Microadventures

Favorite quotations, etc.
Post Reply
5to9
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2013 2:32 pm

Microadventures

Post by 5to9 »

In the "Life is a Daring Adventure" thread, @jennypenny posted a link to the Alastair Humphreys site on Microadventures:

http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures-3/

This has really resonated with me, as I think for me the hardest part about ERE is accepting being unconventional instead of following the safety of the herd as I have until now. I've seen several posts about this, so I don't think I'm alone. These microadventures seem like a great way to break out of my routine, and start conditioning myself to thinking and living differently. I thought it could be helpful to start a thread for people who want try this out to talk about it and motivate each other.

5to9
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2013 2:32 pm

Re: Microadventures

Post by 5to9 »

Just to get the ball rolling, I'll post my first baby step. One of my favorite microadventures on the site is "Sleep on a Hill"

http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/microa ... leep-hill/

The idea that even if you're in a 9-to-5 job, you can do something so completely different than everyone else in your 5-to-9 hours is pretty cool. I haven't been able to pull off an overnight yet, due to the need to share night duties with our 6-month old, but I took my first small step this week.

I had to attend a conference for work, and it was held at a luxury resort, with spa, decadent food, etc. It was full of extremely busy days, but one morning I woke up just before sunrise, put on my running shoes and hit the trails off into the woods. About half way through, I passed a lake, with a light morning fog drifting across it. On a whim, thinking about the above video I stopped and jumped in. Yes, it was nearly November, and about 40 degrees outside. As I got back to the hotel, muddy and wet, and saw my fellow conference attendees just rolling out of their beds to the breakfast buffet, I felt better than I have in a long time. That feeling lasted all day.

Just a small taste, but I think the microadventure philosophy really works for me.

Dragline
Posts: 4436
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2011 1:50 am

Re: Microadventures

Post by Dragline »

Oh, I like to do these sorts of things all the time. I keep a folding bike in the back of the car for random mini-adventures. On Monday morning it was rainy and cold, so I decided it would be a good day to ride a bike before work and experience the feeling of being wet and cold, and then taking a hot shower.

Whenever I go to a new city, I'll often walk for miles rather than take transportation, just to see what's there. I once got picked up by the Boston police because I accidently walked onto a freeway. (Ok, I climbed a fence, but it seemed like the best way to go at the time.)

jacob
Site Admin
Posts: 15906
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 8:38 pm
Location: USA, Zone 5b, Koppen Dfa, Elev. 620ft, Walkscore 77
Contact:

Re: Microadventures

Post by jacob »

Rivendell Bikes has a few articles on what they call S24O trips. This is essentially a 24 hour in-out quickie bike trip that doesn't involve campgrounds (though I guess it could).

http://www.rivbike.com/kb_results.asp?s=s24o

User avatar
Ego
Posts: 6357
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:42 am

Re: Microadventures

Post by Ego »

Humphreys tweet this morning, "Partner needed for crossing Iceland expedition by foot, ski and packraft. Email benjaminsshoffman@gmail.com if keen."

theanimal
Posts: 2627
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:05 pm
Location: AK
Contact:

Re: Microadventures

Post by theanimal »

Thanks for the heads up...email sent :D

Fiddle
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 11:14 pm

Re: Microadventures

Post by Fiddle »

I like this concept too.

I have a few adventures i hope to complete in the next few years. But while i get ready for the time to start the first one. Micro adventures are a great way of keeping the adventure engine oiled and turning over.

Just last week, I was talking to a lady who goes out for walks before dawn most days. I was so inspired that i got up at 4 am the other day walked for several hours in an area i have walked in before, but never at that hour and i saw some of the same things in a different ways and a few new things completely. I came back so charged up i felt great!

User avatar
jennypenny
Posts: 6851
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 2:20 pm

Re: Microadventures

Post by jennypenny »

theanimal wrote:Thanks for the heads up...email sent :D
:lol: You were the first person that popped into my head when I saw Ego's post.

theanimal
Posts: 2627
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:05 pm
Location: AK
Contact:

Re: Microadventures

Post by theanimal »

jennypenny wrote:
theanimal wrote:Thanks for the heads up...email sent :D
:lol: You were the first person that popped into my head when I saw Ego's post.
What can I say :) . I've been talking with him it's a pretty cool little trip. An expedition from the southernmost point of Iceland to the northernmost point by backpacking, skiing across glacier and packrafting. I just need to determine if it'll be too costly.

riparian
Posts: 650
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:00 am

Re: Microadventures

Post by riparian »

For my adventure this week I've been living in the back of my truck in a crazy city and doing some political organizing with super diverse and interesting people. I want to ride a bike across the country or go hang out with some of my friends who are doing amazing things, but there are so many things to do.

User avatar
GandK
Posts: 2059
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 1:00 pm

Re: Microadventures

Post by GandK »

riparian wrote:For my adventure this week I've been living in the back of my truck in a crazy city and doing some political organizing with super diverse and interesting people.
This sounds like a lot of fun. :D I hope to do more of that sort of thing when my youngest child gets a little older.

BlueNote
Posts: 501
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2013 6:26 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Careers for INTPs?

Post by BlueNote »

jennypenny wrote:
BlueNote wrote:I am going to raise this thread from the dead.

http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/eleutheromania/

I have struggled with this for years. I still do, but I've found some balance by providing an outlet for my independent streak. I probably over-prep to satisfy the urge for independence. I've also done other riskier behaviors (some good, some bad) to satisfy that urge so I can conform in other areas like work (I also find parenting can feel confining). I think that's why Humphrey's microadventures appeal to me. They are mini independence stokers.
Do you ever do any of these types of excursions?


I watched some of the video's and a common theme was that some of the most enjoyable memories were the most gruelling hardships. I think that they are referring to hardships like climbing a mountain, crossing a desert, swimming a channel, biking a country etc. I got the sense a that a lot of these folks are the "artisan"personality type, however I could see the lure to this type of thing if you had the typical extreme independence streak of an INTP.

Personally I did some hard outdoor type stuff when I was in scouts. Some of that stuff I look back on romantically and remember some great achievements. Other parts of it sucked, like sleeping in a tent in -25 Celsius weather, or sleeping on dead hornets that kept stinging me every time I rolled over. That sort of stuff you can prepare for but it still sucks and I would have rather done something else but my parents made me go to scouts. If anything at least it made me appreciate things like insulated homes, nice beds, roads and other things we take for granted. I might try something outdoorsy and challenging like this but only will full autonomy this time, no authority telling me what to do and how to do it.

User avatar
jennypenny
Posts: 6851
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 2:20 pm

Re: Careers for INTPs?

Post by jennypenny »

BlueNote wrote:
jennypenny wrote:
BlueNote wrote:I am going to raise this thread from the dead.

http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/eleutheromania/

I have struggled with this for years. I still do, but I've found some balance by providing an outlet for my independent streak. I probably over-prep to satisfy the urge for independence. I've also done other riskier behaviors (some good, some bad) to satisfy that urge so I can conform in other areas like work (I also find parenting can feel confining). I think that's why Humphrey's microadventures appeal to me. They are mini independence stokers.
Do you ever do any of these types of excursions?
I don't do anything that intense (yet). I'm working my way up to it. I don't like feeling vulnerable (the flip side of needing to feel independent) so I'm struggling to get over that first with the microadventures.

BlueNote
Posts: 501
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2013 6:26 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Careers for INTPs?

Post by BlueNote »

jennypenny wrote: I don't do anything that intense (yet). I'm working my way up to it. I don't like feeling vulnerable (the flip side of needing to feel independent) so I'm struggling to get over that first with the microadventures.
Why not just do one big adventure to see if you will ultimately like dong more on a regular basis. To accomplish anything of note outside of my own thoughts I have usually had to "cross the rubicon"as the saying goes. If I leave myself options I will usually end up doing nothing. I know limiting choice seems like anti-freedom but it is actually the opposite when it's self imposed because it can allow the INTP to actualize their freedoms externally. This technique could backfire, for example I don't think too many INTP's would enjoy a military career but joining is a "cross the rubicon" decision. There are lots of techniques to impose discipline on actioning ideas and INTP's probably need a good number of these tools to get into a good balance. A great theory is always supported by resoundingly agreeable empirical evidence. INTP's sometimes get stuck on theories that, although reasoned, don't stand up to evidence. That's what happens when we stop socializing and interacting with people and the environment.

Anyways I see that I have gone off on a tangent here and would really like to know what some of these micro-adventures are?

User avatar
jennypenny
Posts: 6851
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 2:20 pm

Re: Microadventures

Post by jennypenny »

BlueNote wrote: Why not just do one big adventure to see if you will ultimately like dong more on a regular basis. ...

Anyways I see that I have gone off on a tangent here and would really like to know what some of these micro-adventures are?
For me, if I went straight to planning a big adventure, I'd be stuck in the planning stage forever. I tend to over-plan and over-prep, and would try to plan for too many possible outcomes and obstacles. By doing smaller challenges first, I get out of my own head and accomplish something, and I eliminate possible obstacles by learning to deal with them in smaller doses.

I'm also interested in making this a habit and not just a one-time thing. I want to make pushing myself beyond my comfort zone a routine occurrence. I want my calendar full of stuff that keeps me a little on edge.

re: my own microadventures
To be embarrassingly honest, I don't like being alone and I'm particularly nervous when running outdoors (for various reasons). I've been heading off to remote areas to walk or run by myself. I'm sure that sounds silly to most of you, but I have to fight off panic attacks. I'm also sleeping someplace other than my bed a couple of times a week including outside, and practicing IF. Basically, I'm getting used to being alone, tired, and uncomfortable. I have races scheduled starting in Sept.

Dusty
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2013 3:53 am

Re: Microadventures

Post by Dusty »

I can relate to that Jennypenny.

I was in the boy scouts as an adolescent, I spent 9 years in the Army with plenty of patrolling / sleeping in the middle of no where, I thoroughly enjoyed hiking for about a decade but I could never bring myself to do overnight hikes on my own and after running into snakes on about 6 consecutive hikes, I lost the courage to head out again.

I currently live in a city on the edge of a remote area and love the idea of riding my bicylcle into the wilderness for the weekend on my own or taking a motorbike with a swag on the back ala 'Motorcycle Diaries' but I am yet to do one night out there on my own...... working on it

7Wannabe5
Posts: 9369
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:03 am

Re: Microadventures

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

As a near XNTP, I find that the adventures I get up to on my own in more INTP mode tend to be very tame, along the lines of "Let me make a list of all the species that inhabit or roam through my own backyard and determine their edibility." or "I shall read the 20 best-selling books from a year chosen at random." When I am more in my E but in the company of children, I tend towards organizing adventures for them. For instance, I taught my kids to read by making too difficult treasure hunts for them and I frequently let them run around naked with finger paints. In the company of other women (often my wild pack of younger sisters) I usually find myself in more mad-cap adventures that could easily serve as plot for episode of "I Love Lucy" as in "Remember the time we were hitch-hiking to the roller-skating rink on the 4th of July..." or "Remember the time we were hiking in Alaska and we had to sing John Denver songs to scare away the bears." In the company of boys/men (I am 49 so 35 years of this kind of thing now-lol), I persistently find myself in adventures that leave me questioning my sanity after the fact when, of course, I would be better served questioning my judgment before the fact.

Anyways, one thing that puzzles me and perhaps speaks to the difference between INTJs and ENTPs is that I don't get how it is an adventure to quit your job if you secure an independent income first. Actually, I sort of get it. Probably, it is that you can have better adventures if you are mostly prepared rather than the kind of stupid because ill-prepared adventures I often find myself having over and over again. Like if I tell myself it's ultimately more boring to be ill-prepared then I might be more motivated towards preparation.

pka222
Posts: 81
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 1:09 am

Re: Microadventures

Post by pka222 »

We do microadventures often- they used to be off trail overnights in the back country, but now they include a one year old- so its a walk through the bush to a waterfall, or a over night at a beach we drive to. As a learning tool for the baby its awesome to have random variety in the week, and for me it keeps things fresh and fun.

User avatar
TheWanderingScholar
Posts: 650
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:04 am

Re: Microadventures

Post by TheWanderingScholar »

I might be doing microadventures more often. I just got back from two-day trip in New York. It was the first time I was traveling alone and first time I had been to New York.
Planned very little but I was enjoyable.

Post Reply