| Blue Ridge Expedition log (2004-07-06 -> 2004-07-19)
Leaders: Mark Keim and Ashley Hunt
Students: Will Allred, Ginny Blair, Katie Cason, Eileen Dolan, Ross Droege, Patrick Edgerton, Liz Garard, Madeline Keb, Sean Meneguzzi, Kari Miller, Judith Oscorina, Widget Rosenberg, Ashley Thibodeau
Looking forward to a great summer adventure! Keep an eye out and we will post messages once the trip begins.
BRE II
7/6-7/8
It’s hard to believe that part two of the good old BRE has begun! Tuesday morning our gang began to assemble at the OK Café-followed by a quick airport pickup that eventually lead to our first road trip to lovely Brevard. Conversations were flowing and laughter filled the van for the whole duration of our trip. Ginny was snapping photos, amusing us all with her digital capturing. Ross won the award for falling asleep before we even left the airport!
When we finally arrived at our campsite we affectionately know as “home”, we had our 1st official lesson on how to set up a tent. While thunder boomed overhead, we quickly created our shelters. After settling in a bit Mark gave a well timed “Lightening Protocol” class while Ash began working on our dinner of chicken fajitas. After dinner, with full tummies we all gathered for more conversation about all kinds of important information we’d be putting to use very soon. For example, we have learned about how imperative hydration is out here, and we all strive to be “clear and copious!” For all of you who don’t know, dehydration is the number one reason why we sometimes get headaches, run out of energy, and experience overall sluggishness. So we want everyone to enjoy every minute out here and maintain our health by learning proper methods of good hygiene and sanitation.
“Leave No Trace” has also been a huge part of what we as Moondancers try to educate our kids about. The 1st policy of LNT is “plan ahead and prepare”-a lesson that we all can take home with us and apply to our daily lives as well. We really try to install a sense of respect for the amazing natural beauty around us and show how much a little help can go a long way.
“It’s surprising how much you start to care for nature”-Ginny Blair
Our 1st moonup (a time we take to reflect on the day and share stories, give thanks, or just speak up) was full of Mark and Ashley’s excitement and questions for everyone of why they chose Moondance. The response was an amazing collaboration of heartfelt, sincere answers. As leaders, we could not have been more pleased at the conclusion of our 1st successful day! So, completely drained, we all found our sleeping bags and went to bed.
Day number two we woke up early so we could meet our climbing guides by 8:30 am. Our 1st leaders of the day were Judith and Eileen. They did a great job getting our breakfast of bagels and cream cheese prepared and seeing that everyone was ready to go by 8:15am. “It’s a Beautiful Day!”-U2 blasted as we all climbed in to the van and met Stuart, Jason, and Ben, our climbing guides. Perfect weather, a rare occurrence in the Blue Ridge Mountains, graced us all day. The pleasant temp, blue skies, and cool breezes added to our already ear to ear grins as we took turns ascending the South Face of Looking Glass. Everyone cheered each other on as one by one fears were faced and goals were accomplished. “This is such a strong group,” stated Jason our guide. People stepped out of their comfort zones and challenged themselves-an amazing thing to witness.
Around 3pm we gathered up our gear and made our way back to “The White Dragon” (our van). We had to take full advantage of the wonderful weather we’d been blessed with so we took off for some fun at the very cold, but exhilarating “Sliding Rock”, a slab of granite that sits along the river, completely smooth so a fun butt ride can be held by all!
We all had a great time and hunger set in, so it was time to head home and make dinner. Ashley jumped on dinner as Mark continued talking about LNT. A yummy broccoli and cheese pasta dinner satisfied everyone, followed by another great moonup, this time doing High, Low, High. This is a great way to quickly discuss a person’s really good points and maybe a low point of the day. Sliding Rock was a favorite along with all the rock climbing. We were all so proud of each other’s bravery and thanked one another for the amazing amount of support and trust already formed among the group. So with another early rise ahead of us we headed to bed. Some decided to sleep outside of their tents and enjoy the beautiful night as well.
The next morning we woke up a little earlier so we could get more climbing in. Will and Katie were Leaders of the Day and helped everyone find cereal for breakfast. Today we went to an area called “The Nose”, known for its interesting eyebrow formations that aren’t found anywhere else. It was nice going up a new route of the mountain. We were all able to climb closer to each other and had a great time doing so. Games were played while others climbed and bonding still continued. Unfortunately a light rain cut our time short and we all had to head back around 3pm. With big thanks to our guides we made our way back to the van and headed to our campsite.
Once back, everyone had free time to hangout, nap, journal and just relax before performing some hilarious LNT skits for Mark and Ashley. The night started as several rounds of charades took place (Mark and Eileen’s favorite). Then we had a big talk about what we would all need for our next section of backpacking. Mark and Ashley assisted any who had questions while they planned the meals for the next three days and everyone helped repackage food. Dinner was shortly followed and the ladies learned about the stoves we use while the boys cleaned up a little. Judith jumped on the veggies so they could be ready for dinner. We had a great breakfast dinner with quiche, salsa, broccoli, bell peppers, and sausage. We decided to reward ourselves with Twix for dessert since everyone has been doing an incredible job.
At moonup we all gave thanks to different people for helping us out in one way or another. Ginny received tons for her amazing kindness, Judith for facing her fear of climbing, Widget for making us all die laughing, Eileen for her super hugs, Kari always supporting us all, Ross always offering to help, and Will for being a great friend to Katie while they were LOD’s together. Katie has amazed us by being so mature and helpful at the ripe old age of 12! Thanks to Liz, our city girl, for roughing it and loving every minute of it. Patrick for being a great friend to Ross and by being a great belayer. Ashley for always sporting that constant smile, Maddie for also facing her fears and last but not least, Sean for his kind spirit and open ear.
The sky was clear so many of us slept outside to witness the beautiful stars. Tomorrow brings a new experience, as does the day after and every day after that. We are all very thankful for this opportunity and will talk to you soon!
NEW LOG
BRE II BACKPACKING
Today began with an early rise so we could begin our 1st day of backpacking! We drove to the fish hatchery parking lot and gathered up our gear. After a good stretch we put on our packs, our homes for the next few days, and headed to the trail. Liz and Ross were our first Leaders of the Day and they did an incredible job keeping everyone at a good pace and taking water breaks at suitable times. We hiked until our stomachs told us that it was lunch time, so we stopped at this picturesque spot along a beautiful creek and ate our lunch. We held a mini map lesson so everyone could see how far we had come and how much trail time we would have left for the day. So we pushed on enjoying Pisgah’s amazing scenery. As we reached the top of our trail we ran into another small group, one of many we would encounter before the day was over. Mark and Ashley, having previously hiked this area, encouraged the team on knowing that “home” was literally a few hundred feet away. Growing tired but still trucking, the group charged on till we rounded the 1st corner and a glimpse of the goal was in view. “A shelter, it’s really here!” was shouted and everyone immediately had a power boost and took off down the trail. We shared the campsite with two other groups as well, both running similar trips as ours. Just as we began to set up camp a little thunder and lightening kicked in and we sat down to a wonderful cheesy tuna casserole. One of the leaders from the other group came up and asked us what made our kids so happy and get along so well. We told them that they are just amazing kids and that we were lucky to have them. You could tell the other leaders were a little jealous. We all managed to fit under the shelter and after a hilarious massage train that ended up with Pat, Ashley, and Ross walking on backs, we all sat together for our moonup. Shout-outs and high-low-highs were bouncing around and laughter filled the air. We all decided it had been a long day, and went to bed.
After sleeping in a little, we awoke for a pancake breakfast! We couldn’t make them fast enough as everyone was really happy about pancakes! Ross ate a record five! With warm food in our bellies we broke down camp and spread out for a little yoga. After a good stretch we hit the trail. The first half of our day was steep and hard but our LOD’s Ginny and Patrick kept the groups attitude optimistic! Conversations along the trail consisted of funny games and constant entertainment from Mark. With one huge push, we made it to Cedar Rock where we broke for lunch of PB and J’s. The rest of our hike was a pretty steep decline and some actually mentioned that they prefer going uphill! We finally reached our campground after a full day. Located right off this great river that provided its rhythmic beauty we made camp. Perfect timing too, because as soon as the last tent was up the rain came down! We made potatoes under a makeshift tarp and we all ate while the trees filtered the last bit of rain. Tent groups were assigned and it was time to bear bag. We made sure that anything with a scent was put up into the bear bag, just to assure no visitors at night. We held an early moonup so everyone knew that we were waking up extra early to do a sunrise hike. Everyone was excited so we hit the hay. Soon after the rain began to fall again. Around 5:30am we set out for John’s Rock. We all hiked with our headlamps in the dark, but once we stepped out of the woods we were greeted by the early morning light and spectacular views. The Blue Ridge Mountains are so mystical and grand with the clouds swarming all around them. While your hiking in Pisgah’s canopy, you can loose your sense of time and sense of place, that way concentrating on the present, and what’s truly important. We realized that we gained a new found respect for the woods and nature. Cameras flashed left and right in silence, as the group awed about the wonderful moment. We hiked back to the campsite and enjoyed oatmeal and hot chocolate. We enjoyed the rest of the day as a break, and continued playing games and bonding more and more with every laugh.
We awoke from our beautiful creek side campsite and hiked out to the van. We were all very excited to spend some time in the Nantahala National Forest. We treated ourselves with Crispy Cream doughnuts and smiles were all around. We all shared stories in the van as we listened to great music and laughter. When we reached our meeting spot on the Nantahala we unpacked our tents and wet gear and dried it out in the clear skies and hot sun. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and went back to preparations for our next backpacking section. We organized our gear and repacked dry clothes into our packs. At moonup that night we talked about how we all take things for granted, including beds, shelter, fresh clothing, showers and our families. It was very interesting as well to hear about each of the moments we have enjoyed most through our travels and all those we anticipate in the days to come.
As the sunshine braced our faces we awoke to the delightful blue skies and positive atmosphere all around. We had breakfast and packed up…all very excited to climb to the top of Standing Indian Mountain. After we organized and prepared for the day we found our way to the Deep Gap trailhead. A quick trip in the van would end at the Appalachian Trail where we were enlightened by all of the history, stories and amazement of the 2,000 miles of trail from Georgia to Maine. We packed up and headed north towards the Standing Indian Shelter just a mile and a half up trail. When we arrived at our shelter, Patrick, Eileen, Katie, Keri and Ashley wondered off with Mark to find the wonders of odd trees and makeshift seats in the wilderness. We were also very effective at producing a text book bear bag high above the tree line. Sean, Judith, and Will meandered along the creek bed as Madeline, Liz, and Widget relaxed under a cool North Carolina sun. As we came back together after an hour of solo time we enjoyed a great chicken and sausage jambalaya. After dinner we played some games and Ashley introduced a new version of the “scissors game.” We had a great moon up where we shared with the group someone we admire. Many family members, friends, and siblings were shared. We talked about positive traits, honesty, respect, and open communication among all.
The morning brought sunshine and excitement for our day to come. Bags were packed, we filled up our water bottles and prepared for the miles to the top of the mountain. After a bit of a hike we came upon a large granite rock that met our footsteps and took us to the edge of the land. Beneath us lay hundreds of miles of treeline, lakes, lakes rivers and beauty! We had a great lunch at this perfect spot followed by setting up camp. The afternoon was amazing! We all sat 5,500 feet above sea level enjoying the open air and beauty. The afternoon was filled with talking, reading, writing and games until the late afternoon clouds rolled in. We all agreed that we had never seen such a weather pattern. Clouds soon engulfed us and brought a slight mist. The clouds were full of fog and haze and it almost looked like snowfall could creep in. To our delight we had a special guest join us on the mountain side, Chef Wigi (Ashley) to teach us the art of baking pizzas in the clouds…a lesson we will not soon forget. The evening was filled with laughter and smiles. Our second backpacking section has been a blast. We are all happy, well, full and dry and anxiously anticipate the new adventures of the ropes course, duckies and white water rafting.
Back to 2004 Logs
Back to Trip Logs |
|
