Gear as Inspiration--the Maximalist philosophy

I just ordered a new mountain bike a few days ago ... and I'm counting the minutes until it arrives. I am soooo stoked to ride it; I've got visions of serpentine singletrack, quaking aspen and alpine meadows. With my new Santa Cruz Blur under me, I am officially dedicating this summer to dirt and trail.

I've been hooked on mountain biking since about 1991, when I bought my first mountain bike, a purple Specialized Stumpjumper, to explore the urban mountain trails of Tantalus, near Honolulu, HI. I honed my skills on the slick roots of banyans and tunneled through the thick, swaying bamboo--the air was sweet with the scent of guava and pineapple. Good memories, great times. I have a mental catalog of great images associated with mountain biking; the memories will last a life time. Unfortunately, my bikes don't survive that long, hence the aforementioned new bike.

I own a garage full of gear: skis for alpine touring, skis for resort skiing, skis for light touring, bikes for road, bikes for cruising to the coffee shop on Sunday afternoon, a large BMW motorcycle and all associated accessories. I have three kayaks, two paddles, three or four tents, a dozen backpacks, four pairs of snowshoes and the list just goes on.

Yet, when I look in the mirror, I want to see a "minimalist" staring back at me--it's funny. I have tried and tried to pare down on the gear, but it seems that I just go through cycles--one year it's a new boat, the next a new road bike, then a motorcycle, now a new mountain bike. I don't want to own so much stuff.

Historically, I've viewed this excess of gear as an addicition of sorts, but now, today, it came into focus for me in a more positive light. GEAR is my inspiration, it's what makes me go. A new bike pushes me to ride more, a new pair of hiking shoes will motivate me to hit the trail more often. This is true. So, I'm officially abandoning the minimalist philosophy and replacing it with maximalist. MORE gear means MORE GOOD TIMES .... I can live with that, for this summer at least :) See you out there.