One of Them

I have become one of them. You know, them.

They spend their weekends in strange locations with names like, "mount", "state park" or "trail." They carry backpacks and Nalgene bottles. They have a shoe for every conceivable outdoor activity. They talk a lot about gear and equipment.

They are the Outdoorsy People.

Outdoorsy People used to make me laugh. Oh, let's go for a five mile hike, they would say, let's get outside and breathe the fresh air, let's enjoy the beauty of nature. Oh my gosh, they would exclaim, let's go camping!

And I would reply, I like my stuffy little apartment and the National Geographic Channel gives me my dose of nature, thank you very much. And no, I do not want to go camping -- what's so fun about sleeping outside and having to poop in a hole?

But here I am. Outside all the time. I have a backpack. I eat trail mix. I own a 48 oz. Nalgene bottle. I wear sunscreen instead of body lotion. My weekends are filled with running, hiking and rock climbing. I've gone to Adventure 16 more times than I've been to a Starbucks. I even went to a store called Sports Chalet. Imgaine that -- me, a city girl, wandering the aisles in a sporting goods store looking for a "hydration pack."

What next? Camping and pooping in a hole?

A White Saturday

I just realized that I am having a very White Person Saturday.

I started my morning with coffee, then headed towards the beach for a marathon training run in my New Balance shoes. Afterwards, my girl friend rode her bicycle and we went to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market where I bought organic peaches and fresh flowers while feeling guilty for using plastic bags and rather than the reusable shopping bag that she had given me.

I drove home, pondering my difficult breakup while listening to Public Radio. On the way, I stopped at the Rite Aid to get a bottle of water. Once home, I hit Facebook while waiting for laundry to be done.

This afternoon, I'm going rock limbing. Maybe we'll stop for sushi on the way home and call it a day.