My First Backpacking Trip

Living in Wyoming, I am now an ardent backpacker. But there was a time, way back when I was in college, that I didn't have a clue. I had fallen romantically in love with the mountains as a youngster, listening to John Denver and dreaming of the day when I would live in Colorado. If there was an opportunity to go to the mountains, no matter how obscure a trip, I would be first in line. I remember as a kid signing up for a Baptist summer camp just to get away from the flatlands of Texas (and I was Catholic). Yes, I have felt guilty many times about being "saved" by the Baptists and even confessed it during a reconciliation with my priest. I'm pretty sure he was laughing as I spit it out over tears.

I even chose my college based on its proximity to the mountains. I had a choice between two Texas journalism schools - UT or Texas Tech. I checked the map (I was living in Germany at the time) and saw how close Lubbock was to the mountains of New Mexico so I put my application in.

When I arrived on campus, imagine my shock to find a totally flat, barren, windswept prairie. My brother picked me up at the airport in Dallas and reluctantly drove me to the edge of hell. As quickly as he could, he unloaded my stuff and abandoned me at my dorm. From Munich to Lubbock. The alps to the brown cottonfields. I was in hell and it was at my choosing!

I studied hard my first year and at summer break my mom asked what I did for fun. Huh? Wasn't I supposed to just study? She told me to get a life so I went back to school in August and found the Outing Club. Back then, outing meant outdoors...

I signed up for my first backpacking trip. Without a clue, I took the list of recommended items and started pulling together my stuff. I was living on $50 a month and didn't have funds to invest in equipment. I had a backpack from my Eurorail trips and old slumber party sleeping bag so I was set.  What else? Water bottle? Humm... I emptied an old shampoo bottle and filled it with water. I had hiking boots too. A few extra things and I was set.

I went to the meeting place and everyone was great. I got in someone's car, not sure if it was Guy Hobbs or someone else but all I remember thinking (and I swear we said it first) that it was good to see Lubbock in our rearview mirror.

We camped at the trail head that night. Everyone put their bags out on the ground, I followed suit. Mind you, it was October in the mountains. About 3 a.m. in the morning, I woke up and my sleeping bag was completely wet (it was a cotton sleeping bag) and I was shivering beyond belief. I started pulling clothes out and putting them on. Suddenly I heard some girls talking and then a car door slam. I jumped up and raced over to their car and asked if I could climb in. They said yes. That's when I met Kim and Carla. We laughed at how wimpy we were and slept peacefully until dawn.

The next morning we awoke and found we were in a pasture full of cows! As I went to survey my equipment, my sleeping bag was not only wet, it was soaking wet with dew. I was trying to figure out what to do next when this wonderful guy, Mike Morlock, said "Hey, I have an extra sleeping bag if anyone needs it." I'm pretty sure he assessed my situation and figured out I was in trouble. I meekly went up and asked if I could borrow it and we became fast friends from that point onwards.

As we hiked up the trail, I quickly learned how out of shape I was. I was having a blast though. The aspens were yellow, the sun was shining and I was IN HEAVEN. I think I was even singing "Rocky Mountain High" to myself. At my first water break, I pulled open my water bottle and quickly got a mouthful of soapy water. Blah! I gagged and spit. Now what? Carla and Kim had already decided to adopt me so they shared their water. I wasn't about to carry that soapy water any further so I tossed it behind a bush (YES, I KNOW). When we got to another rest spot, Guy Hobbs got up to speak. First lesson folks. You pack out what you pack in. WHOSE SHAMPOO BOTTLE IS THIS?

I was as red as my hair when I got up to claim it. Not only was I embarrassed at dumping it but that I had even brought it.  Everyone laughed and I shrunk back to my resting spot.

Mike took pity on me and made sure, from that point on, that I learned the ropes. I eventually made it to camp and had the time of my life, eating fresh fish and meeting a great group of people. I survived the rest of the trip, and made it back to Lubbock much wiser and a whole lot happier.  I also went out and got a canteen and a new sleeping bag. That may have been my first trip, but it wasn't going to be my last!