Ideas for taking a reluctant newby out

**dkurfiss** · 09-06-2018, 15:02

So perhaps involve the girl in the food shopping and planning. She may dislike beef *unamercian* Also ask what she like to do besides computers and phones

Read a book? Learn how to build a fire? Tie knots? Play board games?

**mbal1856** · 09-07-2018, 06:35

Thanks for the additional ideas. I told her mom to have her download an audio book, or some music to her phone and bring some earbuds for when she goes to sleep to help drown out the sounds of nature at night.
Food wise, went with my daughter last night, but got approval from her friend on everything. No problems there, she couldn't believe I was getting steaks for dinner.
Thinking about getting a few glow sticks for them too. Figure before they go to bed, tie one to the privy door, then one on the outside of their tarp. that way if either one of them get up in the middle of the night to use the facilities it would be easier for them to find their way back and forth. The first time I took my daughter out that was my only fear, her getting up in the middle of the night and getting lost walking back to the hammock. I am a ridiculously deep sleeper and would never hear if she got up in the middle of the night.

**Ohoopee** · 09-07-2018, 07:58

Originally Posted by Hangdang

I know I had to look for ways to make my wife feel more comfortable, in her case I had two issues the first being she was good up until night time didn't like the boogeyman thing and the second being closed up in a hammock.

So I think it may help to get a better idea of why she's apprehensive. It probably won't work for you but I told my wife to wake me up anytime she need to go to the bathroom during the night, that seem to help. As far as the hammock goes I got her a night light it helped quite a bit.

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I agree. Also, little adjustment to hammock or quilts can make a big difference.
Make sure they aren't afraid to wake you and make the adjustments. Hate to
hear about a poor nights sleep because they didn't tell you so you could make
simple adjustment. Sons friend slept cold because quilt slipped and he didn't
want to wake me and say he was cold.

**TallPaul** · 09-07-2018, 09:00

Originally Posted by Ohoopee

I agree. Also, little adjustment to hammock or quilts can make a big difference.
Make sure they aren't afraid to wake you and make the adjustments. Hate to
hear about a poor nights sleep because they didn't tell you so you could make
simple adjustment. Sons friend slept cold because quilt slipped and he didn't
want to wake me and say he was cold.

This^^
I put my daughters friend in a 0* UQ (temps got down to 32*) with instructions to wake me if she got cold and it would be no problem at all. Stressed it a couple times.

I ask how her night was and she admitted to being cold. I found out she put some gear between the hammock and UQ when she went to bed, creating a big gap. And for whatever reason she didn’t wake me.

**Rat** · 09-07-2018, 12:13

Have a plan to go to ground for her if needed. When introducing someone new to the outdoors I always take a small solo tent and ground pad. I know it is sacrilege to say this, but not everyone is comfortable in a hammock the first time and that could last a few nights. There is nothing worse for a newbie (or an oldie for that matter) than a lousy night's sleep.

Beyond that, you already have some good recommendations.

**TxAggie** · 09-07-2018, 13:11

Originally Posted by Rat

Have a plan to go to ground for her if needed. When introducing someone new to the outdoors I always take a small solo tent and ground pad. I know it is sacrilege to say this, but not everyone is comfortable in a hammock the first time and that could last a few nights. There is nothing worse for a newbie (or an oldie for that matter) than a lousy night's sleep.

Beyond that, you already have some good recommendations.

I completely agree here. For my daughters I started them in a tent just to get them comfortable with sleeping outdoors. Now the oldest wants to hang after trying it at camp. I feel that because getting a Hammock system set right involves a bit of tweaking, trying to learn it in the field can be difficult, even more so if it’s their first time sleeping in the wilderness.

**Tyroler Holzhacker** · 09-07-2018, 13:25

Originally Posted by TxAggie

I completely agree here. For my daughters I started them in a tent just to get them comfortable with sleeping outdoors. Now the oldest wants to hang after trying it at camp. I feel that because getting a Hammock system set right involves a bit of tweaking, trying to learn it in the field can be difficult, even more so if it’s their first time sleeping in the wilderness.

Amen Tex! hanging practice/tweaking is something ideally learned at home prior to entering the unforgiving boondocks. This will ensure CBS doesn't happen...

**cmc4free** · 09-09-2018, 13:10

Originally Posted by mbal1856

Thanks for the ideas. I'm taking my daughter food shopping tonight and start packing too. Looking forward to the trip.

So, how did it go?

**mbal1856** · 09-10-2018, 06:57

So a quick update:
Everyone survived. Girls had fun hiking, collecting wood and playing with the fire and sleeping in the hammocks. They said they did get a little cold overnight, but they slept well. My daughter's friend was excited we were having steak for dinner. I froze a bunch of steaks in zip lock bags then made little cozy's for them out of reflectix to keep them cold. Worked great, actually too good, steaks were still partially frozen when I was ready to cook. But they turned out good. They made smores over the fire and just snacked all afternoon. Only thing that got them nervous was hearing the coyotes howling right after dinner and again around 5 am. Told them not to worry with the echoing in the hills, the coyotes were probably much farther away than they sound, plus the bears usually scare them away.

Also, saw a couple guys walk down the trail past the lean-to we were staying at and stayed at the old Stony brook lean-to. One of them stopped by in the morning to see if we were staying a second night, because of the rain coming in, they wanted to try and stay at the new one where we were staying. Told him, we were leaving, but I wish he stopped by last night. We weren't using the lean-to since we were in hammocks, so it was still free, we were just using the picnic table and firepit. Guy had a little dog that the girls loved to play with and I would have had some adult companions for the night. Plus the girls got a little nervous hearing strangers walking through the site at night to use the outhouse and get water.
Overall I would say the trip was a success. I think my daughters friend would go again, maybe next time more in the middle of the summer so they don't get cold. Think it was in the mid 40's when I woke up in the morning.