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expedition V |
what
is wilderness?
are you in wilderness now?
to me wilderness is living out your day to day life simply
surviving off nature. wilderness is the outdoors: trees,
moisture, and fresh air. this being my first time in the
outdoors, wilderness means a whole other thing. see, the
outdoors has taken a whole new meaning. it means listening
to my instinct and having an ear open for the wild.
as
i think about wilderness and live in it more i realize it's
no longer just wilderness but civilization relying on nature.
i am excited and enthusiastic about the trip: the mountains,
waterfalls, wildlife and nature has brought much needed
serenity to my life. just being able to take in the sight
of curry village makes me appreciate yosemite and all it's
many beauties.
my
first thoughts when reaching yosemite was, "what did
i sign up for?" not understanding the true size and
value of yosemite, i was in awe when i reached it. i gained
a whole new outlook on the value of yosemite and respect
for it's importance in preserving such mortifying beauty.
Kyle demonstrates climbing technique on the ground, with
the help of horizontal 'cracks'.
Using
an instrument called a densiometer, Kyle measures streambank
vegetation cover (an indication of how much light and shade
reaches the stream), collecting data for the Yosemite National
Park Stream Biomonitoring Project.
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Goals
and Expectations
Well
so far on or at Yosemite we have experienced the life
and times of [Buffalo] soldiers in Yosemite in the 1900's.
We also learned about stream testing, hiking trails and rock
climbing. Over the last two days I have done things I never
imagined [that I would do]. This hiking trip has made me lift
my expectations and have higher goals for this expedition.
Some of my many expectations on this learning experience is
to see and meet new wildlife. Living in Detroit, there's a
real lack of appreciation for things like that. Here, I learned
different names and uses of plants and trees like black oak
and spice bush.
My
goals for this trip are completely different. They are
more mental, like being able to stand the cold and handle
the hike. Plus being able to be a part of a report, which
means that our actions and capabilities affect the results.
One goal for the stream macroinvertebrate testing is to be
able to have good results and take away a sense of pride and
knowledge for the stream testing. Just knowing that you can
take away knowledge and skills that can't be taught but only
experience is like a once in a lifetime deal.
I
would have to say that
my expectations are a little higher than my goals, just because
this is my first time and I don't really have the skills to
apply my goals. In all, this will be an experience unforgotten
and unreal. To just think that we will be out in the wilderness
on untamed soil is incredible.
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