01 July, 2025
Ready, Set and whoa!
To many grand ideas and nothing ready to go yet. Today we watch shows like Departures, The Reluctant Traveller and we think, "Hey that looks easy." There is plethora of tiktoks, YouTube videos that makes it seem easier as they peel on towards adventure. There is more to it than what influencers seem to make easy. My goal is to explore the Canadian Prairies and Arctic within the next 3 years is to document my journeys which will cover the vast area formerly known as the Northwest Territories. To take on such an initiative requires planning as well as preparation.
Although we live in a relatively safe nation and there will be no international boundaries that will be crossed this removes a lot of the paperwork and coordination out of the equation. With that said there is still a lot to plan and prepare for, so the question is what is my plan? What is the goal?
The goal its simple, just explore Western Canada and the Arctic. To get young people, especially veterans, inspired to just get out there. There a certain breed of human that need a goal, they need to be challenged and in general to accomplish something that is greater than the sum of our cozy, mundane civilization. Be it from breaking sound barriers, building structures etc, there is a deep calling to just break free. These are the things that make us push our comfort zones and to grow with knowledge and confidence. This is what the army gave to me, the confidence and skills to be able to problem solve and accomplish goals.
Though now older I look back and saw it with laughable horror, of my reckless disregard for personal safety. The desire to be challenged though is still there, this time I'm much more the wiser. This means spend the time to plan and prepare. As I progress, I will be updating the website bi weekly until the day of departure. It will first start with writing then eventually branch into teaser videos of the preparation and execution of the adventure.
So what is the first orders of business? Planning.
When I plan I like to have at minimum a table and a wall, preferably within reach of each other. I have chosen to be more elaborate and invested in a studio. A good planning area should be away from distractions where research can be done, discussions to be held and plans to be developed. I invested in a shed that can be insulated and have power running into it. I am away from distractions of the home and feelI am in an office space.
Exercising is also a good thing to get started with, as the weeks progress I will provide some ideas to start a workable training plan. A good level fitness is highly recommended and like anything consult with a physician or if currently on physio come up with a workable plan with your therapist. My self I have 80 pounds that are unwanted so I am starting easy working closely with my physiotherapist to develop a workable plan. I do know I am carrying the extra weight, waiting for the bureaucracy to approve treatments. There is more to that story, however I will not go into details until a later date.
A non profit will also be in the works titled OPERATION Vita Post Servitium, Latin for Life After Service . The focus will be on post service veterans and doing adventure travel with them. As veterans, we leave the service and realize there was a sense of duty in the military that the majority of civilian occupations don't have. This I feel has now worsened through woke politics, the lockdowns etc. It is a hard adjustment for some of us, but through adventure these bonds can be revived along with planning and comradeship by achieving the hard to nearly impossible tasks as a team. The closest examples I can think of would be an expedition such as The Camel Trophy, modern exploration and The Long Way series.
In closing the next year and a half are going to be exciting and if you're veteran, reach out to me at
I'd love to hear from you.
Cheers
Jason
