For this blog entry, please simply write about your experience on the AT. Although I have a few various thoughts and questions that I would like you to consider and write about, please try to write your responses in a narrative format rather than using numbered and fragmented partial sentences. As you write, consider the following:
- Reread your expectations that you posted on the blog entry before the trip.
- How did your actual experience compare to your expectations?
- What can you learn from this difference or similarity between expectation and experience?
- Re-visit the following web site and read how John Gookin defines EB:
http://www.nols.edu/alumni/leader/06summer/expedition_behavior.shtml - What are the actions you took to model good EB? What did you do that did not contribute to good EB? Comment on how incorporating these behaviors into your every-day routine could impact your life.
- How do you feel you performed physically?
- What factors contributed to your performance?
- What could you do to allow you to perform better next time?
- Describe how well you thought did with food planning. What were challenges you faced? Did you bring enough food? Too much food? The right kinds of food? What would you do different next time? What did you learn?
- Comment on how you thought you did with packing and loading your packs. Did you discover an efficient system? Did your packing become more efficient each time you packed? What did you learn?
- Comment on how comfortable you were during this experience. What were some strategies you learned and used to keep warm - both during the day and at night?
- Was there a moment (or moments) when you felt like you weren't having "fun"? Describe them and how you got through them.
- What things will you do differently when you prepare for and participate in the winter expedition on Katahdin? What will you do the same?
- Finally, comment on how incorporating what you learned from this experience into your every-day routine could impact your life - both professionally and personally.
After reading my pre-trip expectations and goals that I set for myself I realized that I did fairly well. I feel that I did do well as a leader. I observed other people while they were leading and learned a great deal from them as well. My navigations skills are stronger now and I have decided to make sure that I keep up on my map reading skills as well. I tried to help others when I saw that they might be doing something not quite right, but I also kept my mouth shut a few times to see how they were going to handle situations as well. My experience of EB on trip was that other people stayed very positive so it was easy to keep positive as well. Sharing, helping others, and good moral were all around camp. It wasn’t thanks to one person that we had that but I think a thank you to everyone for being that way.
ReplyDeletePhysically the trip was a lot easier than I thought it would be for me. Maybe I was in better shape than I thought, or maybe the elevation wasn’t as great as I was expecting. But, I did feel pretty good compared to how I thought I was going to feel. The food that I brought met every goal that I had but one….. It was too heavy! I think that bagels added a lot of weight so maybe next time I would go with a wrap instead. Because this was my last trip my packing and unpacking was easy. I knew how to put everything in so it was accessible for when I needed it and I placed things in my pack evenly to distribute the weight better too.
I was warm everyday and night because I prepared for it. I boiled water every night plus I have a fantastic sleeping bag. I was always comfortable that way. I had fun on the whole trip. Missing being home with my family of course was always on my mind but I tried to focus on what I was doing.
I will not be going on the Katahdin trip, but if I were I know that I would be even more efficient than last year. Only bringing what I need and packing better. This trip has shown me how important it is to continue to challenge yourself at skills you have learned so that you don’t forget them. For example, map and compass work. I have found that by challenging one’s self you feel a better appreciation for what you have learned, higher self-esteem, and a new drive to pursue more things that are challenging. It is easy to continue to challenge your self when you know what you are capable of and you know you have the education to pursue it.
Lisa Leighton
After reading my blog from last week, I think I was basically spot on with my expectations. The hiking portion of the trip was super easy for me and I my legs felt fine after sitting in the van for half an hour. Before the trip I didn't think I would be a good leader of the day or good at pyro-fest, but I think I proved myself wrong. I believe I did well with pyro-fest and I did decent at leading. I know there were definitely times where I could have been louder. The actions I took to have good EB on trip were keeping a positive attitude 100% of the time to keep the moral up. Helping others out when they were in need and keeping a good moral were my goals.
ReplyDeleteI believe I performed excellent physically, but I know if I was eating healthy like I used to and if I worked out like I used to also, I would've been in even better shape, but overall I believe I'm still very healthy and in shape and that played a big role in how I performed. I also think that I was prepared mentally for what we were about to do, which in my opinion is more important then being in shape. If I wanted to perform better next time, I would definitely start working out again and getting in top shape like I used to be. It's been hard to keep in good shape when in college, so I'm slacking with my workouts and nutrition.
I believe I brought the perfect amount of food because my bag weighed the least amount, so even if I had more food then anyone else, It would be okay because my bag weighed a lot less then anyone elses. I think I picked good foods for calories, fat, protein, fiber, and carbs. I think if I changed anything about the food I brought, it would be bringing less spaghetti.
I think I did a good job with packing my bag because my weight was evenly distributed and I had easy access to items that I would need quickly. At first, my pack wasn't adjusted for me, so my hips were sore on the first day, but on the second day I fixed it and I felt amazing for the rest of the trip and had no pain anywhere. To keep warm during the day I would strip down to my 1st layer so I didn't sweat and I would be warm all day. During the night, I would wear my fleece jacket and my puffy coat to bed and that was awesome. On the last night I made some hot chocolate in my nalgene and then put that in my sleeping bag also and that was toasty warm.
There wasn't really a time when I wasn't having fun. The second time I had to make a campfire kind of got to me, but I enjoyed the experience because everyone would thank me and when I actually got the fire going it made me feel proud of myself; I also wanted the experience. I'm going to prepare myself for the katahdin trip by working out and eating healthier by watching my carb intake. I'm going to get better at keeping myself warm by remembering this trip and using what worked for me and adding additional techniques onto that.
I think this experience built my organization skills and leadership skills that can be incorporated into my everyday life. I'm building a lot more confidence in myself when it comes to speaking and being a better leader. I know I have a high potential of being a really good leader, but I just need to build more confidence with speaking outloud.
-Dallas
The weather turned out bettering that I thought other then that the trip was pretty much what I expected. I have gone on many backpacking trips and with every one it is a matter of being flexible and keeping a positive attitude. I find that its easier to stay in a good mood when I’m backpacking. While on trip I tried to keep a positive attitude and be helpful with things that needed to be done for the welfare of the group. I see this directly relating to every day life because if every one worried more about the welfare of the group we would all be better off. I performed well hiking I think at no time did I really fell pushed while hiking. I enjoy hiking and have always walked fast. I have a good amount of experience backpacking and carrying weight and was able to have me pack be comfortable even when it was heavy. When I’m leading I could do better at staying organized and setting a pace that is good for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI think food planing went well. I satisfied my goals of Taste good, Satisfy my hunger, Make me Happy and I did not crave cheese burgers or pizza till the last little bit of the last day on the trail. I did bring enough food and in fact brought a little bit of snacks back and one lunch. I think next time I would keep the thanksgiving meal and pesto but re work the pot pie meal. I learned that if your not careful food can burn.
I have packed for backpacking trips before and I have a system that works for me. I try to have a balanced pack and I use dry bags and compression bags to make good use of space. I did not learn anything new about packing my pack. I had my pack well adjusted so it did not cause discomfort. When I was cold I put on more layers and at night I kept my winter hat with me in case I got cold. I also slept with the next days socks in mt sleeping bag as well as other warm layers.
When I was leading and I was lacking the organization I should have had it was stress full. Also when I was not able to finish Pyro-fest the first night because I cut my hand it was frustrating. With both instances I just moved past it and tried to do better the next time. With Katahdin coming up the only thing I really think I need to do different is dress with more warm layers. I will still keep the positive attitude and the trying to maintain dry feet. I will need to learn to cross country sky and I can still improve my organization skills. I look forward to the challenge of Katahdin.
I think the most important thing I can take from the trip is a need for organization which I something I have always struggled with and I am continuing to try and improve at, but it something that is not easy for me. I will just have to keep trying to do better. Other then that It just reinforced how keeping a positive attitude is important and will help with the moral of a group.
-Alex Bradley
Ok after reading my pre-trip post, this trip we went on was awesome the weather was grate. the forecast was calling for rain, snow and cold weather so I thought it was going to be a long weekend but the forecast was wrong for again. it did shower a little bit on Friday but that was it you couldn’t have asked for better weather. Being leader for the day made me very nervous compared to the first day because I realized that I wasn’t just watching out for my wellbeing I had 9 other people that I had to look out for but I kept my cool and did what I had to. I didn’t feel like I improved on my map reading skills but that was my own fault I knew the area so I didn’t feel the need to keep looking at the map. Well my expectations for this trip were very different from what I experienced. I was expecting very cold and wet weather and what I experienced was this warm weather that was sunny at times we got to see Katahdin on a clear day witch was grate that’s only like the third or fourth time I’ve ever seen it with no cloud cover. EB for this trip was excellent we were all in good moods for the most part I was glad to see that everybody was getting along really well witch still amazes me to this day that we haven’t had a single conflict and I hope it stays that way. I think I did ok physically I did sweat a lot but that was a lot of heat issues I was way too hot for a lot of the hiking I should of taken of my wool pants and put some shorts on but I didn’t so I ended up sweating like crazy. There was not one day where I felt sore my I knew how to adjust my pack to fit right. I think that some of the factors that let me be sore free during the trip was my experience hiking and having knowledge of the area and what to expect during the trip. For the next trip I’m defiantly going to the gum a lot more because I know that the Katahdin trip is going to be a super physical trip and I know I’m not ready for it yet. The food planning for this trip was kind of hard for me I’m used to just loading up a cooler and hitting the road and if we forgot anything we would just stop and pick it up. But for this trip we had to have everything ready then and there. I ended up bringing just enough food for the trip witch was perfect I was never starving for food if I was hungry id eat all my suppers were filling and tasty the only thing I’m going to do different for the next trip is to pack more fruit that stuff is like my candy. I think my packing skills increased tenfold during trip I had a basic idea on how to pack but now I know the importance of weight distribution and how to pack so that all your important things you’re going to need are easy to get to. Being comfortable during this trip was never hard, my sleeping bag is huge which allows me to sleep the way I like to and it kept me warm even without a hot Nalgene to put into the bag. During the day I would have been more comfortable if I would have stripped down one more layer, because of the sweating. The only time that I didn’t have fun was during pyro fest because the first night I used up all the flint on my magnesium stick so I couldn’t use that on the second night and I ended up using two matches witch really bugged me but I did it in under a hour so that made me happy I think the only thing that I’m going to do different for the Katahdin trip is to get physically prepared for it everything else I’m confident in. This trip was a real eye opener on leadership it was something I never really had to do I mean the career choice I had before I took this class had me sitting in a truck by myself for 12 hours a day then on this trip I’m leading a group of nine through the woods next to rainbow lake which I’ve been going to scene I was ten it had quite a impact on me
ReplyDeleteBrent