But, like, why though? The John Muir Trail x Brownkids
For everyone who’s just joining us, Roe & E here, two brown folks living their liberation right now. We’ve decided next year we’re hiking the John Muir Trail, a 221-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail, and I thought it might be cool to interview the mastermind behind this big feat, E. Johnson. I was curious about what the hell this has to do with minimalism and, like, why would we do this in the first place?
Q: What do you think about the stereotype, “Black people don’t camp” and what does that mean to you?
A: Well, I think it’s like every other stereotype. It’s short-sighted and unrealistic. It’s basically saying Black people don’t because black people can’t, when really black people don’t until black people do.
((shakes head)) I don’t buy into stereotypes in general. We’re too expansive to be limited.
Q: Okay, so, in the past, you might have laughed and described yourself as “indoorsy”. The John Muir Trail is so…not that. Why this trail and what put you on about it? Why the change of heart?
A: I didn’t like the idea of limiting myself. Especially when I see so many more possibilities than I do limitations. I actually saw a documentary about it called, “Mile. Mile and a Half.” and the views that were captured were pretty awe-inspiring. And the idea of it being so accessible and so shared by those in the group made it seem that much more endearing and it sparked my curiosity. So, after a lot more page searches and video-watchings, the possibilities far outweighed any potential reason for self-limitation.
Q: Okay, I can see that. So, to you, what does thru-hiking have to do with minimalism?
A: This is actually a sectional hike. A thru-hike is a long-distance trail, end-to-end, within a single hiking season. So, [ even though the JMT is 211-miles long } it doesn’t go from one country to another [ Mexico to Canada ]. Even still, it forces you to be intentional with every item you feel you need and want. It forces you to prioritize the value something has for you.
If I had to carry all the things I really value, what would I choose? What would I bring? And that forces me to really dig deep and hone in on what makes something valuable in my life. It forces me to ask the big questions.
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Ha, well, that’s kind of cool to know. It takes two to tango this trail, so, E’s got a few questions to ask me next. Have some questions you’d like him to ask? Go to the top righthand corner and message them to us! They might show up on his interview.
