Into the Wee Hours

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! 🎉

New year - new ways to adventure? What’s on your adventure intention list for 2022? 🍃

Yes, you!

Merry Christmas one and all 🌟

Sarah, ♥️

Most memorable item you’ve been gifted while out on an adventure? 🧅

Comment below 👇🏻

Mantra for the week ahead 💫 Amidst the hype of the holiday season, where is your focus? 🤸🏻‍♀️ 🍃 🏕

Now that we’re heading into summer, who’s taking to the water for some cooler adventures? 🙋🏻‍♀️

Luxury item you would take on an adventure? Hit me with it!

If coffee counts, coffee is one of mine. I was gifted these awesome filtered coffee “bags” before my latest bikepacking adventure, from which, albeit might seem a bit bulky, actually weigh nothing and can be crammed into the tiny spaces of your bags.

A coffee in the morning just retains that little bit of comfort and everyday ritual ♥️

What’s your luxury adventure item?

Not always easy. 🌙 Always powerful.

Your mantra for your week (and adventures) ahead 🔥

ADVENTURE PLANNING: MAPPING YOUR ROUTE 🌍

Back when I studied my MA in Geography there was a standard joke amongst students that all that geographers did was “colour in”🎨. That idea is now an Internet meme, but my studies predated the meme world (the digital memes anyway. FYI the research of the likes of Evolutionary Biologist Richard Dawkins, shows memes go back to 3 BC and mosaics 🤓, but that’s for another feed…).

Another thing geographers typically like, are maps. And this is a part of adventure planning which I really love!

To be clear, when I say “mapping”, this isn’t solely looking at a map and drawing a route on it. That’s the end result but it begins with a time intensive dance of cross examining all sorts of sources. Especially when you’re looking at adventuring offroad on less explored, remote routes. 🏜

When ground truthing isn’t possible (which is my current planning situation as I’m route building in the Australian Outback and I live on the Australian coastline) - I draw on all sorts of resources. In Oz these include:

Blogs. YouTube videos. Google Earth. Books. Google Images. Queensland Globe. Strava. Ride with GPS. Topo maps. Heat maps. Social media and hashtags. Need articles. National Park info. Historic road conditions and historic and upcoming weather reports. Word of mouth. The list goes on…

Do you have any other favourites when it comes to beginning to set a route? Or any questions about route setting before heading off on an adventure? 🎤

Sarah 🌙

Did you see our latest episode has landed? What do you think so far? Is there any “everyday adventurer” you’d like to nominate to share a conversation with us and raise the voice of the Collective? 🎙

with
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“This group of people is the type who would say YES to everything and ACTUALLY show up.” 🎙

Sound like a familiar win or struggle in finding your adventure community? Well, listen for more because Episode Eight with Hannah Russell is live 🎉

And you may be forgiven for mistaking this shot for Kristen…. Because the genes run strong in the Russell family! This week’s episode is a really lively conversation with Hannah - yep, you got it, Kristen’s sister.

We talk backcountry adventures; snowboarding; summiting mountains; surfing; remote working for Patagonia; how to make the most of life as a weekend warrior and 5-9 adventurer… along with some awesome conversation around learning to turn back on challenging adventures and how to handle the day to day when you and your partner in life and adventure are both post-op and confined to knee scooters!

Importantly for us, this was also our first REMOTE interview 🇺🇸 Please keep listening beyond the 15 minute mark and you’ll experience a delightful improvement in audio - as we switched from sketchy library wifi to tethering and blowing up Sarah’s phone bill instead 🔥 It’s worth it!!

Have a listen and if you haven’t already, please subscribe, rate and review!

Or in the words of - if you don’t love it, “don’t worry about it”. 😉

BONUS POINTS IF YOU GET THE ROSEBUD CHEAT CODE REFERENCE. HAPPY MONDAY!!

Mantra for the week: “I surrender the false perceptions I have placed upon myself. Nothing holds me back” 🌙

Whether it’s while we are challenging ourselves on an adventure, or in life in general, we’re often experts at getting in our own way.

Let. It. Go.

You’ve got this 🌙

When it comes to “being adventurous” it’s good to remember that “adventure” comes on all levels 💚

While a week off grid can be undeniably awesome, a simple overnighter close to home, with friends, is bound to be incredibly refreshing. 🍃

Pack light; turn your phone off; reconnect with nature; with yourself; get to know your friends without the distractions of “day to day life”.

Reap the benefits of slowing down and moving quietly through the landscape around you 🌙

PACKING FOR A SELF PROPELLED CAMPING ADVENTURE 🌙

Something to be mindful of when packing for an overnighter versus a multiday adventure is that your essential kit list will barely change (depending on your dirtbag preparedness when it comes to clothing) - the main variables are your food and water.

This can be awesome news. Or not such awesome news. Eg. the kit in the photo may seem like a lot for an overnight hike. But this would serve equally well for a week away (plus a little extra gas for the stove).

We could of course reduce weight by substituting the tent for a bivvy bag if the forecast looks good. But especially if you’re just headed on an overnighter in between work, IMHO it’s nice to have a wee bit of “luxury” and know you’ll get a decent sleep.

The forecast for this adventure was a high of 26C and a low of 9C. Get to know your body - I know that contrast in daytime and night time temperatures, for me, means I’ll get cold at night so I took a decent sleeping bag and layers. This is my night off in between two busy working weeks so sleep is valuable and getting cold equates to a disrupted sleep.

Your own decision making may lead you to a totally different choice of gear. Awesome! The important bit is that you’ve checked and weighed up the conditions; know yourself and have chosen with the best intent, prioritising your safety first and foremost. If comfort is a factor (as it is here), that comes in next!

A safe and comfortable trip generally equates to a FUN trip. And why get out there if we’re not having fun? 👏🏻 Happy Sunday!

Sarah Adventure Coach 🌙