Did you read that article in Backpacker Magazine last year about how our brains actually hold onto the hard memories more than the easy ones? Something about how overcoming real struggle creates a stronger emotional imprint than just having a nice time. I think that lines up with what you're saying about the talus scramble day. It's not about the suffering itself, it's about looking back and realizing you made it through something that felt impossible in the moment. My worst day ever was getting caught in a sideways hailstorm on the Appalachian Trail, and I still tell people about that one way more than any of the sunny afternoons I spent reading in camp.

Paige brings up a good point though. That numb, empty feeling after a bad day is pretty common too, I've had my share of those moments where the anger just never shows up. So maybe the "wanting to kick something" part isn't automatic for everyone, it kinda depends on the person and the situation.

...and then the grinder kicked up dust that settled in the fresh patch so I had to start over again.

The fun part is when wind wraps around the top of a ridge and swirls down anyway. Found that out sleeping on what I thought was the sheltered side of a hill. Rocks are good but sometimes you need a thick wall of trees to really knock the force down.

Hang on a second, I gotta push back a little on that one. Respectfully, I've been at this for 15 years and I think blaming the new guys for a problem that's more about bad training is a little harsh. Sure, some of those Otis switches are finicky, but I've seen old timers crank those same brackets down like they're bolting a bumper to a truck. Just last month in Philly I watched a 20 year vet fight an erratic door lock for an hour because he had his bracket too tight, and a first year kid just loosened it and walked away. It's not that tighter is always their answer, it's that nobody's showing them the "feather touch" method for those cams.