LOCALadk Magazine

much louder noise than the balls of socks and Barbie dolls I used to toss up as a kid. Lesson #3: Earplugs are awesome. Wind beat against my tent at 17,000 feet on the exposed shoulder of Aconcagua and I'd already accepted that I wasn't going to get much sleep. While I contemplated the idea of lugging my sleeping bag out underneath the stars, I remem- bered that I had earplugs buried deep in an almost forgotten bag. I dug them out and squeezed them in. That night, I slept. The next day over breakfast, it was easy to tell which of my team members had earplugs and which ones didn't. The sec- ond group had much more coffee. Lesson learned: Always pack earplugs. You never know. Lesson #4: There's a reason the locals carr y sticks in Nepal. Wherever I travel, I like to get out for morning walks and runs. One time, in Pokhara, Nepal, my friends Felix Bivens, Ashlei Laing, and I set out for the far side of the lake, hoping to get a glimpse of the snowcapped Himalayas. The air was comfortable, with a tinge of humidity. Water lapped against the shore and locals made their way to market. Ever ything about the scene was idyllic, except for the large German shep- herd–looking canine with a frothing mouth that charged at us from a nearby ally. The animal lunged at Felix and nipped his ankle. There was a gash down the animal's face and his nose flapped to the side. We came to a stand-still, afraid our movement would incite the dog further. The dog jumped on Felix, who held out his arms to protect his face. The mangy dog bit and scratched him, then pounced to Ashlei and me. He slobbered on us and drew blood with his nails. An elderly woman with a woven basket of bananas and grapes approached with haste and struck the dog on the rear with a stick. It gave no protest and ran away back down the ally it had charged from. We thanked the woman and she gave us a toothless grin before she continued to the market with her goods. Most likely this had been a turf war situation with the aggressive dog. Nonetheless, we were rattled because we knew there had been recent cases of rabies in Pokhara. Felix, who'd taken the brunt of the attack, left immediately for the hospital. Ashlei and I followed his lead. Even if it was unlikely that I'd con- tracted the disease from the few scratches that had barely drawn blood, I decided to err on the side of caution and get rabies shots. I couldn't think of a worse way to die than the long, slow, and crazed descent into madness that rabies pro- vided. We went to the hospital, began our series of shots, stopped running in Pokhara, and carried long sticks whenev- er we ventured out. Lessons learned: If you see other people carr ying sticks and rocks, carr y sticks and rocks. Also, be up-to- date on the recommended vaccines for your area of travel. Lesson #5: Help others explore. Many times, travel isn't cheap or easy. I remember all the trips I dreamed of before I could realistically afford them. Then, even with enough to cover the plane ticket and lodg- ing, my gear closet wasn't deep enough to support my ambi- tions. My early international adventures were under the tu- telage of others and I greatly appreciate that. Whether it was a tip about how to carr y your passport or not to eat street food (ever), the experiences helped broaden my perspective, expand my tolerance, and overall make me a stronger guide and instructor. I've been an explorer for a decade now. I have a gear closet and a much deeper understanding of the privileges of travel and how certain demographics have been excluded. I want to help make the field of recreation more inclusive. I challenge you to do the same. Doing some coronavirus housecleaning, I was inspired to outfit a new explorer. I made a pile of gear that was useable, but I'd outdated with newer and lighter versions. I could've posted it online and made a few hundred bucks but decided to donate it. Lesson learned: Pay it for ward.

• Cover