It's long past time to dedicate one of this week's articles to what is by far the most important gear on the mountain: Our brain. It is the organ that distinguishes us most from other vertebrates, the reason why the females of our species had to torture themselves so much to bring us all into the world, the basis of our behavior and our personality and ultimately the reason why we freeride at all.
100 trillion nerve cells, 180'000 kilometers of connections, 0.15 quadrillion circuits, 2% percent of our body weight, the largest cells longer than a meter, the smallest smaller than a hundredth of a millimeter - just a few of the diverse, impressive bare numbers. But we usually don't realize what our central nervous system is capable of. It not only allows us to go to the mountain, but also to survive there - a harsh environment to which humans, born on the west coast of Africa, can adapt primarily through behavioral patterns so that they can cope there. And that is by no means all.
Logical thinking allows us to plan our trip to the mountain, processed sensory perceptions allow us to experience the mountain world, emotions allow us to enjoy what we have experienced, instincts allow us to act at lightning speed, innate and learned reactions allow us to practice our sport, and memory ensures that we keep the moments we experience forever. Our gray matter actually does everything, and the little bit of difference that the other material makes is much less than the tip of the iceberg. Because that would be 10 percent. If our brain is capable of it, we can somehow master what we need. Yes, and if not, no material in the world will help us.
A few insights into our brain in all its beauty - as the neurobiologist sees it
And in serious mountain sports in particular, the brain has an essential function, as not only the fun and enjoyment of the experience, but also our own safety and the lives of us and our companions depend on whether our brain has the necessary abilities and skills. And if not, then an appropriate upgrade is usually simple, inexpensive and can even be carried out at home. So there is no excuse for not keeping your brain up to date.
