TheRhythmoftheRunnerontheMountain

ByJenaeCasalnuovo
November29,2015

Dr.KiowaBower
BigHistory,FYE2000,Section1

Iamabletofeelthemostandthemostalivewhenmybodyissoentrancedthat
thinkingevadesme.WhenIneedtodecompressorremindmyselfthatthereissomuchmoreout
therethanonlytheadoptedrhythmsofdailyroutines,IdriveuptothepeakofMountTamalpais,
parkonthesideoftheroadwhenitfeelsright,andrunuptheclosesttrailIcanfind.
IpushmyselfsohardthatIfeellikeImaythrowupalung.Ilistentotherhythmofmy
feetpoundingagainstthedirt,echoingtherhythmoftheuniverse,andIamacutelyawareofjust
howhardmybodyworkstocirculateoxygenandcarbondioxidethroughmylungs.Ifeelthe
pulseofmybloodthumpingamongstthe37.2trillioncellsandinfinitenumberofstardust
particlesthatcomprisemyphysicalbeing,andIamabletorecognizemyownroleinthebeauty
oftheuniverse.Hereonthemountain,suddenlyitisnotsohardtocomprehendthatIaman
emergentpropertyofthesamesystemthatproducedthesunthatbeatsdownonmycheeks,the
crumbledrockthatmyshoespressintothetrailssurface,andtheairthatIdrawinandpushout
ofmybodytopushmyselfforwardjustonemorestride.
IdonotrunonMountTamalpaistrailsbecauseIwanttoberemindedofhow
breathtakingMarinCountyis;IamremindedofthateverytimeIstepfootoutside.Iscalethe
mountainssteepoutlinetorememberthatIamanintegralcomponentoftheuniverses
landscape.Thescenerywouldexistwithoutme,butinorderforittoelicitemotionandevoke
awe,theremustbesomeonetheretoperceiveit.AsIbreatheitin,soakitup,andcreatewavesin
theflowofitsparticlesdance,myphysicalbodytranscendsitshumancapabilitiesandentersa
realmofsharedharmonythatcanbefollowed13.7billionyearsintothepasttotheoriginofthe
universe.Thereis,infact,nomoment,andnothing,thatcanbecomeseparatefromthishistory.

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EverytangibleobjectonecanfindintheuniversecanbetracedbacktotheBigBang,
includingthemountainthatcentersmeinmyownjourneythroughthecosmos.TheBigBang
Theory,bythestandardsofBigHistory,isilluminatedspecificallyinThresholdOne,the
beginningmovement.Thisfirstthreshold,whichcoverstheformationoftheuniverse,addresses
BigBangcosmology,themostwidelyacceptedoriginstorypresently(Christian,Brown,and
Benjamin).Accordingtothisthreshold,atfirst,theuniversewasasmallsingularitythat
expandedquickly.Itbecameasoupofenergyandmatterthatcooledrapidlyasitincreasedin
size.Theuniverseisstillconstantlyexpandingtothisday,andthisexpansioniswhatfacilitates
theenergygradientsthatallowlocalcomplexitytodevelop(Christian,Brown,andBenjamin).
MyNikerunningshoesstrikeagainstMountTamssurfacemightily,mercilessly,
metrically.AsImove,theforceofthemountainpushesbackupagainsttheweightofmybody,
keepingmestable.Mymindwanderstotheimpossiblysmallparticlesthatmakeupthis
monstrosity:insignificantwhenalone,yetformidablewhenteamedupwithotherminiscule
particlesbythepowerofelectromagneticforce.
Approximately1010secondsaftertheBigBang,theelectroweakforcesplitinto
electromagneticandweakforces,twoofthefourfundamentalforcesofphysics(Christian,
Brown,andBenjamin).Theelectromagneticforceislargelyresponsibleforthecohesivenessof
allordinarymatter,suchasthematterthatmakesupMountTamalpais.Mountainsaremadeup
ofacombinationofearth,minerals,androcks,andinthecaseofMountTam,specifically
serpentinerocks(Mt.TamFacts).Theselayersofearthandrockwouldnotbeheldtogetherif
itwerenotforelectromagneticforceandgravity.Theinfluencethatholdsthemountaintogether

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allowsmetosmackmyfeetardentlyagainstitsexteriorwithoutfrettingaboutfallingthoughto
themountainscenter.
BigHistoryssecondthresholdmovesfurtherforward,tracingtheoriginofgalaxiesand
stars.Astheuniversekeptcoolingforseveralhundredmillionyears,threeimportantfactors
werepresent:gravity,hydrogenandheliummatter,anddifferencesinmatterdistribution,which
ledtostructureandcomplexity.Cloudsofgascontinuedtocondenseundergasanddensity
increases,whichthuscausedthetemperatureofthegastorise,formingaplasma.Thiscollapse
continueduntilthecenterstemperaturerosetoapproximatelytenmilliondegrees,hotenoughto
fusehydrogenintohelium.Thisfusionlightsupastar(Christian,Brown,andBenjamin).
Thesun,astar,isthemostessentialsourceofenergyforlifeonEarth.Itisacrucial
elementofphotosynthesis,theprocessthroughwhichgreenplantsusesunlighttoproducefood
outofwaterandcarbondioxide(Christian,Brown,andBenjamin).MountTamhasasizeable
numberofphotosynthesizingplantcommunitiescoveringitssurface,includingconiferous
forests,chaparral,coastalscrub,grassland,andwetlandvegetation(ShuffieldandTimossi).This
varietycanbeattributedtothemountainsmanymicroclimatesandisdependentonenergyfrom
sunlight.
AsIrun,itisasthoughtheraysofthesunaswingsflutterandpause,flutterandpause,
flutterandpause.Theyflapunreservedlyagainstthepowderblueofthesky,partingthesoft
wispsofbleachedcloudsthatwaitpatiently,suspendedintheblanketoftheatmosphere.Thesun
sparksareluridandbright,rainingdownonmyforeheadandcheekbones.Thetemperatureof
myskinrises,hotterandhotteruntilallIcanthinkofisthecoreofthesunitself,whichcan
reachmorethan27milliondegreesFahrenheit(Christian,Brown,andBenjamin).Thesunisnot

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onlyresponsiblefortherednessthatrisestothesurfaceofmycheeksasmybodywhizzes
betweenthetrees,butalsoforthegrowthofthetreesthemselves,intheir100foottowering
grandeur.
ThresholdThreeinBigHistoryexaminestheemergenceofchemicalcomplexity.It
describeshowwhenstarsconverthydrogenintoheliumandthenrunoutofhydrogen,they
convertheliumintootherelements.Heliumatomsfusetogether,firstcreatingberylliumandso
onuntilthestarscorehasgeneratedeveryelementuptoiron(Christian,Brown,andBenjamin).
Thisisimportantforcomplexitybecauseelementscancombineinmillionsofunique
combinationstoformmoleculesandminerals,eachwithdifferentproperties.
TheelementsthatmakeuptheserpentinerocksfoundonMountTamalpaisinclude
hydrogen,magnesium,andiron.Attimes,serpentinerocksalsohavetracesofchromium,
manganese,cobalt,andnickel(Serpentine).Thestarformationandcollapseprocessdiscussed
inThresholdThreeisresponsiblefortheformationoftheseelementsthatIpropelmyselfoffof
whentheyfindthemselvesinthemiddleofthemountainsnarrowtrails.
Itripoverrocks,cumbersomeandomniscientwiththeiroldage.Stubbingtoesand
stirringupdust,Ioccasionallyplummetforward,landingwithmyfaceinthetrail.Mykneesturn
blackandblueandmypalmsareindentedwithpebblesandflecksofcrimson,yetIamokayfor
Iamsimplytrippingintomyself.MybodyisnomoremethanistheEarthscrustandthe
sedimentthatisnowembeddedinmyhands.Iampurelymoreofmyself.
TheformationoftheEarthandsolarsystemareexplainedinThresholdFour.Eversince
itsbirthapproximately4.5billionyearsago,Earthgrewquickly,similartotheotherinner
planets.Itmaintainedamoltenstateandchangedsizeeachtimeitwasbarragedbyameteorite.

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Overtime,heavymetalslikeironandnickelsunktotheEarthscenter,formingamoltencore.
Thecrust,Earthsthinnestouterskin,cooledandsolidified,butneverbecamecompletelystable
(Earth&theSolarSystem).
Tectonicplates,whichmakeupEarthscrust,havealwaysbeeninconstantmotion
becauseofgeologicactivitythatoccursbelowtheplanetssurface.TheNorthAmericanplate
slidesalongthePacificPlate,whichresultsinthebucklingandfoldingoftheiredges(Earth&
theSolarSystem).Overmillionsofyears,thisplatemovementformedMountTamalpais.
Withouttheexistenceandactivityofthistransformfault,mySouthernMarinrunswouldtake
placeoncrumpledearth,lackingtheastoundingviewsthatthepeakselevationoffers.
Theinclineofthemountaintestsmystaminaasmyheartworksovertimetocirculatemy
blood.MythroatseizesupasIgaspformoreoxygen.ThehigherIclimb,theloudermy
quadricepsseemtoyellatmetoslowdownorstop,buttheonlythingonmymindisthe
panoramicviewthatawaitsme.Thediscomfortisworththerewardofseeingthecontoursof
geologyandtheSanFranciscoBay,theresultoftheformationofwaterandoceans.
ItisinthefifththresholdthattheemergenceoflifeonEarthbecomesfocal,evenasit
ultimatelystillremainsamysteryaboutwhichweareconstantlylearningmore.Thecurrent
prevailinghypothesisisthatlifefirstappearedathotvolcanicventsdeepundertheoceans
surfacewheretherewashighheat,highpressure,andchemicallyrichcompoundsthatleaked
fromEarthscrustintothesaltyocean.Thefirstorganicmoleculesthatformedatthe
hydrothermalvents3.5billionyearsagojoinedtogetherinchains,andthencraftedawayto
duplicatethesechains.ThisiswhatwecallDNA.Thediversityoflifecametobebecauseof
variationsinDNA,whichessentiallytellsanorganismwhatproteinstobuildinordertobuild

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itself.Overtime,therearesmalldeviationsintheDNAscodeandstructure,thereforecausing
organismstochangethroughoutaspanofmillionsofyears(Christian,Brown,andBenjamin).
AllofthelifeonMountTamalpaisevolvedfromtheseinitialbasicundersealifeforms.Ifithad
notbeenforthisnewthresholdemergence,therewouldbenoconiferousforests,chaparral,
coastalscrub,grassland,andwetlandvegetationforhumanstoadmire,andhumansthemselves
wouldalsobenonexistent.
Shadowsofbumblebeesbuzzincessantlyinmyears,warningmeoftheirarrival.Ileap
overpilesofdeerexcrementandtrytoavoidthewatchfuleyesofthesharpshinnedhawks.The
westernbluebirdssingtothestellarsjaysinbrancheshighabovemyheadloudenoughforme
tohearthemabovethesoundofmymusic.Iamnotalone,andIwasnotherefirst.Thereislife
allaroundme.
TheemergenceofhumansisthemajortopicdiscoursedinThresholdSix.Ithasbeen
hypothesizedbyscientiststhattheearliesthumansdivergedfromotherprimatespartlyin
responsetoachangingclimateinEastAfrica.Thesavannaspreadasforestsbecamedrier,
promptingourearlyancestorstoscourthevastopenspaceinsteadofdwellintrees.Scientists
theorizethatmodernchimpanzeesandmodernhumans,whobothevolvedfromacommon
ancestor,splitintotwoseparatespeciesbetween8and5millionyearsago.Humanevolutionis
studiedusingpaleoarchaeology,primatology,genetics,andclimatology,anditexplainshow
humansprogressedfromourearliestancestorswhowereneitherbipedalnorusedtools,intothe
modernhumanversionthatischaracterizedbycollectivelearning(Christian,Brown,and
Benjamin).

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Collectivelearning,whichencompassesaccumulatingknowledge,sharingitwithothers,
andpassingitontothenextgeneration,isthesystemthatallowsMountTamalpaistosurpassits
realityasamonumentalcompilationofEarthscrustintoitsroleasacatalystforhuman
contemplationandotherworldlyconnection.Itspurredtheformationofvolunteergroupssuchas
FriendsofMt.Tam,whosecommitmentistoencouragethepreservation,education,and
interpretationofthestatepark(Mt.TamFacts).Itiswhatpermitsme,asItrekaloneacrossits
manytrails,tofeelunitedwithotherhumanswhosharethesameaffinityfornature.
Partofthebeautyofbeinghumanismyabilitytoexpressthefeelingsthatmytrailruns
onMountTamevokeinme,includingmyoutwardemotions,suppressedemotions,andthesheer
astonishmentthatIamevenabletoexperiencethisatall.Ifitwerenotforthedevelopmentof
symboliclanguage,auniquelyhumanadvancement,themountainwouldjustbeamountainand
mybodywouldjustbeabody.Whatisarelationshipifthereisnoentitycapableofappreciating
it?
BigHistorysThresholdSevencoversanotheroneofhumansparamountadvancements:
agriculture.Theearlyhumansreliedonforagingtosustainthemselves,butclimatechange
permittedthemtoshifttowardalifeoffarmingandsettledcommunities.Inordertomakethis
sedentarylifeofagribusinesssuccessful,irrigationsystemsweresetuptodeliverwaterfromits
sourcetowhereveritwasneeded.Whensomefarmersstartedtoproduceasurplusoffood,other
communitymembersgainedthefreedomtotakeupdifferentoccupations.Potters,brickmakers,
carpenters,andweaversthrived.Thisalsomarksthetimeinhumanhistorywhenreligionarose,
perhapsasamethodtoupholdcooperationandcollaborationwithinthefirsteversocieties
(Christian,Brown,andBenjamin).

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OneoftheoutcomesofthisthresholdoftimethataffectsMountTaminthegreatestway
istheexpansionofirrigation,giventhatthemountainisthecenteroftheMountTamalpais
Watershed,akeysourceofdomesticwaterforMarinCountyresidents.Tokeepthelandina
naturalstate,landuseisrestrictedandonlycertainhumanactivityissanctioned(HowWe
ManageOurWatershedLands).Whiletheseconstraintsprohibitmefromcontinuingmy
outwardexplorationsintotheundevelopedunderbellyofthemountain,itenhancesmy
experiencebykeepingthewaterandtheenvironmentinfirstrateshape,soIfeelengulfedbya
pureanduntoucheduniverse,ratherthanacontaminatedone.
Ibenefitfirsthandfromthepurityofthewaterthisregionprovidesmewith.WhenI
reachtheendofmyrun,Icanfeelmychestheavingandmyskinpricklewithgoosebumps,the
telltalesignofanexhaustedbody.Ichuggulpsofwatersofastthatmyesophagusprotests,butI
ignoreit,intentonreplenishingmysystemswiththefluidIjustsweatout.
ThresholdEight,thearrivalofthemodernworld,ismarkedbytheriseinthestandardsof
living,accelerationincollectivelearning,andimprovedcontroloverthebiosphere.Portuguese
voyagerBartolomeuDiasiscreditedwithmovinghiscountryastepclosertobecomingthefirst
colonialempire,afterexploringwesternAfricain1847.Thisempire,withinthenextcentury,
grewtoincludetheFarEast,India,andSouthAmericaaswell,representingthebeginningof
globalization(Christian,Brown,andBenjamin).
Withglobalizationcomesclimatechangebecauseoftheincreasingratesatwhich
humansusefossilfuelsandnaturalresources.ThisisoneofbiggestchallengesMountTam
faces,alongwithadecreaseinbiodiversity,thelossofhabitat,andlimitedamenities.Climate
changecanaltertheregularity,intensity,andlengthoffloods,heatwaves,wildfires,andoneof

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themostcurrentlyprevalentproblems,droughts.BytakingactiontopreservethelandonMount
Tam,itcanserveasafundamentalsanctuaryanddispersalpassagesforspeciesthatarecoping
withenvironmentalabnormalities(TamsChallenges).Dartingpastevidenceofourgenetic
variationandtheEarthsdesireforresiliencemakesitmucheasierformetocognizemylinkto
theoutsideworldthandrudgingpastdyingvegetationandunhealthyanimalswould.
Withmyarmspumping,mylungswheezing,andmylegsslicingthroughtheair,Ifeelso
indescribablyhuman.IamnolongerplaguedbythetrivialitiesbroughtonduringtheIndustrial
Revolution:greed,fiscalsuccess,andmaterialobjects.Ratherthanfrettingaboutmymortal
impermanenceormyimpendingendonthisphysicalplanet,Icanfocusonmybreath.I
concentrateonitsjourneyintomybodyintheformofoxygenasmyorgansworknotjustto
keepthrustingmymomentumforward,buttoconvertthisoxygenintocarbondioxideforthe
mountainsplantstosuckintotheirroots,onlytobereleasedasoxygenonceagain.Andsothe
cyclecontinuesthecohesivenessbetweenhumanbeingsandwildlife,theultimatereminderof
ourrespectivesignificance.
ThefinalthresholdofBigHistoryaddressesthefutureandwhatcomesnextforhumans
andtherestoftheuniverse.Scientistssuggestthathumanswillfaceadecisioninthenextfew
decadesconcerninggoingforwardundercurrentconditionstowardaworldwidebreakdown,or
discoveringwaystopreventthisbreakdown.Betweenthedestabilizedclimate,limitedsupplyof
fossilfuels,anddamagedecosystems,thereislittlehopeforthefutureoftheworldasweknow
it,unlessanimmensetransformationisinstigated(Christian,Brown,andBenjamin).While
MountTamalpaisisnotimmunetotheselargerissues,asseenthroughthecurrentchallengesits
habitatisfacing,thereisalotofoptimismforitssubsistencebecauseoftheactionsof

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conservationgroupsliketheaforementionedFriendsofMt.Tam,andOneTam,anassociation
thataimstosustainitslongtermhealth.
MountTamalpaiscanbetracedbackthrougheachthresholdoftheuniverseshistory,
datingallthewaybacktotheBigBang.Itsmineralsaretheproductsoffusion,andithasbeen
alteredchemicalcomplexityandthetectonicplatesofEarthscrust.Morenotably,however,it
hasalsobeenchangedbyme,throughmypersonalandveryhumanexperienceofcollective
learning,symboliclanguage,andtheeffectsofthemodernworld.Imaynothaveplayedadirect
partinitsformation,butwhenIacknowledgethewayinwhichIcanmodifyitsinterpretation
anditsfuture,IhavenodoubtthatIamjustasmuchofavitalelementoftheuniverseasthe
electromagneticforcethatholdseverythingtogetheris.

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s
WorksCited
Christian, David, Cynthia Stokes Brown, and Craig Benjamin. Big History: Between Nothing
and Everything. 1st ed. N.p.: McGraw-Hill Education, 2013. Print.
"Earth & the Solar System." Threshold 4. The Big History Project, 2013. Web. 01 Nov. 2015.
<https://www.bighistoryproject.com/thresholds/4?WT.mc_id=05_03_2014_AwPub_bhptw>.
"How We Manage Our Watershed Lands." Watershed. Marin Municipal Water District, 2015.
Web. 7 Nov. 2015. <https://www.marinwater.org/137/Watershed>.
"Mt. Tam Facts." Park. Friends of Mt. Tam, 2003. Web. 2 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.friendsofmttam.org/park/facts.html>.
"Serpentine." California Geological Survey (2002): n. pag. California State Rock. California
Department of Conservation, 2002. Web. 5 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/information/publications/cgs_notes/note_14/Docum
ents/note_14.pdf>.
Shuffield, W. D., and I. C. Timossi. Plant Communities of Marin County. Sacramento, CA:
California Native Plant Society, 1989. Print.
"Tam's Challenges." Why One Tam? One Tam, 2015. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.onetam.org/why-one-tam>.