In Pursuit of Adventure
I’ve been all over the map trying to find my place. Ironically, you look back over your life and finally see all the things that have led you to this place, this moment, this passion. Now that I’ve found it, I sometimes feel like I’m making up for lost time. As if every minute I’m not planning or preparing for that next adventure is time wasted; but that’s my own obsession.
Funny thing is I’ve always been like that, as far back as I can remember. I find my next “big thing” and pour all I have into it: money, time, attention, focus. Regardless, in the midst of my laundry list of ventures, I can recall one passion that has always called to me. Being outdoors. My earliest memories are those of fishing with my parents and grandparents when I was three or four. In middle school, I was the kid staring out the window wishing he was on some grand escapade. Although much of my time was spent outside riding my bike, climbing trees, and building forts, it wasn’t until junior high that I had my first taste of true adventure.
While on a 7th grade school outing to a state park, my friend and I set out on our own apart from the group in search of a nearby lake. I can recall calling out to one of the teachers, “We’re heading to the lake Mrs. Smith!” To which she replied, “Are you sure you know where it’s at?” Of course we knew! It’s all the guys had been talking about since we stopped for lunch. A small group were already making their way there, so my buddy and I figured we’d catch up to them. Easy, peasy. At least that was the plan…
“The word adventure has gotten overused. For me, when everything goes wrong, that’s when the adventure starts.”
We wouldn’t find out until much later in the day, but the route we took was actually not the true trail. We must have taken a game trail, or one of the many off-trail routes through the brush. I don’t recollect at what point we finally realized that we were truly lost, but I do remember neither of us ever feeling scared or panicked. Oh, the naivety of youth.
I think our first thoughts must have been that we were both going to be in a lot of trouble. We discussed staying put; surely someone would come looking for us. We considered backtracking, but because our exact location was unknown, a decision was made against it. Suddenly, an epiphany! When we arrived, I had hastily grabbed a map of the park and shoved it in my back pocket. Reaching back and feeling that piece of paper was a welcomed boost to our dampened morale. With the odds now tipped considerably in our favor, we set out with newfound confidence to find our way back to civilization. Cue the theme from Indiana Jones!
Maybe it was something I learned in scouting or maybe it was just common sense, but I looked at that map and then at our surroundings. Fortunately, the park plays host to a huge, monadnock that rises 1,825 ft. above sea level.
Photo courtesy of Enchanted Rock State Park
Now I know you high-country folk will scoff at the measly 1800 ft. of elevation. But in Texas, where you can stand on a quarter in San Antonio and see clear to Dallas, that’s one heck of a landmark! Using terrain association and that map as our navigational aid, we eventually found our way back to the main trail. As we rounded that last turn, we saw our group coming from the opposite direction. With mixed emotions, we ran to meet them. Our friends excitedly wanted to know where we had been, and what had happened. The teachers, were a little less forgiving. They were obviously relieved to find us uninjured and safe, but were quick to dole out punishment befitting our little adventure.
It didn’t matter. We had found ourselves at the mercy of the wild outdoors and bested it with only our adventurous wit, and resolve! A little melodramatic? Indeed, but that’s exactly how we felt.
The next week at school, our sentence was carried out. In spite of the punishment, we walked with our heads held a little higher. The constant smirk on our faces, if nothing else, showed everyone our little deed far outweighed the consequences.
I’m 59 now, and remarkably after all these years, I still feel the same way every time I find myself in the great outdoors. Whether I’m fishing, camping, hiking, or any other outdoor activity, it doesn’t matter. I’m just a wide-eyed kid who still gets exited about exploring new places and experiencing new things.
Let me encourage you to get outdoors. Experience something new, and visit back country places. You won’t regret it, and I promise you’ll feel like a kid again.
- Oh, and don’t forget the fedora and whip. You never know what adventure awaits…
… ___ …
Joey Rivers