Korpijaakko

– my personal views on all walks of outdoor life

Outdoor Challenge for 2015: #twonights

48 Comments Posted by on 15/01/2015

Here’s a nice little challenge for you to give you some extra motivation to get outdoors also this year! 2013_06_11_9999_55_900 What?

The challenge is pretty simple:

1) Get out, do something “outdoorsy” and sleep outside. (Just sleeping on the backyard doesn’t really count.)
2) Do it twice a month through the whole year 2015. *

The idea is by no means original and I found it originally on Finnish outdoor forum Vaellusnet back in 2013.

I thought this would a nice idea and I’m sure all but the most enthusiastic outdoor folks usually have at least month or two each year when they don’t reach this target. For example I’ve been sleeping outdoors 60 or more nights a year over the past half a decade but still I have a month or two each year when I don’t sleep outdoors at all. There are the depressing shoulder season months, months busy with mundane responsibilities, the too cold winter months and many other excuses not to go out. But I’m sure that a public challenge and some peer pressure would fix this, so here we go! IMG_9097_900 Why?

The main motivation is naturally going outdoors and getting more nights under the canvas or stars. Also when “having to go” around the year you will hopefully experience new seasons and conditions and while squeezing in a night or two during the busy times you’ll find new ways and places to go for an overnighter trip. This should be already interesting on its own but to motivate you further… 2013_10_30_9999_10_900 If you are blogging or otherwise sharing your outdoor activities online I’ll promise to share your posts thru the whole year 2015! I hope this will motivate you and others to get outdoors more regularly and will probably get some extra attention and traffic for your online content.

There are no prizes set for participating but if this turns out to be popular I’ll arrange a nice prize and it’ll be raffled between those who make it through the whole year, all the way from January to December. Two nights a month. 2013_07_10_9999_16_900 How?

Rules are that you should get a minimum of two nights outdoors every month through the whole year, from January to December. * Edit: Due to several requests I added a February start option, so 12 months from February 2015 to January 2016 counts too.

So, a minimum of 24 nights out during the year. It’s far from impossible but will hopefully provide a nice challenge and plenty of great experiences. As said, only sleeping outside (backyard, camping area, parking area, etc.) is not enough but you should do something “outdoorsy” in addition. Walking or cycling to your camping spot or preparing dinner on a fire is enough for me. But maybe you could try something new? Go for a swimhike? The trip can be anything from a five-to-nine microadventure to a multi-month expedition, as long as you’ll get your two nights out every month through the whole year. 2013_07_09_9999_10_900 If you share your outings online and want me to help sharing them:

1) Comment on this post sharing the link to your blog or other online platform. I’ll include a list of participants with every post.
2) Post reports/proof of your two nights a month by the 7th day of the following month. If you are lucky to get more outdoor time in a month, choose any two nights you want.
3) Post links to the reports/proofs you’d like to share by commenting this or any of the #twonights posts in my blog. I hope to be in the outdoors enough not to have the time to go through all of the great content, so this will make sure your posts/reports will be shared.
4) At some point during each month I’ll gather and publish all the posts from the previous month into a single blog post linking to your trip reports. If you don’t blog or otherwise share your trips you can also comment directly on the summary post of each months, sharing the trips you did the past month.

Any language or media. Anywhere in the world. No limits for creativity. The outdoor experience is a universal thing.

Feel free to share the idea! It’s great to go out in the wild and sleep under the stars. I firmly believe more people should do it so the more “noise” there is online, the better. You can use hashtag #twonights for you reports. IMG_3322_900 I challenge you, and myself, to get outdoors more regularly,
starting with two nights a month through the whole year 2015!

Do you pick up the gauntlet?

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48 responses to “Outdoor Challenge for 2015: #twonights”

  1. Huck 16/01/2015 at 07:41

    Hi Jaakko,
    This makes for a happy new year I believe. And surely I will write you about my outings.
    One question:
    Would it count if I were to go to the same place every time, doing there nothing at all in the good old solo manner?
    Happy joyjoy, Huck

  2. Alastair Humphreys 16/01/2015 at 14:54

    Nice idea!

  3. Markus Kangas 19/01/2015 at 00:33

    Hi Jaakko,

    This our new years resolution for the year 2015. We are trying to achieve 50 nights per person to complete 100 nights as a couple. You can follow us and SHARE our story in here http://kaikki-inkkarit-ahkiossa.blogspot.fi and the link for the resolution is here http://kaikki-inkkarit-ahkiossa.blogspot.fi/2014/12/haaste-vuodelle-2015.html

    Best regards
    Markus

  4. korpijaakko 19/01/2015 at 13:37

    Hi folks, just back from guidign a course at Syöte National Park.

    Huck: I see no reason why it wouldn’t count. The idea is to get people outdoors more often/regularly. It doesn’t say you should do different things or go different places. Actually, personally I’d concider that even a tougher challenge: same place 24 times, nothing to do btu meditate.

    Alastair: Thanks for commenting! As I learned, you had similar challenger going on. I’ll write a follow up and add a link to you blog. Feel free to do the same if you want to encourage people to double up. 😉

    Markus: Thanks! I read about your resolution. Sounds great! I’ve been chasing the 100 nights/year but not very actively and have always landed far from it. Maybe this year… Just remember to send the posts you want to be shared as I might miss some and you should get more outdoor time than two nights per month. 😉

  5. Mark Waring (@mjdwaring) 19/01/2015 at 21:57

    I like this idea and it will give some focus for the year. As discussed on Twitter I think it’s got to be a February start so will let you know by 7th March how I’ve done (thereafter the year will start to take care of itself, It’s now that I’ve got to think of something extra but thats the fun!)!

  6. erataival 26/01/2015 at 19:06

    I will try, but I will start on February. My blogs are Erätaival (http://erataival.com/) and Nimismiehen kiharat (http://retropicnic.blogspot.fi/).

  7. Pingback: Update on the #twonights Challenge | Korpijaakko

  8. korpijaakko 27/01/2015 at 00:07

    You’re welcome, Minna! 🙂 It’s not meant to be easy but should be rewarding. At least you’ll get one night in early February, right?

  9. erataival 27/01/2015 at 00:52

    That’s right.

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  11. Huck 01/02/2015 at 00:40

    Tada,
    two nights in January completed (one at new moon in the open and one in a snow shelter). I will report about it on the nordicbynature.net page. I also had two jungle nights in very late December of 2014 which will also appear on my page soonish.
    Thank you.
    Huck

  12. Gary 01/02/2015 at 01:52

    Two days down and 22 to go. Jan. 11th & 29th out along a river just outside of town. Great way to get out and just reboot. Pics on Twitter. @totemblaze Cheers!

  13. Anssi 01/02/2015 at 20:39

    Hello!

    My January’s #twonights report can be found from there: https://retkeillen.wordpress.com/2015/01/28/something-different-twonights-challenge/

    – Anssi

  14. korpijaakko 03/02/2015 at 14:03

    Awesome! Will be linking back. Might also include the jungle nights as it’s something quite special for us in the North.

  15. korpijaakko 03/02/2015 at 14:06

    Great, Anssi! Thanks for joining in. 🙂

  16. Marko E. Takanen (@mtakanen) 03/02/2015 at 15:50

    I spent #twonights outdoors in January (skating overnighter in Kirkkonummi and Svalbard expedition training on Päijänne). Unfortunately can’t make it every month (especially in March and May) for family reasons. Thus I’m not taking the challenge.

    Kirkkonummi: https://www.flickr.com/photos/m3t/sets/72157650158236109/
    Päijänne: https://www.flickr.com/photos/m3t/sets/72157650491024445/

  17. korpijaakko 03/02/2015 at 20:04

    I understand but do appreciate your active and resourceful outdoor life. Two nights per month is not easy. Maybe another year? 😉

  19. korpijaakko 10/02/2015 at 00:57

    Thank you! Great to have so many people participating! I’ll have to do the first sum-up soon…

  20. Pingback: Two Nights | TrailTrail

  21. Jeriko Fox 12/02/2015 at 01:36

    I was going back and forth for a while since I have zero skills to survive outdoors in winter, but I guess now is time to learn. And I desperately need to revive my camping skills now that I have some big plans for the future. So, yes, count me in! I start the project on Feb and my outdoors/camping/hiking -blog can be found here (I write in English and in Finnish):
    http://trail.jerikofox.com

  22. korpijaakko 12/02/2015 at 23:36

    Great! Small steps, start somehwere near home with nice weather and continue from there. The learning itself can also be damn fun.

  23. Luontoloinen 13/02/2015 at 12:43

    I’m in! Sadly I just noticed this challenge so I’m going to start this from February. Let’s see how this goes! http://luontoloinen.blogspot.fi/. My goal is also to share the experience by taking my friends with me to try winter camping etc.

  24. korpijaakko 13/02/2015 at 17:01

    Awesome! I added the option of February start as the challenge started little late. So it’s totally okay to start in February. Welcome aboard!

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  28. Luontoloinen 03/03/2015 at 10:50

    *Here is tons of reasons why I spent only one night out at February*
    Anyways, here is the proof for it. Next month will be better!

    http://luontoloinen.blogspot.fi/2015/02/ristinevan-pyrahdys.html

  29. dougalynch 04/03/2015 at 01:48

    Sounds Great.
    I’m in.
    I’ll have to write up a couple of trips retrospectively and I’ll ping you a link.
    I’m starting to write a wee Blog and your challenge will help get me over the fear of pressing the publish button.

    lessbaggage.wordpress,com

  30. dougalynch 04/03/2015 at 01:50

    Oops, Bad start!
    Must get better at typing.

    It is lessbaggage.wordpress.com

  32. Riitta Hjelt 20/03/2015 at 23:02

    I’m in #twonightsout challenge ☺. I started 6.-8.3. In scouts wintercamp #miljon stars hotell, where I slept in lean-to or actually in “erätoveri”.

  33. Jeriko Fox 01/04/2015 at 23:40

    And here comes my two nights from March:
    http://trail.jerikofox.com/2015/03/all-about-that-bass/
    http://trail.jerikofox.com/2015/03/fight-the-frostbite/
    http://trail.jerikofox.com/2015/03/narrow-bench-and-slow-connection/

    We are still waiting you to collect the things people have posted in first 2-3 months 😉

  34. Sini (luontoloinen) 05/04/2015 at 12:06

    I don’t yet have any pictures in my blog, but soon there will be. I spent 26.3-1.4. camping and skiing in Kebnekaise area. So two nights+ complited for March. 🙂

  36. dougalynch 05/05/2015 at 01:30

    My April Effort for the #TwoNights Challenge
    It’s not what I planned but Plans change.

    http://lessbaggage.org/2015/05/03/grand-tour-2015-10-microdaventure-3-no-room-at-the-inn-in-dalat/

  38. Jeriko Fox 27/05/2015 at 02:54

    Three posts from May, the first time during this challenge when I did both two nights in a row. I was attending a trad climbing course in Southern Finland and had a blast:
    http://trail.jerikofox.com/2015/05/tent-sweet-tent/
    http://trail.jerikofox.com/2015/05/when-out-of-cams-go-nuts/
    http://trail.jerikofox.com/2015/05/keep-on-jamming/

  40. korpijaakko 26/07/2015 at 16:30

    Great to see you still hanging on! Halfway! (Dispite me being a half-a-year behind the schedule of reporting those still in the challenge…)

  41. Pingback: Been Out in the Woods | Korpijaakko

  42. Kaisa 29/12/2015 at 21:07

    Hei, ajattelin aloittaa haasteen uuden vuoden kunniaksi eli vuonna 2016 2yötä ulkona retkeillen, koitan haastaa myös omia ystäviäni mukaan! ☺kuulin haasteesta 2015 kesällä, hieno haaste!

  43. Korpi-Jaakko 31/12/2015 at 15:28

    Moi Kaisa! Hienoa, että haaste ja ulkoilu kiinnostavat. Itse mokasin haasteen lokakuussa 2015, joten otan revanssin 2016 ja koetan panostaa haasteesta raportointiin enemmän kuin tulin 2015 tehneeksi. Tervetuloa mukaan!

  47. Pingback: After the Two Nights Challenge – Trail

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