They always ask why I get up this early. Why I leave a perfectly warm bed, gear up in the dark, and drive a dirt road most folks would call impassable with my dog. But that’s the thing - you don’t come up here for comfort. You come for clarity. For quiet. For that thin slice of morning most people never see. The kind of silence that isn't empty. The kind that holds space for something real.
First Light Always Wins
I roll out around 5:15. No alarm, just habit. The air’s cool but not cold. Still dry. Smells like pine and dust. I pull on a lightweight VOORMI hoodie and worn-in pants I trust to bushwhack. Wool in summer? Yeah, VOORMI figured it out.
Breathes like mesh. Shields like armor. Doesn’t reek after a long sweat. By 5:45, I’m firing the Jetboil, grinding beans by hand. That sound - the soft crunch of the burr, the boil starting to hiss - it’s my switch. Coffee just tastes better outside.
City noise off. Mountain mode on. Mug in hand, I step out barefoot onto granite still holding last night’s chill. Steam rises. Sun cracks the ridge. And just like that, I remember why I drove all the way out here.
The Ritual Is the Reward
No phone. No talking. Just moving. Boots laced. Trail found. I take the old logging road toward the lookout. Nothing intense just a slow climb, a steady sweat, the occasional elk print. A raven follows me for a stretch, gliding low. My dog is somewhere in the distance smelling all the smells.
About halfway up, I stop. Not because I’m tired. Because the light’s hit the ridge just right. That kind of light you don’t explain, you just let it burn into memory. VOORMI gear’s doing its job. I’m not soaked, not swampy. Just moving easy. That’s the whole point, gear that gets out of the way so you can feel the morning.
Back at Camp, Everything Tastes Better
I hit the truck by 9. Strip off the top layer, swap trail boots for sandals. The dogs paws slightly dirty. Eggs hit cast iron with a sizzle that says, you earned this. I sit on the tailgate with coffee round two and a plate of hash that smells like every good breakfast I’ve ever had.
No noise. No rush. Just wind in the trees and the knowing that this morning was mine, no screens, no schedules, just sun, sweat, and strong coffee.
Why I Keep Doing This
It’s not just about getting outside. It’s about starting the day on your terms. Before the pings. Before the meetings. Before the algorithm tells you who to be.
Up here, I remember what matters:
- Move early
- Sweat a little
- Time with my dog
- Stay human
And maybe - just maybe - bring that feeling back with me into the day.
Sure, I could tell you I had on a VOORMI Long Sleeve Tech Tee. That it handled the heat, kept the sweat in check, moved like it wasn’t even there. But that’s kind of the point, isn’t it?
The right gear doesn’t make the moment, it disappears into it. Let’s you focus on the first sip of coffee before the day stirs awake. I wasn’t thinking about what I was wearing. I was thinking about how damn good it felt to be out there, in it, again. If you’re thinking about what you’re wearing, you’re wearing the wrong gear.