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HOW DO YOU PREPARE YOUR MINI-ADVENTURE?

1502 Views Posted on: 2021-09-20

It's time for an adventure. The "mini" does not need to be the adventure of a lifetime, it is certainly less ambitious but no less fun and much more accessible. So take a look at this amazing guidebook designed to help you start the best mini-adventure of your life!

Where Can I Go?

The first challenge is to find the destination that combines your desires with your busy schedule.You haven't got a lot of time? Be ambitious, hunt for surprises near you. You don't need to go far to make your mini-adventures fun. It's a matter of state of mind.

Your immediate environment like your neighbourhood, your city, your region always contains little treasures you can discover.An architectural detail, a very unique view, a charming landscape, a curious path, let yourself be carried away by these little desires and you will have found your destination, at home or almost!

With a little more time, two, three or four days, the possibilities for nature getaways multiply. Again, follow your desires, they are good advice to designate the place or places where your mini-adventure will provide its benefits.

Be Creative

If your desire for escape is not tied to a particular place, surf the internet, and take a look at the list of national and regional parks to help you. Or, unfold a map, and, locate green areas, natural parks, forests, lakes, mark the altitudes, the density of the road network, the number of villages and you will have a small idea of the areas where it will be possible to listen to birds and admire the stars. Finally, to refine your searches and polish your appetite for greenery, consult the websites of the tourist offices corresponding to these areas, they are often very useful for detecting points of interest. 

And remember to stay creative and mindful of what you want and need. Don’t be afraid to explore new things and be creative with the time you have for yourself.

Simply Enjoy Yourself

There's paperwork lying around on the coffee table, laundry drying slowly, a few books scattered around which contribute to a bit of a mess and, of course, the dishes to be done, a mountain of ceramic. Ah yes, there's also this bike, hung on the wall rack and its rack that's shining more than usual. Hang some saddlebags on it and peddle away from the city, that would be great … ok, let’s go!

A mini-adventure starts from nowhere, just a sudden desire to get away from the ordinary and go somewhere else, where ever our desire leads us without thinking, or almost. So this good old bike comes down from its pedestal and gets ready to see some scenery. If there had been hiking boots, it would have been a backpacking mini adventure. If there had been a kayak, a climbing harness or the Objective Moon rocket in the middle of the living room, it would have been a question of aquatic, aerial or even space mini-adventures but it is not, it is. is a bicycle that is in the living room. So let's get on our bike.

What makes the micro-adventure special is its spontaneity. Combine what you have on hand with your desire for nature. For example, you have an inflatable stand up paddle in your garage and a lake within reach, check the conditions and if it's ok, take the train to your destination with your paddle in a backpack or slide it in the boot of the car for an experience you won't forget. If you don’t have a paddle board, you have at least a pair of shoes and a desire to explore, so the combination works every time.

Good Company Matters

Not with just anyone, of course. Unless you prefer to go it alone, fine, no rule goes against a good deal of solo air. But if you want to show off - jump on a bike - with friends explain roughly what you plan is, the place you want to discover, the planned route, the expected difficulty and ask them if they really fancy coming and if they feel able to do it.The mini-adventure is made for relaxing, enjoying, forgetting, but it can also be sporty, it is better for participants to be on the same wavelength before boarding.

Once the small team is ready, it's a collective adventure that's off to a start. Spending a few days away from your home sweet home in a green theatre can quite easily trigger a concert of emotions. And that's precisely why you shouldn't hesitate to go. There are the euphoric, playful, peaceful moments and others where doubt, fatigue and nervousness are present. All this makes for an intense, precious individual and collective experience. The time for the mini-adventure is packed, it does not slip through your fingers, it imprints itself deeply on yourself, which is why the memories collected will remain in your mind for a long time.

Off we go!

If you have no idea where to go, just realise that next to your home is somewhere to discover. Why? Quite simply because this starting point is the most convenient. No transport required, no costs and therefore no carbon footprint. Not bad.

Get on your bike and off! An often effective way to leave the city without taking a deep breath of exhaust fumes is to walk along the major waterways (canals, rivers, streams) that cross it. They are often lined with towpaths reserved for walkers and cyclists. They are also an opportunity to see your city from a different perspective and, often, to unearth some curiosities. Then locate the green ways or small roads that will take you to conquer the beauties around. There again, have another look at Decathlon Outdoor to help you.

If you are planning to start your mini-adventure a little further from home, explore the twists and turns of your memory, think of pretty places you would like to gaze at, point to one of them on a map and off you go...By train, car, balloon, it's up to you to decide which means of transport is best suited to approach this little piece of land that you want to go to. The idea is to place the starting point a good distance from the place of your dreams.

Example: you leave for two days walking and you have this small lake perched high in a corner of your head to bivouac, so place the starting point at 15/20/25 km from the lake depending on the difference in altitude, your shape, the weather, people accompanying you, etc. By bike, count between 40/80 km between the starting point and the finishing point. Everything will depend on the same factors as above, but also on the quality of the terrain. You will not escape the fact that you drive much slower on a stony road than on a tarmac velvet strip.

Make Your Way

To go on a hike it's better to plan out your route on a scale of 1: 25,000 map where each centimetre corresponds to 250 m. Take those which identify as much information as possible (rivers, forests, trails, roads, villages, etc.). Once unfolded, your map is perfect to see your route with a clear overview.

In the absence of paper version maps, try to use specialized apps or sites that will allow you to plan your route precisely and easily.

To plan a cycling route, it is best to use a map with a scale of 1 / 200,000 (1 cm = 2 km) or 1 / 400,000 (1 cm = 4 km). They are particularly suitable for cycling on the road.

The Inventory

If it's a mini-adventure with one or more night (s) camping / bivouac, pack clothes for the cold, wind and rain so that you're prepared for all eventualities. The stove and its fuel, meals, cutlery, a fire stone, a knife... The tent, the sleeping bag, the groundsheet, a headlamp, a small bag for dirty laundry guarantee a cocooning spirit. A first aid kit in case of ailments and an additional phone battery, useful if you cannot disconnect completely.

For a bike trip, remember to clean and oil the chain as well as the bearing points such as the crankset, the derailleur and the disc brakes. Also check the screws, the tension of the brake cables or the wear of the disc brake pads.

Finally, you want to go kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, packrafting, surfing or climbing, a hike with pulka or a fishing session (you want to do a lot of things) but you do not have the material, maybe a friend can lend it to you, or you can get one from us.

With A Happy Ending

Ideally a mini-adventure is spiced up with surprises, unexpected discoveries, and memorable events worth remembering. To make it happen, take a nice hike with friends, have fun on the trails, with more or less elevation, and then end this odyssey with the climax of a summit or a mountain pass, the highest point of your day with a magnificent view!

Kickstart Your Mini-Adventure Now!

You are ready now to touch the landscapes, embark on an adventure qualified as "mini" for its sobriety, but which could well have great effects on your life as it is good to absorb your body and mind in this immense and majestic thing that makes us and makes us live, nature! 

Posted in: Hiking and mountaineering

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