I got sick last week. Like really sick. Can’t even think about opening up my computer sick. 

As I’ve been forcibly bedridden, I’ve had a lot of time to consider my next steps forward after Praxis. From the beginning I knew it was going to be adventuring. In my mind–primarily overseas. My motivation behind that desire is to learn and observe as much as I can. Cultivating a unique understanding of the world around me.

Today I am here to write a thought stream about my call to adventure, after my program ends in April. 

Rewinding Two Weeks…

One of the exercises we did on a recent cohort call left me with a startling takeaway. At the beginning of the program we had an assignment to “Self Author Our Future Careers”. The idea was to clearly identify what we do and don’t want 1, 5, and 10 years in the future. Taking in account internal attitudes, work life, and personal life.

Here’s a small blurb I wrote from “A future I do want“:

“I see every time I have stepped out of my comfort zone as an achievement and investment towards my future.”

In the context of my upcoming mystery trip, this was a much needed reminder. Funnily enough, from myself. I have built up healthy callouses towards discomfort. But it’s interesting to think about it as an investment and has helped retrain my brain to think of the financial aspect or trips as an investment as well.

Now that we only have three more months of Praxis, I have been (happily) overwhelmed at what to do first. Where to go, how long to go, what to do at that location, how complicated to make it, what to be aware of, how much money to spend. My general consensus was always: trips are awesome. But they’re just that. Trips. You always have to come home, and always have to be concerned about spending. Stopping to make money before you can go out again. It feels like a bit of a chain, and not fully aligned with me.

I have been more pulled to a lifestyle of travel. There’s a difference. Within this, I have been thinking of many ways to sustainably make my lifestyle a reality. Studio Two Fifty being one of them, but that’s for another day. 

A Different Calling

I have an uncle who’s, most notably, an adventurer at heart. He used to be an avid backpacker, and has spent time hiking all over America. Even telling me recently that he used to have a backpacking business. Which was news to me. As a child, he spent a lot of time taking my sister and I on “adventures”. Kayaking rivers, hiking in the woods, mountain biking, and cross country skiing, to name a few.

A mix of things prompted this, but I have recently felt a need to ask him to teach me backpacking. I’m interested in going on my own and learning to be proficient in navigating the outdoors. I feel that there’s something there for me. So I recently went out to get fitted for and buy my own pack. Which is fun and exciting. Knowing that this one item will be used for so many adventures in the future signifies something for me.

I have liked the idea of backpacking because it gives me the opportunity to experience travel in a completely different way. Slowly. Quietly. Every experience has its place. Yet, it is incredibly challenging and rewarding. As I am working towards setting up systems for my desired lifestyle, I have been craving slow travel in a way that a young person’s budget doesn’t allow for. I can get on a plane and go on a pretty decent trip (est. ~8mo-1yr). But I don’t enjoy the idea of draining most of my savings for it.

Through this bout of sickness the one thing that has been attracting me most has been long distances. Not even about finishing them or the achievements, metals, and lists to be on. I just want space to walk. I want to be out for a long time. Giving me time to disconnect. 

(Do you remember the last time you were without your phone for a long period of time? Who are you without it?)

A Turn of Events

Within backpacking I have found that there are many different subsets of people. The lightweight packers, the heavy packers, the “swift” people who will do 30+ mi/day, the people who kayak/canoe, short distance, long distance, high altitude, different climates, the people who go in big groups, the people who go completely solo. Small details make big differences when you only have 5 things with you in the woods. 

A long trek in the wilderness seems to be something my body is craving. Providing movement that will allow me to digest everything I have learned up to this point, and more clarity to my question of what’s coming next for me.

I have been spending time researching trails. Luckily for me, some of the best in the world are in America. Which is awesome. I am leaning towards attempting the Appalachian Trail. Which would take me from May-September, five months, to complete fully. In order to do this safely and effectively I have a lot to learn in the next three months, and a lot of conditioning to do to prepare myself for a journey like this.

As someone who was anticipating a trip halfway across the world, I now find myself wanting to walk, think, and digest before regrouping for more. Which is a thought that I would have never expected five months ago. My ultimate focus on taking the time to methodically set myself up with systems, instead of milestone trips.