A Class on the Rocks (and Trails)

Physical Education 1120 is an experiential learning class offered at Middle Tennessee State University every semester, better known as 'Backpacking & Hiking.'

Taught by adjunct professor Johnny Ruhl, the students meet once a week throughout the semester to learn the basics of surviving off the grid.

The class entails two basic mottos, the purpose and the maxim.

The purpose is to make sure everyone else is having a good time.

The maxim is that nobody's done until everyone's done.

This course is about so much more than surviving in the woods. It's about human connection, taking care of those around you, and learning how to be content with what you have.

This class is taught exclusively offline, the grades mostly being attendance and participation. One huge participation grade- the final trip at the end of the semester.

On April 25, students met and drove to Tennessee's Savage Gulf State Natural Area, about 1.5 hours from Murfreesboro. There, two campsites were reserved and waiting for them.

In an 8-mile round trip, 'survivors,' as Johnny calls his students, stayed at Stone Door Camp the first night and Alum Gap Camp the second, carrying all of their gear in packs, and returning home on Sunday, April 27.

Throughout the trip, survivors put their course knowledge to the test- cooking meals on portable stoves, tying knots to support tarps and tents, packing their bags efficiently, keeping water supply, and practicing the four basic elements of staying comfortable in the woods:

Staying warm, dry, fed, and mobile.

This semester, Johnny was unable to participate in the final trip, making it an extracurricular activity as MTSU cannot host a function without a faculty member. Thus, the trip became optional for students.

Out of the 12 registered students, six attended. Out of the six, four stayed the whole three days.