When the GAS falls away from you

There comes a point when the GAS snuffs out, like a flame in a strong wind.

Or, more like, it’s a wind that has filled your sails, driving you on, and has suddenly died or swung away from you. Your sails go slack, your momentum falls off, the water flattens, and you are becalmed. The roaring of the wind in your ears stops, and you can hear again. Instead of looking ahead as it drives you on, you stop and look around.

I have been becalmed lately. My GAS has died out. I’ve found it relaxing, and I have turned my attention elsewhere.

Instead of spending cash on things, I’ve been spending cash and time on places and experiences.

I’m beginning to think the experiences are doing more for me than the things. I can see how some of the experiences were driving me to buy certain things. But largely, seeing new places and being in them is doing more for me as a person and for my art than getting new lenses or cameras.

Tramping around raising small clouds of dust along trails laden with the smell of pines is better than pouring over equipment reviews. Rolling along back roads with the windows down out under the huge sky above the plains is better than scrounging around eBay. The excitement of filling the travel mug after loading up the truck before leaving beats waiting for the status to change to “out for delivery.”

So what does this mean for the weekly Gear Wednesday post? Am I going to give up gear reviews? Probably not. I need to replace our tent and rig out the back of the 4Runner for sleeping, which is going to give me fodder to write about. And hey, if a stellar piece of gear crosses my path for a good price, I’m not going to be above snagging it.

But for right now, I’m not interested in new things. I want new places, and new experiences.

When the GAS falls away from you