Ron Erskine pens e-book about the experience he and his son had
Published in the Feb. 5, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Ron Erskine’s Measureless Mountain Days can be found as an e-book on Amazon.com.
Morgan Hill resident Ron Erskine loves the great outdoors and wants everyone to share his passion for exploring nature. His Trail Tramp Wellness business takes people out into the wilderness for recreation and education. For many years, he has been active with the Pine Ridge Association, the nonprofit group that supports Henry W. Coe State Park. His popular “Getting Out” column is published in the Morgan Hill Times.
Ron Erskine
In 2003, he and his son Drew took a three-week hike together along the 221-mile John Muir Trail. He recently self-published an e-book about the experience titled Measureless Mountain Days. Morgan Hill Life asked him about the trip that inspired his book.
What is the story of how you and your son started on this adventure?
I had walked the John Muir Trail once before, and I was toying with some commercial ideas such as a book or video designed to inspire people to walk the trail themselves. I would be carrying a still camera, so I offered Drew what was essentially a summer job carrying a video camera and taping our trip. He wanted to save money for his first car and was having trouble finding work, so he reluctantly decided to come along.
The hike was a difficult one involving the father-son relationship issues you faced. How did you and Drew grow from the experience?
At home, an 18-year-old and his parents are constantly battling. The teenager is pushing the limits while the parents are trying to hold them. On this trip, rather than being at odds, we had the exact same needs and challenges. It was great. All those battles melted away and we came together around our common chores and struggles that a person faces walking all day every day for three weeks in the wilderness.
You’re known for being someone who has a passion for the wilderness and sharing that passion with other people. What is the big draw for you to explore the natural world?
It’s hard to explain. I would love to snap my fingers and transport people to the edge of Marie Lakes to watch the sunset Drew and I saw there. That’s the only real answer. You can’t have moments like this at Vista Point by some highway. The incredible setting, the utter silence — it awakens something inexplicable deep inside. At times and places like this, a person is transported and feels a direct connection to something greater.
If someone might want to dare hike the John Muir Trail themselves, what advice would you give them to prepare for the journey?
First, I would say, you can do this. Go! It isn’t Mt. Everest or some adventure only for the big boys. It is, after all, just walking. You will need to purchase some equipment and learn some backpacking skills, but the main trick is simply surrendering to trail life. You’re going to be dirty. Get used to it. There are guidebooks that explain the logistics — food resupply and the like. And while it is good to be in decent shape, the physical conditioning is really done along the way. The first few days will hurt no matter how you prepare.
Why is it important for young people to be introduced to an appreciation for the wilderness?
Most of us have an intuitive sense of the importance of time spent in nature, but over the last 30 years scientific research has confirmed this in spades. Our connection with nature is in our DNA and studies show that our growing distance from it is profoundly hurting our health and well being. In the wilderness, a child’s experiences stimulate creativity, self-understanding, a sense of empowerment, independence, and on and on. In addition to the beauty and magic that waits in the wilderness, experiences there help mold a person whose feet are planted solidly on the ground.
If you’re interested in purchasing Erskine’s e-book, visit his website at www.ronerskine.com
