I actually talked about this on the Zello channel, but some of you arent there...yet...
Friday I took a group of Scouts backpacking.  We base camped friday night then did about 10 miles in the Red River Gorge Sat.  I set up my PSR EF 40-20-10 and used my MTR3B.   I was using 2 watts off a 9v battery.  Made contacts from KY to PA,NJ,WI,KS and Ontario.  It was really easy to hear when you are on top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere.  Most of the time someone was calling CQ and when I answered they came back with my call correct first time.  Had 2 where I had to say my call again.  All operating was done on 40m.  Worked one POTA and a few SKCC stations.  It was a great time.  Then the rain started.  Heaviest storm I have ever camped in.  Lightning, downpour...all the tent people got wet.  I slept like a baby.

If you don't backpack, it's a great way to get away.  If you like radio and the outdoors, it's a great excuse to learn CW.  QRP is amazing.
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That's a really steep hill you camped on.  

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Awesome

Cool! thanks for the write up. I need to learn cw...

Nice pics, Ed.  Really looks like you had a great time.  

It's a lot easier than most people think. It does require discipline and dedication.
There're plenty of online sites and apps that will help you learn, and W1AW offers extensive MP3 files to practice with. CLICK HERE

I practice with an iambic key so I get the proper spacing ingrained into my brain and do it at 13 wpm. I used the keys on the key board to practice. Then I was able to bang out 13 wpm while reading a random paragraph real time from a book or website.

But I still only hear it very very slowly. I struggle at 4 wmp listening. I have tried listening a lot. I have some words down like CQ, and DE, 73 ,TU,5NN, but only get the first 2 characters of a call sign and the rest are gone by the time my brain hears the first 2 letters.

Any suggestions other than just keep at it?

This is specifically why I want to learn CW.  So cool to do.

Hi Mach, In some seriousness, one must relax into the process. If you try too hard, the characters all begin to slip away. Try some morning copy practice, don't wait to long into the morning, your brain runs at a more relaxed rate (alpha level) in the morning as you awaken.

Ok thanks, I will try that.

But my brain in the morning pretty much runs at the off level until I get a cup of coffee or 5

A good practice mechanism is handwriting your characters before you do any copy practice.  Write the alpha and the dit/dah down the whole alphabet;
A  .-
B  _...
C  -.-.

After a few sessions and it becomes a 'no brainer' do it backwards;

.-  A
-... B
-.-. C

Don't burn yourself out on copy practice, go with 5-10 minute copy sessions and try to practice on 5 character intersperse (mix of numbers and letters).  Don't jump into copying callups and/or simulated traffic, build confidence in your ability to copy.

So each session, handwrite your characters first and then do copy practice.  You'll find yourself referencing your handwritten list less and less over time.