Finding Adventure without being an Adventurer
Andy Kirschenman
Author
I’ll admit it, I am not a real outdoorsy kind of guy. Not even a ‘sleep in a camper’ guy, but the guy that calculates how many nights I could sleep in a hotel for the price of a trailer. And don’t get me started about tents!
But that hasn’t stopped me from seeing a lot of really interesting places in nature. We often get the impression that in order to really see something incredible or have an adventure, we need to do multi day treks to far off places and probably be willing to drink our own pee. I’m not trying to say that any of that is wrong (well maybe the pee part) but I want to be an encouragement to other like minded individuals like myself to still get out and seek adventure. There are plenty of ways to do it and plenty of spectacular places to see that aren’t all that far from a road. And you aren’t just stuck to places with long lines of people trying to take a photo of a deer or bear on the side of the road.
There may also be some of us that do have mobility issues and still would like to see some incredible natural wonders. Well, you definitely still can do it! It might take a little more creative driving, map reading or hopping on a tour, but there are spectacular sights to be seen all over the world and adventure can be had by all.
The first place to start is right outside your front door. Now, granted unless you live on the edge of the mountains or a canyon, you may have to take the above statement figuratively. But I hope you understand that there are probably adventures to be had within a day trip of where you live.
Photo by: Andy Kirschenman
Another place for adventure that might be close to home is on private land. You may have some friends, or friends of friends that would love to show you around some spots that almost no one gets to see. There are hidden places all over that can be absolutely stunning and hardly anyone knows they are there. Add in some incredible light or clouds, and a seemingly mundane region can have pockets of world class views and experiences. Sometimes all you have to do is ask! And please please please ask before you go wandering around on someone else’s land. It is common courtesy, but just as important is there may be dangers that you do not know about. Open excavations, livestock and other hazards could be there and if you trespass, you aren’t only breaking the law but also putting yourself in danger.
Photo by: Andy Kirschenman
If you are planning an adventure around home or someplace far away, one of the first things to do is look for local, regional, state/provincial or national parks and find out what is there. Now these are going to be places that will probably have more crowds during weekends or busy seasons, but with a little bit of planning you can have some usually swamped places almost all to yourself. The nice thing about parks is that they have been built to be accessible for most people to experience some of the beauty of nature, so getting some remarkable views and photos doesn’t take a lot of hard work. Also there are usually people available on site who know where to find the best places to experience nature, so don’t be afraid to seek them out.
Photo by: Andy Kirschenman
Moving further from home, you probably are going to have to start trading money for adventure in most places. This may not necessarily be taking helicopter tours, although they can get you into an area that could take days of hiking to see, but some very small investments can open up a multitude of options for you. Of course, some will definitely look at you as a cheater, but at least you didn’t have to wash your socks in a creek! Sometimes it means paying extra to rent an SUV rather than the smallest car you can physically cram into, taking a tour that includes certain gear and knowledge even though you could get there yourself, or taking your own vehicle with higher ground clearance on a road trip rather than the most economical car you own. More capable vehicles can open up your world to far more remote corners of nature that are away from the crowds. But you definitely want to be sure of your own and your vehicle’s abilities in this case, and be prepared for what could happen if everything doesn’t go right. Sometimes the more fun part of a trip can be in getting to that destination (and back home again!). And sometimes it is not.
Photo by: Andy Kirschenman
Finally, there are just going to be some places where the easiest way to get into nature is to go on a tour. This could be with a bus, train, boat, ship, van, etc. It is going to cost money, yes, but there are some places where the only way to see it is with a tour. And even if there are ways to get in alone, sometimes a tour is easiest, safest and quickest, so there is a value for the money that you have to pay.
Photo by: Andy Kirschenman
Whatever your limitations may be, remember that you still can find adventure if you take the time to plan an amazing trip.
Andy Kirschenman
Guest Author with First Outdoors