CAIRN STONE DEFINITIONS

What is the Jog Pot?

It's a catch-all box for payments, log sheets and lost & found items.  

[An artifact of Coach Gunn's running years.  His adult runners (Monday Night Running Club) would pass the hat to pay expenses when traveling to a destination to run. A member with wood working skills made the first box.  Falling apart decades later, a hiker's husband replaced it several years ago.] 

The Jog Pot is better than a hat!

TITLES

Rookie is Coach Gunn's term for newcomers to his training programs. 

After completing a major hiking tour you are called Alumni and Veteran.  

If you really screw up you will acquire the title of Bonehead  (this moniker is easy to get but hard to lose).

HOF:  Hours On Feet:

A measure Coach Gunn developed and uses for equivalent training.  His signature training centers around the goal of preparing for a one-day hike Rim to Rim across the Grand Canyon (a marathon-like challenge).  There is no way to simulate every challenge this mile deep canyon offers.  Distance comparisons don't work however time proved an effective measure for setting training goals and measuring readiness with the required endurance and skills.

Not everyone is required to complete a Test Hike, only extreme hike candidates.  Others may join these hikes to do a lesser distance for the enjoyment of the destination.

The Test Hike is used to prove fitness level of the extreme hike candidates.  For major destinations there is usually one extreme hike.  

This progressive overload training program sets a max distances at each training hike.  Keep up with these to  pass the Test Hikes.  Pass the Test Hikes to assure that you are well prepared for a successful hike at destination.

Don't be put off by our longest hikes - most will do shorter hikes.

The toughest hike at each destination.  Often defined as marathon-like.  Taking on this challenge is optional.  On average perhaps 40% take on this challenge.  Most travelers train for lesser goals requiring about 1/2 the level of fitness.  Extreme hikes may take 8 to 12 hours at a high pace in remote conditions with much elevation gain.  You must have necessary skills and the endurance to do this safely.

For a few decades Coach Gunn taught adult Marathon Running classes every few years at SMC (Southwestern Michigan College).  The final exam was to run a marathon.  The Honolulu Marathon as example, was the centerpiece of a two week, three island tour.  Later this evolved into an extreme sports class with a Rim to Rim day-hike across Grand Canyon as final exam.  Cairn Stone Adventure Tours, LLC was formed in 2007 after his retirement from the college.  Now he finds one great hike at each travel destination to challenge those hikers looking for a marathon-like challenge.  The more sensible hikers take on a lesser goal and all participants thoroughly enjoy these adventure tours, regardless of skill level.

Dean of Fitness & Wellness at SMC, Coach Gunn was tasked with improving student retention.  His solution?  Extreme Sports.  SMC became only one of four colleges or universities in the US with Extreme Sport classes.  Classes included: Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Snowboarding, Rock Climbing, Whitewater Rafting, and Hiking.  In 2004 two bus loads of adults and students hiked at Grand Canyon.  Everyone trained 8 months, and 42 passed 2 Test Hikes and successfully day-hiked from North Rim to South Rim at the Grand Canyon.  This was the beginning of a two decade hiking adventure.

Coach Gunn retired from SMC at the end of 2006.  He was then free to form his LLC in 2007 to continue his passion full time to train adults to their personal best and guide them to great experiences in great destinations.  Experiences only possible with the fitness levels such as achieved by his training program.  Eight months training allows travelers to have a common bonding experience that has proven year after year to make for the best travel experience of your life!  "Ron's training program weeds out all the whiners."  Thom J.

Fire Up

is Coach Gunn's signature call.  It means; "keep up the good work," "you can do it,"  "great job," and "stay positive,"   Always a declaration of encouragement.  Coach borrowed this from the steam train days when the Fireman would alert the Engineer that the fire was up, the water boiling and all is ready to go.

The silent version of this is his clenched fist and bent arm pumped up and down.