Payton Birch

Stock, R.

ABOR

22 April, 2019

Journal #2

1. I have gained multiple skills from the river expedition that include that of cooking on the

river, setting up/putting in quickly and efficiently, spacing between water crafts, and

Position of Maximum Usefulness(PMU). I also improved on taking initiative. It’s one

thing to do an excellent job at something when someone tells you what to do, it's another

thing to perform excellence whether someone is watching or not, and to do it on your

own initiative. These skills will aid me in becoming a more effective outdoor leader,

mainly because my confidence has increased. I will continue to improve these skills in

my future by challenging myself in situations where there is a lot of responsibility in my

hands.

2. A situation that I wish I could relive was that of the backcountry day I had on Bucks

Summit. This past winter season was one of the best backcountry seasons of my life. The

snow seemed to be exceptional everywhere, and the weather on those days seemed to be

blue-bird, every day. There were, however, other times that I wish I could go back and do

over. These were the times that I would tend to ask questions that I could answer on my

own. For example, “Can I put this in the van?”, “What do the flows look like today,

Rick?”. I’ve realized that this mindset is something I need to let go of if I plan on

becoming an effective outdoor leader. This isn’t Outdoor Recreational Fellowship, it's

Outdoor Recreational Leadership. I believe mindsets like these help to fuel initiative

which will help me in my personal and professional decisions later on.

3. As a recreation professional, I believe my responsibility towards nature is one that is

respected and honored. I need to respect these wild places if I expect to use them. If I am

not taking care of these wild places we call the outdoors, my experience in them is not

going to be fruitful for myself or the generations that follow. As a future recreational

professional I will meet this responsibility by keeping a constant mindset of the leave-no-

trace principles. This will not only allow me to make smart decisions about how I treat

the environment, but also, set a good example for clients.