Skip to main content

Finding Adventure In A Google-Mapped World

Technology has made our world a smaller place, a place less mysterious and perilous. Where once one had to travel to see a destination, now we simply look it up and look at pictures. This is both an advantage and a loss, and I'll try to explain in the paragraphs that follow. 

Gone are the days of grand adventure, of heading off into the unknown. While it is true one can set off on a small, personal adventure, you're never too far away from information that can remove obstacles and inconveniences from your path, but remember those things are part of the path, and to remove them removes at least some of the adventure. 

So, what to do?

I suggest doing what technology regularly does: miniaturize. 

Get to know your local area. You may think you already know it, but a few minutes of online research will have you raising your eyebrows. For example, I recently learned an old bridge just a short distance from home holds the distinction of being the oldest bridge still in use in the county in which I live, and 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of its opening. (I wanted to hold a small bridgefest to celebrate but this damn pandemic...)

Go smaller. Take a walk in nature, either a trail or even a landscaped park. Note the sounds you hear, the animals you see. Consider the things you don't see, such as two males of the same species of insect battling for dominance and the right to mate. Birds calling back and forth to one another, conversing in a language we may never understand. Look closely at stones and fallen leaves to find worlds of color, texture, and tone. 

If you want a real adventure, do the above with a kid by your side. My young son makes an adventure of even the most ordinary day!

Don't limit yourself to daylight hours. Venturing out at night is extraordinary. Yes, the mosquitoes will eat you alive in summer, but it's worth it. Once, in our own backyard, my son and I witnessed a large owl swoop down from a tree and take a rodent for a meal at dusk. Such moments make for memories that persist. 

Now get out there and make memories!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Regarding Keeslyn

In January 2020, a young lady named Keeslyn Roberts disappeared from a fuel station near my home. The case remains unsolved. This post will examine the actions, and lack thereof, of those in authority, and how this contributes to the case remaining unsolved. But first, a little backstory. As a teen, I lived in the same neighborhood as the Roberts family. Keeslyn's father, Eric, is older than I, and I don't recall the two of us having much interaction. His sister, on the other hand, is the same age and we've been friends for over 40 years. It was she who told me about Keeslyn's disappearance and the family's frustrations with the lack of police action. To learn more of the specifics of the case, numerous podcasts and news stories are available online. To my understanding, the police reaction to the disappearance has thus far been little to no reaction. After no word from his daughter for several days, Eric went to the fuel station where her car was parked. He th...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Willowdale Bridge

During my childhood, when I-75 was a divided four lane and Highway 41 was still the main road through town and smaller roads snaked over and between the hills, the Willowdale bridge crossed Mill Creek along one of those side streets. That is, until The Day The Truck Tried To Cross. On that day in the late 70s, a truck driver tried to drive too large a truck over too small a bridge, causing a collapse and putting the truck in the creek below. My dad insisted we go have a look, so into the car and on the way we went.  It was quite a sight for my young eyes and the memory still feels fresh. My wife, who lived nearby, remembers the event well, as I suppose all who saw it did.  Willowdale is also the site of a train derailment many years ago. Here's the story as told by Norman Blake: The bridge was decommissioned long ago and has fallen into disrepair. A walking trail has replaced the road, but the remains of the bridge still stand.
Post a Comment
Read more

Progress!

In a previous post, I mentioned I have resumed writing. It's good therapy and a fine creative release. Here's an update on my efforts: I've completed one story and submitted it to the William Faulkner Literary Competition. It's a short piece and I don't expect anything to come of it, but I'm pleased with the story and submission. A new short story has been started, a ghost story set in the South. This is quite natural, as I'm a Southerner who loves a good ghost story. It's set in a nearby town with Civil War history. What began as a short story is now looking more like a novel. The idea is simple but as I was making notes, it dawned on me that this is much more than a short story. I plan to finish the aforementioned story before jumping into the longer piece. Lastly, I'm taking notes furiously as ideas come. I'm very much enjoying the return to writing. Unlike during previous attempts to write, I...
Post a Comment
Read more