Slip Slidin' Away

  If you thought Monday was fun, watch out!  Tuesday at Betsy Jeff Penn 4-H Camp was jam packed with new challenges, new friends, and some wild activities that might have gotten our campers a little wet.  Our second day of camp started with our younger campers participating in morning activities such as; canoeing, shooting arrows at archery, making ice cream, swimming in the pool and making crafts.  While our middle aged campers (makes them sound like they are in their 30's and 40's doesn't it?) jumped in the pool and rode horses.  However it was our adventurer and trekkers that hiked up to the ropes courses to test their mental and physical strengths, challenging themselves on the ropes course.

The ropes courses are really neat and hard to visualize through photos.  There are a series of different challenges, all rather high up in the air.  Please don't worry, each camper is wearing a helmet and a harness with multiple safety lines, as they climb telephone poles, trees, and ladders to reach these challenges. One challenge involved the campers climbing a telephone pole, standing on the top of it, and then jumping off to try to catch a swing, and swing in the air.  Other challenges include the youth climbing up to walk on a variety of rope bridges between the trees.  Their absolute favorite, is the zip line.  Youth climb a tree to a platform and get hooked to a rope.  They push off and slide down a rope tied between trees often yelling at the top of their lungs, as well as some of our 4-H Agents.  Feel free to check out the videos posted on our You Tube page.



  After lunch the younger campers went on a hike to he beaver damn, went swimming, workout on the boulder wall, and well had cabin choice on what activity to do.  As the afternoon went on there was also a compass activity, teaching them how to use a compass, and one of their favorites, kickball.  After camp store the Adventurers had the opportunity to go to the outpost and cook their dinner over a campfire.  The trekkers continued practicing their skills by getting in the lake with the canoes.
  After dinner some of our campers went on a night hike and enjoyed a campfire, complete with s'mores.  While our middle age campers enjoyed water sports.  There was no rain tonight so they had the chance to be in the pool, swim in the lake, and enjoy the slip and slide.  
The slip and slide is nothing more than a humongous sheet of plastic that is wet and made slippery with liquid dish detergent.  The camper get a running start and slide down on their stomachs.  Needless to say some wanted to see how fast they could go, while others were going for distance.
    By the end of the night everyone was exhausted and ready to hit the showers and their beds.  Wednesday is a whole new day of activities and possibilities, so it is time for sweet dreams for everyone as we make the halfway mark of our time, which is also slip slidin' away, at camp.  It won't be soon before we are thinking about heading home.