Outdoor appropriate tattoos were a topic on a forum I semi-lurk in at this point.
What ink to commemorate outdoor journeys? Wha tattoos are meaningful? What tattoos to celebrate an important aspect of life?
When I finished the Triple Crown of backpacking, I briefly thought of getting some ink.
I didn’t.
Too expensive, I wasn’t sure what tattoo would mean something to me ten, twenty, or thirty years from now. And, frankly, it became a low priority as I was looking for a job and then adjusting to working in a beige box again after walking across the Rockies.
As with many fleetings thoughts, they went away. To be forgotten.
I have not thought about tattoos in quite some time.
For friends and acquaintances of mine, they truly do express a part of their personality, commemorate important events, and express what is important in their lives.
And that is good. And works for them. Does not work for me, however.
But the more I thought about it; I think many of us have tattoos.
Ones given by experiencing life.
I am going to be 43 next month.
Overall, I am very healthy. Speed or dexterity were never my strong suits. I have not noticed any decline in what I enjoy doing in the outdoors (Plodding ahead. For many hours. With ample amount of food and wine many times. 🙂 )
But after more than twenty years of active outdoor pursuits, I have my tattoos. Of sorts.
My arms and legs have scars from falls, tumbles, scrapes, and bruises from years past.
I was blase’ about sun protection when younger and I have sun spots where my cheeks bones are located.
And partially because of the above, and partially because I am going to be 43, some noticeable lines are now showing up in the corner of my eyes esp. when I smile. Since I smile a lot when outdoors, the wrinkles show up quite a bit. 🙂
So I do not have outdoor ink.
But I do have some outdoor related tattoos. From being outside a lot over the years.
Here’s for another twenty, forty, or more years in the outdoors creating them.