Outbound Collective logo

An Ode to the Weekend Warrior

Embrace pain. Embrace suffering. Escape frequently to remind yourself how life should be lived.

By: Justin Peverini + Save to a List

I have always dreamed bigger than my legs could carry me. Growing up, I dreamed of climbing the toughest and gnarliest mountains. I dreamed of climbing El Cap, living in Camp 4, and traveling the world in a van. I planned to ride my bike 316 miles from my home to the mountains of Lake Tahoe to go skiing in order to really earn my turns. I had thousands of dreams. Today, I am a desk jockey, and the dreams are still alive.

Having dreams and goals is human nature. Mine happen to be adventurous, difficult, and potentially dangerous, but they are what they are. Needless to say, my dreams are still only dreams, swirling around in my soul. Life, as they say, got in the way. The dreams of my youth have turned into paper cuts, a sharp reminder of my childhood aspirations, and I am a desk jockey living for the weekend.

I do not cry for myself, and neither should you. Us desk jockeys have a purpose in life. We are weekend warriors, and that is not derogatory. We work our 9 to 5, pack up, go home, and start living. We cook, clean, spend time with the family, all during the week, and on the weekend, we flee. We run wildly to the mountain, hearts of fire, yearning to learn her secrets. We are endlessly searching for the question to the answer that we do not know. A foot of powder is our Nirvana. When the sky silently swirls over our heads and the crickets hum us to sleep, we have found what we are looking for.

There is a certain dramatic flair to the life the desk jockey. We work to live, we anguish on the desk, and at the end of the day, we have to die before we can truly be alive. The internet is rife with stories of packing it all up, sending in our notice, and going to live the life you want. That’s the goal, but it’s not easy for all of us. Fear, intimidation, commitments, and complacency get in the way. Embrace these emotions, for art dwells in pain, and life is an art. Getting outside on the weekends awakes your soul, and you are that much better for it. Without pain, you will never know what true joy is.

Embrace pain. Embrace suffering. Escape frequently to remind yourself how life should be lived.

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Do you love the outdoors?

Yep, us too. That's why we send you the best local adventures, stories, and expert advice, right to your inbox.

Related

A golden happy hour on the California coast

Hannah Sibley

Lake Tahoe's trifecta: 3 Days of adventure at Zephyr Cove

Ranz Navarro

10 Ways to make camping in Yosemite National Park even better

Meghan White

Review: Danner Mountain Light boots in Yosemite National Park

Hannah Sibley

Meet TINCUP Whiskey ambassadors Renan Ozturk and Taylor Rees

The Outbound Collective