COLUMN: A Tribute to Adventure Buddies

    In my mind, my friends and acquaintances are classified into distinct categories. There are the old-time friends, the people I have partied with since preschool. There are the team friends with whom I participated in clubs or sports. There are class friends, who I met through enduring long lectures together, and friends who are my past and current roommates. If you apply the definition loosely, you might even include the people that I know, though not sure how, that I give a courtesy head nod when I pass on campus. The list of types of friends could continue for some time, but the purpose of this current discourse is to salute a distinct class of friend: The Adventure Buddy.

    The Adventure Buddy is not your typical friend. They fill a special niche and share in activities that bring a closeness that is hard to explain. Whenever you find grandiose plans involving the outdoors, extreme activities and an element of risk, the Adventure Buddy is there. You don’t call an Adventure Buddy just to hang out or to say hi. Indeed, doing so will often confuse or anger them as they have been classically conditioned that answering your phone call will result in an adventure offer, and like Pavlov’s dog, they have already begun salivating in anticipation.

    I have tried to consider what it is that strengthens the bond with an Adventure Buddy. It seems almost counter-intuitive, as long lapses in contact and regular association, which usually serves to solidify friendships, is lacking. I finally concluded that it is the nature of the association that differs. When I am with an Adventure Buddy, we are often dangling high above the ground while rock climbing, flying down a mountain at breakneck speeds on mountain bikes or enjoying an amazing secluded view. While the interaction may be intermittent it is inherently incredible and illuminating.

    I think about my Adventure Buddies. They are the kids that step up beside you as you stand on the edge of the cliff, looking at the water far below and say “Yeah, I bet we can jump off this.” They are the person that sits on your rope while climbing to stop you from falling to your death. They are the person who will tell you if you stink after backpacking for three days. They are the person who halves their dehydrated meal with you when you underpacked for the trip. They are the person who spends hours building a back-country kicker with you and then laughs when you fall on your head attempting a backflip.

    So, I salute you, Adventure Buddies. It may be that I never watch a movie or play Jenga with you. I may never meet your family or see your home town. I may never know your middle name, your favorite color or see you in dress clothes. But I will see beautiful vistas that I won’t share with anyone else. I will trust my life to you and you will see me in my best and worst. We will be pushed to our limits and our friendship will come out stronger than ever.

    I am sitting in the library. It’s dead week and I need to be studying. My phone starts to vibrate. Excited by the distraction, I grab it. It’s a text from an Adventure Buddy. I start packing up my gear before I have even read the text. It’s time for an adventure.

– Dusty Nash is a sports enthusiast, adrenaline junky and lover of nature. He can be reached at dustin.nash@aggiemail.usu.edu.