Simple lessons from a short camping trip an hike

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • Dorky_D

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 4, 2010
    1,188
    38
    A gentleman from our church and I took some boys from the youth group camping last Friday night and Saturday morning. I am not a huge camper, and outdoors man. I went car camping a ton as a kid, and I was a cub scout, so I know more than your average suburban slug, but I am no avid camper or outdoors man for sure.

    Here are some things I learned.

    1. Most High School boys know virtually nothing about outside. One asked me what a pine tree was. Teach those that do no know stuff.
    2. I taught some of them how to make fire with a striker, dryer lint and Vaseline, and fat-wood as starters. I told them, it was fairly easy given what I had and I used a lot of fat-wood as it was waaaaay humid in the woods last weekend. Most did not know any of this stuff.
    3. These guys were not all real good decision makers. One tried to ask me if he could wash the mud off of his leg. I said yes the best I could, but he seemed confused and I was also confused as to why he asked. There was some sort of mis-communication that I still cannot figure out, but oh well. These were good kids, but probably a little too sheltered. Mine would be in the same boat probably, so I need to work on that.
    4. I tried to go with some minimal gear, while still having enough. That said, I did pretty well. It was just an overnight, so not a ton needed.
    5. Wool socks are awesome! We hiked though some creek beds with just standard hiking shoes. While I did not just totally submerge my feet in the water, it was impossible to keep my feet 100% dry and did I mention it was humid. I have not sweat that hard in a while for so long. Anyway, my feet eventually got wet, but the wool kept my feet dryish, and that is awesome. Not swampy cotton feel and that was awesome.
    6. Although, I usually do about 2.5-3 hours of cardio, mixed HIT training and walking, I felt VERY old trying to keep up with these young guys hiking. Dang! To be fair, the trails we were on were some of the most rugged I have been on in a state park and we did not do them very slow. We were at Shades and many of the trails are pretty rugged. Even if they are not all up and down, the walking over rocks in a creek bed is not as easy as just walking down the sidewalk in my neighborhood for sure. I am over 40 and have about 15-20 pounds that I should lose. I have determined that I need to do that with more speed and attention than I have given it this past year. That means I need to cut back on the intake. I am already doing well in the cardio and I am stepping up my strength stuff (nothing hardcore, just body weight stuff at home), but I need to get after it much better in the weight area. I was worn out on Saturday, but Sunday, I recovered, pretty well, and even put in 3 miles with a touch of running at an aggressive overall pace. So while I am pleased at my next day recovery, not so much with how spent I was on Saturday.
    7. Age is what it is! I am not sub 18 and I will not be again. I can mitigate some of that in 6 above, but I will probably not be able to feel like I did at 18. That includes knees and ankles.
    8. I need a good head lamp. I had a good flashlight, but could have used a head lamp doing a night hike. I had a backup light that I ended up loaning out and that was good to have, but It would have been nice to have a head lamp, main and backup as we were in rugged and hard to hike at night places. If a light had gone out, it would have been a rough go.

    So, I wanted to treat this as sort of a test of preparedness and conditioning. No, it is not a true bug out test and all of that, but it did teach me that bugging out without a vehicle would suck. Yes, I could manage, but it would not be the movie situation. If I was to have to hike like that, there would be more breaks and stopping to keep a little gas in the tank. It would not be some sort of red dawn running and jumping through rough terrain and being OK to sprint 300 yards and all of that. I would obviously be carrying more on my back and perhaps a rifle and hardware in my hands if the situation dictated that.

    It sure makes me hope it never comes to that.
     

    JeepHammer

    SHOOTER
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 2, 2018
    1,904
    83
    SW Indiana
    Good on you for trying to teach the 'Video Generation' something!

    I do mentor kids programs, and there is a HUGE communications gap!
    I don't think it's English they are speaking...

    One kid fell in sloppy mud, the kind you can't wipe off, so I told him to wait a few minutes...
    Let the jeans suck some of the moisture out, then I used a fairly long blade knife to peel/shave the excess mud off his jeans.
    You should have seen the look on those kids' faces when I pulled the knife out!
    Apparently, with the video game generation a knife isn't used for anything but killing people...

    AND!...
    I used a stick to point out what poison ivy looks like, how to identify it...
    You have to watch close or they will reach out and touch it!

    You have to have INFINITE inner calm...
    When questions like, "Why is there air?" And "Where does the moon go when the sun comes out?" come up...
    Makes you wonder what they are teaching in schools for a minimum of 13 years.
     

    PappyD

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Feb 24, 2008
    457
    28
    Westfield
    Good for you! Keep learning and getting the youngsters outside, even if only for one night!

    I have three sons- all of them are "above average" on what I call "life skills". My youngest said something the other day about using some knots at work.
    Using a truckers hitch when tying a load to a trailer - his buds thought he was a magician or something! "Dad, they usually just tie a wad of granny knots!
     

    DeadeyeChrista'sdad

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    35   0   0
    Feb 28, 2009
    10,070
    149
    winchester/farmland
    The idea that one could live in a tent for a few days and actually be COMFORTABLE is as alien as Mars to most of these kids. For the love of God, show them 3 ways to make fire, how to use a knife safely, and teach them that the land has everything they need, at any time of the year. Teach them a few knots, how to make shelter, and how to find and sterilize water.
     

    spencer rifle

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    66   0   0
    Apr 15, 2011
    6,544
    149
    Scrounging brass
    Our limited camping and annual backpacking trips mean our kids are all familiar with outdoor skills. The youngest is a Boy Scout, NYLT graduate and Senior Patrol Leader, so he can keep up with the best of them. I've had to learn lots of new things just to keep ahead of the kids.
     

    JeepHammer

    SHOOTER
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 2, 2018
    1,904
    83
    SW Indiana
    The idea that one could live in a tent for a few days and actually be COMFORTABLE is as alien as Mars to most of these kids.

    Most can't make a grilled cheese sandwich... A crap load of 'adults' can't either...

    The idea of 'Survival' training from 'Camping' is mutually exclusive since 'Survival' you don't get to pick what you have with you.

    I 'Camped' for 2-1/2 years when I first bought land with nothing on it, every weekend, every time I had days off I 'Camped' on the land.
    Camp in a box, a foot locker with cooking, flatware, a small folding table, lamps, ect.

    Tent in a bag.
    Ground sheet, tent, rain fly, heavy 'Door' mat, air mattress, sheets, etc.

    Actually, quite comfortable when it works itself out, all fits in the cargo area of the smallest common Jeep made with room to spare.
    People said it was 'Primitive', but with a 5 gallon water can shower, it was VERY comfortable with a couple chairs added.
    Since I couldn't leave anything out there that could be stolen or destroyed it had to go up and come down in a reasonable time, about 20 minutes up or down once you did it a couple times.

    With a good cooler, it was on the spot for what I needed, and it became 'Home' pretty quickly until things more permanent & secure got built.

    Figuring out where to put a tent or fire without it becoming a mud pit when it rained, where to locate a 'Privvy' so it stays down wind, but is still handy, figuring out how to get water without spending half a day hauling, these are the things you will figure out after a couple weeks.
    Hauling stones, gravel, getting a spot where the tent doesn't flap in every little breeze, these are the things you will only learn by doing over time...

    ----

    'Survival' is defined as a very large change in position or condition in a very short period of time, leading to life threatening conditions.
    You simply aren't prepared for that change, and as you ADAPT, the life threatening situation diminishes.

    You lean the new rules and develop skills that adapt to the new situation/conditions.
     

    Sniper 79

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    Oct 7, 2012
    2,939
    48
    Awesome of you to take them out. Sad today how people can't do without their phones. Lot of useless folks out there that have never got their hands dirty.

    Took my family out camping for a week this year. We had a nice time. Did a backyard camp out as well. I want to make sure to pass the knowledge down and give them the tools they need in life. Knowledge is power!
     

    Sigblitz

    Grandmaster
    Trainer Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    9   0   0
    Aug 25, 2018
    14,583
    113
    Indianapolis
    I've done the cotton ball soaked in wax trick. Under a tarp on the side of a hill in the rain, it's enough heat to make it bearable.
     

    Ziggidy

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    May 7, 2018
    7,270
    113
    Ziggidyville
    I saw this thread and had to look. I have never been camping but I will be on a one nighter very soon. I am going with experienced men; I am certain I will provide some good laughter and be the blunt of jokes (in good taste). It will be an experience. I think I will be ok except I saw someone post about wool socks. Where can I find CHEAP wool socks. I am pretty sure this will be my one and only so I do not want to spend too much more than I have already. I do suffer from insomnia, I am not looking forward to that night.
     

    TJ Kackowski

    Let it begin here.
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    133   0   1
    Jun 8, 2012
    1,876
    113
    Hendricks County
    I saw this thread and had to look. I have never been camping but I will be on a one nighter very soon. I am going with experienced men; I am certain I will provide some good laughter and be the blunt of jokes (in good taste). It will be an experience. I think I will be ok except I saw someone post about wool socks. Where can I find CHEAP wool socks. I am pretty sure this will be my one and only so I do not want to spend too much more than I have already. I do suffer from insomnia, I am not looking forward to that night.
    REI or Cabelas carry a good variety of wool socks. My personal favorite are Smart Wool medium weight hiker socks. Be sure to use a clean dry pair when you crawl into your sleeping bag at night. Depending upon the weather, you might also want a stocking cap to sleep in.
     

    Tex281

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 27, 2015
    55
    6
    NWI
    [FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Last week I hiked two days with son’s 5th grade class. I was pleasantly surprised how well they all did. Most of them acted like they’ve been outside before.[/FONT][/FONT]
     

    TJ Kackowski

    Let it begin here.
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    133   0   1
    Jun 8, 2012
    1,876
    113
    Hendricks County
    Dang near forgot to mention the most important item in your sleeping kit ... a set or two of sleeping pills ... the squishy orange kind to put in your ears. These are especially important when camping with adults!
     
    Top Bottom