Nicole Adams

“Where in this wide world can man find nobility without pride, Friendship without envy, Or beauty without vanity? Here, where grace is served with muscle And strength by gentleness confined
He serves without servility; he has fought without enmity. There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent. There is nothing so quick, nothing more patient.”
- Ronald Duncan, “The Horse,” 1954

Where I consider home: Tucson, Arizona

Why it matters for me to be on this expedition: First and foremost, I love horses and any horse-related adventure is greatly appealing to me. It’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of a small group that will travel for three months together on an expedition of this nature. Having respect and appreciation for the backcountry in which we will be living and encountering obstacles and challenges together sounds like a learning experience of epic proportions.

Influential book or movie: Jeremiah Johnson has always been one of my favorite movies. I can appreciate the main character’s desire to live in harmony with his natural surroundings. He chooses to leave the developed cites and take with him only what he will need to survive at the most basic level. He understands the importance of respecting the land and the natives he shares it with. In some way this movie holds a romanticized vision of something I have always wanted to do.

If I could change one thing in the world it would be: Having more people spend time in untouched natural settings. It’s important that nature is not viewed as something that we can use and re-use for our own benefit with little or no thought to how we can return the favor. I would like to see more appreciation for the untouched wildlife we have left. There is something so rewarding in simply sharing time and space with nature and I hope more people can experience that.

To read about Nikki’s experiences on the expedition, click here.