The best adventures are the ones that suck.

Think back to your favorite outdoor adventure —maybe a fishing, hunting, or camping trip.

Chances are you remember that time so clearly you can recount the smallest details. The smell of the forest, the feel of the frost in the air, the sound of the unending rain pounding on your tent fly. The closer you come to hypothermia, being lost in the forest, or falling off the side of a mountain, the more you enjoy telling the story.

That’s because adventures are meant to be relived, and the best stories are filled with danger.

The picture at the top of this story came from a perfect final evening in the Algonquin back country in mid May.

Don’t let the serenity fool you — we paddled for hours in driving rain and howling wind, with air temperatures hovering around the freezing mark. Arriving at the campsite soaked to the bone, frigid, and much closer to dark than intended, getting warm and dry quickly became more than a just a creature comfort.

All being relatively experienced backpackers, we sorted it out in short (though uncomfortable) order. After setting up camp and getting a fire going, we sat around reminiscing about last year’s trip to the very same lake where we battled slippery portages, freezing rain, and morning snow.

We joked about how much this trip sucks. Every year.

We unanimously agreed to return next year.

Adversity, challenge, and risk are why we go into the wilderness. If it was easy, everyone would do it. If everyone did it, telling the stories wouldn’t be any fun.

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I want to hear about your favorite adventure!

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