About Me



I've lived a fairly suburban lifestyle most of my life.  When I was 10 I read a book that was suggested to me by a teacher, "Lost In The Barrens" by Farley Mowat.  I had no idea what it was about or why it was even recommended to me, but as I read it I was drawn into the story and the characters.  The struggle with nature and tale of survival gave me an immense respect for the wild, but consequently also romanticized it.  I haven't read it since then, but it left it's mark on me.

Growing up and with little to no exposure to the outdoors I put my silly wilderness fantasies in the back of my mind.  This was due to many factors and it seemed certain that my youthful romanticism of the wild would languish.  It wasn't even until my late teens that I went on my first [car] camping trip.

Fast forward a few years and I had become a very seasoned "car camper".  My camping trips revolved around coolers of beer and grilled meat, nothing remotely close to what I had pictured being in the bush was like.  The turning point for me was when I was invited to join my first canoe trip.  It was a short 3 day trip in Algonquin, just a straight paddle in and out.  Suddenly all the fear and anxiety of the bush melted away.  It certainly opened my eyes (I remember sitting in front of the fire pit not knowing how to start a fire, even with a lighter in my hand) and it removed an invisible barrier I had placed in front of myself.  The woods were no longer this thing that I had no business dealing with, but were an inviting place where I could challenge myself and could grow.

When I returned from that trip I felt a little more confident and I became determined to finally learn the skills that would allow me to spend time outdoors like I had always wanted.

I've come a long way since then, but I'm still learning as I go.  I'm not an expert and I'm not someone who grew up practicing these skills, I'm just guy who's finally getting the chance to learn and live out a longtime passion.


This is my journal of that journey.

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