A conversation similar to this on November 2, 2013 happened but I don’t remember the specifics of it so the gist of it will have to do.
Jenks: “Bert, you said you were going to take me through Fort Worth’s finest areas. All I’ve seen are giant water rats, the Trinity River and some stupid rocks.”
Cadre Bert: “Jenks, the worst part of Fort Worth is still better than the best part of Amarillo.”
We were walking back along the Trinity River towards the never-ending end of GORUCK Heavy 023 when I heard that gem between Jenks and Cadre Bert and it got me thinking that 1) doing GORUCK Heavy is possibly the stupidest thing ever 2) doing it twice is actually the stupidest thing ever and 3) GORUCK events are friendship accelerators…just like the Superconducting Super Collider was going to be a particle accelerator.
Not that Jenks and I couldn’t be friends without GORUCK but it would be difficult. We don’t run in the same social circles or share any hobbies (he’s fit…I think about thinking about getting fit) or live in the same area. GORUCK throws you into the arena and so our friendship was forged in the liquid courage fires of the 2013 Dallas SCAVENGER when we landed on the same team #BTC #bourbontabernaclechoir #gold #scav and dominated the rest of the field with dodgy math but with integrity in the rest of our adventures.
I’ve only hung out with Jenks a handful of times but all of them have been great times, Scavenger, OKC, Firearms Day, Trek (?) and again at Heavy 023. The reason why they’re great times is that GORUCK, or anything, really, that puts you through shitty times and lets you come out on the other side having learned a little (or a lot) about yourself. GORUCK just happens to be particularly good at delivering shit times but going through that with someone will create a friendship that’ll last a lifetime (at least through 2013 it seems). This isn’t just limited to Jenks (this could apply to anyone I’ve met through GORUCK) but I’ll pick on him because “#1998 #big12championship #tennis #divisiononeathletics” is all I have been saying in my head since Heavy Class 023 #fortworth #goruck #hashtag
As an aside, I’ve probably seen some of my GORUCK family more than I’ve seen some of my actual family this year and well, that’s OK too. Not that this is the end-all be-all of events and I’ll be taking a break from The GORUCKS in 2014 mainly to focus on old and new hobbies. Yeah, it’s a #cult, deal with it.
Basically, GORUCK is just like the Superconducting Super Collider because it costs a lot of money and time but all you end up with are expensive stories about what was and what could’ve been.
There is Jenks tippin’ his hat. He did Heavy (23:59) with a broken toe #boss