How do you justify taking these risks?
Question: There is a certain inherent risk in your travels. How do you (if you have a family), or how does one (like me) justify taking these risks and the time away from those who need you? Is it different when justifying to a wife, who volunteered for your lifestyle, than to a child, who didn't? Could you please elaborate? Thanks, I look forward
to reading your book!
Matt Moore
MGMoore@ix.netcom.com
Tim: Dear Matt,
Good challenging question. Yes, there are inherent risks in travel, especially to remote destinations, especially if the goal is, say, the first descent of a river or the first ascent of a mountain. I — it should be obvious — am not Superman and will not attempt something clearly beyond my abilities. (Everest, for instance. Denali, for that matter. But no ...
maybe Denali ...)
My companion, Linnea Larson, would go on each and every trip I do, if we had the money. She's strong and has a highly developed sense of adventure. I don't have to justify my travels to her.
I don't have kids and hestitate to give advice to someone who does. It seems that once the life insurance is paid up, various trips could be accomplished ... though I'd do serious risk assessment. (It's my experience that places generally thought to be dangerous are a good deal less so.) I wouldn't push the envelope too much. But ... I know people like, oh, Nick Nichols
(National Geo photog), who has kids, and who puts his life on the line for his pix. (Of course, that's his job.)
Not a very good answer, I know ... it's something I think about myself without, as you can see, coming to any complete conclusion.
Best,
Tim
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