In fall of 2005 I officially became a college freshman at California State University, Chico. Here is where I decided to study Media Arts. After a few weeks I craved for something more. I dissected the student catalog and signed up for beginning rock climbing with my roommate Becky. It's funny to imagine how naive I was to think I'd just be climbing a few rocks. After the experience with my professor Mike, I was amazed at this world of outdoors, yet again I needed more.
The next semester I was enrolled in Beginning Backpacking with Mike, again. He asked us to write a paper entitled, "What I want". He wanted to know that we were here for more than just an easy A. I don't quite remember what I wrote in that paper but whatever it was Mike had me in his office meeting with Reid the director of Outdoor Education Department. Before I could blink I was signed up for a ten day backpacking trip in Utah's Desert, specifically the Escalante. I can remember sitting in the class before the trip during lectures saying to myself, "What is he saying? I don't want to teach this to people, I just want to go on the trip." How very wrong I was.
The experience was the single most amazing event in my life thus far. Everyday we woke up to sand in our faces and in our toes. It was beyond anything I could describe as cold. We scaled the sides of canyon walls and crossed the very full Escalante River with our packs un-clipped, just in case. We heard stories of people drowning in 2 feet of water because their packs were clipped when they fell. We learned how to use maps and compasses in the hardest terrain, the desert. We baked elaborate meals with one small backpacking stove. We boiled and filtered very brown sandy water. We pushed each other, and learned on each other. On Thanksgiving we spent the entire day in silence, thinking, writing, and exploring. We visited a small very delicate ruin, where the Anasazi once lived. Touched corn cobs and bedroom walls. I remember looking out imagining what they must have felt, what they were planning for, what they saw through those wild eyes. At the end of that day we came together for a feast, I had spent most of the day writing things about each person that I appreciated. I shared them with the group, I was glad it was dark so people could only hear my feelings and not see them on my face as well.
At night we'd lay under our tarps laughing and crying having the time of our lives. The people on that trip I will never forget. Every single one of them touched my heart. They made my first trip in the back country unforgettable. I learned how to be self reliant, and dependable. I learned the true value of team work and what true expedition behavior meant. I learned all the skills my mom had, were ones I reflected to others. I learned I was a bad ass.
Ps. Of course being a Media Arts student I had to bring my camera with me and make a mini documentary about the trip and a little info on LNT (Leave No Trace) Here is the link to the video I made, its short about 4-5minutes and then a few pictures from the trip as well.
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