Bold Exploration - J.K. Winders

Bold Exploration

Following J.K. Winders’ Adventures

“You’re willingly throwing yourself into personal unknown territory for the sake of discovery and illumination.” I love hearing his outlook on adventure and taking in all the things he has learned. Keep reading to see how J.K. Winders finds adventure in the risks.

Why do you adventure? Why do you explore? I like to think that adventures can put you in touch with the broader possibilities of what life can offer. On top of taking the chances to do some incredible things in awe-inspiring places, adventures show you that the set plan is not always the best way and that the worst times today can make for the best stories tomorrow.

I think the biggest misinterpretation I come across from people is that they seem to view exploration as simply wandering aimlessly hoping you stumble on something that made it all worthwhile. In reality, exploration is a journey, it’s a process of discovery, it’s the action of traveling in or through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it. Out of exploration comes illumination, not just in a new field, but within oneself as well. I discover new capabilities and transcend limits through exploration. I can’t speak for everyone, but that’s why I explore. It makes me a little bolder, a little less fearful, and maybe, hopefully, a little bit better. I like to think that all-around betterment is birthed from exploration. As someone who grew up a little shy and timid, exploration has made me more sure of myself and more courageous. 

Where are you from? I was born near Atlanta, Georgia and lived there for the first eighteen years of my life. And no, unsweetened tea was not a part of my vocabulary. Since then I have lived in Los Angeles, California, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and now I am based out of and roaming full-time in my 25ft Thor Majestic R.V.

When you were growing up what or who did you want to be? The script for my life changed very frequently growing up. There was a time I wanted to be a missionary because I loved the travel and I loved Jesus and it just made sense to little five-year-old me. There were also periods where I wanted to be a train conductor, a filmmaker, an author, a painter, a chef, even a theme park designer. I had so many different interests growing up that gave so many directions to steer my life into.

Why take risks in life? I think we all know deep down that anything worth achieving requires some sort of risk. If you want to experience a beautiful sunrise from a mountain top, you have to be willing to first take a step in the dark. Exploration in and of itself is a risk. You’re willingly throwing yourself into personal unknown territory for the sake of discovery and illumination. Every trail that we’ve traversed was laid down by someone else exploring a part of the empty sandbox. I absolutely understand how crippling the idea of the great unknown can be. But I also know how valuable the growth and discovery that comes from facing it. The first time you jump over a hurdle is always the hardest. You either soar over it or trip and face-plant into the ground. Either way, the fear of the unknown is vanquished because of the action taken against it. 

Favorite place you've visited? Picking a favorite place I’ve visited almost feels like picking a favorite child. But the place that I always search for reasons and opportunities to go back to is Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Growing up in Georgia, we had the Smoky Mountains which I thought were about as majestic as they came. But then when I saw the Grand Teton range, I couldn’t fathom that mountains like that could exist in this world. It’s also a place where I’ve found peace and inspiration to be perfectly abundant and never too difficult to obtain. 

What place do you most desperately want to visit? There are so many places that are still on my list. But right now at this moment I’ll say Southeast Asia. I have yet to venture into Asia and would love to unlock the entire region. I’d love to take the time to do some backpacking through the more off-the-beaten-path parts of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. But as I said, there are countless places that my journey has yet to take me to that I would love to experience.

What has changed about you because of your travels? I really believe that it’s impossible to harbor any thoughts or feelings of bigotry or intolerance when you venture outside of your cultural bubble. You learn that there are different ways of doing simple things, different values, from different wants and needs. It is a humbling experience to be the outsider in a foreign country. For instance, I’ll never make fun of or be mad at someone who doesn’t speak my language, because I have been that person abroad who’s the only one in the room that doesn’t speak the language. 

I’ve also discovered looking back on my travels is that none of my worries or fears that I stressed myself out over ever really happened. Other stuff definitely happened, but not the terrible, awful, unspeakable scenarios that I had fabricated in the deep dark spaces of my mind. Traveling does put you a little more receptacle to the things you can’t control. Delayed trains, closed roads, bad weather; all inconveniences that can add spice to the stories you’ll one day tell. And it terms fear overall, I know plenty of people that are still addicted to 24/7 news and it instills that anxiety that the world is full of evil and things to be afraid of. I no longer allow myself to fear something or someplace from afar. 

Who is the most dynamic and thought provoking person you've ever met? I’ve known countless people that have inspired me in very profound ways. But the one that comes to mind currently is one of my best friends from my days of living in Los Angeles. His name was Andre and he was an absolute character that taught me the value of living your life as a work of art. He dressed exclusively in clothes from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, was incredibly industrious in so many areas from wine and spirits to calligraphy, and antiques to craftsmanship. I really was under the impression that he was all-knowing. If we were ever walking down the street together, the people passing by would be so enamored with his overall appearance. He taught me the lesson of how you present yourself is a story of itself, and if you carefully craft it, it has the potential to bring joy to others. He was the one who encouraged me to live your entire life as a story worth telling.

If you could travel with one person in history or in present who would it be and why? I would love to provide some really profound answer like Jack London or the Fitzergeralds or someone like that, but I keep thinking about my great Uncle Buddy who is maybe the most jovial person I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing in my life. He’s someone that in his age loves experiencing things that he never would’ve thought he’d get the chance to experience. He’s a true adventurer in the sense that there is always something to smile at and laugh about. He’s just a happy, infectious soul that you love being around and I would love to travel the world with him. 

What would you say to someone who has never traveled before? I’ll give you a couple of rapid fire ones first; Always be in a mode of learning. Don’t draw too much attention to yourself. Always be aware of your surroundings. Life is too precious to waste it by wearing a fanny pack. The wrong train can sometimes take you to where you really need to be. Pump yourself with plenty of probiotics and vitamin C. 

I also tell people that if they’re going to someplace with a heavy tourist culture to see the tourist traps first and then just get lost. I’ve done the touristy stuff, it’s not that bad, but when you can collect some of those off-the-beaten-path experiences you’ve got gold. For instance, if you’re visiting Venice, swing by the Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square, they’re worth seeing. But then pick a direction a start walking. If you’re lucky you’ll end up in the Campo Santa Margarita or some other place where the locals hang out where you indulge in the good pizza and apertivos. The best discoveries are made when you don’t know where exactly you are.

Don’t feel like you have to see and do everything. If you have that mindset, you’ll go through your trip completely exhausting yourself and most likely walk away disappointed  and unsatisfied. Whenever you visit someplace, go with the notion that you will be back one day.

Pack as light as you can, you probably won’t be very far away from someplace where you can pick up a bottle of shampoo if you leave yours behind. Don’t be afraid of ever being wrong or of appearing foolish. Most locals love taking the opportunity to teach outsiders about their culture and their way of doing things, so always try to be humble and teachable. And just be kind, you are the guest after all.

Give us a story any kind of story from one of your trips that will he impactful to the reader. Speaking of Venice… I was passing through a few years ago, and it happened to be my birthday. Up until this point I had been scrambling around parts of Europe trying to see and do as much as I can. I had plans to take the day and get lost in the city. I stopped by a cafe to grab a coffee to take with me on my metropolitan adventure. Like a typical American, I stepped up to the counter and ordered with my money in hand ready to take my morning Joe with me on my merry way. “Okay, go sit I’ll bring it to you.” the barista said to me. I looked down at my money, and back up at her and asked, “Do I go ahead and pay now?” To which she responded, “No you can sit and enjoy it and pay after.” This was new for me, just sitting ands enjoying a cup of coffee. But I did just that, and I still think about that coffee and how slow and beautiful the world seemed in that moment. I actually felt like I was a part of the city for a change which is something I now strive to do with every place I visit.

What is the single greatest lesson you've learned from someone that is different than you? This one’s a little outlandish and cliched I’ll admit, but it’s the one that’s coming to mind.

On one of my first overseas expeditions, I was visiting a friend of a friend in Southern France. He was the kind of guy that I used to be so intimidated by; a tattooed, leather-clad, care-free motorcycle rider on top of being a tall, dark, handsome, suave Frenchman. I was passing through Nice for the night, he picked me up from the train station. Along with my behemoth backpack, I climbed onto the back of motorcycle and we raced off through the streets of the city. At this point I could’ve counted on one hand the number of times I’ve ridden on a motorcycle. I don’t think I blinked the whole time.

After a while he shouted back to me, “When we come into a curve, you got to lean into with me so we don’t wipe out.” That goes against my natural thinking. The is the thing that’s going to hurt so of course I’m leaning away from it. But the way he said it was so profound, mainly because I try to find deeper meanings in most mundane things. But I took that to heart; when you come to a change in the direction of the path, lean into it, commit to it, take advantage of it or it’ll take advantage of you. Embrace the twists and turns because they are a part of the journey.

When did you feel you were most out of your comfort zone? What did you learn from that lesson? When I first arrived in Los Angeles, there were plenty of things that frightened me. I spent the first couple of months couch surfing before I was able to get on my feet. One of my biggest fears was that I would end up having to sleep in my car. There was a short period where I had to do just that. The first night I slept in my car, I found a quiet spot to park in the San Fernando Valley. I buried myself underneath my denim jacket and a dirty towel and settled as best I could into my cramped back seat. The next morning after a surprisingly decent sleep, I snagged a quick shower at the YMCA and I made my way to my favorite diner to indulge in a large, warm Lumberjack special breakfast. If I couldn’t sleep like a king, I sure was going to eat like one. I finally secured a living situation in the trawling city, but this was just a step I had to take to get there.

Since that first night in my car, I have crashed in my backseat countless times and even a few train stations and bus stops. It’s something I don’t even think twice about anymore. And now I live in an R.V. The biggest thing I learned looking back on that is that the desire for comfort can often times be your biggest deceiver and can hinder you from getting to the place in life in which you really need to be. My desire for comfort and stability was one of the biggest constraints for growth that loomed over me. I tell myself now that if I’m scared of doing something, do it scared. 

What would you say to your former self? I really do wish that I could go back and tell myself that there’s nothing wrong with being lost. I haven’t always been adventurous and used to detest the idea of facing extreme situations and uncomfortable circumstances. I liked structure and the times when I could actually plan something. But now I operate in the mindset that no great story has ever happened when someone knew exactly where they were going. But at the same time, I’m glad that I was able to go through a type of metamorphosis and learn these lessons in due time.

What gives you hope? Hope has never been something difficult for to find. The biggest thing that gives me hope, at least for myself, is the notion that there are endless options. The are countless places left to explore, countless things left to learn, people to meet. If you miss an opportunity to capture a story, there are plenty more waiting down the path. I’m in love with the concept of indefiniteness. It’ll be this way until one day when it’s not. I’ll do this until one day when I won’t. Indefiniteness is an integral part of the unknown. It gives me a sense of hope that something could last, but that even if it does end, it can be as beautiful as the beginning and can lead to something better. I love the idea of creating even when I’m an eighty, ninety, or a hundred-years- old, still venturing out, climbing mountains, seeking beauty and wonder. But I also am at peace knowing that some things aren’t supposed to last forever. If something good has come along for you in the past or present, something good can come along for you in the future.

Where to next? Naturally given the current state of the world, plans are changing almost everyday. I had plans for the month of May and June to do some exploring in the California Sierras that had to be scrapped. I even had a weekend retreat for creatives in Yosemite planned that unfortunately had to be postponed. But the changing plans are all a part of the journey.

Currently I have plans set to be in Glacier, Montana for the month of July, and to do some roaming around mountains and coastal regions of Washington and Oregon through the rest of the year. Next year, I’m hoping to make the long trek up through Canada and into Alaska for the summer.

Is flannel always in season? I’m never fully dressed without flannel being a part of my outfit.

See more of J.K. Winders at his website and be sure to follow his work on Instagram and Facebook.