Date: 2014-02-14
To: The Mountaineers
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

¢Mom, what are you going to do AFTER the AT?¢¢I don¢t know. Maybe if I really enjoy it, Dad and I can section-hike the PCT!¢¢How about joining the Mountaineers? Take the Wilderness Skills course, then you can go on hikes with the Mountaineers.¢Michael joined the Mountaineers (Olympia Branch) in 2012, taking the prerequisite Wilderness Skills, then Basic Climbing and MOFA (Mountain Oriented First Aid). He summitted Mt. Rainier with a team from the Olympia Mountaineers in July 2012, right before doing his Oregon PCT section hike with his friend Connor.Coming back to ¢civilization after completing the entire PCT in 2013 was a major readjustment for Michael and his questioning was to help me 1) have something when I get back and 2) keep active after the AT.Early January 2014 (soon after surgery see Prep #10), Michael and I went to the Olympia Mountaineers Open House. He knew a lot of people there. I didn¢t know any. I signed up as a member and enrolled in the upcoming Wilderness Skills Course, the basic course and prerequisite for all other Mountaineer courses. The course was one evening and two full Saturdays, covering the particulars of the 10 Essentials for day hikes, with a bit on overnight backpacking trips, and a Challenge Course on the last Saturday, February 1st.Most of the information I already knew, having listened to Michael over the last several years, but it was interesting to see how different people pack their packs and what they take or find useful. There were hands-on components such as fire starting, water pumping and purification, shelter-building, and land navigation.Michael was at a WFR class (Wilderness First Responder) through NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) in Portland at the time, but was back by the last Saturday of the class. I suggested he go with me to volunteer. The Mountaineers were most appreciative to have him. Of course he didn¢t lead any of the groups I was in, nor do my pack inspection for the 10 essentials. We got there early and an acquaintance of his did check my pack, and it went well. OK, so I need to bring more than a 12 oz. bottle of water! I DID have my coffee mug as well!For the Challenge Course, we broke into smaller groups. It was to simulate a Mountaineers¢ outing with a leader and a MOFA leader, with the ¢leader¢ position getting passed around to the students throughout the course and different challenging scenarios throughout the hike. The Mountaineer volunteer, who was the initial group leader, instructed us as to how a Mountaineer-led outing works and that the MOFA leader should know about any medical situations of the individuals, whether we tell the whole group or not. Soon after we started hiking, I mentioned to the MOFA leader about my surgery. Soon after that, he handed me a ¢scenario¢ to act out ¢ lagging behind, tired, unable to carry pack, but claiming to be fine, just needing rest.I wasn¢t sure how this would play out or how far it might go. The group rallied around me and started asking me what¢s wrong. Tired. Just need to rest. Pack feels heavy. Then they started questioning me as to what may have prompted this tiredness. I told them I had surgery. ¢What kind?¢ they asked. ¢My chest.¢ ¢Your heart?¢ ¢No, a mastectomy.¢ After a brief moment of silence (I think they were trying to figure out if this was a part of the scenario or not!), someone recommended, as if in the scenario, that we go back since this could possibly put the entire group at risk. The leaders then stepped in with comments and suggestions, like possibly needing more food or helping with the pack.The scenario was over and on our way we went. I was walking with another woman who asked if, in fact, I did have a mastectomy. ¢Yes,¢ I told her, ¢and I¢m also preparing to hike the Appalachian Trail with my son, starting in mid March!¢I certainly would not recommend hiking after surgery, but I was walking two days after my surgery. I had also started going to physical therapy to watch for and prevent lymphadema. The therapist recommended that I start carrying the pack! By the time this Challenge Course came around, I was ready!It was a great class, lots of fun and full of information. If you¢re ever wondering about joining the Mountaineers, DO IT!    ~Marilyn, Mother of: