After my recent
post about " mancations", I couldn't stop thinking whether guy's vacations should be just booze and strippers, "soft" adventures like biking, rafting, skydiving or something they will remember for a long, long time. I spent some time on the net and found some unbelievable adventures. Here are just a few of them: driving WWII tank, flying in a fighter jet, driving Formula 1 racing car, becoming a firefighter , special/covert/sea operations agent, piloting a submarine and more.
Everything from extreme adventures to extremely bizarre, like "pirate hunting" vacations to those interested in wielding AK-47's and shooting at pirates off the coast of Somalia ( just US$5,000+ AK-47's and ammunition available for rent each day).
Do we have anything that even remotely as extreme as those adventures in Washington State? Not quite, but here are a few ideas:
My first pick ( and my favorite one ) is...
Stuntman School. Yes, right here in Mukilteo, Wa. This three week intensive training, with an emphasis on the most basic stunts found in film production, will include : precision driving,fire burns, martial arts, foot/stair/high falls, special effects and more. Whether you want to use this trainings to pursue a career as "stunt performer" or just want to perform your own basic stunts for your friends, you will have a lot of fun during those three weeks. To remember this unforgettable experience ( and show it to your friends), your entire training will be video taped. Who knows, may be you will become some big action star's double, living in Los Angeles or at least working at Six Flags or Disney.
My second pick is a bit more intense. While on a leisure walk around Pike Market, you are kidnapped and held for ransom. A terrorist attack closes the district and you find yourself in a fix. How do you stay alive? Let's start with... why you were at Pike Market... Just kidding. But if Pike Market happened to be captured by terrorists, you will need to know how to get to safety on your own and that what "
Scout Urban Escape and Evasion" course will teach you. Even if you don't live in "challenging urban environments", you can feel like James Bond for a day and learn : " urban baseline movement and urban awareness training, the use of urban disguises and false papers/identification, lock picking, escaping from unlawful custody, obtaining and driving local transportation, the use of "specialized" urban gear, and instruction on how to develop urban escape and evasion go-bags, etc." Besides it's all very practical knowledge (the use false papers/identification,lock picking ? isn't it?) used in everyday life.
My next two pick are less extreme, but no less fun or practical.
NOLS - National Outdoor Leadership School takes people of all ages on remote wilderness expeditions, teaching technical outdoor skills, leadership, and environmental ethics in some of the world’s wildest and most awe-inspiring classrooms. No, it's not another adventure company. You won't be treated like a tourist and don't expect anybody to do everything for you. It takes practice to learn outdoor skills and time to develop leadership and the wilderness provides the ideal setting for this unique education.The Outdoor Educator courses, featuring backcountry travel, glacier travel, and rock climbing, are truly signatures of NOLS Pacific Northwest. One of their state-of-the-art facilities is located in Conway, Washington.
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The Pacific Northwest Trip Leader" one week course is designed for those who don’t have a lot of time or a huge budget but are motivated to learn the ABCs of leading groups in the backcountry.
My final pick is similar to NOLS with more in-depth approach to wilderness survival, ethnobotany, wildlife tracking, permaculture, and outdoor leadership.
The Alderleaf Wilderness Certification Program prepares students to readily apply nature skills in environmental conservation, outdoor education, sustainable living, and beyond. With today's economy we all pretty soon will have to go back to our roots -learn how to build natural shelters, purify water, create friction fire, find wild food, and master a variety of wilderness crafts; develop the ability to accurately read tracks and signs made by mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects; learn how to properly identify, gather, and prepare wild plants for meals, medicines, and tools.
Tell me it's not practical? And skills like these will serve you for a long time.
But I am sure that is not all we have. There have to be crazier and more extreme adventures for man.
After my post on target shooting, I got a request to organize a "bachelor " party : booze, guns and camping. Isn't it the idea of "mancations" ? What would your ultimate "Man Adventures " be?
