Many years and girlfriends ago, I was canoeing on the Colorado in Black Canyon just below Hoover dam. The girl I was with was freaking out being in a canoe with towering limestone cliffs around us. A gruff compatriot on the trip scolded me for taking her. “This isn’t a ride at Disneyland” he snarled as he floated by. I was faced with almost the same question today as I was waiting in line at an unnamed southern California amusement park. How do roller coasters and outdoor adventure really stack up? Only one way to tell… let’s start stacking!
Lines and Waiting
It’s hard to think about theme parks and not think about standing in line. Still, I think there is just as much waiting and patience involved in technical outdoor sports. Long approaches, bouncing down forest service roads, jugging ropes, building anchors, and all the accouterment takes time. I have spent countless hours sleeping in caves waiting for somebody to do something. If you really want to wait in a cave, do a project that requires ropes and radios. Patience is very much a part of outdoor adventure.
Adrenal Response
What is more thrilling than racing down a metal rail at 120 miles an hour? How about sitting on the edge of the Tonto Plateau in the Grand Canyon wondering if you should rap off and swing into a cave that is rumored to be just below you? That’s how I learned my half-life of fear. Just like isotropic decay, fear and bravado have a half-life. When I reached the rim and looked over, I knew I was doing it. My friend went first, while I watched one of the most amazing sunsets I have ever seen over the inner canyon. The “Off Rope” call never came. Fifteen minutes later my buddy was back and said the rope was just a little short, but I could drop and frog up if I wanted. It wasn’t happening for me. Somewhere in between, I reached my half-life of fear. Therein lies the first major difference. In outdoor sports, you are supposed to overcome your fear, while on roller coasters you’re supposed to scream, put your hands in the air, and fully submit to the fear.
Personal Responsibility
It’s OK to get lost in the emotions on a ride because you are not in charge. You pay good money for some young kid to strap you in and make sure you are safe. Outside, you pay good money to have the gear (and know how) to take care of yourself. One classic example from this weekend involved watching a husband yelling at a ride attendant because his wife fell off an inner tube on a water slide. She literally only had one job, to hold on, but that apparently was too much to ask. If in the same situation, say on a rope, the outcome most likely would have been far more tragic.
Hyper Focus
There is an amazing clarity when you are on rope. All the distractions and clutter leave your mind and it is just you, mother nature, and your gear. Amusement parks require the exact opposite. They need you to detune from the mass of humanity around you and just roll with the flow. Walk on green. Stop on red. Stand in line and wait for adrenaline candy.
Demographics
I don’t understand the people at amusement parks. Actually, it’s more than that. I don’t understand where these people go. There are kids everywhere doping up on dopamine. Why aren’t there just as many adults getting their thrill on? It seems like all kids like having fun, but adults… not so much. There are far more adults sitting spectating, snapping pictures and eating than riding rides. If all these kids on the rides grew into outdoor adrenaline junkies, REI would be bigger than K-Mart. The kids at the amusement park seem like a standard cross-section of society. Outdoor sports, the adrenaline ones at least, seem to be dominated by the white middle class 20 or 30 somethings. That is until you are hiking in National Parks where everybody seems to be much older.
Growth and Learning
Perhaps the answer to the demographic question is wrapped into growth and learning opportunities. Amusement parks are pretty much enjoyed at face value. You come in and get your fix. Once you are tall enough to ride, it doesn’t really change. The outdoors is an empty canvas. Your adventures are only limited by your skills, fitness, imagination and tolerance for misery. You might even have the chance to find your Zen place. Maybe kids outgrow the simple thrills without finding a replacement. Maybe they find the wrong replacements. Maybe a few kids are lucky enough to be exposed to the outdoors and continue the journey.
Teamwork
Kids aren’t the only ones who need exposure to the outdoors. One of my favorite parts of being outside is teaching my craft to apprentices or learning from a master. The give and take of information and underlying friendship, trust, and teamwork is hard to come by in the modern world. Some of the best conversations I have ever had have been around a campfire after living through another wild adventure. Teamwork at the amusement park is usually nothing more than a buddy to hang with while waiting for your paid help to work your safety gear.
Check out this other great post about conquering your fears on rock from our friend JJ at Culture Trekking
Wrapping Up
I was pleased and surprised with this article. I didn’t know where it would take me when I started writing and sharing this journey with you. My first thought is adrenaline in all its forms is fun and good. I still can’t complain. I love a good pizza with melted cheese and spicy pepperoni. It’s simple food I have enjoyed all my life and I am not going to give it up. Outdoor adventure is more like a gourmet meal of filet mignon. It can be enjoyed on many levels, nourishing both your body and your taste buds. I hope I am never too old to enjoy pizza, and I hope kids grow up and get to try filet mignon at least once.
What an interesting comparison…I wouldnt have thought of it. Well, for starters, I am scared of heights and hence, I admire those who can do such daring feats..hats off to you! I love how such activities impact kids when they are growing…wish we had such options in India…but hopefully, my husband can try them when we travel over seas.
I am sure that India has plenty of ways to expand your comfort zone. It doesn’t matter where how brave or scared you are. It’s a personal experience where you challenge yourself.
So true that kids have their sense of fun switched on and adults not always. As I read your post I found myself agreeing that not waiting in a queue is a fab part of a outdoor adventure, and the sense of achievement you gain cannot be the same as a rollercoaster. I love the shared experience of conquering a challenge with a teammate too.
Indeed. I miss my mountain bike posse. We used to ride over anything, anywhere. All for one and one for all. A bond forged in the wilderness is like no other.
Here… I am an adult enjoying amusement parks. They are so much fun 🙂 but you are right, it always comes with waiting in line, which is annoying but I still love them.
Zipping down a hill at 100 miles per hour is fun. Nothing wrong with that. We live in Southern California and have actually gotten pretty good at dodging lines by picking slow days at the park. Once, we went to Six Flags during the day before their Fright Night and could walk right onto any ride. It was pretty cool.
This is a great analogy. We’ve often used the common expression, “it was like a roller coaster” for many experiences, but you really hit the nail on the head. Great piece of writing.
Thank you. Love your writing too. It was fun juxtaposing these two ideas together and seeing what came out.
This was so amazing to read. Very interesting to see your take on real outdoor adventures and how they compare with the Amusement park variants. The thrill in both cases are different. Of course the thrill in an actual adventure is on a different level altogether.
Thank you for stopping by and reading the article. we appreciate it.
I enjoyed your comparison. Although I love the outdoors, I am not one to conquer many fears, when it comes to intensive outdoor activities since, I am very fearful of heights. However, I do believe not all outdoor activities have to be daring to be enjoyable. One of my most favourable activities is hiking outdoors and to me thats more calming and peaceful than anything.
We love hiking too. There are just so many amazing ways to enjoy nature.
I’m definitely there with you on the gourmet meal haha. I love adventure sports and can’t get enough of it! There is not much in London so I started doing boxing and mma to satisfy my adrenaline needs 🙂
Nothing cleanses the soul like a punch in the face.
How interesting to compare a ride at an amusement park to outside rock sports. It is so true that you need to rely on yourself over others when it comes to the rocks vs. the ride at the park. You need to feel you have what it takes. I would yell too if my significant fell of an inner tube! I am now inspired to give some more outdoor sports a whirl 🙂
If I inspired you then I did my part for the day. Go out and do good. Or at least do something.
I used to love amusement parks until developing motion sickness as an adult! So now I’m happy to watch my daughter enjoy rides with her dad from the sidelines. Great post, love the comparison.
Never forget to live your life and be an inspiration for your kids. Otherwise, they are learning to sit on the sidelines too.
It’s so strange how the older we get the more scared we become. It’s good that you were able to take this adventure anyway. I never would’ve thought to compare both of these activities but they both sound fantastic. I’m hoping to do some canyoning/climbing soon.
New Zealand is a pretty fantastic place for those things.
This is really interesting – I would’ve never thought of comparing the two but they do have a lot in common. Funny enough, I love a good outdoor adventure/adrenaline rush but I do not like amusement parks. I guess probably because the sudden drops on the rides at the park make me feel extremely ill. I hope you never grow tired of pizza also! 😉 Thanks for sharing
Very interesting, I would choose rocks. Never liked rollercoasters. Rocks for me would be more of a challenge.
Quite an interesting and unique post, one that I haven’t come across as yet, but makes a whole lot of sense. I love how you compare and there is a bit of tongue and cheekyness to it all which works well for me. I’m no adventure junkie, and don’t do roller coasters either, but occasionally enjoy the moderately thrilling activity. A little envious of all the adventures you’ve been on. Cheers.
The thing to remember about adventure is it’s all relative. The important thing is to get out of your comfort zone every now and then, whether you comfort zone is big or small.
That’s when you go to the amusement parks on a weekday during the school year! No lines whatsoever!! 😀 Kidding aside, what you say is totally true, but I still enjoy the mindless cheap thrill from time to time. But indeed the outdoors definitely require much more focus, learning, and teamwork which rewards you with personal growth and satisfaction. Still, many times I choose pizza over filet mignon 😉
Our best no line experience was Six Flags during the daytime before Fright Night. That was easy flying. Nothing wrong with Pizza.
Interesting comparison! I agree with Michaela, though, I’d definitely choose rocks. I’m not a massive fan of amusement parks (or roller coasters) but a climbing adventure would be more like my cup of tea!
What is your favorite outdoor adventure?
Some interesting comparisons there, even as far as a pizza and a filet mignon. Hyper focus is true, at the them park you just get herded through whereas on the rocks you are focusing or you fall off! You do grow as a climber, finding the next challenge or bigger cliff whereas at the theme park, being tall enough to go on a bigger ride isn’t really growing or challenging. You got some brilliant action shots in here too!
Thanks, glad you liked the piece.
Great article and love all the pictures of you climbing too. I think the important point is about the personal responsibility – i.e. getting lost in the fun on a rollercoaster because someone else is pushing the buttons. That can also be scary though, putting your faith in another human rather than plotting your own path on the rocks?
It is scary to trust your belayer but that is where the teamwork comes in. You both have to be spot on. If you don’t fall it doesn’t matter but you have to plan to fall.
Never would have thought of this comparison, but I think it is so interesting, especially what you say about adrenal response. Lots of things can trigger off that sort of response in your bodies (even stress!), but I guess it is just a case of how you want to spend your time. I don’t think I am quite brave enough for all the outdoor sports pictured, but I would probably get on a roller coaster – maybe it isn’t the thrill I’d get but the sense of danger! Happy travelling and exploring 🙂
In the end, it doesn’t matter how extreme of a sport you choose objectively. It is only an exercise in expanding your comfort zone. It’s all a very personal choice.
Some interesting insights into human behaviour. It really makes me realise how idle we all seem to behave in our regular lives. Going to an amusement park for an adrenaline rush is nothing compared to the challenge and sense of accomplishment from completing an outdoor adventure. We all should just “wake up” and spend more of our leisure time in outdoor pursuits.
Friday cheers for living life my friend. Wake up and smell the coffee.
Very interesting article, I must say this. From different perspectives even. I never did this kind of climbing and hanging on a rope but how you describe it, it really fascinates me. Funny but also sad was the part of Personal responsibility. I had a clear picture in mind while, reading this – which was funny. Pity just, that such situations happen way too often and I dont even know why. It seems sometimes, people completely forgot to listen and learn…
We are all on a spiritual journey and failing to remember your personal responsibility is a part of it. Hopefully, you get through that lesson in one piece and are a better person for it.
great post, I like the comparison you made, I kind of for both I enjoy it both too. I like the pictures, the ones of climbing wasn’t it a bit dangerous??
Great post, I like the comparison you made, I’m kind off for both, I enjoy doing both and it can be dangerous in anyway I think we just need to enjoy the moment and that’s all. Very nice pictures
We have always found that the hint of danger helps you enjoy the now moment that much more.
Very interesting comparison, Ed. The two sound pretty similar to me because I’m a paranoid scaredy cat. I was never fond of roller coasters and the last time I had to jump off a small cliff while canyoning I almost peed myself.. and that was only 5m. My husband’s an adrenaline junkie though so I’ll be relying on him to take our kids out for outdoor adventures. I’ll be the mom that sits on the sidelines whose job is to eat and take pictures 😛
Ivy, wait until you see the craziness we get into down at the Tijuana Water Park. Two words – Slip and Fly. We are freshening up that post and putting it out again soon.
I can´t do rollercoasters anyone, am just terrified of them!! Though when I a travelling now, I am always trying new things. I am still not sure I will ever try a bungee jump or jump from a plane, but who knows maybe one day I will get brave enough. I do certainly enjoy testing my limits more.
It really doesn’t matter what you do. Just enjoy life outside the comfort zone.
I love the pizza and filet mignon analogy it is quite appropriate. I am like you I have a taste for both. I do hate waiting in line but there is still fun and thrill in the rides. But also glad I have grown to enjoy outdoor adventuring but to be fair I was exposed to it at a young age. Well keep on enjoying both your pizza and fillet I know I will.
It’s amazing what a difference it makes to be exposed to outdoor adventure as a kid. Go team omnivore.
You make a lot of great points. I’ve never thought of it this way. I was always a fan of rollercoasters as a kid, but as an adult I much prefer adventures outdoors in nature. I’m glad you have never stopped seeking out adrenaline opportunities.
An intriguing comparison between two unrelated yet adrenaline pumping activities. To be honest I can never do rock climbing as I am too scared to be hanging on to dear life with just a rope. It requires way too much discipline and motivation. Having said that, I love the thrills of roller coasters. Love the moment when the coaster reaches the peak and then drops. I simply cannot get enough of Roller Coaster rides. Though frightening but it is still fun.
I love sitting in the front of the coaster and looking down the drop before the release. Fun times.
Roller coaster are fairly thrill! The roller coaster are the most suitable games for the thrill-seekers!
Rocks and roller coaster are very cool!I love the roller coaster very much! Though I am a little afraid of the roller coaster, I always want to have a try!
Roller coasters do a great job of pumping adrenaline right into your system. Nothing like the feeling in the pit of your stomach before the first drop.