TR: The Grand Traverse (2019)

**dcpnz** · 04-04-2019, 05:31 PM

@bennymac
That is exactly the definition of type 2 as i’ve always understood it.
No idea what type 3 is - never used that term.

**bennymac** · 04-04-2019, 05:46 PM

Fair enough.

But may I suggest a little more nuance if you're interested

Type 1 fun - lift accessed skiing or whitewater rafting etc - something that is pretty much pure fun. Something you might even consider drinking while doing depending on the risk. Some physical effort required but that's overshadowed by the elation of moving through exciting terrain with a perceived degree of effortlessness

Type 2 fun - longer mountain bike rides with climbing, trail running, fun days of backcountry skiing etc - you got to earn your fun here. There are periods of physical effort to achieve the fun - sometimes that effort is continuous like in trail running but you're still having fun and don't question what you are doing and the choices that have led you there

Type 3 fun - anything with significant sleep deprivation or suffering - the kind of activity that makes you question your life choices. Physical suffering coupled with mental suffering. Most things considered expeditions likely will have a lot of this in it. High altitude mountaineering for most people would fit into this. Arctic travel or long periods of jungle travel. You get the picture. These are things that only turn into fun after you are done them - when you look back retrospectively after a shower, a few good meals, and a good sleep or two and say "actually that was a lot of fun" Type 3 fun events tend to stick in your mind and you end up thinking about them non-stop for awhile and you end up convincing yourself that you want to do it again. I suspect type 3 fun taps into something in our brainstem that is not stimulated in our otherwise well protected lives.