City kids and the outdoors

City kids. Outdoors. Hiking, in the rain.

Wow. All I gotta say is WTF are these kids problems? I volunteered to to take some 8th graders on a hiking trip (Leah's school) up a mountain. A short, not too steep idea.

Ok, problem number 1: It was pouring rain. Ok, so this doesn't really bother a country guy like myself, but then again I know how to prepare for it. So I'm standing there watching these inner city kids getting off the bus...some of the girls are wearing stockings and jean skirts. Hmm. The boys are wearing wife-beater tshirts and do-rags. No coats. Did I mention it was 45-50 degrees while it was raining? Now I'm standing there in my oilskin duster, perfectly toasty and dry as a bone. I just kinda scratched my head.

Problem number 2: City kids hate nature. So...if a raindrop hits a leaf on the ground and makes a noise, they all jump back and are frightened. "Whaaa what was that???!? Are there bears?" No, there are no freakin bears. For Pete's sake a giant group of yelling kids makes all wildlife in a 10 mile radius want to run away anyway. The bears are actually running full stride in the opposite direction and jumping off of cliffs to get away from the hideous racket of screaming and yelling kids. (Ok, so there really are bears and big cat in this area, but it would just be too cruel to tell them this.)

So there we are and the first question out of one of their mouths is "where are the bathrooms?" My instant reply was "at the top." The second question was "where's the top." So, I point up and say "about 1000 feet that way"

"So we only have to like go 1000 feet? Why did we come out all this way for that?"

"No, you have about a mile and a half hike...1000 feet in a straight line with a 700 foot incline...we have to hike around the steep parts." This statement didn't go over very well. I just shook my head and continued onward.

So, after much whining and "I'm scared of heights," "I can't do it"s, and "Are there bears?", we get to the top. So they break out the bagged lunches and immediately begin to toss their trash on the ground. This did not go over well with me at all. At once I pointed this out and put a stop to it. This isn't some alleyway in the middle of the city...this is the woods, nature. Pick your crap up you spoiled brats. Don't be throwing your plastic wrappers over the cliff.

Sigh. Well, in the end at least nobody died.