from green to grit

Green

We have separated the classes and the guided adventures by skill set to make it easier to sign up and so there wasn't an accidental sign up for a class that was out of your group. On the Green section of this site it is going to have classes for the beginner and we are going to do simple activities and cover the basic skills.

Camping

Our camping trips are a great time to test out some of your new gear and skills. Our locations are close to roads but also have some nice trails to do some day hikes. This is great for introducing your kids to the sports and to get them excited for the outdoors. With the camping option you can have the freedom to what you please and it's a great time to relax. This is not a strenuous hike; it's more of a casual atmosphere.

We typically go camping in the Shenandoah Mountains at a site called Mathews arm.

Mathews arm is the closest campsite to the northern most entrance to the park. It has a few trails near it. One of those trails taking you to the largest waterfall in the park, Overall Run Falls.

The campsite allows tents and RV's but to us camping isn't in a vehicle but in a tent. Each site has a fire ring and a picnic table to enjoy your nice dinner that will be prepared over the open fire.

Your fee will cover the camping site, food, travel and all of the camping gear. The only thing that is required is a sleeping bag and an excitement for the open air and smelling like campfire.

Hiking

These hikes are design specifically for family and inexperienced. These hikes are a great time to get the kids excited for the outdoors and it lets them see some spectacular sights.

The hikes will be voted on and discussed prior to trip. The places that we will be voting on as a group will be in the local area and will include parks like Great Falls, Fountain Head Regional Park, Prince William State Park and a select few trails in the Shenandoah National Park. None of these hikes will be longer than 4 miles and won 't be too difficult of a terrain, that way the kids will enjoy themselves as much as the adults.

We will have kids only hikes once a month that will allow parents to bring in their children and explore some of our neighboring area and some of the natural geological wonders in our own backyard.

Fee will include snacks and a guide. Gear can be rented for the day also if needed.

Square knot

Knots

The knots lesson will teach you how to make simple knots to secure objects and then move into more complicated knots that can be used for building survival items like a bed or a boat or even traps.

This will be a destination class. A destination class is where we will meet in a parking lot and then hike in a mile or so into the woods. We do this so you can see what type of circumstances you would be using the knots that being made and how to apply them in an environment.

This class is perfect for the inexperienced and may even be able to teach some of the experienced new knots or even new uses for the knots.

Gear

Gear

All of this knowledge isn't going to be that good if you don't have the right gear. In this class it will make everyone a gear head. It will teach how to pack right and how to pack light. Learn what gear is important and what can be left at home. It is going to go over different types of pack weights like ultra light and heavy packs. We will discuss when trekking poles are nice to use and how to use them. We are going to cover your gear from head to toe.

Once you're done with this class you will know how to pack your backpack, what to put in it and will be armed with the right knowledge to get the require and desired gear.

Don’t Forget to Tie Your Shoes

A Chinese proverb holds that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. As any experienced hiker knows, it then continues, one step after another, until it is done. And if your shoes don’t fit right, the distance remaining on the trip seems to increase with each step as the pain in your foot grows relentlessly.

At Grit, we’re committed to teaching our clients how to travel comfortably through the outdoors. And if you’re walking, few things affect your comfort more than the relationship between your feet and your shoes. Many people assume that hiking boots are supposed to hurt some, because they’re supposed to be heavy and stiff to support your feet. It never occurs to them that even minor adjustments can make a huge difference in how their feet feel.

For instance, few people ever put significant thought or effort into tying their boots. For starters, loosen the laces far enough that you can glide your foot in. Now pull the lower laces so that the part of the boot that covers the top of your foot is snug, but not so tight that you are affecting the blood flow in your foot. Take the 2 loose ends and cross them 3 times, similar to the “X” that you make at the beginning of a normal shoe knot, with one additional cross afterward. This holds the lower laces in place while you secure the ankle cuff.

Next, take the 2 loose ends and thread each to the top grommet on the opposite side of the shoe. Work your way back down from the top, crossing at each grommet. When you have worked back to the knot that is holding the laces in place, tie the loose ends in whatever knot you normally use to hold your shoes in place. This helps the shoe to provide the support you expect from an ankle cuff without putting the kind of pressure on the ankle that you would get if you put the knot at the top.

Now, you’re ready to take that first step…


Story written by Jeff Lear ©Lear Communications