Quotes from Chris Townsend

I wasn't lost, because I didn't allow myself to think I was. Being lost is a state of mind.

I don't mind not knowing exactly where I am—sometimes I enjoy it. There's a sense of freedom in not being able to predict what lies over the next ridge, where the next lake is, and where the next valley leads. I enjoy the release of wandering through what is, from my perspective, uncharted territory. I never intend to lose myself, but when it happens I view it as an opportunity rather than a problem.

Compared with walking on trails, cross-country travel is real exploration, both of the world around and of yourself. To appreciate it fully you need to be open to whatever may happen. Distances and time matter far less once you've shrugged off the trail network. What matters is being there.