2011 is the year of the microadventure: a whole year when, instead of exotic foreign adventures, I am committed to trying to encourage people to get outside, get out of their comfort zone, go somewhere they’ve never been, go on a microadventure. An adventure that is close to home, cheap, simple, short, and yet very effective.
You do not need to fly to the other side of the planet to do an expedition.
You do not need to be an elite athlete, expertly trained, or rich to have an adventure.
Adventure is only a state of mind.
Adventure is stretching yourself; mentally, physically or culturally. It is about doing what you do not normally do, pushing yourself hard and doing it to the best of your ability.
And if that is true then adventure is all around us, at all times. Even during hard financial times such as these. Times, I believe, when getting out into the wild are more enjoyable, invigorating and important than ever.
The aim is to build them up gradually in order that absolutely everyone can get involved and progress from novices to doing something relatively gnarly by the end of the year. Have a look at the videos and blog entries below, then commit to your own microadventure.
[UPDATE, December 2011: Read my concluding thoughts on this project here.]
[UPDATE 2: I was astonished and chuffed to have been nominated as National Geographic Adventurer of the Year for this project.]
1. Enter a race
8. River Swim
9. Grab a Map. Close your Eyes. Point. Go
11. Evangelise!
Done any microadventures yourself? Please get in touch.
