Why I'm doing this
Forging friendships, one adventure at a time
In this issue of The Accidental Adventurer:
A mini essay on why I’m doing this
A heartfelt thank you
An invitation to go on an adventure
200 years ago today, Missouri became a state. Anniversaries are a great source of story assignments, so in the last few years I have ridden my bike across the state three times, spent six days canoeing/kayaking its major rivers and driven back and forth across it numerous times. I have fished, golfed, learned to navigate using a map and compass and scared myself to the point of shaking while climbing an enormous red oak named Willa.
I didn’t set out on those assignments to learn or grow as a person. I set out to merely to provide for my family. But the collective impact on my life has been profound. I’m just now beginning to understand it.
I laughed, I sweated, and most important, I forged deep bonds with the men on those trips. The Show Me State showed me how to build deep friendships by getting outside and moving.
That, more than anything, is what I want The Accidental Adventurer to do for readers. I want to inspire you to get outside, with friends, and smile as you sweat, grow and have your lives transformed.
Here are some of the stories from those adventures.
Floating the Missouri River: https://www.cowboysindians.com/2021/08/missouri-200/
Fighting isolation: https://www.success.com/the-not-so-lonely-road/
Kayaking the Mississippi River: https://issuu.com/mcrossman/docs/floating_the_mississippi_3_
Fishing for a legendary rainbow trout: https://expmag.com/2021/06/did-a-legendary-trout-really-ride-the-rails-from-california-to-missouri/
Riding the Katy trail: https://www.midwestliving.com/travel/missouri/spring-getaway-on-missouris-historic-katy-trail/
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I wasn’t sure I should publish the last newsletter, which recounted my struggles with grief during the pandemic and contained the eulogy I gave for my mom. But I heard from enough of you to be glad that I did. Thank you for the encouragement. If you missed it, it’s here.
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I don’t want to brag, but I’m turning 50 in less than two months. To celebrate, I concocted a trip I call 50-50-50. As part of a side hustle a friend and I are launching, we will bring guests as we hike 50 miles, bike 50 miles and canoe 50 miles, all in one epic trip to Wisconsin September 15-19. There are still a few spots available. Email me if you are interested in hearing more.
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I love this quote from Steven MacDonald: “The suffering is what makes life beautiful. A lot of people don’t have any desire to appreciate life like that. They’d rather sit in a chair and watch TV. People who really aspire to suck as much life out of life as they can are people that in the end are ultimately happy. Adversity creates the best memories.”
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