Alright I have to give REI some more love. This past weekend, my outdoorsman brother, Tristan, and I attended a map and compass course offered by REI's Outdoor School. In an ironic twist, Tristan and I both got LOST on the way to an orienteering course...so naturally we failed the first test. After showing up about 30-40 minutes late to our 9am start time, we met with who would be our fearless leader through the uncharted wilds of Patapsco State Park in Maryland. PAUL!
Allow me to interject here...REI has the freakin' BEST people working for them. They all genuinely rock and know their shiznit! Now retired, Paul was formerly in the Air Force, and both flew and taught other pilots how to fly various different aircrafts in the service. For the last 6 or so years hes been leading outdoor classes on the sadly outdated skill of map and compass orienteering....boooo GPSs (ok ok I know I'm a hypocrite).
Ok so after Tristan and I stumbled into the group we were given our compasses and maps and were provided with a brief overview of map reading and attempted to match various features of the nearby landscape (i.e. The parking lot we were standing in) with features on the map. Next we learned about contour lines and other features that were prevalent on our maps such as ridges and ravines and immediately set out to find these geological manifestations in real life.
I won't go into drawn out detail about the lessons we learned, don't worry. But after we set out into the wild we eventually transitioned into using both the map and compass in harmony, if you will...finding degrees of navigation, setting our course, and plotting our bearings along it to eventually arrive at our destination. We set our course/bearings from the map to the real world and then vice versa.
The course lasted about 6 hours and every freezing moment was worth it. Much of the course served as a refresher from my Boy Scout Orienteering merit badge days but so much more made sense this time around, over ten years later. I wish I got some pictures of the crew from the day but you'll have to settle for some post-class shots of my compass...kinda boring but eh.
Also, I really want an REI Outdoor School jacket.......someday, Mike....someday.
Allow me to interject here...REI has the freakin' BEST people working for them. They all genuinely rock and know their shiznit! Now retired, Paul was formerly in the Air Force, and both flew and taught other pilots how to fly various different aircrafts in the service. For the last 6 or so years hes been leading outdoor classes on the sadly outdated skill of map and compass orienteering....boooo GPSs (ok ok I know I'm a hypocrite).
Ok so after Tristan and I stumbled into the group we were given our compasses and maps and were provided with a brief overview of map reading and attempted to match various features of the nearby landscape (i.e. The parking lot we were standing in) with features on the map. Next we learned about contour lines and other features that were prevalent on our maps such as ridges and ravines and immediately set out to find these geological manifestations in real life.
I won't go into drawn out detail about the lessons we learned, don't worry. But after we set out into the wild we eventually transitioned into using both the map and compass in harmony, if you will...finding degrees of navigation, setting our course, and plotting our bearings along it to eventually arrive at our destination. We set our course/bearings from the map to the real world and then vice versa.
The course lasted about 6 hours and every freezing moment was worth it. Much of the course served as a refresher from my Boy Scout Orienteering merit badge days but so much more made sense this time around, over ten years later. I wish I got some pictures of the crew from the day but you'll have to settle for some post-class shots of my compass...kinda boring but eh.
Also, I really want an REI Outdoor School jacket.......someday, Mike....someday.
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