Adventure's Death?

[Incognito]

     When I think of adventure, one definition comes to mind:an exciting or dangerous experience.  I look around in the world and I feel adventure, based off this definition, is nonexistent.  I feel this because nearly all land on Earth has been explored, and technological advancements diminish the effect of the unknown.  

    To me, history books clearly show adventure especially when dealing with colonial America.  If you look at the life of a settler (not going to discuss religious reasons on settling), nothing was definite and everything was the moment.  The potential of the vast amounts of land was obviously on their minds, but survival was their main priority.   Just surviving may seem boring to some, except cultivating a foreign land to actually thrive clearly demonstrates adventure. There were also endless opportunities in the New World just waiting for that one adventurer to seize the moment and live life. In that time period there was always unknown all around them, yet they strove to advance because adventurous people are the ones to actually benefit society. Even looking years ahead with the Louisiana Purchase, how lucky were Louis and Clark to explore the untamed lands in their expedition.  Surely they thought at times death was near, though, they kept exploring due to the pure excitement of their journey.  They faced death to live life, what a way to live.

     Technology seems to be a welcomed disease into this world.  Everything seems to bring us together, but yet I feel, we as a people, have never been further apart in these last few years.  I'm not saying reconnecting with people that have been long forgotten is a bad thing, it's just that human interaction is on the decline.  Human interaction helped form that adventure that I'm so desperately seeking.  I think of the times when people would drop everything to help another or change plans if, for example, a relative rolled into town, and that leads me to think to myself, "Are we like that?" In my opinion, no.  Being a phone call away is tearing adventure apart because before that people had to go out and seek each other, and sadly, that alone seems adventurous in today's world.  If that's adventure, then what truly is adventure?  

     Adventure, when I think about it, is dead.  I might be wrong, I might not be, but having only eighteen years of life drastically cuts down on my knowledge.  Perhaps I am wrong, and true adventure is finding your passion in life and who you truly are.  

 

     Anyways, I don't know, I was bored and felt like writing a little something, and going on adventures like Huck Finn is whats been on my mind.  I tried to keep it short and it's probably not the best, but I'd love to discuss your views on life to try to better understand it in general.  Leave a comment and help me find adventure.  Please, I beg you.  

    

[A-Jay]

^{Perhaps you haven’t lived quite long enough to realize it yet, but Life Is an Adventure.}

 

^{You have no way of knowing where you’re going to end up or how you’re going to get there.}

 

^{Despite any & all planning, life has a way of putting numerous forks in the road.  The choices you make often dictate the path you follow.  Other times, Life just happens.  But that’s where in the adventure lies . . . . .}

 

^{So hold on tight my friend, Life comes at you fast and it’s almost always a pretty bumpy ride.}

 

^A-Jay

 

[SirSnookalot]

As far as technology goes I'm not giving up indoor plumbing.

There are lots of people that seek adventure in this day and age.  I have sister 65 years old, she's been a triathlete, competitive biker, she's into kayaking now and did 5 week river run with another 65 year old woman in Alabama last year.  She has back packed the 4 corners of the world over the last 40 years, being a widow at times she had 3 kids in tow.  From the jungles in South America to the Andes, Southeast Asia, India, Middle East, all over the USA and places I can't remember.  She always has a new adventure she is about to embark on.   She could care less about indoor plumbing.

[Lund Explorer]

In all of recorded history, when an adventurer took on the task of exploration, that same person ran into others who were already living there!

 

Captains Louis and Clark found absolutely nothing that hadn't been discovered by someone else before that trip.  Not only were there Native Americans living along their route of travel, they lived with them, traded with them, and hired them as guides.  Their biggest accomplishment was not discovery, but was the mapping out of trade routes with those same peoples so that they could compete against the other Europeans who had already made inroads into that territory. 

 

SirSnookalot's sister is the perfect example of the modern adventurer.  What sounds like a never ending quest to discover people, places, and cultures that anyone can read about, but so few of us experience.  A very lucky lady indeed.

[Fishing Rhino]

Adventure is any new experience through which one acquires personal knowledge.  If it's new to you, it's an adventure. 

 

A perfect example is bucket lists.  These are things individuals would like to do/experience before they pass away into eternity.

 

I agree with A-Jay.  Life is an adventure.

 

If you truly think adventure is dead, I feel badly for you.

[A-Jay]

Additionally, and perhaps equally as interesting as the OP's initial post; is the average age of the first four humans who chose to respond to it.

 

 

“Life is uncharted territory. It reveals its story one moment at a time.”

 

A-Jay

[Incognito]

     I totally understand were you are all coming from, but I just don't know if I'm not understanding it or if my logic is flawed.  Maybe I do get it, perhaps I just don't understand that I get it yet, though?  Help.

     I can see how you think life is an adventure all in its self because of the unpredictability and twists fate has in store for us.  Life, to me, is finding out who you truly are, which would relate back to one of the final things I stated.  We're mostly in control of our own life, so if that's the case, we're "creating or destroying" ourselves.  

     Hiking in different areas in the world is a way to find oneself.  That, not trying to be mean here but I wish I could do that too, is not adventure because everything is planned.  I guess I never really clarified this in the original post, but adventure has no back-up plan or expected outcome (I know life is like this). The way I see adventure is that one day a person drops everything and just goes, where, I don't know. They set out on a "quest" and they explore and do things people never expect and become legends in the history books.  An adventure is something that can easily be written about, and that is one of my main goals, to go on an epic "trek" and simply put what I experienced in a book.

   

    Correct me if I'm wrong or If you don't quite understand.  I ran out of time typing this because I had to leave so it may be a bit ambiguous.  

[Incognito]

     Life has to be played, adventure doesn't.  Adventure is part of life, only true adventure is sought, not found.

[flyfisher]

Survival and adventure are different to me.  I have had plenty of adventure in my life and am constantly searching for more.  It's all there, you just have to be willing to go for it.  I remember when i was in college we would go camping for a weekend with nothing more than a knife and one match, just to see if we could do it and we did just fine  

 

If you think adventure is dead then you are the one to blame, not anything else.  Get out there and do something  

[Sam]

Hit the Louisiana swamps and bayous to fish and camp.

Just have an emergency plan in case you meet some of the critters that live down there.

The place is beautiful and the fishing is sensational.

Only problem is that you will be bait for some of the creatures.

But you said you wanted adventure.

Then, take a day at the end of the trip and hit the French Quarter that night.

See if you live through that adventure!

[Lund Explorer]

     I totally understand were you are all coming from, but I just don't know if I'm not understanding it or if my logic is flawed.  Maybe I do get it, perhaps I just don't understand that I get it yet, though?  Help.

     I can see how you think life is an adventure all in its self because of the unpredictability and twists fate has in store for us.  Life, to me, is finding out who you truly are, which would relate back to one of the final things I stated.  We're mostly in control of our own life, so if that's the case, we're "creating or destroying" ourselves.  

     Hiking in different areas in the world is a way to find oneself.  That, not trying to be mean here but I wish I could do that too, is not adventure because everything is planned.  I guess I never really clarified this in the original post, but adventure has no back-up plan or expected outcome (I know life is like this). The way I see adventure is that one day a person drops everything and just goes, where, I don't know. They set out on a "quest" and they explore and do things people never expect and become legends in the history books.  An adventure is something that can easily be written about, and that is one of my main goals, to go on an epic "trek" and simply put what I experienced in a book.

   

    Correct me if I'm wrong or If you don't quite understand.  I ran out of time typing this because I had to leave so it may be a bit ambiguous.  

 

Sorry, I can't agree with this idea until you can provide me proof that such historical legends exist. 

 

I have a copy of the Michigan Edition - Monteith's Comprehensive Geography published in the late 1880's.  In this book, most of the globe is laid out for the reader with a fairly accurate description of the land, and all that goes into it, until you reach Africa "The Dark Continent!"   The map in this case contains a large portion shaded a darker grey.  An area where no man has supposedly gone, with the exception of several reference points.  Those being listed: "As Found By Stanley!"  We're aren't talking about Spencer Tracy in the movie Stanley & Livingstone, but the real in the flesh William M Stanley. 

 

And I don't agree with Mr. Monteith's assumption either.  Stanley may have been the first white man to stumble on these points of interest, but he certainly wasn't the first human to set foot there, and he didn't go it alone either.  Unless those native guides and porters didn't count.

[Incognito]

Sorry, I can't agree with this idea until you can provide me proof that such historical legends exist. 

 

I have a copy of the Michigan Edition - Monteith's Comprehensive Geography published in the late 1880's.  In this book, most of the globe is laid out for the reader with a fairly accurate description of the land, and all that goes into it, until you reach Africa "The Dark Continent!"   The map in this case contains a large portion shaded a darker grey.  An area where no man has supposedly gone, with the exception of several reference points.  Those being listed: "As Found By Stanley!"  We're aren't talking about Spencer Tracy in the movie Stanley & Livingstone, but the real in the flesh William M Stanley. 

 

And I don't agree with Mr. Monteith's assumption either.  Stanley may have been the first white man to stumble on these points of interest, but he certainly wasn't the first human to set foot there, and he didn't go it alone either.  Unless those native guides and porters didn't count.

 

     A land can have people living there, but it's technically not discovered until a world power explores it.  America, for example, had natives living there for many years, and the land was "not" discovered and explored until it was searched for and recorded.  Until then, it was nonexistent.   The explorers from the "world power" are the ones credited for the discovery despite being lived upon for many years by natives.  Even with the help of the natives it is still considered the explorer's adventure, nothing else. They're the ones that get remembered and written about.

 

     I'm not arguing, I'm just trying to better understand this.  Also, I apologize for what I said, "The way I see adventure is that one day a person drops everything and just goes, where, I don't know. They set out on a "quest" and they explore and do things people never expect and become legends in the history books."  That was a bit of an exaggeration on my part. 

 

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Americas were found when trying to sail around the world to reach India?  If that is true, then the New World "never existed" until it was explored.  

 

   I also thank you for taking interest in the topic and trying to open my eyes.

[PaulSD1984]

Im not much for adventures but i do love to think of all the unexplored parts of the world and there are loads of unproven theories that i love reading about. Do you have any idea how much of the inside of the earth is unexplored? there are loads of massive, gigantic, huge cave systems that have yet to be mapped. Get into rock climbing and there are tons of adventures there just waiting to happen. There are even some cave systems that no one is allowed to enter or explore, kinda a bummer really. 

[Lund Explorer]

     A land can have people living there, but it's technically not discovered until a world power explores it.  America, for example, had natives living there for many years, and the land was "not" discovered and explored until it was searched for and recorded.  Until then, it was nonexistent.   The explorers from the "world power" are the ones credited for the discovery despite being lived upon for many years by natives.  Even with the help of the natives it is still considered the explorer's adventure, nothing else. They're the ones that get remembered and written about.

 

     I'm not arguing, I'm just trying to better understand this.  Also, I apologize for what I said, "The way I see adventure is that one day a person drops everything and just goes, where, I don't know. They set out on a "quest" and they explore and do things people never expect and become legends in the history books."  That was a bit of an exaggeration on my part. 

 

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Americas were found when trying to sail around the world to reach India?  If that is true, then the New World "never existed" until it was explored.  

 

   I also thank you for taking interest in the topic and trying to open my eyes.

 

I have always had an interest in the subject, but I also take a more critical view of some of these so-called discoveries.  I will agree that when a world power discovers something that it is called a discovery.  The only question is what they discovered, and for whom did they discover it for?  Too many times in history, the word discovery becomes the reasoning behind that country's desire to build an empire at the cost of the people living in these "discovered" lands.  The mere fact that our country is the result of this behavior should be irrelevant. 

 

Regarding your question about the discovery of the Americas.  You may want to study up on the history of Viking expansion.  From their own homelands towards Iceland, Eric the Red's expulsion pushing him to settle in Greenland.  Evidence has shown that they explored the North American continent long before Columbus, and it makes me wonder why this didn't lead to colonization. 

 

I think we just need to accept the fact that the age of discovery you seem to question has passed. 

[Incognito]

Im not much for adventures but i do love to think of all the unexplored parts of the world and there are loads of unproven theories that i love reading about. Do you have any idea how much of the inside of the earth is unexplored? there are loads of massive, gigantic, huge cave systems that have yet to be mapped. Get into rock climbing and there are tons of adventures there just waiting to happen. There are even some cave systems that no one is allowed to enter or explore, kinda a bummer really. 

 

     I'd love to rock climb but I don't think I can.  I had a grade four shoulder separation and had to have a surgery to fix it.  I don't think the results are what the doctor thought would happen.  In other words, I'm thinking I'll need another surgery.  Also, I have a fear of heights because the first time I was on a Ferris wheel my dad thought it'd be funny to rock it and I was scared to death.

     Exploring underwater caves sounds cool, though. I'll have to check that out.  Thanks for the suggestion!  Maybe I'll find some pirate treasure...

[flyfisher]

Also rock climbing isn't always the technical kind either.  there are plenty of routes out in the rockies that do not require vast amounts of gear and climbing expertise to complete.  Personally, i prefer the roped kind though and have had lots of adventure doing that  Nothing better than hiking in on a hunch because of how the topography of an area is laid out hoping there are cliffs and finding out there there are and then being the first person to ever climb them

[SirSnookalot]

I'm sure this can be done today, being a fishing site this may be a nice adventure.  Some 40 years ago I had a friend, very interesting fellow, among his many exploites he was a fishing guide in the Algoma region of Ontario. Being a veteran of ww2 I'm not sure he is still around, his name was Wight Cooke.

I wanted to go on a wilderness fishing trip with 2 friends, Wight drew me a map from memory of the area, it was perfect too.  We drove to Hawk Junction, Ont from Detroit, stopped at the Soo to pickup our canoe and tent at an outfitter.  We launched on the shore of Lake Anjigami, as none of us had any canoe experience we flipped it within the first few minutes, my clothes were damp for a week, lol.  Once we got the canoe down pat we paddled then portaged few a streams and lakes, don't really know how far off the main road we were.  Surprisingly each body of water held it's own species of fish, we finally get to a trout lake called Little Dozier.  Never watching a survival show on TV it's a wonder how we got back alive, but we fared pretty well.  Biggest mistake taking the trip over Memorial day, black fly season plus it snowed almost every night, the days were spectacular.  It was a little scary hearing all kinds of noises at night, so dark couldn't see your hand in front of your face.  Scariest part of the trip was a doe moose walking thru our campsite at daybreak.

I made the trip 2 more times with my same friends, it got easier.

[Lund Explorer]

In 1998 I was part of a group that was heading to a fishing outpost in the northern part of Ontario.  Halfway between Thessalon and Chapleau we stopped at a small grocery store/restaurant for lunch where I found a book written by George Theriault called "Trespassing in  God's Country".  One of the reason I purchased it was because the author's name was the same as the bush pilot who ran the resort we were headed to.  We arrived at this resort later that day and when I mentioned the book, I was told that the actual author, the resort owner's father would be there that evening.  I had the pleasure to spend several hours talking to this amazing gentleman.  When we flew out the next morning, I knew that I would spend my time off the water that week with my nose buried into his book. 

 

This man led a real life of adventure, from the time he was a young lad growing up near Timmins, Ontario, through his establishment of a series of outposts where he would fly-in hunters and fishermen in the Chapleau area all the way up along the shores of James and Hudson Bays.  He flew for the RCAF through WWII and during the post war years when the Canadian government was establishing their part of the Loran C navigation system.  He also flew many people tied to the mining industries, road construction crews, and even firefighters during some of the region's biggest wildfires.

 

If anyone wants to experience what life was like during the early to mid-20th century in the northern part of our continent I would highly recommend this book.  Whether he is flying or in one of the many camps he visited, the author has the ability to describe the scene so vividly that you can actually feel like you are right there with him.  This guy was an adventurer, and you have the chance to see what it was like to fly across the northern parts of Canada at a time when very few people had ever visited there.

[Fishing Rhino]

Any concerns that adventure has died vanish when you have kids.

[Scott F]

As an 18 year old, you are at the beginning of adulthood. You are ready to experience everything the world has to offer but want to blaze a new trail. I get that. One thing about young men is that they are not fully aware of their own mortality. They kind of believe that they are indestructible. That's one of the reasons that young men are sent off to fight our wars.

I'd guess you would like to live the movie version of adventure that you've been seeing your whole life. It probably doesn't exist the way you imagine it could. Don't let that stop you from looking for it, this is the time to try. Once you meet the woman you'll marry, and have kids, your goals will change forever. Keep you eyes open for the chance to explore. More often than not, you don't find the adventure, it finds you.

Maybe a stint with the armed forces will give you what you are looking for. Good luck, make the most of your youth, it will be gone before you know it.

[Incognito]

As an 18 year old, you are at the beginning of adulthood. You are ready to experience everything the world has to offer but want to blaze a new trail. I get that. One thing about young men is that they are not fully aware of their own mortality. They kind of believe that they are indestructible. That's one of the reasons that young men are sent off to fight our wars.

I'd guess you would like to live the movie version of adventure that you've been seeing your whole life. It probably doesn't exist the way you imagine it could. Don't let that stop you from looking for it, this is the time to try. Once you meet the woman you'll marry, and have kids, your goals will change forever. Keep you eyes open for the chance to explore. More often than not, you don't find the adventure, it finds you.

Maybe a stint with the armed forces will give you what you are looking for. Good luck, make the most of your youth, it will be gone before you know it.

 

     Trust me, I know I'm not indestructible.  I nearly lost my left leg after I broke it because of the way it broke.  The blood circulation was cut off and they were afraid to move it in fear of severing the artery... Makes you realize to live life to the fullest, which I'm having trouble doing, but yet I feel I'm closer than ever.

[Incognito]

     Not sure if this is adventure, but I'm finally working out after my shoulder surgery. Never really worked out before, so it's all really new.  The main reason I am, though, is to learn something that I have always wanted to do, parkour.