Adventure

An adventure is an activity or enterprise that potentially is fraught with risk, danger and excitement. Adventurer André Malraux asked, "If a man is not ready to risk his life, where is his dignity?" And Helen Keller warned, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Although the term adventure often is used to describe activities with some potential for physical or psychological danger, adventurous experiences create psychological and physiological arousal. For this reason many people adventure becomes a major pursuit in and of itself.

e-Marginalia Market

Visit the e-Marginalia Market for all your meandering needs!

e-Marginalia Market

Wandering Rose

Gypsy RoseThe Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

Windless Surfing or Champlain Valley Pedaling

The dangling carrot this morning -- like many mornings this summer -- was a blast across Lake Champlain on a windsurfer with my bride.

A productive morning, a quick lunch, then back to work. With the carrot still dangling, I noticed the breeze kicking up outside my window. I renewed my commitment to wrap up in time to skitter across the waves, wind at my back, as I raced into the moment and away from deadlines, benchmarks, lists...

My beautiful bride interrupted me mid afternoon.

"I'm headed out. Join me!"

And I did. One last phone call. One last email. Then I dove into a my pea green swim trunks and headed down to the waterfront. I could see my bride "rowing" with the sail. She was pumping to build up speed, hunting for wind. I took out the wind meter and turned it into the light breeze. Just shy of 5mph. Too light for windsurfing.

I could see my bride heading back in toward shore. She was disappointed. The wind had fallen.

But the sun was still high the skies were blue. Water was too rough for enjoyable water skiing, but the afternoon was perfect for cycling. So I returned to the house, swapped swim trunks for cycling shorts and headed out to the carriage barn to liberate Major Jake for an adventure.

Walkabout Chronicles

 

We get so caught up in our work, obligations, and duties that the truly important parts of us become lost. From there it is a downward spiral as we get increasingly distant from our true self. Eventually a crisis develops that awakens us to the realization that we are no longer our true self. It is at this time that we should (must) go on walkabout to get life back in order. We leave things behind and we begin a journey. (Walkabout Chronicles)

 

Fantastic concept. Fantastic website! Meanderting spirits will feel right at home at Walkabout Chronicles and might even want to share their own stories. I'm a long-time fan of the walkabout concept first explained to me by my parents as a little boy when our cat would disappear for a week each year. The ritual stuck, and I've been a loyal observer ever since. If you haven't a clue what I'm talking about, your walkabout immersion should start with the good stories over at Walkabout Chronicles.

Struggle to Transcend


Birthright: one man's struggle to transcend (film credit Sean Mullens)

When images speak louder than words, and moving even images even louder, I know enough to shutter the gob and watch. And listen. And learn. This short directed and filmed by Sean Mullens tells the story of one man's "daily ritual to find his natural self through surfing." Not the story you're expecting. Even when it's over.

Caroline Casey: Beyond Limits

Adventure as a concept is too often relegated to the realm of make believe, of epic wanderers, of exotic locales and death-defying incidents. To be sure, adventure -- festooned in all of its children's book glory -- includes these colorful illustrations. But it also includes much, much more.

Adventure is a choice and a world view and a lifestyle. Adventure is a paradigm through which all decisions, all hopes, all fears, all ambitions and failures and risks and victories are transformed into vibrant opportunities. Adventure is a daily attack against sleep walking. Adventure is choosing to be totally 100% alive!

Lake Champlain: The Last Dance


Friend and neighbor, Mac MacDevitt, wraps up the 2010 Lake Champlain (TEQH9T65AVAA) sailing season with a chilly haul from Port Douglas to Essex, New York in his Windrider 17 trimaran. Compelling video footage and narrative capture that bittersweet hankering for one last sail despite the inhospitable conditions, and the admission that he's likely to repeat the foolhardy expedition next year. Great storytelling, Mac!

Windsurfing on Ice

When my bride and I moved to Essex, New York a few years ago windsurfing quickly became one of our favorite excuses to abandon our work and escape onto Lake Champlain. Big water, lots of wind and scarcely 50 fifty feet separating our desks from our boat house... Needless to say, our professional productivity plummets when the breezes begin to blow.

But until recently I'd never dreamed of windsurfing once Lake Champlain is frozen. We do a pretty good job of getting out there 6+ months a year which requires wet suits and dry suits for more months than bathing suits. But ski suits? Take a look at what next winter might look like!

Lake Champlain Polar Bear Plunge on March 19

A couple of months ago my bride informed me that we were going to host a polar bear plunge. In Lake Champlain. In March!

A what? When? Why?

"It's a benefit for Planned Parenthood," she explained. "Trust me. It's important. It'll be fun."

"I trust you," I said. "But I'm not plunging!"

"Really?"

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