Off-roading and exploration.
When I was younger my parents owned a Jeep Wrangler. After owning it for some time my dad lifted it and got some bigger tires for it. We often went off-roading and traveled to places cars couldn't go. Eventually we sold the Jeep (the engine failed) and had to sacrifice off-road activity. Once I started driving on a regular basis, I had to pick up a daily driver car. I shopped on Craigslist for weeks and finally chose my best option. I chose a Hyundai luxury sedan from the early 2000s. I loved this car, however after owning it for some time I found myself going places that the car was not meant for. I eventually realized that I needed to get something with off-road capability. Shortly there after I sold the Hyundai and began researching my options for something that would go off road. After some time I found a Nissan Xterra and ended up buying it. I fell rapidly into the off-road and overlanding scene. I have gone on several crazy trips with this "truck", each one has resulted in a big learning experience. From mountain runs to 500 mile road trips I seem to always improve my personal skills. Each trip has taught me the importance of self awareness, responsibility, adaptability, and perseverance. All of those skills play a big role in each of my trips. I have had many times where I've had to navigate myself out of dirt pathways in the woods of Colorado and New Mexico. That required both awareness and responsibility. I've gone on many trips where risk assessment was necessary. Sometimes I felt conditions were too dangerous or unsafe where I had to stop and adapt my plan. After a few of these risky instances I began evaluating what would need to change in order to make some of the risks smaller in scope or more manageable. Now, when I travel I bring back up gear and download maps of each area before I go. I also bring additional water, food and fluids for the vehicle. I also carry a tote with extra tools and supplies in case something breaks or needs adjusting. I think that off-roading and exploration has taught me valuable life skills, risk assessment and planning skills that I wouldn't have learned anywhere else.
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