I Love Adventures!

I am not the adventurous type.  I think I am stating the obvious here. Everyone I know, very well knows this.  I like to know what is going to happen, when it's going to happen, where it is going to happen and who it's going to happen with.  I would actually like to know how I am going to feel about it before, during and after but I have come to realize this isn't usually possible.  Its taken a lot of years for me to face these realities but, I'm nothing if not optimistic and I'm still holding out hope.

When we go on vacation, each of us gets to pick "an adventure".  My husband and the kids choose things like, kayaking through caves, parasailing over shark infested waters or zip-lining through forests infested with terrorist gorillas.  I don't want to do these things.  I don't want to watch my beloveds do these things.  In order to take my mind off of what they are doing I usually take my adventure in the sanctuary of the inner bowels of a spa.  A difficult yoga position or a new massage technique is my idea of real adventure.

Mock if you must but I know my limits.  Even without having the label "adventurous spirit" beside my name, I have gone sea kayaking in Alaska, swam with dolphins in Mexico, snorkeled next to killer whales in Hawaii and raised 5 kids!

We have dear friends who feel that it is their duty to make sure I go on some kind of adventure as often as I will agree to it. They find it amusing, funny actually, to see me squirm when they announce we will be going on a new adventure.  Last summer we went sailing.

They took me sailing on a boat with a captain whom had never sailed a boat that size before. The crew were our teenagers who spent most of their time jumping of the boat and on to jet ski's in the middle of the Pacific.

When your crew is on a jet ski and you are trying to "come about," well you can only imagine. But they keep telling me, "The adventure inside the adventure is the best part of the adventure."

 We got stuck on a sandbar.  We came a millionth of an inch from smashing head prow-on into a pillar of the Coronado Bridge!  Here's the thing though.  I had no idea our captain had no idea what he was doing or that he was French.  I had a ball that day because I am naively trustworthy.  So when these same friends decided we should have another adventure last week, I was onboard, so to speak.

This is the view from the strand to the Coronado Bridge.  On my most recent adventure I stayed out of the water.  On this adventure I rode a beach cruiser!  Okay, I know.  Don't mock me.  I haven't been on a bike since, since, I don't know when.  My own two feet pound out miles of sidewalk and sand each week but, a bike has to ride on the street for the most part and streets are dangerous and cars on streets with bikes is scary, so a beach cruiser felt like a big adventure to me.

These are our Beach Cruisers.  We rented them when we got there.  No gears, just crusin'.  Mine is the cute aqua colored, girly one.  With the adorable basket.

This is half of my adventurous friendship team.  I also like to call him, the devils advocate.  He is changing his tire because he's a cooler than cool seasoned bike rider and he brought his own bike.  He hadn't even got on the bike yet!  He hadn't  even got his shoes on yet.   The first stop, changing the tire.  Because, why would everything go smoothly when one is on an adventure?  Remember, "the adventure inside the adventure is the best part of the adventure," or so I am told.

Just about got that all sewed up now.  And by the by, I don't think that was the best part of the adventure.  I think the actual bike riding was the best part although changing clothes in the car, after mass, in the middle of Little Italy was a pretty close tie.

A lot of people think living at the beach means crowds and fog and more crowds.  This is Coronado Island on a beautiful day in October.  We just went on a 15 mile beach bike cruise.  I think we passed about 5 other people.  The views and vistas were amazing.  The weather was a glorious 75 degrees.  This is my husband trying to navigate the crowds so he can get a last peek of the view.  And no, I don't work for the City of San Diego Travel Bureau.  But I should.

Adventures can make you feel, well, adventurous!  When you have good friends, people you love, the most beautiful city in the world and the sea at your feet, life is grand.  I am blessed beyond all imagination.  I wish I could share this with every single one of you! Come on down and I'll take you on a bike cruise because, I love adventures!