Into the Wild

I attended a beginner's backpacking class at REI tonight. I have car camped and been SCUBA diving, trail riding (horseback of course) and this is the next logical step to get the @@!!@ away from the city and most people. I am very excited about the backpacking and can't wait to go!

The class was 1.5 hours long and very informative. You can find other classes listed if you are interested. A veteran backpacker taught the class and gave handouts along with some fun anecdotes about her backpacking experiences.

The talk covered:
Packs- internal vs external
Sleeping bags and the temp ratings
Sleeping mats and their necessity!
Pots and cups- how many and if you really need the cup
utensils- knife and "spork"
Stove- SIMPLE!!
Tents- What it should do for you and how much you should expect it to weigh
Shoes- C-O-M-F-O-R-T-A-B-L-E with tried!
Socks
Water and how much per person per day
No-trace philosophy
Animal encounters- keep your head and you will keep your blood
Types of poisonous plants- VERY useful info even in the city parks!

There was an open forum for questions. I highly recommend it at the $15 price tag. I also appreciated the fact that there was not any pressure to go buy everything. Our instructor, Lori, highly recommended trying stuff out before you buy. Rent it, try it on in the store and walk around forever....That sort of thing. And the real take-home message:

Less is More. So very true.

So get out there and camp, hike and be wild. Enjoy the art that Mother Nature has created for us.