Sure...most of us (that would be reading this blog anyway) would claim "adventurer" status. We love to plan that far off vacation to the tropics, that weekend getaway to the ski resort, or even just a day float down the nearest river. HOWEVER, you don't have to plan a big trip or wait for a special moment to create outdoor time for yourself!
Yeah, we love the anticipation of creating an itinerary for a week on the saltwater flats, roaming through Rome, or bending a fly rod so often our wrists get sore but, for most of us, everyday adventure includes a the commute to the office, the studio, or sitting at home staring and pecking at a computer most of the day. We mustn't, however, disavow or wild-roaming spirit. Our hearts desire something...desire open spaces and fresh air. Don't forget that "in between" time when you've been home from Vail or Snowbird or Mammoth (or wherever) for a week and a half now and you have a boat-load of "real world" crap to deal with before you can even think about getting on the road or in the air again. This is the in between. This is where we must not let our diligence go for risk of falling into the mindless, numbing ho-hum.
If your'e an outdoor enthusiast (which, again, if you're reading this....let's assume you are) then hopefully you've chosen to live in an area blessed with not-so-distant fresh-air opportunities. Aside from a short Los Angeles stint, I've chosen to reside in various beautiful places across Montana and now call Boise, Idaho home. I've never been far from mountains and rivers by choice. They are key to my soul...my survival. Heck, in LA I had the beach which, while busy, is a phenomenally powerful source of regeneration. So, while most of us may not always be able to ski or ride every day (save the ski patrol) or float the river every day (well, in the warmer months I do guide fly fisher-people in SW Montana) or always be packing to head to the airport for the next adventure, our hearts still yearn for open spaces and non-stagnant air. With as much outdoor-exposure as I get in a year, I still have long runs where work gets busy, tasks pile on, the weather isn't quite right, etc, etc,... but I find myself doing and feeling best when, even then, I schedule some simple outdoor recreation/exercise.
Take a stroll, admire the greenery in the spring and summer, the amazing colors of the fall, the stunning snowy backdrops of winter....find a spot that you can get to in a short walk or an extremely short drive... and fill those lungs with the air that you were meant to breathe. Get up an hour early or carve out some time to get on the local ice when the air is startlingly crisp and stings the nostrils and everyone else is still lazily sipping coffee and staring down another workday. Hide the iPads and the remote controls after school, put away your "smart" phones, and take a walk on the local nature path, greenbelt, or stinkin' sidewalk for that matter. Just because we don't have a grand trip in the immediate future doesn't negate the fact that, as adventurers and outdoor lovers, we need to be outdoors. Fill your lungs with the sweetness of the air outside the confines of your office and home. Bask in the warmth and radiance of the miracle sun. Feel the dirt or ice or snow or pavement under your feet and notice how good your body feels, how good your soul feels afterward. Funny how simple and overlooked this is...and how your body will thank you.
-Nic