Survival ²
If you want to be responsible for taking young people on camping trips with a certain organization, you have to complete a survival course.
Ya’ll, I survived.
It wasn’t hardcore but it was pretty rough. Lemme break it down into asterisks.
*Two nights in pre-Sandy weather.
*Sleeping in Tabins. Not a typo. Tents + cabins = tabins. My personal definition: The flimsy, water seeping nylon of a tent combined with the slatted wood floors of a cabin. To allow chilly air to seep up under your mesh cot and also through the un-close-able screen windows to fully cocoon you in brrrrr.
Ya’ll, I survived.
It wasn’t hardcore but it was pretty rough. Lemme break it down into asterisks.
*Two nights in pre-Sandy weather.
*Sleeping in Tabins. Not a typo. Tents + cabins = tabins. My personal definition: The flimsy, water seeping nylon of a tent combined with the slatted wood floors of a cabin. To allow chilly air to seep up under your mesh cot and also through the un-close-able screen windows to fully cocoon you in brrrrr.
*Cooking meals on a fire.
Fires that we had to make ourselves in order to pass.
Here’s mine.
<-----------------
It’s like I birthed that fire- I’m proud of it. I'm gonna frame this sucker.
*Knot tying. Enough said.
*Putting up tents at midnight. Pup tents. The horror. Then taking them down. Because we were just practicing outdoor survival skills. We actually slept in the tabins.
*In depth, instructor-led discussion of the pros and cons of different types of sleeping bags- mummy vs rectangular. Down vs synthetic fill. Temperature rating vs comfort rating. Size vs shape. Weight vs Need. The outcome of each battle was a draw. No one won. Not in a tabin.
*Using Dutch ovens, mountain pie makers, and surprise pouches. No jokes, please. Those are actual camping things. Oh, okay. Insert joke here: _______________________.
Fires that we had to make ourselves in order to pass.
Here’s mine.
<-----------------
It’s like I birthed that fire- I’m proud of it. I'm gonna frame this sucker.
*Knot tying. Enough said.
*Putting up tents at midnight. Pup tents. The horror. Then taking them down. Because we were just practicing outdoor survival skills. We actually slept in the tabins.
*In depth, instructor-led discussion of the pros and cons of different types of sleeping bags- mummy vs rectangular. Down vs synthetic fill. Temperature rating vs comfort rating. Size vs shape. Weight vs Need. The outcome of each battle was a draw. No one won. Not in a tabin.
*Using Dutch ovens, mountain pie makers, and surprise pouches. No jokes, please. Those are actual camping things. Oh, okay. Insert joke here: _______________________.
**Disclaimer:
Gregorific strives to avoid being negativistic.
Therefore, let me dwell on the positives of this survival experience. To the right here, ----------------->
we have the bathhouses. I was deeply grateful for the flushable toilets, the lights by which to see the flushable toilets, and for the running water to wash our hands after using the flushable toilets. It was a real camping luxury. (Now, it was a bit of a hike to get to this bathhouse- but totally worth it. Did I mention flushable?)
Gregorific strives to avoid being negativistic.
Therefore, let me dwell on the positives of this survival experience. To the right here, ----------------->
we have the bathhouses. I was deeply grateful for the flushable toilets, the lights by which to see the flushable toilets, and for the running water to wash our hands after using the flushable toilets. It was a real camping luxury. (Now, it was a bit of a hike to get to this bathhouse- but totally worth it. Did I mention flushable?)
<-----------------This mushroom took my breath away. Not because I smoked it but because of it's perfect ten beauty.
<-----------------When I saw the camp site's name, I had to laugh. Every time.
Yes, we had a Kaper chart. The time my clothespin fell on the grace duty I was stoked. This allowed me the minutes I needed to borrow the only cell phone that got a signal, run out to the flagpole (a half mile, but the only place the one cell phone got service) to make an S.O.S. call to Mr. Gregorific. I was not exactly prepared for the seriousness of this survival course. I had to request delivery of one hundred more layers of clothing and water. (Gregorific could not bear to drink boiled stream water or tablet sterilized 'camp' water.)
You will be happy to know he did deliver these items. (And more. Namely, he added a box of granola bars. The box did not last longer than the half mile walk back to camp. He also included plenty of sympathy, which I clearly meta asked for.)
<-----------------This bubbling brook always brought a smile to my face as I passed it on the way in to our camp site. Nature is what you make of it. Huh.
Another knock-your-socks-off beautiful mushroom.
I could go on but I’m sleep deprived, probably insect infested, and above all, recovering from severe homesickness. Gregorific functions best in a controlled environment.
I could go on but I’m sleep deprived, probably insect infested, and above all, recovering from severe homesickness. Gregorific functions best in a controlled environment.
I have no clue how the gregorific crew managed without my fearless leadership and clever commentary. They seemed perfectly gregorific when I returned and one had even warmed my bed for me.
On the bright side, at least now I can put up a Timberline, tie a taut line hitch, and best of all, never have to take the course again.
I survived survival training,
~gregorific
On the bright side, at least now I can put up a Timberline, tie a taut line hitch, and best of all, never have to take the course again.
I survived survival training,
~gregorific
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