1. Have great friends
The outdoor experience is best when shared with a friend. Once, for a
Chronicle story, I asked 10 of the top outdoors writers in America who
travel throughout the hemisphere to describe their ultimate outdoor
experience. In all but one case, they described an experience with their
families or people they loved. Even the mundane can be made great with true
friends, and the great can be made transcendent.
2. Visit a lot of places
If you like to explore, then do it, because California has 20 million acres
of national forest open to your discovery. If you have a boat, for instance,
use it–California has about 400 lakes you can drive to and 1,000 miles of coast.
Get to know the land, the geology, and learn that no matter how traveled you
become, there is always another place to be discovered. This is a great
secret I learned when I started flying a small plane, looking down at all
these hidden places I could hardly wait to explore on the ground.
3. Have no expectations
All anybody really needs to get excited about a day is hope, that is, hope
that something great could happen. That keeps us all going. But to expect it
will kill the anticipation, kill the passion, and with it, all of the
excitement. Have no expectations, and if the fish don’t bite, wildlife seems
to have disappeared, or the weather turns bad, you won’t be setting yourself
up for the kind of disappointment that turns people off. You will instead
accept whatever nature and the great outdoors brings that day to your life.
4. Learn your craft
Some of the most satisfying moments are about discovery. Learn about fish
and wildlife, outdoors equipment, tying knots, tides, and weather. Become
fascinated with what the outdoors can teach, and try to learn something new
on every trip. The learning itself is fulfilling, and with something new to
learn, you can be inspired to enter new worlds. To tell you the truth, that
has been my secret to staying excited about being an outdoors writer.
Mastery of any subject, on the other hand, becomes routine and boring.
5. Schedule your trip dates
I know tons of people who love to fish, camp, boat, hike, bike, and travel,
but when you actually look at their calendars, you discover they are working
all the time and hardly ever go do anything. The only answer is to treat
your fun with as much importance as you treat your work, and to schedule
trips with family and friends. This is the one certain way to get you away
from your job and into the outdoors. See “Beating the Time Trap.”
6. Don’t microschedule
Once you’ve committed your time to a trip, don’t microschedule how you will
spend your time. Instead, give yourself plenty of room for flexibility, a
slower pace, and keep yourself from being locked into something that isn’t
working. The saying goes that life is like a drinking glass; keep your glass
full, and there is no room for anybody or anything to add to your glass–it
will simply overflow. But keep your glass half full, and you will have room
to accept the unexpected that your friends and surprise experiences can
bring.
7. Give stuff to kids
In the past few years, I’ve started giving a lot of outdoor gear to many
different youngsters, and the way their eyes light up is one of the most
satisfying things I’ve experienced in the great outdoors. They cherish every
gadget, every lure, and in making somebody else’s life better, you improve
your own.
8. Live in the moment
Living in the moment is possible by becoming hyperaware of your senses:
sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and how you feel inside. This is how
those with a zest for life create exhilaration in the moment. Then when you
connect the moments together, the days you create can be extraordinary.
9. Read and dream
Read outdoor guidebooks, find out what is possible out there, and dream
about the life you can create. Scan maps, learn about the hidden roads,
trails, lakes, streams, and camps. As you do so, you will feel the
excitement grow for the pending adventures that await.
10. Honor yourself
Keep your body in good physical condition by exercising, eating right,
sleeping right, and not working too much. Keep your mind active by reading
rather than watching television. In your own private way, surrender to your
chosen spiritual path. Do this and every day alive will be a gift, and every
day in the outdoors will be a treasure.
The outdoor experience is best when shared with a friend. Once, for a
Chronicle story, I asked 10 of the top outdoors writers in America who
travel throughout the hemisphere to describe their ultimate outdoor
experience. In all but one case, they described an experience with their
families or people they loved. Even the mundane can be made great with true
friends, and the great can be made transcendent.
2. Visit a lot of places
If you like to explore, then do it, because California has 20 million acres
of national forest open to your discovery. If you have a boat, for instance,
use it–California has about 400 lakes you can drive to and 1,000 miles of coast.
Get to know the land, the geology, and learn that no matter how traveled you
become, there is always another place to be discovered. This is a great
secret I learned when I started flying a small plane, looking down at all
these hidden places I could hardly wait to explore on the ground.
3. Have no expectations
All anybody really needs to get excited about a day is hope, that is, hope
that something great could happen. That keeps us all going. But to expect it
will kill the anticipation, kill the passion, and with it, all of the
excitement. Have no expectations, and if the fish don’t bite, wildlife seems
to have disappeared, or the weather turns bad, you won’t be setting yourself
up for the kind of disappointment that turns people off. You will instead
accept whatever nature and the great outdoors brings that day to your life.
4. Learn your craft
Some of the most satisfying moments are about discovery. Learn about fish
and wildlife, outdoors equipment, tying knots, tides, and weather. Become
fascinated with what the outdoors can teach, and try to learn something new
on every trip. The learning itself is fulfilling, and with something new to
learn, you can be inspired to enter new worlds. To tell you the truth, that
has been my secret to staying excited about being an outdoors writer.
Mastery of any subject, on the other hand, becomes routine and boring.
5. Schedule your trip dates
I know tons of people who love to fish, camp, boat, hike, bike, and travel,
but when you actually look at their calendars, you discover they are working
all the time and hardly ever go do anything. The only answer is to treat
your fun with as much importance as you treat your work, and to schedule
trips with family and friends. This is the one certain way to get you away
from your job and into the outdoors. See “Beating the Time Trap.”
6. Don’t microschedule
Once you’ve committed your time to a trip, don’t microschedule how you will
spend your time. Instead, give yourself plenty of room for flexibility, a
slower pace, and keep yourself from being locked into something that isn’t
working. The saying goes that life is like a drinking glass; keep your glass
full, and there is no room for anybody or anything to add to your glass–it
will simply overflow. But keep your glass half full, and you will have room
to accept the unexpected that your friends and surprise experiences can
bring.
7. Give stuff to kids
In the past few years, I’ve started giving a lot of outdoor gear to many
different youngsters, and the way their eyes light up is one of the most
satisfying things I’ve experienced in the great outdoors. They cherish every
gadget, every lure, and in making somebody else’s life better, you improve
your own.
8. Live in the moment
Living in the moment is possible by becoming hyperaware of your senses:
sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and how you feel inside. This is how
those with a zest for life create exhilaration in the moment. Then when you
connect the moments together, the days you create can be extraordinary.
9. Read and dream
Read outdoor guidebooks, find out what is possible out there, and dream
about the life you can create. Scan maps, learn about the hidden roads,
trails, lakes, streams, and camps. As you do so, you will feel the
excitement grow for the pending adventures that await.
10. Honor yourself
Keep your body in good physical condition by exercising, eating right,
sleeping right, and not working too much. Keep your mind active by reading
rather than watching television. In your own private way, surrender to your
chosen spiritual path. Do this and every day alive will be a gift, and every
day in the outdoors will be a treasure.
This really works.
Feel great in the next 24 hours: Hike. Bike. Camp. Fish. Boat. Wildlife watch. Explore.
For my new book California Camping, go to http://74.220.215.219/~tomstien/books/california-camping/
Amen! Love this. Thanks, Tom for a GREAT list!
Hi Tom,
I’m not sure if you actually read these comments, but just in case you do, I wanted to write and say how much I have enjoyed your advice in your books, TV show, and column over the years.
For the last 20 years, I have organized backpacking trips for a group of old friends. At times, our group has been as small as five or large as twenty-five. Over the years, we have visited the Lost Coast, Wilderness Falls in the Siskiyou, the Ladybug Trail in Sequoia, Big Basin, Joshua Tree, and many other wonders all over our great state. Throughout it all, “California Hiking” has been our bible…it has been an endless supply of great ideas for places to go.
Anyway, in August I have something special planned. We are spending a weekend at Emerald Bay Boat-In Camp in Tahoe. I’m calling it “The Mystery Trip” because I am not telling anyone where we are going, and I am going to surprise our group when we get there. Would you care to join us? We’ll be there from August 5-7. You would be welcome to stay with us, or even just drop by to say hi. It’s a great group of guys who I’m sure would be delighted to meet you, and we are gourmet camp cooks too, so you would eat well. Maybe you could even do a story on camp cooking!
Anyway, I’m not sure if you or anyone else actually reads these notes, but even if you can’t do it, thank you for all the great advice over the years.
Take care,
Brett
You’re the greatset! JMHO
tom,
no truer words have ever been witten. hoping all is well with you and hope you gave a safe and joy filled 4th.
your pal,
ricko
Tom-
Just got back tonite from our first pop-up tenting trip western washington to eastern oregon…and used your Foghorn book (7th edition). Great info…but out of date. Went to find a new edition and I think it looks like 2003 is the most recent? How about your Moon books? What’s the difference in Foghorn vs Moon? Any plans for a new edition? Thanks!!
Am, Joe and 2 kids.