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:
- What were your expectations before the trip?
- How did your actual experience compare?
- What can you learn from this difference or similarity between expectation and experience?
- Re-read your entry on EB, as well as the thoughts on the web pages used as resources. 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.
- Finally, comment on how incorporating what you learned from this experience into your every-day routine could impact your life - both professionally and personally.
5 comments:
Hi Gang,
So, here I am. And to think that you were surprised that I read this blog!!! I LOVE to read your comments and thoughts.
I thought about you while you were on the sailing trip as well as the backpacking one. These are experiences that will stay with you forever. I will be anxious to hear more about the AT trip and also to see some pictures. I'll be waiting.
Tess
The AT trip was definitely one of my more favorite trips, because I enjoy hiking. Ya the days were short and easy, but that was a good amount for the group. The meals we had to plan came out well, I chose to keep my meals semi easy, yet filling and full of calories. When it came to shopping matt and I chose to pool our money together when it came to buying certain items like the summer sausage, cause it was just to much for what I needed. I had plenty of food for the trip and the right amount of it, I had a little extra that would have held me over for one more day if we had to. My expectations for the trip were to be able to complete everyday fairly easily and to not get blisters cause that can ruin a mans whole experience. When it came to completing my goals I think I did fairly well, cause I didn’t get any blisters and each day was fairly easy cause I chose to stay in the back and keep company to anyone that was near the rear. Packing up in the morning for me was very efficient cause I made sure to have anything that wasn’t being used for sleeping or cooking was already packed, so all I had to do was pack my sleeping bag and put away the stove and mess kit. Throughout the trip I kept very comfortable I was plenty warm all the time and never had to put on pants, I also brought a dry bag to put my boots in at night so I could sleep with them an the would stay warm without getting my sleeping bag wet. Not once did I feel as if I wasn’t having fun, the trip was fun and very enjoyable. I kind of wish we would have gotten more snow but oh well.
For the AT, my expectations were mild overall. They were high at one point when of course we had the flight into the trail, but things got changed around and that wasn’t available any more. So now with what I had accomplished on the trail, I am satisfied when comparing with my actual experience. What I can learn about both is that you should never expect much, because in the end, whatever you end up with is all you have, so why not make the most out of it.
Some of the actions that I took to show good EB was one; not getting sunburned. I know that sometimes it can happen to people, but not to me. I made sure that on the AT I was sure not to get it by covering my face and making it not possible to get sunburned.
My performance overall I think went well. At the end of what we had done, I had felt a little drained but nothing that would stop me from going further. Some of the factors that contributed to me having a good physical performance was that I was eating enough calories and that I that at some point it would be a good idea to pace myself. Next time I do the AT, I think I will be in better shape, that way it will allow be to perform better.e
When I prepared my food I think that I had covered everything that I wanted and what I needed. I don’t think at any point did I have a challenge with food that was notable because I had more than enough food. Which then allowed me to change things up if I wanted to and allow me to then monitor my intake differently then I had originally planned. But next time I do this, I will bring more filling foods.
Well when I first started out, I thought that I would had been all right with my working 1970’s pack. But then it was rejected and I had to use a pack that did not want to stay together. The only thing I didn’t like about loading the newer bag was that I had to take everything out of the bag each night to get my sleeping bag.
For the majority of the trip I was comfortable. The only time I can think of being uncomfortable, was out second night, and that was because my feet were so cold but other than that everything went well. My feet had stayed dry and I was not too wet that I could not dry it over a fire at night.
Well let it be known, that I have found that when I don’t think that I am having fun, I am having fun. I didn’t know this, but someone told me that once.
My expectations of the trip were not quite what the trip turned out to be. I was expecting to fly into a beautiful landscape and just walk and enjoy the landscape. The actual experience was different, The hiking began to ware on my body after the first day and for awhile it seemed like a race more then a enjoyable hike. From this experience i learned that everything isn't how u think it is or will be. To model good eb i tried to keep all my gear together and in an organized fashion and not forget stuff behind on the trail. I could have not been so cheery when i woke up on the last day. If i took eb into my everyday life I think i would make more people happy but holding stuff in may bother me in the long term. I think for day one and two i was in fine physical condition. The only thing that slowed me down was my hamstring ached late day 2 and when I stopped to view scenery. I think running wile my laundry is going did help out on my endurance allot and hiking hills for skiing. i could trail more and get better boots (did this). I think that my food planing went great i was under budget and i think i ate good on the trip i was never starving and i had good energy. next time i would bring some better snacks and more powerbars. The packing worked great. good idea to put the sleeping pad in the pack almost like a frame. i became very efficient at packing/unpacking. My sleeping back kept me warm and i shoved my fleece down by my feet and slept w/ my boots this trick helped greatly and put me in a good mood all day (no frozen boots). The only time i was not having fun was when i woke up and my boots were frozen. this was not a plesent experience. But as i have been told before you do not need to be having fun to have fun. All in all i have lots of fun and WILL do this again.
Alright I'll be up front, this is not going to be a narrative. There is a reason I didn't major in english the first time around. I went into this trip with no expectations. I've never done overnight hiking trips and so had no base line of experience to extrapolate from. Sure I've done day hikes in similar weather conditions, but you can't even begin to compare the two. Would I have rather had a reasonable expectation of what it was going to be like and how to prepare? Sure, but that neither here nor there anymore. The one thing that I learned was to keep you boots dry at all costs LNT be damned. Nothing can sour ones mood like turning your feet into ice cycles first thing in the mourning. Short of going down the list of point by point this is all I got. I'm not the reflective sort. We did the job and that's all that matters.
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