A couple of months ago, we talked about planning and scheduling adventures for ourselves like we do bill payments and doctor appointments. I was excited – I had a great list ready to go. Then wham! COVID-19 hit the stage and we were all hit with circumstances beyond our control – quarantine, home schooling, trail closures, layoffs, etc. Circumstances like this could leave us feeling a little bummed about the whole idea of planning adventures this year. Our lists were just reminders of all the things that we couldn’t do. It was heartbreaking.

Now what? Without a doubt, many items on your list may have to wait until next year. Even though trails and parks are reopening, events have been cancelled and there are still a lot of restrictions. However, this also provides us a great opportunity to get creative. Do some research and explore new or different adventures that you may not have considered or even thought about before.

So, how do we “remodel” our lists for this year? Start with exploring the places and adventures that have reopened on your 2020 list. Look at the restrictions and reopening plans before shuffling them to 2021. Once that’s done, try some of the items listed below.

● Take a walk down that dirt road or trail you drive past every day (you just might find an old mine and check off a Bingo square like I did!)

● Consult your trail apps or local trail groups for ALL of the trails in your area and try a local trail you have skipped over before. Be sure to read the comments if they’re available. People share important information about trail condition, terrain, elevation, water availability, and what times are less crowded.

● Join trail groups or park associations in the area that plan to visit for current information.

● Don’t put that new bike you bought during quarantine away! Instead, make it a part of your new adventures by seeking out bike trails and events.

● Take stock of the new and exciting activities that you discovered during quarantine with your family and incorporate those into your adventures.

● Consider hitting the local trails at a different time of day or even in a different season. The small differences can provide a whole new experience.

● If air travel was a part of your adventure and you’re not quite ready to tackle that yet, consider throwing some gear in the car and taking a road trip. Maybe go for the day or the weekend to someplace new that’s not too far away.

Adventures can still happen, even now. They may be a little different than what you had originally planned, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t still be great! My adventure list is currently being remodeled. Are you ready to start remodeling yours?

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