I haven’t taken a shower in a week, there was a fire ban, bear poles, it was cold, it rained, and I had the time of my life! Beginning last week six of us guys met here at the church to pack for the 6 day Wilderness Leadership Adventure that would lead us to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the
Porcupine
Mountain
Wilderness
State Park .
Most people wouldn’t consider what we do fun but the group that we had were definitely the opposite of most people. We enjoy memories over comfort and that is definitely what we walked away with.To compress the week into a couple of paragraphswill be hard but I will do my best.
As the alarm rang on my phone at 4:45 am I proceeded to wake up the guys.I didn’t have to wake some of them up for they thought it would be fun to stay up all night. So after I rounded everyone up we headed out to the van where we would drive the 7 hour trip up to the U.P.
We arrive and to my surprise there is a fee for backcountry camping (I could have swore I read it was free) none-the-less I paid the $140 charge only to then be told that there was a fire ban that started that day…Great… No fires…. It is cold….and all I have is one MSR backpackers stove and 1 fuel bottle for 6 days and 6 guys to cook for. I was thinking…this should be interesting.
The Trip was a leadership trip where each person was the leader for the day. Each day was filled with 6-10 miles of hiking with about a 40 pound pack on their back.A feat that would test the perseverance of any high school guy. I have to say I am very impressed. Other than practicing up on knife throwing skills, polar bear plunges in
Lake Superior , and light art (see pics) they championed the art of “Leave No Trace” outdoor ethics as well as leading each other mentally, physically, and spiritually through the 35 miles of hiking. We just made it with the fuel we had and with 3 injuries, athletes foot, 8 blisters, many cuts, bruises, and a stench that would rival hogs we emerged from the wilderness better men.
As for me I got a taste of what like is going to be like for the next 7 years of my life.The reality for me is that it is a lot of fun right now dreaming, training, and searching for potential sponsors but when it comes down to it 7 years is a long time. But without sacrifice comes no victory. Living life to the Fullest, Daren
