There is something so incredibly beautiful about human powered adventure. You could head out your door right this instant and walk, run, paddle, climb, or bike for as long as your endurance holds up.
Human powered adventure can be defined as any adventure not requiring the use of an “engine,” be it a vehicle, a horse, or any other non-human mode of transportation. In other words, the human body is the driving force behind the adventure.
Engines are tools used to make our adventure lives easier. Chairlifts drop snowboarders off at the top of the mountain. Two trucks connect a river shuttle. Support vehicles make long-distance bike rides more manageable. Planes and helicopters drastically cut travel time.
We should be eternally grateful for the engine. Without it, adventure might be painstakingly impossible at times.
But a journey becomes especially epic when engines are removed from the scenario. It is now entirely up to you and your willpower. How far you go is determined not by a certain amount of gasoline or properly functioning components, but by your own energy and determination.
The human powered adventure possibilities are endless. You could paddle down the Mississippi River. You could walk the entire length of the Pacific Crest Trail. You could spend five days backpacking Yosemite. You could even take a short ramble through a petrified wilderness.
Remember, engines are tools. They get us places faster. Human powered adventure, on the other hand, is something so basic, yet so intrinsic to our adventurous souls.
eric murtaugh 
Very well put Eric!
Appreciate that!
I’m thinking about going to a climbing facility and seeing how strong my arms really are. I feel buff from using the manual wheelchair, but it will be fun to see how much human power in my upper body I actually have.
Also, I think you might already know this, but the adventurous side of my personality is now at my bad girl blog. http://nothobblingnow.wordpress.com/ The other blog seems pretty tame now.
You should give it a shot! That’d be awesome. If you do, let me know how it goes! Headed over to your “bad girl blog” now. This will be interesting.
Yeah…about today…
Thanks for the link Eric.
Any time, any time.
I would disagree with this. there is an unmatchable satisfaction from doing something completely under your own power, like climbing or paddling, or biking. but there’s also a deep (and equally satisfying feeling) (for me at least) from riding a jet ski at full throttle, or a motorcycle on a fun twisty road.
Just my two cents.
Oh hell yeah. I feel the need for speed too, my man! I guess when it comes to long-distance trips, human power has an edge for me. But if we’re talking all out speed, well, the engine wins, no doubt.