Something feels a bit off
I think I’ve always liked the outdoors. I know, it’s very cliché for a Bay Area guy to say he likes the outdoors. But I think I’m owed a bit more credit than the average tech guy. I grew up in Louisiana, spending most of my time exploring swamps and forests. It wasn’t like I had much of a choice. Now, though, everyone likes the outdoors. That’s not a bad thing, don’t get me wrong. But when everyone flocks to the same few locations on the weekends, something feels off.
I think it’s a matter of diminution. There’s plenty of space for everyone, but everyone wants only the best. Our national park system has weighted the distribution unfairly. The density of people near a national park visitor center isn’t too far off from my home in Oakland. Yet if you venture off the path slightly, you’ll find yourself the only person for miles. B-tier locations are all but empty, while people line up endlessly for the very few top destinations.
Now, I’m also a high-stress guy. Again, very cliché for a Bay Area guy to say. But I think I’m owed a bit more leeway than the average tech guy. I’m out of my element here. And now, as my wife works on checking off her national parks in her passport book, I can’t help but feel this stress that normally melts away when my feet touch grass sticking to me instead. The distribution of people is beginning to bring all that Bay Area stress into the very places where we should feel none of it.
This series of photos is my attempt at venting that frustration, an effort to explore my emotions and see if I can capture the high-energy state of panic I sometimes feel in spaces that once felt safe.
