Pre-O Adventure will be housed on campus this year. USD's campus is on a mesa sitting 250 feet above sea level. If you are not already aware, you will soon learn that San Diego has more hills than you might think. Unless you are by the beach, you will likely walk up and down hills from the bottom of a mesa to the top. That being said, most of the walking/hiking we will do will be mostly flat, but there are some hills present on any walk from campus. You can anticipate spending most of your day outside, which will provide a new experience for many people. We will meet outside, eat outside, recreate outside, etc.
As we continue to develop and decide on specific activities and locations, know that challenge by choice is a fundamental philosophy that guides our program. We will ask you to challenge yourself to try something new and step outside of your comfort zone, but we will not force anyone to participate in an activity against their will. Our walking/hiking activities could involve a 1 or 2 mile length up to about 6 or 8 miles and we always travel at a comfortable pace to ensure everyone is able to carry on a conversation as we walk. We will mostly be walking on dirt trails that are mostly flat but could include some steep sections. There may be opportunities for a long walk on the beach which would involve loose sand. The temperature and sun will potentially make our hikes feel more challenging than the mileage may indicate.
As we determine other appropriate activities to offer, there may be opportunities to paddle a kayak or stand up paddleboard or ride a bike around the city. These will be optional and you will have the ability to decide which activities you would like to participate in.
No matter what activities we end up offering, you should be prepared to be outside all day, interspersed with active time and small group conversations. For those counting, anticipate taking 10,000 steps over the course of a day.
