My friend Vernon Stubbs is a remarkable man — an elite warrior who is passionately dedicated to native grass restoration. He owns a place on the rangeland north of here that was threatened by the Grandview Fire last summer. Fortunately, he was well-prepared, having engaged in significant fuels reduction work on the place. A year ago, he tracked and helped to rescue an escaped horse, which you can read about here.
He operates Alpine Land Management in Sisters. He told The Nugget a while back:
“I’ve been proud to serve, but all along, since I was a kid, my passion has been stewarding the land.”
His approach is to promote biodiversity through thinning, especially of juniper, controlled “jackpot” burning of concentrated fuels, reforesting, transplanting of native botanicals and grasses and composting. He turns cut juniper into fence posts and firewood lengths.
Stubbs grew up in Texas.
“When I was a kid, I was like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, out canoeing and bowfishing. I love God’s creation. You learn something new every day out in nature.”
He likes to shoot a .45 Peacemaker and a 70# longbow (which is a stout draw weight) and work long, hard days outdoors in the company of his Rottweiler pup. He just took up shooting a .50 caliber muzzleloader.
Vernon sent me this video the other day. The video features retired Marine Major Brian Chontosh, who was awarded the Navy Cross for Audie Murphy-class combat actions in Iraq on March 25, 2003. During an ambush while his Combined Anti-Armor Platoon Weapons Company was advancing upon Baghdad, Chontosh aggressively attacked an entrenched enemy position. He ran his M16 and 9mm pistol dry, then took after the enemy with their own weaponry. He is reported to have killed at least 20 enemy soldiers during the incident.
Chontosh has gone on to compete in ultramarathons and Crossfit Games.
Vernon shared the video because it expresses an ethic we can all adopt, even if we’re not approaching the exceptional level Chontosh has hit: We need risk, failure and constant testing of our capabilities. As Vernon says:
“You gotta do hard shit.”
Thought this would be inspiring for folks here. It inspired me to put in a little extra on the FP Biathlon two days in a row, for which I’m right now paying with the painful pleasures of well-earned soreness. Lordy but it was glorious out at the Pit this weekend. Morning temperatures in the high teens and perfectly still.
*
In the early 20th Theodore Roosevelt advocated for what he called The Strenuous Life, in the face of rapid industrialization and the fear that individuals and society would lose something of fundamental value if we let vigorous frontier values and capabilities wash away on the tide of advancing civilization:
I preach to you, then, my countrymen, that our country calls not for the life of ease but for the life of strenuous endeavor. The twentieth century looms before us big with the fate of many nations. If we stand idly by, if we seek merely swollen, slothful ease and ignoble peace, if we shrink from the hard contests where men must win at hazard of their lives and at the risk of all they hold dear, then the bolder and stronger peoples will pass us by, and will win for themselves the domination of the world. Let us therefore boldly face the life of strife, resolute to do our duty well and manfully; resolute to uphold righteousness by deed and by word; resolute to be both honest and brave, to serve high ideals, yet to use practical methods. Above all, let us shrink from no strife, moral or physical, within or without the nation, provided we are certain that the strife is justified, for it is only through strife, through hard and dangerous endeavor, that we shall ultimately win the goal of true national greatness.
The notion of The Strenuous Life seems to be having a moment again. Michael Easter’s The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self seems to have struck a chord and garnered a lot of attention:
In many ways, we’re more comfortable than ever before. But could our sheltered, temperature-controlled, overfed, underchallenged lives actually be the leading cause of many our most urgent physical and mental health issues? In this gripping investigation, award-winning journalist Michael Easter seeks out off-the-grid visionaries, disruptive genius researchers, and mind-body conditioning trailblazers who are unlocking the life-enhancing secrets of a counterintuitive solution: discomfort. Easter’s journey to understand our evolutionary need to be challenged takes him to meet the NBA’s top exercise scientist, who uses an ancient Japanese practice to build championship athletes; to the mystical country of Bhutan, where an Oxford economist and Buddhist leader are showing the world what death can teach us about happiness; to the outdoor lab of a young neuroscientist who’s found that nature tests our physical and mental endurance in ways that expand creativity while taming burnout and anxiety; to the remote Alaskan backcountry on a demanding thirty-three-day hunting expedition to experience the rewilding secrets of one of the last rugged places on Earth; and more. Along the way, Easter uncovers a blueprint for leveraging the power of discomfort that will dramatically improve our health and happiness, and perhaps even help us understand what it means to be human. The Comfort Crisis is a bold call to break out of your comfort zone and explore the wild within yourself.
I have the book on order and will report back.
The thesis certainly resonates. I have seen the pernicious effect that an addiction to comfort brings — comfort of the physical, intellectual, psychological order. The most miserable people I’ve seen believe themselves to be victims, are afraid to challenge themselves — and can’t seem to get themselves in decent shape. They are inveterate seekers (in vain) of comfort. The happiest, most satisfied people I know are those who are not merely unafraid to challenge their physical, intellectual and psychological comfort, but are eager to do so. They do it every day, in some form or other. It doesn’t have to be an ultra — but it has to be something. I know I’m a better man, and easier to be around, when I do hard shit — whether it’s pushing myself physically, challenging myself to learn a new skill, or taking a good, hard, raw look at cherished beliefs.
This is an area in which I want to do more work. I have struggled over the past couple of years to find ways to address my alienation from mainstream culture — particularly political culture — in a generative way. Full-throated celebration of The Strenuous Life/The Hard Way seems a good way to push back against the rampant valorization of victimhood that seems to me to be the corrosive agent responsible for much of our cultural rot. Finding a way to proclaim yourself a victim is the cheapest, easiest way of achieving status in a decadent society. It’s anti-heroic to its core, and the best antidote for it is to extoll the heroic virtues at every opportunity. It is time, and past time, to go on the offensive to protect the values that mean so much to me — to us — for, make no mistake, they are under assault and existential threat. But I can’t and won’t devote myself simply to calling out bullshit. That has its place, but if you devote yourself to it, you end up merely wallowing in a toxic stew.
And, as my brother tells me, I’m tall enough without standing on a soapbox.
Far better to go climb a mountain, learn a craft, build something. Do hard shit. Here’s to The Hard Way.
Matthew says
I was going to say how much I agree with this but then I spent my day in a comfortable chair reading comics
Thing is I do agree with it. I just need to remind myself of it often.
Comfort can be addictive.
Quixotic Mainer says
As the Mandalorians say; “This is the Way”.
That tracking and equine care job on the lost Hanoverian is a serious credit to Mr. Stubbs, that’s a great tale all on it’s own.
The entertainingly named “Art of Manliness” website has started a Strenuous Life movement, which is almost an adult version of boy scouts, encouraging people to get up and after it to earn badges and other laurels. For a guy that wanted to strike out and break from the domesticated pack, but didn’t know how, that community could provide mentoring and advice. Of course, those already on the path of adventure are unlikely to want to start donating a monthly cash fee to continue daily life. You could buy a lot of .22 and esbit tablets with that…
JimC says
The Art of Manliness is a good outfit. I listen to the podcast some, and respect the work the guy is doing. I should mention it more often.
Matthew says
I tend to think Art of Manliness is a counter force to our current cultural decadence. A lot of men’s websites are awful filled with men talking about how “alpha” they are and complaining about women. You know because complaining is so masculine. Roll Eyes.
The Art of Manliness gives a lot of good advice. Some of the fashion advice I could careless about. I’m not a suit and tie man. I just feel awkward in them. (Also, they would be unsuitable to my job.) However, the site has a lot of truly useful content.
Quixotic Mainer says
Well said sir. The alpha thing is unintentionally hilarious.
It makes me think of Tywin Lannister; “Any man who continually has to shout that he is King is not the King.”
JimC says
Yes! Stealing this. I am blessed to know many strong, capable men of quality. Not one of them has ever asserted “alpha” status. The only men I’ve encountered who bang on about that sort of thing are preening narcissists.
Matthew says
Yeah, they are hilarious. If you have to tell someone you are something you probably aren’t that thing. Same goes with any woman who has to tell you they are a “strong woman.” Not that I haven’t known strong women.
The thing the narcissist don’t get is how self-sacrificing genuine masculinity is. Often, self-sacrificing toward women (and children.)
Quixotic Mainer says
Brett is a good guy, and very bright. I’m a pretty avid reader there too, they’re fighting a good fight, and doing it without bitterness, which endears them to me all the more.
Mike says
Just finished ‘The Comfort Crisis’ yesterday. Always feels like I’m on the right trail when I start seeing the same sign show up in different places I respect!
Easter’s background is as a magazine journalist. The hunt in the Arctic serves as a fine narrative thread to help pull the various points of his inquiry together, but damn if his magazine feature background didn’t leave me yelling “more depth on X, you’ve got the pages!” a few times. I enjoyed the read, and it certainly introduced a few new ideas. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
JimC says
Synchronicity is a frequent visitor in these parts. I’m eager to read the book.
Rick Schwertfeger says
Full agreement to the whole thing. Gotta get out there and do tough things. They don’t have to be Seal-training level extreme suffer sessions. Really, they even should be fun. But as soon as we stop challenging ourselves, the decline begins.
Paul McNamee says
A long time ago (at a work presentation, no less) I was introduced to the concept of ‘eustress.’
A positive level of stress. Stress that keeps the wall from collapsing.
Body exercise, mental exercise, working on and/or toward something/goal.
All necessary.
JimC says
Haven’t heard that term. Stress that keeps a wall from collapsing — excellent metaphor.
wayne says
For a complete history of how Americans have approached the need to live “the strenuous life” in the outdoors, I suggest historian Roderick Nash’s classic Wilderness and the American Mind. Theodore Roosevelt certainly practiced what he preached, never missing an opportunity to hike to the top of whatever mountain was at hand. Nothing sets my mind to rights better than a few days camping in an out-of-the-way spot in a cold drizzle.
JimC says
Excellent recommendation. Haven’t cracked that book since college which is looong ago now.
Eric Petersen says
Having lived my whole life engaged in animal agriculture I have had the privilege to know lots of both men and women that know how to do the hard things. Testing the limits now and then is good.
Padre says
My wife doesn’t understand that my insistence on taking care of certain repairs around the house isn’t just my being stubborn or cheap, (Though those are contributing factors.) but that I am trying in some small way to stand outside a culture built around consumption and planned obsolescence and to do something for myself. As someone in a profession with few practical skills, I derive enormous satisfaction from being able to complete each task, even if it takes me four hours and three trips to the hardware store to complete something that a tradesman could do in twenty minutes while watching tv. When I finished re-plumbing our dishwasher last week I had to quote Jeremy Clarkson: “I did a thing!”
(By the way, the Amazon show Clarkson’s Farm is a fun watch and is a love letter of sorts to farmers. Clarkson uses his buffoonery on his hobby farm to show how much hard work and aggravation is involved in agriculture. It’s much more substantial than it first appears.)
JimC says
“I did a thing!”
It’s a war cry.
lane.batot says
ALL of this is GREAT stuff! Although being challenged is a good thing(and meeting that challenge even better!), I don’t like to view getting out and doing things the “hard” way as….not necessarily HARD! Because once you get used to doing things–let’s say the “old fashioned” way(without modern technology that makes everything easier, for instance), you can actually just PREFER it as a choice, and as in the case of getting decent physical exercise to keep fit and functional, it becomes something you CRAVE, not just something that’s “hard”. Just finished Jane Goodall’s newest book co-authored with interviewer Douglas Abrahams, titled “The Book Of Hope”, which is a splendid antidote to the helpless victim-hood phenomenon spreading like a virus in society now, and “Alpha” status has nothing to do with it! I don’t think any modern human has fought and tried harder to improve the world(and succeeded in a LOT!) than Jane Goodall, and her continuing story is definitely inspiring in this way. And despite her weariness, she always lives by one of her grandmother’s favorite quotes from the Bible–“As thy days, so shall thy strength be”. In other words, you as an individual are given the strength and ability to over come whatever you must, day by day…..
Joey P. says
Jim, I really doubt that we agree on much of anything politically. No doubt about that. But I fully agree that we need to challenge ourselves, both mentally AND physically. When I’m not editing books for a radical leftist publishing company, I work as a bird hunting guide here in Montana. It’s not uncommon to hike 15+ miles a day, 7 days a week while guiding the fall upland season.
You should join me on the prairies of central Montana this next hunting season. Seriously! The physicality will kick your ass. But the history/lore of the shortgrass prairies will leave you charmed. (This won’t be an expensive guided situation, we’ll just hunt together as comrades setting aside our left/right leanings.) Think about it!
JimC says
I would love to make this happen. Most of my hunting has been upland bird hunting – I was once quite avid with it — and it’s been an unconscionably long time since I’ve been in the field. As for the politics…. meh. I do cherish the documentary history of the RAF you sent me. I recognize that congruent values can sometimes be expressed in politically incongruent ways.
It’s very good to hear from you again.
Joey P. says
Let’s do it! You have my email. I’d recommend September for sharptails—they’re fun to hunt over pointing dogs and delicious on the grill. Also less of a chance of a snow storm!
You might wanna shoot some clays for a month or so leading up to the trip to sharpen your shotgunning skills. Otherwise, you’ll just need a comfortable pair of boots.
And, for a frame of reference in case you might want to read up on the frontier history of the area we’ll hunt, it’s basically the Rocky Mountain Front from roughly Choteau in the west to Lewistown in the east. We could go as far north as Fort Benton on the Missouri and maybe as far south as, say, White Sulphur Springs.
It’s truly some of the most romantic country in the west. Hell, bring your wife and stay at the Gran Union Hotel in Fort Benton.
JimC says
I’m gonna get to work on this.
tom says
in the mid 1970s a lead and silver mine was reactivated in central arizona. one of the recent hires was an undocumented individual from mexico. he was a unique encounter as he was 4/4 (full blood) tarahumara indian, originally from chihuahua. somehow he had left his tribal culture and joined the mestizo culture of wage earners. my point is he had arrived the hard way, having walked the distance from the mexican/usa border to arrive at his job. he xplained that he avoided capture by hiking in the dark and laying low in the daylight. i had occasional conversations with him relishing his descriptions of what was a pretty hard life. one time i made him burst out with hysterical laughter as we were talking about gangsters. mexico even in the 1970s had gangsters, as today. i told him about the gangster al capone, and he burst into laughter. i found out why later, as capon is a derivitave of the verb capar, which means to castrate!
JimC says
Great stuff. Have you read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall?
https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a20954821/born-to-run-secrets-of-the-tarahumara/
tom says
jim, i did read that at the time it came out in publication. it may have started or contributed much to the barefoot running in the american runners world. youtube has many videos of “gringos” hanging out in the barranca de cobre area. and even some running events.