At BOW, I took a course called "Reading the Woods", where you observe everything around you in a particular spot to assess what is going on or what has happened. It carries over to human behavior as well.
From just a few nights out camping solo in the woods, I have assessed that if you hear -- at 2:00am -- faint, muffled human shouts, it means either:
1) They are drunk
or
2) There is a problem
or
3) They are drunk and they have caused a problem.
(For an example, you can read my post about the idiots who knocked over their lit lantern, and set their tent on fire.)
I have modified my campsite/sleeping behavior to adjust for that. For instance, the easy-out end of my tent now faces my car, so I can make a quick dash if I need to.
And in my tent, in order of closest accessibility, are:
-- my glasses
-- car keys
-- whistle
-- headlamp & flashlight
-- cellphone
Showing posts with label BOW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BOW. Show all posts
Sunday, January 23, 2011
WHAT WAS THAT ?!?!?!?!
So ... I've recently returned from three days of outdoor skills training. And what I've learned from camping this past week-end is that the instruction I really need is: "If You Hear This Noise in the Woods, It Means ___________."
Unbelievably, this past week-end was only the second time I actually heard "animal" noises at night. (The first time being at Codorus State Park, when a bird screeched so loudly I was convinced that it was a giant dinosaur pterodactyl 10 feet tall, sitting right in my campsite. I doubt if that was the case, but that's what it sounded like.)
So, I've composed a few musings on noises based on my experiences this late October week-end.
#1
After dark, but fairly early in the night, for several minutes, I kept hearing a "thud" sound. I thought maybe campers were walking through the woods, in search of firewood. But there were no campers in that direction. (And wouldn't I hear leaves crunching if people were walking through the woods??) THEN, I heard: "thud [pause] thud [pause] thud, thud [pause], snort!". WTF???
I unzipped my tent and peered out with my headlamp. Of course, with the sound of the unzipping and then the bright flashlight, any creature in its right mind would not make itself known. I didn't see anything. Fortunately, though, subsequent noises indicated that the "creature" ambled away from my tent.
To this day, I have no idea what it was.
Unbelievably, this past week-end was only the second time I actually heard "animal" noises at night. (The first time being at Codorus State Park, when a bird screeched so loudly I was convinced that it was a giant dinosaur pterodactyl 10 feet tall, sitting right in my campsite. I doubt if that was the case, but that's what it sounded like.)
So, I've composed a few musings on noises based on my experiences this late October week-end.
#1
After dark, but fairly early in the night, for several minutes, I kept hearing a "thud" sound. I thought maybe campers were walking through the woods, in search of firewood. But there were no campers in that direction. (And wouldn't I hear leaves crunching if people were walking through the woods??) THEN, I heard: "thud [pause] thud [pause] thud, thud [pause], snort!". WTF???
I unzipped my tent and peered out with my headlamp. Of course, with the sound of the unzipping and then the bright flashlight, any creature in its right mind would not make itself known. I didn't see anything. Fortunately, though, subsequent noises indicated that the "creature" ambled away from my tent.
To this day, I have no idea what it was.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Post-BOW / Shaping My Nature Experience
All of my experiences at the MD DNR "Becoming An Outdoors Woman" added more dimensions to my appreciation of and self-renewal through nature. Now I have more ways to see more deeply what is going on around me. From exploring the natural history of the area, to the names of the trees, to the life around me -- whether critters, bugs, birds, fish, insects, plants, flowers, and on. Most of my time outdoors is spent being active; I don't intend to change that. But what I've learned at BOW will give me tools for some fun projects during my downtime outdoors in a campsite.
I started on the this journey with the simple goal of improving my fitness to go hiking in the Rockies. Early on, I re-discovered the peacefulness and spirituality of being in Nature.
Since then, I'm discovering the joy, fun, and simplicity of living a nice portion of my life outdoors. And a deeper and broader knowledge of the natural world around me.
The "game" is still on though! Now that I've slept somewhat-outdoors in temps in the 30s, the challenge is on: How long can I go sleeping outdoors?
I started on the this journey with the simple goal of improving my fitness to go hiking in the Rockies. Early on, I re-discovered the peacefulness and spirituality of being in Nature.
Since then, I'm discovering the joy, fun, and simplicity of living a nice portion of my life outdoors. And a deeper and broader knowledge of the natural world around me.
The "game" is still on though! Now that I've slept somewhat-outdoors in temps in the 30s, the challenge is on: How long can I go sleeping outdoors?
Thursday, October 28, 2010
DNR: "Becoming An Outdoors Woman" / Reading the Woods
Just by coincidence, this was the last session of my stay. And it pretty much summed up and used all the other courses I had taken.
We spend the half-day in the woods, observing different things - plants, animal trails & habitat, invasive species, the effects of human behavior -- and talking about its purpose and how it got there and what it indicated about what was goingon.
The session started out with a fun game that highlighted my *dismal* powers of observation. We didn't know it, but on the first part of our trek, our instructor had placed pipecleaners. Colorful ones. And they weren't hidden. They were in plain view. The first time down the path, one person found one. No one else noticed any. :(
The instructor told us about the game, and we headed back the way we came. With the goal of this time actually finding the pipecleaners. I think I saw 6.
Regrouping, the instructor told us there was more than 10. And taught us how to observe better. This time through the path, I found 13. I think overall, there was 16. Fun & enlightening game.
We spend the half-day in the woods, observing different things - plants, animal trails & habitat, invasive species, the effects of human behavior -- and talking about its purpose and how it got there and what it indicated about what was goingon.
The session started out with a fun game that highlighted my *dismal* powers of observation. We didn't know it, but on the first part of our trek, our instructor had placed pipecleaners. Colorful ones. And they weren't hidden. They were in plain view. The first time down the path, one person found one. No one else noticed any. :(
The instructor told us about the game, and we headed back the way we came. With the goal of this time actually finding the pipecleaners. I think I saw 6.
Regrouping, the instructor told us there was more than 10. And taught us how to observe better. This time through the path, I found 13. I think overall, there was 16. Fun & enlightening game.
DNR: "Becoming An Outdoors Woman" / Twig Detective
In this class, we studied how to identify trees. The instructor started out by talking about dichotomous keys, and I was immediately lost.
But then we learned how to use them, kind of like written maps -- along the lines of the process of elimination -- to get to what kind of tree it is. Dichotomous keys are handy and fascinating.
Then we spent most of the half-day session out in the field, using the tools we just learned to identify the trees in the forest around us. It was fun to be trekking/bushwhacking in the woods, using our brains, and having a deeper and closer view of the woods around us.
I know I've taken a lot for granted during my hikes and other times spent in nature. An almost cavalier attitude of "it's just a tree". Now I'll be much more fascinated by and interested in exactly what I'm trekking through, and how it grew there.
The day kind of reminded me of the Ents in "The Lord of the Rings". And the Apple Trees in "Wizard of Oz". Yes, the trees are alive.
But then we learned how to use them, kind of like written maps -- along the lines of the process of elimination -- to get to what kind of tree it is. Dichotomous keys are handy and fascinating.
Then we spent most of the half-day session out in the field, using the tools we just learned to identify the trees in the forest around us. It was fun to be trekking/bushwhacking in the woods, using our brains, and having a deeper and closer view of the woods around us.
I know I've taken a lot for granted during my hikes and other times spent in nature. An almost cavalier attitude of "it's just a tree". Now I'll be much more fascinated by and interested in exactly what I'm trekking through, and how it grew there.
The day kind of reminded me of the Ents in "The Lord of the Rings". And the Apple Trees in "Wizard of Oz". Yes, the trees are alive.
DNR: "Becoming An Outdoors Woman" / Tracks & Trails
I thought in this course we would learn to identify animal tracks. But it was So. Much. More.
So much to say about this course!
What did we learn about? Our power of observation. How people feel they are productive/how we feel we've accomplished something. Human behavior (humans are animals too, and they leave tracks ...). How to observe signs around the tracks, so you can form the whole story -- not just what animal was there, but what they were doing, where they came from. Was another animal stalking them?, did they run? was there a battle? or were they playing? What time of day is it? When was the last tide? Did it rain? How deep are the tracks. How to tell how long ago they were formed.
Just amazing the stories that are behind a simple track.
So much to say about this course!
What did we learn about? Our power of observation. How people feel they are productive/how we feel we've accomplished something. Human behavior (humans are animals too, and they leave tracks ...). How to observe signs around the tracks, so you can form the whole story -- not just what animal was there, but what they were doing, where they came from. Was another animal stalking them?, did they run? was there a battle? or were they playing? What time of day is it? When was the last tide? Did it rain? How deep are the tracks. How to tell how long ago they were formed.
Just amazing the stories that are behind a simple track.
DNR: "Becoming An Outdoors Woman" / Map & Compass
My first course at DNR's "BOW" program was "Map & Compass". I've had a few short (like 1/2 hour) training sessions on using a compass, but I just didn't "get" it.
This course was a half-day. We learned all the details around a topographic map. I was kinda comfortable reading a topo map, enough to get myself out of trouble. But now I know more. We spent a lot of time learning how to properly use a compass. And now I get it! I need to keep using the skills so that I don't forget how to do it.
We concluded the class with a really fun game in a field where we were given compass readings that we had to follow and take notes of where we ended up. I did the route correctly! and quickly. So I did another one. It was a ton of fun!
The instructor told us that if enjoyed the game, we should try orienteering. Yikes, another fun thing to get myself into! I can't wait!
This course was a half-day. We learned all the details around a topographic map. I was kinda comfortable reading a topo map, enough to get myself out of trouble. But now I know more. We spent a lot of time learning how to properly use a compass. And now I get it! I need to keep using the skills so that I don't forget how to do it.
We concluded the class with a really fun game in a field where we were given compass readings that we had to follow and take notes of where we ended up. I did the route correctly! and quickly. So I did another one. It was a ton of fun!
The instructor told us that if enjoyed the game, we should try orienteering. Yikes, another fun thing to get myself into! I can't wait!
My Great Adventure! Dept of Natural Resources: Becoming An Outdoors Woman
October 21-24, 2010
On my first camping adventure, back in April, at Greenridge State Forest, the rangers had told me about this program: "Becoming An Outdoors Woman". I'm not sure if they told me about me because I had passed some test by actually surviving camping those two short days when it was clear I had no idea what I was doing; or, if they thought I'd better go get some training. Maybe both reasons.
So I signed up way-back-when. But ... the program is held in Garrett County, south of Deep Creek Lake. Like on the other side of the mountains.
All summer I debated whether I was going or not -- simply because of my fear of heights and the mountain driving. I got more & more nervous, but then also afraid that my fear of heights and mountain driving would just stop me from doing fun things. I had to face my fears and do it.
So I did all kinds of research on mountain driving and phobias, and for weeks, I mentally prepared myself. Or tried to. And I went and did it! Whew!
The program was phenomenal! There are all kinds of outdoor adventure courses you can take, ranging from sports to hunting to survival to cooking. They are geared from beginner level to advanced. All of the instructors are experts, personable, and approachable. Many of the participants have attended several times, so classes are becoming more advanced as we all learn more stuff. And the women who attended are adventurous, have interesting jobs, have traveled to so many places -- it was a great joy to socialize with so many fascinating people!
Camp Area:
On my first camping adventure, back in April, at Greenridge State Forest, the rangers had told me about this program: "Becoming An Outdoors Woman". I'm not sure if they told me about me because I had passed some test by actually surviving camping those two short days when it was clear I had no idea what I was doing; or, if they thought I'd better go get some training. Maybe both reasons.
So I signed up way-back-when. But ... the program is held in Garrett County, south of Deep Creek Lake. Like on the other side of the mountains.
All summer I debated whether I was going or not -- simply because of my fear of heights and the mountain driving. I got more & more nervous, but then also afraid that my fear of heights and mountain driving would just stop me from doing fun things. I had to face my fears and do it.
So I did all kinds of research on mountain driving and phobias, and for weeks, I mentally prepared myself. Or tried to. And I went and did it! Whew!
The program was phenomenal! There are all kinds of outdoor adventure courses you can take, ranging from sports to hunting to survival to cooking. They are geared from beginner level to advanced. All of the instructors are experts, personable, and approachable. Many of the participants have attended several times, so classes are becoming more advanced as we all learn more stuff. And the women who attended are adventurous, have interesting jobs, have traveled to so many places -- it was a great joy to socialize with so many fascinating people!
Camp Area:
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