In the Beginning - Some time in 2007

Some of you have probably heard that I have taken on quite a challenge this summer. I decided to start this blog to chronicle the event. In the olden days I would have just picked up a yellow pad of paper and started writing. My kids tell me that this is the way to keep a journal in the 21st century.

In The Beginning 

In 2006 I turned 50. One starts to think when one becomes a half century old, and I decided that I had become much like a "mesquite bush."   This requires some explanation.  

Rewind to November 1976. I had just landed in Dallas Texas to begin my service as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As I rode to the mission home with my Mission President, C. Monroe Hart, he made an unusual comment. He asked me to look out the window and tell him what I saw. The only thing I saw was a bunch of ugly bushes. I latter found out they were actually Mesquite Trees. At the time nothing 

more was said, other then President Hart asked me to remember what they looked like.

Fast forward to November 1978.

 I was on my way back to the Dallas airport having completed my 2 years of missionary service. President Hart asked me if I remembered his question on our last ride together from the airport. It took me a minute, but as I looked out the car window I was reminded of his question about the Mesquite Trees. Once again he asked me what I saw. I told him I saw the same ugly mesquite bushes that cover much of central and west Texas. I told him they had not changed

 much during the two years I had been in Texas. He then gave me a challenge. "Elder Brown" he said, "don't become like the Mesquite Bush, ever unchanging and unproductive."  To me this wa

s profound.  I was headed home after two years of intense service having seen many lives change.  Most for the better, but some for the worse.  I learned allot about life, I was pretty clear on what I wanted to become and what I did not want to become.  I knew I did not want to be like those Mesquite trees which to all who pass them time after time don't appear to be changing, growing, progressing, or offering any benefits to anyone.  And all at the same time looking pretty ugly and more like weeds.  Most west Texans consider them no better then a weed and try to eradicate them.  No, the Mesquite Bush was not for me.

Fast forward to November 2006 and my self reflection at my 50th birthday that I had become too much like the mesquite bush. Up to this point in my life one of the primary challenges that helped keep me fresh and growing was raising a family of four kids, 1 son and 3 daughters.  Our oldest son Brent and oldest daughter Melissa were married in December 2007 within 10 days of each other.  Very busy, very exciting times.  I am thrilled with the additions to the family, both Douglas and Lisa.  I can already see that Douglas and Lisa are helping our kids Melissa and Brent become better people more self reliant and better followers of our Heavenly Plan. They are productive, self reliant and independent adults.  Everything we want them to be. While I love the opportunity to give advise, I am careful that I only do this when asked.  So my season of influence and teaching is primarily behind me with the two oldest kids.  Our third child Jamie is on her mission for the Church in Brazil and thus for the next 18 months or so my influence her will be limited to weekly emails and a few packages and pictures. The one child still at home is Laura.  I love Laura being at home.  She is fun to be with, but she is a very self reliant and independant adult.  She is often at work or play outside the home so my sphere of influence is limited with Laura also. 

I needed to find a new challenge.  Something that would get me out of the mold of the Mesquite Bush.  My midlife crisis had become a reality. Some finding themselves in the situation would go out and buy a sports car, but I am not a car guy. I started thinking, "what could I do to shake things up?"

For some time I have wanted to get into better condition. Lose some weight and start exercising. I decided that I would take this on as my challenge. For some reason still not identified I decided that a long walk walk was just the thing. Both the preparation for the walk and the walk itself would help accomplish my goal.  My first thought, Denver to Salt Lake City.  

Some 500 miles. I have family in both cities, I know the routes well having driven each of the various routes several times.  But who wants to walk 500 miles next to a highway?  No, not me. I needed something more pristine, with fresh air and great vistas.  Quite star filled nights where I could lay and contemplate the mysteries of life.  

So I started searching the Internet for options and discovered The Colorado Trail.  482 miles of fresh air and great vistas crossing the continental divide several times.  This would be a significant  challenge for anyone in the best of shape.  But for me at 336 pounds and no regular exercise was it a realistic challenge?  Was it foolish even to consider?  Could I get myself into the necessary physical condition for such a journey?  Could I do it?  Well, certainly something worth considering and perhaps mentioning quietly to a couple friends to see what they thought.

Fast forward to August 2007, my annual fishing trip.  

So it was about this time that I was on my annual fall fishing trip with my fishing buddies.  Our conversation is always varied during our nightly dinners. One night I made the unfortunate mistake of mentioning my "crisis" to these "buddies" and the consideration of doing a long Trek.  I mentioned this Trek only as a consideration having not concluded it was something I could do.  I mentioned that I had great reservation, and I was not sure it could  become a reality or for that matter if I really wanted it to be a reality.  

Within mere seconds of simply putting the idea out there for consideration during a casual dinner conversation (with the real hope of my "buddies" telling me what a BAD idea this was)  I became committed.  My buddies decided this was a must do.  Each would take a week and walk with me for encouragement and motivation.  The more the discussion progressed the deeper and deeper I became committed.  Within just a few seconds of mentioning my Trek I soon felt like I was more deeply committed to my Trek then a pig in slop.  Soon the Trek took on a life of its own.  

Within days of mentioning the idea to these "buddies" my boss and mentor, Peter Culshaw, decides that the number one goal for our company division for 2008 will be to "Get Healthy".  At the companies annual strategic planning session my "idea mentioned for consideration" becomes a commitment. Before I know it I am getting emails from people throughout the company encouraging me and congratulating me on taking on such a big challenge.  Less than one week from the moment I naively mention my "idea for consideration" at a dinner with friends I am committed to a 482 mile trek, 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness, vertical gains as much as 6,000 feet in one day, and walking a trail where over 70% of the elevation is above 10,000 feet.  WOW.  With friends like these who needs enemies!

Of course in reality, I am actually grateful for their encouragement.  Several of these "fishing" buddies have agreed to walk a portion of the trail with me.  I have also been very surprised that as I have told several people about my journey face to face only one person has broken out in uncontrollable laughter.  Most have been very encouraging. 

 I am especially grateful for the response by my family, Julie in particular.  I have told her I realize that this is a very selfish endeavor.  I am finding that this is going to be a very time consuming endeavor.  Not only will I be gone from home for 40 days and 40 nights, but the preparation time is considerable.  I am now walking 6 miles on Tuesday and Thursdays (at 3miles per hour 2 hours each night), and 10 miles on Saturdays (about 3 1/2 hours).  I am starting to have to spend time investigating equipment.  And soon I will be doing some overnight trips on the weekends to further my preparation.

Now that most of my circle of family and friends have heard about my trek many are asking me if I have had any second thoughts.  Not many asking the question have any idea that when I floated the idea out to my buddies for discussion it was more of a "second thought" then a real idea.  So, now I just respond that  "It seemed like a good idea at the time."  That being said, I am committed to the trek.  I have hired a personal trainer who I see 3 times per week, I am working out 6 days per week, I meet with a nutritionist 1 time per week, and to date I have lost 20 pounds with a goal of being down 50 pounds before the trek and figure that I will lose about another 15 to 20 on the Trek.  Better yet however, is I am changing my daily habits and activities and I am starting to feel that I am no longer like that Mesquite bush that I was challenged to never become.  No longer unchanging and unproductive.  So to each of you reading this blog I encourage you, "Don't be like a Mesquite Bush."