What to do with a 14 year old boy???

[stag3]

Well, I couldn't find an exact forum, so I deceided this might be the place.

I need to introduced a 14 year old boy to the outdoors. He has never hiked, missed Boy Scouts, and thinks the world revolves around dirt bikes. My bet is that if I can get him into some fun and moderately challenging outdoor adventures, he might see a different form of recreation.

I am looking for about a 5 day outing-maybe 2 days of backpacking and then 3 days of white water rafting. The location doesn't matter. I don't have a blank check, but cost is secondary to a quality experience for him.

So, do any of you have a suggestion on where to go and how to arrange for a guide or a group? Thanks-this is important.

[Trail Dog]

What location are you looking for?

Also is the kid excited or does he seem not to be interested in the upcomming trip. If he doesn't seem excited you might be better off with day hikes, and canoe trips before you vanish into the woods for two days and plundge down the rapids. Bad weather, cold water or any number of things could just end up leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

Good luck

[Heater]

Well, I couldn't find an exact forum, so I deceided this might be the place.

I need to introduced a 14 year old boy to the outdoors. He has never hiked, missed Boy Scouts, and thinks the world revolves around dirt bikes. My bet is that if I can get him into some fun and moderately challenging outdoor adventures, he might see a different form of recreation.

I am looking for about a 5 day outing-maybe 2 days of backpacking and then 3 days of white water rafting. The location doesn't matter. I don't have a blank check, but cost is secondary to a quality experience for him.

So, do any of you have a suggestion on where to go and how to arrange for a guide or a group? Thanks-this is important.

Hike on the Colorado Trail and then go Whitewater rafting on the Arkansas River. They are real close to each other.

http://www.farflungoutdoorcenter.com/colorado.html

[AbeHikes]

Good luck with it, but remember that you can lead a horse to water... Despite your best efforts, he may hate it. Hopefully, he'll be able to appreciate the natural world moving by at a much slower pace.

[TN_Hiker]

Check out a Venturing Crew w/ the Boy Scouts. Venturing is a co-ed (ages 14-20) whose emphasis is "high adventure". This is not your typical Boy Scout Troop and no prior Scouting experience is required. If your interested you can contact your local Boy Scout Council. I can give you a contact ph. number if desired.

[gsingjane]

14 year old boys are as great as they are horrible, in equal measures. Mysterious, maddening, but wonderful all the same. A boy's mind in a soon-to-be (or already!) man's body - yikes, what a combination! But when things go well, they go so so well.

How have I motivated my own 14 year old? Well, it helps to bring lots of chocolate. Bring lots of food in general, teenage boys eat more than we adults! I don't personally permit electronics (GameBoys, IPODs, etc.) on trips, but if he'd be lost without it, let him bring it and then promise to only bring it out in camp. Hike to and from high points - say, there is something special in another 1/2 mile or whatever, to keep his interest and motivation up. Realize that somebody brought up on Star Wars and massive special effects and the instant gratification of video games is going to have a harder, but not impossible, time appreciating things like waterfalls and wildflowers. Incorporate a little "non-dangerous danger" into your hikes - rock climbing, fording streams, even tree climbing - teenagers love that kind of stuff! Unless he's really and truly out of shape, he'll have more endurance than you expect. Fishing is cool. Seeing animals like snakes is even cooler (of course, that's a matter of luck.) Unless you don't trust the trail or figure he'll get lost, sort of let him hike at his own pace. I usually let my kids get pretty far out ahead of me, it gives us both a break and lets them feel some independence. Be sensitive to whether he wants to talk, or not. My daughter keeps up a running line of chatter (to the point that we have to schedule "quiet breaks") whereas my son will hike along and not say a word from hour to hour. But sometimes kids like to talk to pass the time, so be prepared to hear lots of movie plots and dream re-tellings.

Most important, take him out for a greasy, fabulous dinner when all is said and done. And have a great time!

Jane in CT

[timhines]

well, if you are interested in doing part of the AT you could hike to the NOC and stay there a couple days. You can whitewater raft (on a very easy river, great for first timers), rent mountain bikes, or even rent road bikes. They have a ropes course and other things to do as well. www.noc.com (http://www.noc.com)

(FYI, my family no longer holds stock in this company. That was just a free plug!)

:-)

[MOWGLI]

A boy's mind in a... man's body - yikes, what a combination!

Doesn't that describe the majority of the male population? :rolleyes:

[Just Jeff]

But sometimes kids like to talk to pass the time, so be prepared to hear lots of movie plots and dream re-tellings.

Here's a secret you may already know but really helps me pass the hiking time when my son keeps talking longer than I'd like him to. There's a difference between hearing and listening. When he's on a rampage about his newest video game, I just let him go on and on...basically ignoring him. Enough "oh yeah" and "really" comments peppered here and there keeps him thinking I'm really into it, but I get to concentrate on the wilderness
instead.

That way, he feels like he's free to talk to me about whatever he wants and I still get to enjoy the scenery. It's a win-win. Obviously, I don't ignore my son all the time and we have some pretty heavy talks in the woods, but when I realized that I could quit asking him to be quiet and let him ramble like he wants to, we both had more fun out there. And other times I ask for a quiet break, explaining that we'll see more wildlife that way. He's pretty receptive to that if he doesn't think I'm just trying to get him to be quiet!

[Nearly Normal]

Foothills Trail in South Carolina.
pete

[rhjanes]

I'll second the Venture Crew vote. You're also in Texas. Consider getting with a venture crew. They do "saturday" stuff. and then on spring break or three day weekends, go off for an overnite.

Also, check out Orienteering. My daughter and I started doing this with some ROTC/Venture Crew kids. Having a GREAT time!!! Even soaked in the Rain!!! Just takes as little as a few hours on a Saturday, up to two day events. You can do it with him, as a team, or individual. You can just have fun, or get real serious and go for the competition! My daughter and I did the team thing twice. then, decided to try individual and go for the competition. First time out....I got lost and STILL got second place! (IN the old mans, easiest course....but made me feel good). Daughter got fourth and was wet and mad about some of the "brain mistakes".....but still had fun.

check out Venture Crews and also Orienteering down there.

[weary]

Well, I couldn't find an exact forum, so I deceided this might be the place.

I need to introduced a 14 year old boy to the outdoors. He has never hiked, missed Boy Scouts, and thinks the world revolves around dirt bikes. My bet is that if I can get him into some fun and moderately challenging outdoor adventures, he might see a different form of recreation.

I am looking for about a 5 day outing-maybe 2 days of backpacking and then 3 days of white water rafting. The location doesn't matter. I don't have a blank check, but cost is secondary to a quality experience for him.

So, do any of you have a suggestion on where to go and how to arrange for a guide or a group? Thanks-this is important.
I wouldn't start with a five day outing. Take a few afternoon walks to the most exciting forested areas you can find. Or maybe a mountain summit or two, first.

I would look for a hiking orientated young persons group. Most AMC chapters have a variety of hikes. Hiking groups outside of AMC territory I suspect have the same.

Or organize a day hike or two that includes kids his age. The kids will either take to the outdoors or not. But it's better to introduce it to him a bit at a time.

Hmmm. Now that I've offered you this sage advice, I remember how I introduced my 9-year-old grandson to his first outdoor adventure. I just planned a 30-day hike to the summit of Katahdin starting 283 miles away at near the New Hampshire border.

Weary

[Tinker]

Take him hiking up a trail used by off road cyclists, in the rain. Teach him about taking responsibility for your actions. Hopefully, your hike will end at some quiet, scenic lake which the vehicles cannot reach, then teach him to be comfortable with quietness, to use his eyes to appreciate beauty, his nose to smell the earth and clean air, to be thankful for a hot meal or drink, in short, to learn to love the small pleasures in life, so that, if later in life he must do without, he can live with less because he has found his place in this beautiful creation.

The fewer people involved, the greater the impact will be upon his life. It's too easy to search out an enabler in a group.

[Programbo]

I`d start with some day hikes first for sure...I wouldn`t take someone inexperienced out for the first time on a multi-day trip

[Blissful]

I agree with starting slow and building interest. My son is now 15 1/2 but we started him with his first two day backpacking trip to Franconia Falls in the White Mountains when he was 10. It was an easy flat trail, lots of swimming, fun food, etc. He loved having a campfire too (in designated places). He still complained about the backpack, esp when he fell and a strap broke, but we kept going. We did day trips then got him an internal frame pack which he really liked. Last year we started some section hiking of the AT and he really complained at first. Until we got him an IPOD and he has been as happy as a clam with his music. He also liked the comraderie of the other hikers we met at the shelters.

So if he likes music, let him bring his player. And maybe have a buddy go along too that's around his age to keep him motivated. They like the competition.

[Moxie00]

Where he is 14 if you hike in Virginia stay away ferm "The Priest".

[River Runner]

If you'd like to experience some wild, wonderful West Virginia, I'd recommend this rafting company:

http://www.awrafts.com

They can also hook you up with some other adventures in the area - horseback riding, mountain biking, rock climbing, and more.

There is plenty of hiking in the area too. You could check out some trails here:

http://www.slackpacker.com/map_wv.html

I wouldn't recommend three days rafting if he's never done it before. Paddling can be pretty tiring and he may get sore. I'd recommend varying things up a bit and leave some time just to explore by driving around, fishing, swimming and taking him to some non-active entertainment in between active days so you don't burn him out.

[saimyoji]

Consider your relationship with him. Judging by your age difference, is he your grandson? This might be a good bonding opportunity as well. I used to love it when my grandpa would take me fishing.

Your relationship might allow you to encourage/push him a little further. Without this, you might piss him off and lose him completely. In this case I would second taking it real slow. Maybe spend a few days in the outdoors, but car camp it. Let him bring his 'toys' and eat at restaraunts a few times.
Maybe rent a small camper so you have the option of sleeping 'indoors' if things get too much for him.

How about letting him bring a buddy along? Or arrange a trip with someone you know has a cute daughter his age. Nothing motivates a 14 yr old boy than trying to impress a cute 14 yr old girl!

[saimyoji]

Now I see you are in Houston. There are some great oppotunities in Big Bend. Do a search. Good luck.

I'm already indoctrinating my 3 yr old. We're now at the point where she'd rather walk in the woods than go to Toys R Us. :D

[Newb]

Find him a place where there are 14 year old girls and you'll have him hooked.

[LIhikers]

When you say his world revolves around dirt bikes are you talking motor bike or bicycle. If it's the later you might try what me and my son enjoyed together. We did week long bicycle, camping trips during his teen years. We'd spend the winter planning where to ride, laying out a route from campground to campground, and doing maintenance on our bicycles together. Then come spring we'd start riding together. We'd start slow and easy and the rule was that we'd have to have at least 500 miles of training rides to get in shape. Then as time got close to leave we'd get out our gear and see what needed repairing or replacing and take care of that. As all of this pretrip preparation was going on we'd be thinking of a name for our adventure. Once we'd decide that, I'd have brightly colored tee shirts made with the name of our adventure on them. One year it was "the search for the beginning of the wind". Our daily routine would be to wake up, eat and break camp. We'd spend the day on the road covering about 60 miles. That gave us plenty of time to stop whereever we felt like it, find a diner for lunch so he could eat his fill and we could both enjoy airconditioning, stop at a grocery store for the fixins for dinner, and get to a campground before dark.

We had some great days and some misearable days together. Now that he's 27 years old we still sometimes talk about the things that happened on our trips. Now if I could only get him to put on a backpack.................

[maxNcathy]

I was hooked on motorcycles when 14 too...

Maybe you could combine a riding trip with a camping trip...Let him ride and ride and ride... later have a relaxed time around the campfire and tent out and eat big. My 3 boys loved having a campfire.

Good luck, Max

[kyhipo]

I took my nephew hiking along the sheltowee trace trail,He loved to eat so I bought gobs of food he brought his fishing pole and we had a great time,I learned not to be the bossy uncle jim but more of his friend listened and let him take the lead in most of our hikes.:) ky