Thursday, May 23, 2002

Aside from the silly crush I developed on the weekend, I did learn a lot about keeping safe and healthy while backpacking in the back country:

From a great way to cinch up my backpack hip belt, and tie my boot laces with different tensions over the foot and on the ankle, to how to hang food and keep it from bears, set up a tarp as an emergency shelter or cooking shelter, how to keep my feet in good shape (tend to possible blisters before they happen) how to pack the load in my backpack so the weight is effectively distributed, timing of breaks on the trail, keeping hydrated, outdoor bathroom etiquette, where to pitch your tent in relation to your cooking area and water source and bathroom, what to do if you lose the trail or lose a person in your party, how to deal with surprising a bear on the trail and all sorts of other things.

I've already signed up for a navigation course (one day) and a wilderness survival course (overnight) with the same school - I was thoroughly impressed with the quality and enthusiasm level of the instruction.

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