Rocky, Rowdy, Rodeo
July 10, 2024
Greetings from Sydney and Henry, While our time in the wilderness is coming, the adventure never stopped. After an early morning leaving southern Idaho, we made the beautiful drive back to Jackson! The drive flew by as we rocked out to all our favorite songs, laughing and singing the whole way! After a quick turnaround at camp, we hit the town to prepare for the Rodeo! Much to our dismay, Noah’s quest for chaps fell short. However, all the boys found killer cowboy hats which is a perfect souvenir if you ask me! After some brief time, shopping, we made our way to the Jackson Hole Rodeo! The rodeo was amazing! Chase and Charlie took their shot at the mechanical bull, along with Joe and Miller! While we don’t have any 8 second cowboys, they put up some great tines! Evie, Miller, Bea, and Louise got to meet one of the cowboys, who they aptly named “Silver Shirt Guy” because of the flashy silver pearl snap he was wearing. Unfortunately, our silver cowboy didn’t make it far due to a DQ at the hand of the judges. The night flew by as we watched the cowboys bull ride and buck on broncos. After the rodeo, we headed back to the camp to get a good night sleep before rock climbing.
The next 2 days were filled with adventure, challenge, and excitement as we embarked on our rock-climbing journey. The first day was all about learning the rope, as our amazing guides at Exum led us through the skills needed to multi pitch climb. After we had mastered our knots and commands, it was time for us to do our first climb! Everyone conquered our first climbing, making short work of the 4 pitches we ascended. Once we got to the top, we learned how to repel, making the climb down both fun and easy! After dinner by the lake and a bear sighting, we felt confident in our abilities to tackle the next day of climbing. Our second day of climbing was more challenging than the first. There were 2 different climbs, one being harder that the other. Ellie bravely challenges herself, tackling the harder of the 2 climbs. Hudsen also challenged herself conquering the rockface with amazing perseverance. After the climb, Ben and Dylan were eager to do more! The view was amazing at the top, we could see all the park! As a reward for our climb, we got to repel down the beautiful cliff faces of the Tetons. After a long day of climbing, we hit string lake for a refreshing swim before heading into town for an amazing banquet of Chinese food.
After banquet, we headed back to camp for our final moonup. Our LOD’s for the day, Joe and Evie, led us in a thought provoking MoonUp, encouraging us to reflect on how we grew over our 2 weeks together. Many tears were shed across the group as we all recounted our favorite memories together! I can’t wait to see this amazing group of kids develop into great leaders!
Thank you so much for sending your kids on this amazing trip! Sydney and I are so lucky to have had the opportunity to experience the Big Wild with this amazing group of kids!
Until Next Time,
Henry and Sydney, Big Wild
Checking in from Big Wild!
July 6, 2024
What’s up everyone, Sydney and Henry checking in with BGW3A!
We continued our experience in the Big Wild with another day of fly fishing, testing the skills we learned from our wonderful guides at Drift West! We rose early, bustling around our campsite to the cacophony of mooing cows once again, eager to hit the river. As we drove into town to meet our guides, the competitive spirit of our group began to show itself. While Sydney and I jammed out to our awesome playlist, our campers began to make bets on who would be the champion of the day, hauling in the most fish! One bet stood out above all as Evie challenged Joe, putting his eyebrows on the line. Evie proposed that if she caught the most fish, Joe would have to shave parts of his eyebrows, to which Joe quickly accepted. While the campers continued to challenge each other in fishing-related competitions, the scenery around us began to change as we followed the gravel road into the Salmon River valley. We followed the switchback into a scene that can only be described as surreal. The river flowed with elegant beauty, slicing through the rugged mountains of northern Idaho. The forest around us showed hues of green and brown that would make you believe you were driving through a painting. The van sauntered down the gravel track as we approached the bottom of the valley, filling the vehicle with a palpable sense of awe and excitement.
After a quick chat with our guides, we divided the gang into smaller groups, allowing us to dissect each section of river with the meticulous strategy of seasoned anglers. While we traversed the terrain of the beautiful valley, our guides told us stories of the native tribes that used the Salmon River as a source of livelihood and vitality. They told us stories of plentiful Salmon runs, stopping to show us ancient petroglyphs depicting an old map of the epic wilderness around us. We lined the powerful river with our rods in hand, targeting flat water spots just below rapids which create prime real estate where trout are the primary customers. Within seconds, the fight was on as Chase hooked into a small but mighty rainbow trout. From then on, the bite was hot as cast after cast, we hauled in fish, filling the group with determination to keep fishing. We fished for hours, laughing and smiling the entire time. Unfortunately, our time on the water was cut short as a flash of lightning illuminated the sky. As we meandered back to our trusty van, the campers exchanged stories from the day, comparing the size and quantity of the fish they caught. Luckily for Joe, Sydney and I prevented any damage to his eyebrows despite Evie catching more fish. At the end of the day, almost everyone caught fish, which was amazing to see! The imminent threat of a thunderstorm forced the gang back into the van, but the lightning never struck the spirits of the group as we sang and slept our way back into the beautiful little town of McCall.
Upon pulling into lovely Ponderosa State Park, the van rejoiced at the sight of the shower house! However, there were still things to do before we could cleanse ourselves from the dirt and grime of the first 5 days. The biggest thing was our rafting prep, led by Lauren from Salmon Raft! Lauren showed us the ropes of the river, explaining proper packing, safety, and etiquette for the river. I could tell the excitement was building as she talked about the beautiful weather ahead of us, especially in Noah and Ben, whose faces lit up at the prospect of encountering fun class 3 and 4 rapids! After our rafting prep, Sydney and I led the group through the classic duffle shuffle, showing the eager campers how to properly pack for the mighty Salmon River! Miller, being the veteran Moondance student, helped us along, showing the other girls how to condense their big duffels into only a few necessary items for the river. Following the duffle shuffle, the excitement continued to brew as we piled into the wonderful Veggie Van to head into McCall for dinner at Frenchie’s. After a delicious meal, we headed back to camp for showers with full bellies and happy hearts, anxiously awaiting the beginning of our rafting trip!
The sunrise wake-up came quickly, embracing us with its warm rays as we drove to wonderful Hammer Creek where we would be starting our river adventure! When we got to the put-in, we were greeted by the amazing guides of Salmon Raft! Austin, Lily, Kai, and Jonah would be our fearless captains of the rubber vessels that would carry us down the Salmon. After a quick safety briefing, we piled into the rafts and set off! With the sun caressing our shoulders, it was impossible not to smile as we laughed, paddled, and talked the whole day. Sydney and the boys forged ahead, while Henry and the girls were the caboose in our raft flotilla. On our raft, the girls told me stories of their travels. Bea told us stories of rafting down Victoria Falls in Africa, while Ellie told tales of her adventures sailing in the Gulf. Our great conversations and the fun, splashy class 3 wave trains made the time fly by, and before we knew it, we were pulling into a beautiful beach campsite nestled between the rugged cliffs of the river canyons. The night on the beach was filled with laughs as we had fun! The boys challenged each other to races on all fours, as Charlie proved to be the fastest, running like a gorilla. The girls showed off their handstands, attempting to teach me as I continuously fell into the sand. As the evening progressed, the sunset painted the river cliffs with brush strokes of amber, red, and yellow. The evening ended with all smiles as we fell asleep under a night sky laced with constellations reminding everyone of a Van Gogh painting.
The morning arrived with the clanging of metal and laughs as I ran through the camp banging coffee cups together to arouse our sleeping students. I laughed as I was greeted by the dirty looks of teens who had been awakened from their eternal slumbers. It was our second day on the river, and the weather could not have been more perfect. We hit the river with gusto, as today was the day we encountered some big class 4 rapids! We paddled hard and swift, conquering each section of the river like our lives depended on it. Before we knew it, we arrived at another beautiful beach camp! The afternoon was filled with fun as we all lay in the sun, playing beach games until the sun began to set! Louise and the girls led us in a game of tips, while I brought out the hacky sack for some great fun! The highlight of the day was the night, as Hudsen and Ellie provided thought-provoking stories and questions during our MoonUp conversations! After MoonUp, we looked to the sky to see the most beautiful picture any of us had ever seen! The constellations were so clear, creating a prehistoric collage across the Idaho sky! The strands of the Milky Way illuminated the sky with hues of green and orange, creating an awe-inspiring image of pure, unadulterated beauty. Thanks to Sydney’s amazing photography skills, we were able to have a sick night mode photo shoot, allowing us to capture a fraction of the indescribable beauty above us. This truly was a great ending to an amazing day!
The sweet sound of Miley Cyrus filled the air as “Party in the USA” blasted from Sydney’s phone, creating an amazing start to America’s birthday. We packed up camp quickly, giving us time to don our patriotic attire! Sydney brought face and body paint for us, allowing us to explore our creativity as we painted up! The girls adorned themselves with red, white, and blue rhinestones accompanied by tapestries of handprints along their legs and arms. The boys took a more humorous approach, covering each other in patriotic meme references. Joe and I even dyed our hair, embracing the patriotic spirit by adorning our heads with red and blue dye. Today was even better than the last, as we filled the river canyon with laughs and shouts! Sydney and the Bald Eagles even made a diss track for me and my raft, filling the canyon with the sounds of playful humor. Eventually, an all-out raft war erupted as Joe and Charlie led the charge to commandeer the other raft! As the splashes settled, no victor was determined as we all ended in the water, floating and laughing away! We moved down the river with speed until we found our final camp, which was yet another beautiful river beach! The night ended under the stars as we counted satellites until all went silent.
Our final morning on the river opened with an early rise, as we lashed the rafts together to make the party barge for the day! After a short paddle, we made it to the river exit, creating a bittersweet ending as we said goodbye to our amazing guides and piled into the van. The ride flew by thanks to the exquisite music suggestions from Louise, Ben, and Chase. Before long, we arrived at the Boise Chick-fil-A for dinner, providing a great way to end our long drive. The night ended with a great MoonUp and happy smiles as we were able to shower once more! Sydney and I look forward to seeing the group develop and bond more as we approach our final adventures together! Stay tuned for the next update!
Henry and Sydney, signing off!
Adventures in the Wild!
July 1, 2024
Hello from Sydney and Henry from the Big Wild! From the moment these kids hopped off the plane, they were troopers and made the long travel day a blast! Right away, we taught them the art of hacky sack. We have some naturals (Ellie, Louise, and Joe). Since we already discussed a tournament, the kids are training hard. This past week has been incredibly exciting, full of growth and adventure! Airport day was very long, as you parents know, due to all the flight delays! Nevertheless, we had a blast greeting each kid as they hopped off the plane. It was so much fun to greet one flight that carried several of our students! Miller, Joe, Bea, and Chase had found each other on the flight and were excited to meet us. As the rest trickled in, we awaited Evie, who disembarked with a smile. We all greeted her and quickly went to fill our bellies with some delicious pizza at our scenic campsite. The Tetons loomed high above us in the distance as we slowly got to know each other. The kids absolutely nailed it when setting up their tents and quickly adapted to the camping lifestyle. Ben, being a Boy Scout, helped the boys, and Miller, a Moondance veteran, set a great example for everyone. Hudson was extremely helpful right from the start and made the whole process much easier. We ended the evening with a moonlit gathering under the stars. It was a lot of fun pointing out the constellations that we knew. Day one was definitely a bonding experience. On this day, the kids got accustomed to not knowing the time, how long we were in the car, or what we were doing. We love to create a sense of mystery for the group and have them completely unplug so they can live in the moment. That day, we drove 7 hours into Idaho! We started the morning by decorating our van with all our names and drawings. We had to get our veggie van ready for its big wild adventure. After teaching the kids Leave No Trace principles on the windows and forming cooking crews for the session, we were on our way. The playlist was popping!! Everyone had such great taste in music. Ben suggested “Amber” by 311, which pretty much set the tone for the rest of the ride. Noah shared some of his widespread panic music, which was fun to hear since they’re very popular with many of our college friends. We all jammed out until we finally reached our campsite. Everyone burst out of the car and ran to check out the views. Our campsite faced beautiful sand dunes nestled in the valley between mountains. Golden hour settled in, creating a picturesque moment. Everyone set up camp, and then somehow Joe convinced all of us to give him a buzz cut. He had bought some clippers, so we all took turns giving it a try. It was so funny. We were trying to give him a mullet, but then Dylan went a bit off track. So, a shaved head it was. Charlie followed suit, allowing Henry to “line him up”. Henry took great pride in giving the boys the perfect, even cut. They looked awesome! (Yes, we did ask several times, “Are your parents okay with this?!”). Overall, it made the group laugh so much. After our cooking crew prepared a delicious pasta meal, we headed towards the sand dunes to stretch our legs and have our moonlit gathering. The trail was lovely, and everyone enjoyed the walk after a long day. Overall, a great first day. The next morning, we woke up and got the kids ready to surf the sand dunes! That’s right, we rented three sandboards and three sleds. After waxing them up, we flew down the dunes. It was so much fun. Sandboarding was the most challenging, with its similarities to snowboarding. Miller was especially good at flying down the mountain while standing straight up. We had sand everywhere! Going down the dunes and then hiking all the way back up was definitely challenging. Ben described it as a stairmaster. It certainly felt that way. We all felt the burn but had a blast. After the sand dunes, we all piled into the car and began our trek to Idaho! Chase was funny, asking us if we were there yet and joking that he felt like we were going in circles. But as he asked these questions, we got to learn more about him and his passion for many stringed instruments like the bass and banjo. We sure could use one of those instruments on our trip! As the car ride continued, we let everyone run into the gas station to use the bathroom and grab a snack. We happened to stop at the perfect spot because it was Frazzle Friday! Frazzles were a slushie, so obviously we all got one. Dylan was so polite to the women in the gas station that they even gave him the rest of his items for free. Some great Southern manners! Back on the road, we finally made it to our campsite. It was a beautiful day in Idaho, so we all grabbed our bathing suits and hit the beach for a swim. The water was a bit chilly, but the group worked together to dive in. We just had to get that sand out of our hair. Everyone sat on the beach for a while, chatting and enjoying the sun. Bea, Louise, and Hudson were fun to chat with and learn more about. After swimming, we all made a delicious dinner of chicken, green beans, and potatoes. Joe, Evie, Noah, and Hudson did an amazing job with the meal. Everyone loved it. Afterwards, we had another great moonlit gathering and headed to bed! The following day, we woke the kids up and went kayaking! The drive to our destination was beautiful. The vibes were high as we assigned boats, and everyone hopped in ready to explore the area. We were hoping to see a moose since the woman who worked at the rental place said she had seen a mother moose and her twins, but sadly no luck. We did see a bald eagle though, and a little snake. Everyone loved encountering the wildlife. The day was beautiful, with sandy beaches around every bend and clear waters revealing colorful rocks on the riverbed. It was fantastic! The kids enjoyed paddling and then floating with the current. Charlie and Dylan had the whole group laughing when they accidentally flipped their kayak. They were quite shocked by the water temperature. Chase, on the other hand, could stay in the water much longer than any of us. After kayaking, we took the kids to one of our favorite parks for lunch. This park has a fantastic dock that we can swim out to. The water is chilly, so you have to earn it to get out there. Everyone took the plunge and enjoyed the sun on the dock for a long time. It was so much fun just lounging and getting to know each other even more. Bea was a great swim partner who was always ready to hop in, being from Connecticut and a bit more accustomed to these temperatures. She’s quite the fish! After swimming, we took the kids on a hike that wasn’t too strenuous but tested their hiking abilities. They passed with flying colors. Noah was a fantastic hiker, effortlessly gliding up the trail. Overall, the group is really starting to bond. Ellie opened up about her sailing adventures back home and her family’s passion for it. It was really cool to learn more about it! We ended the evening with a cookout by the water, playing games and hanging out. Hudson and Charlie led a great moonlit gathering on the beach where we all laughed and discussed favorite foods and what other Moondance trips we would like to do. The group woke up ready to conquer the art of fly fishing! None of us slept well due to our neighboring cow friends mooing all night. With cloudy skies overhead, we met the guides to learn the ropes. Right away, the kids were into it. They all did a great job tying knots. Ellie, in particular, could tie a mean knot. She helped me (Sydney) a lot! The girls caught onto casting so quickly. We all loved the guides and can’t wait to fish more with them tomorrow! After getting the basics of fly fishing down, we moved to a fishing hole and enjoyed the river as the weather slowly improved. Wildflowers were starting to bloom, so it was fun to explore those too. After more casting practice, we decided to check out a hike. The guides gave us a fantastic recommendation. We drove about an hour away and up a gravel road to find an amazing alpine lake. We were all blown away. It felt unreal to think that this spot was in Idaho! We played and enjoyed the view. There was even snow sprinkling the highest peaks. Noah grabbed a snowball and passed it around to Hudson and Ellie so they could experience more snow than they’re used to back home! After the hike, we headed back to camp and everyone started playing cards. It was a relaxed evening with delicious tacos and yummy cookies for dessert. The evening was capped off with a phenomenal sunset that just kept getting better as we sat on the beach for our moonlit gathering. After the moonlit gathering, we played some hacky sack and then called it a night.
Here are some messages from the kids!
Evie- Hey Mom and Dad I am having the best time. Everyone here is so sweet literally my fav people. Love you guys.
Bea- Hey Mom and Dad I am having the best time! Love you!!
Ellie- Hey Mom, Dad, and Izzy! I am having such a cool time exploring a new place. I cant wait to tell y’all about it.
Hudsen- Hi, I miss you all so much and im having a good time. The location and overall views are beautiful! Also the activities are so fun! I love you all so much!
Chase- Hey Mom and Dad I’m having fun here. Also I got a buzz cut.
Noah- Hey Mom, Dad, and Hunter. Miss you guys.
Ben- Hey Mom and Dad, I’m having a blast here and its soooo much better than I expected. Was more than worth it and hope you are having a blast at home. Love you.
Dylan- Hey Mom and Dad love you guys, hope yall have a good fourth. I’m having a great time meeting new people.
Joe- Hey Mother and Father i’m lowkey missing yall (not really) im having the best time making new friends. P.s im bald now.
Miller- Hey Mom and Dad! I am having so much fun! I hope yall are having fun and have a fun trip! I love y’all so much and miss yall! ❤💜
Louise- Hey Mom and Dad! I am having such a fun time here and everyone is so nice. Love yall!
Charlie- Hola Madre y Padre I am having fun. I am making new friends.
Love you! Bye for now!
Sydney and Henry
Safe arrival in Jackson!
June 27, 2024
Hello Big Wild Families!
We heard from our leaders yesterday evening that the group landed safely in Jackson Hole! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure!
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next two week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
