Kingfisher October Camping Trip
October 16th, 2009 Camping,Kingfisher Academy
All night, on the eve of this trip, I worried. But why? The students had been more well-prepared with their gear than most groups I work with. The kids were excited about the trip. I know and trust their teacher, who was my co-leader. The rain was going to hold off until the second day of our trip. I had checked and double-checked all group gear and we had plentyof good food packed. Why was I stressed? My only answer is that this was to be the first of four overnight trips with Kingfisher students this year and I wanted to get things off on the right foot. And, as you’ll read below, we did! I just need to be more like Buddha (as my wife likes to say), and stop worrying!
Though skies were gray when we left school, by the time we reached Gainesville, the clouds had broken. Our spirits lifted, and my heart beat faster with excitement. When we entered the woods, soft sunlight filtered through the leaves, and brought a glow to the world which, for several days prior, had been gloomy and wet.
One of my favorite things about each trip is adjusting participants’ backpacks. With just a few flips of my fingers, I can transform a backpack that hangs off your back or pinches your shoulders and readjust the weight so the proper 70% rides
on your hips and 30% is on your shoulders. The difference is amazing. I am able to see the fear in hikers’ eyes (“How will I ever carry this weight?”) change to confidence (“Wow, this isn’t so bad–I can do this!”). The key is a tight hip-belt. If you’ve been on a trip with me, you know I love tightening your hip-belt. The first time I pull the belt, participants say, “That’s too tight!” But they quickly realize that the weight on their back feels significantly lighter. Then they ask me to tighten it more.
After some pack adjustments, we walked the 1/2 mile to camp. I wasn’t sure how directive I’d need to be about camp tasks, but before I had dropped my pack, the kids had already started pitching their tents. Afterwards setting up camp, we brought our lunch to the waterfall and enjoyed cheese & summer sausage sandwiches, nutella, and peanut butter. Several kids waded in the cold water and dried themselves in the warm sun. And several of us climbed up the rocks of the waterfall to the very top, where we had an amazing view! In the end EVERY participant made it to the top of the falls.
We spent much of the afternoon building our fire. The wood was all wet from the previous days’ rain, but we decided to use only a lighter and materials we could find in the forest. As a team and with a lot of leadership from one young man, we did it. The fire never grew to a large size because of the damp wood. No one spent the huge amount of energy needed to tend it, but nevertheless, we were able to roast marshmallows that night.
I was pleased with so much about this group: they hung the rope and food bags on their own; I was not the only storyteller – three students told ghost stories; they efficiently cleaned their dishes without a fuss; and we completed a short night-hike without head lamps or flashlights!
There were frustrations, too. We had to tell the kids to be quiet over and over that night. Then, everyone awoke before the sun came up. I’m sure we all could have used more sleep.
Maybe there was some reason for rising early–it began raining around 4 am. We stayed dry in our tents and were able to eat breakfast under the big green tarp, but when it’s raining, dampness prevails. As a result, the second day was not as enjoyable as the first. Still, we had some adventures. Our group explored a hiking trail that became a game trail that became a bushwhack. We climbed through a small cave. We found and ate wild muscadine grapes. We even took a 30-minute walk in Dicks Creek!
Though we were all chilly and soaked by the time we reached the bus, we were satisfied to be a hard-core, adventurous group of campers. Then we drove home, dreaming of hot showers and clean clothes.
In the end, this trip proved that I had nothing to worry about. This group of 10 and 11 year-olds were naturals in the woods and I look forward to our next trip together.
To view more photos of our trip, visit the Sure Foot Adventures Facebook page.
Friends School Fall Family Camping
October 8th, 2009 Camping,Family Camping Trip,Friends SchoolWe just returned from an absolutely enjoyable and relaxing weekend in the woods with Friends School families!
I was a bit nervous before the trip when I realized that we would have a 6, 7, and 8 year old. We’ve had younger kids on trips, but usually with older kids, too. I didn’t know if the trip would be a constant struggle of “herding cats” or what. But the moment we were all together, I realized how much fun these families would be. The kids loved the woods. They explored, played, laughed, ran around playing “monster tag,” examined puffball mushrooms, did silly dancing, and even kept their cool as our group watched a snake (non-venomous) slither past the trail.
Though I’m tempted to write that this age is my favorite to take to the woods, I realize that I say that about 10 & 11 year olds and about teenagers and about pre-teens and about adults. So be it. I just love introducing everybody to the wilderness!
The weather was excellent for camping–not too warm, not too cold. Though it was nippy in the morning, we built a fire before bed and again when we woke up.
When we arrived at our campsite, we dropped our packs, grabbed our food bags, and went to the waterfall to eat. The sun was out, the rocks were warm, and we sunned ourselves for hours. The kids played in the waterfall, on the rocks, and climbed halfway up the 60 foot falls (with adults’ help, of course). This was the perfect start to our trip: good food, warm sun, relaxation, and adventure!
One particularly fun and unique thing about this trip was that two of the parents are musicians and decided to bring their instruments along. 
Whenever we were sitting around the fire, we got to hear tunes from a guitar and clawhammer banjo! I usually don’t think to bring instruments on wilderness trips (though I once carried a harmonica, which is significantly less heavy), but this experience makes me rethink that. The fact that the music was high-quality helped, too.
At one point in the weekend, I looked at our camp and mused about how amazing it is that we can arrive at a semi-cleared area of ground surrounded by a creek and trees and transform it into a bustling home so quickly. One of my favorite things about camping is our ability to recreate the warmth and comfort of home with only things we carry on our backs. To me, that’s a revolutionary aspect of what I do.
But I digress–the real fun of this trip was watching the kids gain more and more confidence in the outdoors. One girl carried a puffball mushroom in her pocket, amazed at how long it kept puffing out spores. One boy watched adults build a fire with rapt attention, repeatedly asking “why won’t it stay lit?” 
One girl spent hours building castles in the sand by the river bank. And all the kids (while wearing jeans, no less) waded and even sat in the waterfall!
Despite the age of the kids, this was one of the least picky groups of eaters I’ve seen. We wolfed down backcountry shepherd’s pie, s’mores by the dozen, nutella & cheese sandwiches, bacon, eggs, bagels, and GORP (well, mainly just the M&Ms). And I even learned about a new Starbucks product–instant coffee in a small packet. We also learned that each coffee packet makes only a small cup of coffee, and it was helpful to add cocoa. I’m not a coffee-drinker, so I have to rely on trip participants to teach me how to feed that caffeine craving in the woods.
Finally, our trip of music, exploration, food, and relaxation would not have been complete without storytelling. After I told “Jack & the Varmits” on Saturday evening, I was immediately begged to tell more and more stories. So the kids got to hear “Go to sleep, Gecko!” and “Brer Rabbit, Brer Coon, and the Frogs.” They were a superb audience and helped me practice for my performance on on the “Traditional Tales” stage at Winter StoryFest in January.
I’ll end this post with one more short story. On the second day of our trip, the adults decided we should all go for a day hike. We wanted to get out of camp and help the kids feel more adventurous. I was somewhat leery about it–hiking with young kids can be a slow process. Instead, the kids led us the whole way. I took the lead at first, and gave a running commentary about plants that I saw. I saw each of the children staring at trees, leaves, mushrooms and the overall terrain. They asked intriguing questions and seemed to really take in the beauty of the forest. 
One young man was hoping we’d come to a tree that had fallen over the path that we’d have to climb to get over. Unfortunately, the trail was too well maintained for this adventure to happen. The kids zoomed up and down the hills and we made better time than I have on some hikes with teens or adults.
Cheers to these families and to the Friends School. I can’t wait until our next Family Camping Trip in May!
To view more photos of our trip, visit the Sure Foot Adventures Facebook page.
Photos
View photos from our adventures on Facebook
