Facing My Incompetence

[PaladinTodd]

Last Memorial Day the kids and I went to Moab for the weekend. The events of the weekend have made me realize that I am - at best - a poor outdoorsman or - at worst - a danger to myself and others. You be the judge:

First up, hiking to the tunnel in Arches. We attempted this last year, had a GPS but hadn't really looked at a map. Last year we took the trail from the parking, got to the wash, and followed the wash right. Wrong. Spent two hours whacking around, gave up.

This year.... had a GPS but didn't really look at a map. If going right in the Wash didn't work, the correct way is LEFT of course. Wrong. Spent an hour in the creek before giving up. On the way out, ran into a ranger who showed us that you go into the wash, straight across, and pick up the trail on the other side. Found the tunnel. We walked right past the trail in the wash at least three times this year without seeing it. (By the way, Shane's directions to the tunnel has a cruel joke for those of us with little faith in our navigation skills).

Next up, Cameltoe. Got there no trouble, lowered my 7 & 8 year-old down, setup the rope to rappel down myself. Got my safety sling tangled in the rope (don't want the 40 pound kid pulling me off the cliff by mistake). Dang, pull one side of the rope up. Wrong side. Unthread the rope from the rap ring, get the sling untangled, stow the sling, throw the rope back down.

Did you catch it? I didn't put the rope back into the rap ring. I THREW MY ROPE OFF THE CLIFF. That's an interesting feeling, watching your rope stream over the edge. I give myself credit for not lunging after it and falling off myself. From below, I hear my kids say "Uh, Dad?".

Lastly, we went up to Slickrock to bike. Wife told me I was crazy to take the kids. Guy in the ticket booth looked at me like I was crazy. I'm not going to ride the whole friggin' trail, people, just going up there to play around. Not on the trail two minutes when the 7 year-old rams her tire in a pothole and goes down hard right over the handlebars. While getting her calmed down and cleaned off, the 8 year-old is riding back and forth having a great time. So, I coax the 7 year-old to ride some more. We walk to a flatter part and let her ride there. Not satisfied with that, I coax her to some more hills. She stalls out on an uphill and goes down hard over the back of the bike. We walk back to the parking lot, crying most of the way.

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So there you have it. Am I danger and should stick to ranger-led hikes and well marked trails? Is a TV remote the most technical piece of gear I should be operating?

[PaladinTodd]

Kids at the bottom of Cameltoe.

[PaladinTodd]

Now what are we gonna do, Dad?

[PaladinTodd]

Showing off the bike injuries.

[PaladinTodd]

Yeah! We found the tunnel.... after three hours of being lost in the desert.

[Alex]

First, welcome to the site. :2thumbs:

Second, oh man, you made me laugh too hard, made my coworkers send me WTF messages! :lol8:

Great story dude!

If you are going into the unknown territory, post for some beta on the site here. That turn off to the tunnel is hard to find, the wash curves to the left and you take the trail on the right.

Glad you found it though, have you tried your luck at Fiery Furnace yet? GPS doesn't work there.... it's a good idea to take a ranger led hike first or go with some of the guys who has done it in the past.

[Mooseman70]

:lol8: Dude, no worries. It's part of being a Dad. I'm looking forward to having those experiences myself. Thanks for sharing - it let's me know that I'm not the only one out there kicking myself for bringing kids along in the outdoors. Besides, if you keep taking them, you help instill that love for the outdoors which will carry on to their adult lives. :2thumbs:

[Alex]

if you keep taking them, you help instill that love for the outdoors which will carry on to their adult lives. :2thumbs:

I sure hope that's the case. My parents never ever took me outdoors and I am a fanatic now. I hope it doesn't work the other way around ....

[BruteForce]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. As parents, we've all had opportunity to show just how much we need to learn to our kids.

On my first attempt at ATV'ing, I took BOTH boys on my Kawasaki Prarie (600 pound machine) up and over Skyline drive (above Bountiful, Utah) and proceeded to attempt to get my machine on the Great Western Trail.

It had rained the past few days, the ground was damp and the trail up was a 40% grade with a 25' drop-off to the right. Needless to say, the machine rolled off the side and I had just enough time to throw the kids up the hill before the machine and I went rolling down, me landing hard against a pine tree and the machine falling on top of me. We were there for 45 minutes while I struggled to breath and extract myself from under the machine. This could have been a lethal experience for myself and the kids, as we were well away from other humans.

As with other adventures, it was a learning experience and we (as a family) adapted and learned. We never put more than one person on a quad, always have a whistle or some other emergency alert system in place (I used a SPOT, whistle, firearm, etc) and ensure that other family members have a general idea on where we're going to be.

Learn from the experience, continue the adventures and enjoy life!

[Alex]

I use SPOT now, great device, keeps mom/paps and wives sleeping at night while I am gone. :2thumbs:

[Ih8grvty]

if you keep taking them, you help instill that love for the outdoors which will carry on to their adult lives. :2thumbs:

I sure hope that's the case. My parents never ever took me outdoors and I am a fanatic now. I hope it doesn't work the other way around ....

I wonder all the time how that works out.
I got to go alot as a kid, but I go much much more now than I ever did as a kid. I tired to take my kids alot when they were younger, but it didnt instill a damned thing in them. THe bride had kids before me and her met, they had never had the chance to go camping, had no idea that th uintas existed as their dad is afraid of the woods. So me and the bride took them camping, for 4 days all we heard was bitching about how bored they were, they couldnt catch a fish, they wanted a tv, can we go home 2 days early. blah blah blah.
Now her oldest and my middle are desperate to go packing with me this summer. Apparently when you load 60 lbs of shit on your back and hike 15 miles thats different than pulling up in a car and pitching tents.
My oldest likes going fishing, but is happy to skip camping trips and refuses to pack in.
mine have had every opportunity to camp, hike, fish, climb, pack, hunt, and one is against it and the other is less than excited to do most of it. Hers never got to and hate it and refuse to go. I think either they like it or they dont.

[Alex]

Ya I guess you never know what works and what doesn't. A couple of weeks ago we vacationed in San Diego. I rented some sea kayaks to take my family out. My wife and I dragged my 5 year old boy into the kayak, he was screaming and crying refusing to go.

Once we put him in and the wife sat in front holding him (a tandem kayak, I was doing all the rowing of course). We had to break through the crashing waves to get into the open ocean. He was hysterical! But as soon as we were past the waves, we saw dolphins, sea lions and pelicans.... his attitude totally changed and he enjoyed the rest of the ride.

On the way back into the shore, we had to surf the wave line and not tip over. I gambled and gave him the paddle to "help" me paddle and keep the bow into the wave. He got very serious because the job was for the grown ups. Sure enough it kept him occupied during the whole ride back and he worked very hard to try to help me.

By the end of the ride he was one happy kayaker and we even went back into the waves to surf some.

I think it depends on the kids, with mine I have to make him do something and him adopting to it to enjoy it. Some kids are just natural outdoorsmen.

[JP]

Too much faith in modern technology :lol8:

Howdy and Welcome :wavey:

[Ih8grvty]

I think all kids have one outdoor thing in common, everyone I ever met loves to sit by the fire, and toss stuff in to burn!
I have 3 brothers, they had the same life as me, all the same trips and vacations, me and the oldest love the mountains and caves and desert, fishing hunting, packing, all of it, the other two only worry about the new tv, how fast the computer is and what car they drive.
Its also only me and the oldest that have any interest in motorcycles, the other two are afraid to ride them, but one of them had one for years as a teenage, just outgrew it after he hit 18 and joined the air force. Sold his bike and has never been on one again. Hes been out of the AF since 1989.
Odd as with he 4 of us there is the oldest thats most like me who is 47, the next at 44 me at 37 and the youngest at 34.

[Ih8grvty]

To the OP:

everyone screws up, get over it and learn from it, its only bad if you continue to make the same stupid mistakes time and time again. Move past it, dont repeat it, just dont quit going!

[COUNTRYBOY]

First, way to go on trying to get those kids out there. Second, buy a map. :haha: Kidding. What is important is that everyone got home safe and you have a great story to tell. Kids in the outdoors takes practice and a little planing. But it sure is fun. :2thumbs:

[Scott Card]

Great story. I think those of us with kids have all "been there, done that" at least to some extent. A few hints to salvage any outdoor trip.

1. Find Water - if all is looking bad, find a lake or river. The kids will have fun throwing rocks and splashing around. (oh, avoid run-off and flash floods)

2. Fire. It is amazing how long kids can poke at a fire and how many sticks and junk they can find to burn. Don't forget the marshmellows.

3. Big First aid kit. Take lots of bandaids. If they say it hurts, stick a bandaid on it, even if you can't see a darn thing.

4. Stories in the tent. Not too scary - remember if you want to sleep they need to be asleep.

5. No crappy food. Stop on the way home and at least buy a good milk shake if the food was crappy.

6. Do something cool like start a fire with a bowdrill or flint and steel. Let the kids try. Refer to 3 above after they have shreaded their knuckles. Another trick is to set a sling over a high branch and stick a kid in a harness and bounce them like a pinita. Don't let little brother swing a bat.

7. Play follow the leader. Sounds stupid but kids, even pre teens like it. Go over boulders, through bushes, across small streams, do a little steming, etc. ( it also helps them learn skill like don't follow too close or you will get whipped in the face by the branch that I just passed.)

8. Do a night hike. Even a short distance will seem like forever and cool to the kiddies.

9. Star gaze. Take a strong flashlight and point out constellations. Make it up if you have to. Also, let the kids borrow the flashlight to point out what they see.

10. Lots of hugs, high fives, and have a positive attitude no matter what happens.

[Alex]

Scott, those are some awesome suggestions! I will have to use some of them on the upcoming trip.
:2thumbs:

[Ih8grvty]

I can get the kids to go on a night hike, its the bride I cant lure away from teh fire into the dark!
ALso when we hit the uintas for camping we often bring the telescope, amazing how much more we can see from there than from town.
My soon to be 5 year old can throw rocks in water for HOURS, he never tires of it. Taught him to cast a kids pole back when he was 2, nearly 3 years old, a crappy spider man one with a red plastic fish on it. We have stayed at the camp ground at teapot lake, on the back row next to the pond. He can spend hours casting and reeling it in and casting again into those lily pads!
THe younger the kids the easier to entertain them and keep them happy. Its the brats with cell phones, video games and TVs that I have problems with when we go camping.

[R]

Absolutely everyone makes mistakes in the outdoors. You can't really learn what you need to know without screwing up once in a while...

http://richardbarron.net/galleries/crossing/crossing/

-R

[sparker1]

Funny stories. We can all relate. Good that you and the girls are getting "quality" time.

[Don]

I don't know Cameltoe. I assume there is a bypass or way to hike down? I'm still wondering how you got your rope/girls back. :ne_nau:

[PaladinTodd]

2. Fire. It is amazing how long kids can poke at a fire and how many sticks and junk they can find to burn. Don't forget the marshmellows.
Did I mention that I can't start a campfire 9 times out of 10?

[PaladinTodd]

I don't know Cameltoe. I assume there is a bypass or way to hike down? I'm still wondering how you got your rope/girls back. :ne_nau:
Fortunately, it's easy to hike back up canyon and then circle around to get below the rappel. I was just getting ready to do that when another group came over the hill with rope. I waited for them and rapped down.

[Alex]

2. Fire. It is amazing how long kids can poke at a fire and how many sticks and junk they can find to burn. Don't forget the marshmellows.
Did I mention that I can't start a campfire 9 times out of 10?

Something my wife taught me....

Save up all the lint from the dryer and then take it camping. Take a handful of lint and put it under a couple of small branches and light the lint. :2thumbs: The lint is a great fire starter.

[Ih8grvty]

2. Fire. It is amazing how long kids can poke at a fire and how many sticks and junk they can find to burn. Don't forget the marshmellows.
Did I mention that I can't start a campfire 9 times out of 10?

put some crumpled paper in the middle, stack some small wood around it like a tee pee, add some colmen fuel :twisted:
a SMALL amount, stand back and flick a match in it :D it works 10 times out of 10.
or when fire restrictions are in effect, go buy one of these:

LINK (http://www.topratedadventures.com/Mfg/FireDancer.htm)

Meets all requirements so ti can be used during those camp times you cant have a fire, you cant keep kids entertained throwing twigs in it, but you can roast hot dogs and marshmallows!

[DWayne27]

I can completely relate to your experience... Just this past weekend we pretty much did the same thing. We took 3 tried looking for the tunnel. A larger group of us set out and down in to the wrong wash. it was a nice hour long hike though. then half of them left and we went at it again. after our legs being thrashed by weeds, stickers and bugs from the 'cheerful stream' we got discouraged and headed back. we met the rest of our group at the visitors center, and then i decided to look at a topo map and compare with shanes directions... guess i should have tried that earlier, but i never did because i never had before and didnt think i would be able to figure it out. turns out they arent that complicated. anyway, after that, we went back and, third times the charm. it just made it that much more satisfying when we finally found it.
and this was all after my wife and i had a 'fun' time in the first section of dragonfly... we started to late when it was already like 55 degrees outside...

[DiscGo]

I often feel like the only Noob on this site, so I appreciate your post. You are in good company, and I of course believe everyone on this site is great about providing help to be more outdoorsy.

[Mooseman70]

if you keep taking them, you help instill that love for the outdoors which will carry on to their adult lives. :2thumbs:

I sure hope that's the case. My parents never ever took me outdoors and I am a fanatic now. I hope it doesn't work the other way around ....

Well, let's see. My Dad took me along on a 50 mile backpack trek of Mt. Whitney with his Explorer Scouts in 1980. Did he kick himself for bringing me along. Plenty, I'm sure. I got altitude sickness the first night, whined my butt off going up the endless switchbacks of New Army Pass, and not being able to breathe due to the thin air near Trails Crest. Those are still some of my favorite slides to check out when I go home and enjoy the ol' home movies.

They got me involved in Cub Scouts when I was 8, and Scouting really helped instill my love for the outdoors.

I hope my kids take to the outdoors like I did. If I can keep them outta the house and off the couch, then all the better.

[greyhair biker]

:2thumbs: Your girls will remember that trip for the rest of their lives. Good stuff man! And, they will 'use' the rope thing on you for ever :haha:
As for general camping/hiking/backpacking there is rarely a time that you remember every little thing so pack what you think you'll need in a readypack and put it next to your front door/closet/campgear or in your vehicle and then you're less likely to forget it next time....or you'll remember right where you put the darn thing (at home) when you need it at camp :lol8: