Meghan's Adventure

For my adventure, my older brother, who is a junior at UNH and I decided to try and start a bee keeping club.  It is currently in the process of being made and has been quite the experience.  I have gone outside of my comfort zone and put myself out there trying to complete this club for the spring.  With my brother and I working together, which never happens, is an adventure in itself.  We are learning about each other as well as about bees!  Although there is no physical aspect to this adventure, it is hard work and it is mentally and emotionally straining.  Who would have known that starting a club was so difficult!  We have been working on finding an adviser, coming up with financial solutions, finding a place to put the bee houses and finding all of the equipment necessary to accomplish this task.  Hopefully by the spring, we can get our club up and running and get the bee's buzzing! 

Emily's Adventure

Getting involved on campus is a great way to make friends and try new things that are not normally done in a student’s day to day routine.  For my “Choose Your Own Adventure” project, I chose to participate in Broomball.  Broomball is an intramural sport that is played on the ice rink at the University of New Hampshire.  Our team consisted of players from the 5^th floor of Serc B.   This was a great way to get to know the people on my floor in a new light.  Although we did not win a single game, we still had fun.

Broomball is definitely considered an adventure.  There are many risks when playing this sport.  Falling on the ice is one of them.  Players do not have padding.  I saw many competitors fall on the ice.  Its very hard to run on the surface without loosing balance.  All players must wear helmets.  Another risk is that players could knocked down by other players or hit by the brooms.  I learned that this is a game that can not be played if their is no communication between teammates.  We also had to learn to be aware of our surroundings.  We had to know when and who to pass the puck to.  It got frustrating sometimes when our opponents would always take the ball when we were trying to pass it.   I learned a lot about my teammates.  All of us worked hard and never gave up.  Determination was a huge factor in how we played the game.  We only scored one goal the whole season, and that was a very proud moment.  We all felt like a team every time we walked off the rink with our heads held high even though we didn't win.  I learned that I am not as bad of a Broomball player than i thought i was going to be.  I came very close to assisting someone make a goal.  I learned that a single person can not play the game of Broomball.  The puck needs to be passed.  

I will definitely be playing Broomball next year.  It was a great way  to bond with other people on my floor.  I had a lot of fun and i can't wait for next season.  Next year, my goal is to at least make it into the playoffs.  I learned a lot about my teammates and i was surprised of how well we all worked together. Broomball Link

Ruby's Choose Your Own Adventure

            During the beginning of this year I decided to try novice Crew for my “choose your own adventure” assignment. Crew was a sport that I have always wanted to try and I thought that this was a perfect opportunity. After the first couple of practices, which were very intense, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue doing it. However, my family and friends pushed me to stick with it and continue. I started out rowing but quickly became a coxswain. I really enjoyed being a coxswain, it brought more of a mental aspect to the sport and it was a really good way to learn about it. When I signed up for Crew I thought that I would be only rowing; I didn’t think that I would like being in charge of an entire boat that I knew nothing about except that it would be really expensive to repair if we hit something. However, I really enjoyed it even though I had to be awake before 6 a.m. almost everyday. I liked the intensity of the sport and the way other people had some sort of respect for you. The only reason I stopped doing Crew was because I was quickly becoming burnt out between school, work and the early practices. If Crew wasn’t so early in the morning I would have definitely kept doing it. I am really glad that I tried it because I discovered a sport that I really liked and would definitely do again if given the chance.

            Crew was an adventure for me in multiple respects, the first being that I had never tried it before and I consider trying something new to be an adventure. I also think that it’s an adventure because it challenged me to go past my limits and attempt things that I never thought I would be able to do. I really enjoyed Crew and I learned that I could do a lot more than I originally thought I would be able to. I also learned that when given the chance to try something new I should take it because you never know how much you are going to like it. I really enjoyed my chance to do Crew and I might actually try it again next year.

Woodsman's Club

I had seen this club on the UNH website, so i decided to try it out. The Woodsman's Club is where students go to practice certain lumberjack-related tasks, and eventually compete in competitions. The competitions are similar to Track & Field meets, where the entire team goes to a designated area, and each student does their best to beat the opponents in their designated event. At these competitions, many events are going on at once, so these gatherings require a very large field and many competitors. You can read all about it here http://www.unh.edu/woodsmenteam/

There are quite a few events, such as axe throwing, underhand and verticle chop and the pole climb. The rest seem, to me, quite uninteresting. A few of these are the pulp toss (you throw a stick between two other sticks), the log roll (speaks for itself), and canoeing (also speaks for itself).

I was very excited for the first practice. I went for the fifteen minute bike ride off campus to the saw mill, dumped my bike and asked the first person I found what I should do, which was a big guy standing by his pickup truck. He said "talk to Chris". Not too friendly. I eventually found Chris, and he just handed me a few papers to fill out. As I was filling them out, everyone seemed to know each other pretty well and knew exactly what they were supposed to do. The majority of them were milling about, getting equipment ready and whatnot and a few were already practicing events. One man who looked like an instructor was standing in a circle of students giving them instructions. I started over but Chris stopped me. He brought me to a secluded area of the Saw Mill where there were doubleheaded axes jammed into an old stump, and targets up on stilts. He gave me an axe, pointed at the targets, told me to throw and left. I thought that was a little strange, give an inexperienced boy an axe and telling him to throw while being unsupervised was a little irresponsible. I threw until my arms got tired, took a break and threw some more. Chris came over to see how I was doing. I had been doing alright, but as soon as I'm being watched, of course I mess up. He told me to keep throwing. This kept up until the end of practice, when everyone put all the gear away and I stood by awkwardly.

The second and third practices weren't much better. When I asked if I could try some chopping or pole climbing he just told me to keep throwing. I was starting to see a pattern here. I would probably have to be in the club for a long time before I got to try some more interesting events, and I had no patience for that. My third practice was my last one.

I don't in any way consider this club an adventure. Except for the first bike ride over, because I wasn't very sure about where I was going and got nervous after biking for fifteen minutes and not seeing the saw mill. The only risk I took was throwing the axe, but after the first throw I realized I could probably manage to not chop my hand off. No critical thinking was involved, nothing was really thrilling or exciting, not much reward was included, and nothing was mysterious or uncertain about it. I'm sure that determination would have kept me there longer, which would have built up some skill and eventually gotten me some excitement or reward, but throwing and retrieving for three hours straight, three separate days, couldn't be any less invigorating.

I feel as though I learned next to nothing about myself, others, or the sport of being a lumberjack. I feel as though this club would be fun for those who have already been in it for a few years, because they seem like a tight knit family who don't especially enjoy seeing new faces. I honestly wish that the instructors could have made it more exciting for a newcomer, because I would actually enjoy some of the more exciting events. But, with such an unwelcoming group of people it didn't take me long to realize it wouldn't get much better any time soon.

Even after the first day I was still willing to go back again and see if it would get better, and on the third day I was starting to get consisten bulls-eyes with the axe, but with unenthusiastic instructors and unfriendly students, I decided it was best to try something new... on to chess club.

I don't have a camera so I couldn't take any pictures, sorry.

the NHOC

As a girl from the suburbs of New York City, I had never really experienced the outdoors as is accessible here. The idea of being able to wander in the woods, to truly get lost, was never something that crossed my mind at home. No matter how deep into the woods that you thought you got, about a hour of bushwhacking would always bring you out. Regardless, I loved the outdoors, in the small capacity that I was able to experience it.

As a result of this desire, I joined the New Hampshire Outing Club. Prior to beginning my freshman year here, I spent a week out in the White Mountains with two leaders and five other freshmen. THAT was most certainly an adventure.
This is the view from a clearing about 100 yards from our first campsite. The trip had risk (hiking in remote areas), was a break from social norms (who chooses to walk for miles at a time, with no real destination, in the rain, for six days?), and was adrenaline-inducing (wet, exposed rocks and a steep incline most certainly got my adrenaline pumping). This trip, by itself, qualifies as an adventure.View from about halfway up Carter Dome
I think this was on top of one of the Carters.
The sunset on our last night in the Whites.

Since then, I've been on two hiking trips, an apple-picking trip, leadership training, and two work trips with the NHOC. Being a part of the Outing Club has helped me survive school. When the stress seems to get to be too much to bear, there's always a weekend in the woods awaiting you, to take you away from it, if for just a bit. You definitely learn determination and patience from hiking. Determination, when it seems as if you'll never stop gaining elevation and patience, because hiking is never the most time-efficient way to get anywhere.

As long as I'm able to, I will continue to hike. I hope to take a winter mountaineering course soon, to help expand my skill set. I would love to have the opportunity and the resources to hike the entire AT, at some point in my life.

The summit of Lafayette.

Kokikai Aikido

There are numerous types of martial arts, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Each with their own style and practicality. Taking up a martial art had been a dream of mine ever since I was young, and it was not until the beginning of college that the chance to take up such an art. My martial art of choice was Kokikai Aikido, or the "gentle martial art."

The art of Aikido dates back to when other martial arts such as Tae Kwon Do, and Shotokan Karate were created. The specific branch of Kokikai Aikido was created in the late nineteenth century by Shuji Maruyama Sensei, one of the greatest students Shudo Maruyama Sensei, the original founder of Aikido, ever had.

Kokikai Aikido is a defense specialized martial art. Kokikai Aikido uses a series of throws and pins to redirect the attacker so that he is thrown away or controller. This is a big contrast to the hard martial arts based on kicks and punches. There is no anger, aggression, or viciousness in Aikido. The basic principles include timing, posture, relaxation, and keeping focus on their "one point." The idea of Aikido is using body physics and momentum to effortlessly throw their opponent.

Kokikai Aikido is an adventure for me because it is a step outside from my typical math and science curriculum. It does possess some physical risk, and at times mental when you cannot properly execute a technique. It is a test of my skill, and my ability to critically assess a technique while being completely independent. I have to think on my own to get the attacker away from me in order to be ready for the next. It is thrilling to step into a different culture and examine their etiquette. It is a type of sensation that I adore, but did not know until recently. I feel accomplished after performing well after a solid practice. It is my desire to attend every practice, learning as much as possible to better myself. I experience both types of fun when practicing Aikido. Sadly, picture and video are prohibited when at Sensei's camp, and it is difficult to be a photographer and practice Aikido at the same time.

Kokikai Aikido has allowed me to stay more relaxed and focused outside of practice as well as inside. It is something I have grown an interest for. Principles found within the art have helped me improve myself as an individual. In a sense, Aikido has helped me survive college. I look forward to all three practices a week, and will continue to do so as long as it can fit my schedule. I plan on going for my orange belt test in December, and hopefully continue to rise through the ranks as my college career continues. Plus, facing five people in a freestyle for the black belt test is absolutely astonishing.

"Minimum Effort for Maximum Efficiency" (Shuji Maruyama Sensei 1955).

UNH Kokikai Aikido Club Handbook. UNH. 2007.

-Ryan Huard

Amelia Earhart

 http://ameliaearhartfacts.com/

By today’s standards, Amelia Earhart would not be considered an adventurer just because she was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean solo. However, in the 1930’s Earhart defied almost all of the standards set for women at the time; this combined with her skills as a pilot is a definite reason to consider her an adventurer. Earhart saw her first plane when she was ten years old but she wasn’t impressed until she was taken for a ride by pilot Frank Hawks; from then on Earhart was hooked on flying. However, since she was a woman it was not considered to be conventional for a woman to fly a plane and therefore she had to work in secret to learn to fly and eventually become the first woman and second person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932. Earhart won numerous awards and continued to break records until her death when she attempted to fly solo around the world in 1937.

            Personally, I consider an adventure to be an activity or action that breaks the norms and societal expectations that are typically in place. Since Amelia Earhart did this not only by flying but also in her personal life, I would consider her an adventurer. She also placed a large degree of risk into her life by flying planes because they were not exactly the safest vehicles at the time. Therefore, to echo some of the definitions we thought of in class, Earhart was: doing something she had never done before, risking her life and breaking societal norms in order to be an adventurer.

The Official Website of Amelia Earhart. Biography. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2010,  from http://www.ameliaearhart.com/about/bio.html. 

--Ruby

Ranulph Fiennes

Born with British blood, Sir Ranulph Twistleton-Wykeham Fiennes has accomplished many 'firsts,' similar to modern adventurers. From soldier to expedition leader, his stiff upper lip attitude pushes him beyond the capabilities of normal individuals. He was the first to circumnavigate the globe along its polar axis. Miles away from crossing Antarctica unsupported. He had a heart attack climbing Everest the first time, then failed the second time spitting distance away. He finally climbed Everest the third time in 2009. He ran seven marathons in seven days. Guinness Book of World Records gave him the title of 'Greatest Modern Adventurer.' Oh yeah, and he's 66.

References

Imagine: http://bananaontherun.blogspot.com/2008/11/sir-ranulph-fiennes.html
Henley, J. (2007). I am not a madman. In The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/oct/05/features11.g21

Ken Kesey was born on September 17th, 1935 in La Junta, Colorado. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest. As a young adult, he enrolled in a creative writing program at Stanford, where he excelled. While at Stanford, in 1959, he volunteered to be part of a research study that tested a smorgasbord of psychoactive drugs. This led to the creation of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and inspired his own experimentation with psychadelic drugs. He formed a ragtag group known as the Merry Pranksters, that traveled the country in a bus called "Furthur" (future and further), engaged in peaceful demonstrations and guerrilla theater. He helped shape the culture of the 60s.

Reference:
Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. (1998). Retrieved October 06, 2010 from University of Virginia: http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/​exhibits/​sixties/​kesey.html .

Erik Weihenmayer

On March, 25, 2001, Erik Weihenmayer became the first blind man to climb Mount Everest.  On September 5, 2002, Erik Weihenmayer succeeded his goal by climbing all seven summits.  I choose this adventurer because he defines all sense of the word adventure.  A blind man climbing Mt. Everest is a huge accomplishment.  People die every year on top of Everest and this guy kicked ass by doing it without having one of the crucial things you need- eyesight.  He is also one of about 150 people to climb the seven summits.  He takes danger, excitement and adventure to the next level.  He was also one of the guides that helped a group of young Tibetan climb Mount Everest - all of them were blind as well.  On top of being one of the most respected climbers out there, he is also a marathon runner, long distant cyclist, acrobatic skydiver, snow skier and does para gliding.  I picked Erik Weihenmayer because he redefines the word impossible and takes adventure to the next level.

-Meghan Jordan

Source: http://www.blindsightthemovie.com/characters.html

Why Individuals Hike the Appalachian Trail: A Qualitative Approach to Benefits.

The article explores the reasons why individuals hike the Appalachian Trail (AT) in the U.S. Interviews were conducted with four levels of AT hikers, namely day hikers, weekenders, multiday users, and thru-hikers. It was stated that hiking has more benefits than may be realized by potential users, as the number of U.S. citizens afflicted by obesity and diabetes grows as the result of an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. The research supported hiking as an activity for a healthy lifestyle, and it was found that hiking is not only physically healthy but psychologically beneficial as well.

Goldenberg, M. , Hill, E. , & Freidt, B. . (2008). Why individuals hike the appalachian trail: a qualitative approach to benefits. Journal of Experiential Education, 30(3), 277-281.

--Ruby 

The Impact of Participation in an Inclusive Adventure Education Trip on Group Dynamics.

Abstract

The purpose of this ethnographic case study was to understand the impact participation in an inclusive 3-day rock climbing trip on the group dynamics seven participants ages 10-14 years that included a 13 year old male diagnosed with High Functioning Autism. The five stage model of group development (Tuckman, 1965; Tuekman & Jensen, 1977) was used as the lens to guide the design and data analysis of the study. Not withstanding the limitations of this study the findings suggest that the participants in this 3-day inclusive rock bonded as a group over the duration of the experience. The catalyst for the change in group dynamics on this trip was the explicit teambuilding session conducted by the trip leaders. Recommendations are provided to help to facilitate positive group dynamics within inclusive groups.

References
Sutherland, S., & Stroot, S. (2010). The Impact of Participation in an Inclusive Adventure Education Trip on Group Dynamics. Journal of Leisure Research, 42(1), 153. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

Exploring Relationships of Trust in 'Adventure' Recreation

Abstract:
A central concept in the notion of leisure, and therefore also of recreation, is freedom. In this article we argue that freedom in organised recreation, especially in activities involving some degree of deliberate risk-taking (i.e. in adventure recreation), is preserved through relationships of trust between recreation organisers and participants. This article seeks to outline the theoretical field of trust and to begin to explore the concept of trust in the context of adventure recreation. A recent criminal conviction in New Zealand has highlighted the issue of trust in recreation and serves as a point of departure for the purposes of exploring conceptualisations of trust and their application to the adventure recreational context. Trust does not appear to have attracted attention in the recreation literature to date, yet it may provide a useful means of negotiating the contested terrain created at the nexus of recreation culture (in particular adventure recreation), recreation management and application of the law.

References

Lynch, P., Jonson, P., & Dibben, M. (2007). Exploring Relationships of Trust in 'Adventure' Recreation. Leisure Studies, 26(1), 47-64. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Robert's Moments of Doubt

When just planning a trip (of any size), there are issues that have to be overcome. In actual execution, there are even more hurdles that have to be cleared, in order to reach the top. What pushes you past the obstacles is your desire to achieve.

David Roberts was committed to his expeditions, perhaps to a fault. In Moments of Doubt, he said,

"Never in my life have I found myself so committed to any project. I daydreamed recipes for Logan bread and the number of ounces a certain piton weighed; at night I fell asleep with the seductive promises of belay ledges and crack systems whispering in my ear" (December, 1980, pg 183).

Although it required compromise, ultimately, hiking Whiteface is something that everybody wants to do. We have committed ourselves to that plan of action. Just as Roberts dreamed Logan bread and pitons, we are dreaming about penny stoves and rain gear (which will hopefully just be precautionary). This drive will push us past the hiccups that occur along the way, ultimately leading to our successful completion of our adventure.

Quinn's Essence of Adventure

It is important to relate our upcoming expedition to material we cover that relates to us, and our ultimate goals in our adventure. It is clear that any hike possesses some risk for us, especially as a group that has known each other for maybe a month. We all come from different backgrounds, and each have different skills we must utilize in order to be successful.

This brings us to William Quinn, who states that, "it is a process which begins in the acceptance of a situation where one knows one will need to call upon one's own supposed talents and spontaneously, irrevocably, act upon them" (1989-90).

This is by no means an insult to anyone in this expedition. Quinn's article does a good job in capturing how the 'Essence of Adventure' is defined. It is important to remember, as stated earlier, that each individual in our group is completely different. Each of us attended a different school, in a different town, and it makes us who we are as individuals. This gives each of us different skills, strengths, and weaknesses. The trip is too close to test out these abilities. We must rely on the word of mouth of what others excel in, and hope that no danger (knock on wood) will strike us during our trip up Whiteface. If it does happen, we must rely on each others individual strengths in our time of need to safely, efficiently, and cooperatively reach the summit.

References

Quinn, W. (1989-1990). The Essence of Adventure. Journal of Outdoor Education, v24 p22-25.

Trip Plan

·      We plan to hike Mt. Whiteface because it was recommended to us as an interesting and fun hike. It will push us to achieve a higher level of experience in hiking than most of us have previously had. Our hike will fit with our definition of adventure because we will be working as a group in order to achieve a common goal; we will be working together physically and emotionally in order to summit the mountain and complete our adventure.

·       We want to learn to communicate effectively in order to achieve a common goal; furthermore we want to get to know each other through our hike so that we can enjoy our year on the fifth floor together. We also want to learn more about an area and activity that some of us have not participated in or not pursued at the level of intensity as we are planning.

·      We need to work together by having regular meetings and giving each group member an equal voice in decisions; we should also use everybody’s different experiences and strengths to our advantage. It will also be beneficial if we continuously support each other so everyone can succeed.

·      Meghan and Emily—plan the food

·      Ruby—secretary/note taker

·      Erin—treasurer/budgeter, leave no trace expert

·      James and Ryan—map/trip route

·      Jen—packing list extraordinaire

·      Jared—medical/first aid kit carrier

pawtuckaway and whiteface

I know we were talking about going to Puwtuckaway and hiking Whiteface. So instead of doing work for other classes, I looked stuff up. This is what I found:

This is the url for pawtuckaway. The campsite is open until October 30th, like Meghan said. The site said that they only take reservations up through the end of August. If somebody calls and tells them that we have a large group interested, we might be able to get around that. Each site holds a max of 6 people, so we'd need two. The site fee is $30-32 per night, but that only covers 2 adults and 4 kids. It's $10 for each additional adult, so it'd be an extra $40. So to stay the night it would be between $100-104. There are canoe rentals there, but I can't find pricing online. The phone number is (603)895-3031.

Whiteface is in Grafton County, about 2 hours away. It's 4020 ft high. The route suggested by the AMC is 11 miles round trip (see it here). I think that's a little ambitious to do in one day, if we have to drive up that day. Unless people are willing to leave really early, like 8 at the latest. Another site says that it takes about 7.5 hours to complete (here). Does anybody remember the name of that place that Jayson was talking about today? Because I have no idea what it was called. I just emailed him to find out. I also asked about trailmaps, because we might be able to stay in a shelter on the mountain for a night (I have no idea if there is actually one there, but a trail map would tell us). That's all I have for now.

-erin

Meeting Notes 9/14/2010

9/14/10

Attendance: Jared, Jen, Megan, Ryan, Erin, Ruby, James, Emily

·      Date of expedition: October 23^rd; Backup: October 30^th  

·      Decided to hike Mt. Tecumseh, the lowest of NH’s 4000 footers

·      Our definition of adventure is doing something that none of us has ever done before but that we all have a desire to do. We may not be pushing our limits individually but as a group we must work together to communicate effectively in order to successfully complete our hike.

·      Ground rules

o   All decisions must be a ¾ majority

o   No complaints

o   No person left behind

o   Be off the mountain before dark

o   Every group member must contribute an equal amount of work

·      We need to come up with a packing list/who’s bringing what

Definition Of Adventure

 Our definition of adventure is doing something that none of us has ever done before (hiked Tecumseh/a NH 4000 footer) but that we all have a desire to do. We may not be pushing our limits individually but as a group we must work together to communicate effectively in order to successfully complete our hike.