Last hello from Big Wild!
July 29, 2024
For the last time, Janie and Rob checking in!! You’re probably reading this alongside your favorite Big Wilder (shoutout to Everett for coining this term). Maybe they have a pile of laundry that shows how they lived in the moment and truly embraced the outdoor experience. Or maybe they ran to their rooms with eyes full of gratitude at the sight of a comfy bed. Regardless, I know that they all came home with endless stories to tell and a lifetime’s worth of memories. Rob and I (Janie) are so blessed to have been able to get to know your kids, spend time with them, and share so, so many memories with. Thank you for your support throughout this Moondance journey.
The last you heard from us, we had just wrapped up rafting on the Lower Salmon and Snake Rivers, and we were headed back to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Our last few days together were sweet ones for sure. With a roadtrip ahead of us, we had settled into the van and our Spotify queue was ready. We drove through the farmlands, drylands, mountain-lands, and small town-lands of Idaho. We camped in Idaho that night to break up the drive. We made sure to break up the drive with many of bathroom and gas station snack breaks, and a dinner stop at none other establishment than Chickfila. At one particular gas station stop, Lil Rob proudly walked out with a half gallon slushie. The neon green and bright blue concoction was passed around and gave everyone a wee bit of a sugar high. But when in the land of extra extra large fountain drinks and slushies, what else are you supposed to do?! Alex introduced everyone to canned beef jerky and small sour soda flavored fizzy candies. Needless to say, Big Rob and I collected “tax” on gas station purchases and tried lots of new sweet, sour, salty, and savory goods. Once we finally reached our campsite for the evening, we pulled out our sleeping bags and ground pads and cowboy camped.
The next morning we woke up early to shower (!!!) and change into clean clothes. Everyone was surely rejuvenated by those campground showers. We hit the road one last time for the final trek back to Jackson Hole. Again, over the river and through the woods we went! Spotify queue filled with Kendrick Lamar (kudos to Lil Rob), Taylor Swift oldies (Dallie’s pick), Photo ID (Caroline and Ava’s new favorite), and lots of Zach Bryan (Charlie’s choice). We stopped in Idaho Falls for a surprise Goodwill shopping spree and everyone picked out their outfits for our banquet dinner in Jackson. Peter found some brightly colored girl’s shorts to match his girl’s size 6 blue tank top. Avery picked out a sparkly silver tank top that complimented her bright green baggy basketball shorts perfectly. AK found sunglasses straight out of 2006, and Everett picked out a bright red number from his Mario Kart shirt down to his patterned midi skirt. Wow – we had a good looking group ready to hit the town that night. After our shopping spree, we made a bee line to Jackson. We arrived at camp to sort through our U-Haul packed to the brim with ground pads, camp dishes, duffel bags, and various clothing items. Once everyone had picked out their lost & found items and packed their bags, we cleaned our dishes and tents as fast as we could so we could hit the town. We headed into Jackson for a delicious dinner at El Abuelito complete with chips and queso and many, many burritos. Peter finally got to order his ACP (arroz con pollo) and Ava got her cheese quesadilla she had been craving. Without a shadow of doubt, we were the best dressed crew in that establishment. After our party of 14 had our fair share of chips and salsa and mexican deliciousness, we meandered through downtown Jackson, popping into souvenir stores and sweet shops. Caroline and AK were able to purchase their long-awaited Swedish candy at Mursell’s Sweet Shop and Charlie and Peter walked away with some sweet hats. Once the shops started closing their doors and everyone’s wallets started to look slimmer, we decided that it was only proper to end our last night with an ice cream stop. Since we had passed Dairy Queen many of times and had heard countless requests throughout our time in Wyoming, we knew we had to stop for blizzards. With brownie batter, fluffer nutter, cookies and cream, and chocolate chip cookie dough blizzards all around, we sat around enjoying our sweet treats and reminiscing on our time together. Wow – what an amazing 2 weeks it had been. Everyone arrived as strangers, and in those 13 (soon to be 14) days we had all grown so close. 14 strangers turned into Cheaper by the Dozen (Rob and I being the cool and fun parents of course). We left DQ to head to camp for the final time and huddled around in our sleeping circle for the final Moonup. Ellen and Dallie led our final Moonup which consisted of sharing our favorite memory, giving our final nugs, and ending with a reading of an inspirational poem. Wow. What a group and what a time.
The next morning began bright and early as we packed up our belongings and made our way to the Jackson Hole airport. Teary eyes and full hearts. One by one, our kiddos went through TSA and onto their gates. Tight squeezes and hugs all around – and of course some hard goodbyes to say (or more properly – see you soon’s). We had a few with afternoon flights, so we got to soak up the extra time with Ellen, Eliza, and Charlie. They helped us run our final errands and send our gear back to the Moondance office in Nashville. Once our errands were finished, we had to get lunch of course. So we treated ourselves to a delicious lunch at Picnic in Jackson. Delicious sandwiches, local kettle cooked potato chips, and fancy canned sodas covered our cafe table. We headed back to the airport and said bye to Charlie, then sat around and chatted with Ellen and Eliza. Even with many delays, the extra time just added to their grand Moondance Adventure. The girls were absolute troopers about their soon to be 30+ hour travel “day”. At their final delay, we hugged them tight and sent them on their way.
As Rob and I left the airport with an empty and quiet van, we reflected on our last 2 weeks and already missed our Lucky Dozen terribly. We are so proud of them for conquering fears, pushing themselves out of their comfort zones, and choosing to embrace every moment and opportunity. They arrived as strangers and left as best friends. Rob and I can say the same as leaders too – we started as newly minted friends and leave our Moondance summer with countless memories created together with our kiddos. Thank you, parents and kids, for trusting us and choosing to go on a Moondance trip. Thank you for choosing to be Big & Wild (& Fun !!!!) and embracing the LITMO (live in the moment) philosophy. We will remember this crew for the rest of our lives.
Until our paths cross again,
Janie and Rob
Sunsets and Rapids: Our Journey Across Four States
July 27, 2024
Hey hey!!! Since you last heard from us, we’ve been in 4 different states (!!!) – Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington state! We woke up early, early to drive to Idaho for our next section of our adventure – rafting! We were in full family roadtrip mode with tons of snacks, games, and friendship bracelets to keep us occupied. Even though the drive was long, the kids were shocked at how fast it flew by! I guess when you’re surrounded by your new best friends there’s never a dull moment. A surprise trip to Chick-fil-a for lunch and gas station stops and snacks sprinkled along the way made for some roadtrip fun too. When we reached our campsite that evening, the kids were thrilled to see the sighting of a massive lake and the endless Idaho sky. The sun stayed up long enough for everyone to swim and hang alongside the shore. If you were a fly on the wall (or a tent) that evening, you would have seen your favorite 14 and 15 year olds skipping rocks, swimming out to large rocks in the middle of the lake, sharing deep and meaningful conversations with one another, and eating pizza and cookie dough with a gorgeous sunset behind that clear water. It was the perfect way to start the second half of our trip and our grand rafting adventure.
The next morning we woke up buzzing with excitement to start rafting. We drove to Riggins, Idaho to pack up our dry bags, meet our awesome guides, and hop on the Salmon River. With bathing suits, sunscreen, and PFDs on, we learned safety precautions and the ground rules of rafting. Once everyone had picked their spots in the raft boats, we eagerly awaited the rapids. When the kids learned about riding the bull of the raft through the rapids, Peter was the first one to jump at the opportunity. He sat proudly at the front of the raft, held on to the line of the boat as tight as he could, and was hit by the rushing whitewater waves. Rapid after rapid, each kid took their turn riding the bull. After a mid-morning of rafting, we stopped at our first sandy shoreside beach for a delicious lunch and sunbathing. The girls found the perfect warm rock to lay out on – we got to practice some of our bouldering skills and climbed on top to catch some rays and even out our tan lines. Once we refueled with Asian Chicken Salad, we got back on to our rafts for an afternoon of rapids and swimming in the Salmon. The blue boat (Charlie, Anna Kate, Ellen, Dallie, Avery, Caroline, Ava, and Janie) managed to start an epic Pirates of the Caribbean style raid on the white boat (Peter, Little Rob, Everett, Alex, Eliza, and Big Rob). With no hesitation, we raided their boat and managed to pull a few of them into the water. Once we reached our first riverside beach camp site, we set up camp and busted out the friendship bracelets and books. Not long after we opened up our beach reads and started new bracelets, a full throttle water fight began: Caroline v. Dallie. In an epic throw down of splashing and dunking, Caroline claims she got the W (Dallie might disagree haha!) Everyone broke out into laughter, especially Caroline and Dallie. Once the water wars commenced, we continued with tumbling and headstands on the white sand and waited for dinner. Our part time white water rafting guides, part time chefs prepared a delicious spread of chicken and veggie fajitas, tortillas, and salsa. After a delicious first dinner on the river, we did Moonup in our camp chairs under the night sky in the canyon.
After a restful night sleeping on our paco pads, we woke up to the smell of french toast and bacon. Our rafting guides sure do know their way around the kitchen – everyone devoured up their breakfast and was ready for seconds. After our fill of the scrumptious food, we packed up our dry bags and loaded the gear boat. Day 2 of rafting was our big rapid day and everyone listened intently to our guides tell the wild tales of the rapids – Harms Hole, Half and Half, Cougar Canyon, China, Snow Hole, and Lorna’s Lulu. We really dialed in our paddling to avoid flipping rafts. Ava and Avery made sure to call dibs on riding the bull – after all, they had had some practice riding a mechanical bull at the Jackson Hole rodeo just last week. Little did they know it was all part of perfectly curated training plan for rafting hah! The girls took the reins of the Blue Boat on Day 2 and channeled our inner girl power with glitter on our faces and fun chants. The glitter under our eyes really got to our abs and arms that day somehow – our rowing was top notch and very much in sync. Meanwhile, the boys laid claim to the white boat with Kyle as their guide. In an epic showdown of Julia’s Blue Boat versus Kyle’s White Boat, I think Julia’s Blue Boat of girl power and glitter took the cake – but I (Janie) might be biased as a fellow Blue Boat gal. As the day went on, the rapids got bigger and bigger. Especially Snow Hole. We pulled our boats on shore for our guides to scout the infamous rapid and make a game plan. After they saw the roaring white water and 10 foot waves, they gave us a pep talk and a plan of attack. Julia fired up the girls while Kyle led the guys in some soccer chants adapted to our Blue Boat v White Boat pirate feud. Once everyone was locked in, we rowed through Snow Hole and not a person was left dry. The massive waves were like a super soaker; cheers and screams ensued. We dropped 10 feet in a single wave (of many) in the rapid!! As our raft guides said, those waves are addicting and boy were they right. As soon as we got through Snow Hole everyone was asking when the next Class IV rapid would come. Eliza was especially hooked on the wild waves and fast rapids. Luckily, we were just moments away from rafting through the China Rapid. We paddled with excitement and anticipation. But as we were paddling, we got wind (literally and figuratively) of a storm coming in. Uncle Gusty (it’s bad luck to say “wind” on the river) was strong and coming in full force. Uncle Gusty brought along his friends too – dark clouds. We paddled hard and fast to make it through the roaring China rapid and to the closest beach to seek shelter. Once we hit the shore, we tied up the rapids and made sure all of our belongings were wind proof. We scurried up the sandy shore and into caves to wait out the gnarly storm. Rumors of 50-60 mph winds flew – just like some Nalgene water bottles and life jackets. Thankfully, we managed to catch them before they blew into the wild river. Mason – our guide and white water trip leader – had his dog, Marie, with him on the trip, and she sought shelter in the caves alongside our kids. Dallie and Anna Kate found a cave fit for three and snuggled alongside their new furry, four legged friend. As we waited out the pelting rain and blistering winds, we all laughed and squealed with excitement. Watching the lightning above the Salmon River and surrounding mountains was exhilarating and a once-in-a-lifetime sight. It was like we were living in a National Geographic photograph. While hiding out, Alex, Everett and Charlie found the perfect caves for sleeping and immediately claimed their spots. Alex even got to practice some bouldering too. Thankfully, the storm was no where nearly as violent as predicted and we could all huddle together for a cookout. After we left our cave dwellings, we gathered around for many rounds of shadow boxing (looking at Lil Rob and Everett especially) and seeing how far we could land as we jumped off the sandy cliff onto the lower sandy area. Dallie might just need to start competing in the Long Jump with her hops! Hamburgers, baked beans, green beans, potatoes, topped off with strawberry shortcakes capped off our day full of adventure and excitement. With some kids fast asleep in caves and others in a cuddle puddle of paco pads, sleeping bags, and pack pillows under a large sunshade tent, we slept under the night sky feeling both relieved and filled with thrill.
The next morning we woke up with stories of nighttime storms and rumors of who supposedly snores and sleep talks. The aroma of s’mores pancakes and sizzling sausage filled the cool air. As we packed up camp and threw dry bags down beside the gear boat, Caroline and Avery found a faster way to run down the hill: making a slip and slide out of the paco pads. With a running start, they managed to slide down the lined up paco pads. More rounds of shadow boxing ensued and the guys made sure Kyle (our guide) could join in on the fun too. As everyone shadow boxed and bouldered the rocks above, Avery found a perfect dessert to complete her breakfast meal: a large and chirpy cricket. With kids all around and the Go Pro recording, she took down the cricket and swallowed it in a big gulp. Her valiant effort was rewarded with the news of never having to do dish crew again hah! As Avery was digesting the cricket, we hopped back into our respective pirate boats for another full day of rafting. Day 3 of rafting took us cliff jumping, through Blue Canyon, and through Slide Rapid (make sure to ask Everett about the infamous tales of Slide). As we rafted through the water, our guides offered up the chance to hop on “the sticks” and really row our “sterny” raft. Eliza jumped at the opportunity. She captained the Blue Boat with confidence and her natural talent. And she can attest to how hard it is to row – our guides sure are strong!! Once Eliza returned the reins back over to Julia, our guide, we went through some more rapids before stopping at a beach for a lunch spread of taco salad and chips and salsa. This lunch was extra tasty! After our fair share of the Tex Mex flare, we hopped back into our boats to raft down to a perfect cliff jumping spot. Once we arrived at those beautiful basalt columns, we marveled at their seemingly perfect geometry and the wild landscape of the canyon hillsides. The basalt columns looked as if they were created millions of years ago just for our cliff jumping moment. As we climbed the step stool columns, we reached the tip top jumping point and Charlie ran with no hesitation and jumped straight out. Little Rob followed in the same fashion. Ellen and Eliza followed likewise, each yelling a variation of “cowabunga!”. Others were a little bit more hesitant of the height and took the opportunity to face their fears. Peter, Ava, and Everett all hyped each other up and watched each other conquer the challenge at hand. Cheers and applause awaited each one of them as they ran and jumped with butterflies in their stomach and a heart full of determination. Each and every kid was full of amusement and satisfaction at our cliff jumping pit stop along the river. I think our kids would have stayed all day had Blue Canyon not been calling our name. Once we were all back in our rafts, we paddle down river and our jaws stayed dropped in awe of beauty. As we approached Blue Canyon, our heads were practically on swivels as we marveled at the tall canyon walls, blue and shiny basalt rock, big horn sheep and bald eagles dotting the hillsides, and mountains painting the background as far as eyes could see. Pictures and words cannot accurately capture or describe the beauty of Blue Canyon. We rafted through a few more rapids and had Everett shaking in his boots at the rumors of Slide. Slide is a Class VI rapid when the water is above 20,000 CFS, making it un-runable. But, the water was running at ~5,000 CFS on our trip, making Slide pretty much just some rocks sticking up out of the water. Unbeknownst to Everett and the girls, Slide was going to be a ripple when we ran it; they were under the impression that we were only going to come out of it by a miracle. When we got to Slide, Julia and Kyle broke the news to our crew and they were in disbelief. With sounds of laughter and many “bruhs”, we passed through the rippling Slide with some relieved crew members. Others that weren’t as gullible stayed true to our master plan of a joke the entire time (thanks Lil Rob and Peter). As we said bye to Slide and Blue Canyon, we successfully “threaded the needle” and passed the Eye of the Needle and reached the Confluence of the Snake and Salmon Rivers. What a spot!! Hell’s Canyon – features the nation’s deepest gorge at a whopping maximum depth of 7,900 feet during high water. Once the Snake eats the Salmon, we stopped to tie up our rafts and attach a motor to go down the Snake River. Once our flotilla was tied together to make the perfect party barge, we motored to our favorite and last beachside camp. With flat topped boulders ready for climbing and towering mountains all around, we made this campsite our playground. The boys decided to climb the mountain above and arrived at the top with breathtaking views of the Snake River down below. Meanwhile, the girls stayed on the beach and swam in the water and started a boulder top dance party. With throwback hits and sing alongs queued, we danced on top of the boulder and quite possibly had the world’s best dance party. Ava, Dallie, Ellen, Eliza, Caroline, Anna Kate, and Janie showed off all of their favorite moves in a dance circle and sang loud enough for the guys to hear them from the mountaintop – hah!! The sunsetting over the canyon made for the perfect lighting too. To say that today was filled with fun from sun up to sun down is an understatement. I think all of our cheeks hurt at the end of the day from the amount of smiling we did. Once the boys scrambled down the mountain and we changed out of our bathing suits, an epic spike ball tournament ensued. In an all out showdown, Lil Rob and Everett took the W. After an afternoon and evening full of jumping off of cliffs, scaling mountains, busting moves on top of boulders, and playing spike ball, we were all eager for dinner to be served. Our guides made the most delicious pork tenderloin, glazed carrots, caesar salad, and homemade garlic knots. Talk about a meal!! Once we were all served, silence ensued: everyone was fully focused on the mouthwatering food and devoured in a moment’s notice. To top off our last supper on the river, our guides satisfied our sweet tooth’s with pineapple upside down cake. I think my mouth is watering as I think about that meal and reminisce on that culinary journey haha! After we were all full from our feast and dishes were scrubbed clean, we gathered around for our last Moonup on the river. Our LODs, Avery and Alex, shared an inspiration quote and gave us all the opportunity to reflect on our favorite moments from rafting. With hearts full of gratitude yet tired eyes and weary bodies, we settled into our sleeping bags and slept under neath the Milky Way above (a big highlight for Lil Rob!).
As the sun rose above the canyon, we awakened on our Oregon shore, and had a delicious last breakfast of breakfast casserole and cantaloupe. We packed up sandwiches for later, packed up our dry bag one last time, and packed up the boats for the final time. We motored down the Snake River to our take out spot and maybe even caught a few zzz’s on the raft boats. Caroline can attest to how comfy the rafts are for a mid morning nap! Peter, Charlie, Big Rob, Janie, and Marie (Mason’s – our guide – dog) cozied up on top of the paco pads on the gear boat and basked in the sun one last time. At one point on the river, we were looking at 3 states – Idaho on our right, Oregon to the left, and Washington right in front! It was a cool experience for all. The boys made sure to play the last rounds of shadowboxing with Kyle (one of our guides) and the girls sat around Julia (another one of our guides) eagerly listening to her stories of her river and rafting experiences. Once we reached our take out spot, we unpacked our dry bags and said thank you’s and goodbye’s to our beloved white water rafting guides. The boys already miss shadow boxing with Kyle; the girls all miss Julia’s humor and words of encouragement; and we all miss Mason’s culinary skills. What a time and what amazing memories.
Once the last dry bag was emptied and fully packed U-Haul door shut, we said bye to Washington and crossed back over the state line into the hills of Idaho. We all settled into our 15 passenger van for a road trip to our last campsite in Idaho before the final trek back to Jackson. The van grew silent as our sun kissed and spent kids slumbered away. Over the (Salmon) river and through the woods we go back to Wyo!
As Rob and I craft this trip update, we must give some very well deserved shout-outs and thank-you’s to Moondance, Wild River Adventures, the parents of BGW 6B, and our kiddos of course. Thank you – parents and loved ones – for sending your kids on this Big Wild adventure and trusting Moondance with them. Thank you, Moondance, for creating the perfect trip and helping us as leaders navigate every adventure. Thank you to Wild River Adventures for sharing your incredible guides with us and helping us make lifelong memories. We are all filled with gratitude and joy. Here’s to soaking up our next 2 days of adventure and fun – believe me, we are holding on tight to every moment!!
All the best,
Janie and Rob
Howdy from Wyoming!
July 22, 2024
We have had the best first week jam packed full of fly fishing, backpacking, rock climbing, and a rodeo to beat! Thank you for sharing your kids with us on this Big Wild adventure – we have such a fun group of adventurous, inclusive, hilarious, and helpful kids. They’ve kept us (and themselves) laughing since the moment they landed in Jackson Hole.We started our grand adventure first in the airport actually – playing cards, asking icebreaker questions, making playlists, and running up to each kid who stepped off the tarmac. The kids embraced the Moondance philosophy of “Living in the Moment” from Day 1 and found adventure whether it was in the airport or at our first campsite. Eliza, Alex, and Ellen battled Janie in an epic game of war and the Jackson Hole airport benches were covered with cards and kids playing Spades and BS. Once our group piled into our 15 passenger van and threw their duffels into our U-Haul we headed out for our first “family roadtrip”. With some famous Pinky G’s pizza to kick off our first evening and the newly crafted Big Wild 6B Spotify playlist playing through the van speakers, we set out for Pinedale, Wyoming. Upon arrival, our kids learned how to set up their polyester palaces – aka their tents. Once camp was set up with tents overlooking the Green River and the night-sky sparkling above, we gathered around for our first Moonup.
The next morning, Dallie and Anna Kate woke up before the sun to see it rise and journal along the river. Once everyone was barely bright eyed and bushy tailed, our first Leaders of the Day – Charlie and Caroline – crafted a breakfast spread of assorted bagels and cream cheeses, scrambled eggs, and hashbrowns. With full bellies and sleepy eyes, we set out for our first activity- fly fishing! With sunscreen and bug spray “perfumed”, newly licensed Wyoming fishermen and women, we set out on drift boats for a morning of hopefully catching “hogs”. Everyone learned how to cast, set, and spot the perfect fishing hole. Shoutout to Caroline, Eliza, and Big Rob for being the big winners of the day with their boat catching the most fish! After a morning on the water, we stopped in town for a surprise ice cream treat. Big scoops made for some big smiles! Once our sugar highs settled in, we made it back to our lovely spot by the river to explore, fish some more, and prep for backpacking the next day. Crazy creeks, Moondance journals and pens, fly rods, and some awesome 14 and 15 year olds lined the shoreline. Big Rob (aka Rob the leader) shared some of his best fly fishing tips to our crew and Charlie was even able to reel in a big one standing on shore! The girls found the best hilltop overlooking a horse shore turn on the Green, and we eagerly ran up to hang out, jam out, and continue getting to know each other better. Dallie and Anna Kate practically scaled the steep hillside as they scrambled from the river below to the top. With a jam session to beat and Alex capturing the moments on his camera, we all soaked up the precious camp time. After our afternoon of exploring and fishing, our cook crew fired up the Camp Chef stove to craft a delicious dinner of Turkey Bolognese and toasted Rosemary Sourdough Bread. Our chefs made our first home cooked camp dinner taste like it came straight out of an Italian Grandmother’s kitchen! A breathtaking sunset, campfire, and s’mores capped off our first full day together.
The next day we started our first day of backpacking through the Gros Ventre wilderness. Everett guaranteed that we Left No Trace at our campsite as we headed out, and he and Dallie made sure all of our duffels, backpacks, gear, and food fit into our U-Haul – they’ve been awesome helpers the whole trip too!! We said bye to our riverside home and drove to the trailhead to get the big day started. Little Rob and Anna Kate, our Leaders of the Day, started us off with positive vibes and an inspirational quote as we hit the trail. While we hiked, our group really bonded through stories, jokes, and both deep and silly conversations. Caroline was an excellent and hilarious motivator – she made sure everyone was “locked in” and “in the zone” even when our bellies hurt from laughing and legs grew weary during steep hill climbs. She also taught us the best method for PB & J quesadillas at our lunch spot! “ACP” – Eliza, Ellen, Peter, and Charlie – kept spirits light and morale high with their brain rot jokes and constant laughter. Once we arrived at our backcountry oasis, we set up our tents and placed our “smellies” (be sure to ask your kiddos about this) in our kitchen area and truly settled into our new home for the next couple of nights. Then, we headed straight to the Gros Ventre River for cold plunges and rock skipping. The cold water rejuvenated all of us after a long, hot day! Alex shared his rock skipping methodology and ensured that everyone could successfully hit a few skips. He also quickly became one with the woods and we coined him our backcountry man of the trip. Little Rob and Anna Kate whipped up jambalaya with chopped bell peppers and sausage over the fire, and boy was that a hit! Peter even tested the limits of his test buds that evening! Once the last bites of jambalaya were gobbled up, we made brownie batter and passed spoonfuls around of the sweet, chocolatey batter. Later that evening, Little Rob and Anna Kate planned an epic Moonup with a creative story to open the Nug Jug and a thoughtful question to ask the group. With a sky full of stars and a big, bright moon above, we settled into our tents and all slept soundly after our big day.
The next day started with a slow camp morning, warm sunshine, and of course a campfire. That morning felt so magical as the sunlight leaked in through the trees and we soaked up each other’s company and our breathtaking view of Upper Falls. With packs left behind at camp and rejuvenated energy, we hiked to Chateau Lake for a day of swimming, games, and fishing. The water was chilly, but that stopped no one from finding the perfect spot and jumping in. Avery, Eliza, Alex, and Dallie braved the cold water and swam across and back the lake! I’m still amazed at their cold water tolerance! Dallie smiled ear to ear for the rest of the day and said that was the highlight of her day. Big Rob, Little Rob, Charlie, and our backpacking guide, John found some shoreline spots to cast their fly rods and even caught a few trout! Ellen found a warm and flat rock that made the perfect spot for laying out and an arena for many games of Poison Dart Frog and Mafia. Ava narrated our many rounds of mafia with creative tales of murders, rescues, and sleuthing. Everett nearly captured a mafia victory before accidentally confessing to his lakeside hi jinx. After we had our fair share of fun at the lake, we hiked back and made a pitstop above the towering waterfall by our campsite. Our LODs, Dallie and Everett, fancied up our ramen with stir fry veggies and chicken and continued our streak of delectable dinners. Naturally, we cooked it right on the campfire and all sat together slurping down the delicious meal. Once we finished dinner and Dallie and Everett drafted their dish crew – Caroline, Anna Kate, and Little Rob to help them clean up the meal. I (Janie) brought the speaker and tunes to entertain the dish crew and it quickly turned into an epic dance party. With Rihanna and throwback hits blaring, everyone gave their best performance. Everett then led the dish crew down the creek as we played Floor is Lava and hopped from rock to rock. And we even managed to clean all of the dishes amidst a dance party and exploration!
On our last day of backpacking, we woke up early to pack up camp and have our last oatmeal packets by the fire. Our motivated hikers hit the trail with positive attitudes. We made it out in record time, and everyone audibly cheered at the news of lunch at Burger Barn and a shower. Once we reached Burger Barn, cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, fries, sodas, and milkshakes covered the picnic tables. After our fair share of the roadside grease trap, we all took much needed showers and headed to Jackson for our next section of rock climbing. Since everyone looked freshly pampered, a photoshoot followed once we reached our next campsite. With the Tetons and a cotton candy colored sky, how could you not take pictures?!The next morning, we woke up early to the LODs, Eliza and Peter, stirring hashbrowns and flipping chocolate chip pancakes on the griddle. And what better way to top chocolate chip pancakes than with syrup and whipped cream?! With full bellies and maybe some tired eyes, we drove to our climbing spot of the day to meet our Exum Mountain Guides and learn the basics of bouldering, top rope climbing, knot tying, and rappel. We rode the gondola up to our climbing spot and looked out at the mountains surrounding us all around. Dallie and Alex were oozing with excitement of climbing to new heights and trying hard routes. Amidst our climbing, we were hit with a hail storm out of nowhere! We huddled together under the cover of the tall pines for the short storm. Once it passed and the sky was once again bright blue, our guides taught us how to rappel and everyone tested their fears of heights. As little Rob says, “Courage is being afraid and still sending it, not about lacking fear.” Everett and Eliza took his saying to heart and proved their apprehensions wrong; they were both so so proud of themselves for climbing and rappelling on the steep Teton terrain. Once we wrapped up our first day of climbing, we drove back to camp for some friendship bracelet making lessons and dinner. Little did our kids know that we were headed to the rodeo that night too! Once we broke the news to them, audible excitement once again ensued. With french braids and country nicknames adopted, we headed to the rodeo for a night full of bull riding, cowboy sightings, and big smiles. The cowboy hat stand and mechanical bull greeted us at the entrance, and many of our kids adopted the cowboy persona for the night. Peter was the first to hop on the mechanical bull and started us off with a strong performance. Ava followed with an epic ride and maybe a shriek or two hah! Dallie decided she should LITMO (Live in the Moment) and hop on the bull as well. Avery wowed us all as she managed to have the longest ride – she could have snuck into the rodeo lineup that night with that kind of talent! After some encouragement, I (Janie) was convinced to round out our Big Wild mechanical bull riding of the night. Avery was a tough act to follow, and hopefully my performance at least held a candle to hers haha! Once the rodeo started and everyone had at least one concession stand snack in hand, we were wowed with the real deal bull riders, team ropers, barrel racers, and bare back riders. The rodeo was a hit all around; we were all smiling ear to ear the whole night.
After a late evening at the rodeo, the proper wake up call had to be cinnamon rolls, sausage, and eggs hot on the griddle- that surely got everyone up and out of their tents lickety-split! Ava and Ellen prepped our Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps for lunch and showed off their burrito rolling skills. With daypacks full of lunch, snacks, water, sunscreen, and rain gear, we drove to our next climbing spot smack dab in the middle of Grand Teton National Park. Talk about views!! We met our guides for the day and took the boat across Jenny Lake to hike to our spot for the day. Jaws were dropped as we took in the breathtaking panoramic views. With harnesses and helmets on, we scrambled high up above Hidden Falls. We continued with our bouldering and knot-tying lessons and then took on an epic multi-pitch to reach the top. Big Rob, Alex, and Dallie took on a hard route complete with a cave. Ava and Anna Kate climbed with me (Janie) and we marveled at both the incredible views of Jenny Lake and the Tetons and our guide’s calves – hah! Once we all met up at the top and finished our multi pitch climbs, we lunched with priceless views surrounding. Our guides gave us a rappel review, and we went over the overhanging cliff Mission Impossible style. Caroline, Alex, and Peter made sure everyone “sent it” and at least tried to go fully upside down! Talk about living life on the edge! After a long day on the mountain, we hiked back down and rode the boat back across Jenny Lake. Naturally, we had to stop for an ice cream treat to cool ourselves off and reward our brave efforts. After we finished up our ice cream, we headed back to our campsite for a fajita quesadilla spread complete with chips, salsa, queso and watermelon! Climbing was a blast; Big Rob and I loved watching each and every one of our kiddos try something new – whether they had climbed before or not – and really embrace the experience. Seeing each kid beam with pride and accomplishment is fulfilling to say the least.
Once again, thank you for sharing your kids with Moondance this summer. Big Rob and I are filled with gratitude at the opportunity to make these incredible memories with your kids and get to know them better. Each and every kid brings a different and irreplaceable vibe to the group. Whether it’s Dallie asking what she can help with, Peter engaging everyone in deep conversations, Avery eagerly embracing new experiences and inspiring others, Charlie keeping the jokes flowing, Anna Kate naturally stepping up as a leader, Caroline sharing all of her Camp Chef kitchen tips, Little Rob making us laugh, Eliza inspiring the group with her mature yet light hearted demeanor, Alex being the backcountry and rock climbing king, Ava looking like an old pro at every new skill she tries, Ellen being the best listener and friend to both old and new pals, or Everett seizing the opportunity to try new things and learn more about himself — we are immensely grateful for each and every kid and love seeing them thrive in the Moondance environment.
‘Til next time, Janie and Rob
P.s. we have some shout-outs from your “Big Wilders” !!
Everett – Love yall, I have the best group. The food is pretty good too 😁
Charlie – Hey Mom and Dad, I have the best group and the food is so so good. P.s. I’ve caught a ton of fish… 12 inch Brook Trout, 15 inch Brown, 12 inch Rainbow … I win Dad!!
Alex – Love both of you, Mom and Dad! The trip has been super fun and I have such a good group.
Eliza – I miss and love y’all so much! I have such a good group and so many stories to tell ya! xo Za
Ellen – I miss and love you! I have a great group and am having a good time!
Peter – Hey Mom and Dad, I miss you guys but I am having a great time. We went to a rodeo and climbed in the Tetons! Love ya.
Anna Kate – Hi Mom and Dad! I am having so much fun! I love y’all – see you soon!
Ava – Hi Mom and Dad, I’m having the best time and can’t wait to see yall! Love and miss y’all so much.
Rob – Hi familiar I don’t miss you guys because I’m having so much fun! Jk – miss ya!!
Caroline – Hi Mom, Dad, and Trey! I miss you guys so much but I’m having the best time. Tell Hank and Zops I say hi!
Avery – Hey Mommy, Daddy, JM, and Collins! I’m having so much fun here with the absolute best people, I’m not ready to come home yet, but I love y’all so much and can’t wait to see yall!
Dallie – Having a blast with the best people in the coolest place!! Love yall!!
Safe Arrival in Jackson!
July 15, 2024
Hello Big Wild Families!
We heard from our leaders this evening that the group has landed safely in Jackson and is off to their first campsite! 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 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
