So Far, So Good
I was amazed. For the most part everything thus far had gone according to plan. Getting to my flight was painless. Changing my bus ride because of airplane delays was just as simple. I had a good meal (my last one for a while), and had helped a fellow NOLS student out in the process.
Huh. Things never go this smoothly.
The 1st morning arrives, and there is a mad scramble to repack so we are ready for to roll when the van pulls up. There were a couple of trips going out on the same day, one to the Waddington Range, the other was a nine day backpacking trip along the coast. We got the usual welcome speech culminating in breakfast.
Next thing that I know, we are packed into a van and a pickup truck headed north. Two days later, we arrive at the campsite because the 'trail head' was still a few hours away. The first night in a tent, with three other people whom I had never met, went pretty well. The next morning, we were in the car bright and early to get to the REAL step one.
So far, so good.
From the Frying Pan...
The van and truck disappeared and it started to sink in that we are all in for what ever lies ahead. Our tent group was shown how to work the stove and pack our bags.
Packs on backs and off we go.
If it is true that a butterfly's wing beat can change things on the other side of the world, then that could be a plausible explanation as to how things moved so quickly. We were so eager, ready to move, stoked to be there, but... little did we know what was coming.
I decided right then and there that I would not give up. No matter what happened, I would not stop. It's a good thing I made that choice because right out of the gate we had a river crossing. Turns out that our boots - our $500 boots - weren't water proof. As the sun was setting in the distance, we found camp and had a moment where we were unsure exactly what we had gotten ourselves into...
With the night still young we crawled into our bags knowing that we would start the next day cold, and that we would hike the next few days with wet feet. Our socks were soaked. The boots had a leather and foam liner for "warmth" that acted as a big sponge for river water. The outside of the boots would dry, and water would seep out of the eyelets, It looked like the boots were crying.
...and Into the Fire
The next few days were Bushwhack Academy 101. Imagine weeds - TALL weeds - not trees, but not ground cover either. Just tall enough that you can't see over them. And thick enough that the dead fall beneath your feet can't be seen. That doesn't even begin to describe what lay all around us. In an eight hour day, we covered three, maybe four miles distance as the crow flies.
It was miserable, but we soldiered on.
It was slow progress, but the team didn't quit or give up. We crossed one more major river, finally getting to the correct side that would allow us to go up and over the pass between us and the mountains.
Reflection
Right off the bat the team dynamic was good. Ten plus hours in a van helped us mesh. After five days of bushwhack, we all knew that there was something about this group that would allow us to do great things. It was encouraging to know that the culture we would create was going to be strong and healthy. The perfect environment for learning. It would be hard, but we knew it was going to be worth it. And so we trudged on toward the mountains that had captivated us for so long.
Keeping You In the Loop
The Waddington Trip Reports are the final posts that started with the NOLS Dispatches. If you would like to read the entire story you will find the first dispatch under the January 2016 tab. If you enjoyed the story please post the url on your social media of choice so others may read my story.
Thanks,
K
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