Find Compatible Outdoor Buddies
Finding Outdoor Love Language - Part III
Okay, now that you have Marie Kondo'd Your Adventures and identified your Outdoor Love Language it is time to make a commitment to yourself to have more compatible outdoor adventures for 2023. The goal is to enhance your time during adventures and to increase your feelings of well-being and safety in the outdoors. Does that sound good? Then let's get started.
You are the key for more compatibility in adventure and adventure buddies. In Part I and Part II of this series I have referenced the idea of the journey over the destination. We will use a hike for our examples here. If you and a friend were planning a hike you would will talk about the trail location, the miles and the elevation. (or you will now). The journey and how you move through the trail, miles and elevation is an important thing to consider.
So first, what is the goal of the hike? It may be just to get to the look out and back. Then it may be more than that. Are you wanting to just get outside amongst the trees? If so, that can be accomplished in many ways. Is there a cardio element to the hike you want to achieve? Or do you want to be kept busy or challenge yourself in the outdoors Or do you feel like being busy and you just want to do that outside? These questions can determine what hike you decide on or your approach to a hike you have already selected.
The second aspect to consider in a hike is the pace. Yes, let's agree on this before we head out. You may want to know if this group hike may turn into a bunch of solo hikes. And if you are solo hiking you may make different choices for yourself as you select a hike. Do you feel like hiking fast that day or just doing a leisurely stroll? Just because you can hike fast may not mean you want to hike fast for every hike. Your pace could have many stops and be open to exploring like the Naturalist. Or do you want to have more conversation throughout the journey like the Connector. Or it could be fast and furious like the Victor.
The third item for consideration is what are you going to do at the end of the hike. Taking into account what you are planning for the end of this hike is just as important as the hike itself. Sometimes on fast paced hikes the time spent after can be the only time you can connectSometimes on fast paced hikes after can be the only time you can connect. If that is what you want, talk about what you and your hiking buddy have time and desire to do after a hike so you can set your expectations. It's like your lover immediately leaving after when you were hoping to cuddle. Or someone dining and dashing when you thought you were getting to spend the evening with them. The way that you depart can taint everything that came before so it is good to be on the same page.
Outdoor Goal
Just Be Outside
Rest & Reset
Healing
Move Your Body
Do Something Epic
To Give Back
Challenge Myself
Take in the Beauty of Nature
To Connect
Phones out for amazing IG posts
Outdoor Pace
A-Z fast as possible
Touch every mossy rock and meander
Conversational Pace
Flow of Traffic (group pace)
Capture Everything
Competition
Cardio
Journey Centered
Destination Centered
Gentle Stroll
A Sit
After the Hike
A Quick Stretch
Take the Long Way Home
Ice Cream or IPAs in Cascade Locks
Share a Meal After
Lay On the Floor & Reminisce
Peace Out & Back to the Real World
After Care: hot tub soak, massage, long stretching
No eye contact and a awkward good-bye
As long as you do not create harm to nature, others and acknowledge who land you are on, there is no wrong or right way to be in the outdoors. These tools are to support you having the best and most fulfilling time as you adventure. Like any good relationship this is a foundation to have more conversation. To be able to have language for where you are at and what you are looking for during outings. Perhaps your current adventure buddy isn't the right fit for you but there are so many birds in the forest.
Remember that you can change what you feel like doing from hike to hike. We are not the same person everyday so our outdoor adventure experience doesn't have to be the same either.
