March 2020 • Nebraskaland 49
Around 100 women attended the
2019 Becoming an Outdoors-Woman
Weekend Workshop, an annual event
that gives women the opportunity
to learn new outdoor skills through
hands-on workshops.
Day One
Driving into Ponca State Park, the site of the 2019 event, was the fi rst
sign I was going to enjoy myself. The park is thickly forested, with tall trees
curving above the road. It felt like an outdoors getaway.
Our fi rst workshop was on kayaking. I had kayaked once before, briefl y,
and still remember hanging on every word of the safety instruction, and
the helpless feeling when my kayak was shoved out into the water. Once I
was out there, though, I found that it was fairly intuitive, and was eager to
try it again. This time around, I got tips on technique and buying gear. Our
instructors, Christy Christiansen and Julie Geiser, were excellent, sharing
stories of their own experiences along with in-depth instruction.
We had about one-and-a-half hours on the lake. With more time to enjoy
the experience, I found that kayaking lent itself to something I was already
doing in my free time: meditation. Everything slowed down. I became more
aware of what I was seeing, feeling and hearing. It was just – nice. And unlike
the typical meditation session, I enjoyed every moment of it.
Later, before dinner and wine tasting, staff off ered white bass, bluegill, pike,
crappie, drum and smoked trout just off the grill. It was my fi rst taste of freshly
caught Nebraska fi sh. If you've never tried some, you're missing out.
Day Two
Camping Hacks was our fi rst session of the day, and I was hoping I could
learn something my backpacking dad might not know. I did! For example,
a mixture of candlewax and dryer lint in an egg carton makes great tinder.
We also discussed ways to keep kids entertained during a camping trip and
diff erent food and water containers you can fi nd around the house. It didn't
translate directly to the backpacking Dad and I have done, but it gave me
insight into something diff erent.
Volunteers demonstrated how to clean fi sh, and then cooked it for the
women in the bowfi shing workshop.
PHOTO
BY
RENAE
BLUM
PHOTO
BY
ERIC
FOWLER
