Nothing Short Of Epic: Geology Through Bikepacking
Guest Blogger Ari Faria shares her experience from this fall’s Bikepacking Through Geology course at Prescott College. -Kid
“So, how was bikepacking block course?”
My response to the average person: “Oh you know, it was good. We saw some super cool stuff; it was pretty chill overall.”
What that really means: “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and I don’t have any intention of stopping anytime soon!”
Looking back on our Geology through Bikepacking course, I was challenged on a lot of levels. Physically, it was one of the most demanding things I’ve ever done, period, not in any way debatable. There were days when my entire body would be screaming at me to stop, and times I simply felt as though I could collapse and sleep for days right where I was. Emotionally it was a roller coaster. One day I’d be thinking to myself, this is the end, I’m going home, and the next I would be thinking to myself there’s nowhere I’d rather be than with this crazy, quirky, and amazing group of people in the middle of nowhere laughing to the point of near tears. Mentally, I was trying to absorb as much information as humanly possible about the amazing landscape around me and make sure I was on top of my homework. To say the least, it was a full-on course. But I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
I wouldn’t have changed the stunning landscapes and features for any amount of rest. And I wouldn’t have given up the laughs and smiles for any relief of pain. I would do it all over again because looking back on the trip, the connection I felt to the land and the people was so strong. Whether I liked it or not (which I did), my group was my family. Our tiny pod became a place to seek support, companionship, and endless laughs. And at the end of the day, no matter how much pain I was in or how tired I was, if I simply lifted up my chin and looked at was around me I couldn’t help but smile.
These are the reasons for my answer to how my first bikepacking trip was, and why I have no intention of stopping. Because it was a lot of things. But it was nothing short of epic.