Surfs, Seals, and Sunsets: CAL 3B’s Epic Californian Farewell!
July 26, 2024
Rising a little later than normal, Cal 3B had time to stop and smell the roses on day 11. Games of hacky sack and human pyramid building passed the time while pancakes, bacon, and cinnamon apples cooked. After scarfing it down, we broke camp and headed to Point Reyes— a national seashore. The rolling hills were covered in vibrant wildflowers while Hawks soared above. Walking along the shore, we were quite literally in the clouds, exploring its history and keeping an eye out for seals and whales (Cooper and I think we saw a whale tail, or at least that’s what we’re telling ourselves!) Witt and George squeezed into a whale skull up above, while Zoë, Betsy, and Yardley found handfuls of sand dollars down below. Still on the sand, Joseph won a 40-yard-dash, only beating Witt by a hair. Back in the van, Joseph pointed out a herd of majestic elk which we watched in marvel for a few minutes before departing for our final campsite. Along the way, we made a stop at the iconic In-N-Out, winning us rounds of applause. There, in a hat and new In-N-Out merchandise, Max took a drive thru order. Once we finished our sprawl of burgers, fries, and shakes, we shuffled to the beach where we had Moonup under the orange sky.
Day 12 was full of surf, sun, and fun! Back at Pacifica beach, we suited up and wasted no time getting wet. The chilly water took us back to day 2, when we were just getting to know one another. Full of white water, the waves were epic and easily rideable, making for an awesome day of surfing! While some of us got tired and opted for body surfing, KK and Eleanor waited until the last minute to turn in their boards, standing up one after another. Back at camp, Nora, Joseph, Cooper, and Witt warmed up by voluntarily doing the pacer test. Beep after beep, they impressed us all making it into the two hundreds. While they were working up a sweat, others were tie dying Moondance shirts. To get even more swag, we headed to a local Goodwill. Upon the racks of clothes, some serious fun was had, including Nora and Eleanor’s hunt for the perfect heels and Cooper’s challenge for the most accessories possible. To continue the excitement, we decided Iron Chef was a perfect solution for dinner. Split up into two teams of six, entrees and desserts were whipped up in record time and served to us leaders for judging. After careful consideration, a delicious bbq chicken quesadilla made by Oliver and Betsy, the best rice I’ve had all summer by Nora, and “Max’s marvelous madness” dessert, we deemed Nora, Joseph, Witt, Max, Yardley, and KK the winners. The prize: bragging rights. Stuffed, we went to bed itching with excitement to wear our thrift store outfits to the banquet dinner.
A bittersweet feeling flooded day 13 as our last full day together, but boy did we make the most of it! We started off our morning by taking the scenic route to Sausalito, including an iconic lookout of the Golden Gate Bridge. Battling the strong winds, George held on tightly to his new fedora as we snapped loads of pictures with a green screen looking background. From there, we hit the Bay in an old race sailboat named Bay Wolf. Up on the bow, Zoë was a trooper and got soaked from the splashing waves, while Joseph and Max titanic’d. Behind the wheel, George steered us and Cooper successfully turned us around after coasting under the bridge. It was “so sick” according to Cooper. Back on land, we treated ourselves to a sweet treat of ice cream and some souvenir shopping before heading back to camp for long awaited showers. Feeling squeaky clean, we slipped into our thrift store gems, creating non stop laughter. Lined up, everyone did a runway walk, strutting their stuff to energetic music and striking their best pose. While everyone’s outfits were impressive, honorable mentions go out to Yardley’s grandma glasses, George’s platform loafers, KK’s yellow heels, and Cooper’s layers. At dinner, we played broken telephone and cracked up at our appearances, sharing final memories and laughs over tacos, burritos, and fajitas. We hit the beach one last time for our final Moonup made extra special by the nug spotlight. Although we showered, no one seemed to care as a sand war broke out, starting with Betsy, Cooper, and Max. I’ll never forget our final night, running around on the beach while the sky illuminated in shades of pink and orange. Later, while walking to the bathroom, I found Ainsley and Oliver laying on the ground stargazing. Inspired to slow down and appreciate the moment, I joined them. Soon, every other boy was beside us, pointing out constellations and catching glimpses of shooting stars. We laid in amazement, collectively sharing in such a special moment under the California sky, ending our final night as Cal 3B.
Bringing us to today, day 14. Due to early flights, we broke camp before the sun woke up, allowing us to witness a beautiful sunrise from Terminal 2 baggage claim. There, we squeezed out every ounce of our time together, including last minute games of ERS and hacky sack. In typical fashion, George ended up on Bowen and Joseph’s shoulder to retrieve a hacky sack from the ceiling. He was always in the air on this trip. Unfortunately, the goodbyes started flowing, as did the tears and group hugs ended too soon. Despite my denial, our time together had finally come to an end. Thank you, Oliver, Yardley, Witt, Cooper, Betsy, Nora, Joseph, Zoë, KK, Max, Eleanor, and George for providing us with endless laughter and memories we will never forget. Our Californian adventure will forever be in our hearts, and we hope it will be in yours too.
With love from the Golden State,
CAL 3B
Checking in from California!
July 22, 2024
Day 5 brought Cal 3B more miles and memories simultaneously. We started the day by forcefully stuffing our sleeping bags away and then hit the road again! As we passed the beautiful blue Tahoe water, we unlocked a new state (Nevada!). We even drove through the capital, as pointed out by George, our state capital genius, who was quizzed to the full extent. LOD Witt provided further entertainment as he sang every single word to “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Soon, the Sierra Nevadas sprouted out of the ground, and we had an unexpected friend visit— it was raining! We welcomed the cool drops as we set up camp. KK offered wonderful conversation to pass the time while cooking dinner, and a game of “What are the odds?” challenged Betsy to try jalapeños. We ended the night with high spirits, anticipating all Yosemite had to offer.
Day 6 gave us a delicious taste of the Rhode Island-sized national park. Quickly after a crow wake-up call, we headed into Tuolumne Meadows, where the rolling hills, granite mountains, and streams got us itching to rock climb. With gear in hand and lessons taught, we soon chanted, “Belay on!” Oliver quickly tackled his pitch, climbing six times throughout the afternoon. His actions inspired others in the group, including Max, who made it to the top of a 60-foot climb despite his fear of heights. Once we were tired of gaining elevation, our guide decided a massive rappel might intrigue us, and he was right! Nora was the first to take the leap of faith, followed by all the boys, Bowen, Ainsley, and me. While lowering down 120 feet, we gained a whole new appreciation of our location and ourselves as we conquered fears in one of the world’s prettiest places. Back at camp, we continued to hacky sack, play Egyptian Rat Slap, and make memories under the California sky.
We went back for more on day seven! This time, we were climbing cracks rather than slabs of granite. Wedging her feet between the rocks, Yardley unlocked her inner spider monkey and shimmied her way up the mountain. Max and George took in the view back on the ground, eating PB & Js on a rock overlooking the meadow. Afterward, we meandered towards a swimming hole where Eleanor, Nora, and Betsy did cold rock therapy on those napping by the waterfall. Others, like Cooper and Oliver, continued adventuring by jumping into the water and cooling off from the Yosemite heat. To top off the perfect day, we stopped at the Woah Nellie Deli for dinner — a hidden gem outside the park. There, Joseph purchased aviator sunglasses that have yet to leave his face, and Max left with an entire gift bag. Stuffed and exhausted in the best way possible, we went to bed for the last time in the mountains.
Day 8 was another travel day for Cal 3B, which are slowly turning into our favorites. After a local coffee stop, we were energized for sightseeing in the Valley, where chicken fighting left Cooper and Witt victorious and George on top of a group pyramid. Once we acknowledged the glory of El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Falls, we departed Yosemite for the final time. On the road again, Nora helped pass the time by leading games of MASH, and Oliver, Yardley, Max, and Eleanor won the best team player award for being in the back with limited AC. Instantly upon arrival at our next campsite, we ran straight for the river, attempting to escape the dry California July heat. After a heartwarming Moonup, some—Zoe, Yardley, and Nora—decided to cowboy camp it. Under the stars, we fell asleep to the sound of the boys playing ERS and Betsy giggling with her tentmates Eleanor and KK.
Following a Nutella pancake and bacon breakfast, we headed for the American River on day 9. Face to face with whitewater, we dialed in, paddling to our guide’s commands to navigate some class two rapids before stopping for lunch on the riverbank. On “No Beario,” a raft named after Joseph and Witt’s game, Oliver proved the legend of “the river listens.” As soon as he said he was “underwhelmed,” he got drenched on a class three rapid where we technically navigated around rocks. After several splashes and paddle high-fives, we had ended our 12-mile rafting journey for the day. Back at camp, we had the luxury of our first shower, leaving everyone smelling each other for before and after comparisons (we deemed Max the winner of smelling the worst). With the scent of shampoo still lingering, the gang decided being clean was overrated and went right to rolling around in the grass. Betsy, Nora, Yardley, and Eleanor took to couple yoga positions while Joseph became the bottom of a three-man totem pole. KK and Zoe debated over ERS rules while Oliver strummed our travel guitar. This crew is always doing something, and we wouldn’t have it any other way! Following a pasta dinner and Moonup, we hit the hay dreaming of the class three rapids to come.
Waking up a bit sore from yesterday’s efforts, we fueled up on coffee cake, fruit, eggs, sausage, and English muffins to prepare for day 10’s upper river stretch. With life jackets and helmets buckled, we hopped in our rafts with game faces on. The river wasted no time waking us up, throwing splashy class threes our way within the first 10 minutes. With everyone rotating positions, each member got a chance to lead the raft, with Nora and George jumping at the opportunity to guide the raft from the back. Witt and Ainsley battled out a game of King of the Hill, leaving no one dry, not even KK. With nine more miles and new splashing techniques under our belt, we completed our rafting section of the trip and headed back to the coast. Once set up at camp, a hearty dinner and a touching Moonup set the tone for another perfect evening together. Crazy to think we only have a few more…until then, Cal 3B will be continuing our west coast adventures, grasping onto every sweet moment left.
Thank you so much for signing me up! It’s so good for me! – Nora
Thank you guys so much for letting me go on this trip! I’ve had so much fun! – Yardley
Thank y’all for signing me up for this trip! I’ve had so much fun and can’t wait to see you again. – Zoë
Thank you for singing me up! This is so fun and I am excited to see you guys again! – Eleanor
Thank you mom and dad for signing me up for Moondance. It is so fun here! I can’t wait to see you xoxo Max
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to bond with people from around the US. I love and miss yall! – Joseph
Thank you guys so much! I am very grateful for Moondance! Love and miss yall. – Oliver
Thank you dad and mom! I am having fun! Love you! – George
Thank you so much for forcing me to come, I am having lots of fun! – Cooper
Thank you mom and dad. I am thankful to you for giving me this trip! Love you! – Witt P.S. Popeyes
Thank you guys so much for this trip. It has taught me to LITMO (I’ll explain later) and shown that I need to explore more, let go, and enjoy life more. I love y’all! – Betsy
Hey mom and dad, I miss and love you guys so much! I’m having tons of fun and can’t wait to see you guys. – KK
Update from California!
July 16, 2024
Cal 3B is checking in from the Golden State! We’ve been moving and grooving and getting weird in the best way possible. Right after our final airport arrival, with technology turned in, we turned to music and conversation to accelerate bonding. We pulled up to camp laughing, already finding new friends in each other. Between the laughter, lessons were taught including setting up tents, LITMO, and Moonup. Once we hung the moon, we hit the hay under the redwoods, equally exhausted and excited for the next two weeks.
Bright eyed and bushy-tailed, we started our first full day together cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway. There, we saw our first glimpses of the Pacific Ocean and her majestic waves we were slightly intimidated to ride. After the hardest part of the activity (putting on wetsuits,) we jumped right in! The lapping waves provided plenty of surfing potential, to which we took full advantage. Before no time, everyone was surfing like a pro, including our beach bums Eleanor, Joseph, Betsy. Taking off the wetsuits worked up our appetite, to which we solved with the Taco Bell Cantina right beside us. I think Max was most excited, as we fist bumped us with so much emotion I thought he might explode. Stuffed and tired, we said a short goodbye to the coast and chugged along to our next destination.
We awoke day three excited to experience a new California body of water: Lake Tahoe! As our LODs (Leaders of the Day) Oliver and Yardley assigned kayak pairs, we couldn’t help but express our amazement over the never ending sparkling water. Viewing is one thing, but being in the water takes its magnificence to a whole new level. Between the stretches of paddling, a race was held bringing Joseph and Nora a first place victory. Our lunch spot was equally epic, nestled between 10-foot rocks which created a private swimming hole for our group. While some took to splashing around, KK made sure to hold down the fort, gathering belongings and picking up after us. 5.6 miles later, we returned to our origin point feeling sore but satisfied in our accomplishment. Wanting to give our arms a much needed break, we walked around souvenir shops and enjoyed some ice cream before returning to camp and playing hammock wars as the sun set. As the pinks and oranges transformed into stars, we circled up to enjoy Pasta and Moonup, thankful for another day together.
We headed right back to the water on day four where we swapped kayaks for paddleboards and watched in amazement as the morning glow still dazzled on the water in front of us. Dancing around the boats docked, we played games of “war” meaning no one was safe from being splashed or flipped into the chilly water. However, being so clear, the water enticed us in anyways. Joseph dove down to get handfuls of sand, while Nora won the award for most time spent on the water, being the last to paddle to shore. There, Betsy and Eleanor were enjoying a relaxing nap, Zoe and KK were playing “Go Fish,” and the boys were hacky sacking— a hobby introduced to them by Bowen. Max and Whitt in particular were attempting to master the hacky sack to hat brim to foot trick, one that Joseph is getting pretty good at. Once we exhausted that beach, we moved to another one up the shore in Nevada. Its jumping rocks invited us to plunge back into the chilly water, where LOD Cooper led the group to make the leap. Soon to follow was George and Oliver, and the rest of the gang. Our other LOD KK was back on shore entertaining those who tapped out of the cold. After so much water activity, we finally headed back to camp where taco bowls and s’mores hit the spot. For some reason Betsy decided she wasn’t quite dirty enough, and began covering every inch of herself with dirt. Before no time, Cooper and others had done the same and everyone resembled Pig Pen with a dust bowl around them. It was hilarious, but creek showers were a necessity to say the least. Once cleaned up, we gathered around the dying fire to share funny stories and our greatest accomplishments, grateful for each other’s company in such a special place.
I miss you, but I’m having so much fun! ❤️ Eleanor
I’m having so much fun! I love and miss y’all so much. ❤️ Betsy
I am having a blast in California. I hope y’all are having fun. I love y’all! – Joseph
I love y’all! I’m having so much fun! See you soon. – Zoe
Hey mom and dad! I’ve had such a blast! I miss y’all! Love Winny lots. ❤️ Nora
Hey mom and dad, I’ve been having fun and I have been making friends and there’s a 50/50 chance I’m coming home! – Yardley
Hey mom and dad, it’s going pretty well! I’m making a lot of new friends. Love you XOXO, Max
Hey mom and dad, I’m having a ton of fun, and I love making friends! ❤️ KK
Hey mom and dad, I have been having a lot of fun and making a lot of friends. It’s really cool! Love, Whitt
P.S. have Popeyes when I get home
Hey mom and dad, I love it here! I’d rather stay here than come home bye bye – Cooper
Hey guys, love and miss you – George
Safe Arrival in California
July 11, 2024
Hello California Families!
We heard from our leaders last night that the group has landed safely in San Francisco and is headed to their first campsite! The group is excited to finally be together, and we are so excited to hear more about their adventures over the next couple weeks!
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next two weeks! 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
