Ryan McGovern Final Entry

Final Entry 5-1-09 (topic of own choosing)

So for my final entry I thought that I would look back and reflect on the class as a whole. I still remember the first day of class when we had to write poems and present them to class. I had never really thought of what wilderness was, or at least how to describe it in words. Now after taking this course I think that I have come up with a decent definition of it, and a better understanding. Also, while I had known a bit about the AT before this class, I definitely learned a lot more. I knew that people had trail names while hiking, but I did not know that some people never learn others real names, even if they are very good friends. Also learning how the ordinary can be a mask of the holy was very interesting. It made me think about looking at things twice, because there may be something very important beneath. This was definitely the case when we went on our nature walk on the Noland Trail. I had not taken my time to examine things so closely while walking there. I definitely noticed things that I would not have noticed if I were not taking my time there. Things like the different types of bark and the apple blossom flowers were very interesting. The snapping turtle that appeared after throwing Gold Fish crackers in the water was very cool too. I think this class also helped me to appreciate the spiritual value of wilderness and wilderness treks. The AT class seemed very interesting, but the one that I want to do is the Mt. Rainier trip. The views looked amazing, it seemed kinda dangerous, which I like, and the whole experience just sounded cool. Also, the Spain trip seemed like a cool trip, with all of the small towns that you stop into and stuff. The final thing that I will take away from this class is not looking at nature as simply something to be bought and sold, but to be appreciated for what it is. While I certainly had environmentalist leanings before this class, I feel as though they have been strengthened as a result of taking this course.