The Value and Importance of Experiences.
I’m now just over a third of the way through my Churchill Fellowship Adventure, so I thought I’d try something new this week and go with a vlog (#firsttime)
I’ve been reflecting a lot on the importance and value of experiences in outdoors spaces and trails.
I started this journey to explore opportunities for trail destinations to attract and grow world class 'shared-use' interests.
Shared-Use trails was initially very one dimensional to me. It was a practical challenge: how do we get multiple users to share a trail, and still enjoy themselves. It was about activating outdoor spaces and engaging all users in them.
But the concept of shared-use has been expanded far beyond my initial understanding. Shared-use is much more than just a practical demonstration, it’s also about sharing in community, sharing around responsibility, sharing mutual respect, sharing the ownership, sharing our knowledge and skills and most importantly, sharing the experience.
Experience has become such a critical word for me as I’ve travelled. Fundamentally, this is why we all head outdoors... a enjoyable, sustainable, adrenalin-filled, educational, developmental and/or conservational experience.
What I have loved most is hearing the stories of how these experiences have changed individual lives, as well as communities, schools, workplaces and towns.
Experiences have provided much more than physical growth. There’s been numerous examples of social change, cultural understanding, mental health healing, communal integration and increase in self confidence and purpose.
I'd love to hear what makes outdoor spaces, trails and/or recreation important to you? Why do you invest into it? What do you hope to get out of it? How do your experiences shape up?
And as always... I'd love to hear any comments, suggestions, advice... on both my trip so far and my (now video) blog!
What’s next?
I'm about to move on from Yosemite National Park. There's an 850km+ drive ahead of me as I head south-east to Zion National Park for a couple of days before finishing this week in Grand Canyon National Park.
The 'peak season' is making things a little challenging with so many people here in the USA struggling to make opportunities happen. While I'd love to be spending my time meeting with people from across outdoor spaces, trails and recreation, there is also huge value in just observing. With it being peak season, it's really insightful to see spaces and trails in full flight, and the beauty of busyness is that there is always people to chat with.
Thank you
Without people, this adventure wouldn't be the same. To those below, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy lives to spend it with me this past week. I am super grateful and really do look forward to staying in touch with you all.
Dale Mikkelsen, President, Whistler Off Road Cycling Association
Allison Macdonald, Parks and Trails Coordinator, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District
Lorne Russell, Supervisor Parks and Trails, Resort Municipality of Whistler
Darren Kinnaird, General Manager, Crankworx
Eric Baron, Product Development Officer - Visitor Experience, Banff National Park
Tina Barzo, Leader of Volunteer Engagement, Banff National Park
Mary Benjamin, Visitor Experience Product Development Officer (Infrastructure), Banff National Park
Diane Bures, Director of Consumer Marketing, Banff & Lake Louise Tourism
Chad Townsend, Environmental Manager, Town of Banff
PH Gagnon, Engineering Coordinator, Town of Banff
Katarina Graves, Planning Intern, Town of Banff
Morgan Steel, Executive Director, Tahoe Rim Trail Association
The team at Over the Edge - Tahoe
Adonia Ripple, Director of Yosemite Operations, Yosemite Conservancy
Ed Dunlavey, Wilderness Manager, Yosemite National Park (Apologies)
Follow Along
If you're not already, I'd love for you to also follow along with me on social media. I'm posting daily updates with photos between these extended blog posts.
The Winston Churchill Trust
This opportunity to travel around the world, learn from international experts and share in once-in-a-lifetime experiences wouldn't be possible without the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.
I'm especially grateful to the Trust, as well as those from the Churchill Fellows Association in South Australia and those who supported the establishment of the Terry Lavender Scholarship. To receive such a Fellowship, let alone this scholarship is a really humbling privilege and it is a real honour to be able to recognise Terry Lavender in this way.