"I love the anticipation at the beginning of every dive. As I begin to drop below the surface of the water, the only thing I know for sure that is awaiting me is adventure. Every dive is different – EVERY DIVE. You could be diving the same spot, on the same dive site, 500 times & each one would be different. There could be different animals present, or the same animals exhibiting different behaviors. The currents can change creating a mild drift or a ripping ride. The light breaking the waves on the surface can turn yesterday’s drab looking swim over a patch of reef into today’s stunning kaleidoscope of colors.

I love the silence. At no time in my life can I recall getting to spend a totally silent & undisturbed hour with only my own breathing breaking the silence. No cell phones, no TV, no traffic noise, no one talking to you (or at you), & none of the endless cacophony of sounds that makes up our daily routine. Diving is one of the most peaceful & spiritual activities I have ever done, but it is also one of the most exciting.

I love the adventure. I love swimming with a whale shark so huge, it dwarfs a city bus. I love looking into the eyes of a sea turtle & seeing them look back at you. I love stalking the reef or the sand looking for creatures so bizarre they would seem to be aliens from another planet taking their vacation under our seas. I love seeing a sunken shipwreck, a giant Manta Ray, a microscopic pygmy seahorse, or a pod of dolphins racing by as I smile in disbelief."

- Tim B.
Via Why I Love Scuba Diving

"The reason I sail is why most people travel. Because of the terror, and the joy, of leaving the known and passing into the unknown; the idea that what you mind find might be better than what you left behind. It might be uncomfortable; it might be scary; it will certainly be un-perfect. But it will be magnificent.

For me, the sea is the eternal unknown; it’s the question I will be asking myself for the rest of the life. The far-off shore I’ll always be pointing my rudder toward, even if the journey is all I’ll ever find."

- Claire S.
Via Why Do I Sail?

"We go outside to rinse ourselves of worldly stress, and to taste again that simple life. In our escape, we leave behind Facebook and Twitter for a brief time, choosing instead face-to-face time beside the campfire, and the tweet of the kingfisher along the riverbank.

We go outside to recharge. To sweat. To ingest a healthy dose of dirt. And learn lessons that cannot be taught in any book or website. We go to test ourselves, and our instincts. To enjoy our friends in a different light. To set our imaginations alight. We go to taste freedom.

Amid those cathedral groves, blue waters and high peaks, we glimpse the insignificance – and the ephemeral beauty – of our own precious life. In the process, we unearth a kinder, gentler incarnation of ourselves. It seems an inescapable truth that we are always a better person for having been outdoors."

- Bruce K.
Via Why We Go Outdoors

“First it was learning how to be in a wheelchair, then how to walk with a walker, then ski poles, then a cane. Every one of those obstacles is like a climbing problem. You have to learn how to do the moves, where to put the gear, and methodically think about it. If it’s a challenging route, it takes time. You don’t just get it on your first try. When you do get it, you ask ‘what’s next?’

If I could hike up the back of Ha Ling peak with a cane, stand on top and feel that wind on my face, that would be a win. That would be my greatest accomplishment.”

- Ryan T.
Canmore, Alberta Canada

Read more about Ryan's recovery after his climbing accident and his determination to walk.

"Running is something I can do, no matter what time of day and no matter where I am. And I quickly learned, it’s allowed me to see the sights I may not otherwise see. You can cover some serious ground while running…you don’t need a tour bus!

I’m no Forest Gump.  I’m not running across the country and have no plans to.  But, when I travel, anywhere, I always get out for a run.  It’s the perfect way to explore a new town, city or country.  You don’t need tickets.  You don’t need reservations.  You just need running shoes…and maybe a GPS so you don’t get lost (Luckily, I have never gotten lost, but that’s usually because I’m with my husband who’s a walking, err running GPS)."

- Debbie

"It’s the sheer majesty and serenity of the ocean that appeals to me. The moment you leap off the boat, you’re submerged into a different world, an utterly silent, often eerie world, with no idea what you’re going to find.
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The deeper you go, the more you leave your cares behind. Your frenetic lifestyle is left on the surface, to be replaced by one where everything moves in slow motion. All that matters is you and your dive buddy: pointing things out, covering each other’s backs and communicating without saying a word...There’s so much I haven’t seen yet and I’ve no idea when I’ll come across it."

- Lorraine F.
Via Why I Love Scuba Diving

"I felt a pull toward long distance hiking and decided to do it. I’ve known people who have gone long distance before and I was just enamored to listen to them talk about it."

- Sarah J., 24
Edmonton, Alberta Canada

"But this one was the swim [Farallon Island to San Francisco], so risky, so scary, and that's really why I had to do it."

- Kim C.

"Bicycle touring has been a large part of my life for the last 33 years. I have bicycled on five of the seven continents, and have traveled solo and with groups. I have always considered bicycle travel a wonderful way to encounter the world and its inhabitants, allowing you to experience the land with all five senses . . . and a fair amount of sweat."

- Alan T.
Read more about the Perimeter Ride and where Alan is today!