Spring Into the Abyss

It’s been four months of Tucson living without an update on the blog. Sorry about that. I’ve been a bit lost in thought and direction. No longer! Like a sleepy bear emerging from hibernation, it’s time to get active here again. And, in lieu of any essaying, there’s actually been some tectonic shifts underfoot.

Firstly, it’s my proud prerogative to welcome you to the latest and greatest iteration of HarrisonFM.com! Longtime readers will know I’ve struggled for years to find the focus and get this overhaul out the door, and I’ve finally arrived at a place where I can show that off. Everything loads much faster, the interface makes more sense, mobile looks good, the cool stuff I’ve done is more strongly emphasized, and I now have a newsletter (maybe you even are reading this from its first issue!). I have grand plans to continue the site’s upkeep and adding more features to it. Definitely let me know your feedback!

On a second axis of productivity, I’ve also had a great year so far with trail work. Most of the nature photos in this essay are prompted by my trips to upkeep the Arizona Trail. My best friends here, and strongest sense of belonging in the desert, have come from this mission of pleasant toil in the mission of bettering hiking for all.

Alas, I have never felt more like a hermit than this first half of the year. When I last wrote, we as a country were in the direst of straits on Covid, and Americans were dying in droves. How is one in a new city supposed to make friends in those environs? I did succeed in finding a juggling group, but they only meet weekly. My swanky climbing gym was good for a couple months, but then I got stymied with a tendon-based finger injury that has no signs of abating. Thank the stars for video games and Discord, but even with those palliatives, it’s still been one of the most isolated feeling periods of my life.

Also on the Covid front, I got my vaccines (Moderna). Tucson’s vaccine drive was a source of consternation in April, thank our Republican governor for denying FEMA aid on that. So, I did one in Flagstaff en route to a trail gig, and my second was auspiciously administered via a rapid waitlist (Dr. B). What a source of relief to get each, and I only had one day of ill symptoms that I just torched watching the second season of The Boys under a blanket. Despite being vaccinated, and single, I still don’t really feel ready to mingle. Maybe it’s my introverted side that’s gone unbound this hellish year, but things just still feel awkward to me.

At least I can cherish what has felt like a soothing Spring here in Tucson. It was fun to uncover little bits of mystery as I found a rhythm, albeit stunted, to this city. Waking up to birdsong, and seeing the cacti bloom as things heated up have been simple joys. A winter where I just never had to equip a coat in town was most pleasant. Let me tell you right now though, I have camped more this year than in any other time in my life sans adventuring thus far, and the mountains above Tucson have had me grateful to own a zero degree sleeping bag. Having “Winter on demand” has felt been a damn fine luxury and one reason why I am still keen on Arizona.

What are some other cool things about Tucson? “Produce rescues” that get you loads of fresh veggies, cents on the pound, that are extras from Mexico. Amazing way to reduce food waste, and nourish myself! Also, there’s plenty of vegan cuisine, I personally am blessed with two restaurants in walking distance. Oh, and did I mention the Pima Library lets you check out seeds for your garden? Not that mine is any degree epic, but some acorn squash I composted were thriving in the spit of dirt I have to work with.

Alas, the heat is now sinking in, and with that, some kind of madness. It’s gotten progressively harder to drag myself out of the apartment, and a sense of the walls closing in on me have acutely grown. What’s Summer going to be like? Will the monsoons not come again? My original goal was to witness a hot desert Summer firsthand, but now it’s seeming I may need another year to find that out.

My original blueprints for 2021 expected me to be resuming my tech career, and while I did start searching for employment again and even set up a new business for freelance, I entered it overconfident and belatedly; I wanted to ‘finish’ this website first and we were already into Spring by then. Now that I’m not yet engaged in anything, and my savings is slightly larger than I thought it would be now due to the financial stimuli, I have decided to pivot. Instead of getting into a job with an exit plan to do something epic in 2022, I’m going to go big now and then figure things out when I return. I feel compelled to take these opportunities when they present themselves, and I’ve had enough sitting around at home.

That something? A Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike southbound from Canada to Mexico! If you’re unfamiliar with this trail, it’s 2,600 miles of Western mountain hiking through the rugged interiors of Washington, Oregon, and California. I have had this in mind for years, but never was able to line up the time off with the finances. As I meet the requirements for both right now, why linger? What if the opportunity doesn’t come around again? This will be my second long trail following the Appalachian Trail five years past, and I’ve grown so much as a backpacker since setting out as a novice then. I will depart in July, with aims to make it to Mexico before December.

This all ties into a bit of escapism, I can be honest about that to myself. It’s still weird in these urban confines, I don’t expect the stigmas around COVID, mask wearing or physical touch to abate for months yet. There’s never been a more pertinent moment for remote tech work, but it’s just not something to savor with the lack of socializing and events to balance work and life; I saw that last year. Out on the trail, I’m banking that things will be more relaxed. As I’ve had my vaccines, I can feel somewhat at ease with navigating amongst a populace of unknowns. A southbound hike will also avoid much of the party scene and allow me a more mindful experience. It will be exciting to compare the similarities and differences to life in the Appalachian bubble.

With the luxury to linger a little longer before returning to work, the passion to be out and fully immersed in nature, and a life I’ve meticulously structured for flexibility, I’ve gotta take advantage while I’ve got the moxie. In these still weird and fraught times, heading out into the wilds seems like a good way of purifying my society-weary soul, test myself in mind and body, and witness new wildernesses. I’ll aim to have another article in a month on final thoughts and strategy before I depart to kick off the PCT. I’m so excited for this next travelogue, and to show off the new site in the process.