The Orbis

In the increasingly urbanized, or more appropriately suburbanized, United States, it is difficult to escape from the concrete and air-conditioned jungle that most citizens call home; however, escapes from this strip-mall society are imperative for the maintenance of both health and sanity. Although sunny coastal locales are certainly a favorite for most Americans, I find that a more salutary destination is the woods, where spending a few days yields incalculable benefits, especially for those in need of a little soul searching or introspection.

That is why I make this recommendation to the Democratic Party: go backpacking for a week. Political pundits and columnists, with their all-encompassing solutions ever-present, have suggested myriad fixes to counter the recent downward slide of the Democrats, but I believe a little Thoreau-like time in the forest would be more beneficial than any of their "expert" proposals.

The value of the woods and the lessons it holds were ingrained in me from my early childhood, when my father took my brothers and me camping in a national forest in central Kentucky. I still heed their call whenever I can and embark on a trip for a few nights with only a backpack on my shoulders.

Away from the responsibility and pressures of daily life, the therapeutic silence of the forest is a perfect medium for extended introspection, an activity too often shunned in favor of pressing issues. Self-examination can yield important conclusions: what is really important in life, whether life has been lived in the best way possible and possible solutions if it has not.

Being on the trail also teaches more tangible skills like improvisation and wilderness survival skills as well as the value of planning appropriately for a variety of contingencies. After trusting my favorite Web site, weather.gov, a little too much and failing to bring adequate clothing on one trip, I now pack a few things regardless of what the extended forecast claims: an extra pair of SmartWool socks, a rain jacket, rope and duct tape. I have never encountered an equipment problem I couldn't fix with rope or duct tape, and my feet always thank me for one pair of clean, dry socks when all the rest are unexpectedly soiled.

One of the most significant lessons the woods have taught me is that deviation from the planned path is not always a bad thing. On a recent trip to the Ozarks, my extensive map reading skills led my party and me miles off the intended trail, but we found one of the best views of the entire trip, and we merely had to adjust our schedule for the next few days to make up for the lost time. The unexpected always occurs, and quick assessment followed by improvisation is the only way to deal with it.

I believe the Democratic leadership would benefit greatly from learning some of the same lessons I have in my backpacking experience. Reminded by last week's inauguration of their election failures, Democrats need to get out of Washington                 quickly and into the nearest forest; perhaps the Shenandoah Valley would work well. The aspiring figure of Sen. Obama can lead the troupe and while sitting around a campfire, he and other party leaders can engage in some serious self-examination. Away from lobbyists, polls and scheming Republicans, perhaps they could decide on a more effective strategy for 2006 and 2008, like avoiding a Kerry-repeat or a former first lady.

Maybe they would also learn some survival skills, so they won't continue to fold up under the pressure of the conservative spin machine that misconstrues their message to the average voter. Or maybe a wrong turn or wet socks might teach them a little about creative problem solving and appropriate planning. With the Republicans laying out an aggressive legislative agenda over the next two years, all Democrats should be packing a few extra pairs of SmartWools. Perhaps getting a little dirty and sweaty would also enable them to re-identify with the rural constituency that overwhelmingly supported the boot-wearing Bush.

Regardless of where or how they do it, the Dems need to learn a few fundamental lessons before they find themselves in the same position as many of America's national forests: cut to extinction by relentless Republican machinery.

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