Your favorite thrills/adrenaline rushes?

[undercover]

I'm very much in the camp of work hard/play hard. Relaxing does not rejuvenate me unless I just flat out can't function normally.

I've been craving something more exciting than the usual tame bike path or tubing down the river. I know I could mountain bike or kayak or even get into climbing since I live near some great mountains/trails but I just wanted to know everyone else's experiences as well.

I know this is MMM but I'd also like to hear about your not-so-Mustachian thrills whether it be dune buggies in the sand or sky diving or (insert activity here) and whether or not they were worth it to you. I feel like experiences like these, in extreme moderation of course, could be worth it.

I would think theme parks would actually be a great $/entertainment if you lived near one and had a season pass and didn't eat or buy anything else there. The problem is waiting in lines and the fact that the rides themselves would get fairly old after a while. But you do get outside and get to be social and also get some exercise.

[diffusate]

Strong vote for getting into climbing. The gear costs a little up front, but it's a hugely mustashian hobby involving spending lots of time outside and getting great exercise. It's also really motivating to move up the grades and build skills, as well as a great way to meet people. Check out a local meet up or facebook group to find some partners!

[PoutineLover]

I went skydiving once and absolutely loved it. Very expensive so I wouldn't do it all the time but definitely something I'm glad I did. I also do sailing (racing), it's exciting and fun and relaxing all at once and if you can find someone to crew for it can be cheap if not free. Another activity I enjoyed was paddleboarding, that's a good workout and you can try it for cheap and only buy your own if you really get into it. Waterskiing is fun, but I only do that when I have a friend with a boat to hang out with.
I think it's best to have hobbies that also involve exercise or skill so that you develop yourself while you're at it, and find creative ways to make it cheaper than usual. Theme parks are okay, but they're really only fun for the 30 seconds you're on the ride and the rest of the time you're waiting in line and you don't have to exert any effort most of the time. Interested to see what others suggest.

[MrFancypants]

I like to comb over Google maps in search of really curvy lines to drive down. The tighter the curves the better.  The best roads are the ones where it’s hard to go the speed limit (usually under 40 MPH).

Get the right car and it doesn’t even have to be all that expensive.

[Just Joe]

Shoot outs. Gun, ammo and you create the situation... Maybe include a grizzly bear for fun. JUST KIDDING.

Motorcycles. Mtn bikes. Spelunking. Riding my bike on busy public roads. ;)

Motorcycles and bikes are great b/c your thrill is directly proportional to the speed and risks you choose to take.

When I was in my 20s a thrill required me to bend the law and physics. These days with a much clearer understanding of consequences - my thrills come at much slower speeds. Can I arrive at work consuming fewer volts than yesterday? ;)

I think if I really wanted to get a thrill with performance cars and bikes I'd rather do it on a track or on closed rally courses. 

https://www.americanrallyassociation.org
http://www.rally-america.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZwEMM9vTkI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJIXqEn2Nzc

[MrFancypants]

I think if I really wanted to get a thrill with performance cars and bikes I'd rather do it on a track or on closed rally courses. 

To clarify my comment on the subject, I’m not recommending something like trying to drive a Dodge Viper as fast as possible on any public road.  But a slow car on skinny tires with a low horsepower engine can be a lot of fun in this way because it’s slow enough that “fast” is actually quite slow.

There are relatively inexpensive ways to get into rally or road racing, but relatively inexpensive still costs thousands of dollars per event and the modifications to the car render it highly impractical as a transportation tool.. An old Neon, Miata, or Honda can still be thoroughly enjoyed on a nice backroad drive while still being economical enough as your primary transportation.

[sui generis]

I also love to have the adrenaline rush.  I do like climbing for a bit of adrenaline rush, but mostly for being in nature and the physical exertion.  When you need a hard core adrenaline rush, I suggest there is nothing better than bungee/bungy jumping.  I've sky dived and jet boated, hang glided and ridden in a race car, but there's nothing like the pure terror of stepping off a bridge, especially in an ankle harness where you hardly feel it there to protect you and it really, honestly feels like you are just jumping to your death.  I've not tried BASE jumping, but I think that would get you there, too!  Surprisingly, skydiving did not provide an adrenaline rush at all for me.  I think it's for two reasons.  1.  You are so far up, your mind doesn't process it the same way as when you are just 10-20 stories up bungee jumping - it seems less real when you are 12-15,000 feet up.  2.  The feeling of being pushed back by the rush of your fall in skydiving...it just doesn't feel as much like you are falling.  It feels like you are just being held up by a giant industrial fan (which is a thing you can do in some places in like a large silo) and the ground is moving up to you instead of vice versa.  And I wouldn't say it seems like it is rushing at you.  It looks a little slow, actually.  So, the free fall part of skydiving doesn't have that same feeling as bungee jumping where you literally feel your stomach jump out of your throat.  I'm a big screamer and bungee jumping was so terrifying to me (both of the times I did it, about a decade apart) that I couldn't even get a scream out for the first second or two.  Also, I'm not afraid of heights...it's just that terrifying.  On the other hand, I didn't scream at skydiving...just because it wasn't enough of a thrill to warrant a scream.

The other thing I do, much cheaper, is look for good suspense/thriller films.  This can be hard to find.  Good ones that just aren't looking for cheap thrills by building up the scary music or lots of blood.  And god forbid you go to a theater and there are lots of teenagers laughing and grabbing each other, ruining the scary moments.  But, there's nothing I love better than when I am home alone on a weekend night and I queue up a good thriller and scare myself alone in a dark home.  There's some adrenaline and thrills there for cheap!

[Apocalyptica602]

Skiing, specifically downhill skiing. I'm most likely far from the best skiier on this forums but there's nothing like it for me, and I've tried skydiving and all of that as well.

I think I just like the feeling of tearing down a steep groomed trail at 50-60mph (in control of course - be safe!) or if I'm lucky, floating through fresh powder.

[NV Teacher]

Wow, I guess I'm even more boring than I thought.  I was going to say looking at the flower beds after a few hours of weeding gives me a thrill and a slight rush.

[LoanShark]

Love to hike mountains! Also really enjoy a good drive or shooting sports.

[onlykelsey]

Aerial silks!  Climb thirty feet in the air while tying a weird knot around yourself (hopefully correctly) then let go and plummet until the knot catches you.  Hope that silk burn is the worst that happens.

[May2030]

Paragliding is a rush and relatively inexpensive after  training and  buying the gear. Catching a thermal to a couple of thousand feet is the biggest rush ever and closest you will come to flying like a bird.

However get it wrong and your toast.

[Dances With Fire]

I also love to have the adrenaline rush.  I do like climbing for a bit of adrenaline rush, but mostly for being in nature and the physical exertion.  When you need a hard core adrenaline rush, I suggest there is nothing better than bungee/bungy jumping.  I've sky dived and jet boated, hang glided and ridden in a race car, but there's nothing like the pure terror of stepping off a bridge, especially in an ankle harness where you hardly feel it there to protect you and it really, honestly feels like you are just jumping to your death.  I've not tried BASE jumping, but I think that would get you there, too!  Surprisingly, skydiving did not provide an adrenaline rush at all for me.  I think it's for two reasons.  1.  You are so far up, your mind doesn't process it the same way as when you are just 10-20 stories up bungee jumping - it seems less real when you are 12-15,000 feet up.  2.  The feeling of being pushed back by the rush of your fall in skydiving...it just doesn't feel as much like you are falling.  It feels like you are just being held up by a giant industrial fan (which is a thing you can do in some places in like a large silo) and the ground is moving up to you instead of vice versa.  And I wouldn't say it seems like it is rushing at you.  It looks a little slow, actually.  So, the free fall part of skydiving doesn't have that same feeling as bungee jumping where you literally feel your stomach jump out of your throat.  I'm a big screamer and bungee jumping was so terrifying to me (both of the times I did it, about a decade apart) that I couldn't even get a scream out for the first second or two.  Also, I'm not afraid of heights...it's just that terrifying.  On the other hand, I didn't scream at skydiving...just because it wasn't enough of a thrill to warrant a scream.

The other thing I do, much cheaper, is look for good suspense/thriller films.  This can be hard to find.  Good ones that just aren't looking for cheap thrills by building up the scary music or lots of blood.  And god forbid you go to a theater and there are lots of teenagers laughing and grabbing each other, ruining the scary moments.  But, there's nothing I love better than when I am home alone on a weekend night and I queue up a good thriller and scare myself alone in a dark home.  There's some adrenaline and thrills there for cheap!

You, my friend are much more brave than I. Don't think I could just jump off of a bridge...

[Dances With Fire]

Skiing, specifically downhill skiing. I'm most likely far from the best skiier on this forums but there's nothing like it for me, and I've tried skydiving and all of that as well.

I think I just like the feeling of tearing down a steep groomed trail at 50-60mph (in control of course - be safe!) or if I'm lucky, floating through fresh powder.

+1 Old ski bum here. Also an avid water skier.

However, I was recently at the beach the other day watching the younger guys Kite-Board. Looked absolutely awesome! However at my age, I just might hurt myself...(Or at least have a hard time getting out of bed the next morning(s)...Cheers!

[Glenstache]

Go try things. Just go try them. Set yourself a budget and go do new things until one (or more) grabs you. Trying the things out via meetup groups, etc is a good way to get an introduction because it is also more social. Riding a fun mtb trail is great. Having friends that also ride and sharing the experience is even better.

[OtherJen]

Does performing on stage count? I'm a founding member of a small a cappella choir and sometimes rehearsals are so frustrating that I want to beat my head against the wall, but then we get up in front of an audience and perform ridiculously challenging music and hold it all together. The feeling of accomplishment and the applause from the crowd give me such a rush. I've been performing on stage since I was 5 years old, and that rush never goes away.

[MishMash]

Scuba diving/technical diving.  Lots of fun if you like the water.

Don't get into sky diving.  DH is military and he and all his guys are jumpers, both static and freefall/HALO/HAHO.  Every. single. one. of them is broken, multiple back surgeries, neck surgeries, knees, one guy lost a leg in a training jump, another lost his life.  The physical aspects of it just aren't worth the adrenaline

[BDWW]

I think if I really wanted to get a thrill with performance cars and bikes I'd rather do it on a track or on closed rally courses. 

To clarify my comment on the subject, I’m not recommending something like trying to drive a Dodge Viper as fast as possible on any public road.  But a slow car on skinny tires with a low horsepower engine can be a lot of fun in this way because it’s slow enough that “fast” is actually quite slow.

There are relatively inexpensive ways to get into rally or road racing, but relatively inexpensive still costs thousands of dollars per event and the modifications to the car render it highly impractical as a transportation tool.. An old Neon, Miata, or Honda can still be thoroughly enjoyed on a nice backroad drive while still being economical enough as your primary transportation.

Pretty much the most economical way to race is Autocross. You just need a sound car (pretty much anything, but obviously there are better candidates) and whatever the latest approved helmet is.

Generally $100 bucks for an event, and you should get  3-6 runs. It's a time trial course often laid out in a big parking lot or airfield. If you're even mildly curious, just show up at event, be friendly, and likely someone will be willing to give you a ride on one of their runs.

[sui generis]

Does performing on stage count? I'm a founding member of a small a cappella choir and sometimes rehearsals are so frustrating that I want to beat my head against the wall, but then we get up in front of an audience and perform ridiculously challenging music and hold it all together. The feeling of accomplishment and the applause from the crowd give me such a rush. I've been performing on stage since I was 5 years old, and that rush never goes away.

Definitely!  Speaking (or performing) in public is generally a top fear, more than dying!  So that oughta give most people a serious rush of adrenaline.