Adventure Interview

Name: Michaelle Scanlon

Michaelle has a non-stop passion for adventure. She currently runs an adventure club, The League of Adventurous Women.

1. What does adventure mean to you? Trying something new. It doesn’t have to be wild or dangerous; it just has to be something that I have never done before now.

2. Why did you start an “Adventure Blog”? I have an adventure club and we try to do a wide range of adventurous activities each year. I started the blog to share the concept of an adventure club with other women and to encourage them to expand their horizons and their comfort zones.

3. What is your favorite adventure to date? We (the adventure club) just finished a Dragon Boat clinic, which was a lot of fun, but learning to shoot a .44 Magnum and a Smith & Wesson revolver was the most memorable.

4. Are you becoming more or less adventurous in life? Interesting question. I’m less likely to sleep on the roof of a hotel (something I did in college) but I’m more likely to seek out different experiences. I know I may not get a second chance at some things so I’d better make the most of my current opportunities.

5. What do you mean when you say, “Adults need to have fun, too”? As a mom and a Girl Scout leader, I was the one who planned activities, drove the kids, paid the fees , bandaged the elbows and watched while the kids did something cool. It finally occurred to me that adults devote a lot of time to making sure the younger generation has fun…I think we need to return to being participants not just facilitators.

6. What is the most difficult part of starting a new adventure? That depends on the adventure but generally it’s the planning. Making sure I’m prepared for the unexpected.

7. Were you adventurous as a young girl? I was extremely shy. I wanted to try new things but I was always afraid that I would embarrass myself.

8. Who is your female role-model (s)? My great aunt, Peggy Roberts, was a traveler. During the 1920s, 30s and 40s, she and her husband, Frank, were stationed all over the world: The Philippians, China, Turkey…. I grew up hearing her stories and I wanted that kind of excitement in my own life.

9. Is there any adventure you’re afraid to try? I’m not fond of tight spaces. I don’t think I’ll be crawling through tiny cave passages any time soon. Then again, I love caves so I guess I should never say, “Never.”

10. What was your favorite childhood book? Why? I was a huge reader. I read all the mysteries I could get my hands on but the most memorable book was a kids’ anthropology/archaeology book about early humans and the many cultures around the world. I don’t remember the name of the book but my fascination with that subject has never left me.

11. What do you regret not doing? When I was about 10, a musician invited me on stage to sing. Even though I new every word of the song, I was embarrassed and chickened out of my three minutes of (off-key) fame. That little event stayed with me until I turned 40 and finally vowed to grab every opportunity that presents itself.

12. Do you have a travel “disaster” story? Loads! One was when a friend and I took a train from Paris to an attraction in the French countryside. When we arrived at our remote location, we learned that the attraction was closed and that all returning trains had been cancelled for the day. We ended up hitch hiking back to Paris but we met a few shady characters along the way.

13. What do you always pack in your luggage? Kleenex and Advil.

14. Do you prefer to travel solo or with friends and family? Both are fun but it’s much more rewarding when you can share the adventure.

15. Describe your perfect place. What you’re doing. I love the Southwest: the desert, the enormous sky. I’d like to spend my time hiking in that part of the world.

16. What is your motto? ”Life is either a great adventure or nothing.” - Helen Keller