Teary Eyed Goodbyes from the Dolomites!
July 6, 2024
This tireless group woke up to a beautiful view and enjoyed coffee and croissants as we gazed over the small town of Clauzetto. This was no ordinary day for a Moondance trip in Italy. There was something special in the air that the students could not quite put a finger on. IT WAS THE 4TH OF JULY!!!! Ready for the festivities, sneaky Uncle Sam had laid out necklaces, face tattoos, and many more accessories to celebrate Independence Day from many miles away. Kids were awoken to “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen and other American tunes as they watched red, white, and blue balloons fall from above (AKA, Uncle Sam’s hands (AKA MG and JMO)). Our welcoming hosts at Hotel Corona had drawn up a wonderful sign that would be seen at any restaurant in the U.S., making everyone feel like they were at home.
Rolling right into canyoneering, we slowly but surely got all of our wetsuits and harnesses on for this next expedition. As it was many of our first times putting a wetsuit on, we all ran around at the awkward feeling, unsure of what to do. Lauren and Dabney clipped carabiners and had what seemed to be a trust fall as to who might budge first. We entered the canyon, jumping into the quick-moving and cold water, filling our wetsuits to keep warm. The first rappel being our largest, the bravest in the front, Brie descended down the waterfall like a pro. As we trudged through the majestic blue water and massive caves, we all felt like we were in a water wonderland. Mickey took it upon himself to show off his ability to belly flop into the water, doing it time and time again, never failing to impress us. Jack Grant, Kate, Paige, and Ella showed off their singing skills that echoed throughout the entire cave, harmonizing with each step we took. This experience was truly like no other, and rappelling off of and into waterfalls was a memory this group will never forget!
Post-canyoneering, the 4th of July festivities continued at a nearby soccer field where we did relay races and another group game of kickball. Will, yet again, proved to be a sneaky, slithery little snake as he made it home every time he went up to bat. Ben and MG continued their kickball feud (all in good fun, of course) as Jack Moore aimed for the back wall with every kick. Afterwards, we did relay races where the winning team was awarded one-of-a-kind Moondance medals (they were bought from Dollar General). After the competition of kickball, relay races, and other balloon games, the group indulged in some much-needed homemade pasta from Hotel Corona. With our kind hosts insisting on us playing the most American music, we did not feel left out on our holiday. As we began to wind down, we enjoyed each other’s company at Moonup while we watched the sun set across the Italian horizon.
We prepared to head back to civilization to begin our day in Venice. Full of shopping, gelato, pizza, and more gelato, we all played the part of true tourists in Italy. We enjoyed the historical and ancient buildings that Venice had to offer. Walking through old churches and quiet side streets, we navigated the canals with ease to get to each destination. John-William was quite excited with the selection of food that Venice had to offer. Tackling down about six scoops of ice cream and seven pieces of pizza throughout the day, we crowned him champion of the true Italian cuisine experience. Not just John-William, but the whole group feasted on fresh Italian pizza by the Canal Grande for our final dinner as a group. As all great things come to an end, we shared one last special Moonup together. This final memorable moment was led by LODs, Lauren and John, with a special guest appearance by Mickey for the group game of Mafia at the end. The group’s accusations were incorrect as we could have sworn the chosen “mafia” was Will, but in reality, it was JMO. JMO sat there quietly as a mouse, accusing everyone else when it was him the whole time. What a sneakster. With some words from the whole group, some laughs, and some tears, our final Moonup came to a close. Like the two of us told the whole group last night, they make our job easier and more fun, and we could easily lead this group for three sessions straight.
To parents reading this, thank you all for sharing your kids with us for two weeks. Each of you has done an incredible job raising them, and we feel lucky to have been able to know and love each of them. This group saw challenges and rose to them. This quality in 14 and 15-year-olds is uncommon, so to have a group of 12 where each of them rises to the challenge is truly something special. Without each member, we can confidently say this would not have happened. Each person was a specific moving piece in the group dynamic, and it wouldn’t have been the same without everyone. As the two of us sit at a small restaurant in Venice together, we cannot help but talk to each other about how much we miss them already. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for trusting Moondance, and thank you for trusting us. We are better for knowing this group, and we hope we made half the impact on them that they made on us.
To our chickens- we love y’all. Take in every word that we said last night because we meant each one of them. To leave each of you with a few last pieces of advice, we have some things for you. First, take a break from your phone every once in a while. There are things around us every day that we miss because of our phones (us included), and I hope these past two weeks made you realize the things you can see and the connections you can make without them. Secondly, never forget to be YOU and be where YOUR feet are. Life would be so incredibly boring if we all were the same. Life would be so incredibly stressful if we were always worried about something outside of our control or outside of our current setting (litmo, remember!). Life is freakin’ fun and a beautiful thing- don’t forget to look around and appreciate it from time to time. Lastly, don’t forget that we are proud of you, we love you, and we are one call or phone call away at any moment. You know where we’ll be, you know our phone numbers, so please don’t be afraid to use either. We love you guys.
JMO and MG
Day Dreaming in the Dolomites!
July 3, 2024
Heyoooo from the Dolomites, it’s us again! Since we last touched base, we have rock climbed at the Cinque Torri, trekked through snow and rocks, crossed over mountain tops, observed views unlike anything we’ve seen before, and collectively made memories that with no doubt will find their way into stories back at home. Before we jump into what’s filled the past few days over in Italy, we’ve gotta start from where we left off- rock climbing!
We woke up to a group favorite spread for breakfast- meats, bread, cheeses, jam, eggs, croissants, and Nutella. Mickey and MG mastered the technique of self boiling the eggs just before leaving Refugio Averau, but our egg peeling skills could still use some work. It wasn’t before long that we found ourselves walking up to the Cinque Torri, which translates to the Five Pillars. This is, ironically, a group of 11 towers that sits just above the Falzarego Pass right above Cortina. From a distance, the towers appear just a mere mountain, but being under them and climbing them, we discovered how large they truly were.
We all harnessed up and listened carefully as our guides went over the delicate process of the ropes, Gri-Gris, knots, and safety procedures. Jack was right in his comfort zone with this activity as he was the first to belay and guide some of the students up the famous pillars. As the students trust the leaders, the leaders must trust the students as well. Paige and Ella were thrilled to belay JMO on two different routes, assisting in hand holds that proved to be a difficult puzzle for everyone. Ella had a little help to stay on the ground for the repel down from the first route. Ben was encouraged by our guide to do the hardest route of the day, with cheers from the other students Ben ascended this difficult line belting from his lungs as he reached the top about his success. This seemed to be the favorite activity by the students and the leaders. It is amazing to see students encouraging one another as they climb and belay each other. The guides were there for safety but each student was in their own world of amazement and awe as they quickly became professionals in the sport of rock climbing in one of the most famous places in the world. Dabney and Ella proved their climbing skills as they were some of the only few to make it up to our final climb of the day, and also the most difficult one. Jack Grant wins the trip award for most and best belays, belaying everyone in our group at least once and without ever being asked to do so. His belay skills he learned at camp really shined today. Will kept us all entertained throughout the day by his close attention to detail. Whether it was a flower on the ground or a dance move he was perfecting, he stayed attentive and appreciative all day long- it does not go unnoticed!
On our next day of adventures the group started on a long and steep trek to reach a remote rifugio that is only accessible by foot or by helicopter. We said goodbye to our favorite golden retriever Lola who was the greeter of rifugio Passo Staulanza. We began our long journey with fresh legs from a previous day of rest and excited minds to tackle the day. The sun was shining bright today alongside the blue skies which provided us with some of the most incredible views we could ever imagine. With each new turn we were able to point out previous locations we had been to and climbed in the Dolomites. We soon reached the Civetta Massif which is one of the most famous features in the Dolomites range. The west side of the wall that we hiked along continues for 4 miles and wraps around like a massive arena. Brie, Ella, and Will kept everyone entertained on the trail through their mastering of different types of accents. It was all laughs and snaps on the trail with Kate cracking jokes and Lauren snapping pictures of the beautiful views we saw. Even with the mileage and elevation gain that each of our treks had had, this group pushes through and is all smiles when we get to the top. It is especially impressive to hear the appreciation at each point, with a fan favorite being from Paige as she often responds to negative comments with “Guys.. c’mon, we’re in Italy!” Reaching the end of our hikes, with high spirits, we had a tradition that could not go unfinished as our trekking came to a close. As we are able to see the Refugio in the distance, some students like to run and race to the Refugio or “finish line.” JMO, Jack Moore, John-William, and Ben pushed through the last stretch as fast as possible as we saw our home for the night. Once again, John-William was the first to reach the finish line as he will not let anyone forget. After about 7 miles of hiking and 3000 feet of elevation gain the group reached Rifugio Tissi. This slice of heaven sits at 7300 feet and is surrounded by views of the highest peaks in this range. After the entire group finished the final push to the Rifugio, we spent our afternoon lying in the sun, reading, and playing on the handmade, wooden playground that sat just below our home. When it came time for Moonup, we had one final trick up our sleeve before saying goodbye to our guide, Michele, who we have all grown so close to. As a group, we planned a prank and had mentioned several times of a serious, popular U.S. game that is an everyday activity in children’s gym classes. That’s right… we got Michele, our guide who has summited Denali 3 times (without oxygen), to play duck duck goose with us. And MG lapped him around the circle. He wasn’t a huge fan of the game and definitely had a few questions about the popularity and seriousness of the game. Our laughs echoed over the mountains. After watching in awe as the sky turn colors of pink, blue, orange, and yellow, we hit the hay to prepare for our final day of trekking.
The morning came quickly and we rose to the challenge. We laced up our hiking boots for the last time, zipped up our rain jackets, and hit the trail for our downhill hike. It was nostalgic to see the mountains become smaller and smaller behind us as we went down, but it was also empowering to understand the work we had done in the past days to get to the point where we were. After making it to our vans, we hopped in to hit the road to our next hotel, but not before stopping at a supermarket for another charcuterie snack! The kids demolished enough meat, grapes, crackers, and ice cream to allow them to take a nap on our van ride. The nap must have gotten everyone excited for the rest of the day because once arriving at the hotel, we went to a nearby soccer field and played an incredibly competitive and intense game of kickball. We won’t talk about who won, some people are still a little upset, but it was fun nonetheless. Some of us just don’t take losing well. And no it’s not the person writing this. Anyways, kickball was fun but tomorrow’s kickball game might be replaced with soccer- we’ll keep y’all updated. For now, we are soaking up every last minute we have with this special group of 12. We hope it goes by slowly, but if it’s anything like the past week and a half, it’s going to speed by. We’ll update you all after canyoning wahooo! Until then, the kiddos wanted to send some thanks your way, so here ya go!
Chat soon,
JMO and MG
Maclean Ball:
Hey Mom and dad!
I am having so much fun and just wanted to thank you for letting me have this wonderful experience. I love this place so much and hope we can come back sometime as a family! Love y’all!
Ben McDonough:
Hey Ma and Dad!
This has been one of the best trips ever and I just wanted to say thank you to y’all for providing this experience to me. I hope we can come back one day as a family. Y’all would love it. Love y’all! See ya
John-William Emmett
Dear Mother and Father,
This has been one of the greatest experiences of my life and I greatly appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Jack Moore:
Mom and Dad, thank you for this experience of a lifetime, I could have never thought it would be this beautiful. Y’all are the best and I can’t wait to come back and tell you all about the trip.
Love y’all,
– Jack
Ella Marks:
Dear mom and dad,
Thank you so much for giving me this amazing opportunity to have incredible experiences and grow as a person. As you know, Moondance is always one of my favorite parts of the year and I am so so grateful that I get to do this. I love y’all so much and can’t wait to see you!
Kate Venema:
Hi mom and dad!!
Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. It has been one of the most amazing places I’ve ever been. I’m so grateful for what you sacrifice so I can have this experience. See you soon miss you guys!!!
Jack Grant:
Dear Mom and Dad
Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. It’s been the craziest adventure and I’ve gotten to see so many things and meet so many new people. I’m so grateful to y’all for giving me the experience of a lifetime. Hopefully there will be many more Moondance summers to come. See y’all soon!
Paige Skinner:
Hey Mom and Dad! I love you both so incredibly much and can not put into words how extremely grateful I am for this experience. The Italian Dolomites are gorgeous, reminding me of everything you guys have done for me. Thank you so much for each and everyday, including my Moondance adventure. Have the best fourth, you better celebrate! love you all, see you soon!
Will Robertson:
Hi Mother dearest and Father! Rejoice! I am sending yet another message to you. Today I have received the ability to send a message showing my gratitude to you. This experience has been very enjoyable for me and I am enjoying it a lot. My trip has been full of many adventures as well as new experiences. Thank you so much for being able to provide me with this adventure through the Italian Dolomites. I appreciate this opportunity greatly. Ok cool see you soon! >_< byeeee!!
Dabney Bond:
Hey! I’m having so much fun, today was our last day of hiking and tmr is the 4th of July and canyoneering, which I’m so excited for! I love y’all so much and want to thank you again for sending me on this trip, I still can’t quite believe I’m in Italy, see ya soon!
Brie Duke:
Hi! I am having a great time in Italy! Hiking is still a challenge but we make the best of it. I’m excited to do canyoneering tmrw! I’m so grateful to be on this trip and to be presented with this opportunity. I miss you guys a lot and wish you were here. I will be sure to bring back olive oil😘. Love you!
Lauren Dunn:
Hi mom and dad, I miss y’all so so much. We just finished our last day of hiking and we are going canyoneering tomorrow!! I am super excited!! This trip has really changed my life. The adventures and friendships on this trip will last me a lifetime! I love and miss y’all more than anything! I have never been more grateful for this experience! See y’all soon. I have so many fun stories to tell y’all!!❤️❤️
Update from Italy!
June 29, 2024
Parents! Families! Friends! Ciao from the Dolomites, John Morgan and Mary Gray here with your twelve wonderful kids and we’ve gotta start by saying this group is a whole lot of fun. After getting our airport jitters out, John Morgan headed towards Alta Badia with the group to find their first humble abode- Hotel La Tambra.
The crew woke up to a hearty breakfast to fuel us for our first day of via Ferrata. Although there was a steep hike to get to the start of our climb, the group crushed the uphill with ease with a swift pace. We harnessed up and roped in with our local Italian guides to scale this rock face towering high above Alta Badia. This via Ferrata known as Les Cordes was a great introduction for what we had coming. With the first technical stretch of the climb Brie showed her athletic ability by elegantly propelling up the cable as if it was a stroll in the park. Everyone enjoyed their lunch at the top of the climb overlooking jagged mountains before we descended back down to our accommodation. With fulfilled souls and tuckered out legs we had a short hike back to our hotel for some much needed rest.
After a little travel delay, Paige, Kate, and Mary Gray were driven up the windy Italian roads and to Alta Badia to meet the rest of the group, the two girls could hardly contain their excitement. Chatter filled the entire car ride as they gawked over the views outside the van’s windows. We kept, out loud and silently, saying that we cannot believe we’re in Italy. Paige said that this was exactly how she imagined it from a book she had read and Kate emphasized that everything, even travel delays, happen for a reason. Their attitudes were top tier given the circumstances! Once we made it to Hotel La Tambra, the girls practically jumped out of the van to meet the other 10 members of the group. The bonding started immediately and Paige and Kate did not turn back once, laughing, chatting, and catching up on the previous 24 hours. The rest of the day consisted of playing lots of cards, engulfing homemade gelato, enjoying our first FULL GROUP(!!!) dinner (and it was a blast), and sharing our different goals and aspirations for what we hope to get out of this Moondance trip. Both of us loved hearing all of the kids’ reasons and if it told us one thing, it told us that the next two weeks are bound to be eventful, memorable, confidence-boosting, and empowering. For now, we’re taking it day by day and working all the moving pieces, but are incredibly eager to see the bigger picture at the end of the trip.
The next morning began our trekking section, but now before we fueled up on a breakfast of meats, cheeses, bread, croissants, and fruit. On our way to the trail head where we would begin trekking, Mickey says “I think if I could live in an exact weather or setting for the rest of my life… it would definitely be this.” Everyone couldn’t help but agree as we are surrounded by a 360 degrees view of mountains with the crisp mountain air touching our skin. With our packs on, water bottles filled, and some miles ahead of us, we hit the trail. Lauren and Jack Grant immediately jumped to the front and kept that pace through every rolling hill. They said it was their cross country training that propelled them forward but our guess is that they ate their Wheaties at breakfast. As we trekked along the Campolongo Pass and up to the Pralongià Plateau, we found ourselves lost in conversation, only stopping to turn around and look at the mountainous views behind us. The weather held off with only a few clouds in the sky until right before we reached our home for the next two nights, Refugio Valparola. We could tell the group was worn out from the miles we had gone that day, so the afternoon consisted of cards, (summer) reading, bonding, and homemade hot chocolate (with whipped cream.. duh). Our Moonup spot was picked out and sworn by Ben, huuuge shoutout to him. The ground was a little wet but like Ben kept saying, “We’re in the Dolomites, we can get a little uncomfortable. This spot is sick!” And boyyy was he right. Our Moonup spot overlooked massive mountains and pink and purple skies as our first LODs (leader of the day), Ella and Will, led us in an unforgettable conversation and game of pterodactyl. They both chose the question of “what is different about you here than you at home” and everyone’s answers had both John Morgan and myself smiling all night. It really is incredible to see these versions of everybody and know that they are the best versions of themselves. We feel beyond lucky to get to spend the time with them that we do. The maturity of Ella and Will impressed us, as well, as they made it a goal to bond the group early on and they were successful!
Our next day led us to another via ferrada nearby where Jack Moore proved his outdoorsman skills as he quickly climbed up the entire mountainside. From the 7 Leave No Trace principles to trekking and climbing, Jack M impresses us every day with how talented he is in our activities. The climbing group with Will, Ben, Kate, John-William, and Paige shimmied up the via ferrada even after having expressed some nervousness on difficult stretches on the way up. Once they reached the top, everyone hooted and hollered as we saw their helmets climb the last few feet. It was all smiles on top of the mountain as we all looked out to see the beautiful views and congratulated each other on a job well done. Once our via ferrada and hike around the Refugio was completed, we had some down time before jumping into the NOLS Leadership Grid that would tell us all our go-to leadership styles. The activity involves walking on a “grid” based on which descriptors better describe you. The four leadership styles that we ended with were Architect Analysts, Drivers, Relationship Masters, and Spontaneous Motivators. This activity is informative and fun in learning about strengths and room for improvement in each style- a Moondance classic!
Our next day marked something new for the entire group as we hiked through WWI tunnels. Although it proved to be a physically challenging day, the group pushed through and was able to admire the views at the top of the long climb. We found ourselves at 2752 meters above sea level at Lagazuoi, the largest and highest mountain hut in Cortina. The view from this Refugio is best described as a 360 view with towering mountains and green valleys every turn you make. Here, we ate our lunch before heading to our official Refugio for the night, Averau, at the Cinque Torri. At our Refugio we would all laugh and reminisce on the difficult day we had, and the accomplished feeling after making it to our final destination. We are incredibly proud of the determination these kids showed today and know that this grit will continue to push them through the rest of the trip. This night’s dinner ended in the kind of laughs that hurt your stomach, but that might be a story for another time. Dabney, Brie, Mickey, and Jack Grant had their table laughing loud enough for all of the Dolomites to hear and we know that it will be a story that gets told once they arrive home. The ability for these kids to connect with one another not only in such an unusual setting, but also in a setting that is fully unplugged amazes us. We know these friendships that we see forming are bound to last.
Now as we sit as Refugio after another via ferrata and summit hike, we have several things we are thankful for. Firstly, all 12 of these kids. They are all special and we can confidently say that the group would nope but the same without each and every one of them. Secondly, the sun is OUT!!! After lots of clouds and some windy weather, we can’t help but sunbathe at the top of mountain summits and appreciate the warm, sunny weather that DOL 2B brought with them. Lastly, the views. I truly wish we could describe them to you through words or show you photos and let you imagine it yourself, but it is unlike anything we have seen before. This group is experiencing something unlike they ever will again or ever will be able to explain- there is something special in that. Chat soon and until then, we’ll be walking, laughing and litmoing! Here are some little shoutouts from the group, so make sure to keep reading!
Until next time,
John Morgan and Mary Gray
Jack Moore: Hey Mom and Dad! It’s been a blast so far, and maybe the most beautiful place I’ve been on earth. I’ve been doing great and am so excited to tell you about it when I get back! Love you guys!
John-William Emmett: Dear Mother and Father,
I am greatly enjoying this trip and hope to see you soon.
Will Robertson: Hiii Mom and Dad!
The Dolomites have been so fun! I have absolutely so much to tell you. I know since I’m so amazing you miss me so much but don’t worry because I miss you also </3 I will be back soon though and I will have so much to say so don’t worry!! Bye bye for now!!!
Maclean Ball: Hey mom and dad!
This trip has been so fun and I have made so many new friends and memories. The hiking has been so amazing and the views have been even better! I am so excited to come back and see y’all and tell y’all all about it.
Lauren Dunn:
Hey mom and dad!!
I miss you guys so much. This trip has been life changing! I have met so many new people and have seen so many new things. We have been doing a lot of rock climbing and hiking! The hiking has been really intense but the views are absolutely incredible! The Dolomites are a few of the coolest MOUNTAINS I have seen in the world. I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it when I get home. Love and miss y’all so much!❤️💕
Brie: Hey Mom and Dad!
I miss you guys! I have had a lot of fun making new friends on this trip. The hiking is very difficult but still fun. I can’t wait to see you guys and the fam! Love you guys.
Jack : Hey Mom and Dad!
I’m having so much fun in the Dolomites. I’m making lots of new friends and memories. The mountains are really cool here. Can’t wait to see y’all. Love y’all.
Ben: Hey Mom and Dad
This trip has been really great and I’ve already made a lot of amazing memories. There are a lot of cool people on this trip and I’ve become friends with many of them. We’ve done some hard hiking but the views have made it worth it. But I do miss you guys and Phineas and I’ll tell you all about it when I get back. Love y’all.
Kate: Hi mom and dad!!
I’m having so much fun on this trip! I’ve met so many cool people and I’ve made tons of memories. We’ve been doing a lot of hard core hiking and rock climbing but the views are crazy beautiful! Can’t wait to tell you everything when I get home. Love you guys!!!
Ella: Hey mom, dad, and everyone else!
This trip is absolutely incredible. The hiking is hard but the views and experiences are so worth it. I’ve made so many amazing friends and memories and I am having so much fun. This might be my favorite trip so far! Tell the pets I say hi and I can’t wait to see you and tell you everything! Love y’all lots.
Dabney: hey, the Dolomites are so beautiful and I still can’t even believe that I’m here. We’ve done via ferratas, hiking, and gone in WWII tunnels, and I’m so excited for the new adventures to come and can’t wait to tell y’all all abt it. Hopefully Tammy two steps and tt are getting along, love you all so much.
Paige: hey mom and dad! I miss you guys a ton and can’t wait to see you back in cali because I definitely miss the USA, although Italy is breathtaking! this trip has been absolutely incredible and the hikes have been hardcore but all the memories are more than I could ask for. I hope all is well at home! love you and see you soon!!!
Safe arrival in Venice!
June 24, 2024
Ciao Dolomites Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Venice and is on their transfer to the Dolomites! The group will be anxiously awaiting Paige and Kate’s arrival tomorrow and we can’t wait to hear more about their adventure over the next couple of 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
