rewilding #4 ‘microadventures’

I’ve been obsessing about the concept of microadventures after listening to an interview with Alastair Humphreys (rode his bike around the world for 4 years…) who chatted about the endless possibilities for outdoor adventure in small units of experience. This can be before, after, instead of, or in preparation for bigger adventures.

The extreme measures taken thus far to rewild myself don’t feel very micro. Four months ago I gave up almost everything and went to India for 3 weeks. Four days ago I returned from Utah after spending 6 weeks agonizing about what to do next. I’ll stop here and say that I am grateful for the opportunity to be consciously uncomfortable. 

Calling one human at a time to co-create a microadventure. I have finally come to accept that I prefer the intimacy a one-to-one experience with another human offers. You can’t hide (by ‘you’ I mean ‘I’), and so the depth of vulnerability and connection are readily accessible. This is especially palpable within the silent moments that are awkward or not awkard depending on one’s friendship level with silence. 

What is a microadventure? Alastair says they are “adventures that are short, simple, local, cheap – yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding.” The only thing other parameter that I ask of willing co-creators (beyond one, maybe two at a time) is that our microadventures are outside. 

xoxo amrutaa (pronounced umm-rit-aah or Mary)
photo: 6am outside of a tent, just before climbing Tachycardia in Maple Canyon, Utah