As it explains on their website, WRFI is "An independent, nonprofit educational organization that offers affordable, high quality, academically rigorous field courses in some of the most beautiful and interesting landscapes in North America."
My course, called Montana Afoot and Afloat, will start with an 8 day backpacking trip in the Bob Marshall, then move to a 14 day kayak trip on the Missouri River, then another 8 day backpacking trip in the Big Snowies, then a 13 day kayak trip on the Yellowstone. We also visit ranches, Native American reservations and coal plants. By the time the course ends on November 7th I will (hopefully) have twelve credits of upper division environmental studies, Native American studies and geography credits. (Check it out here)
I am excited for the academic portion of the trip, but I am also excited for the recreational aspect. While I consider myself an outdoors goin', tree huggin', dirt lovin' northwestern girl, I have never extensively backpacked or flat-water kayaked (and something tells me it might be slightly different from an eight day rafting trip...). I have also never seen the large majority of Montana. I will be living in this state for at least the next four years, and I'm looking forward to becoming aquainted with more than just the Missoula area.
I can't ignore that the trip comes with rough timing. Dad is still doing relatively well, but no one can really know when things may start to deteriorate. The last week has presented some tough decisions. Is it really responsible to leave right now? When should my family contact me if something goes wrong? How wrong do things have to be? Am I running away from reality? Quite possibly yes. But I'd rather run into the backcountry than simply mope around Missoula, drinking too much beer and eating too much chocolate cake. In the last year (almost a year to the day) I have cut myself off from many adventures and opportunities under the pretense of "being there for my family". Some of those decisions were well founded and necessary, and some were just my way of avoiding pushing my comfort zone and stretching myself.
I can't avoid it anymore, It's time to just say "shit happens" and go. They will call me home if I need to be home, and we will make each decision a day (or week) at a time. Dad and I have always felt closest when we are skiing, biking, hiking, or otherwise exploring, and I don't think this trip will be any different. Throughout the next two months my family will always be at the back of my mind and the front of my heart. They understand why I am going and support me. After all, they are the ones that planted this damn adventure bug to begin with.
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| The family biking in Moab |
