Virginia Houston
Search results
A Successful Adventure is a lost 1918 silent film romantic comedy starring May Allison and Harry Hilliard. It was produced by Maxwell Karger and released through Metro Pictures. An alternative title was The Way to a Man's Heart. Cast. May Allison - Virginia Houston
- Overview
- Wear the Right Layers
- Avoid Getting Lost
- Safely Travel Solo
- Pack a Backpack
- Stay Hydrated
- Eat for Fuel
- Handle Unexpected Wildlife
- Be Resourceful
- Build a Fire
Use these essential abilities to slay your next big trip.
If you’re well prepared for adventure and can find the humor in things not going according to plan, you’ll never stop exploring. To understand just what will get you to that place, we spoke with endurance athletes, gear gurus, and elite climbers about how to physically and mentally ready yourself for your next great journey—whether it’s a multi-day trek, afternoon bike ride, or overnight camping trip.
Appropriate clothing can be the difference between singing in the rain and struggling to survive. When it comes to braving the elements, the base layer is most important. You want resilient fibers that efficiently manage moisture and body heat, and wool is Mother Nature’s original performance fiber. “It does everything naturally that many of today’s synthetic fibers try to match,” says Smartwool’s Molly Cuffe. “Wool warms in the winter, cools in the summer, and it even warms the body when it’s wet.”
In addition to being naturally biodegradable, wool is antibacterial, so you can continue to wear the same layers without worrying about body odor. Steer clear of cotton, which stops insulating when wet and can lead to hypothermia. Opt for a versatile, well-insulated, and compactable down jacket like the water- and wind-resistant Evertherm from Eddie Bauer or Ghost Whisperer from Mountain Hardwear.
“Every outdoor enthusiast should be able to read a topographical map and know how to use a compass,” says Appalachian Mountain Club’s Mashawn Butler. While it’s easy to rely on your phone’s map or GPS, it’s also a dangerous dependency. When your phone dies or you lose a signal, it’s vital that you can get your orientation, take a bearing, and navigate yourself in the direction you want to go.
Ahead of your trip, buy a topographical map and study the terrain or download a map of any area in the country on the U.S. Geological Survey’s website. If you need to refresh your skills, REI outdoor school instructor Paige Guthrie recommends reading Be an Expert with Map & Compass, getting a Suunto M3D Leader compass, and taking REI’s nationwide map and compass navigation class.
Before any trip, create a safety checklist. Start by telling people where you’re going. Consult the State Department’s travel advisories and read up on the policies of the local government. Use common sense, avoid calling attention to yourself by dressing conservatively, and learn important key phrases in that country’s language. When traveling to ...
Make a packing checklist and lay everything out on the bed. Distribute the pack between light, medium, and heavyweight items, putting the lightweight items and things that should stay dry, such as a sleeping bag, tent, stove and cooking supplies, on the bottom and the heavy stuff in the middle close to your spine. Keep items you need to access throughout the day—snacks, water, a hat, map and compass, sunglasses, toilet paper, headlamp, sunscreen, bear spray, and rain jacket—on the top and in side pouches.
Staying organized will make your adventure more manageable. Use different colored bags for toiletries, tech items such as back up batteries and a phone, and miscellaneous necessities like a first aid kit, lighter, and hand sanitizer.
If you don’t have a proper hydration game plan, you’re asking for trouble. Get a map, research the destination, and familiarize yourself with the area’s rivers, lakes, and streams, so you’ll know where you can refill. Be aware of any common water-borne viruses in the region, like hepatitis, so you can get vaccinated ahead of time.
Determine whether you need a water filter or a water purifier. Filters are sufficient for most places, but in less-developed countries or anywhere the water is likely to be contaminated by human waste, a water purifier is necessary to kill viruses too small for a filter to stop.
Bring food that serves as long-lasting fuel and is easy to prepare. “Before you go, plan out snacks and meals that provide good sustenance while considering the type of weather you’ll encounter, the mileage, elevation, terrain and local wildlife,” says Dirty Gourmet co-founder Emily Nielson. “Foraging for food can be dangerous, but if you’re forced to survive in the wild, only eat edible plants that you can properly identify. When in doubt, leave it out,” says Nielson.
Most importantly, ensure that you have the essential food groups: carbs for energy (like parboiled rice, quick-cooking noodles, or instant mashed potatoes), protein for recovery (nuts, seeds, or cured meats), dehydrated veggies and fruits for fiber, and foods to keep you hydrated and your sodium levels up like peanut butter, bananas, apples, and jerky. (And remember to cook with clean drinking water!)
Research which species you may encounter on the trail and how best to defend yourself in the unlikely event an animal charges. For instance, know what kinds of bears are common in your area; if you’re attacked by a brown bear you should first play dead, but if you’re attacked by a black bear you should fight back. Yellowstone National Park’s Morgan Warthin says, “Stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and at least 25 yards away from all other wildlife. The best way to avoid a dangerous encounter with any wildlife is to keep your distance.”
If you’re camping in bear country, remember to hoist your bear bag over a 12-foot-tall tree before going to bed. Everything that smells—food, deodorant, sunscreen, chapstick, tampons, toothpaste—should go in the bear bag.
A lot can go wrong in the great outdoors, but it doesn’t take much to prepare for a dire situation. Following the golden backpacking rule that every item should serve more than one purpose, be sure to prepare for a few essential hacks.
Foil can be used as a wind-blocker for a fire, for cooking, and as a sun-reflecting signal. Rubber bands (try the heavy-duty ones on heads of lettuce) are great for tying a cloth around a wound or closing off pant legs to keep bugs out. Dental floss is useful for sewing holes, mint toothpaste and deodorant soothe bug bites and burns, and a tent stake works well as a splint for a broken finger. Other tricks include Type A Tear Aid, a strong and stretchy waterproof patch that can permanently fix a puncture hole in a tent or apparel and Fix-A-Zip for when a zipper breaks on a jacket or sleeping bag. Become a whiz at using a multi-tool like Leatherman’s Signal, so you can comfortably saw wood, quickly blow a whistle, use the fire starter, and mend a tent or hole in your shoe with the sewing awl.
Always abide by Leave No Trace principles and use someone else’s fire pit if you see one. Never cut off branches, but rather look for what’s “dead and down.” If the wood is still alive, it won’t burn as well and will also create a smoky fire. Whether you opt for the teepee, log cabin, or pyramid method, you’re going to need three things: oxygen, heat, and fuel. Scour the grounds for your tinder (little sticks, pine needles), kindling (sticks and branches that are easy to break into pieces and burn longer), and fuel logs. Bring waterproof matches, a flint fire striker, and a Ziplock bag of dryer lint or Vaseline-coated cotton balls, which will help ignite the fire more easily.
When you’re ready to put out the fire, pour water on it (or use dirt or sand if you’d rather conserve your water), then stir with a big stick until it’s cool to the touch. If it’s steaming, it can still cause a fire—and given that humans cause approximately 90 percent of wildfires in the United States, be absolutely sure it’s safely out before leaving the campfire.
Sep 8, 2011 · Adventure is total commitment. It is the spirit of willingness to embrace challenge and move toward success.
Jan 2, 2024 · The start of a new year is often the time people resolve to tackle bucketlist travel goals: rafting the Colorado River, scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, exploring the poles. But how...
5 tips to travel and have a successful adventure. Are you currently in the process of arranging your next adventure and aiming to infuse it with indelible memories and resounding success?
Dec 11, 2019 · To us, adventure is stepping out of your comfort zone by doing something that you normally wouldn’t do. From helping out a random person to working up the courage to make friends with a stranger. It is about finding something that you love and pursuing it relentlessly.
Dec 6, 2023 · Whether tackling a new challenge, navigating an unfamiliar destination, or even engaging in a new cultural experience, these are all forms of adventure that can stimulate personal growth. The key...
