LEGENDARY DAD: Alastair Humphreys

THE FIELD GUIDE: Am I dying? Or is it man-flu?

THE TOOLBOX: Screw It!

THE TRENCHES: Where the hell is my son?

RAD DAD OF THE WEEK: Wes B. — Saratoga Springs, NY

R2 SIDE QUEST: Beat the Sun (not your son)

Unlimited Embarassment Ammo

Why shouldn’t you eat more than 239 beans? 😏

One more and you’d be 2farty 🥁🥁💥 

Raising Kids. Raising the Bar

At the risk of triggering a little dad-induced PTSD, let's talk about how easily our own lives get pushed to the back burner.

As dads, we're constantly being pulled in a dozen different directions, usually all at once. And somewhere along the way, without even realizing it, we start putting everyone else's plans, priorities, and interests ahead of our own.

It starts innocently enough — you cancel a single plan.

“Sorry, man. I gotta go to my one-year-old's "friend's" birthday party”. (Neither kid has any idea the other exists.)

Then, you're taking a random Tuesday afternoon off for Cupcakes with Dad.

Next thing you know, your calendar is a never-ending parade of birthday parties, soccer games, your nephew's soccer games, school functions, and events you didn't even know existed until your wife told you you were going.

And somewhere along the way the things you used to love doing quietly disappear.

Not because you stopped enjoying them. Not because they stopped mattering.

But because there's always something or someone else that needs your attention.

And so it begins… You start telling yourself you'll get back on the bike. You'll pick up that old hobby. You'll take that trip. You'll make time for yourself again.

Someday.

And that's where things get dangerous.

Because someday has a funny way of becoming never.

Someday I'll get back to having adventures.

Someday when the kids are a little bit older.

Someday when I save some more money.

Someday when my wife stops scheduling every waking minute of my life — and probably my afterlife.

But what if we've been thinking about adventure all wrong?

What if it doesn't require a plane ticket, a week off work, or a small fortune?

What if the only thing standing between us and a more adventurous life is the belief that we need all those things in the first place?

Enter British adventurer Alastair Humphreys.

Alastair knows a thing or two about adventure, and if there are authorities in the space of living life today, this dude’s on the board.

In 2001, he left England on a bicycle with the wildly ambitious goal of riding around the world. Wut.

Over the next four years, he pedaled approximately 46,000 miles through 60 countries, experiencing everything from scorching deserts to freezing winters, remote wilderness, unfamiliar cultures, and undoubtedly some super sketchy dudes along the way.

He returned home in 2005 having accomplished something most people wouldn't even consider attempting.

But here's where his story relates to us.

After years of enormous expeditions, Humphreys began asking a different question:

What about the people who can't disappear for four years?

People with jobs. Mortgages. Children. School pickups. A lawn that apparently needs mowing every four days — FOCK!!!

People like us.

After Alastair returned home, he began championing a concept he called the microadventure.

The premise was beautifully simple: adventure doesn't have to be expensive, complicated, or far away.

It just needs to take you outside your ordinary routine.

Sleep under the stars on a nearby hill. Ride your bike somewhere you've never been. Take a train to an unfamiliar town. Go swimming outdoors before sunrise.

One of his signature ideas was the 5-to-9 adventure.

Finish work at 5 p.m. Head somewhere outdoors. Spend the evening exploring. Sleep outside. Wake up, watch the sunrise, and get back in time for work at 9 a.m.

Same job. Same responsibilities.

One hell of a different Tuesday.

Humphreys became a father, too.

And like the rest of us, he encountered the realities of balancing personal interests and family responsibilities.

Recognizing that not every adventure needed to be a monumental expedition, his writing increasingly explored the value of accessible, local experiences.

In 2012, National Geographic named him one of its Adventurers of the Year, recognizing his efforts to make adventure accessible to ordinary people.

It's an idea that challenges one of the most common assumptions about adulthood: that adventure belongs to people with unlimited time, unlimited money, and very few responsibilities.

It doesn't.

His philosophy aligns perfectly with our mission here at RNDM2SDY! And if he had any idea we existed, we’re confident he’d agree.

Humphreys didn't make adventure smaller.

He made it accessible.

And that's an important distinction.

Because your kids don't need a dad who once did interesting things. The real benefit for them is in seeing a dad who's still curious, still learning, still exploring, and still excited about being alive.

You don't need to cycle around the world.

You don't even need to leave your county.

You just need to stop treating adventure like something you'll eventually get around to.

The world is still out there, Dad.

And you've probably got a few hours this week to explore it.

Learn more about this Legendary Dad HERE.

Random Weekly Topic. No Holds Barred

A tale as old as time — For generations, women have accused men of being dramatic when they catch a cold. Gentlemen, we may finally have evidence for the defense.

Every dad knows the drill.

Your wife catches a cold and somehow manages to go to work, feed the kids, do three loads of laundry, and reorganize the pantry before hitting the gym.

You catch the same cold and suddenly you're lying on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, contemplating your own mortality.

She's rolling her eyes. You're wondering if you should update your will.

But what if we've been unfairly accused all these years?

What if the dreaded MAN-FLU is actually real?

In 2017, Canadian physician Dr. Kyle Sue published a paper in the British Medical Journal investigating whether men actually experience respiratory infections differently than women.

His findings suggested there might be a legitimate biological explanation.

It turns out that women generally have stronger immune responses to many viral infections. Estrogen can enhance certain antiviral defenses, while testosterone can actually suppress certain aspects of immune function.

Even our chromosomes may play a role. The X chromosome carries several genes involved in immune function, giving women some potential immunological advantages.

And research into certain respiratory infections, including influenza, has found that men can face a greater risk of serious complications.

In other words, we're not necessarily being dramatic. Our immune systems may actually be fighting a tougher battle.

Now you can explain to her that you’re actually MORE manly by groaning in agony when you have the sniffles.

To be fair, scientists haven't conclusively demonstrated that men experience worse symptoms from an ordinary cold. Much of the strongest evidence concerns immune responses or more serious respiratory infections, not whether a guy with a runny nose genuinely feels worse than his wife. But we’ll go ahead and end the article here.

*The next time you’re fighting the good fight, go ahead and hit her with the link: The Science Behind Man Flu

Know More. Do More. Essential Skills For Every Dad

I recently fixed a stripped cabinet screw hole for my wife’s friend, and while I didn’t think anything of it, she thought I was some sort of woodworking wizard. She said she’d been battling that cabinet for who knows how long. It’s amazing how long we can tolerate little things, but those little things can ultimately add up to a house full of tiny annoyances if we don’t take care of them. And once we fix it, we wonder why we waited so long in the first place.

We’ve all been there. You're tightening a loose screw on a cabinet hinge, drawer handle, or whatever microscopic household imperfection your wife has somehow managed to notice, when suddenly the damn screw just starts spinning.

And spinning.

And spinning (Chris Rock knows what I’m talkin about).

The screw hole is stripped. Perfect, that’s what you want.

Before you get pissed off and start cursing the Gods, here's a simple and effective fix using something you probably already have.

Toothpicks.

1. Remove the screw.

2. Stuff the hole. Coat a wooden toothpick or two with wood glue and push them snugly into the stripped hole.

3. Trim the excess. Cut the toothpicks flush with the surface. If you don’t have an oscillating tool handy here’s your excuse to buy one. That, or just snap them off.

4. Let it dry. Allow the glue to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions. Generally speaking, overnight will do the trick.

5. Screw it back in. Reinstall the screw, using a pilot hole if needed. Tighten until snug.

The toothpicks give the screw fresh wood to grip.

Boom. Problem solved.

Five minutes of actual work. One less thing on the honey-do list.

R2 Community Member Submissions

*Successes, challenges, “you’re not gonna believe this” stories, or photos that say it all — If you have something you’d like to share with the R2 community, email us at [email protected] - we’d love to hear from you!

From Last Week’s R2 Side Quest

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED — TAKE A HIKE

MISSION: COMPLETE

I’ve driven past these falls at least 20 times. I’ve even pulled into the parking lot to have lunch or stretch my legs while on the road. Each time I thought to myself — how cool could it be? And if it weren’t for this week’s R2 Side Quest I probably would have driven by again without a second thought. A quick 15 minute hike and I came around the corner to this…

Pictures never do it justice, especially when you’re working with an iPhone, but this place was absolute magic that day. The sound of the falls in the distance and the water trickling over the stones in the shallow stream beside me. The dancing sunlight filtering through the trees as a gentle breeze came through. The golden maple leaves drifting down from above. A rainbow shimmering in the mist against the moss-draped cliffs. I really couldn’t ask for a more perfect scene in that moment. And to think I almost passed it by once again.

You never know what you’ll discover if you just take the first step…

GOT AN ADVENTURE WORTH SHARING? Don't keep it to yourself, Dad!

Share your adventures on social media, tag @RNDM2SDY, and use #RNDM2SDY.

Better yet, send your photos and stories to [email protected] for a chance to be featured in next week's RNDM2SDY newsletter!

Real Dads. Real Adventures

Each week, dads from the R2 community are getting out there and making it happen!

Check out the R2 SIDE QUEST GALLERY to see how other dads are making the most of their RNDM2SDYs!

( 🚧 👷‍♂️Under Construction — Gathering Evidence… 🛠️ 🚧 )

Happy Wife, Epic Life

Life gets busy. Romance gets put on the back burner. And somewhere amongst the chaos, we forget to show our partners how much they mean to us.

Every week, we're challenging you to do one small thing that makes your significant other feel appreciated.

No grand gestures required. Just a little effort where it counts.

And when you focus on giving first, you can play guilt-free.

FAMILY FIRST!

At some point this week, stop what you're doing, walk over to your partner, and give them a genuine, lingering hug.

No ulterior motives. No expectation of anything in return.

Just remind them they're loved.

Bonus points if you can pull it off mid-argument 😉

Sometimes the smallest gestures have the biggest impact. Especially when they’re delivered at unexpected moments.

BEAT THE SUN — CATCH A SUNRISE

Wake Up Early. Chase the Sunrise. Start the Day With an Adventure.

When's the last time you woke up early because you actually wanted to? Not for work. Not for responsibilities. But for something exciting. Something that breaks the monotony, makes you feel alive, and sets the tone for the rest of your day.

There's something about getting out there before the rest of the world wakes up. The silence before the chaos. The feeling of getting a head start on the day. Sitting quietly, waiting for that first blaze of sunlight to break over the horizon.

While the rest of the world is still asleep, you're already out there living. We’re talking main character scene.

It's almost philosophical. You can't quite explain it, but witnessing the world come to life changes something in you. You head home feeling more grounded, more alive, and somehow better equipped to take on whatever the day throws your way.

And as a dad, that matters. Because the way you start your day often determines the kind of father you show up as for the rest of it. Sometimes, taking a little time for yourself is exactly what you need to give your family the best of you.

Most mornings, we're too busy rushing into the day to appreciate the fact that we've been given another one.

This week, let's change that.

YOUR MISSION: Pick a morning this week and find a scenic spot with a clear view of the eastern horizon to watch the sunrise. A hilltop, lakeshore, overlook, or even your own backyard (ya lazy bastard). Look up the exact sunrise time and plan to arrive 20 minutes before it happens. Lay everything out the night before and set your alarm so you can grab your coffee and go.

Leave the distractions behind. Your nervous system desperately needs it. Sip your coffee. Watch the sky change colors. Enjoy a few minutes of peace before the rest of the world wakes up.

BONUS QUEST: Snap a photo of the sunrise and share it with us ([email protected]) and with a fellow dad. Better yet, invite him along.

GET AFTER IT, DAD!

▶️ PLAY NOW! ▶️

"If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made of."

— Bruce Lee