10 Tips:
For Becoming Popular With COP Trip Leaders
By Ann Gerckens
We've printed quite a few articles about leading trips over the years. Now lets talk about you, the trip participant. There are several things you can do to improve the trip for yourself and your fellow participants.
Pick a trip that is within your capabilities. It's OK to stretch yourself an inch or so. However, it is dangerous to yourself and to the group if you try to stretch an entire foot in one step.
Call the leader in a timely manner. In other words, if it's the Thursday night before an out-of-state trip that leaves Friday, your participation will probably not be accepted. It is not reasonable to expect the leader to make last minute changes in logistics.
If you said you were going - GO! It is not unusual for other members to be turned down for a trip because it is full. Once you've committed to going, you have an obligation to go, or to cancel early enough for someone else to take your place.
Read the information provided. When the information says the trip is rugged, strenuous, and for experienced people only, don't say to yourself, "Gee, it can't be that bad. I'll just call and say I have experience, even though I don't." This is dangerous to you and fellow group members. No one will have fun, either.
When the information provided says "be at X point at Y time", be sure YOU are "at X point at Y time". Don't keep everyone waiting for you. Don't expect that the leader is going to give you a private review of everything said at that point and time if you were not there.
Trip leaders are exactly that: Trip leaders. They did not volunteer to baby sit you. Take responsibility for yourself and your gear. Pitch in on the group tasks, read the information you are given, and follow the instructions provided.
If you intend to pay for your trip with a check, run that by the leader before the trip. Many leaders use the cash participants provide to pay for the costs of the trips. Don't expect them to carry several hundred dollars cash to cover all the costs of the weekend for everyone.
Bring appropriate clothing and gear. You won't enjoy having to spend the day on the riverbank because you forgot your spray skirt. Likewise, if you were awake all night because you didn't bring enough warm clothing and gear, you are likely to be grumpy and accident-prone.
Bring snacks! Hungry people are hard to get along with and are accident-prone. Keep some munchies accessible so you can snack as needed without the group having to stop.
Remember that you have joined a group. The group provides you with a measure of safety, companionship and assistance. It is your obligation to return the same. Do your best, give your best, be your best.
The biggest problem leaders cite when they quit leading trips is problem participants. Please don't be one of them!