High Flyin' or Slip Slidin? You Decide.

By Tuesday we had the schedule figured out, the camp figured out, the system in place and everyone relaxed and just started having a really good time. After waking up, doing chores (yes each cabin assigns chores and our campers do them bright and early in the morning), and eating breakfast the fun seriously began.
For our younger youth the traditional activities like archery, swimming, canoeing, and crafts took place before lunch. Not mention a really wicked game of kickball. For our older youth there were horses and for the adventurers there was team courses and ground inititives (also known as the high ropes) as they prepared for their camp out. Of course the Trekkers were in the lake practicing canoe skills which they will need on their trip coming up later in the week.

After a lunch of meatball subs, salad, and mozzarella cheese sticks we headed back out. Our younger youth checked out the horses and finished their rotation on the other traditional activities while the Trekkers hit the high ropes. For those of you who may be wondering the high ropes course is a series of high wire exercises that allow youth to problem solve, build self esteem and challenge themselves. For example, on this pole climb a youth climbs the pole to the very top and has to figure out how to balance on a pole that is shaking, but also how to pull themselves up without holding onto anything. Once standing up straight they have to communicate their wishes to their beley team on the ground. For example Christian decides to jump out to the swing and has to let the team on the ground know that so they can hold proper tension on the rope. He decides to grab the swing and let go and it is up to them to catch him using the rope on his harness. Although many of us can not even imagine doing this, our older campers are challenging themselves this week and trying all the rope challenges. They aren't the only ones.

One of every one's favorite challenges is the zip line. Our youth must climb a tree to a platform, maneuver the platform to get hooked to the zip line then fly down the line. Although this challenges has admitly made teenage boys scream like little girls, it is one of the favorite challenges of all our youth. I guess I should add it is also a favorite activity of adults. Our very own Libby Burney donned a harness and helmet, climbed a ladder and tree, then had a mid-air conversation with her knee before making it to the platform. Then she flew down the line, remembered to say, "Whee!" at the end, before announcing to the world that she had great fun.

Other groups were hiking to the beaver dam and the adventurers packed up to head out to the outpost. The Adventurers enjoyed a hobo campfire dinner, played games and slept in tents.
Back at the camp our youth who had water sports last night enjoyed s'mores at the camp fire, sang campfire songs and had a night of traditional camp fun. While the other youth (those in the Sun and Earth groups) had their chance at water sports. In the lake the campers received a challenge to, as a team, sink a canoe without getting in it. They had to submerge the canoe for at least ten seconds. Needless to say that was not a hard task for our campers. However when it came time to empty the water out of the canoe and they could not put it on the bank of the lake the challenge became a little more interesting. Finally after much to do, and figuring out how to communicate they got the canoe on the dock and turned it over to empty it, proving that they can work as a team and natural leadership abilities took charge during this fun challenge.
After the lake our youth headed up the hill to the pool. There you could find beach balls flying, youth sliding in and out of the water, and could see everyone was having a splashing good time. After an hour in the pool it was time for a snack and juice break and then back to the cabins for a shower and bed. Needless to say we had some very tired campers who should sleep well during the night.
Stay tuned for more adventures on Wednesday as our Adventurers share their fun in the woods and our Trekkers head off site for their camp out and challenges.