Thank you!!!

June 20, 2024

Greetings loved ones,

It’s our final trip update from British Columbia (and Seattle)!

The last time you heard from us we were leaving Tofino and we’ve been up to a lot since then. We started our last leg with a travel day involving a ferry from Nanaimo to Vancouver. During the ferry ride, we made some tasty sandwiches and did mid-trip check-ins with each student while taking in the scenery. We discussed how the trip had been going, what foods they would like to see, and what we were all looking to improve in the last few days. Check-ins and the ferry wrapped up simultaneously. Our next leg, the drive from Horseshoe Bay to our campground in Squamish was a beautiful trip along the Sea to Sky Highway. We saw gorgeous ocean views and some pretty large mountains alike! At the campground, we set up our tents, Enos, and tarps since it rained a bit. We also had a special guest joining us from our start in Squamish and through our rafting trip, Hannah Wilson, a legend of the admissions team at headquarters! We kicked off her arrival with a meal fit for a king, a vegetable stir fry with rice (with plenty of broccoli for Reese) and teriyaki. The next morning was one of legend, with a few bumps in the road (literally), we eventually made it to Canadian Outback Rafting where we quickly packed up our dry bags and headed out for the Elaho and Squamish River to start our overnight rafting trip. Whitt and Everett both braved the 40-degree water and floated down a rapid when given the opportunity before the big waves. The kids decided to split up into a girls and boys’ boat which started a rivalry between who could do the best paddle high fives and a couple of splash wars. The rapids were incredible and all of the boats worked in perfect coordination to perfectly execute the technical turns. When we got to camp everyone was thrilled to put on warm dry clothes and set up camp. There was cowboy camping and tent camping alike. The raft guides cooked an immaculate dinner of steak, Caesar salad, potatoes, and most importantly lava cake with strawberries and whipped cream. After dinner, we relaxed in lawn chairs and Jackson posed important questions such as “Do ants have lungs?” leaving us baffled as to how ants breathe. Everett roused a group to cowboy camp in the sand under the stars (including our adventure queen Hannah) and we all slept hard through the night. Our guides cooked us a delicious breakfast burrito spread before we had the fastest campsite pack up to date! We hopped back on the river and floated the rest of the way down to the base. Vivian kept the girl’s boat entertained with tongue twisters but no one managed to master “Toy Boat.” Palmer greeted us with a delicious spread of watermelon and Nanaimo bars to tide us over until we made it back to the campsite for a filling lunch of grilled cheese and tomato soup. We recuperated at the campsite with a couple of minutes of relaxation before saying a sad farewell to Hannah and heading to get ice cream in Squamish. Collier and Vivian headed up a party of people willing to take a cold plunge into the Squamish River. For dinner, there was an intense battle of iron chefs where three separate teams faced off to create the best dinner from our remaining perishable ingredients. With a tight finish for first, Team WWCD (What Would Collier Do) consisting of Collier, Wills, Whitt, and Jackson took home the victory with an Asian stirfry. We wrapped up our time in Squamish with an early morning pick-up and some good old-fashioned bagels and cream cheese before hitting the road toward our canyoneering adventure for the day! We met up with FX and the other guides and got fit for some pretty fetching wetsuits. We learned how to walk “like a gorilla” across the river and practiced rappelling on dry land before our first descent down the side of a waterfall. Lucy Hundley amazed and impressed everyone by facing her fears and conquering all of the rappels! Eddie got stuck for a minute on the zipline which was both entertaining and very cold for him. After the final rappel down an eighty-foot waterfall, Ansley, Leslie, Reese, and Vivian impressed us all by taking a dip at the base of the falls after each remaining person made it down. We drove to Rolley Lake Campground where a grand final dinner of steaks and salad was thrown down by Palmer and Eddie. Lucy Hart along with Collier lead us in a final camping moonup before we hit the hay. The next morning consisted of some packing and clean-up before we made our way back across the border to Seattle!

We slept in a wee bit then woke up to do inventory! Tents, pots, pans, and more were accounted for and we headed merrily on our way. As we crossed over the border, we unloaded from the van. Each student presented his or her passport, received the all clear, and a high five from Palmer saying “Welcome to America!” She even did it for a couple of strangers who headed out with our group. Sadira and Eddie blasted Star Spangled Banner and we headed South. We rolled into Seattle and situated ourselves before heading out to complete our final errands. We cared for our transportation, boys cleaned the U-Haul while girls power washed away at the van art. Our next stop was an Italian Palace where we loaded up on the classics: pizza, pasta, and calzones. We shared lots of laughs and treasured the final meal, which we were already missing. Afterwards, we skipped over to McDonalds where a very kind worker made us some McFlurries after hours, a true hero. We finally headed back to the hotel where we had our final Moonup accompanied by paper plate awards. We closed it out with a group hug that ended more like a mosh pit and said our goodnights. About two hours later we said our good mornings. The group quickly assembled to travel to the airport where we began to dwindle:((((.

We cannot thank you enough for spending your time with Moondance. Each of our students has made this summer so special and continued to surprise us throughout the trip. To our parents, thank you for all of the investments you have made in our well-being, both inside and outside of Moondance. We are truly grateful. Students, we miss you already, never stop LITMOing. We hope to see you next summer :).

With so much love,

Palmer, Sadira, and Eddie

Update from BCO!

June 15, 2024

GREETINGS!

We have been busyyyy these past few days! The surf town of Tofino has been an absolute dream. After a long day of travel down winding, uninhabited roads overarched by old-growth forests, we arrived in Tofino. We were greeted by clear skies and arguably the best campsite in the town. At this point, the group had mastered setting up tents, so it was light work. We pulled out our stove and griddle, then Lucy Hart led a crew that helped assemble pita pizzas (a Moondance classic). The boys quickly found that folding the pitas in half and creating a more calzone-like vessel allowed the cheese to melt perfectly. As we chowed down, we reflected on the trip thus far and got stoked for the surfing and SUPping (stand-up paddleboard) to come. Collier and Reese, our fearless LODs, led us in Moonup beneath some of the largest trees we have ever seen.

Our first morning in Tofino we awoke to winds howling, but that did not stop us from getting suited up and ready. Our paddle boarding outfitter was conveniently located just down the beach from our campsite. Wetsuits were passed out, and suddenly we all had matching outfits. We made our way to the beach and Robbie and Albi, our incredible guides, gave us a lesson about paddling, balance, and having tons of fun. Ansley was a rockstar on the paddle board from the get-go. The guides then introduced us to a game called World Conquerors. In this game, we tried to tap each other’s boards and then yell a country, effectively conquering. Wills proved to be victorious, with (you guessed it) Afghanistan. We spotted orange and purple sea stars clinging to offshore islands. We headed in for some lunch, which was a delicious pasta salad that Sadira had prepared. Quickly after that, we headed off to catch some waves. The surf was incredible and outfitters worked with each of us to improve technique and style. We caught waves, splashed around, and enjoyed the salty water. As Robby and Aldi say, it was wicked. As we made our way out of the water Everett and Palmer skipped merrily to drop equipment off. A long day of activities called for only one thing, ICECREAM! We headed to a local legendary spot Chocolate Tofino. Fisher indulged even further with a surfboard-shaped chocolate, talk about on theme! After a sugar-filled stop, we fleeted back to camp for some substance: burgers, mac and cheese, and broccoli were on the menu. We sat around a campfire and shared a meal, and there isn’t much better than that. And despite our earlier ice cream stop, we had to have s’mores to top off our day. We slept with full bellies and the sound of waves crashing in the distance, idyllic.

The next morning, we woke up and had many people’s favorite breakfast, bagels and bacon. We readied ourselves and strutted down the beach, ready to conquer another day on the water. The winds were much less severe which allowed us to uncover a secret beach nearby where we competed in games of King of the Jungle and wheelbarrow races. After a glassy morning of paddle boarding, we loaded up on chicken caesar wraps and headed back out. Leslie showcased her surfing talents when she performed the demonstration with our instructor Aaron. The swells today were EPIC and the waves were the perfect stage for our act. We ripped up and back the beach. Eddie even ventured to deeper waters and caught some massive waves. All of our skills improved which was incredible to see. We rode waves longer and more consistently than yesterday, which left us leaders and our guides super proud. Vivian and Lucy Hundley were truly in search of the perfect wave and stayed out surfing until the bitter end. Some students took to the beach to soak in the rays and lounge. Meanwhile, Jackson and Whitt splashed around, tried out some body surfing, and crushed it!

After two epic days of surfing and SUPping, it was time we explored the town. Tofino has a lot to offer in terms of cool shops and sights, so some stylish sweatshirts and gifts for friends and family at home were bought. After we wrapped up investigating Tofino we headed to a local Poke restaurant and all crafted up delicious custom Poke bowls. We sat on the deck outside and enjoyed delicious fresh food and great conversation as we began to wrap up our incredible time in Tofino. After arriving back at the campsite, we had an incredible Moonup on the beach and wound down for the night. We’re so sad to leave Tofino, but there is more fun to be had! We have an amazing set of activities coming up in the next few days and before too long it will be time to wrap things up. For now, we’re living in the moment and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

ANDDDD some shoutouts,

Hey mom and dad, BC is great. I am having such a great time. -Whitt

Hey mom and dad, I’m having so much fun here in British Columbia!! Miss y’all and love y’all. I’m so excited to see you in a few days! Happy Father’s Day dad! Ansley

Hey mom and dad, I miss y’all so so much, and keep remembering how amazing yall are! Having a blast! Dad I’m so sorry that I’m missing Father’s Day, you’re amazing(you too mom)! Tell william and Phil hi for me too. Miss y’all and love y’all sm!!! Vivian

Hi Mom and Dad! I love y’all so much and miss y’all a lot!!! I want to tell yall that you’re amazing, and I’m so excited to see yall! It has been raining here. Love yall more than anything!!! Tell Hilton and Murphy I say hi! Happy Father’s Day dad!!! Reese

Hi mom and dad, British Columbia has been a blast!! I miss y’all so much and can’t wait to see you guys soon! I love yall so much, and tell everyone I say hi! Also, happy Father’s Day dad!!! Leslie

Hi mom and dad thank you for sending me here I’m having a great time! Everett

Hi ,I am having a great time here. Thank you for sending me here on the trip. Happy Father’s Day. Fisher

Hi mom and dad, I really miss both of you and will see all of you guys in a few days. I have always kept the saying of embrace the uncomfortable and that has helped me in many ways. Tell everyone that I miss them and want to be there with them. Wills

Hi mom and dad I am having a great time here. I miss y’all and happy Father’s Day, I also got sleep which is good. I like the water in the ocean too. Bye see you soon. Jackson Clay

Hey mom and dad, I am having such a great time. I am having so much fun and having a blast. My favorite place we have been is Tofino. Happy Father’s Day, I wish I was there to celebrate with you. I am so happy to have you as my father and I don’t know what I would do without you. Mom I love you and miss you too. (Tell hadley and Harper hello for me) I love and miss you and I can’t wait to see y’all soon. Love you, Collier Wright

Hi mom and dad, I miss y’all so much and hope you are having a great time right now. I am having so much fun and can’t wait to see y’all. Love, Lucy Hart

Hi mom, dad, and Maggie! I miss y’all so much. I have learned a lot of new things and can’t wait to tell y’all all about it. I hope you have a great Father’s Day, Dad, you are the best dad ever! Can’t wait to see y’all on Friday! Lucy Hundley

Signing off from BC,

Eddie, Palmer, Sadira

Hello from Canada!

June 13, 2024

It’s time we fill you in on all the happenings of our journey thus far. It only seems right to start from the beginning.

We arrived at the airport full of anticipation ready to receive the students we now call friends! As the group congealed, games of ERS (Egyptian rat slap) were played on the floor. We ate sandwiches and made many trips to fill up each other’s water bottles, already showing good EB (expedition behavior). When our group had united we hit the road and saw views of downtown Seattle and Mt. Ranier. We could not even fathom what would be to come, or the experiences that we would share the next time we saw these iconic landmarks. We arrived at our campsite for the night and students quickly set up their tents. We headed down to the bay near our campsite and Whitt led a group that plunged into the water. This was a welcome refresher after a long day of travel. We feasted on hot and delicious pizza down by the water and even were surprised with some cookies as a sweet ending to our meal. We had our first moonup and discussed what we were most excited about on the trip and why we all chose to do Moondance this summer. These answers made us excited for the days to come. Collier and Everett truly embraced the outdoor spirit by cowboy camping under the stars. We headed to bed with dreams of surfing epic waves and paddling crystal waters!

Saturday morning we began our day by cheffing up some bacon, egg, and cheese English muffins. Students packed up their tents and hopped in the van, and we headed North! As we crossed into Canada, Palmer presented the border patrol agent with fifteen passports and fifteen eager smiles awaiting our Canadian adventure. As we crossed the threshold we valiantly blared “Oh Canada!” Our next step was a stunning ferry ride. While we were in line we checked out a local market. We braved the winds on the top deck and soaked in the views before disembarking. One of our LODs (leaders of the day), Whitt, had previously raved about the Timbits at Tim Horton’s (sort of Canada’s version of Dunkin Donuts) so we stopped to get some for the group. Another van ride took us to Lake Comox where we set up camp. Fisher braved the freezing lake waters for the first time and headed out to the platform. Games of jumping off the platform to try and catch the frisbee in midair proved to be a fan favorite. Eddie brewed up some mouthwatering chili and we all feasted. We ended our night with Moonup and headed off to bed.

On the third day, we woke up beaming with excitement to begin the activities, our first to conquer was rock climbing! After some fresh fruit and yogurt parfaits, we met our guides, Jon and Caroline. They fitted us in some sporty shoes, harnesses, and helmets. After a steep but short hike, we arrived at the crag. Caroline gave a safety presentation and we tuned in closely, learning verbal commands between climber and belayer and even how to belay each other! Lucy Hart was the first one on the wall and scampered up in style. The afternoon portion of our day had us floating, literally. Students rappelled from the top of a cliff and lowered themselves back to the sweet, sweet ground. After a day full of climbing and rappelling, we headed to the lake where we found a massive log. While some may have seen this as a mere piece of debris, we saw an opportunity. We hosted many competitions to see who could stand on the log the longest while others spun it. As we each wiped out and got back up many laughs were shared. After a full day, we feasted on some pasta, and chicken, which Vivian seasoned to perfection in true Louisiana style. Jackson carefully tended to the fire and received much praise as we roasted s’mores.

On the second day of climbing, we hiked out to a different crag where Collier confidently conquered the most difficult route, making it look easy and leaving his peers in awe. Ansley’s performance on the wall left us all proud enough to hang our hats and move on to the next location! After a morning of climbing, Jon and Caroline took us to a cliff overlooking Lake Comox. Brave souls were revealed down a route called “Lucky on Devils Ladder.” This 27-meter rappel left us on a small platform right above the lake, where climbers would then muscle themselves right back up the wall they had just descended. The views were breathtaking which made the fact that you had to hang off the side of a cliff to see them worth it. After this feat, we said goodbye to Jon and Caroline and hit the road. Our LODs Wills and Lucy Hundley headed into the supermarket as students and returned as heroes when they brought us all fresh fruit and Oreos to enjoy. We hopped on another ferry to Quadra Island and made honey sriracha chicken for dinner. As raindrops fell Reese led the team with an innovative way to hang the tarp. Thanks to her we enjoyed a dry Moonup filled with good conversation.

The next day, We headed off to kayak and were led down a dirt road before uncovering what seemed to be a hidden, enchanted lake. Our outfitters Maddy and Alex dressed us in skirts to keep our legs dry and taught us how to properly hold our paddles. As we paired up and hit the water a smooth wind carried us further into the untouched green mountains. We stopped for lunch at a beach on the lake and then did a loop. As our kayaks turned into the wind we took up positive attitudes and strong paddle techniques to eventually make our way back to shore. After returning to land we jammed in the van and headed back to camp for some veggies and other snacks. The girls decorated the van with Moondance-provided window markers while the boys explored the lake, finding tons of small crabs. Leslie spearheaded efforts for dinner where she dawned a pair of goggles to cut up onions so that she wouldn’t shed a tear. The result of her and the team’s efforts were colorful and tasty taco bowls (because what else could we possibly eat on Tuesday?!) Holding up on our promise, leaders cooked and each ate one of the tiny crabs the boys had found on the beach. After picking up, we shared what we were most thankful for during Moonup. Families, we are SO SO SO thankful for y’all! As our time on Quadra Island dwindled, we said farewell with a pancake breakfast. We packed up and headed on the ferry, where the girl’s van art captured the attention of fellow ferrygoers. We hit a quick stride in Campbell River on a riverside trail then made lunch and continued down the road! We are having the BEST time getting to know each other and cannot be more thankful for Moondance for bringing us together. So goodbye, for now, we’ve got a lot more adventuring to do!!!

Signing off from the land of maple syrup

Sadira, Palmer, and Eddie

Safe Arrival in Seattle!

June 7, 2024

Hello British Columbia Families!

All students have landed safely in Seattle and the group is headed to their first campsite this evening! Their leaders are so excited to have everyone together, and we are excited to keep you updated on all the awesome things to come on their trip.

-Moondance HQ