The words Queen Bee conjure in my brain a single-minded bee, buzzing around more sedate bees, going here and there, owning the hive. That’s me. I buzz around endlessly, exploring, hiking, camping, paddling, bird-watching. The hive that I own is the mosaic of ecosystems called North America. The honey I seek is simply knowing, seeing, and experiencing new sights and new cultures.
Some people watch my endless buzzing and wonder. Why? What is the point? To which I answer, if you wonder why, then this life is not for you. Others say-especially when I pick up and move yet again-that people should root down in one place or the other.My mother even said once, when I told her about moving, that I can’t go running around all over. Conventional wisdom says that if you are a desert guy, stay in the desert. If you are a mountain gal, stay there. A southerner? Stay there. Become a part of that place, be that place. That works for many, maybe most people, but not me. The urge for adventure in ingrained. I am convinced that a person is born with such urges and that our life experiences may reinforce and develop this innate desire. I started adventuring in the 1960s, as a girl visiting my journalist dad in New York City for Christmas and Easter and on Long Island for the summer. My dad loved adventure and, recognizing the gene in me, dragged me along on his own little journeys. I blame him for that, for my writing instinct, and many other traits that I do not like so much.
I also hear others say, how? How do you just go flying off into the unknown, by yourself? Now that is a question I can answer more clearly the how of it all. Here are my tips about how to become an adventure seeker, IF you already have the buzzing bee syndrome and need a little shove off the diving board.
Confront Fear- If you cannot face your fears, you may not have the call to adventure in your genes! You must not dwell on bad guys, mountains lions, flat tires, and poisonous snakes. You must let go of that insidious manifestation of fear, the “What If” questions. What if I fall? What if I get muddy? What if I don’t know anyone? What if I get lost. I take care of the what ifs by being prepared. Sorry to sound like a former Cub Scout leader, but it is the truth. Be prepared. You do not need to go overboard like I do, but be prepared for whatever you fear. For example, because I am a klutz, I worry about falling while hiking alone in areas with no cell phone service. I bought an expensive personal locator beacon, which sends a signal up to weather satellites. That signal goes out to search and rescue who come and find you. I also worry about the collapse of western civilization while I am out birding, so I have a “Bug Out” bag filled with survival supplies, including a high-tech sling shot
Listen to Your Instincts: I prefer to wander and camp during the week in areas with no one else around. However, I also camp around other adventurers and in campgrounds, especially on a long distance road trip. I always cruise the area and scope out the people and their setups. I turn on my internal instinct meter and if it generates even a small beep, I move on. I know who looks scary. I know that I want peace and quiet, so I don’t camp next to families or college kids. Some thing applies to city travel.
Go: That’s right, just go. Stop sitting at home day-dreaming. Go! Get out there, one buzzy adventure at a time, say out to the local reservoir or state park. Take a day trip to explore antique shops in a small town nearby. Then take another, and another and another, a bit further each time. STRETCH your boundaries. Before long you will be strolling down the streets of San Francisco or setting up camp in an isolated section of the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming.
Know your limits: This ugly truth affects us all, at any age: we have limits. I have never been able to climb Pikes Peak or Mt. McKinley, so I never tried. I donated to an all women’s expedition to Mt. Everest instead, helping a group of women who could and did make summiting mountains their adventure. I tried to run in 5Ks, but I hurt too much afterwards. On the other hand, I am a good swimmer and head for lakes and rivers.
Learn how to Rest, Regroup, and Resolve – if something unexpected happens or you push the limits and are in a pickle, follow my 3 Rs: rest, regroup, and resolve. Are you lost in Chicago and afraid? Unable to continue a journey down a river because it is blocked by windfall? Any situation can take a quick turn for the worse. Take a seat and rest. Let your breathing return to normal. Think about your situation, consider the events that got you to your situation and regroup calmly. Then, look over all your options, and pick one that will likely resolve the situation. Most recently I used the 3Rs while on a river trip and after spraining my ankle in Downtown Denver.
Research and Read – Know where you are going. Know what you want to do before you leave. Download maps, and books. Look at Google Maps and Google Earth images. Before you leave, know where to shop, where to camp, where to buy supplies. Know alternative places to overnight for when your instinct meter goes off. I have piles of maps and books at home, such as Camping in Wyoming and Camping with the Corps of Engineers. Buy a Kindle or other tablet where you can research online while traveling. I have many camping, travel, and field guides on my Kindle and use them often. Subscribe to blogs whose writers have similar interests. Collect as much knowledge and information as possible about your destinations; first aid; and, if you go into the wilderness, how to survive.
So there you have it: five basic tips for becoming an adventurer. All five apply, whether you seek wide open spaces in the boonies or love to wander in the big cities. Now, time to get buzzing again. Summer doesn’t last long in North Dakota!
