The Soul Craves Adventure
Text Preview: Writers need adventure in their lives. The best stories are inspired by truth and unexpected moments. What is your next adventure?
In 2017, I planned a road trip to Zion National Park with one of my Marine Corps buddies. The journey took us through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and then back to California.
We started early on a Friday morning, bought some snacks for the road before leaving Camp Pendleton, and then drove for about 5 hours to Las Vegas, Nevada.
We arrived in Vegas for the first time at around noon that day. In one day, we managed to do quite a bit! Here is a list:
I walked the Vegas strip
I took some pictures at some of the famous hotels (Bellagio, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, etc.)
I went to a Muhammad Ali museum
I visited an art gallery
I saw a Cirque du Soleil show for the first time
We stayed a night at the MGM Grand, packed our bags in the morning, explored the strip for about another two hours, and then began making our way to our next destination: Arizona!
This was when the story took a twist for me. My friend suggested visiting the Navajo Bridge in Arizona since it would be along the same route we were taking to get to Utah. Why not? I thought. However, he didn't explain why he wanted to go to the bridge until we were only about 30 minutes away.
"I'm going to jump off the bridge," he said.
My heart momentarily stopped when he said that, and I was scared for my friend's life.
Whoa there, guy. Let's slow it down a bit.
That's what I thought, worried I should call someone for help.
"Have you ever gone bungee jumping?" he asked.
And then it made a lot more sense to me. Here I was, stressing out during my mini vacation because he couldn't specify the first time he mentioned jumping off a bridge that he would be secured to a rope—silly me. There was my lesson in not jumping to conclusions.
After some time of thinking (approximately those other 29 minutes of the drive), I couldn't believe what I said as I was saying it.
"I'm going to jump too."
And that I did. My friend had an elaborate scheme he didn't tell me about at the trip's start. He had reserved a spot with a bungee jumping company for that night. When we arrived, somebody from the bungee jumping group backed out at the last minute because of fear, and I could take their place for free on the schedule.
Lucky me. (Depending on what you consider good luck.)
Around midnight on a full moon, I plunged into the deep abyss of darkness from the top of a 496-foot high bridge. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences I have had in my life. You need to try it.
Okay, maybe jumping off bridges isn't for everyone. I understand that. Perhaps I’m a little crazy, but that experience was absolutely worth it in Arizona. We were only there for a few hours, but it was one of the most memorable parts of the trip.
Our next and final stop: Utah. I admit that I didn't know much about Utah before the trip. However, we began our drive to Zion National Park after bungee jumping.
It turns out that one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places I'd ever go to would be in Utah. Visiting Zion National Park was my absolute favorite part of the whole trip. Never could I have imagined that such a gem was hidden only a relatively-short road trip away.
(I say "short" road trip because I have driven the United States from coast to coast. That was a much longer trip, and part of it was spent exploring Route 66. You can find my travel guide for Route 66 here.)
We stayed in Zion for two days. The long drive to get there was worth it. We hiked through the Virgin River, also known as The Narrows hike. We walked along the trails carved into the side of the canyon. And to finish with a bang, we climbed to the top of Angel's Landing.
Have you ever felt like you are literally on top of the world?
That's the feeling I experienced.
Saying goodbye to Zion National Park and packing up the car to return to California was a sad moment. I could've stayed at that park forever. Rivers. Canyons. Trees. Animals. Nature always sounds like home to me.
However, the trip had to end at some point. And because it didn’t last forever, I have learned to be grateful for the memories, the inspiration, the stories I've written, and all the photographs I took because of that road trip. Now, I treat all my other adventures in the same way. I also try to keep that same mindset in everyday life. Often, we cherish the little things the most yet only notice them when they are gone.
I hope this story inspires you to venture out into the world, whether it be new travels or undertaking a new project, and be brave enough to write about your experiences afterward.
The world is full of stories waiting to be discovered, and we all have our own way of telling them. It's time to find yours.
Again, in case you missed your free copy of 15 Ways to Overcome Writer's Block, find it here. Until next time!