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REI classes

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    • REI classes

      What kinds of hiking classes have you guys taken?

      Today was my first experience with taking a hiking class. It was a wilderness emergency class/hike, and a good time was had by all! What did I learn? How to tie two types of knots (though for the life of me, I can't remember their names), how to build an emergency shelter, using a stick to create a sundial that helps one figure out directions if lost, how to build a fire, water sanitation options, and a few other random tidbits.

      The temperatures were in the mid 70s, the day was beautifully sunny, and life is perfect. I love outside!
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      www.appalachiantrailclarity.com - Life on the A.T.

      Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.

    • No formal training in anything hiking-related. I was a volunteer ski patroller for a number of years (way back) so there was some first aid and rescue stuff involved with that. Knock wood I've never had to use it while hiking. I know some basic knots from sailing.

    • you dont need hiking classes. do your homework on gear, ;earn how to use a map and compass,the rest is just walking.you can join a local hiking club and pick up plenty of tips there. you've got this site and a number of others, like sgt rocks site hikinghq.net for info, and us to help. max patches suggestion is excellent, if the soruck is anything like the gathering, which had plenty of workshops for hikers and backpackers alike.i never tool any courses. learned the art of doing it wrong from day one, and although ive had some misadventures, none led to any but a happy ending. i still learn something new on every trip.
      its all good

    • hikerboy wrote:

      A.T.Lt wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      A.T.Lt wrote:

      I learned how to "duck" on my last hike!

      and let HB walk in front!


      that branch assaulted me!!

      It did! It jumped out right in front of you!...and you're a good man fending it off!

      (Hows the head feeling btw?)


      fine. it was just a scratch. still have a bit of a lump, but im a hard headed polish scotsman

      Good to hear! Im thinking an over night hike/loop in Harriman next weekend....I can't find my Harriman maps though ... ?(
      RIAP

    • A.T.Lt wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      A.T.Lt wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      A.T.Lt wrote:

      I learned how to "duck" on my last hike!

      and let HB walk in front!


      that branch assaulted me!!

      It did! It jumped out right in front of you!...and you're a good man fending it off!

      (Hows the head feeling btw?)


      fine. it was just a scratch. still have a bit of a lump, but im a hard headed polish scotsman

      Good to hear! Im thinking an over night hike/loop in Harriman next weekend....I can't find my Harriman maps though ... ?(


      shoot. i have a spare set in the car i could have given you.double shoot that its close to impossible for me to get a full weekend off, though i am off next sunday.
      its all good

    • twistwrist wrote:

      What kinds of hiking classes have you guys taken?

      Today was my first experience with taking a hiking class. It was a wilderness emergency class/hike, and a good time was had by all! What did I learn? How to tie two types of knots (though for the life of me, I can't remember their names), how to build an emergency shelter, using a stick to create a sundial that helps one figure out directions if lost, how to build a fire, water sanitation options, and a few other random tidbits.

      The temperatures were in the mid 70s, the day was beautifully sunny, and life is perfect. I love outside!


      I use my shadow, points north mid day.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.

    • A.T.Lt wrote:

      I have them somewhere...I have to work friday night so it would be saturday morning to sunday...Im thinking like a 20-30 mile loop....Tom Jones shelter maybe? I can't remember...what the trails are in that area and the mileage.


      i prefer bald rocks in the same area. tom jones is too close to 106, where you can park.bald rocks is off the dunning trail off the r-d trail north of 106.its a nice spot, and coupla spots to tent, decent view, too.no water. you've got an infinite variety of loops around there, so you can do whatever miles you want. you need the maps though.of you park at red apple rest at southfields, you can take the white blazed nurian trail to the r-d trail(red dot on white blaze) at black rock mtn, follow r-d north to the yellow blazed dunning trail,go east and you'll see the path down to the shelter a hundred feet or so to the right.again this loop can be extended, and theres a variety of return routes.
      its all good

    • hikerboy wrote:

      A.T.Lt wrote:

      I have them somewhere...I have to work friday night so it would be saturday morning to sunday...Im thinking like a 20-30 mile loop....Tom Jones shelter maybe? I can't remember...what the trails are in that area and the mileage.


      i prefer bald rocks in the same area. tom jones is too close to 106, where you can park.bald rocks is off the dunning trail off the r-d trail north of 106.its a nice spot, and coupla spots to tent, decent view, too.no water. you've got an infinite variety of loops around there, so you can do whatever miles you want. you need the maps though.of you park at red apple rest at southfields, you can take the white blazed nurian trail to the r-d trail(red dot on white blaze) at black rock mtn, follow r-d north to the yellow blazed dunning trail,go east and you'll see the path down to the shelter a hundred feet or so to the right.again this loop can be extended, and theres a variety of return routes.

      ...thats why I need to find those maps! :)
      RIAP

    • hikerboy wrote:

      you dont need hiking classes.


      I had a blast, met new people, and learned a thing or two. So why the hell not? :D I'll take another because I truly enjoyed the experience. :) I'll stick to the free classes other than a 2-night hike planned in March. I'll pay to attend that one.
      www.appalachiantrailclarity.com - Life on the A.T.

      Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.

    • Re: REI classes

      A.T.Lt wrote:

      Rasty wrote:

      Boy Scouts and Worked as a camp counselor one summer taking kids hiking or canoeing.

      I learned to smoke in boy scouts.

      I quit smoking in cub scouts...starting drinking in webelos. Made it all the way to Tenderfoot before I realized the Boy Scouts frowned upon us packing booze on trips...


      good to hear i wasn't the only one misbehavior in weblos . we got caught by the den mother looking at a playboy and booted. we were bad boys. come to think of it i still am.:D
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

    • jimmyjam wrote:

      A.T.Lt wrote:

      Rasty wrote:

      Boy Scouts and Worked as a camp counselor one summer taking kids hiking or canoeing.

      I learned to smoke in boy scouts.

      I quit smoking in cub scouts...starting drinking in webelos. Made it all the way to Tenderfoot before I realized the Boy Scouts frowned upon us packing booze on trips...


      good to hear i wasn't the only one misbehavior in weblos . we got caught by the den mother looking at a playboy and booted. we were bad boys. come to think of it i still am.:D


      JJ thats where you messed up, we always kept our playboys out in the tree house ;)

    • jimmyjam wrote:

      good to hear i wasn't the only one misbehavior in weblos . we got caught by the den mother looking at a playboy and booted. we were bad boys. come to think of it i still am.:D


      I remember when I was a Webelos, one of my buddies had a stash of Playboy in among the Boys' Life. I can even recall looking at them, mostly with the feeling of, "I know in a few years, I'll probably think this is pretty cool." Just didn't do much for me as a 10-year-old. :)
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.

    • AnotherKevin wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      good to hear i wasn't the only one misbehavior in weblos . we got caught by the den mother looking at a playboy and booted. we were bad boys. come to think of it i still am.:D


      I remember when I was a Webelos, one of my buddies had a stash of Playboy in among the Boys' Life. I can even recall looking at them, mostly with the feeling of, "I know in a few years, I'll probably think this is pretty cool." Just didn't do much for me as a 10-year-old. :)


      Playboy October 1983... it was then that I fell in love with redheads :)
      Of course I talk to myself... sometimes I need expert advice.

    • I picked up hiking the way I picked up most of my other recreations... a combination of "just do it already" combined with books/articles/internet and also observing and emulating other folks who seemed to know what they were doing. I'd say it's a bit more than "just walking" but it certainly isn't rocket science.

      A big chunk of it comes down to proper respect for the woods, the weather, listening to your body, etc. I go slow when the terrain gets steep or gnarly. I tend to not take major risks. Check for blazes every now and then, consult my map, convince myself of where I am, if there's any doubt. Common sense, mostly.

    • Tuckahoe wrote:

      AnotherKevin wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      good to hear i wasn't the only one misbehavior in weblos . we got caught by the den mother looking at a playboy and booted. we were bad boys. come to think of it i still am.:D


      I remember when I was a Webelos, one of my buddies had a stash of Playboy in among the Boys' Life. I can even recall looking at them, mostly with the feeling of, "I know in a few years, I'll probably think this is pretty cool." Just didn't do much for me as a 10-year-old. :)


      Playboy October 1983... it was then that I fell in love with redheads :)


      ive made love to a few redheads with staples in their bellies
      its all good

    • hikerboy wrote:

      Tuckahoe wrote:

      AnotherKevin wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      good to hear i wasn't the only one misbehavior in weblos . we got caught by the den mother looking at a playboy and booted. we were bad boys. come to think of it i still am.:D


      I remember when I was a Webelos, one of my buddies had a stash of Playboy in among the Boys' Life. I can even recall looking at them, mostly with the feeling of, "I know in a few years, I'll probably think this is pretty cool." Just didn't do much for me as a 10-year-old. :)


      Playboy October 1983... it was then that I fell in love with redheads :)


      ive made love to a few redheads with staples in their bellies


      And this is why one should never buy a vintage Playboy.
      Of course I talk to myself... sometimes I need expert advice.

    • I renewed my Wilderness First Aid cert at a NOLS/WMI class hosted at REI this past year. Guess you can count the CPR class I took as well at the local fire department.

      Many moons ago, I took a map and compass class through the Narragansett (RI) chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club. We used topo maps with 10 ft contour lines for the field exercise. :)

    • Took Warren Doyle's ATI course which was an excellent source on the logistics of the AT. The man knows the trail inside and out. Where this is, where that is, not only resupplies and water etc. but where to get showers, take a bath, a lot of stuff that's not in the books. Doyle may not be the ultimate minimalist but he ranks way up there. And, got to sit right next to JPD and pick her brain for better that a half day. That was really cool.
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.

    • Tuckahoe wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      Tuckahoe wrote:

      AnotherKevin wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      good to hear i wasn't the only one misbehavior in weblos . we got caught by the den mother looking at a playboy and booted. we were bad boys. come to think of it i still am.:D


      I remember when I was a Webelos, one of my buddies had a stash of Playboy in among the Boys' Life. I can even recall looking at them, mostly with the feeling of, "I know in a few years, I'll probably think this is pretty cool." Just didn't do much for me as a 10-year-old. :)


      Playboy October 1983... it was then that I fell in love with redheads :)


      ive made love to a few redheads with staples in their bellies


      And this is why one should never buy a vintage Playboy.


      or a used computer.
      2,000 miler

    • Once took a free course at the local REI about outdoor photography.
      It was way over my point and shoot head.
      The only thing I took away is the rule of thirds, which says to put the subject of your photo in the top third, bottom third, left third, or right third of the photo. To put it simply, don't put the subject of the photo in the middle.

    • LIhikers wrote:

      Once took a free course at the local REI about outdoor photography.
      It was way over my point and shoot head.
      The only thing I took away is the rule of thirds, which says to put the subject of your photo in the top third, bottom third, left third, or right third of the photo. To put it simply, don't put the subject of the photo in the middle.


      I grew up in a photographic family... Dad was in Photo products at Dupont both he and I did photo for newspapers and I did magazine covers. The son and I do full photoshop and other graphics... seems easy. - Here is what you really need to know.

      There are two kinds of pictures that people want to see (when on the trail) besides themselves.
      1. portraits that aren't boring. Pose people when you can - close ups with good lighting & something interesting in the background that sets it apart.
      2. Landscapes with guess what... puffy clouds. Unique views, a person in the distance for getting a handle on the space.
      3. Never use a smart phone if you want perfect pictures.
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup: