My Homeless Night Out Experience

[erugs]

Date: October 25, 2012
Location: Manchester, NH

Report:
This is not a traditional trip report but is one that was valuable to me, and will add to my hiking experiences. Last night about a dozen students at the college where I work set out to spend a night outside. For the most part, they are not experienced in sleeping outside. Some have camped, many have not even hiked. The idea was to see in a small sense what it is like to be without what most of us consider a proper home. There was talk of sleeping in cardboard boxes, but really, how easy is it to find a good cardboard box these days. One group of six set up a multi-room tent, minus the fly, with blankets or cheap car-camping bags. Three people slept on tarps with car-camping style sleeping bags. (You know, the ones that are about the size of your backpack and weigh a lot and keep you comfy at 60 degrees.) I brought my old single person Solitaire tent, my two person Half Dome and a sleeping bag to let others borrow. For myself, I decided to see what my EMS Rain Poncho was like to re-purpose as a tent. A few false starts, and then I had a really neat place to stay. Low to the ground, it wasn't too visible. Didn't matter, because when I was sitting under the tree beside it and people would drive by as they exited the parking lot, even I was invisible. I'll post some pictures. What I learned was I can do it, pitch a tarp and have it stay up. My gear was ample for 40 degree temps. (The others, not nearly so much.) I have more empathy than I did before, for a variety of reasons, I enjoyed sharing my outdoor knowledge and skills as I initiated others who participated.

 

[Maddy]

Most interesting. It really is a wake up call to get up close and personal to people who have little or no knowledge of the basics and what is required to sustain oneself when you are out of your comfort zone. This is why I always feel for people who wander about the mountains unprepared because they really are clueless, and sometimes even if you try to guide them along, they don't believe much of what you are telling them. It's so far removed from the way we live that they cannot imagine in their wildest dreams that this might present a real problem. Some of these folks we read about in the SAR reports and some get away with it.

Great pic and what a neat thing to do. Experience often is the best teacher.

 

[Little Rickie]

I remember how I first slept cold/cool. One of the best breakfastes I ever had the next morning. Still remember the smoky fire pit and the kid who ran to the lake so he could extiinguish his smooking sleeping bag out from sleeping too close to the fire for warmth. So the kids decdided to have a campout, cool. What a safe way to find out what it is like to be out in nature. I hope they were energized by this. Young people are in such a steril envirorment. Getting dirty isn't a bad thing.

 

[una_dogger]

I don't know, Ellen, you look to comfy to be homeless. Looks to me like you've done this before.

 

[erugs]

I don't know, Ellen, you look to comfy to be homeless. Looks to me like you've done this before.

Oops. I've been found out. But you know (I know, you don't) years ago I had an unreasonable fear of being homeless. I was excited for this opportunity to learn and share more and I guess that shows.

 

[wardsgirl]

I am shocked, absolutely shocked, to learn that you are not an orange and white cat!

When he was in elementary school, my son, (who grew up backpacking), informed his teacher that there was no such thing as being homeless, because you lived wherever you set up your tent.

 

[Maddy]

I am shocked, absolutely shocked, to learn that you are not an orange and white cat!

When he was in elementary school, my son, (who grew up backpacking), informed his teacher that there was no such thing as being homeless, because you lived wherever you set up your tent.

I love it! It makes me a little bit sad that so few kids can say this.
My friend who I into'd to the Whites when he was 14 eventually went off to college at UMAINE Orono. He was never bothered with "trivia" so in his 3rd year he was "homeless" and completely undaunted. He had his tent an staked it out at various locations, took showers at friends homes, and got on just fine. After he graduated he came back to MA, got a job, and for quite some time lived in tent in the woods on someone's property. Saved a ton of money.

This is what I call very self reliant. Some might call it nuts but to this day he is one rugged outdoorsman,avid mountaineer, and his young children and wife are just like him. She lived in tipi for a solid year up in NO. NH.

I hope the young people who shared this experience with E Rugs take away some valuable lessons, too many to mention.