will rediscover their love for nature and glean a deeper appreciation for its rejuvenating effect.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493034734
Publisher:	Falcon Guides
Publication date:	09/24/2019
Pages:	194
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

John Long is an acclaimed rock climber and author of more than forty books, including several in Falcon’s catalog. He is one of the most prolific adventure writers out there and has authored magazine articles, screenplays, documentary films, and television and movie scripts, as well as instructional rock climbing books. Beginning in the mid-1970s with his historic one-day ascent of the Nose route on El Capitan, Long became a mainstay in the world of extreme sports and adventure. He and his elite group of climbers, the “Stonemasters”, ushered in a new era of big wall climbing with their epic climbs in Yosemite National Park and elsewhere. In the years that followed, John Long transitioned from rock climbing to international exploration, traveling around the world from the jungles of Southeast Asia to the North Pole. Some of his many achievements include the first coast-to-coast traverse of Borneo and the discovery and exploration of the world’s largest river cave. John Long has also built a successful television and film career, producing the International Guinness Book of World Records television show before moving to feature films. The Sylvester Stallone movie, Cliffhanger, is based on one of Long’s stories. In recent years, John Long has continued to write books and articles and to work in television and film. He is also an Adidas Ambassador and frequently works with them at various events around the country.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

Preparation 1

Avoiding Trouble 1

Tickling Dragons 3

Thirst! 4

Hydration: It's Everything! 5

Grub 7

Never Too Much Food 9

Wilderness First Aid 9

Ain't Cheap 12

Day Pack 12

Test Drive Packs and Shoes 13

Headlamps 13

Bug Off! 14

Cell Phones 17

Let People Know Where You're Going 17

Day Hiking Checklist 18

Ultralight 18

Essential Gear: The Big Four 19

Layering 21

Get a System 24

Plan a Trip or Adventure 25

Hiking and Trekking Tours 27

Pay Attention and Look Ahead 28

Mistakes and Mishaps 29

Masterpiece 29

Good to Know 31

It's All on Us 32

Process 35

The Fun Scale 35

Pay Attention 38

Learning to Learn 40

Finding It 41

J. B. Mauney 42

Leaders and Decisions 44

Pack Everything You Think You'll Need, Then Dump Half of It 47

Gear Worship 48

Common Mistakes 48

Finish What You Start 49

Have a Target 51

Not Exactly 52

Courage 53

Magic Days 54

Projecting 54

The 24-Hour Challenge 56

Impossible Moments 59

Haunted House 62

Sand 64

Homecoming 66

People 69

The Rabbi 69

El Tiburon 72

Grab Your Stuff 75

Forest Therapy Guides 77

Freja 78

Out-and-Backs 80

Tobin Sorenson 81

Avoid It Altogether 86

Drains Out the Bad 87

No Coming Back 88

Bosom Buddies 93

Beyond Our Differences 94

Clint 97

One of Those Days 98

Likely Suspects 99

Partners 100

Mike Doyle 101

Performance 105

Participants and Performer 105

First Days 108

Love Affair 109

Scorers 110

Orientation 111

Fitness 112

Not Fun 112

Working Our Edges 114

Intensity Breeds Champions 116

Great Performers Are Complete 117

One Thing at a Time 118

Go to Failure 119

Perfect Turns 119

Trying Too Hard 120

Less Is More 121

Curiosity 122

Travels Well 122

Failure 124

Do the Classics 125

Low Roller 125

Crossing the Line 126

Poise 129

Medicine 129

Strength 130

Teaching 130

Sammy Glared 131

Better Be Tough 133

Burnout 134

I Hate This! 135

Don't 135

Always Play for Something 135

Service 136

Breathe! 139

Wind! 140

It's Not Personal 141

Fine Tuning 142

Icarus Syndrome 143

Things They Said 147

Brother Gaines 147

Funky? 148

Out Beyond the Aubade 150

Great Wave 151

We Walk the Coast Together 152

Herb 152

Driven by Phantoms 153

What Religion? 153

Crack in Half 154

House Band for Hell 155

So Much Wonderful 156

The Spire 156

Forget It! 157

I Know that Stream Is Close 157

Fish Stories 159

What I've Learned 161

Nature Writing 165

Epilogue: For All Mankind 179