Adventures

I think I got my spirit for adventure from my parents. As a kid we traveled by car twice a year from our home in North Carolina to our extended family in Pennsylvania. This annual trip conditioned me for car travel but it also provided me a twice annual trip to somewhere to explore.

We would explore natural springs by four wheeler or just wander across the field with cows behind my grandparents house. Sometimes I’d just wander through the woods exploring streams or go off and eat the wild blueberries, raspberries, and mulberries.

But my parents also made sure I was involved in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Indian Guides. I attended summer camps and multiple camping trips every year. While I’m no expert on knots I did get comfortable sleeping outside, sometimes even just in the backyard. I also learned to appreciate the social comradery that comes from a trip with friends and family.

Fast forward to today and my wife and I are always preparing for our next adventure. Generally that means heading out away from the distractions of daily life and exploring somewhere new. Sometimes that’s an urban trip but more often it’s rural. While this often can be paired with an off-roading trip, camping, or photography sometimes even if it’s just a day trip.

When I’m on business travel I like to get out and explore the area I’m in too. When she can my wife joins me. She joined me on a business trip to Alabama once and we explored nearby Tennessee while we were there. One time on a trip through Utah I managed to squeeze in a day tackling the slickrock of Moab in a rented Jeep! In 2018 I found myself in New Mexico a lot. I explored every bit of that state that I could manage often to the bewilderment of my coworkers. I twice stayed the weekend in California so I could meet a friend and go snowmobiling near Lake Tahoe!

But we also explore closer to home here on the east coast as well. Whether it’s a trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a weekend trip to see family in Pennsylvania, or a camping trip in one of the nearby National and State Forests. We always take time to go find things we haven’t seen, even if it’s just a trip on the local dirt roads, taking turns we’re not familiar with.