Adventure - to me - must have some element of unknown to it, some element of "not normal". Riding our mountain bikes on the classic training loop at Phil's trail is fun, but it is no longer adventure to me. When our boys do it for the first few times on their own bikes, it certainly will be for them, but adventure requires some, well...adventure.
Lets look at the definition of the word: "Adventure"
Noun: an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.
Verb: Engage in hazardous and exciting activity, especially the exploration of unknown territory.
Apparently having a bit of hazard helps - good to know.
There are lots of ways to have adventure, but recently we've become super tuned into a few bits of imagery that just scream "I'm having a crazy adventure!"
One is SwimRun. See an image of someone running across lava talus, clad in a wetsuit, goggles in hand, water drops still dangling from the ends of their hair. It is clear there is something adventurous going on - just by the "WTF?!?" factor. Seriously, if you don't believe us, sign up for one of our new SwimRun races - we promise to mitigate the real hazard with our safety staff and just leave the adventuring to you.
But perhaps the most iconic images my recent memory that evoke that "OMG what an adventure" response are the combination of bikes and boats. Paddling whitewater with a bike strapped onto the front of your boat - umm yeah. Riding single-track with a paddle sticking out in front like a modern backcountry lance - yeah, that too. Adventure. Could we add anything to either of those images to make it seem more adventurous...hmm. Let me think...got it.
Snow.
And so we have winter-bike-rafting. Yep, it's a thing. Well to us anyway. We've done a number of these, now, and each time we think - "damn this is awesome, we should do it all the time."
But really now - if we did it all the time it might stop feeling like such an adventure.
Heres to hoping you find adventure this winter!