By Nada Sewidan

From sightseeing in the Grand Canyon, to eight mile hikes in Utah’s Canyonland and mountain biking in Moab, students from CSUSM’s recreational club had a lot to enjoy during their adventurous spring break.

Students Gabriel Escobedo and Brenda Ferro were among 11 others who attended the spring break trip hosted by CSUSM’s Campus Recreation. The week long trip was both recreational and educational.

Gabriel Escobedo, Intramural Coordinator of Campus Recreation, said that one of the best moments on the trip was mountain biking in Moab. Escobedo described how crazy mountain biking could be in Moab. A great deal of people travel from around the world to experience mountain biking here.

Escobedo explained how different mountain biking was because of shifting gears and the changing terrain, and how a person tends to get absorbed in the moment.

“With mountain biking you focus on the moment and forget about any stresses, about homework and whatever else is going on in your life,” Escobedo said.

It isn’t only about being adventurous, the trip also allowed students to interact with nature and learn to appreciate it. Escobedo explained how important it is to experience nature and step outside of the everyday life.

“Experiencing how life is like outside of our cars, outside of iPhones and interacting with nature itself is important,” Escobedo said. “It is realizing that there is truly something there in nature to preserve.”

The spring break trip also had its educational moments where students were taught principles used when experiencing the wilderness. Escobedo explained how the staff presented these principles through activities, films and group discussions.

Whether it was hiking, sightseeing or mountain biking, the truly memorable aspect of the trip was the connections that were forged and the friendships made along the way. Escobedo expressed how much he enjoyed the group of students that accompanied him on the trip and how inspired he was by seeing those students gain a wonderful experience.

Ferro talked about her fellow spring breakers as well and how appreciative she was of having them on the trip. “During our cross country mountain biking, my sister and I were so slow, I thought they would say come on lets go but they were so supportive,” Ferro said. “They were very patient even though they had to wait for us.”

During hikes, Ferro explained that although they were challenging, being with her group made the experience that much better.

“We got a along pretty well and talked the whole way and took pictures,” she said.

The trip included 13 people: 11 CSUSM students and two staff members. The total cost of the trip was approximately $350, which included activities and lodging. The trip to Utah occurs every year during spring break.

There is also an upcoming three day trip hosted by campus recreation to Sequoia National Park. Sign-ups are held at Campus Recreation beginning Monday, April 7.

“The outdoor and recreational activities in general is a great opportunity to get away from the stresses of life and experience nature,” Escobedo said. “CSUSM students should join and take to advantage of it.”