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Well, Bob left for Warren's school this morning at 5:00 AM. For those
of you following the continuing saga of training a newbie from scratch,
here is an update.
We met last night at 8:30. It had been a long day for Bob. I told him
to bring everything he was going with. Warren told him he should bring a
day pack, since they would be going on some day hikes. He showed up at the
house with his gear, and his pack was stuffed with everything imaginable.
Two pairs of jeans, about 12 t-shirts (cotton!), shorts, eight pairs of
underwear (cotton!), and other stuff that made me want to cry. The whole
thing probably weighed 80 pounds, and he didn't even have a tent, sleeping
bag, or sleeping pad.
He also had a Camelback day pack, three pairs of boots, a tremendous
first aid kit (very complete, I might add...), and some other stuff.
I went into my bedroom and got two empty duffel bags, and we proceeded
to unload the pack all over my kitchen table. We made three piles. One to
go home, one to go on the trip as luggage, and stuff to put in the pack.
The jeans went first... Eventually we put two Coolmax t-shirts, two
pairs of L.L. Bean hiking pants (zip off legs), two pairs of wicking
underwear, and two pairs of socks in the pack. Once we had separated his
luggage from his pack, we began to review his sundries.
There were a few things I lent him that he hasn't gotten around to
buying yet: Whistle, small binoculars, etc.
We unpacked the stuff we had bought the other day, and I showed him how
to use it. Gaiters, toilet trowel, lexan spoon, DEET, compass, matches...
When opening the compass, he said, "You need to show me how to use
that." I said, "The red needle points north." He said,
"But I don't know how to use it." I put it on the table and
said, "See? The red needle points north. Put it in your belly bag and
play a game. Every so often, figure out which way you think is north -
then check the compass." He seemed satisfied with this.
I pulled out a Sawyer extraction kit, and showed him how to use it.
Then we ran through the whole issue of snake bite, what he should do to
avoid snakes, etc. His fear was palpable. In the end, I was sorry I said
anything, but he needs to know these things.
I gave him a note pad to use as a trail journal. I couldn't find my
spare space pen. We reviewed how to tie his shoes. We reviewed the use of
the toilet trowel, and I gave him a pack of hiker TP. I sharpened his
knives. I showed him how to put a pack on and take it off, and I had him
practice.
We assembled a first aid kit of various small things from my own kits,
since we haven't had time to go buy him what he needs. Then I gave him
various other sundry items: space blanket, Coleman fleece sleeping bag,
trash bags, duct tape, and some other little things.
He said he still didn't know how to start a fire. I gave him a Bic
lighter and had him fire it up. I said, "You have now had the class,
and passed." I took him outside and we mad fuzz sticks and started a
fire in my BBQ pit. (Smashmellow anyone?)
We had a nice conversation, showed him a small piece of video, told him
to play nice with Warren, and he went home.
In some ways I think I have made a very real mistake in keeping Bob
from buying his tent and sleeping system - but he keeps wanting to buy the
heaviest thing he can find, while all the while worrying that his pack
will be too heavy. I keep trying to talk him into a hammock, but he is
resistant. I think Jim's advice is best - give him options. I've decided
to put all my ducks in a row and present him with options for tents, bags,
and packs, and let him make his own decisions and buy them when he gets
back. I think I do need to narrow his choices somewhat, otherwise it would
be like letting a kid run a tab in a candy store. I'm going to post my
choices for those options on the list in a few days and get some more
input from ya'll. We've got ten days until he gets back. (Imagine that - a
discussion about gear...)
We're scheduled for our first overnights in May.
I'll post any news as I hear it, and his experience at school when he
gets back. I know that some of you are on the edge of your seats...
Shane
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