Well, I am 99% sure I will be on my own in the Smokies. Funny; I feel like I spent most of my 20's waiting for life to happen to me, afraid to do anything too adventurous on my own. Now, if I want to do something, I do it. I don't let being alone hold me back. In fact, sometimes I prefer it.
Initially, my plan was that if I ended up alone in the Smokies, I would just stay on the trails. But then my stubbornness kicked in, and I thought, I am not going to let that hold me back.
Unfortunately, my navigation skills are somewhat lacking.
Bible Study was cancelled last night because of the snow, and my first thought was, "Oh good, I just want to go home and be alone with my new map." (#mapporn) I moved my coffee table, spread the map out on the floor, sprawled across it, and started investigating.
I quickly found the route I want to take, but this led to a bunch of questions, such as, "How will I know when to leave the trail?" and "What if I totally miss the Cat Stairs?"
Kristin and Adam had volunteered to help with this types of questions, so this morning I sent them an email with detailed questions and the map coordinates. "My hike should begin just south of there," I wrote.
A little while later, Adam replied, "I looked up those coordinates, and that's in the Arctic Ocean. So yes, your hike will definitely begin south of there."
Oh dear God, I thought. I am going to disappear into the mountains and never be heard from again.
But then I had a three hour dinner with my friend Dave tonight and brought my map. I learned so much! Dave's credentials include backpacking with the Scouts, time in Iraq with the army, a college course in land navigation, and 15 years of being my friend. So not only did I get a crash course in navigation, I got advice like, "You need to be able to figure out when it's a navigation problem or when it's an Erin problem. And honestly, I'm more worried about the Erin problems, because you are more than capable of doing this, but you convince yourself you aren't, and that's where you run into problems."
Dave's a good teacher.
So now I know how to measure how far I go on a zig-zaggy trail. And I know how to get down from a pinnacle. The only thing I'm worried about is not finding the Cat Stairs, but either way, I can find my way to the top of that ridge.
Oh, and I also know how to convert the map coordinates to decimals!
I am feeling much more confident.
One hike figured out, six more to go.
I'm going to rock this. As long as I don't get eaten by a bear.
Initially, my plan was that if I ended up alone in the Smokies, I would just stay on the trails. But then my stubbornness kicked in, and I thought, I am not going to let that hold me back.
Unfortunately, my navigation skills are somewhat lacking.
Bible Study was cancelled last night because of the snow, and my first thought was, "Oh good, I just want to go home and be alone with my new map." (#mapporn) I moved my coffee table, spread the map out on the floor, sprawled across it, and started investigating.
I quickly found the route I want to take, but this led to a bunch of questions, such as, "How will I know when to leave the trail?" and "What if I totally miss the Cat Stairs?"
Kristin and Adam had volunteered to help with this types of questions, so this morning I sent them an email with detailed questions and the map coordinates. "My hike should begin just south of there," I wrote.
A little while later, Adam replied, "I looked up those coordinates, and that's in the Arctic Ocean. So yes, your hike will definitely begin south of there."
Oh dear God, I thought. I am going to disappear into the mountains and never be heard from again.
But then I had a three hour dinner with my friend Dave tonight and brought my map. I learned so much! Dave's credentials include backpacking with the Scouts, time in Iraq with the army, a college course in land navigation, and 15 years of being my friend. So not only did I get a crash course in navigation, I got advice like, "You need to be able to figure out when it's a navigation problem or when it's an Erin problem. And honestly, I'm more worried about the Erin problems, because you are more than capable of doing this, but you convince yourself you aren't, and that's where you run into problems."
Dave's a good teacher.
So now I know how to measure how far I go on a zig-zaggy trail. And I know how to get down from a pinnacle. The only thing I'm worried about is not finding the Cat Stairs, but either way, I can find my way to the top of that ridge.
Oh, and I also know how to convert the map coordinates to decimals!
I am feeling much more confident.
One hike figured out, six more to go.
I'm going to rock this. As long as I don't get eaten by a bear.
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