Becoming an Outdoors-Woman retreat or: Paddling my own canoe

It was the winter of my discontent. Although I had become a more intrepid trekker in the warmer months, I was still a tenderfoot when it came to winter activities. Sweating under multiple layers of clothing while trying to find  a trail buried under a foot of snow does not sound appealing.

While waiting out those long winter months, I burrowed under my grandma's heavy quilt and did what I do best: plan. Nothing excites me more than staring at maps, jotting down lists, and creating efficient travel plans. (You might be thinking, this sounds extremely Type A! You are correct!) I became familiar with the Iowa DNR's website as I perused trail guides, calculated the closest state parks that I wanted to visit, and imagined the new sights I would soon see.

One night I stumbled a page I had somehow never seen before on the DNR's site; the program featured on the page was aimed exclusively at women who wanted to become more confident in their outdoor abilities. It's known as BOW (Becoming an Outdoors-Woman), and the program hosts workshops internationally for women to "explore, learn, and grow" in their outdoor skills.

Where has this knowledge been all my life?! I was so excited to learn there was a dedicated space for me to practice fledgling outdoor skills with other women who were learning right along with me. Registration opened up at the end of January, and I was one of the first 20 people to sign up. (Have I mentioned that I love to plan and be prepared?)

I really wanted to take Intro to Firearms, but the only time it was offered was at the same as the lone Backpacking & Camping session. Next time!

 There were four different sessions available over the course of three days for Iowa's spring BOW program, and each session had multiple offerings. I studied the description for each session and finally settled on Backpacking & Camping, Hiking, Kayaking Basics, and Foraged Flavors. After that, there was not much to do except wait (impatiently) for the end of May.

And it was finally May! I was nervous as I lined up for the registration table at Wesley Woods Camp and Retreat Center. So many women seemed to come in groups or knew each other from past BOWs; I was by myself and knew no one.

However, it soon didn't matter that I didn't know anyone. All of the ladies were so welcoming, and I was soon joining groups for meals and even a game of Phase 10 one night!

My first session was Backpacking & Camping. The skill level of our group ranged from having never camped while backpacking (me) to camping pros. The wealth of knowledge in the group, along with the desire to learn, was so amazing. I learned how to fit a backcountry pack and try it out on a short hike around camp. I even got to practice setting up and starting a Dragonfly stove. It would have been highly intimidating to try to figure out myself, but I felt comfortable trying it in a group setting. The first day ended with s'mores and an optional night hike (and I did it!), and then I was up and at 'em for Day 2 and hiking.

Did you know that you can use a wide acorn cap as an emergency whistle? I didn't know this either until my hike on Day 2! (I have just Googled "acorn cap whistle" and received thousands of results, but every single person in my group was amazed at this newfound wisdom. It wasn't just me!) Not only did I find a sturdy acorn cap to take with me on future hikes, but I also practiced accurately identifying honeysuckle, wild garlic, and poison ivy. The honeysuckle blossom is one of nature's falsest advertisements; it does not taste like anything remotely similar to honey. The poison ivy I identified after tromping through a patch of it. Progress!

Our group wasn't keen on the honeysuckle, but we became eagle eyes in search of golden oyster mushrooms. We found several honey holes. The dark yellow mushrooms were ready to be harvested, but the whitish mushrooms were past their "best by" date. The discovery also taught us a lesson in the rule of thirds when foraging: take no more than a third of the total volume of a plant for yourself. This leaves the majority of the plant for wildlife and propagation.

Day 2 hike: Learning to identify some plants and enjoying the company of others in nature.

Since nearby Lake Ahquabi was drawn down for restoration, we were shuttled to Banner Lakes at Summerset State Park for my third session. Just like the word "cardio," water and I usually don't mix. But no more! It was time to start conquering the Seven Seas, beginning with a tiny lake!

Our instructors first started by showing us how to properly fit our life vests.  We also learned the different parts of the sit-in kayaks and basic paddle strokes. In what our group all hoped would be an extremely unlikely event, we even learned how to safely remove ourselves from the kayak if it flipped. All of this was on dry land; it was now time to test our skills.

I won't say I took to kayaking like a duck takes to water because that would be cliché and extremely lazy.

However, I will (cockily) say I took to kayaking like I'd been doing it for years. I could reverse my kayak, make it do a 360, and paddle quietly enough to get within five feet of a goose taking off from the water's surface. I'm not going white-water rafting anytime soon (don't worry, mom), but I now feel confident enough to take on the meandering river that snakes through my town.

My fourth session on Day 3 was all about foraging. Even though I love hiking and walking, I feel somewhat detached since I don't know exactly what I'm looking at when I'm outdoors. Ignorance is not bliss in this case. There are so many plants in rural Iowa--plants that are tasty, plants that can heal, and plants that should come with their own biohazard signs.

Already feeling overwhelmed with the sheer variety of plants just at Wesley Woods, our guide told us to start with two or three plants. We should really take several months to learn these plants, not just identify them. What do they look like in different seasons? What kind of stems or blossoms do they have? How do they smell? What's their leaf shape? Once those two or three plants have truly been learned, then it is time to begin again with new plants. Understanding what we're seeing and experiencing can help people feel more connected to our natural surroundings.

We ended our session by preparing and eating the wonderful foods we foraged. In addition to shagbark hickory bark soda (club soda added to the bark syrup) and floral ice cream, we dined on dandelion and stinging nettle greens (picked from the tops of the leaves and wilted first) along with golden oyster mushroom fondue. The whole stick of butter most definitely played a part, but I could have eaten that entire crock of fondue on my own. I am a mushroom convert!

I don't have many pictures of my BOW weekend because I was busy learning and having fun. Our guides were so excited to share their knowledge and interests (and learn from us too), and the atmosphere was so warm and welcoming. I still consider myself a tenderfoot after my first BOW,  but now I've got some calluses. Metaphorical calluses! (I love it when I can work in literary devices.) I am excited to get out into the wild and put my newfound knowledge to practical use...starting with making that mushroom fondue.

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The next Iowa BOW will be Feb. 10-12, 2023 at Camp Okoboji. If you're not near Iowa, find the nearet one near you here. I had so much fun at the spring BOW that I may have to rethink my "no winter activities" stance and join everyone in Okoboji!