| Pacific Northwest Exposure log (2005-07-17 -> 2005-08-06)
Leaders: Calvin Ford,Ashley Pafford, Sarah Brooks Smith and Taylor Replane
Students: Katie Cason, Nathan Fink, Bart Freibert, Knight Hammock, Quinn Irby, Whitney Kenney, Olivia Leonaitis, Beckett Lilien, Widget Rosenberg and John Wheatley
We are currently sea kayaking in the San Juans and will update as soon as we finish this first section. Lots of laughs ahead.
July 22, 2005
The serenity and beauty of the San Juan Islands is unmatched by any other area I have visited. The combination of placid waters coupled with the backdrop of the dignified North Cascades often leads me searching for the perfect words to describe them. What made the views even better and the company so much stronger was the unique group of students that Taylor, Ashley, Sarah Brooks, and I were so lucky to pick up on the 17th. Their combination of wisdom, kindness, humor, and help has made the first section run incredibly smooth.
The kayaking experience in itself is absolutely exhilarating and we were lucky enough to have more than just one highlight. To name just a few; for 2 days, we were the first Moondance group in history to come within 10 feet of a group of gray whales. What made this even more special was the fact that this particular whale only feeds in the islands 3 times a year. As all of 14 of us sat there in awe, I looked around the group and immediately knew what everyone was thinking: this is the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. I had a good feeling that this was a sign foreshadowing how promising and full of adventure the rest of the trip will be. Other highlights of our sea-kayaking expedition involved a morning of clamming on Lopez Island. We actually dug holes in the beach, captured the clams, boiled them, and ate them with our linguini for dinner…a meal for kings!
We sailed by moonlight one evening around a small neighboring island and watched one of the most beautiful sunsets any of us had ever seen. There is something so serene and peaceful about a night paddle that makes it a must for anyone who loves the sport. The incredible days of kayaking, the delicious food prepared by our immaculate Outdoor Adventure guides, and the always enjoyable company and humor of our group made the trip for all of us one to never forget.
Each and every student has been an integral part of the overall success of the group. Beckett is clearly a natural leader and has been one his entire life. By leading both physically and vocally, the others follow and willingly listen to this Moondance veteran. He is a master at washing dishes and we, as leaders, feel more than comfortable delegating him the important responsibility. Widget is a quiet leader with an amazing sense of humor. His love of reading and desire to learn is an inspiration to all of us. Like Beckett, Widget is always looking to help and does so with a constant smile. Quinn’s greatest asset is her amazing personality complimented by her compassionate attitude. She was one of the strongest paddlers in the San Juans, and we expect the same during the upcoming backpacking section. Her peers look up to her and she leads with reverence and subtlety. Katie is the workhorse of the group. Katie and Ashley paddled together for our 12-mile day and she is definitely a leader who leads by example. Bart Freibert is quite possibly the funniest person I have ever met. I knew on Day 1 that if all else failed on this trip, Bart’s sense of humor and amazing attitude would prevail and save us all. After getting to know him better, I have come to understand how bright this young man is. His drive for education is seen in his reading and his understanding of leadership is obvious—when he speaks, everyone listens. We all look forward to spending the next 2 weeks with Bart…laughing until we cry! Speaking of laughing, Olivia is almost always giggling and her infectious laugh is contagious amongst the group. She is not afraid of anything and dove head first into the backcountry lifestyle. Olivia can’t wait for the backpacking section and we all look forward to her positive attitude and boisterous personality. Returning Moondance veteran Knight aka “Banana” has been super helpful at introducing the new kids to the wonders of Moondance. He’s a natural entertainer with his mandolin in hand along with his playful nature. Always the inquisitive one of the group, Knight has already shown a genuine interest in learning more about living in the wilderness and we know he will be an asset during our backpacking section. Having shown her determination during kayaking, Whitney will be an awesome leader through the trails of the North Cascades. Her willingness to help with cooking and tent set-up has been a huge help. She’s such a pleasure to be around because she’s so easygoing. Nathan immediately became a group leader with his humor and ability to relate to everyone. His laid-back personality, knowledge of music, and movie impersonations have made the trip much more enjoyable so far. Last, but certainly not least, John “Wheat-Toast” Wheatley has been the backbone of our group. He has emerged from everything with flying colors. His sense of humor, kindness, and gratitude truly define John as the ultimate southern gentleman. We know he will be the pillar of leadership on our backpacking section and will handle that role with great ease.
Our journey has only just begun, but we already feel like a family. For now, we send our love to families and friends and will be back in touch in a week!
Friday, July 29, 2005
Greetings!! After just returning from a six day adventure in the beautiful North Cascades National Park the kids are feeling pumped with an amazing sense of accomplishment. Completing a 30 mile stretch of terrain along the magnificent east bank of Ross Lake the group established a sense of unity and trust in one another. The setting for the journey could not have been more picturesque... clear blue skies, grandiose glaciers, and tantalizing turquoise water. One of the many highlights from the trip included our first nights stay at Hozomeen Lake, which is only a few miles from the Canadian border. With a backdrop only comparable to movie clips from The Lord of the Rings, Hozomeen Lake is enclosed by breathtaking peaks and luscious trees. A secluded and perfect swimming hole, Hozomeen set the tone for the amazing sights that followed.
Always entertaining the group with his amazing creativity and humor, Nathan was the first to take the plunge into the icy cold water of Hozomeen Lake. His hysterical impersonations and constant positive attitude kept everyone's mind off of their blisters and made time literally fly by. Even on the last few days when the group decided to push on to complete seven and eight mile hikes the group remained upbeat due to Nathan's spirit and Olivia's infectious laugh. Olivia was nominated by her peers to be the first leader of the day for the backpacking section due to her awesome energy. She is so delightful and her playfulness encourages the group to laugh more and enjoy the world around them. For some members of the group this backpacking section was the first time they had ever hiked with a pack for an extended peer of time. Despite initial inexperience and difficulty carrying a heavy pack, Bart accepted this new challenge with determination and eventual ease. A true inspiration to his peers, Bart proved that one can do whatever they put their mind do as long as they do not give up. By the end of the section it was Bart who encouraged the group to push on and even when everyone else was exhausted he continued to make others laugh along with his clowning partner Nathan. Widget also struggled in the beginning yet persevered without even a grimace on his face. He never complained and remained gracious always appreciating his surroundings. Widget also managed to accomplish a personal goal during this section by becoming more self-confident among his peers.
After a challenging day on the trail the kids could not get their boots off fast enough to plunge into the refreshing waters of Ross Lake. Another favorite campsite due to its spacious dock, Lightning Creek provided a safe haven for swimmers and divers alike. The natural leader of the group, Beckett wowed his peers with his summersaults and cork screw jumps inspiring an all out diving contest. Organized and attentive, Beckett is always the first to pack up and immediately ask what he can do to help. His tent knowledge allows him to put up an immaculate tent and still leave time to go around and assist the others. Admired by the group, Beckett has set an excellent standard and become a wonderful role model. Equally as talented with her backpacking skills, Katie continues to lead the girls in everything from campsite selection to stove repair. A truly caring friend, Katie finds time to balance living in the moment while continuing to keep her family and friends at home updated about her adventures. Always wanting to help in anyway possible, a true backbone of the group, Katie volunteered daily to carry extra weight or motivate her new friends. On our recent car trip, Katie showed the group some of her home-style moves when a spontaneous dance off took place in the back of the van. Knight, a veteran "dancer" is always there to provide new information to his friends. Extremely inquisitive, Knight loves to know our logistics and time for every activity and has earned the nomination for "fifth leader". Always polite and helpful, Knight's prescience is a joy and his easygoing nature allows him to get along with everyone. Whitney, who is always in good spirits, was nominated to be leader of the day on one of our toughest hikes. Setting a speedy pace, Whitney encouraged her peers to persevere through challenging terrain. Whitney also seems to hold the greatest newfound appreciation for Mother Nature in the beautiful Ross Lake area. John "Wheat Toast" Wheatley continues to be a superstar camper and impresses us with his outstanding expedition behavior. He has earned the title of a "true southern gentlemen" lending a helping had to anyone in need, holding branches back for fellow hikers and volunteering to help in the kitchen on a daily basis. The most animated "charades" contestant in history, he kept us laughing and lead his team to victory. Despite some daunting blisters at the beginning of the trip, Quinn managed to never complain and remain a very strong hiker. Stepping up to the plate and really impressing her leaders and friends, Quinn volunteered to be leader of the day on the last day of the trip leading us out of the backcountry with style and grace. Always enthusiastic about our next adventure, from car rides to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, we can count on her positive outlook on life to uplift the group.
Sadly, we are now approaching our last week yet we still continue to live in the moment and enjoy our new lifelong friends. Now a tight knit family, we will attempt the most famous of all rock formations, The Monkey's Face. We will be in touch soon, until then we send our love and look forward to sharing our next adventure with all of you.
August 3, 2005
With our days of climbing behind us, and only the river to look forward to, we cannot deny the fact that the summer sun is quickly fading. With that said, however, we have the opportunity to celebrate our last days together and cherish every possible moment - a challenge to which we must all rise. Our three days of climbing were capped off this afternoon with the grand finale - the Tyrolean Traverse and rapel of the infamous Monkey Face. For those of you unaware of the great beast, the Monkey Face is one of the most famous pitches in North America. On one section lies the nearly impossible climb known as "Just Do It," - a 5.13D (or for those of you unaware of the cool climbing lingo, an extremely hard climb). Although we did not attempt this climb (only 10 or so people have ever successfully completed this feat), we glared at the monster while rapelling 150 feet from the mouth of the Monkey. Many of you may have absolutely no idea what I am talking about (Monkey Face, Just Do It, 5.13D), but just ask your kids when they get home - I'm sure they will have more than enough to say about it.
The first two days of the climbing section were comprised of early mornings, short hikes, and hours of climbing and belaying with a quick lunch thrown in there as well. Beckett, Bart, Katie, Widget and Knight all made the climbing look way too easy. Obviously quite naturally gifted, these five dominated everything that was thrown at them. There was no climb too difficult, and no pitch they were unwilling to attempt. The lovely ladies of Lovett, accompanied by John "Wheat-Toast" Wheatley, and Nathan "Nate-Dog" Fink were all used to climbing indoors, which most people might think would cause a difficult transition period. These people would be completely wrong. Like the five mentioned above, these five grew more mentally and physically strong with each climb, and all successfully completed the "mouth-to-nose" climb on the Face without breaking a sweat. As leaders, all we had to do was sit back and enjoy our supremely athletically talented group and just enjoy the weather. With each passing day, we grow more and more impressed with the countless accomplishments of this amazing group, and thank Hayes for allowing us to be part of this amazing experience.
With just 4 days left, we look forward to our 2-day section on the Upper Deschutes River with Orion. I couldn't think of a better way to end the perfect trip. Spirits are high, bellies and full, and we all are thrilled for the next few days of adventure!
Saturday, August 6, 2005
Final Update
The end of every Moondance trip often leads me with a bittersweet feeling. For one, I am thoroughly exhausted and content with how well the trip went and look forward to moving on with my life. However, another part of me is searching for missing items (Bart’s laugh, Nathan’s wit, Olivia’s smile, etc…) that I previously thought would be simple to forget. I knew this four weeks ago after my first trip, but I guess I forgot how hard it was to say goodbye to a group of people with whom I have shared to many amazing experiences. Last night, as the 14 of us sat under the clear, beautiful sky of northern Washington, I again discovered the difficulties of saying goodbye. During our final moonup, everyone, including the four leaders, went around the circle and said something about everybody else in the group. After roughly three hours of discussion, with some in tears, I quickly remembered how strong bonds become after such a unique trip such as Moondance. The words that each and every student and leader said were so insightful and so special, that it was extremely difficult NOT to become emotional. Our days of sea kayaking, backpacking, rock climbing, and white-water rafting provided the foundation for a trip that would inevitably create memories that will last a life time. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that “a friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature,” which I believe describes the feeling of everyone in our group. Although Moondance offers the once in a lifetime opportunity so summit peaks and raft wild rivers, it more importantly offers every child a chance to create and build friendships that last forever. I am extremely thankful to the parents of John, Beckett, Bart, Katie, Whitney, Quinn, Nathan, Widget, Olivia, and Knight for sharing your kids with us for 3 weeks. They have taught me how to become a better leader, but more importantly a better person. I challenge us all to stay in touch for as long as we can and maintain the amazing friendships that we created over the past three weeks. I wish you all the best of luck in the 8th and 9th grades, and urge you all to never forget the friendships you have made with Moondance.
Back to 2005 Logs
Back to Trip Logs
|
|
