Don’t Believe the Hype

Posted on by dirtbagyuppie

If you consume any sort of conventional media or find yourself, unfortunately, in the comments section of a news story, you no doubt feel like the world is going to end due to some sort of event which took place or came to light this year. From political bullshit to the most recent preventable health issue du jour, you probably feel like you are drinking from a firehose of fear and malaise.

About 12 years ago we killed our cable subscription. So, we live under a rock by modern standards. We don’t watch the nightly news as some sort of spectator sport and then hop onto social media in an attempt to right the perceived wrongs of the world. Take a breath, there’s so much more going on.

No, this isn’t where I delve into conspiracy theories about how the lizard-people are really ruling the world and how there is nothing we can do about it.

I’m here to tell you that even though other people are making millions keeping you shut up in your homes eating over engineered pseudo-foods afraid from the calamities of modernity the world is still beautiful, mostly safe, wild, and full of love.

IMG_0876

This past year has showed me that even in the midst of all of the conjecture, rhetoric, and turmoil you can and should unplug regularly from this overbuilt, overhyped, attention economy. I’m not saying ignore the world, just take some time to step back and breathe. Go experience things for yourself without letting others shape your perception or reality. You’ll be better for doing so. Most importantly, you’ll actually do things; you will stop consuming and perhaps create something. You don’t need to create a great work of art or literature. Start by creating something for yourself. Create a smile on your face.

Today I am hopping on the bike to make lemonade our of a rotten bag of lemons. This winter is already shaping up to be a sad shell of what it should be, but I am not going to let that stop me from having a great time. 

-J

Confronting Imposter Syndrome: Who the heck am I to create such a blog?

Posted on by dirtbagyuppie

Introductions should of course come at some point right? So, what better time than now.

I’m Jonny Yonks; a proud Michigan native with strong opinions on the Midwest and the way that people from the Midwest are viewed. I am an average but avid cyclist who favors long rides that become overnighters, a lover of mystery-thriller novels, Dog-Dad, non-shaming vegan, budding homesteader, and lawyer living in Marquette, Michigan. I co-own a boutique law firm and my wife owns Michigan’s first and only mobile bookstore.

More often than not you will see one of two very drastic sides if you run into me in person.

Shirt/tie/slacks guy exists during normal business hours on the weekdays. He is pleasant, polite, professional, and focused on helping others navigate difficult age-related legal issues with their families. He’s a pretty good dude.

The other me is the an amalgamation of the non-economically viable endeavors that bring me joy. This often feral creature is best observed mid-descent (either on a gravel bomber or a shade-dappled dreamy berm), or creeping through the woods looking for trout or mushrooms. This version can also be found in the greenhouse or sauna around home poking around and listening to true crime or economics podcasts.

Why then would I take the time to write in this blog? Don’t I have enough things begging for my time? In short, this blog has been a passion project in my head for a long time. I say in my head because as you can see, not much of the mental energy spent thinking about writing or blogging has made its way to press on this site… The reason for this rests firmly in imposter syndrome (I don’t necessarily have any wirting credentials) and a perceived requirement that the things that I put out must be perfect. In fact, they don’t really matter. I want to be a creative so badly that I am paralyzed from actually creating anything and sending it into the world. I haven’t always thought that I have something worth saying. Well, no more.

My “why” is simply because. I recently read Rick Rubin’s book: The Creative Act: a way of being. In this wonderful work, the famous record producer shares his thoughts on creativity and what it means to be creative. One of the most captivating passages was about the ‘why’ of creating. In essence he said you don’t alwyas need to play to win. Most of the time we should be playing to play. This has inspired me to finally play to play. So I am going to use this as a place to work things out. I am going to slowly draw down on social media and spend more time here creating or sharing things that I have created in the real world.

It’s going to be weird sometimes and that is ok. This will be a place for others to see the world from my angle and I hope that you follow along.

Will the posting be regular? I don’t know, it will probably be sporadic.

-J

Dirtbag Yuppie?

Posted on by dirtbagyuppie

So you have a decent job that requires you to dress up most days but deep down you really want to just shred gnar, drink camp coffee, and turn your hatchback into a fish car during your downtime. Boy oh boy do I have an offer for you. It’s called being a Dirtbag Yuppie.

DIRTBAG YUPPIE:

Noun. Individual who holds down a decent job while also devoting much of their energy and passion to outdoor pursuits. Usually seen: leaving the office in bike shorts; at trailheads with a fully loaded adventure wagon; or suddenly “coming down with something” the afternoon before a big snow storm. 

Dirtbag: A person who is committed to a given (usually extreme) lifestyle to the point of abandoning employment and other societal norms in order to pursue said lifestyle.  Dirtbags seek to spend all of their moments pursuing their lifestyle.

IMG_2382


Yuppie: Acronym for Young Urban Professional. Group whose culture blends the hippie/counterculture values of the 60s and the materialistic monetary-based values of the 80s. Usually congregate in nice coffee shops, co-ops, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and a wide variety of handmade or small-batch boutiques. Includes both moderate Liberals, and moderate Conservatives, although both the far left and the far right enjoy dissing them.


I have always felt a little conflicted: I love what I do for a living and the financial rewards that it brings, but I do not have the same value system as most people in my position. On paper I am a bit of a yuppie. (This is a title that I have struggled with more than once). However, I don’t want fancy things for the sake of showing them off to other people, nor do I go out to dinner just to be seen, and I never start off a conversation by asking someone where they work. I prefer to live a simple life focused on my passions; those activities and causes that light my fire and give me purpose and which my profession allows me to comfortably pursue. I’m not a big fan of having stuff just for the sake of having stuff. The exception to that statement of course are the implements that further my passions: bikes, fly rods, tents, kayaks… I LIVE for adventure, nature, and experiences that enrich me as a person and I follow those passions every chance that I get. So to that, I am also a bit of a dirtbag. Whenever I am looking for the answer to a big question I take to my bike.

While out spinning my wheels last year I came to a conclusion: embrace the yuppie-ness but, do it in such a way that in amplifies your ability to dirtbag it up. In short, you can have a great fulfilling career and nice things but don’t let that change who you really are. Wear the suit from 9-5 then change into your cycling kit or Baggies and let loose.

Take alternative transportation to work.

Now, I do not live out of my van and scrounge for dollars to score whatever is hot and full of calories at the nearest convenience store while on multi-week climbing or biking excursions so many people will not agree with the dirtbag moniker. However, I always have at least one fly rod in my vehicle, tote my bike or skis around to every work trip, and take frequent long weekends spent solely playing in the outdoors. Doing so allows me to recharge so that when I head back to my office I can be the best version of myself for my clients.

In short: be a yuppie: plan for retirement and have nice things. But live like there is no tomorrow.

Don’t waste your life chasing things that don’t really matter. Take more powder days; shred more trail; leave the office when the surf is up.

-J

Out of office note

Posted on by dirtbagyuppie

It’s almost been a year since I last posted and it seems like I have been saying that once a year for a few years now. At least I am consistently inconsistent with this personal blog.

Work has taken a front seat in life which is reasonable for the point of life where I find myself right now. At some point that focus will shift. For now I am going to take advantage of what time away I can grab. I work to live and not the other way around. Unfortunately that’s not valued in this world, especially the Midwest where I live.

But for the next three beautiful days we will be out of the office and into the real world.

What’s the plan? We don’t know and that’s the best part. No clue where we will stay or what we will do.

The to-do list looks something like this:

-drink lots of water

-coffee

-ride bikes

-listen to the wind through the fall leaves

-eat piles of food

-read

-look for moose

-visit bookstores and bike shops

-not check my email

The Fall reset starts now.

-J

Wringing out the old year.

Posted on by dirtbagyuppie
This year I greatly missed out on my mileage goals. Oh well, there’s always next year. Rather than be bummed I decided that I would get out on my fat bike and make the best of this super weird post-holiday thaw and enjoy my last ride of 2022. Studs were necessary and that meant that I had the roads to myself.

Next year will be different. More miles, more smiles.

-J

Rolling meditation

Posted on by dirtbagyuppie

Have you ever heard of a runner’s high? I have read about it, and I have run in the past but I never achieved such a state. But once in a while I experience complete bliss while riding my bike; my mind releases all of its inner constraints and I am allowed to be myself, to smell the moisture rising from the ground, to hear the wind in the popples, and see the world as it is meant to be seen. My morning ride the other day brought me to the realm and I feel that it may have changed me for the better.

A few months back when I was riding I popped in an earbud and queued up a back episode of Be Here Now from Ram Dass wherein he ends his lecture with a 20 minute meditation session. I set out from my house towards Goose Lake and settled into a gentle pace. The first 5 miles was pavement and the miles just seemed to melt away as Ram Dass discussed Breath and how we are Breath. It reminded me to focus on the preciousness and joy of such a simple thing, breathing. You see, I have been working on my spiritual path over the last few years. I have become obsessed with my earthly role and need to shed those beliefs and values. This obsession has driven me to chase silly shiny new things all of the time which in turn robs me of what it truly means to have a human experience. I have delved into Alan Watts, Ram Dass, and Guru Singh in an attempt to help me grow and learn. I highly recommend listening to works from these three thought-leaders when you are out on a long ride or run; I find that I am particularly receptive to their thought-provoking lectures while riding.

Anyway, as I hit the gravel on the way to Goose Lake I stopped the podcast and let the message sink in. Opening ourselves to other planes of reality on which we also exist. Dropping the “someone special” myths that we have all been tricked into focusing on. This means that we have to develop strategies to get into the mechanics of our minds. Trust me when I say that Ram Dass eloquently guides the listener through this process.

After spinning and ruminating on that message I reached Goose Lake. My intention for the morning was to zip out to the lake to do a mala meditation. This is a pretty normal ride for me; I see Goose Lake all of the time. But today something was different. As I sat and prepared for my meditation I heard the wind in the trees and I was struck with the realization that the wind has always been here. It has jostled through the trees from time immemorial. It struck me as a tangible connection to the prehistoric, the primordial. There is wisdom in that wind if you take the time to listen to it.

After my mala meditation I hopped back on the bike and fired up the podcast for the second half of the lecture which consisted of a semi-guided breath meditation. I have never listened to a guided meditation while on the bike before so I figured that this was the perfect opportunity to give it a try. The session is very simple, and if you are new to meditation I recommend you try it out. It focuses on your breath; the rhythm, the feelings, slowing down to appreciate it, and above all other things shutting down the noise to be mindful of the simple sensation of breathing. Though simple in substance, I found the impact to be profound while riding. I was riding very familiar sandy two-tracks that I have ridden many many times however, as I focused on my breath I fixed my gaze at a vague point on the horizon and found myself just pedaling away without any thoughts. This was the freest that I have felt in a long time. I let go of so many inner knots and blockages and just rode my freaking bike. Nothing else mattered. I owed that 20 minutes to myself and I know that I emerged a better person. I must admit that this is practice is probably best done in a rural area where you are not subject to motorists, other cyclists, or trail users.

I rambled on for quite some time listening to the subtle cues of Ram Dass and popped back out onto the road shortly after the session ended. I felt renewed and inspired. This was first time that I have meditated on the bike in this fashion but it will not be the last. Ram Dass, Guru Singh, and Alan Watts all share a viewpoint of the world that places significant weight on the power of the individual to change their world and to reach higher planes of thought and existence. Their message has resonated with me lately.

Do you listen to any specific spiritual or inspirational podcasts while riding or running?

-J

Hello Blogging

Posted on by dirtbagyuppie

This is my breakup letter with legacy social media. I sit at my writing desk on the cusp of my birthday. I do not know whether we are celebrating another trip around the sun or the promise of the next trip. Either way, I will celebrate me. As a present to myself this year I have decided to finally get rid of my social media accounts. On my birthday I tend to make lists for the upcoming year and evaluate where I have come from the last. This year, while examining the last year, I noticed that I am wasting too much time looking into the lives of others online.

I have hoards of online acquaintances and very few real friends. In part I blame the fake sense of familiarity that is found on social media. I have a moment-to-moment accounting of almost everyone that I have ever come into contact with inside my pocket. This leads me to believe that I know these people and it also leads them to feel like they know me and what I am up to. It’s a lovely invention and it has made keeping in touch very easy. Unfortunately, now that there are so many people on each platform I find it overwhelming. People expect you to see their posts and engage with them. I have been an active participant since 2006 on Facebook. Fortunately for me it is finally time to call it quits.

I will miss all of my online friends. Many people have liked my posts and pictures (for what that is worth) but now it is time for me to shift. That old legacy social media energy is getting stale and me right along with it. Time to pivot, shift, and generally become someone else. My newly found free time will be spent freeing my mind, focusing on creativity, fitness, homesteading, fishing, reading, and any other whim that strikes my fancy. I will be using this blog/site to randomly throw updates up. Don’t expect them to be regular at first. I understand that this process should be treated like an addiction detox and I will be treating it as such.

This will be a great journey. I look forward to connecting with you more often and in meaningful ways. Please, don’t be a stranger, drop me a line once in a while and I will be sure to do the same.

-Dirtbag

A sense of belonging

Posted on by dirtbagyuppie

Every once in a while you wind up somewhere and you feel the natural pull of something greater than yourself. That feeling could be ancestral, from another lifetime, or something that you have hyped up in your own mind to a fever pitch. Regardless of where it comes from, I hope that you have experienced this at least once in your lifetime. I feel like I get this experience in a few new places each year. Usually it only happens in very specific place; it may be a panoramic vista, a mirror-flat lake, a gnarly old tree, or a cool stream. Regardless of where this happens I always try to pause and fully soak in that feeling. I always make note of these places and try to bring others to them to see if they too get the feels or if it is just me. I want to share that special with them. Sometimes that is my gauge as to whether or not they really get it. You know? The difference between, “welp, this place is neat, what’s next,” and “whoa…. (followed by either 1. prolonged silence while really taking in the situation, or 2. nearly out of control whooping and hootin’).” I tend to prefer folks that experience the latter (the whoopin’) but either reaction is correct.

I always try to fan the spark of curiosity and childlike splendor while outside but I find myself eliciting a bored reaction in between bouts of wonder. However, there is one place, one very large place, where I have a perma-grin and sensory overload: the Huron Mountains. Located northwest of Marquette and running right up to Lake Superior this region is truly something special. It is as close as I have been to the forest primeval; wild, peaceful, tough, beautiful, unforgiving, and raw. While I had driven through a few of the sparse main roads in this area looking for brook trout, it wasn’t until I starting “racing” The Crusher that I felt the true gravitas of this place.

The Crusher is a gravel cycling adventure put on by the non-profit, the 906 Adventure Team, that pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a gravel event. We ride through rivers, up sugar sand climbs, and bomb down truck trails completely unsupported with very limited resupply options. This is some of the best of Michigan. While I love participating in official Crusher events what I enjoy even more is the sense of belonging that I have found out in that area.

You know that feeling I talked about above? Well, for me it’s here. Like in that entire place. Every single inch of those maps above is a special place that brings out the best of me. While out riding this area I have seen moose, ran over sloppy wolf poo, bonked, triumphed, fallen into rivers, and made much personal growth. Since moving up here I have gone to the Hurons to get away and get into my own head.

I have ridden with, and made, many new friends there.

No matter how many times I go out there I will always be at awe when I enter the Mulligan Plains from either direction, sneaky views of the Big Lake through mottled and dappled trees, the mouth of the Huron River, chunking down rocky truck trails with a fully loaded bike, and the sounds of true wilderness while taking a break. This is where I belong; where civilization ends and the wild begins; where my soul lives.

-J

Where I am at now

Posted on by dirtbagyuppie

I think that I have put far too much thought into writing for this blog. My hopper of drafts is insanely full. I have spent countless hours writing, editing, prepping photos only to leave the post hanging in the nether region of the drafts folder. It’s probably due to some form of perfectionistic tendency which ultimately is rooted in the fear of being criticized for not adequately covering something. Well, no more! And yes, I realize that I have said that before. Ultimately, I still get stuck on the same hangups around putting a quality post together. But, I have been far too focused on the commercial side of blogging. Stuck on some goal of monetizing this outlet and in doing so I have stifled my ability to truly be creative. Things got really vanilla. Really PC. Really BORING.

So, here’s to me and the weird stuff that makes me uniquely me. Be prepared to see a shift in the blog. It will be outrageous at times, it will be raw, it will be personal; sometimes full of mind-numbing details about things you could care less about. I will be wrong. I will be loquacious. But my goal is to be me. My goal is to ditch the legacy social media garbage in favor of a more long-form genre where you will actually get to know me.

I will be mining the drafts folder to release some gems and also polish up some turds.

Won’t you come along with me?

-J

What am I up to these days? Where do we go from here?

Posted on by dirtbagyuppie

Well, well, well, I’m back. I don’t have to say what’s been going on in my life that has kept me from writing. I could just say, “2020.” But honestly, other than the fear of contracting Covid-19, 2020 has actually been pretty darn good. It’s given me more time to focus, read, work from home, spend time with Chelsea, and ride my bike.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the way things used to be. You remember, back when they were normal. That was some stuff. I think that I’ve changed. My priorities are different, my views are more defined. I have more compassion and understanding for others as a result of the extra time that I’ve had to think. So, 2020 hasn’t been all that bad. It’s sort of been a good restart. Yes, I know I’m not the only one to say this but personally, I’ve turned a corner. I’ve grown disenchanted of traditional beliefs and the ascribed values that accompany them.

Because I’ve grown tired of consuming the negativity and seeing the awful I thought that I’d start using my blog as a place to share the happy and good that I see. To start putting joy into the world in hopes of brightening someone else’s day. My plan is to gradually leave the politically co-opted social media sphere and use the blog as a place to share. I’m not going to promote this at all this time around. No goal of this becoming a monetized side hustle. Just a place for honest, outside-focused, dirty fun! I may do race write ups, trip reports, gear reviews, recommend adventure spots, or just tell stories. I’ll probably also share too much.

So, here’s to a new beginning. Things are probably going to get worse in our country and world before they get better but at least we can spread some joy in the healthiest way possible. That’s the goal. Elevate the global joy, fun, and health level.

I hope that you join me on this journey.

-J