如果花在交通的時間，超過花在健行的時間的話，我是不會參加該項健行活動的。那為什麼捨得花半天的時間坐飛機，半天的時間坐車車，就只為了兩天的健行呢？啊，因為這是首次的戶外部落客年度聚會啊！不可否認，訂機票的時候，我質疑自己，「這是不是太衝動了些？」幸好，就如同預期，參與這次的盛會果然是相當值得的投資。
在Shasta-Trinity National Forest的Gumboot Lake露營區的兩個晚上，於沁涼的薰風的吹拂下，眾人沐浴在皎潔的月光裡，浸淫於大家有志一同對於大自然的熱愛中，啜飲著品質絕佳的加州紅酒。（說到這裡可要敬Russ一杯，這位職業的品酒人，把我從半瓶啤酒小姐拉拔成略辨紅酒滋味的入門者。）有時，大家只是閒聊著，有時，也開始很認真地思考，是否能夠眾志成城，對於推廣戶外活動，各盡一分一己的力量。兩三天的光陰，雖還不足以讓我們想出什麼具體的企畫，但眾人的討論，在我回家的路上，一直不停地在我的腦海中翻騰，啟發了不少個人對於從事未來戶外活動的架構藍圖。
很幸運地，整個週末的天氣狀況絕佳，讓Mt Shasta顯得和藹可親，相當吸引人。星期天，當我們從Bunny Flat的停車區，走到Mt Shasta的登山口所在地Horse Camp的時候，湛藍天空下的Mt Shasta山頭，只剩下些許的積雪，她似乎在向我招手，說著「快來拜訪我啊，印證一下妳才剛學到的登山技巧與知識呀！」不禁喟嘆著，該帶把冰斧，帶雙冰爪的，不過，這不也是下次再來拜訪的最佳藉口嗎？喔，錯了，這地方的美麗早就是吸引人拜訪，進而定居的最佳理由了，還需要什麼藉口？Trout Underground的Tom會告訴你，他和他的妻子Nancy何其有幸在這純淨質樸的好地方定居，閒時在山野中漫步，在湖泊裡釣魚。
知道更多關於首度戶外部落客聚會的消息，以及瀏覽賞心悅目的照片：
- The Outdoor Bloggers Hike to Brookie Heaven
- Outdoor Blogger Ho-Down a Fine Success!
- photos - Shasta bloggers meetup
- Images from the Ho down
- Ho Down Update: Outdoor Bloggers Plan World Domination
Tom Mangan對參加者的白描：
climb_ca, John Fedak, Rick McCharles, Tom Chandler, Russ Beebe, and me.
想要參加下年度的聚會嗎？請看預告：
Photo credit: Nancy & Tom Chandler
Update: more photos from John Fedak
4 Responses to “戶外部落客在 Mt Shasta歡度中秋”
October 11th, 2006 at 12:28 am
Very thoughtful post LittlePo.
Looking forward to Damascus already.
Rick McCharles
October 11th, 2006 at 2:46 am
Yeap, I was reading ALL the Ho Down posts in these two days and enjoy them so much. It’s so nice that we can share your wonderful trip through these articles!
Though I do feel like to join when I first saw the post, I consider too much (since I don’t think I’m *professional* enough as you guys are, hiking- and blog-wise), so the impulse is gone … maybe next year
October 11th, 2006 at 8:25 am
Rick,
It was nice meeting you last weekend, I am so amazed by the number of places you’ve been. I wish I could travel and of course climb more.
nachtluft,
you should have come. and for you it’s less travel, right? maybe next year?
October 11th, 2006 at 9:58 am
It sure was nice having you in camp, Szu-Ting; I was delighted by your company and your mooncakes! It was difficult for me, too, to gaze at that mountain and not want to climb it right then and there! Maybe they’ll build a mountain in Damascus for us.