Yesterday I was approached by our outreach coordinator. He told me that our store manager spoke with him about getting me to teach some classes in our store. I was so excited! I've been wanting to teach a class since I started to work there. He and I looked through a list of classes that REI offers and BAM! It was so obvious! A women's specific backpacking class! How perfect!
Some of you might wonder why a backpacking class designed specifically for women would be beneficial. Welll, let's think about that... Men get to pee standing up, women have to squat. Men get to hike on for days or months on the trail without having to worry about a period. Men don't have boobs to hold up or to get in the way of backpack shoulder straps. Men don't have wide hips that they have to fit into a sleeping bag. Shall I go on?
One of the most important things to stress in a women's specific backpacking class is personal hygiene. Yes, I'm talking about the Vajayjay. The HooHaa. The Lady Bits. Call it what you want (but please nothing derogatory). It's a fact that the vagina can be a girl's best friend or worst enemy. No female wants to experience an infection while on the trail. Proper hygeine is an absolute must in order to avoid an infection that could require medical attention, which can be days away when on a long hike. Unfortunately, one of the main reasons women shy away from long distance backpacking is the lack of knowledge on how to properly care for herself while on the trail. It is my hope that I can share my knowledge and experience with other women in order to inspire them to go out and enjoy the backcountry.
Of course, there are other things that I will touch upon on my class, such as clothing. One of the most common questions in a women's group I am a part of is how to find the right sports bra. Good golly. Women with large breasts just have the hardest time finding a sports bra that is supportive, comfortable and flattering (Think Uniboob). Trust me. I KNOW! That's a struggle that I still have yet to conquer. Another clothing topic that women talk about is hiking skirts. No, this is not so we can be cute and girly on the trail, it's so we can pee more discreetly. Bet you men never stopped to think of it that way.
I know that this class is going to be so much fun! My store manager said that when the store has done this class in the past, it has been a sell out. There is already a lot of interest in the class from women who I talked to in the store yesterday, so I am sure we will have a great crowd.
If you are in the Pittsburgh area and would like to come, head over to the REI Settler's Ridge store page and sign up for the class! I'm not sure if it is posted yet, so you might have to check back again later. I'm also not sure how much the class will cost. The date should be Tuesday, June 9th at 7pm.
No comments:
Post a Comment