While attending App State, Lauren Moody discovered her love for backpacking. On this episode of Appalachian Outdoorosity, Lauren shares some of her favorite experiences getting outside. Lauren and Joy also discuss the importance of making the outdoors a welcoming space for all.
Show Notes
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
https://outdoorafro.org/
https://latinooutdoors.org/
https://www.rei.com/blog/hike/pattie-gonia-backpacking-queen-releases-her-first-full-length-video
https://fatgirlshiking.com/
https://tnstateparks.com/parks/roan-mountain
Contact Information:
laurenlmoody@gmail.com
Instagram handle is @laurenl_m
Transcript
Becki Battista
Welcome to Appalachian Outdoorosity where we encourage you to get outside and KEEP going outside. Here we will share Appalachian State stories that entertain, inspire, and inform listeners about living an active outdoor lifestyle. Each episode features a story with the goal to get you outside and KEEP you going outside to improve your overall wellness. This
podcast is presented by the Hope Lab where our purpose is to investigate the role of outdoor physical activity, exercise, and play on health, the environment, and human development. The vision of the HOPE Lab is to continue developing the perfect foundation for promoting and supporting outdoor physical activity, exercise, and play through interdisciplinary research. Feel free to check us out on hopelab.appstate.edu
Hi, my name is Becki Battista, a professor in Exercise Science and self-proclaimed physical activity addict. I am your host for the Appalachian Outdoorosity podcast today.
On today’s interview, team member Dr. Joy James, a professor in Recreation Management, interviews Lauren Moody.
Appalachian State University student Lauren Moody, of Marietta, Georgia, was recognized for outstanding leadership and service — she was the recipient of a 2020 Community Impact Student Award from North Carolina Campus Compact, a statewide network of colleges and universities committed to community engagement. While at the University she picked up the hobby of backpacking. Listen as she shares her experience and thoughts on how to make the outdoors a space for all.
Joy James
We want to welcome you to our podcast, Lauren, and thank you so much for being willing to talk to us today.
Lauren Moody
Yeah, thank you. I'm excited. I'm a little nervous, but excited to be here.
Joy James
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself, what your major is, where you're from, and what year you are here at App?
Lauren Moody
Yeah. So I am a senior here and it's exciting going into my last year. Yeah, I'm originally from outside of Atlanta, Georgia, so I'm about like five, 6 hours away from Boone, so a little bit far from home. I'm actually an interdisciplinary studies major, so it's a little wacky but kind of fun and cool. My program of study focuses on community development, so the way I view community development in like how I've kind of approached my program study is looking at really how culture influences the way communities develop and like how culture kind of converges with different things like government and like economic policy and how it all comes together to affect like how people build physical institutions in community, but also like that sociological sense of belonging.
Joy James
Sounds like you’re going to be doing a lot of community building and work in the future.
Lauren Moody
Yes, definitely.
Joy James
That's the goal. One other question. What are your favorite outdoor activities?
Lauren Moody
Backpacking, definitely, because I think it's just like a really cool, immersive experience outdoors. But just on a day-to-day basis, because you can go backpacking every day or like every weekend, I really do just enjoy going on like a good walk outside, just being in nature because I think that's one of the really important parts of advocating for people spending time outdoors. It doesn't have to be this big intimidating thing like backpacking. It can just be going to the Greenway and going for a walk.
Joy James
Absolutely. I agree with you. I love doing all those things. But like you said, with the planning and day to day are only an hour at a time. It's nice to be able to have those green spaces to go out to and just kind of do the outdoors.
Lauren Moody
Definitely.
Joy James
How did you first get interested in outdoors or nature or being able to enjoy these types of activities?
Lauren Moody
Yeah. So before coming to Appalachian State, I definitely had a deep appreciation for outdoor spaces. My family, when I was growing up, spent a fair amount of time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the most beautiful place ever. It's somewhere that's really important, especially to like my dad's side of the family, him and like his dad had always gone on fly fishing trips there.
Then it became something that was important to like my individual family as well. My brother's name is Jackson even, which I always think he's named like for Jackson Hole. I'm never exactly sure I should check with my parents on that. I think he is literally named for Jackson Hole. So, it's a place that is very important to my family and we have a lot of great shared memories there. But yeah, so that's kind of where I guess I developed my appreciation for just being able to spend time in places that seemed less touched by other things in the world, being from outside of Atlanta or living in a suburb, it is city life. I think city life is great. But there's also this other aspect of appreciating the wilderness. Before coming to App State, that's kind of been my relationship with the outdoors, but I didn't necessarily participate in a ton of outdoor recreation.
I'd go on like hikes sometimes, but I never backpacked until freshman year. So yeah, that's when I went on my first backpacking trip and yeah, it was just a super cool experience and it became something that I really have enjoyed doing and get a lot out of.
Joy James
Cool. Two things. Did you ever fly fish?
Lauren Moody
I have done fly fishing before. Yeah. I would go sometimes with my dad and my brother when we were at Jackson Hole. Yeah. I mean, it's not something where like, oh my gosh, this is the best thing ever. I would like to do it more because I think it's interesting. And like, like I said, it's something that's important to my dad, especially and his dad and even my brother now. So it's something I definitely would like to do more one day, but I have not done a ton of fly fishing.
Joy James
Well, the reason I asked about some of the research that I've done in the past looks at how people become comfortable in outdoor settings and in particular activities like hunting and fishing don't always translate into the female experience. Unless they have a father or a brother or significant other who might take them out. Then the fact that you've had some of that base experience outdoors and doing some fishing made you comfortable so that you could be uncomfortable in backpacking, right? Like it was building up that skill set. And so kind of transitioning over to your backpacking. It sounds like that's become a passion of yours. How did you find out about it? At App like I mean, what got you? What was the trip or what did you do that kind of lift the fire for you.
Lauren Moody
Yeah. So freshman year it was, it was a big group of people, it was a pretty big group to go backpacking. I want to say it was eight people, which is like a pretty big group, but it was just a group of people I'd been hanging out with. And about half of the people that went on that trip had previous backpacking experience. The other half myself included, had no experience. So it was definitely interesting. That trip as a whole, can I go into it? It was a wild trip, but it remains one of my favorite backpacking memories just because of how wild and kind of poorly planned it was. It turned out to be great. I obviously really enjoyed myself. It was Mount Mitchell outside of Asheville area. We did the Black Mountain Crest Trail; I think it's called. I remember I wasn't really involved in the process of picking the trail or anything because, like, what do I know? I knew that was the trail we were doing and I looked it up before we left. I remember reading it was only for expert hikers. This trail is extremely strenuous. But I never said anything because I was like, “Oh, maybe we were just like not doing that part of the trail. It'll be fine.” But yeah. So, we started hiking at four in the afternoon, maybe, and I think we were planning on hiking like three miles. That was supposed to be like three miles into a campsite and we just could not find the campsite. We just kept on hiking and hiking. The trail was extremely strenuous. It goes over, I think it's like three like ridges. So it'd be like, you're going to go straight up and like, straight down, straight up, straight down. Pretty much. No in between. It’s a ton of rock scrambling. At one point there's even like a rope you have to use to, like, gently repel yourself down.
We just kept on hiking and we were like, “Oh my gosh, where is this campsite?” We were hiking into the night. It was probably like ten when we finally found our campsite. One guy didn't even have hiking boots on. He was wearing sneakers. So yeah, it was just definitely a wild first backpacking experience. I think that's kind of what made it so great. I was like, “Holy crap, I've never done anything like this before. And like, this trail's really hard and like, I'm really struggling and it's difficult, but like, I'm still getting a lot out of it, having a lot of growth from it.”
Joy James
I'm glad you explained that because part of the question a lot of people ask is like, why would you put a backpack on that is 35, 45 pounds, go up and down hills into the darkness and still want to come out doing it again.
Lauren Moody
Yeah, it's a lot I always love. It's like I think it's a recreation management theory, like type one versus type two fun. I love that theory. I think I like backpacking. For me, it definitely has type one fun aspects to it, but it's also a ton of type two fun.
Joy James
Could you help our listeners? What do you mean by type one and type two?
Lauren Moody
Yeah. So, Type one fun. The way I understand it, type one fun is like you're having fun while you're doing the activities. You’re doing it and you're like, “This is great. Nothing's wrong right now. I'm having a great time.” And then Type two fun is during the experience. So, you may be like, “Gosh, this is so hard. I am really struggling. I maybe don't want to be doing this anymore, but like I'm going to push through.” But then you're able to look back on the experience and be like, “Huh! I actually gained a lot out of that. And like even though it was hard, it was good that I did that.”
Joy James
Cool, perfect. Did anyone tell you how to pack your backpack or how did you get your gear? Like, if you've never done it before, how did you go about figuring it out to be able to even get out to the trail?
Lauren Moody
Thankfully, like I said, about half of those people that went on the trip had previous backpacking experience. So, they were able to give me some guidance. And also, my brother had gone to Appalachian State and he was still here in my freshman year. He was a recreation management major largely involved with outdoor programs. He gave me one of his old backpacks. He was also super helpful in the process of preparing me for it, letting me borrow gear and stuff.
Joy James
Recreation majors are all over. I didn't realize you were related to one. I'll ask you about that later.
Lauren Moody
Okay. haha
Joy James
So how many more backpacking trips have you done and have they always been kind of with a group of friends or have you done anything kind of formally with OP or other outfitters?
Lauren Moody
I have not done any with any formal organizations or anything. I would like to one day because I think it's just a totally different experience for sure. Yeah. They all so far have been just with a group of friends or like with my brother. Yeah, but I would one day love to do a trip with an outfitter. I'm definitely interested in solo backpacking. Ooh. Yeah.
Joy James
What are you thinking, AT, Pacific Crest or…?
Lauren Moody
I have been looking into the Pacific Crest Trail a little bit. I don't know if I'll ever actually do it, but I'm definitely interested in it. I think it obviously is an incredibly life changing experience and is an incredibly difficult experience. I kind of like Pacific Crest Trail over the Appalachian Trail, even though they're both obviously incredibly super cool trails and have a lot to offer.
Lauren Moody
This past spring break I was on a backpacking trip where we were on the Appalachian Trail for a few miles and we actually stayed in a shelter on the AT, which was cool because we got to meet through hikers and get to know a little bit about Appalachian Trail culture. But I think the PCT seems a little bit more interesting.
Joy James
So, and then how did you know about the PCT before I asked you or the Appalachian Trail. Is that just your friends again. Is that how you heard about it?
Lauren Moody
Yeah, most of my friends I didn't know much about the PCT until quarantine, actually. It was like, I don't know why. Started looking up stuff about it in quarantine, but it became kind of something. I started researching a little bit. I think I've seen the movie 'Wild' way back in the day and I want to read that book.
Joy James
I would say you need to read that book.
Lauren Moody
Uh huh, yeah. And it's on my list for sure.
Joy James
Another one that's a fun book is, of course, I'm not going to be able to think about it. It's a funny book about a guy. He goes on AT and is overpacked and dumps a lot of stuff. It's less self-help and more funny than ‘Wild’ is. And if I think of it, I'll try to remember before I stopped talking to you.
Becki Battista
Isn’t Lauren great? I think Joy was ready to go backpacking with her! As you think about what Lauren shared, a short walk in nature can be as impactful as a 3-day backpacking trip! Research shows that being outdoors can help with reducing anxiety, stress and increased academic performance! Daily contact with nature not only helps with stress and fitness, it can help you develop comfort in outdoor environments. She also mentions her discomfort with her first backpacking trip. Yet through the struggles she felt she gained confidence in herself as well as had fun despite the challenge.
Today’s podcast is brought to you by the Hope Lab. One of the goals of the Hope Lab is to further understand the impacts of being outside on both physical and mental health and increasing access to the outdoors. Visit appstate.hopelab.edu to learn more.
Let’s go back to the interview with Lauren and Joy where they begin to discuss why the outdoors may be intimidating and not as welcoming. Lauren is an advocate for the outdoor space being inclusive. Lauren asks the question: what am I not doing to make outdoor spaces inclusive?
Joy James
You talked about your major and you're interested in terms of the physical community as well as the kind of the cultural community is backpacking that for you? Is there a community that's kind of that you feel that you're a part of or is it something that's kind of personal for you? Like, how do you see it in the context of your major or your interest as building a community?
Lauren Moody
Yeah, I was actually glad you asked this question. There's some thoughts and feelings I have in relation to outdoor or community building that I was hoping to get to share and talk about, especially in light of what's going on with the Black Lives Matter movement and how that connects to making all spaces in our life more inclusive.
Lauren Moody
And I think that it’s definitely an issue or like a barrier to people getting involved in outdoor spaces is that it's a space that's predominantly dominated by white men or like white people in general, but specifically like white able bodied, cisgender men. So, I think in respect to community building, in outdoor spaces, it's like how can we make it more inclusive for people in BIPOC communities or people that aren't traditionally able bodied. So, I think there's all these different things that go into it and it's like I haven't necessarily felt like unwelcomed in outdoors because I'm white, like I'm cisgender and like I'm traditionally able bodied, but I definitely see it being a space that can be really intimidating for a lot of people to come into.
Joy James
Is there something you could recommend to help us as outdoor professionals or if I’m not able bodied or cisgender or any of those things, how could I get involved or find people who look like me doing this?
Lauren Moody
Yeah. So, I definitely am not an expert on this. It's just something I like and have become interested in especially. With everything going on and like seeing how we can make all these spaces in our life more inclusive. There is an organization that I actually am a monthly donor to that I think is definitely worth people looking more into and like the work they do and what they advocate for. It's called Soul Track Outdoors and it's based out of Washington DC. They do work predominantly in Washington DC, but they like to hold programs that predominantly work on getting people in BIPOC communities involved in outdoor recreation. So, looking for groups like that that are local to your community and have people that look like you and maybe a group like that doesn't exist. So then it's like it's kind of on us as people that do like exist comfortably in the outdoors to look at ourselves and say, “What am I doing to make this a more inclusive space and what am I doing that makes this space feel not inclusive?” I don't know if I have the answer to that. What can we do to make it more inclusive for people that aren't traditionally represented in the outdoors?
Joy James
You know, I think, Lauren, what's so interesting, what you're saying is like, I don't have the answer, but I think we should be thinking about it and figuring out ways to be more inclusive or be more comfortable or start talking, having the conversation and inviting people to these experiences. Like you were invited to your backpacking trip and how do I present it so someone doesn't think I'm crazy that I'm taking 50 pounds and going hiking? And because it could be perceived differently from a cultural perspective. Why would I want to go there with everybody. Yeah. A couple of resources in case you're interested. And just for our listeners as well, there's a group, a woman named Rue Mapp started something called Outdoor Afro. Hmm. And it is what she creates. She's trying to show that black people are in the outdoor settings as well as trying to create spaces so more people are willing to come in and join.
So she has done some amazing things with her organization. I definitely would check that out in terms of how she's been trying to build community within the outdoors and then Latino Outdoors kind of mimicked what Outdoor Afro is doing. I'd heard of Soul Trak and then I knew more recently there's a group, a gentleman who's a reporter and a professor, and he calls it The Joy Trip. And he recently had a panel discussion on black people in national parks. These are panelists who were pretty prominent in the field, all started by a young woman probably your age, just recently graduated who was like, I want to see more people like me in parks and how do we start having these discussions. So, it was nice for me to know that these discussions are going and the frustration is that the discussions are still going. And we want to move it, move the dial. And then one last thing I think is important for you that you'll appreciate as well as our listeners. Have you heard of Pattie Gonia?
Lauren Moody
Hmm. Yes.
Joy James
And she actually was here. They did an event through the student affairs.
Lauren Moody
I saw that but I didn't get to go to it.
Joy James
I Know I missed it too. I was disappointed because it's been fascinating following her on Instagram and for those of you that are with Pattie Gonia, go check it out on Instagram and it's LGBT. I don't know what their identity is other than dresses. It's a male who dresses and becomes Pattie Gonia and it's just the best name to watch his progress and how he's also been getting sponsors from outdoor places to be able to kind of expose everybody to that space.
And be more inviting. So, I think. Yeah.
Lauren Moody
And also they do a lot of advocacy for things like climate change and things of that nature. Like I think Patagonia came out with a video on Earth Day. Have you seen it? I have. It's phenomenal. And I go back and I watch that video sometimes because it just makes me feel tingly inside because I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, that's what it's all about. Like us coming together to solve these issues.
Joy James
Well, it's been fun for me to see that outdoor space used and conceived of in a different way. And I think some of my challenges as a cisgender white woman have been, well, this is how I use it and this is how I always envision that was being used. So, to see these spaces being used in different ways and still valued is what's important at the heart of us being able to protect natural areas. All right. Well, Lauren, so we have this other segment that we're going to end every podcast with, and it's called The Dirt on Getting Outside.
Lauren Moody
Okay.
Joy James
What we're wondering is, what is your biggest fear in the outdoors?
Lauren Moody
Okay. It's absolutely bears. I have a very, very deep fear of bears. Yeah, I haven't seen one yet. And, like, I feel like that makes it like…there's just like a buildup to like when I actually do see one. But yeah, I was in the Great Smoky Mountains for a spring break, which is like a very bear, heavy area. And I was like, okay, this is like, it's going to be the time I finally see a bear and I'm going to freak out. But I didn't see one. So, yeah, I have an incredible fear of bears.
Joy James
I hope your first experience with a bear is positive.
Lauren Moody
Thank you. Yeah, I don't know. It's just like I think bears are like they can basically do anything but fly. Like, they're just the most like, I don't know, the strongest creatures that exist. They're so terrifying to me.
Joy James
Understood, I will tell you, I'm more afraid of bears in the West than I am black bears here.
Lauren Moody
Grizzly bears. Yeah! are like a whole different thing.
Joy James
Yeah, it's a whole other level of fear for me. I agree with you. It's. It's it's. Yeah. So our next question is, what is your most embarrassing moment outdoors?
Lauren Moody
Oh, I don't know. I have to think about this. Just like in general. And, like, I guess this is something, like, interesting to talk about, and, like, even, like, me feeling intimidated in my outdoor spaces, even though, like, I am someone that has a ton of people that look like me, that participate in it, like I don't consider myself a traditionally athletic person. So it is intimidating for me sometimes to like go on these super long hikes and feel like I get more tired than everyone else does.
Lauren Moody
I'm a super slow hiker and like that, I kind of feel embarrassed a lot of times. I'm like, Oh, I'm so slow and everyone else feels like, so much quicker than me. So I don't know. That's not like a moment.
Joy James
No, but you know what? I think you're dead on. I always felt like I'm not going fast enough or I'm not able to keep up. And while it may not be embarrassing, it is an internal, um, kind of, it maybe is an internal embarrassment. And how do I overcome that or keep going out and not beat myself up.
Lauren Moody
Yeah, for sure. You have to overcome it, but it definitely is hard when you're like, “yeah, you feel like all these other people, like they just killed that hike and like x number of times and I'm back here struggling.” Yeah, it's definitely intimidating.
Joy James
That's the word. Yeah, I'm intimidated by it. But, you know, the only thing I would say to you is you're still out there doing it and someone else is not out there doing it. So that is the great thing. What is a must have outdoor tip or item you would take with you if you're going to go backpacking and like what can you not live without when you're on an outdoor backpacking trip?
Lauren Moody
This is an interesting question too. Maybe toilet paper.
I know a lot of people are super intimidated by pooping in the outdoors and like it's super intimidating experience the first time you do it. But I think that everyone should poop in the outdoors basically. I think it's a must have experience in your life. But yeah, I've talked to so many people that have been on multi-day backpacking trips and they're like, I did not poop the whole time because I couldn't bring myself to do it. But I think it's something you should push yourself to do.
Joy James
Agreed. All right. What is your favorite local spot?
Lauren Moody
One of my favorite places. Or like maybe my favorite place I've ever been backpacking, even though I've been backpacking them like Zion in Utah, which is like the most beautiful place. But Roan Mountain, I think, is just a ridiculously beautiful place. And it's also a really great beginner backpacking trip. It's definitely a must go spot because it's accessible to like a lot of different people and also just incredibly beautiful. One of the most beautiful sunrises I've ever seen was on Roan.
Joy James
Roan is like 45 minutes from here. So it's Roan Mountain State Park in Tennessee. Did you do that or was it the Catawba gardens and then you went up that trail? I can't remember if it is the Art Loeb Trail or?
Lauren Moody
I don’t know what it is called, we went to the highest bluff. I think. So it's only like I think, I don't know, maybe like two and a half or like three miles up on the highest bluff. But then you can keep on going. And I think you hit the Appalachian Trail and there's like there's a huge shelter on it, but I haven't been up that far.
Joy James
Okay, so you've made it all the way to that bluff for that beautiful sunrise. (speaking fades out as music rises)
Becki Battista
The outdoors is not always a space that feels welcoming due to a variety of reasons - weather, critters, no cell service, risky, difficult and more. Lauren was able to get into backpacking because some friends invited her into the space and she felt comfortable in outdoor settings. In all recreation, we seek the ability to choose what we enjoy and sometimes that choice is constrained by barriers. Two such barriers are if you do not see people who look like you (gender, identity, BIPOC & etc.) and you do not feel comfortable in outdoor environments. Lauren has some great insights into beginning to overcome these two barriers. For people who are comfortable outdoors, let’s invite people into these spaces with us! For those of us who need to build our comfort level in outdoor settings, take a walk daily on the Greenway or across campus which can help build your comfort in nature. Find social media that builds community and helps you find others who are getting outdoors. Lauren and Joy mentioned several organizations that are helping to connect people with each other to enjoy outdoor spaces See our notes for this episode for links to help you get connected with these organizations.
We want to thank Lauren for sharing her experiences and insights. Thank you for listening to our show today. Remember “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass — it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
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