Backpacking Reflection

I hope you all enjoyed your experience on the AT. I also hope that you have had some time to think about your experience and share it with someone else, as this sometimes helps to process.

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:

• Consider the expectations you had of the backpacking expedition 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?
• 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 next semester?  What will you do the same?
• Describe how you felt upon returning from the trip back to your everyday routines and relate this to Benton MacKaye's original vision for the AT.
• Finally, comment on how incorporating what you learned from this experience into your every-day routine could impact your life - both professionally and personally.

Your responses to these questions are due by Friday, December 6 at 9:00 am. 

Backpacking Preparation

As we prepare for our upcoming backpacking expedition on the Appalachian Trail, consider and comment on the following thoughts:

1. Read the handout “Step By Step" and the Appalachian Trail Conference website at http://www.appalachiantrail.org.
2. Using these resources, complete the Appalachian Trail FAQ assignment on the WCCC portal  
3. Look specifically at the clothing requirements of the Personal Gear List section of the Equipment List for the backpacking trip and list out the pieces of clothing that you are bringing with you. Also identify any gear that is on the list that you do not yet own, and describe your plan for acquiring this gear before next Friday.  
4. How have you been preparing for the physical demands of this backpacking trip?
5. Share your expectations for this trip. Comment on the following:

• What are your personal goals for the trip?

• How do you think you will perform?
   
• Is there anything you are anxious or nervous about?
   
• Identify some strategies you will use to stay warm and dry
   
• Do you feel "prepared"? If so, why?  If not, explain what you need to know or do in order to feel prepared.

 As always, I look forward to reading your posts.  This post is due by 9:00 on Friday morning, November 8.

Sailing Expedition Reflection

I hope you enjoyed your sailing experience and that your time aboard has provided you with some practical experience to accompany the theory we have been studying in class.

For this expedition, one of your formal learning objectives for ADV111 was menu and food preparation for a group. This was one of three group cooking experiences you will have this year. For this blog, please review the goals we set for your meals and spend some time thinking about the following questions before writing.  Also, please address the items outlined using a paragraph structure, rather than individual phrases or incomplete sentences.  Your responses should read as an essay that includes the items listed below, rather than answers on short-answer exam. As always, I am expecting to see evidence of quality time reflecting and writing about your experience.

1. In this blog, please address the following questions:

 Planning

• List out the goals we established for our meal planning
• How well did your recipes address your goals? Identify those goals accomplished, and those that could be better addressed next time.  
• How well did your shopping list reflect what you actually purchased?

Preparation

• Comment on the quality of your meals.  
• How could you prepare the meals differently in the future that might better achieve your goals? Consider everything from purchasing ingredients and repackaging to packing and cooking.
• Did both members of your group have equal responsibility in the preparation? Why or why not?

Presentation  

• Were your meals well-presented? 
• What extra steps did you take to provide an appealing presentation?
• How did you connect participants to the food you presented?

2. Reflect upon your sailing experience on Pedagogy and Rhapsody . Please address the following:

• How did this experience live up to your expectations?  
• What were the high points of the trip? What were the low points?
• How do you feel about your nautical navigation skills as a result of this experience?
• Compare sailing Pedagogy to sailing Rhapsody and (for Adventure Rec students...) to sailing the Flying Junior dinghies.
• How do you think you performed individually on the expedition? How do you think you performed as a group?
• Name one specific example of how you exhibited good "Expedition Behavior" while on your sailing trip.
• Discuss how you felt you and your team on your boat performed on Monday during the "race".  Include aspects related to route planning, executing that plan, sailing skills, teamwork, communication, and even unloading and unpacking boats and gear.
• In the form of a "criticism sandwich" (bun, meat, bun), provide feedback on how well this learning experience worked for you.

As I mentioned on Monday, we will not meet for class this Friday.  Check back in with the blog next week as there will be another asignment posted for next Friday, Nov. 8.

Sailing Expedition and Meal Prep

A. As we prepare for our sailing expedition, consider and respond to the following:

1. As you are aware, we are about to spend 4 days on board a sailboat living and working together. Give one example of good Expedition Behavior (EB) you intend to employ during our sailing expedition. Also describe any challenges you think the group will face during this expedition.
2. What expectations do you have of this sailing expedition? Describe what you think it will be like during a typical day on board.  Identify what aspects of the experience you are looking forward to and what aspects you are concerned about.

B. You have learned of various potential health hazards related to food preparation in the backcountry. Hopefully you have become aware of the importance of hygiene while preparing food in the field.

1. Identify three strategies you will include in your planning for our sailing expedition to reduce the potential for transference of disease while on our trip.
2. As we begin preparing for our sailing expedition, think about a meal you have enjoyed in the past that you would describe as an excellent experience.

              a. Describe this meal.
              b. Identify what made this meal exceptional (i.e. the atmosphere, the company, the food, the presentation, the situation, etc.)
              c. Explain how you could incorporate aspects of your exceptional dining experience into your meal preparation while on our sailing expedition.

As always, I look forward to your posts.  Your response is due by Friday, October 18 at 9:00 am.

Sea Kayak Reflection

Hello Gang,

As I mentioned last weekend when we returned, I very much enjoyed working with you all last week on our first expedition.  For this blog post, please comment on the following

Part I:

I would like you to reflect upon your expedition last weekend and write a blog entry that summarizes your experiences. As you reflect, comment on specifics such as:

• LNT
• paddling skill development
• student leadership
• safety/risk management (both on the ocean and on the river)
• navigation
• natural history (intertidal zone, birds, etc)
• taking care of yourself
• your own goals
• your favorite and least favorite parts of the expedition

Be sure to include specifics with regard to:

• Rob & Scott's roles
• wilderness (or Wilderness)
• the pace of the program
• any other aspect of the experience that sticks out in your memory

Part II:

Visit the following web site and read about Expedition Behavior: http://www.troop116.org/philmont/ExpeditionBehavior.pdf

• Identify one action you took and one action another first year student took that modeled good EB while on your expedition.
• Identify one action you took that did not contribute to good EB.
• Revisit the Full Value Contract we created together before the expedition here: https://flic.kr/p/2hoBgKE . 
• Compare the list we created with the bulleted list of behaviors at the end of the article.
• Comment on how incorporating good EB into your every-day routine could impact your life.

Part III:

Visit the LNT website to read and learn about the principle "Plan ahead and Prepare" at https://lnt.org/learn/principle-1 .

• Identify three ways we used proper planning to reduce impact while on our expedition.
• Identify one way in which you would improve planning on your next kayaking expedition to better reduce impact.

Part IV:

In his book "Outdoor Leadership," John Graham writes:

“Leadership is not a science to be picked up in one book or course, but an art to be learned over time.”

Consider and answer the following questions:

1. What do you think John Graham means by this quote, and
2. How do you think this applies to your experiences of last week?

Please remember that your blog entries should be of considerable length and depth. It is highly recommended that you type your responses in a word processor, use spell check, and then copy and paste into this blog. You may find that you need to make more than one entry to fit your entire response into the text box. Refer to the blog evaluation rubric for further information on how you will be evaluated. Your responses are due to be posted by 9 am on Friday, October 4.

Sea Kayak Expedition Prep

As you know, we will be departing on our sea kayak expedition in a little less than a week.  As you prepare for this experience, I would like you to think about and comment on the following:

1. Visit and read about wilderness at http://www.wilderness.net

2. Post a blog entry that includes your summary definition of wilderness (do not copy & paste!).

3. Post a one-paragraph statement with your reaction to the following quote about wilderness. Include if you agree or disagree with this point of view and why.

We did not think of the great open plains, the beautiful rolling hills, and winding streams with tangled growth, as “wild.” Only to the white man was nature a “wilderness” and only to him was the land “infested” with “wild animals” and “savage” people. To us it was tame. Earth was bountiful and we were surrounded with the blessings of the Great Mystery. —Chief Luther Standing Bear, of the Oglala band of Sioux.

4. Visit the Leave No Trace (LNT) website at http://www.lnt.org and read through the information.  List out the 7 LNT principles and include one tip related to each one that no one else on the blog has yet posted.

5. After reviewing your gear list for this first expedition, explain how you are feeling about your gear and its ability to keep you warm, safe, and comfortable.  Describe concerns you have about your gear.

6. Describe the expectations you have for this expedition.  What do you think it will be like for you?

7. Describe the expectations you have of your trip leaders (the second-year students) as well as of your guides (Scott and Rob).

This post is due before class on Friday, September 20.  Remember to use a word processor to help you spell and grammar check your response, and save it locally to your drive.

First Post

Hi All,

Welcome to your blog for ADV111 Wilderness Expedition Skills I. As we discussed in class this past week, you'll be responsible for checking in here each week and posting your response to the questions of the week by clicking on the "comments" link below.

This week, I'd like you to respond to the following:

1. View the following two short videos about outdoor clothing and layering at:

https://youtu.be/Y-5xJh8jSg4

and

https://youtu.be/BJo4rfdTHRA

2. Recently, you have been given an equipment list identifying several pieces of clothing and equipment you will need for your coursework. Using this equipment list, your book, the videos above, and the discussions we have had in class

          a. List out the pieces of clothing and gear you already own, and then

          b. Identify each piece you still need to acquire in the next few weeks as we prepare for your expeditions

          c. Finally, identify where you will research and look for each piece of gear you need and when you expect to have it by.

3. Explain why you are enrolled in the Adventure Recreation and Tourism program at WCCC.  Please include the following:

          a. what event(s) initiated your interest in this program

          b. what you hope to learn, and

          c. where you see yourself in 5 years from now. 

4. Finally, please identify what you expect of your instructor(s) and include anything in particular they can do you help you achieve your goals.

This is due before class on Friday, September 13.  I look forward to your response.