Shouldn’t you jump up on seeing this article on outdoor adventures to have regardless of your location this year? I believe that you should. After all, there’s a high chance you were one of the millions who put a stop to their hiking or camping plans in 2020.
This year already, Longwoods International claims that about 50% of the entire American population has staunchly decided not to travel until they get the Covid-19 vaccine. You may be one of these people too, and that’s nothing bad. But it may take people like us months to get this vaccine. It’s common knowledge that older & immunocompromised seniors, first responders & medical workers will get this vaccine before us. This surely sounds boring, but hey, I bring good tidings!
You don’t have to spend long months Netflixing at home. I’ve brought you a list of activities to get into just around you. Let’s see what these are below.
6 Outdoor Adventures to Have Regardless of Your Location This Year
How About a Meteor Shower?
There’s no guarantee you’re seeing a flying saucer, but it isn’t so difficult to see an ET parading the earth. I mean, every year, the earth receives as many as 84 000 meteorites, each of which is larger than 10 grams.
There are many more, but they can only be seen in a memorable flash of light as they burn up in the atmosphere. It is possible to catch a meteor in your backyard, but your surest bet is to explore the woods closest to your home during increased activity. Highlights of this year include August 12’s Perseids & December 14’s Geminids.
Watch So Many Wings Flap
North America is home to over 99 bird species — out of which you can sight at least 300 & some more regardless of your state. This year is called the “big year” and that’s just the perfect time to know the feathered flight takers in the sky. You can spend this year seeing as many varying species of wild birds as possible. All you need is a pair of good binoculars, a camera featuring zoom lens tech, an ear keen on bird calls, & a notebook for your observations.
Here’s a tip to start with: there’s an app called Merlin that makes it easier to identify bird species. All you do is enter the size, color, behavior & location of the bird in the app, and you get a few species that it could be.
Have You Redlined Before?
I’m assuming you’ve hiked every nearby trail since borders remain closed & flights grounded, but have you? Redlining an area means hiking all the trails without the borders of that area. And what’s the reward for redlining?
Nothing serious save for a couple of concealed (probably forgotten) treasures in your state or locality that I’m sure no guidebook or website can lead you to. Redline the old-school way. Get the paper maps for your local recreation centers, national forests & hunting grounds and start your redlining adventure. You can contact the local agency for the National Park Service & the US Forest Service for your maps. Slow down a bit, though, homebody. There’s no prize after the entire hike — except you’re making it to your community’s prepping Hall of Fame. That’s something, but your reward may just be the time you spend sweating on the trails.
Hey, Let’s Highpoint!
Highpointing can feel unfamiliar at first — but hey, you’re a prepper. Highpointers are individuals with the willpower & physical strength to reach the summit of the biggest mountains nearby, all the time obsessing over their checklist. That is, mountain climbing, to them, is like, a goal. They make a checklist of several mountains and ensure to climb them all. The easiest spots to begin are state highpoints, from the easier giants like the 345 FT Britton Hill at Florida to the life-list tops like the 20, 310 FT Denali in Alaska, and there are many more to add to your checklist.
If you’d prefer to remain close to home, you can hike in close high points. National forests & national parks also have high points, and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed if you go for an adventure in them. You can find out these locations on the County Highpointer’s website.
So Much to Forage…
Hey, what’s wrong with picking up some cattails while getting to know more of your local flora in a different manner — without Grubhub’s help, that is? Nothing, right? Well, what’s stopping you from getting into it? It can be difficult to get the AK 416 to use, but fortunately, you have no use for that or any firearm.
All you need to do to start is grab a couple of foraging handbooks when you start. These guidebooks will be crucial to your health, as the wild can be poisonous. I’ve heard that poisonous plants from the evil forest come around to wait for the next hapless Snow White. Don’t be that!
Stay up to date with local regulations and use your handbooks carefully. Often, weeds are an excellent choice to forage. They are easily found, grow just about anywhere, and plucking some for dinner helps the environment.
Note: Plant identification is crucial in foraging. Get updated handbooks before hitting the bush, or enroll for a course to improve your knowledge of plant ID.
Let’s Build Some Trails
Have you ever hiked a trail and thought of the builder? I do so often & wonder how it would have been if the trail was built this way or that way. Sometimes, I tell myself I’ll build one too & plaster my photograph all over it. Well, if you have such awesome thoughts, too, now’s the perfect time to bring them to reality. You can repair damaged trails, make improvements, or even build new ones (although you can’t do this alone). No tool or experience is needed. All it takes is basic fitness, as you’ll be moving a lot of logs & rocks and swinging hoes & mattocks. Check for opportunities through the American Hiking Society, National Park Service, or your local trail conservancy.
Concluding the Outdoor Adventures to Have Regardless of Your Location This Year
2021 does not have to be all about indoor fitness sessions & cooking improvements. Choose any of the above listed outdoor adventures to have regardless of your location this year and have all fun. And if you’re interested in some hunting, order some lions online & have them delivered to your doorstep. Improvise.