I cannot remember not being a seeker of adventure, of new experiences, of stories beyond the norms of regular life. Even in Junior High whether it was reading Hardy Boys books, getting to know the opposite sex, or going on my first canoe trip - the goal was exploration of something I did not know and needed to discover. I love the outdoors and grew up alongside a winding river that called my name in whatever the season. It was there I learned to play and to explore in God's creation. Whether it was the construction of tree houses & forts, or stalking small animals or birds, or constructing a mountain bike trail - I knew I was meant to be alive in nature.
I've had many adventures since those early days in Riverside. I've ice-climbed in the Adirondack Mountains in NY, whitewater kayaked many rivers in Manitoba, Ontario, North Carolina & Tennessee, and I've skied in Western Canada's Rockies & in the Chic Chocs of Quebec. I have traveled overseas to Israel and swam in Lake Galilee, the Dead Sea & the Red Sea. I peered into the Devil's Throat of the Iguazu Falls in Brazil & Argentina. I've had the pleasure of scuba-diving with sharks & explored wrecks in the Caribbean. Yet there are so many more places I would love to explore and travel to.
Early on this week, I spent an afternoon cross-country skiing in the Sandilands and I couldn't resist wandering off the groomed trail. I pushed some boundaries, ones I knew better than to push. I came close to spending a night in -20 celsius conditions without a flashlight or a source for fire because of a misjudgment of how much longer it would take in such deep snow. I had food, water and good clothing but it would not have been an easy night. Thankfully, I found my way back (before nightfall) eventually to where I wanted to be.
G
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