Escape To Your Own Backyard
Rumor has it that landscape photographers take their best photos closest to home. Why? Because they know their own stomping grounds intimately. They know what the clouds in the sky mean, the shifts in the wind, when the sunset is according to position on a mountain, and where to find the best beer after a long day adventuring.
We all long to escape the daily routine, to paddle through crystal clear ocean waters, cut lines on some unforeseen powder, or find fresh air on top of a 14er. No matter how many tents we sleep in, or passport stamps we collect, sometimes the biggest grin comes for a spontaneous (or planned) adventure right at home.
The appeal of close-to-home adventures is that you can embark anytime. Long day at work? Grab a beer and hit a short trail to catch a rad sunset. Your adventure could be a new trail you've spotted on AllTrails, or a sunrise paddle on a glassy lake. Maybe it's finding two perfect trees to put up your hammock and finally finish that book you've been nose-deep in. Some of us live in a place that is much more conducive to adventure, but no matter what, there are always adventures to explore.
Adventure brings a sense of exploration, a feeling of escape. It brings a feeling of adrenaline coursing through our veins, a change of weight on our shoulders from the normal responsibilities of everyday life to a pack carrying only the essentials. We settle into a weekly mentality of structure and duty, and the only way to break that is to escape. It doesn't matter the length of the adventure, as long as that need is met.
Sure you can drive off to the unknown far from home, but close to home you can embark on the perfect adventure that suits your mood, the weather, your friends, and satisfy that urge you have been feeling throughout the workday. Little prepping goes into a home-based adventure, and sometimes, those spontaneous trips are exactly what you need.
Most times. when your searching for something within, you don't need to travel far to find it.
'til next time,
-J