Wilderness, hinterlands and the back of beyond - A lifelong obsession with biting off more than I can chew
Long gone Lucas County Diving Pool, Maumee Ohio Summers were hot in Ohio when I was small. There was no better treat than to go to the Lucas County Rec Center to cool off. It was always crowded. There were pools everywhere but the one that captured my imagination was the diving pool. There were always lines for the springboards and lower platforms. Only a trickle of people for the 10 meter platform. That is the one that got me the most. I would sit on the side and watch the brave plunge from it. One day when I was six I decided to casually go to the bottom of the stairs. There were no signs about age or height. This was the 70s. I found myself going up the stairs. I took a few steps and thought "wow this is high". I wasn't even half way up. I got to the top. There was a lifeguard on the side. He looked down at me. Mouth agape. "Hey...erm you..." I ran off the end. As I fell I could see the sky. The crowds of sunbathers. I was aware the water was
