30 Days

It had been awhile and summer is almost over. You may know that I did a NOLS course this summer in the Wind River Range for 30 days. I learned so much out there about myself, dealing with others, a tolerance for the uncertainty so I've decided to just list some things that you may or may not have known about my trip.

For thirty days:

I did not take a shower

I carried everything I needed on my back

I woke up around 6:30 and hiked

All of my meals were made on a single burner stove

I carried all of my garbage on my back

I had to wait 25 minutes before drinking my water for it to be purified

I put on wet or frozen socks and boos every morning

I slept in a tent with 3 or 4 other people who I didn't know before the trip

I got to know everyone in the group and learned to see the good in all of them

I walked through waist deep snow (not everyday, but a lot of them)

I was the only one to not get a mosquito bite (genetic superiority!)

I learned that in order to motivate others sometimes you have to take initiative and do things first.

I learned that there are a lot of leadership styles

I learned that sometimes it is best to lead from behind

I did not have an ipod or any way to listen to music

I did not have a cell phone or any connection to the outside world

I did not carry money or any plastic card

I did not carry any form of identification

I learned that just because society tells us to do something does not mean it is the right this to do

I learned that we do not have control over the majority of things that go on around us

The list goes on and I'm sure that other things will come to me later tonight that I should have mentioned and other things will come a month down the road that I did not realize I got from the course but I just wanted to share a few of these things with you.