Out and Back
Fnding perspective in retracing steps. Plus, 'Squid Game' and more.
In hiker speak, there are “loop trails” and there are “out and backs.” (And probably others, but for the sake of today’s letter let’s stick with these two.) For the former, you end where you start in the shape of a loop, covering different ground the whole way. For the latter, you go out and come back via the same trail, retracing your steps.
Generally, I prefer a loop. I am not a retracer kind of girl. Even off the trail, I plan my outings—be it errands or weekly plans—around not repeating, say, a neighborhood or even a street twice in a day or a week. If I have to pick up dry cleaning, drop off some clothes at goodwill, but also go to the market and the post office, I’ll make sure I plan my route in an order that makes logistical sense and the journey slightly more appealing.
The same goes for when I am planning Paris itineraries for people. I assume they want to maximize their time in an unfamiliar city, so I arrange their days by choosing restaurants near museums they may be visiting or suggesting neighborhood strolls close to the starting or ending points of tours they’ve booked. Who wants to be one amongst the throngs of people near Trocadero more than once? Pas moi!
Well, this week, while traveling through Corsica with my brother, we’ve been doing a lot of “out and backs.” And not just on foot. For reasons that are not worth going into (#lifeofatravelwriter), our itinerary included various drives that had us going north and south and north again, even driving on some of the same winding, two-lane-but-really-one-lane roads. And while I wouldn’t have planned it this way, and it made for some otherwise avoidable early starts, each journey still felt unique. Each view still offered a different perspective even if we were “retracing our steps.” In some cases, we saw things we didn’t see the first time (cows! coastlines!), and in others we saw things we had seen, reassuring us that we were going the right way such as bridges and rest stops.
While our first “out and back” hike was difficult due to a late start on challenging terrain in high temps, the landscape did look quite different on the return. It also went a lot faster, too. And then, just two days later, we did an “out and back” with a guide that was more shaped like a figure eight. To us, none of it looked familiar. But our guide had retraced these steps so many times he pointed out a rock in a different place than it once was. That’s right. A rock. He could recognize such a small shift because of repeating—retracing—the same steps many times.
There is something to be said for this. In fact, it’s made me reevaluate my feelings on the “out and back”; to want to be less rigid in my constantly trying to do things the “smart” way. It’s true, sometimes it may save time and energy. But all it takes is a shift in perspective to see something can be gained from taking the well-trodden road.
In the wake of today’s reprehensible decision by the courts to overturn Roe v. Wade, it’s easy to think we are going backward. “Out and back.” Retracing paths people have fought long and hard to pave for the better. For the more logical. I can only hope that it’ll encourage us all to look at where we’re going next with fresh eyes; to find, amidst all the rightful rage and justified frustration, some purpose in this “out and back” trail we’ve found ourselves on. And to hike it again anyway because that’s what we do. Bon week-end, friends. xx — Sara
Clickable
Annnnd “we’re going somewhere worse.” | The New Yorker
On shedding weight using an app. | NY Times Magazine
These Paris chefs have found legit greener pastures. | BBC
Elliot Page on seeing himself for the first time. | Esquire
Watchable
I guess it was only a matter of time before someone capitalized further on the success of the crazy (but brilliant) series, Squid Game. (And no, I’m not talking about Season 2. Though that is on its way, too.) Rather, Netflix has created a reality show based on the series. I’d imagine players won’t be playing for their actual lives and shot in a game of Red Light Green Light? What do you think? Too much, or bring on the jumpsuits?
Currently Overthinking…
…when to wear hiking sneakers vs. hiking boots…
Souvenir: Sure Commercial
It’s that time of year where I try my best not to become a French cliché, which got me thinkin’ about deodorants, which got me thinkin’ about the “raise your hand if you’re SURE” commercial from 1985. Total zeitgeist throwback, amIright? Years after the campaign, I remember taking the NYC subway and seeing quite a bit of wet patches in the pits and they always made me giggle.
Don’t forget: Sponsoring a souvenir is a perk of being a paid subscriber.
I too am a "loop" girl but I have spent the last few weeks on a tiny island doing what I just learned from you are "out & backs."