Two Dogs, One Laptop, and a Weighted Pack

Some days my life feels like a gear test. Weighted pack on my back, laptop in my carry-on, dogs pulling me down the street like sled racers — and somewhere in there, I’m supposed to keep climbing, keep working, and keep showing up for my family.

The truth? I carry a lot. But so does everyone. Mine just happens to look like a mix between a consultant’s briefcase and a climber’s haul bag.

The Literal Weight

Let’s start with the obvious: climbing gear weighs a ton. Trad rack, ropes, quickdraws, snacks you’ll regret not packing — by the time you’re hiking to the crag, you feel like you’re auditioning for a military ruck march. Add a weighted pack session in the gym, and suddenly you’re training for life as much as climbing.

Because life is a weighted pack. Every role you take on adds load. The trick isn’t pretending you can carry it all effortlessly — it’s training yourself to handle the weight without crumbling.

The Digital Weight

Then there’s the laptop. Sleek on the outside, heavy as hell in reality. It’s not the hardware; it’s the endless stream of emails, proposals, and deadlines it represents. Some people close their laptop at 5 p.m. Mine follows me into airports, hotel lobbies, and onto my kitchen counter. It’s the load that never goes back on the gear shelf.

Climbing taught me to compartmentalize that weight. When I’m on the wall, the laptop doesn’t exist. Deadlines don’t matter when you’re trying not to peel off a crux move. And when I come back down, I’m sharper, lighter, and better at carrying it.

The Dogs’ Perspective

My two dogs couldn’t care less about deadlines or climbing grades. Their priorities are simple: food, walks, belly rubs, repeat. They remind me that not every load has to be carried at a sprint. Sometimes the point is to slow down, sniff around, and take the long way home.

It’s grounding. Dogs don’t care about strategy decks or macro counts. They care about presence. And presence, weirdly enough, makes the rest of the weight easier to handle.

The Carry Philosophy

Here’s what all of this has taught me: you can’t drop the weight, but you can decide how to carry it.

• Distribute the load. Don’t carry all the work alone. Delegate, ask for help, trust the belayer.
• Train under stress. Weighted packs aren’t fun, but they make the real hikes easier. Same with hard projects — practice under pressure pays off later.
• Pause when you need to. Dogs know it, climbers know it. Rest doesn’t mean weakness; it means you can keep moving tomorrow.

Closing Grip

Two dogs. One laptop. A weighted pack. That’s my reality. And no, it’s not balanced. But it’s mine. And every time I shoulder that weight — whether it’s gear, deadlines, or family responsibilities — I get stronger at carrying it.

Because in the end, life’s not about dropping the pack. It’s about becoming the kind of person who can climb with it.

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