Kids Movement Project is an Instagram account that I follow for ideas about outdoor activities that I can do with my kids here in Maine. This morning the woman who runs the account (I’m sorry, I don’t know her name) shared a photograph from a hike with her kids and husband. The story below the picture provided a good reminder that you can have fun in the great outdoors without having to purchase any special clothing or equipment.
From fly fishing to rafting to biking to camping to skiing and more I’ve been involved in a lot outdoor sports and pursuits over the years. My most fun days in all of those activities haven’t depended on having “the right equipment.”
Thanks to consumerism and marketing there’s always some piece of equipment that you could buy to make X, Y, or Z activity “more enjoyable.” I’ve bought some of those. Other than good rain gear, none has made an activity more. And the good rain gear just makes the bad days a little less bad. Although my recent bike ride gone awry was still miserable even with a good rain jacket.
Get out there! Fun doesn’t depend on having the right gear.