Left alone with a head full of thoughts as I drove back to Boston, I considered the myriad events from the long weekend. Cohen and Tarmey were right—I got an unvarnished sense of what it was like to be an outdoor leader. But the range of emotions I felt was overwhelming. I was glad I'd completed the course without embarrassing myself and contributed to the group effort. I had tried to make up for my lack of outdoor expertise with enthusiasm, and felt I succeeded for the most part. I thought I'd soaked up as much information as I could, though I had an unshakable sense that I'd still be revisiting the past five days months from now.

One question kept hanging over my head, as I pulled into my driveway on Father's Day, eager to see the daughters who inspired my participation—"Am I an outdoor leader?" Honestly? No, not yet, not by a long shot. But I'm learning. And there's a lot to learn.

 Leader of the Backpack intro  |  Invitation to Adventure  |  Nuts and Bolts  |  Everyday Interruptions  | Turn Me Loose  |  Safety, First and Foremost  |  The Road from Here  |  Tips for Leaders