Abo

That's what we called our "survival" trips when we worked at Anasazi. I guess it's short for "aborigine". In order to experience an Abo, you must survive off the land for at least one night, preferably longer if you really want the full experience. You're allowed to bring water and clothing (only what you're already wearing), but that's it.
So last week, Regan decided he was ready to experience his first Abo. He and Jason decided to go Friday after school. Preparation was a breeze, since there was nothing to pack. They hopped in the car and headed off to Three Peaks, about twenty minutes west of here.

I was honestly surprised when they didn't return home until after 9:00 the next morning; I was expecting them home long before the sun came up, given that the temperature got down

to 18 degrees during the night. They looked pretty dirty and tired, but were excited to tell me all about it.

After arriving at Three Peaks, they set out on foot. Right away Jason found a sharp rock shard (pictured at left) that would come in useful later. They walked a half mile or so before finding a cave that they decided would make a good camping spot. It was a small cave, one that would barely fit the two of them, laying down. They used leaves and shredded bark for bedding. By the time they had gathered some fire material and settled in, it was dark. So Jason went to work. Using his rock shard and the fire material he had gathered, he made a hand drill and tried getting a coal. It was pretty tricky working in the dark. I think they were starting to feel a little anxious, so Regan decided to say a prayer. About ten minutes later they finally saw a coal, which Jason quickly turned into a roaring fire. They sat around the fire telling stories; Regan loves to hear stories about Jason when he was a kid. Eventually they settled into the cave for sleep. Jason woke sometime in the middle of the night, freezing cold. The fire had gone out a while before. He shoved some shredded bark into his shoes for insulation, then decided to see if he could get the fire going again. Luckily, he was able to find a coal, so he didn't have to start from the beginning. As he got the fire going again, the smoke quickly started to fill their little cave. He grabbed a fast asleep Regan by the ankles and yanked him out of the cave, which left Regan trying to figure out where the heck he was and what had just happened to him. Needless to say, they didn't get much sleep. I suppose that's to be expected on these types of trips.

When morning finally came, they hiked around for a little while before heading home.

When I asked Jason if they had fun, he replied, "Well....no, I don't think either one of us really enjoyed ourselves."

"Oh. So what's the point?"

He told me they actually had fun in the beginning and fun at the end, but trying to make it through the night was NOT fun. I agree. I've spent a few too many nights awake, freezing, and praying for the sun to rise, while working at Anasazi. No. Thank. You. I think my Abo days are over, at least in the winter time. I guess it's just another one of those things, you do it, not to have fun, but to know that you can do it. A sense of accomplishment, I suppose. That, or insanity.