More and more people have been asking us this question. So we decided we really should definitively answer what is meant by Splorin’. Splorin’ started out as a follow-on to #SupperClubSaturday after Mike’s quadruple bypass surgery. We wanted to become more healthy, we needed more exercise and to be more active, and we needed to have something to drive us. Instead of just going out to eat on Saturdays (what #SupperClubSaturday was), we decided to spend an entire day together getting out and getting active while still enjoying our quest for the quintessential Wisconsin Supper Club experience. This was the genesis of Splorin’. The original intent was to begin by visiting all 48 State Parks in Wisconsin — and we are on track for that — but it is not just about hiking the State Parks.
April 13th, 2019 at Buck-a-Neer supper club in Stratford, WI, Splorin’ Saturday was born. Since then we have expanded the definition of Splorin’ to days other than Saturday and in states other than Wisconsin. But this has lead people (and maybe even you , dear reader) to think that any time we are out-and-about we are Splorin’. No, not true. Thus, we needed to write the “Rules of Splorin'” and define what ‘splorin’ is and is not.
RULES OF SPLORIN’:
- Must be planned in advance, it cannot be spontaneous.
Splorin’:
- You will hear comments like: “The plan has us….” or “We will change the plan to…” (you can change the plan, but you MUST start with a plan).
Not Splorin’:
- You will hear things like “Let’s go Splorin’ over there…” or “Well, as long as we are here…”
2. Must wear specific clothing, not just everyday clothing.
Splorin’:
- You must have something that you plan to wear, or purchased specifically, for splorin’: hiking boots, shirts, jackets, shoes, underwear, socks, hat, leggings, shorts, etc.
Not Splorin’:
- You are wearing whatever you put on when you got up in the morning (because you did not plan on going Splorin’ — see the rule above – Splorin’ must be planned).
3. Must be able to stand on its own, Splorin’ is done for the sake of Splorin’, not just a walk or on your way to dinner, music in the park, a museum, etc.
Splorin’:
- Maps are needed, you need to know where to park and what you are doing once you get there (hiking/walking/snowshoeing) or at least have options identified (again, see the rule about Splorin’ being planned).
- Splorin’ is a single activity (or multiple consecutive activities at one or more locations interrupted by travel between locations).
Not Splorin’:
- You cannot be Splorin’ on your way to somewhere or some other activity.
- You cannot go Splorin’ when you get home from some activity.
4. Must have a meal associated with it (and typically two: breakfast and dinner).
Splorin’:
- Stopping at a breakfast place just because it has a cool name.
- There are many old men sitting around in a coffee klatsch.
- There is Prime Rib on the menu.
Not Splorin’:
- No meal, no Splorin’.
- You have not left at least 30 minutes between eating and a Splorin’ activity.
- The restaurant you are at is part of a chain (unless it is a local chain all run by the same family).
5. Must travel to the Splorin’ location, you cannot go Splorin’ directly from home or hotel; there has to be initial travel that takes place.
Splorin’:
- You leave at Zero Dark Thirty to travel to your destination.
- Saturday morning Polka Party is on the radio while you travel to your destination.
- You can travel by foot to the Splorin’ destination (hiking from a campsite to the first trail, walking from a hotel across town to a State Park).
Not Splorin’:
- You say, “We can sleep in, it doesn’t matter when we get there.”.
6. Most importantly if you have to ask if you are Splorin’, the answer is always “NO!”, because you KNOW when you are Splorin’.
We hope this clears some things up and can finally answer that age old question: What is Splorin’?
Happy Splorin’ everyone!!!
Splorin' Saturday 