Chapter 1
“Everybody,
Meet Everyone!”
Introductions all around
PATTY: “Hello everyone! This is Roving Reporter Patty Pan along with her brother and Intrepid Cameraman, Teo Alefaio! Greetings dear fans. We’re coming to you live from our cozy home studio—via trusty Teams, of course!
“Teo and I would like you to ‘Meet the Trail Team’—our contributing reporters who are—at this very moment—all the way across the country on a hiking and orienteering (finding their way) expedition along a great cedar forest and mountain trail in Oregon! Let’s introduce you to everyone, and then we’ll talk about what they’re going to do over their three-day hike, as well as what each one of them wants to learn! From left to right, we have Malcolm Reed, Miles Tenny, and Nia Talltree! Seated behind them are their fearless guides for this fun-filled field trip, Jess and Steve West! We won’t see them on-camera, but ever-present are Malcolm’s mom, Justine (his dad flew on to visit some of his clients nearby), Miles came from Canada with his mom, Betsy, and Nia is accompanied by her grandfather, George. The parents are along as chaperones and camp managers for their kids!”
TEO: “Let’s begin with Malcolm! Malcolm, you’re from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in southern Virginia. A very exciting place to live, I think! What made you decide to go on this camping, hiking, and orienteering field trip?”
MALCOLM: “Mom and dad said I could come! They saw this really cool ad in one of their journals for a three-day field trip for kids along a part of the Pacific Crest Trail in Oregon. Mom’s been here before, and she said it was beautiful! So, she and dad decided it would be a great experience for me. So, she came with me, and my dad flew us all the way out here on his little plane. It took a while, but it’s great to be here! This is our first day, and I’m learning so much already!”
PATTY: “What are some things that you’ve learned already, Malcolm, and what are some more things you want to learn about?”
MALCOLM: “I’m learning about what my guide told me was called ‘orienteering.’ It’s the right word for reading maps and using a compass, and I’m going to learn more about that and maybe even a little bit about how to find my way if I’m ever lost in the woods!” At this, Malcolm shudders a little.
TEO: “Don’t worry Malcolm—we’ll all learn together! And we can’t wait to hear more about what you’re learning. We’re going to connect with every one of you over the next few days to see how your hike is going! Next, we get to meet Miles.
PATTY & TEO: Hello, Miles!!
MILES: “Hello Teo and Patty! I’m having so much fun already! I’m learning what to pack in my backpack every day for my hike, and everybody is so nice.”
PATTY: “That’s awesome, Miles! Where are you from, and who came with you for your hiking adventure?”
MILES: “I came here all the way on the bus with my mom. She’s hiking with us and helping me carry my gear and taking pictures. We came from the city Calgary in Canada. We have lots of mountains and woods around us there, too, but Mom said we should take a trip so I could meet some new friends and learn something new. I love trees and the mountains and rocks, and I love my mom for bringing me here!” Miles scrunches his shoulders and smiles.
PATTY: “I know you’re going to have lots of fun, Miles!”
TEO: “Next, let’s meet Nia!”
PATTY & TEO: “Hi, Nia!”
TEO: “Are you excited about your hiking adventure, Nia?”
NIA: “Oh, yes! I came with my grandfather! We’re Native Americans from the Salish tribe! I like to draw things in nature. That’s how I keep track of the things I see and when I see them. I brought my sketchbook that is like a journal, too. I make my drawings and then I write about it, and Grandfather said to always put the date I drew it and the place where I saw it, so I could remember when I got older. It’s good to remember our stories, and my journal will always help me. Grandfather said to not just draw it and keep the date and the place, but he said I should also write about how I feel about something that means something special to me. I love and honor my grandfather, too!”
Nia lowered her head a little and smiled broadly.
PATTY: I can’t wait to see your drawings, Nia! I love to draw and journal the things I see, too! I am so happy you’ve come on this hike, and Teo and I are looking forward to getting to know you and Malcolm and Miles so much better over the next few days!
TEO: Next, we want to meet your guides for your three-day hike. Everyone, please meet Steve and Jess West! Steve, I understand that you were a forest firefighter before you and your wife, Jess, began this hiking school for kids and grownups who want to learn just a little bit more about their hiking trail, and Jess, you are an ecologist and the main chef for the Wilderness Walkers Hiking School, and you’re going to teach the kids about foraging and safe cooking over the campfire. Can you both tell us just a little bit more about the Wilderness Walkers Hiking School and what our readers and viewers can expect over the next three days, please?
STEVE: Hello Patty and Teo!
PATTY & TEO: “Hello, Steve!” They wave.
STEVE: “Yes, we started our WWHS because, basically, we love to hike, we love trail, and we want to share what we know and learn how to be safe and have fun in the wilderness. I used to fight wildfires in wilderness just like we’re walking in, and I want us all to learn how to be careful and safe but still have fun hiking the trails our Trail Rangers work so hard to maintain for us. So, I’m looking forward to walking with Malcolm and Miles and Nia, along with their parents and learning a lot while we all just have fun…and eat a lot of good food, thanks to Jess teaching us how to cook safely and what to eat out on the trail. Jess is also our tree, plant, and if possible foraging guide.” Steve exchanges a smile with Jess.
PATTY: “Jess! Hello!”
JESSE: “Hi Patty and Teo! It’s so great to meet you both! Yep, I’m the forest plant guide and the cook! It’s my job to teach about the trees and plants we encounter on our hike, as well as make sure our water is fresh and clean and plentiful, and that everyone gets enough to drink. We can filter our water along the way, but because we have to pack everything we eat in with us, just like we pack everything we’ve brought back off the trail when we done. So, it’s important to learn what we need to bring with us to eat, whether or not we can find anything on the trail to eat—and what not to eat along the trail. We want these kids to grow to love hiking and exploring the world around them. And we think that’s pretty important.” Jess ends with a smile.
TEO: So, let me also introduce the wonderful parents who are accompanying our trio and their guides, we have Malcolm’s mom Justine, and Miles’ mom, Betsy, and Nia’s grandfather, George! Welcome to you all—the kid’s backup and support team! Yay! Thanks for coming along!
The camera pans over from the laptop and the parents all wave and say hello to Teo and Patty. Then back to the three kids.
PATTY: You all look so wonderful and happy to be going on the trail! It looks like we’re out of time for this first meeting, here at Station WIL. We’re here on the East Coast and it’s 8:00 p.m. now, so it’s four o’clock on the West Coast. You’re going to begin journey in the morning and you should be well on your way by the time we talk at noon tomorrow. We want to thank you again for sharing you adventure and introducing yourselves to us. Tomorrow evening, we’ll be joining you once again for a short round up of your first day and you can show us around your campsite. You’ll be taking some pictures, Nia, I think you love to journal as you go, just like me, so we can’t wait to see what you might have to share with us as well! So exciting…
TEO: So, we will wait for your call over our Teams Chat tomorrow to see how the hike is going. All our fans really want to know, and we will show our recorded conversation to our fans as you guys continue your hike.
So, the East Coast Ranger Station WIL duo of Teo and Patty bid goodbye to the three trail hikers, their parents, and the guides in Oregon.
PATTY & TEO: Bye for now everyone! Stay safe, have fun, and enjoy the adventure!
EVERYONE AT THE LODGE: “Bye for now Teo and Patty!” And Steve logged off and closed the laptop, tucking it back in his backpack. Jesse closed the little internet satellite connector and packed it in her backpack for tomorrow’s hike.
Backpack packing
“Let’s go over our checklists one more time,” she said. “Steve, will you help everyone load their gear into their backpacks as we review the checklist. There’s an art to packing your gear, and we’re here to help get it right for this hike so you can get to the stuff you need first, then the other stuff you only need at the campsite will go on the bottom of your packs…first things that go into the pack will be the things you need last!”
Three puzzled kids and three inquisitive parents waited for Jess, who smiled, clapped her hands, and gave the order: “Let’s get packing!” Activity began in earnest now. Checklists came out and items like tents and sleeping bags and spoons and forks laid out before them, all looked like way too much to go in those little packs to be carried on those little backs.
“All this gear is important for your hike. That’s why we sent that list of everything to bring with you. Now we’re going to spread out the pack-load between you kids and your parents,” said Mr. W. “We’ve done this many times and know what you need and basically when you’ll need it. But most importantly—we how to pack it all in those little packs of yours.”
“Let’s get this done so we can all have dinner here at the lodge and then get a good night’s sleep,” said Jess. And, with that, packing the backpacks began in earnest.
