The first step in expedition preparation is to foster excitement. This comes easy for me because of my background in wilderness sports and activities. Conveying the passion is just a matter of expressing myself and including my son in discussions with his friends and their dads. If you are tentative because of your lack of experience, a wilderness trip like this is an opportunity for you and your child to learn together. The planning period will be a beneficial process and great time of bonding and communication for you and your child. It could potentially be the most memorable father/son experience you share with your child during his youth.
My second son, now fourteen, is well aware of our upcoming trip. He knows we will make the trip the summer of 2009 and he knows the focus of the trip is our father/son, one-on-one time, and his rite of passage ritual to manhood, a tradition in our household. He knows I will not be distracted by cell phones or blackberries, laptops or chores during this time with him, and that we will conquer the wilderness together.
Our next step in preparation is recruiting two or three father/son teams to join us. An expedition like this works better with a team. The dynamics of primitive wilderness camping with duties like setting and breaking camp daily, cooking, portaging, etc. are better handled with multiple hands than a couple. The Quetico park restricts group size to eight persons. This is to minimize stress on the ecosystem, and maintain the serenity of this pristine wilderness setting. This fits well in my plans, as in my experience six to eight is the optimum group size.
My son and I will soon begin to strategize on who we would like to make this trip with. It is important that he is a big part of this decision since this trip is about him. We will approach the families we decide to include no later than early this spring. Due to the extensive planning and preparation required, commitments will need to be made and then the fun begins.
Dinner at our house with the potential participants will be planned. We'll break bread, look at photos of my past trips, and discuss the demands of a trip like this. The physical demands, the financial component, basic outfitting and the attributes of the park itself will be primary topics.
After our "expedition team" is solidified we will plan some local trips together for all to gain some experience on the water, in canoes, and in the wild. We will begin discussing routes, goals, expenses and gear in subsequent Adventure Dads posts. Thanks for your visit!
My second son, now fourteen, is well aware of our upcoming trip. He knows we will make the trip the summer of 2009 and he knows the focus of the trip is our father/son, one-on-one time, and his rite of passage ritual to manhood, a tradition in our household. He knows I will not be distracted by cell phones or blackberries, laptops or chores during this time with him, and that we will conquer the wilderness together.
Our next step in preparation is recruiting two or three father/son teams to join us. An expedition like this works better with a team. The dynamics of primitive wilderness camping with duties like setting and breaking camp daily, cooking, portaging, etc. are better handled with multiple hands than a couple. The Quetico park restricts group size to eight persons. This is to minimize stress on the ecosystem, and maintain the serenity of this pristine wilderness setting. This fits well in my plans, as in my experience six to eight is the optimum group size.
My son and I will soon begin to strategize on who we would like to make this trip with. It is important that he is a big part of this decision since this trip is about him. We will approach the families we decide to include no later than early this spring. Due to the extensive planning and preparation required, commitments will need to be made and then the fun begins.
Dinner at our house with the potential participants will be planned. We'll break bread, look at photos of my past trips, and discuss the demands of a trip like this. The physical demands, the financial component, basic outfitting and the attributes of the park itself will be primary topics.
After our "expedition team" is solidified we will plan some local trips together for all to gain some experience on the water, in canoes, and in the wild. We will begin discussing routes, goals, expenses and gear in subsequent Adventure Dads posts. Thanks for your visit!
