Expect the Unexpected
I went into the outdoor’s club backpacking trip believing I was prepared, if not overly prepared. I had participated in and lead over ten 7-16 day canoe trips and assumed the only major differences were the temperature (summer vs. spring), and means of travel (canoeing vs hiking). I was mistaken. On the contrary, six hours south of Richmond did not mean warmer temperatures. Our highest temperature at night was a rare 30 degrees, while the more common low temperatures dipped below 10 degrees. It never crossed my mind that we would be in near zero degree weather. On canoeing trips the lowest temperatures we had to deal with were in the mid forties. Although freezing in my tent wasn’t the most enjoyable experience, it was definitely humbling.
On canoeing trips there is also a larger variety of food, simply because people do not have to physically carry it on their backs. For instance, on every canoe trip I participated we always had canned fruit sand deserts in addition to essentials such as oatmeal breakfasts, cheese and pepperoni /pb and j lunches, and pasta diners. On backpacking trips you have to carry everything on your back, so it is really just essentials.
I also learned that rainy weather is handled differently. If it was raining on canoeing trips I would simply throw on a swimsuit, water proof shorts, and a raincoat; and the remainder of my clothes would stay dry in my river bag. Hiking in the winter was a little different because we still needed to wear enough layers to stay warm, while ensuring the remainder of our clothes stayed dry in our bags (which were not water proof). I improvised by tying the tent footprint over my bag! Our rainiest day also happened to the day when we were hiking out to switch campsites so I convinced my tent mates to that we should dry our tent with hand dryers in a movie theater bathroom. We got some extremely strange looks, but our tent was dry!
This trip amazed me on so many different levels. I was thrilled by how close our group became, and filled with wonder at the majestic landscapes.
I had the chance to hike along a river bed painted with purple and brown swirls, see brilliant ice designs ranging from glistening icicles hanging over a cliff, to delicate ice tendrils emerging from frozen soil. I learned to appreciate both the stark beauty of a sunny day and the softer more dulled beauty of a rainy day. I hiked along bumpy mountain ranges surrounded by deep grey blue peaks as well as through great white grass plains. Almost nothing went according to plan. Every moment was something unexpected. Every moment was an adventure.