“Not all those who wander are lost.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

One of the things I love best about being mostly retired, or at least not having a 9-5 job anymore, is the ability to travel in a more flexible, impromptu way. I am more of a traveler than a tourist. To be clear, I enjoy visiting popular or important tourist spots and sites, but I really enjoy the “off the beaten path”, unexpected or unplanned stops best. When I travel, whether it is a day trip or an extended trip, I like having a few plans or a general game plan, but I always try to leave unstructured, unplanned time in between for interesting experiences that might pop up along the way. Happening onto interesting stuff in new places is always a goal of mine.

I am also a chronic side quester. Side quest is a newer term in our lexicon. The term originates from the world of video games. A side quest is a spontaneous detour or unexpected distraction that takes you off your current or planned path. Side quests, which can be small, big, and every size in between, are almost always magical. Examples of side quests might include turning down a small road to a cool view, stopping at a roadside spot or restaurant, finding some interesting art or live music, or simply getting into a conversation with someone new. I think we used to call side-questing “wandering”. Some of the very best moments in my travels have been unplanned and unexpected side quests, and an unexpected adventure is always fun and exciting.

Recently, while we were visiting friends for the weekend, we had an amazing side quest. Our friends had plans for us to hike in a nearby crystal mine, which sounded exciting enough. They had been there once before, but we had to take a different route due to road construction.  Long story short: we got lost, ventured beyond cell phone range, and never did find the crystal mine, but we did accidentally find the Babbitt Peak Fire Lookout, where we met the ranger who has managed the lookout along with her dog, Betsy, for almost 15 years. What a lucky accident! The ranger was generous with her time and happy to tell us all about how she runs the lookout, everything from provisioning to morning patrols to calling in fires. She patiently answered all of our questions. One of the more surprising facts we learned was that she uses a low-tech, seemingly old-fashioned system to locate and track fires called an Osborne Fire Finder. It is a mechanical device developed in the early 1900s that is used to pinpoint the exact location and direction of distant smoke or fire she sees. The fire finder has a circular map with the lookout tower positioned at the exact center. When the ranger spots smoke or fire, she lines up the crosshairs in a mounted scope over the device with the target (smoke/fire) and uses an azimuth ring, a calibrated scale around the perimeter of the map, to calculate a precise compass bearing for the smoke/fire. Then, using a tape, she measures the area to estimate the distance to the smoke/fire using the terrain scale. Finally, she shares the location coordinates with other fire lookouts in the area and the fire crews who can check it out and verify what she sees. It was fascinating! Up until that moment, none of us had ever heard of an Osborne Fire Finder, let alone had the opportunity to try one.

As we started our drive home, we were marveling at how, in a world where technology seems to handle everything, parts of fire control still rely heavily on low-tech mechanisms and people working together. We stopped for a little picnic on the long dirt road through the forest on our way back to the main road. While we were munching on our sandwiches, watching birds in the brush, and enjoying the wildflowers, we spotted some movement in the bushes near the edge of the road. Suddenly, out popped a large bear. He scooted quickly up the nearby embankment, then turned around and stood up on his hind legs, seemingly to get a better look at us, more curious than aggressive or afraid. None of us, including the bear, moved for a few minutes. All of us were treasuring this stunningly beautiful moment shared together. And not once did we ever even think about missing the crystal mine.

What a day for side quests! Seriously, how lucky were we to have not one but two unexpected, incredible experiences in one day? None of these experiences or moments along this adventure, which we now refer to as the Babbitt Fire Lookout side quest, would have been possible if we had followed our original preset plan. Road construction and getting lost helped us to find our way to a truly remarkable side quest. Side questing is so good for us. Trying something new, meeting new people, etc., builds our confidence, resilience, and flexibility skills. Experiencing novelty through side-questing boosts dopamine in our brains, so we feel good when we engage in them. Doing something because we want to, not because we have to, is a powerful mood stabilizer and joy builder. You can’t really fail at side-questing because there are no preset rules or even expectations. This fact helps to bring down the winds of anxiety and stress. As Tolkien says, not all of us who wander are lost. I would expand on his idea this way: maybe getting lost, engaging in some unplanned wandering or side-questing now and again, is good for our souls and our overall sense of well-being. So, go out and get lost today!

Osborne Fire Finder at Babbitt Fire Lookout