SLOW IS SMOOTH. SMOOTH IS FAST.

Get the fastest car, get to the store and get your shopping done as fast as you can. You better have the fastest known time, there’s no time to waste. As the great Ricky Bobby once said, “if you’re not first, you’re last.”

We are hard wired in our society to go fast. Driving from the north country down through southern New England is like a portal to a society fueled by speed. If you’ve ever crossed the Connecticut border south of Springfield, Massachusetts, the 90 MPH vehicles whizzing by in a 55 MPH zone are evidence enough. Go fast or get out of the way.

In the outdoor community or in learning new crafts, pacing yourself is crucial to success. While reflection is mandatory for growth. 

I think back to an early trekking experience; climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain. The whole team of guides and porters would always say “Pole, Pole” (pronounced “po-lay, po-lay”) which means “slowly” in Swahili. In order to make your way to the top, you must find your pace and take it all in.

That stuck with me in every mountain experience. And as I began education in guiding and climbing instruction, the quote “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast” was a common saying to focus on the hard skills and getting them down correctly to be more efficient in the long run. 

Every student I work with and every route I climb, that saying rings in my ears. Hailee even reminds me after stubbing my toe or hitting my head, often.

It’s hard to focus on the truth behind that saying when social media, traffic, news and life in general move so fast around us. In the mountains when the weather is bad it’s easy to try to rush your way back home. But that’s when accidents happen. If your pack isn’t packed right or your ropes are tangled, take the extra 15 minutes now to save you an hour later.

An echo of the mountain quote, Hurry Slow reminds us that slow is smooth and smooth is fast; so we will Take the Slow Days for the Go Days and enjoy the ride.

-Luke