When Mary Oliver asked, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” she was contemplating a grasshopper, a swan, an idle stroll through the fields. She wasn’t going anywhere or doing anything; she was spending her wild and precious life sitting outside, pondering gratefully, being. There’s just something special about the outdoors. Our quarterly issue this spring and summer is The Outsiders Issue, and so the first thing we asked our team was: What’s your all-time favorite thing to do outside?
Monday Roundtable: Into the Wild
Did You Like This?
Independent queer media needs your support to survive. Become a member now so we can make more gay stuff like this.
the team
the team has written 818 articles for us.
Comments
My favorite things to do outdoors are driving through it and getting lost in the woods with my friend Mary. Both just relax me so much. I can take a long hike then get into my car and drive my favorite road to let out a little aggression. Problem is sometimes I forget to do the hike and instead drive my favorite roads and then end up at a quiet beach hoping I can get lost in the California Coast.
Growing up my favorite thing was noticing there was still a half hour till this bus comes, deciding I have time to walk to the next stop, doing this again when that doesn’t take long enough, missing the bus on the way to the third stop and anyway I’m already halfway there and walking four miles longer than I meant to.
Now I’m more deliberate about it, any store trip that doesn’t involve frozen goods is a walk, especially when it’s my day off and I can be outside at the sunrise part of the morning.
I have done exactly this with the bus many times. It’s a great procrastination tool because you can tell yourself you’re getting exercise and enjoying the outdoors, and both of these things are manifestly true so obviously you should keep walking instead of whatever you are avoiding doing. Another bus will be along eventually.
I mean, not that I was procrastinating _every_ time I did this. Not…not _every_ time.
I love lots of outdoor activities, especially backpacking, but my knee doesn’t cooperate so much anymore, and hauling all the necessities is out of the question at the moment. I do miss the simplicity of backpacking–figuring out exactly what I need to take, setting the tent up in just the right spot, and making house. The ideal location includes a body of water that will, if I’m lucky, provide part of my dinner. And by making house, I mean making house. My former backpacking buddy took me up some river in New Hampshire once, and we found a great spot next to a sharp bend in the river. The flood plain was covered in large rocks rounded and flattened over time by the water. This became our living room/kitchen, and he and I spent some part of each day rearranging the stones to make the perfect tables and recliners (yes plural, it was a multi-purpose space) for cooking, cleaning, eating, smoking, and stargazing. Making up constellations and spotting satellites and meteors while digesting a trout that I caught, cleaned, and cooked myself is absolute heaven.
not to be all whimsical about it but i fuckin love flying kites
for reasons unbeknownst to me, an almost-ex of mine has given me multiple sealife-themed kites so now in the springtime when it’s all windy and shit i just. send a stingray up to the heavens
I love sitting in my backyard, watching kids play. I love watching the birds. I love digging in the dirt and finding worms. And my favorite is picking the peaches and the raspberries growing in my yard.
can i get a stick n poke ass tat from archie at camp please?
Yes to bodies of water! I grew up on an island so being around water has always been a part of my life.
Now I live in a cold climate and barely get to swim, so I cherish my holidays back in the island a lot.
Swimming!! Or just being in the water. My favorite is a river or lake but the ocean is also great and a pool will work too if I’m stuck in the city.
Rachel your ideal scenario reminded me so much of this music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ge32E0xLg0
Biking, hiking, kayaking…they all add something something to being outdoors.
My favorite thing to do outdoors is observe & enjoy!
That could mean taking a walk and following a great smell or sound. It could mean sipping a drink at a fire pit and socializing.
Today it was sticking my nose in a hundred flowers along with the bees. I have found that bees are quite sensible, and will buzz around your head if you get too close, allowing you to share.
Bike, hike, camp, kayak, swim, climb, repeat.