I like adventure, but the easy kind. Tiny travel adventures. As long as I see something new or spend time in the splendor of nature, I’m readily amused.
It took me a while to figure out that not every travel excursion has to be a big, extended, cash-out-the-401k kind of trip. Turns out there’s plenty of adventure closer to home, within a day or two drive.
I argued this point recently with friends. One is thru-hiking on the PCT. Another is bicycling across the Rockies. A third couple is boating around the Great Loop. All of them are intrepid explorers, to be admired for gumption if nothing else.
These adventurers are willing to commit vast swaths of their time, test physical endurance to the limit, and risk failure in a spectacular way.
Me? I’ll be home by Friday. Relaxed and smiling, with a memory card full of photos. And I only drove a few hundred miles round-trip.
I live in the center of the country, where it’s easy to pick any direction and hop in the motorhome for a little adventure. But no matter where you reside, I bet there’s something you’ve never seen before within reach. Just a few days out and back. Think tiny travels and see what you can find.
Over in Arkansas I dug for gems at Crater of Diamonds State Park, then soaked in a mineral bath at Hot Springs National Park.
In northern Georgia I found the world’s best junkyard at Old Car City, and saw seven states from Rock City atop Lookout Mountain.
Those brown tourist signs on the interstate can lead you to some unexpected places. Like the lost capitol of the Cherokee Nation (New Echota), or the miniature villages built by a monk in Cullman, Alabama (Saint Bernard Abbey).
Record-breaking heat one autumn caused me to flee north. That’s when I discovered the charm of Ohio’s islands in Lake Erie. Put-In-Bay has now become a favorite destination. It’s reachable only by ferry (RVs welcome!) and has a lovely state park campground.
A wintry weekend found me at the Monster Truck Show in Lexington, Kentucky. It was a quick overnight trip, but a truckload of fun. (Earplugs recommended!)
Lots of small, easy trips fill my calendar now. Instead of saving up for one big African safari, I’ve been on a dozen little adventures closer to home. I might never see a rhinoceros in the wild, but I can show you pictures of rodeo cowboys, Elvis’ birthplace, and the rocky shores of Lake Michigan.
So here’s your challenge to think small and find adventure in unusual places. Take a day, take a week, and go find something new.
See you down the road!
Written by Richena Holbert of TheFlyingMantis.com
All Photo Credits © Richena Holbert
