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Man coins a new identity marker with his explanation of 'outsidey' vs 'outdoorsy'

Outsidey people finally have a word to describe themselves.

Photo credit: Canva

Walking in nature and going on a hike are two different activities.

When you hear the word "outdoorsy," what image forms in your mind? Someone wearing boots and a backpack? A family camping in the mountains? Maybe a person you know who surfs in the summer, skis in the winter, and hikes any chance they get? An advertisement for REI?

Outdoorsy folks are a special breed of humans who don't merely enjoy nature but strive to experience it fully. They don't just look at the Earth as a beautiful place; they want to explore every inch of it. So where does that leave those of us who like to be in nature but don't have a single ounce of adrenaline-fueled desire to become one with it?

walking, skiing, outside, outdoors, outdoor activity Walking in the snow = outsidey. Skiing down a mountain = outdoorsy.Photo credit: Canva

Brandon (@atlas_catawba on TikTok) has the answer, and it's surprising it's taken this long for someone to come up with it. In a video with over 2.4 million views, he explains the difference between being outdoorsy and being "outsidey," and it's spot on.

"I always tell people I'm 'outsidey' and not outdoorsy. Now, what do I mean by this?" he begins. Standing in a "babbling brook," he points out that he's in the shallow water that barely covers his feet. "I'm not going to go out there," he says, pointing to the deep water in the middle of the creek. "That's outdoorsy."

@atlas_catawba

learn the difference 🍹🌳 #babblingbrooke #hiking #nationalpark #metropark #trekking

"I'm outsidey," he continues. "I'm just gonna stroll. I like to peruse. I like to gander, okay? Now, would I swim in the babbling brook? Absolutely not. That's outdoorsy. Now, will I have a nice table out there with some chairs and have a nice charcuterie board? Absolutely. Outsidey. Hiking? No. Charcuterie? Yes."

Brandon also posted a follow-up video explaining further.

"Outdoorsy is nature for adventure. Outsidey is nature for leisure," he says, giving examples like swimming in the ocean as outdoorsy and strolling on the shore as outsidey. Hiking, he says, can be outdoorsy or outsidey, depending on how it's done.

@atlas_catawba

Replying to @amandahugandkiss14 #outside #trekking #nationalpark #outdoors #hiking

"I am here to stroll," he says. "I am here to dilly-dally. I'm here to lollygag. I'm here to saunter. Nobody saunters anymore…I am here to frolic upon the meadow, over the hill, through the woods, down the rickety bridge. I want the troll to say his little riddle to me, okay?"

"Both are equally valid," he says, "but at the end of the day, I am not here for a mud run. I'm here for mushroom foraging."

People who are outsidey and have never had a word to describe themselves celebrated being recognized and shared their own examples illustrating the difference between them and people who are outdoorsy.

walking on the beach, surfing, ocean, outdoors, outdoorsy Walking on the beach = outsidey. Surfing = outdoorsy.Photo credit: Canva

"Swimming laps? No. Floating? Yes. Tents? No. Cabin? Yes."

"Outdoor rock climbing? No. Pumpkin patch? Absolutely."

"Swimming in the ocean? No. Playing in the waves like a lil mermaid? Yes."

"Mountaineering, no. meandering, yes."

"Bug spray? Yes. Bear spray? No."

"Outsidey = wore Birkenstocks on a hike; Outdoorsy = wore Merrell hiking boots on a hike."

"Outdorsy is hiking, rock climbing, rafting in the Grand Canyon. Outsidey is sitting in the porch at sunset with ac in the house behind you. It’s going to the beach and sitting on the beach watching the water."

walking outside, nature walk, hiking, backpacking, outdoors, outdoorsy Strolling outdoors = outsidey. Backpacking = outdoorsy.Photo credit: Canva

"Okay yes…AND let’s makes sure Outsidey people aren’t asking their outdoorsy friends to 'take them on a hike,' the ask is to 'walk on a nice path amongst nature.'"

"I hate that people don't understand I don't want to go hiking in the woods. I want to go on a nature walk through the woods. Same location, same activity, drastically different vibes."

In reality, all of us benefit from being outdoors, whether we outdoorsy people or outsidey people. According to the University of California, Davis, spending time in nature can help improve our cognitive abilities, our physical wellness, and our mental health. So whether you climb the mountain or gaze at it while strolling through the foothills, go ahead and fully embrace your outdoorsy or outsidey identity. It's good for you.

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Absolutely do not change your voicemail greeting if you're lost without service

A rescue team explains why the viral tip is bad advice.

Photo by Spencer Backman on Unsplash

A viral post about changing your voicemail greeting when stranded is debunked by rescuers.

Multiple news stories of people being stranded in the wilderness have circulated recently, from the tragic story of a family that died of heat exhaustion and dehydration in the California mountains to the odd story of a lost hiker who refused to answer phone calls from rescuers for 24 hours because they didn't recognize the phone number. And along with those stories has come a wave of viral posts sharing some wise-sounding advice for if you're ever stuck somewhere without cell service and a low battery.

The problem is, the advice isn't wise after all.

The viral post suggests changing your outgoing voicemail message to include your location. One version reads:

"If ever lost while hiking, stranded with a broken-down vehicle or other emergency situation, if your cell phone battery is low here is a tip that can very well save your life. Change your outgoing voicemail on your phone to a message that gives your approximate location, the time, the date, your situation; lost, out of gas, car broken down, injured, etc... plus any special instructions such as; 'You are staying with the car', 'You are walking towards a town' If your cell phone dies, stops working or loses signal your voicemail will still be working. Anyone calling your phone will hear your emergency instructions. They will know you need help and know where to find you or where to send help."

Sounds smart, but a Colorado rescue team has explained why it's not:


The Alpine Rescue Team posted its response to the viral post on Facebook, writing:

"1. Without a signal (connection to the cell system) YOU CAN'T CHANGE YOUR VOICEMAIL. The voicemail system resides with your cell provider. To change your outgoing message, you have to CALL into your voicemail and then navigate the menus, record a new greeting, confirm the new greeting, etc. YOU CANNOT DO THIS WITH NO SIGNAL.

2. If your battery is low do not waste its power by calling your voice mail—or a friend or relative. Call 9-1-1 for help.

3. If you have no signal, text for help to 9-1-1. Many, if not most, 9-1-1 centers can receive a text.

4. Text takes much less power, is far more likely to get through, will automatically retry many times if you have spotty service, leaves record others can see and can give you an indication that it got thru. BTW, because of the automatic retries, you can compose and hit send on a text and then get your phone as high as possible to improve the chances of getting the message out.

5. Stay put. Okay, if you're lost or broken down and you've called for help (assuming you have signal and battery) please stay in one location—UNLESS YOU MUST MOVE FOR SAFETY REASONS. Changing your location makes our job more difficult. Trying to reach someone whose GPS location we have (within a circle, of course) is faster for us than trying to nail down a moving target. STAY PUT.

6. Maximize battery life. In order to make the battery last longer, turn off everything you do not need. Close all apps. Turn off WiFi and Bluetooth. Don't use your cell phone as a GPS/map device and especially do not use the compass if your phone has one -- the compass feature in some phones is a serious battery drain. Pull out your map and compass and/or use a dedicated GPS unit. You may be instructed, by text, to turn your phone off and text back at a specific time. Also, keep your phone just a little warm with some body heat or a handwarmer."

Many people probably think of their voicemail greeting as a recording saved on their phone, but it's not. A fact-check by USA Today, which consulted the top three carriers (Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile), confirmed that cell service or a data connection is needed to change an outgoing voicemail message. You can do it over wi-fi, but that's not helpful if you're stranded on a mountain somewhere. You could change your voicemail greeting before you leave, letting people know where you're going to be adventuring if you feel comfortable with that, but once you're stuck without cell service, there's no changing it.

As always, look for what the actual experts say before passing along a viral social media post, even if the advice it contains sounds smart.


This article originally appeared four years ago.

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A 79-yr-old broke her leg while hiking alone. A stranger carried her back down on his back.

Rather than let her wait five hours for search and rescue, Airman Troy May and other hikers helped get Ursula Bannister to safety.

Photos courtesy of Joint Base Lewis-McChord/Airman 1st Class Benjamin Riddle (right)

Ursula Bannister was fortunate to have a group of strangers come to her rescue after she broke her leg in three places.

It's not often you see an almost-80-year-old woman hiking alone, much less on a trail considered a difficult hike. But for 79-year-old Ursula Bannister, the trek up to High Rock Lookout in Washington state is a meaningful annual tradition. She had scattered her mother's ashes atop the lookout 23 years ago and she goes back to lay flowers at the scenic spot overlooking Mount Rainier every year.

She usually goes with a family member, but this year she couldn't find anyone to accompany her. The 3.2 mile hike is steep, but as an experienced hiker with poles, she wasn't nervous about it. She made it to the top, ate her lunch and took some pictures. But soon after turning around to make her way back down, her foot caught in a hole and she fell.

“I decided to cut over to the trail, through some bush," she told KOMO News. "I went bushwhacking and my right foot found a critter hole…I went down and I knew right away. My foot was broken.”

She wrapped her leg and tried to get up with her hiking pole, but her ankle collapsed under her when she stood on it.

Unable to hike down the trail with a broken leg, she would have had to wait five hours for search and rescue.

Bannister was in a lot of pain and cried out for help. Soon strangers found her and one called 911, but the dispatcher said it would take about five hours for a search and rescue team to arrive. Bannister asked if anyone had pain killers, but no one did.

That's when 20-year-old U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Troy May and some friends came along to help. Rather than have her wait for search and rescue, May and his friend, Layton Allen, offered to carry Bannister back down the trail.

“I knew I was capable of carrying her down,” May, who is stationed at Washington's Joint Base Lewis-McChord, told MSN. “I really didn’t make much of a decision, I just knew I needed to carry her down if I could.”

A whole group of strangers rallied to help get the woman down the trail safely

But May and Layton were not the only strangers on the trail to offer their services to help Bannister down the mountain. A physical therapist used wood scraps to build a splint and bandaged her up. An occupational therapist helped keep her calm by doing breathing exercises with her. When May's cowboy boots—which he said he wears everywhere—started giving him blisters as he carried Bannister down the trail, another stranger who saw the situation gave May his own boots to wear. The group who accompanied her shared stories and asked her questions about her life to distract her and keep her from screaming in pain during the hike down.

elderly woman on the back of a young man on a trail Ursula Bannister being carried by Airman Troy May and friends. Photo courtesy of media.defense.gov

Bannister said it felt like all of these people were "behaving like angels coming from the sky" and she was so thankful for their help.

May took the brunt of the physical labor, carrying Bannister for most of the 1.6 mile down the mountain, taking turns with Allen as needed. To make the slow, steep trek more comfortable for Bannister, they put a backpack on the front of whoever was carrying her and ran her legs through the straps to stabilize them a bit.

The young rescuers made sure she got to the hospital and stayed with her until family arrived.

Allen then drove Bannister to the hospital in her car with May following in his car. They waited with her at the hospital until her son arrived.

“I was just overwhelmed with gratitude that these people literally came out of the woods to help me and they were totally unselfish and kind,” Bannister told MSN.

Bannister ended up with more than 10 screws and a plate in her leg, which was broken in three places. And Airman May ended up with a medal of achievement for his selfless rescue of the woman.

Air Force Airman Troy May holding achievement medalU.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Troy May, 62d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, holds Air Force Achievement Medal at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Sept. 13, 2024. Photo by Airman 1st Class Benjamin Riddle

“One of the Air Force’s core values is service before self, and Airman 1st Class May clearly exemplified that core value with his actions,” said Lt. Col. Joshua Clifford, 62nd AMXS commander. “While our team of Airmen showcase amazing accomplishments every day, we relish the opportunity to focus on one Airman’s courage and recognize them for truly living the Air Force’s core values.”

"Carrying her down that evening wasn't the easiest thing to do, but it was the right thing to do," Airman First Class May told ABC's David Muir.

A tearful Bannister also offered her "heartfelt thanks" to all of the people who helped her.

“People are amazing," she told KOMO. "You know we might not agree politically we might not agree socially but we certainly agree on the human platform and people will drop whatever they’re doing to help somebody in need,” Ursula added.

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People share things they imagined they’d never do but now totally love

Proof that we shouldn’t limit ourselves with “never.”

Photo by Benjamin Combs on Unsplash
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Most of us have things we're willing to try and other things we swear we'll never do. Some of those "nevers" are actually smart boundaries—definitely shouldn't knock "never" entirely—but some things we unnecessarily omit from the list of possibilities simply because we think they aren't for us or that we won't actually enjoy them.

However, "never say never" is a saying for a reason. How many of us thought we'd never like a food that we've actually grown to love? How many hidden talents or interests have we discovered by trying something we assumed wasn't our thing?

Someone on Reddit asked, "What’s something you thought you’d never do that you found out is actually really enjoyable?" and people's responses are surprisingly inspiring. If you've ever thought any of these things wouldn't be up your alley, take a look at what others say about their experiences. Maybe it really isn't for you, but maybe—just maybe—you'll discover a new love when you start letting go of some "nevers."

Being a workout person

"Going to the gym regularly - hated it at first, but now it’s my therapy."

"One of my few discoveries too. Staying active and working out really does clear your head and also pumps me up enough to have energy throughout the day."

"Yes!! I go to a hard-core class 4x a week now and I feel better!"

"I hated it at first as I felt lost in regards to exercise selection and hate eating (eating in a calorie surplus is necessary for building muscle) but once I noticed I was no longer the skinniest guy in the room and had a decent (not huge) amount of muscle I kept at it."

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"I never thought I'd say this, but going to the gym has actually become something I really enjoy! I was trying to lose weight last year and I met a really nice trainer who taught me a lot of tips. And now I lost 20 pounds, have a healthier body, and strength training even makes my nasolabial folds lighter."

"Weightlifting, who knew taking out my anger on some heavy barbells would make me feel EXCELLENT, keep my weight low, make me strong looking, and give me a place and activity to hang with my friends that wasn’t a bar?"

Gardening

"Gardening. I was raised a city kid. Rented a house for a bit in a neighborhood where people took real pride in their yards, so out of respect, I tried to spruce the yard up a bit with plants.

Very little in life has such solace and reward. Not everything you plant works out, but it's peaceful digging the hole and putting it in the ground and months later, if it lives and blooms, you know you did that. You made that happen. And every spring that flower will return and brighten your day and you know that you put it there and it lived."

"This for me as well. I love spending hours pottering around my garden and spending a fortune growing food that mostly gets eaten by the critters. Massively beneficial for my mental health."

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