by Amelia Eldridge
Right now as I sit quarantined in my home back in California, my heart hurts thinking about all of the amazing Outdoor Adventure trips that I would have participated in this semester. From canoeing down rapids and camping overnight in Black Creek, Mississippi, to trying my hand at different rock climbing opportunities both in and outdoors, I was so looking forward to making lots of new friends, getting my adrenaline pumping, and exploring the beauty of the Gulf South with my Tulane Outdoor Adventures family. If you are like me, in an area with mandatory shelter-in-place orders in full effect, all parks and seashores closed off, or perhaps just lying sick in bed, being outdoors and finding adventure may seem like a far-off dream. To those suffering from these cooped-up blues, I offer up this advice:
“Keep reading. It’s one of the most marvelous adventures that anyone can have.”
― Lloyd Alexander.
I feel as though this sage piece of instruction – so often forgotten amidst all of the busyness of everyday life – is more necessary than ever during this tumultuous time. Good adventure writing can bring you to every corner of the globe, doing any and every activity possible. However, I recognize that it may have been months or years since any of us have actually read a full book for pleasure, and that my attention span has severely decreased since coming to college, and so I have found a great starting-ground with short stories and articles. Their short-length means that adventure is packed onto every page, and also that you can try out many different authors and genres! Find them all by clicking on these links, and also feel free to write to me (or groupme) with any more suggestions to add to my own list!
Outside Magazine Staff share their favorite Outside stories
My Favorite: “The Tuber” by Wells Tower about a hilarious innertube journey through Florida’s alligator-infested rivers
Men’s Journal – Editor’s Picks: The Best Adventure Sports Stories of the Decade
My Favorite Thing: that they are separated by sport (paddling, snowboarding, etc.) so that it is easier to find a certain story if you have a specific area of interest
Into Thin Air Article By Jon Krakauer
The predecessor to his full-length book of the same name, this short story written by Krakauer about surviving a disaster while summiting Mount Everest is a great starting place before venturing into all of Krakauer’s other adventure works (Where Men Win Glory, Under the Banner of Heaven, Into the Wild, Into Thin Air, etc.)!
My Favorite: “The Final, Ill-Fated Adventure of a Pioneer Scientist” by Justin Housman – a short non-fiction look into a pioneer’s journey during the Gold Rush
About the author:
Name: Amelia Eldridge
Year in School: Junior
Major: Neuroscience + Public Health
Hometown: Oakland, CA
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Anything in the water or in the mountains!
Favorite Camp Food: Trail Mix
Ideal Outdoor Trip Destination: Koroyanitu National Park, Fiji
If you were stranded on a desert island, what/who would you bring with you: Bear Grylls and some chex mix