The thing about big adventures is that they take time and money to plan. I’m still 14 weeks out from my first trip, when I head to Madrid, Spain for New Year’s Eve. I don’t know about you, but 14 weeks without adventure seems like an awfully long time to wait! In the meantime, I am thinking about some “microadventures” I can go on.
This Sunday morning (at 8:43 am to be exact) will mark the Autumnal Equinox, when the length of day and night are nearly equal. What better day to kick off my first microadventure?
I’ve been toying with the idea of “wild camping,” where you grab a sleeping bag and head off on foot to a hilltop or a state park and then sleep outside. No tent, no campfire. Just you and the stars. To make conditions even more perfect, there will be a nearly full moon this weekend, just a few days after the harvest moon (the full moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox).
To be honest, this idea scares the pants off me. What about bugs, bears, and strange men? Any number of things could go wrong. But sometimes I get this little voice in my head that tells me to move toward the scary things. We can’t spend our whole lives safely contained within our comfort zones. And aren’t adventures supposed to be a little scary? So we can test our limits and learn more about ourselves?
By writing about this idea in the blog, I’m basically committing myself to it. So, you can guess what next week’s post will be about… My goal for this weekend is simply to prove to myself that I can do it. I’m going to sleep outside, and in the morning I’m going to make myself a cup of coffee and head home. How terrifying.
Another microadventure I’m contemplating in the next few weeks is to hop on a train one morning with my bicycle, travel 25-30 miles, and then find my way home with a compass or one of those apps that gives you directions as the crow flies. The point is not to just pull up Google Maps and have it show me the best route, the point is to explore on my way home.
It is, after all, impossible to get lost when all you’re trying to do is go in a certain direction. And even if it takes me all day to get home, what a day well spent! Outside, exploring on my bike. I always feel like such a kid when I ride my bike. Other possible microadventures include cooking a meal in the woods, and walking 24 miles to visit my sister in New York City.
What adventures, big or small, do you have planned?
Let's Go, Jane! 
Leave a comment