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Why C'est La Vie Is My New Mantra

“The word adventure has gotten overused. For me, when everything goes wrong, that’s when adventure starts.” - Yvon Chouinard

By: Luke Webster + Save to a List

“For me, adventure is something that I can take an active part in but that I don’t have total control over and the more active a part, and the more intimate the relationship with the surroundings, the better.” - Peter Craft 

The reality of life is that nothing works out the way we expect it to. Yet, it's funny how I so often find myself imagining the perfect trip, with the right people, the right weather and the best experiences. Through life, and through adventuring I've come to realize that nothing goes to plan. Weather changes, itineraries are thrown out, people get injured and things can be rough. With this in mind, I've come to realize that "c'est la vie" is a great mantra to have when going through life and when exploring the outdoors.


High hopes. Low (realistic) expectations.

I've come to know "c'est la vie" (or "it is life"), as the best way to adventure. It allows me to experience the curveballs of life and adventure and find the best in it. A way to paraphrase this is 'high hopes, low expectations'. It is to look for the good, to take less than perfect (aka crappy) situations and to see the good, and it is to allow trips to not look good on social media (this one I'm guilty of). 


Alright, story time

The cover picture is my c'est la vie moment. This Black Friday I was supposed to do two night a backpacking trip in Yosemite. What started as an epic adventure in the snow turned into a boring snowless night in camp 4. Due to my buddy's bum knee, we were stuck in the valley. As I weighed my options of what to do (while still low-key pouting), I decided to roll with the punches and still make the best of it. Ten miles of epic trail running later, I reconnected with my buddy Caleb and we enjoyed a cold glass of whiskey while eating dinner at our campsite (Camp 4 FTW). Totally different than planned - c'est la vie. 

PSA - trips will suck, learn how to make the best of them (super cliché sounding but c'est la vie).

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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