The Common Adventurer: Explained
The St Louis Canoe & Kayak Club (STLCKC) provides a Common Adventure public forum to post trips or see who is interested in paddling. STLCKC volunteer trip coordinators propose trips under the Common Adventure model (see citation for Ron Watters work on the Common Adventure Model below).
Common Adventure Trip Defined
A Common Adventure trip is two+ individuals working cooperatively for common goals and sharing expenses and responsibilities as equitably as possible. Instruction or advice provided by any member of the group is given gratuitously in a spirit of cooperation. Members of the group do not hold one another or others liable for accidents.
On a Common Adventure trip, everyone shares in the trip responsibilities. The trip coordinator (the person who proposed the trip) simply gets the ball rolling. The rest of the group is expected to help plan for success, from the arrival at the put-in until everyone is on their way home. The success or failure of a Common Adventure trip rests not in the hands of the trip coordinator, but rather in the hands of everyone that participates.
Common Adventure trip postings, in turn, provide a means of getting people together to participate in a paddling trip that might not have been possible alone. Any STLCKC member is welcome to initiate a Common Adventure. These trips are available for all STLCKC members and friends, reasonably limited to size and those who have sufficient experience required for the particular trip.
What are the Key Elements of a Common Adventure Trip?
Common Adventure trips are not guided trips. There is no designated “leader” or “guide” who makes all the decisions for the group. Rather, leadership is fluid and group decisions are made democratically. Every member of a Common Adventure group has responsibilities and contributes, whether by helping with planning, buying food, loading vehicles or cleaning up after it’s over. No one goes for a free ride. There are no guide fees. No group money goes to pay any one person among the group. Costs of the trip (e.g., gas money) are shared.
Common adventure groups strive for fairness, free and open discussion, and an equitable sharing of responsibilities.
The Use of the Term “Trip Coordinator”
Because of the participatory nature of the trip, all members of a Common Adventure group participate in decision making. Yet, the concept for the trip has to start with someone. One individual must come up with the idea of the trip and announce it to others. Early on, a problem existed for those involved in Common Adventure trips: what should a person who gets the trip underway be called? If the person who originated the trip was called a “trip leader” then those on the trip might assume that the “leader” would plan, organize and lead the trip, making all of the trip’s decisions.
In a Common Adventure trip, however, decisions are made on a consensus basis. Thus Common Adventure trip advocates had to come up with an alternative word, a way of indicating that something different was going on. The words which came into general usage were trip coordinator or trip initiator. The trip coordinator was the person who came up with the idea of the trip. But when all the participants got together, the group took over ownership. The group might decide to leave at a different time than was originally envisioned by the trip coordinator. They may even decide to change the location of the trip originally suggested.
In practice, while a Common Adventure trip is underway, the trip coordinator is often the one doing much of the leading, but involves the group in decisions and is ready to move aside in situations when another leader might be more appropriate. It’s a form of leadership quite different than traditional methods, and “trip coordinator” became an important way in which the distinction was made.
By using Common Adventure principles, by being inclusive, individuals within the group learn invaluable lessons in how to work cooperatively with one another. The process fosters creativity and allows the group to make decisions and take actions which are far stronger than if only one person made them. And, it makes the trip much safer since everyone is involved in the process.
Organizing a Common Adventure trip
Trip Coordinator. The person who posts the event is known in Common Adventure vernacular as the “trip coordinator.” They are not the trip leader. Since leadership on a Common Adventure is a fluid affair, involving participation from all members of the group, there is no such thing as a designated “trip leader.”
Sign-ups. Once the trip is posted, people who are interested in the trip should contact the trip coordinator so the coordinator knows who to expect so they don’t leave anyone behind at the put-in.
Beginning: The next step in the process is discussion. Discussion is a key part of organizing a Common Adventure trip. Up to this point, the trip has been the trip coordinator’s idea. Pre-trip discussion makes the trip a cooperative group project. This usually takes place as the destination is determined and meeting times are established. Everyone who is interested lends input and all aspects of the trip should be discussed. Since the trip is now in the group’s hands, decisions about the trip are made as a group. The group may decide to make some changes in the trip: where they go and what they plan to do. The discussion gives everyone a chance to find out exactly what the trip is all about. Some individuals may decide that, after learning the details, the trip is not what they want to do and they can drop out. For those who decide to go on the trip, the discussion gives everyone a chance to be properly prepared and to learn what boat, equipment, skill level, etc. they need.
Trip Leadership. While on a Common Adventure trip, leadership is a fluid process. If someone knows the area, he assumes a leadership role, helping the group find their way. If there’s an accident on the trip and someone has good first aid skills, they assume leadership. If a kayaker swims, those with more experience will assist. Major decisions are made democratically as a group, with weight given to those with specialized knowledge. Often it is the trip coordinator that guides the democratic process. In this process, everyone is able to express their opinions and shed light on the decision. By involving everyone, the group is able to tap all of its resources, making it far stronger than if one person tries to make all of the decisions.
Trip Safety. Among their responsibilities, members of Common Adventure groups keep an eye out for one another. Because of the open, democratic environment, they are less apt to hold back when they see potential problems. This participatory form of safety is highly effective, certainly more effective than if only one person is in charge of keeping track of the group.
Personal Responsibility. It is the responsibility of those intending to participate in a Common Adventure trip to be honest with themselves and other trip participants regarding their skill level and experience. Other trip members have the responsibility to lend guidance regarding what skill level is required for a particular trip, tempered with the idea that many trips may be good experience for those trying to expand their skill set and experience level. It is the responsibility of the trip participants to honestly evaluate their level of skill and not potentially endanger each other by consistently grossly exceeding their skill level. If they choose to do so, the results are ultimately the sole responsibility of that participant.
Learning on the Trip. Common Adventure trips create an ideal environment for experiential learning. There are no designated teachers, but those on the trip with more experience can share their knowledge and skills with others with less experience.
Any questions or concerns should be directed to the STLCKC Board of Directors.
This document borrows heavily from papers authored by Ron Watters and posted on www.ronwatters.com and is used with his permission.