An Introduction

We all crave adventure in our own way. For some of us, adventure might be trying out a new coffee shop around the corner. Others need to jump out of an airplane in order to feel the thrill of excitement. But no matter what someone’s definition of an adventure is, the basic elements remain the same.

There has to be risk. There has to be the possibility of reward. There has to be a sense of discovery, the feeling of learning something new about the world or about yourself. Preferably both.

Even the mildest of escapades conform to this equation. Those bungee-jumping psychopaths may sneer at describing a walk around the block as an “adventure”, but anything that is a challenge is deserving of the title. Climbing a flight of stairs isn’t much of an obstacle to a marathon runner. To someone recovering from a spinal cord injury, it’s a nigh-impossible endeavor. Those of us that can go where we want and do what we please without the need of assistance should consider ourselves incredibly fortunate. 

Sometimes the only reward for your efforts is a good story. My own quest for adventure has led to a lot of mishaps recently, and it’s inspired me to share my recent attempts at stepping outside of my comfort zone. At the very least, I’ll have a place to rant when everything goes wrong. 

My limit for adventure falls somewhere between coffee-shop exploration and skydiving. I’ve always had a love for the outdoors and hiking, and absolutely zero interest in extreme sports. Travel has appealed to me for a long time, I’ve done my fair share of road trips with family and friends. I’m no stranger to planes or trains, and I’ve done a little international travel. Back in 2013 I attempted my biggest adventure yet, and tried to hike the 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail. 

I made it about 450 miles before my lack of preparation and inexperience caught up with me. I got off the trail and put my plans to complete a PCT thru-hike on the backburner. I secured a decent job and lived on my own for a bit, happy enough to go to work and take the occasional vacation. It has been nice, but the desire to get out and explore has returned with a vengeance. Most of my waking hours nowadays are spent fantasizing about hitting the open road and taking off without a destination in mind. The promise of freedom is something I can’t ignore. 

Any and all are welcome to join me on this adventure. To live vicariously through me or to laugh at my misfortunes. I’ll be just another voice in the sea of travel writing, and while not every one of my experiences will be unique, I like to think that my perspective is. Maybe what I have to say will prove useful to someone, and I hope the right perspective might motivate the next adventurer to begin their journey.