Sunday, June 17, 2007

Controversy is not something...

I'm afraid of entering, at times. And even though this post will probably rile and ruffle some feathers, it just needs to be said:

The mountains are better than the beach.


On Mothers' Day weekend my family took me to the beach. It was absolutely beautiful! We had a great time. The weather was wonderful, and there were no complaints--other than we wished for a longer stay. In fact, I even waxed poetic, okay not poetic, but at least I blogged about how great it was.

Last week though, I was given the gift of staying in the mountains, with my husband, without the boys. Now all ready, I know what you're thinking, that simply because it was some sort of honeymoonish romancy pancy fling with just my husband and no children that has flung me into the throes of this controversial statement that the mountains are better.

I beg to differ with that conclusion. And guessing the controversy this type of post generates, I've outlined the following reasons for why the mountains are better than the beach. Here they are:

#1: The mountains are cooler than the beach. Cool mornings and cool evenings are a frequent and standard climate, necessitating the coziness of a cotton throw while wearing shorts but still enjoying the view. The beach version of cool is more typically a wet humidity that tastes salty.

#2: The mountains feature antique shops with crafty folk art jewelry, pottery, knitted purses, quilted throws and all manner of handcrafted goods. The beach offers sunscreen, sunglasses, and commercialized t-shirts with scantily clad figures spouting not to be uttered or read aloud comments.

#3: The mountains offer a variety of venues to explore of both water and land terrain. You can partake of either a hike through the woods, up a ridge, on a trail, down the main street of the mountain town or you can splash around in a mountain stream, all without sand.

#4: The mountains do not require a de-sanding of clothes, person, hair, shoes, between the teeth, et cetera.

#5: The mountains do not require the lugging around of beach chairs, buckets, shovels, and weird octopus shaped sand mold thingies THAT DO NOT WORK! The boys are happy with the plethora of creek rocks, tree branches and the occasional rhododendron leaf to stand in as either a warship or F-15 fighter, those things all ready there.

#6: The mountains are quieter than the beach. There is not the auditory assault of "Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me?" The loudest thing I had to listen to was the argument between a squirrel and a cardinal.

#7: The mountains offer a truer getaway than the beach. We saw other people there, even talked with some of them, but there was not the sensation of being squeezed through a vise to walk down the sidewalk.

Now, I could go on with the weight of personal experience evidence to support my controversial statement, but I've made the point. The mountains are better than the beach.

And did I mention that I was in the mountains alone with my husband? Just checking.

10 comments:

  1. Ah, yes...that age-old argument. I'm gonna' have to go with the mountains, too although I have the most incredible memories of the beach.

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  2. Oh girl, I will take the mountains over the beach anyday - for all the reasons listed above! Sadly, it's been years and years and years (like over ten) since I've gotten away to the mountains. Maybe next year for our ten year anniversary we can make a getaway, too!

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  3. Love them both! Hearing the waves crashing against the shore - beautiful. Just wish I could find a secluded beach. Hearing the wind moving through the trees - really beautiful.

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  4. For many years I lived in close proximity to the Pacific coast, Huntington Beach, Ventura, and now 8 miles from the coast. I've also been blessed to live in Washington State for 18 years surrounded by mountains. In my younger, skinnier, vainer years I preferred the beach. In my older years I apperciate the mountains more. Glad you were able to "get away"

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  5. This is so cute! We are headed to the Smoky Mountains really soon and we can't wait! I love the beach,too(we go there every summer)...but I can tell,esp after reading your post, that I will LOVE the mountians!

    It sounds like you had a relaxing amazing time!

    Kim

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  6. I have to say you haven't been to the right beach! True, there are those beachy locales with vise-like populations, but the past two years we vacationed with my in laws (another story for another blog) at St. George Island and it was WONDERFUL! Not even a grocery store on the island. Definitely the way to go.

    Now, the mountains...I was recently in a popular mountain getaway and called my husband (who obviously was not there) and asked, why come this far for caramel apples, an airbrush shop, and a wax museum? And the crowds? Talk about a vise! Miserable and totally commercial.

    No thanks. Give me the sand and the sea. I'm a beach girl! But being a disputable matter, I'm sure we can still be friends, right? :-)

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  7. All righty then, Lisa. It seems that not only have I not been to the right beach, but you have not been to the right mountains. :Grin:

    In all truth, when we do go to the beach, the more secluded the better. It's just very hard to find that venue. But for the mountains, our retreat is always Montreat, NC. We were actually there the day Ruth Graham died. A lovely community and every reason apparent why she loved living there and raising her family there. So yes, peace on this disputable matter!

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  8. Elle, you are singing to my heart in this post. :) I am a mountain girl through-and-through. Call me Heidi. Call me Maria von Trapp singing in that meadow in the Alps. I lift up my eyes to these nearby mountains and my help comes, praise His holy name! :) Oh and I've been to Montreat as well, eons ago on a highschool youth-group trip to the Presby retreat there. I'll meet you in the mountains, girlfriend!

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  9. Well, as much as I LOVE the beach... you have some great points. I wanted to surprise my husband with a trip to the mountains. He loves the cool weather and I the warm weather. It sounds great, Thanks for sharing.

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  10. Okay, I give! Perhaps we will journey to the mountains someday, hopefully sooner rather than later! No doubt I would love a less touristy destination than the one I visited this spring, especially as I love both trees and solitude!

    And to Rosemary: one can most definitely enjoy the beach sans skin tight spandex!

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