Hey, what did you do last month? Well, if you are a member of Tough Guy Book Club (TGBC) the answer may well have been, “I climbed a damn mountain and read a book on top of it!”
Each month TGBC issues a challenge to all members, daring them to complete a task. Some are fun, some are difficult, and some push you to do something outside the norm. In May the challenge was to go find a mountain and read a book on it, take a photo and put it in on the TGBC socials with the tag #MountainMan. This was another challenge that had a bloody huge response, who knew we have so many mountaineers in the club?
Fitness came up a regular theme on the posts. For some it was an addition to a training regime, boosting up mountain trails on a run. For others it was a shock to the system, with muscles found that had been long forgotten. For most the sense of achievement on reaching the top was a feeling that was worth the journey.
With chapters reaching across the world, and goons turning up in all locations, there was a wide spread of highland areas covered: The Macedon Ranges, Blue Mountains, Pyrenees, Snake River Canyon, Snowy Mountains, Seven Hills of Rome, Berchtesgaden area, and the Dandenong Ranges all featured among countless others. Some chapters found mountain access easier than others – we’re looking at you Penrith, Canberra, and Bright – and some had to put in extra effort to get past the fields and plains to tackle some elevation. More than a few drove to the top of Mount Cooper, which at 137m above sea level may well be the highest natural point in metropolitan Melbourne, it may not have been the most adventurous of all the peaks – even so, it was conquered, views were enjoyed, and books were read.
Families, kids, and dogs all got involved in the challenge. Goons also paired and grouped up to tackle the climb in good company. The crew from Rockhampton captured a bunch of goons in spectacular fashion, with drone footage showing them all reading on the top Mount Baga in front of amazing views. Six goons from Castlemaine spent the night on Mount Alexander, with fireside recitals and reading accompanied by a nip of whisky!
Cheers to all those who got outside and hiked, ran, rode, drove, caught chairlifts and cable cars, carried children, and walked dogs up and around mountains. Cheers to braving blistering heat, driving snow, sweaty days, lively nights, fog, and rain. Well done for taking someone new up an old favourite, or for discovering up close the mountain you have been looking at from your commutes for years.
While the sun sets, sun rises, clear skies, incredible views, and men reading books took the focus of the challenge in the photos on the Pool Hall Facebook page, the overwhelming focus of the stories and descriptions from everyone who participated was the task itself, with a lot of talk of making it a regular occurrence. So how long has it been since you have read a book on a mountain?
