Poll: What’s Your Big Adventure Goal for 2016?

Do you believe in making resolutions? I used to bow to them every year and most years I hung on for about six months before punting in a wanton lack of discipline or interest. Now I make goals. Actually, I make just one goal: to do, see, or experience 30 new things every year.

Most of these are adventure-, nature-, and travel-related. At the beginning of 2015, I knocked off a couple nearby objectives, mountain biking to the epic Goat Canyon trestle in Carrizo Gorge and hiking deep into the Agua Tibia Wilderness. Then, because I lead trips in Morocco a couple times a year, I turned to learning my numbers in Arabic. I checked off eight adventure list destinations on a fall canyonlands excursion, including finally hiking Wire Pass, above, and then right after Thanksgiving pulled the trigger on the biggest “new” of all, launching Adventure Journal Quarterly.

I’m a big believer in lists, and I religiously use Google Earth, forums, Evernote, and my state atlases to find and maintain the places I want to visit and things I want to do. Thirty seems just the right number – enough to push you a little, not so much that it’s out reach with a job and family. And as I look back on 2015, I don’t feel dismay at the pounds I didn’t lose or the PRs I didn’t set, but instead have gratitude for the memories I was able to make.

That’s me. How about you?

WIN SMITH SUNGLASSES JUST BY VOTING
This week, one poll participant will receive Smith Optic’s Rockford sunglasses. We’ll pick the winner via random number generator (and announce it here) – all you have to do to enter is vote and leave a comment so we have your email to contact you. Must have a U.S. or Canadian address. Contest ends Sunday, January 10, at midnight PST.

Congratulations to Justin Housman, who wins the Smiths this week!