| Rocky Mountain Way Log (2007-06-25 --> 2007-07-08)
Leaders: George Gregory, Molly Fisher
Students: Maria Olson, Audrey Fain, Duncan Fraser, Emily Berthiaume, Kevin Scruggs, Henry Romeyn
June 25
All have arrived safely and preperations are underway for whitewater rafting Brown's Canyon on the Arkansas River.
June 28
Hey Moondance Family and Friends!!!
Its Molly and George, coming all the way from Telluride, Co, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains! Our adventure is off to a great start, and we are having TONS of fun. We just got back from our two day white water rafting excursion down the Arkansas River, which was highlighted by awesome rapids, great food, and a prime campsite right beside the river!
Our group felt right at home from the very beginning of the trip.
Audrey has helped everyone step out of their comfort zone with her "go big or go home"(direct quote) attitude. Her laughter spreads easily, and we have quickly learned to love and cherish her lighthearted sense of humor. Duncan, our number one sweetheart, looks out for everyone in the group, and brings a rock solid personality to the trip. Despite dealing with a previous foot injury, he has embraced each challenge wholeheartedly. Emily is a truly dynamic young woman.
Despite her love for makeup and the color pink, she is the toughest girl we both have yet to meet! She was the first volunteer to sit in front of the boat. She took wave after wave, despite the cold water, with all smiles. She loved every minute. Emily is always the first to try foods and encourage others to do the same. Kevin is a riot. He is incredibly eager to learn, and his curiosity amazes us all.
While riding on the river, Kevin took full advantage of our knowledgeable guides, asking them interesting and important questions about the river, campsite, and foods. He holds our group together by that special wit he shares. Maria is one of the most selfless, kind hearted young women around. She brings this "ready for anything and everything" attitude with her that rubs off on everyone she meets. We love the stories she shares about her sisters and they have given us many of laughs. Last but not least, Henry is mature way beyond his years. He has this sense of confidence that relaxes all that surround him. He shares his knowledge while still learning much along the way. Along the river, his inner-child came out through each rapid, screaming louder than the last. We are pretty sure that all of CO heard these wonderful laughs while crashing through the waves.
We miss you all and will check in after we get back from our EXCITING backpacking section in the famous San Juans!!!!!
Molly and George
Dear family and friends,
Hey all! We just got back from an AMAZING time in the backcountry of
San Juan National Forest!!!!
We all pushed ourselves to the limits and stepped out of our comfort zones fully! Most importantly, I can say, we all have never laughed as hard as we did out there. Unfortunately, our backpacking started on a sour note when we had to all say goodbye to one of our favorites, the one and only, Mr Kevin Scruggs. We made a pact to make it the best experience in the backpacking section in Kevin’s name. Our meals were outstanding, thanks to Chef Audrey's AMAZING cooking skills. We all voted that it was the best meals we have ever had. Audrey kept the spirits high and always had a song to sing. Maria still is the most selfless person on this trip. She never passed up an opportunity to help someone else whether it was giving people extra water, helping with dinner, or simply cheering everyone along. We all want to meet the sisters that she talks about, the stories seem to never end!! Duncan made us all laugh with his crazy ability to impersonate accents. There was one night where Duncan had us all laughing so hard with his character "Frenchie" that we could not breathe for seconds at a time! He is truly a character and his humor has made this trip fly by. Emily has become an amazing part of this experience. She is constantly trying new things and fully embracing this experience. She is someone we can both count on to make us laugh at the same time teaching others to give this their all because that is how she works. She tells us stories about her cheerleading experiences that teach us all to give 100% to everything we do. Henry has become a backbone of our group, carrying a great deal of group gear and food while backpacking. His witty and creative humor jumps out of his mouth all the time, and everything he says is totally positive. His is truly invested in everything we are doing out here in Co., and we can not wait to watch him tackle rock climbing.
We are so thankful for this group, and could not ask for more. Tomorrow we start rock climbing and we are all so excited. Everyone misses their families but we are all doing great with this Moondance family we have created.
We will check in soon!
Much love from the Mountains.
July 7
Hey Moondance, Family and Friends!!
We just got back from an awesome rock climbing adventure. We had an exciting surprise when Brad from the Moondance Office came to spend the next couple of days with us. We were very lucky to have Mike as our Climbing instructor. We all learned as much from Mike as we possibly could. All the kids were eager to learn about the rock and the ways to climb. Maria surprised us all with her insane ability to climb. She was up at the top and repelling down within minutes. There was not a climb she could not do. Everyone, including Mike, was floored by her natural talent and agility. Maria also was the first to help anyone up the rock. If she was not racing at the top, you would find her right at the bottom of the route. Her encouragement kept everyone going, even at the hard parts. Duncan came to this climbing section with previous experience. He was the bravest of us all. He went first every time to show everyone how it was done. He, along with Maria helped everyone. He helped everyone double check their knots, and always encouraged the group. Duncan was a huge part of this process and we are all so thankful that he could share his previous experience with us to make it that much easier for everyone!!! Audrey was beyond brave. The first day she climbed non-stop. She loved it. When the second day rolled around, a fear of highs developed. She said to me, “I just can’t do it, but I am also not a quitter…How can I get up there if I am so scared?” When we all realized how badly she wanted this, everyone helped. She bravely got herself set to climb, and with our cheers, got all the way to the top. Tears of happiness streaming down her face… “I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!” was shouted; she stepped out of her comfort zone, faced her fears, and DID NOT quite. We were all so proud of her. Henry had never really climbed before but yet took on every challenge. He tried each route Mike presented and never once looked down or thought about stopping. His persistence was incredible. From watching him climb, it looked as though he had been climbing his whole life. It was a neat moment for all of us to watch this natural talent develop with a smile always present. Emily contributed in a very different way. She was a constant support system. She was not a huge fan of the thought of climbing herself, but she did anything and everything to make sure everyone else could climb. She is a team player, and this showed throughout this section. She was always willing to help out in anyway. As a leader, we were very thankful to have someone like that. Instead of not liking the activity and excluding herself, she embraced it in everyway she could and that is all we ask.
Tomorrow we are off to white water raft again and we are all beyond pumped. From the first time when we rafted, we all have been counting down the days to get back on the river!!! We will check in after rafting with many funny stories fore sure! Hope all is well at home and know that we are having the time of our lives here in the Rocky Mountains!!!! Miss and love you all!
Molly and Brad
Waking up on the morning of our last rafting experience with this group was not hard!! The excitement FILLED the air quickly. We could not believe that today was finally here, the moment we have all been waiting for… Rafting the FAMOUS Royal Gorge! On the way to start our rafting section, we drove along the river, the kids had their faces pressed up against the window looking at what we would soon CONCOR!!! It was honestly a perfect day. All the kids were quoted at various times saying “this is too perfect, I feel like I am in a movie!” With helicopters flying over their heads, trains passing by, HUGE waters right in front of them, people watching, and our constant yelling, laughing, and hard paddling, we all felt as if it was our own perfect world. Maria laughed so hard that her voice actually went horse. Her love for the Gorge grew more and more with each and every stroke of her paddle. To tackle the Gorge, the strongest paddlers must be in the front. With no doubts, we called on Audrey’s paddling ability. With her “go big or go home” attitude, she punched her way through every wave, splash after splash. Emily took on the challenge of sitting in the back right next to the guide. With her strong strokes, she helped ensure safe passage through the Gorge impressing us all. Henry and Duncan’s love for the water came shining through during this section. At every opportunity to swim, they took full advantage. Henry fearlessly led the way at Jump Rock, where the group happily plunged into the river. At the end of the day, Duncan “rode the bull”. He straddled the front tube of the raft, like a bull, as we tackled the last bit of rapids. Brad took the liberty of giving him a light nudge, sending him into the drink! The group, including Duncan, erupted in laughter, the perfect ending to the perfect day.
Tomorrow we head to Mueller State Park to close out this wonderful experience. Our last night together will be spent reminiscing the past two weeks. Goodbyes are never easy, especially when we have grown so close.
See you soon,
Molly and Brad
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