Have you ever been given a fire?

Neither had I, but, as the saying goes, there’s a first time for everything. A very nice family was at the Lizard Lake campground when we arrived on Sunday. They had a fire going as they enjoyed some quality time together. We were into our carving session when they were ready to leave: they asked if we would like them to leave the fire burning for our use rather than extinguish it as they would normally do. Of course, ask a group of explorers if they want to inherit a fire and it’s easy to guess their response. So, we were given a fire. Only thing is, we already had a packed agenda for our Lizard Lake exploration, so the fire was a double edged sword: a nice addition and a plan wrecker!

Perhaps the word "incline" was a clue?

We’re nothing if not adaptable in Explorers Club, and the boys had been putting up with more triangular, or directive, leadership than usual as we pushed to get up the hill, so the fire was a welcome serendipitous moment. It also helped us warm up a little on a cool, drizzly Sunday.

We had begun our adventure by boarding Moose, Wild Whatcom’s “other” trusty bus. A half hour after departing Cascades Montessori Middle School, we met to hand out jobs and get a preview of the day’s plan which was, in a word, UP. After an easy stroll on a logging road, we turned in to the Alternate Incline trail and started up. An edge-stretching hour plus later, ten bedraggled explorers and two huffing/puffing mentors welcomed the site of Lizard Lake in a steady drizzle. 

Boys with knives!

While the Barred Owls devoured their well-earned lunch, mentor Brian reviewed the important safety rules for carving. Then, blood circles clearly established, the boys set to work creating chopsticks. Carving is a skill that provides a direct connection to the land. Many of us have torn the paper off a pair of chopsticks at a restaurant; how many have harvested the wood and used our hands to fashion a personal, unique tool?

It was while we were working on this project that our neighbors offered us the unplanned diversion. Several boys switched to tending the fire while a few explored the lake shore (fortunately, no one fell into the lake) and others kept at their carving. After the hard work of climbing that hill, it felt good to give the explorers a choice of activity.

We still had one more thing planned that we were confident the boys would enjoy and there was that long walk back to the bus, so the mentors were mindful of the clock. We called for the fire to be extinguished, the explorations wrapped up and the knives sheathed. Packs on, we headed up again for the short, but challenging approach to the caves. 

Formed when several large boulders tumbled into a jumble of now moss coated invitations to

scramble and tight spaces into which to squeeze, the caves provide an instinctive release for the child

How many are down there?

passions into which the mentors try to tap. To understand what we mean by child passions, think back to the things you enjoyed doing as a child such as listening to stories, catching little critters, pretending, or sneaking. These simple, instinctive activities can spark unbridled joy and connection. Climbing boulders and exploring dark caves were accompanied for the next half hour by exhilarated calling to a friend - “Hey, look at this!” - and trepidatious expression of daring and apprehension.

We weren't much faster going down the hill

All too soon, he struck out for the bus, a few long, slow miles distant. I was mistaken in assuming the hike down the trail would go more quickly and easily than the approach hike. After all, I thought, it is downhill! So, we took a few rest breaks on our journey out. It was during one of those breaks, when several boys decided to continue work on their chopsticks, that one of the boys sustained a very small cut from his carving knife. All things considered, one small slice when 10 explorers carve is an exceptional result!

We arrived at the trailhead at just about 4:00, which would’ve been great had we not still had a half hour bus ride ahead of us. Parents and guardians, many thanks for your understanding. I’m sorry for the delayed return.

As BEC mentors, we try to stress a focus on meeting the boys at the intersection of their interests, their skills, and our plan for guiding them as they grow in their confidence in and connection to the natural world. When we find that sweet spot, we try to “stretch their edge” by moving them from their comfort zone to their learning zone without moving all the way to their panic zone. We definitely challenged them with this hike. Some were able to respond fully; others seemed to feel overstretched. We’ll adjust as we continue to work to level set.

Click here for the full set of pictures from Sunday’s outing. Thanks again for your understanding of our late return. I’ll try to see that doesn’t happen again.

BEC: Spring, 2016; Barred Owls 2/28 - Rock Trail

No shortage of rocks

The Rock Trail trailhead was shrouded in fog on Saturday morning when Steve and Brian met the Branch Hoppers for their outing. So, when Conor and Brian arrived on Sunday morning, we were surprised at the difference a day can make. In fact, we had to shout over the energetic wind during our opening meeting. Fortunately, as we had anticipated, the wind abated to almost calm once we ventured down the trail. 

Lest we get ahead of ourselves... introductions. The group has been together for several seasons, but change happens and we saw that in three new faces as we gathered: Mentor Conor rejoined us after volunteering on our Teddy Bear traverse and Henry and Jaxon filled spots vacated by explorers who resolved their schedule conflicts in favor of other activities. Though new to our cohort, these boys have had experience with Explorers Club through Summer and Winter outings, so their assimilation into the group was very quick indeed!

....or stairs!

Introductions, jobs and a review of the particular hazards of this exciting trail addressed, we struck out onto the trail. The Rock Trail is relatively new, having been completed in 2014, thanks to the efforts of members of the Washington Trails Association. Less than 2 miles long, it more than makes up for its modest length with an array of awesome geology captured in the large chuckanut sandstone formations and boulders the size of jitney buses. The immense energy released when the earth’s plates move, registered at times as earthquakes and creating mountains, valleys and the like, is not lost on the explorers. Of course, the cool caves found in the cliffs tend to dominate their short-term interest! You can learn more about the geology about which we marveled here. And, learn more about the Washington Trails Association here.

The trail itself is steep, as evidenced by the multiple sets of stair steps built into the hillside right at

the beginning of the hike.  The mentors heard more than a few tongue-in-cheek comments about elevators from explorers on the way back up.

Not an optical illusion

After our initial descent, we encountered the sandstone walls for the first time. It feels like you’re walking next to an office building; the rock wall rises that dramatically. And there are even windows! Well, caves, but that’s even better! The day’s record was six explorers in the largest cave (unverified claim - I personally counted 5 at one point, but wasn’t privy to the sixth). The development of the caves occurs on a very different timeline than the geologic refashioning pace we’re accustomed to contemplating. Had you taken a photograph of the face of the rock wall the day your explorer was born and compared it to those in our photo gallery from Sunday’s outing, you’d readily see differences! The caves are growing before our eyes, the result of algae interacting with the course stone. This is a whole different sense of energy; the quiet, persistent action and reaction that goes on around us every day without our notice. Follow this link for more about how the caves form (the same article as the geology link above).

Further down (literally - down), the Rock Trail intersects with the Lost Lake trail. Following that trail around the lake opens up to very different adventures - the lake, a waterfall, pools of mud this time of year, and more. While still on the Rock Trail, though, the group gathered in a circle and our Tribal Elder led us in a process to decide whether to explore ahead or reverse course back up the Rock Trail. The unanimous sentiment was for returning to the caves to explore more and play games. About face!

We had to get creative for our games

The natural space to plays our games is not among the wondrous aspects of the Rock Trail, as we soon discovered. Spider’s Web would be very difficult in the steep terrain. Ditto Hide! without our usual ferns and bushes for cover. The Barred Owls are nothing if not creative, however. We decided to try a few games that don’t require as much expansiveness or as many hiding spots. Eagle Eye was a questionable fit in that it has similar characteristics to Hide! We tried it a few times; it’ll work better on our next outing. We also tried Where’s My Egg, which would work pretty well on the trail itself, but no-one knew all the rules. Again, we’ll do better next time. We managed a short game of Spider’s Web in the trees at the top of the trail. The wind was still blowing, but not as hard as at the start. 

Fear not - we located his head

Sunday was a day marked by new faces, a new group name (Barred Owls - we dropped the “et” denoting young), and a new trail. That’s a lot for one day. It was also significant for the energy that was apparent: wind, geology and explorers all demonstrated notable energy!

Brian and Conor will do our best to manage the changes and match the growing energy and interests of this dynamic group of boys. Click for more photos from our outing.

Presto! The Barred Owls change an exploration into a traverse at Lake Padden

We haven’t lacked for weather this fall, have we? Wild Whatcom’s first day of outings this season was cancelled and the outings rescheduled due to high winds and the storms have been pretty persistent since. Sunday was no different. With a high wind warning for mid-afternoon, we decided to play it safe and switch from our planned exploration to a traverse to the Lake Padden dog park area, which would put us in easy striking distance of an open field away from forest hazards should the winds come early. We also recruited the explorers to track the weather. Awareness of the vicissitudes of our natural surroundings is a key component of self-reliance in the outdoors.

With our senses heightened, we strode confidently into Lake Padden park (from Galby Lane) and circled up for our opening meeting. The Barred Owls (note that we’ve dropped the “et” because we’ve been at this for a while now - no longer babies) have come a long way from last fall when we were just learning how to respect each other in our meetings. Remember the five finger contract? We barely find the need to invoke it anymore. Always more work to do, of course, but the mentors are grateful for the progress these boys have made. 

OK, jobs assigned and caution about the weather expressed, we were off to decide on a spot to practice our skill for the fall - shelter building. I trust the reader is well aware that when we work on a skill the mentors aren’t just interested in a shelter or a spoon carved from a fallen tree. Along with the aforementioned self-reliance, we look for traits such as problem solving (motto - Turn problems into possibilities), teamwork (motto - Many hands make light work), careful effort (motto - Slow is fast and fast is slow), focus and more. The Barred Owls are interested in moving on to carving, as most groups are at about this age. So Joey and I talked with the boys about the behaviors we’re looking for as we consider their readiness for that activity. 

We’re going to have to work on our stump speech, because their effort was inconsistent at best. Not surprisingly, some boys’ work was more disciplined than others. We all learn and develop at our own pace. Overall, however, our assessment was that the Barred Owls, as a group, aren’t ready. Brian (Joey’s off to Nicaragua for 12 - 18 months to teach, travel and explore) will look for signs of improved readiness when we reconvene in the spring; progress can happen rapidly at this age.

With the shelter built, we had some lunch (with a watchful eye on the wind), then moved down the trail to be closer to the dog park area and the open field. Along the way, we found an intriguing spot to play that Explorers Club favorite, Spider’s Web. In another example of the Barred Owls’ progress, we were able to resolve a conflict concerning who would be the spider thanks to some nice work by our tribal elder and a quick Rock, Paper, Scissors match. 

Spider’s Web is about stealth and resourcefulness. The spider guards the “food source” while the flies (everyone else) try to capture it and return it to the web. On our selected course, the food source was uphill from the web, which provided the spider with a high perch from which to call out the flies. After a few trips back to the web, the flies had to raise their game by selecting new routes, moving more stealthily, and possibly collaborating with fellow spies. 

Then something interesting happened: the spider changed identities. I’m not sure how that happened or why, but half way through, the spider and one of the flies switched roles. Hmmmm. Curiously, the rest of the spies just played on as if it was the most natural thing! The game ended when the muddied flies managed to return the food source to the web.

It was after two now and still little wind. It was beginning to dawn on us that we were going to make it through without having to dash for the field! After hiking the rest of the way down, we circled up again for our last meeting of the season. We gave thanks, said “So long!” to Joey and talked about where we might want to go in the spring. The allure of the Salish Sea was evident as both Clayton Beach and Teddy Bear Cove were suggested. 

As I see it, the Barred Owls have moved through the Forming and Storming stages of group developmentand are now Norming as they mature and internalize the Boys Explorers Club culture. It’s been rewarding to watch them morph from a collection of rascally individuals to a loosely formed cohort. I’m looking forward eagerly to their continued evolution and their emergence as a Performing team.

Click here to look at the rest of the photos from our traverse.

Also, note that we have a schedule of outings in the winter in which your explorer might have an interest. Have a peaceful holiday season. I'm looking forward to seeing you in the spring.

The Barred Owlets conquer the Teddy Bear traverse

BO 10/25/15  Teddy Bear Cove traverse - Blog

One of the things about my personal experience of parenting that most impressed me was the way each child morphs into several different kids over the course of growing into adulthood. Preschoolers are filled with wonder at the little things; eight to ten year-olds (in my experience) are the most joyous people in the room; adolescents are confused much of the time; teenagers are…well, you get the point. Trying to keep pace with, or heaven forbid, stay ahead of the changes is a demanding and rewarding aspect of parenting.

I learned that lesson again on Halloween when the Barred Owlets traversed from the North Chuckanut trailhead to Teddy Bear Cove. Joey and I fretted over how they would handle the bushwhacking, the hazards, the focus required to succeed in what we perceived as an outing that would be a stretch for them. How would they react to the sting of the dreaded Devil’s Club? Would fatigue wear on their spirits, causing them to snipe at their peers (or - aghast! - their mentors!)? Were we asking them to stretch their edges a little too far?

I’m thrilled to report that none of that happened. Rather, your boys dispatched this challenge with aplomb. Elation was the emotion most often expressed, as when we took time out from our hike to play not one, but two games of Spider’s Web. A sense of accomplishment was the sentiment voiced when the boys learned they had completed the most difficult part of the traverse. Disappointment found its way into their countenance only when they learned we needed to stop doing what we were doing because we needed to move on. Joey and I, and volunteer mentor Conor, were nourished by both the land and the boys on this rainy, then cool and cloudy, Saturday. It was an outstanding day - one for the photographic, inscribed and mental memory banks.

We started in the rain at the very familiar North Chuckanut trailhead parking lot. Rather than head into the Chuckanuts, though, we crossed Chuckanut Drive (the first of three times) and dropped into a wooded area not far from Bellingham Bay. In our opening meeting, the mentors stressed the hazards and challenges the day would present us, but assured the explorers that they were ready to handle them (truer words were never spoken, as it turned out). We then played a few games of Hungry, hungry martin. Sufficiently warmed and enthused by the games, we departed south and soon reached the end of the trail. As we discussed the best bushwhacking route - on the side of the hill or across the flats - I watched for hesitancy in the faces of the boys. We faced approximately 3/8 mile of off-trail hiking punctuated with downed trees to be vaulted, Devil’s Club to be avoided a la ‘Elastic Man’, mud to be navigated, and more. But no iffy expressions. In fact, if that sounds to you like an ideal day for a bunch of 10 year-old boys, you’re catching on to the zeitgeist of our outing. Nothing too scary on this Halloween!

We cleared through the scrubby patch in good shape and ahead of schedule, so we taught Conor how to play Spider’s Web and “allowed” him to be the spider for our second game. The flies had a good day on this ideal Spider’s Web course, with two victories. Following these games and some lunch, we resumed our search for the Woodstock Farm trails and were soon reviewing maps of the area to get a sense of where we were and what lay ahead. 

What lay ahead was our second crossing of Chuckanut Drive and connecting with the Interurban trail that would transport us to the point from which we were to descend to Teddy Bear Cove. A third Chuckanut Drive crossing and we were within striking distance of the cove.

The last manmade hazard before Teddy Bear Cove was the crossing of the train tracks, which happened without incident. At this point, one either goes north or south around a small mesa, if you will, as both directions lead to a beach or up to the flat-topped hill. We met at the top and determined we had time for free play. If you haven’t ever been to Teddy Bear Cove, I recommend you make time. Depending on the tides, there are two small to medium size beaches and the hill in between. The explorers played in the sand, found multiple routes up and down the steep hillside or just took it easy in a beautiful spot.  

Several boys, and all the mentors, took advantage of the view over the Salish Sea for our sit spot. Astounding is not too dramatic a term to characterize the location for connecting with the beauty and wonder of our natural neighborhood.

Back across the tracks and up the hill to meet our rides at the end of a spectacular outing. These boys have morphed since last year and I’m challenged to keep up with their ever expanding skills and desires in the outdoors.

Click here for more photos of our traverse.

Clip, clip, dig, dig - Grey Fox Kits and Barred Owlets finish Connelly Creek fall service

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” Rabindranath Tagore

BEFORE: Car parts, broken bottles, rusted nails (thousands of rusted nails!), wire fencing, miscellaneous trash…numerous bags of trash. Rats - several of the deceased and the scurrying kind observed. Invasive Himalayan Blackberryand Reed Canarygrass that had largely overtaken the restoration site alongConnelly Creek. Humans and plants had invaded and degraded several acres along the creek, which feeds Padden Creek. 

WHY BOTHER? Ecological biodiversity is the mix of ecosystems, natural communities and habitats. It’s the variety of ways that species interact with each other and their environment. Change one factor (e.g., plant diversity), and everything else is affected. Biodiversity is an important part of ecological services that make life livable on Earth. They include everything from cleaning water and absorbing chemicals, which wetlands do, to providing oxygen for us to breathe - one of the many things that plants do for people. Biodiversity also allows for ecosystems to adjust to disturbances such as fires or floods. If a reptile goes extinct, a forest with 20 other reptiles is likely to adapt better than another forest with only one reptile. 

So, our humble restoration site at Connelly Creek offers an excellent opportunity for our explorers to learn first hand how ecosystems work while causing a real and observable positive impact on something that really matters. 

THE WORK: For several years now, the Boys Explorers Club (BEC) has worked under the guidance of Bellingham Parks and Recreation to restore the site to greater health. Using tools provided by the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, your boys have cleaned out the garbage, cut back and uprooted blackberry vines, stamped down the Reed Canarygrass, planted native trees and shrubs, and spread bark mulch…..yard after yard of bark mulch!

This is a long-term project. We’ve made mistakes, such as when we cut down the Canarygrass, which it turns out encourages future growth! So, we stomped it down, a la Godzilla, and covered the site with several inches of bark mulch, only to return to the site after a few month’s absence to find the Canarygrass having returned to its former “glory”. It’ll take years for the alders, ninebark and other species we planted to shade out the grasses and reclaim the land, the best long term solution. In fact, the project just might outlast the Grey Fox Kits and Barred Owlets time in Explorers Club! Of course, it’s a shame we have to do this work. But the lesson for the boys is clear: there will always be work that needs to be done for the good of the larger society and each of them can have a positive impact. In fact, there is joy is service to others and to the land.

This weekend, we worked to clear blackberries from an area roughly 20 by 50 feet along the creek. While that might not seem like a big area, consider the number of blackberry root balls that needed to be extricated, or the fence that saw the light of day for the first time in years, or the tree that was liberate from the strangle hold of the prickly vines. The scratches they proudly display came from the 10-15 foot long vines they cut down to a size that could be bagged and carted off. The tired, sore muscles are the result of wrestling (2 or 3 working in tandem, at times) with stubborn roots or digging holes to plant more trees and shrubs. The goofy smiles on their faces can be traced back to the hard-earned satisfaction of having done meaningful work, and done it well, as the photos will attest. 

While the boys worked hard and accomplished much on this day, we cannot claim unblemished pride in our actions. Some boys could be seen climbing trees or exploring the creek when work waited; we get it, they’re boys. Not a problem. With a little prodding, they usually return to the work. However, when the mentors learned that someone had apparently cut down a spruce sapling that had been planted as part of the project, we decided to call all the explorers together to re-emphasize the serious, important nature of the work and of the responsibility each of us has to behave with honor and respect for each other and the land. Message delivered, we returned to the work and mustered a strong finish for the day and for our service work this season.

AFTER: While there is still work to be done, check out the photos here and in the gallery. The results speak for themselves…your explorers are officially part of the solution!

They have earned the right to stand tall because they have performed with honor and to great effect. They each can rightfully echo the words of one of their colleagues as he walked away from the site after completely his work: “I feel proud.”

Check out the rest of the photos from our service outing here (Grey Fox Kits) and here (Barred Owlets), and check the web site for the details on your explorer’s next outing - Grey Fox Kits, click here. Barred Owlets, clickhere.

The Barred Owlets learn to build an Earth Shelter

 When is it acceptable to take from the land?

We work diligently in Explorers Club to instill a respect for the land. We emphasize caring through action. For example, each outing has one or more “Earthkeeper” jobs (trash cleanup), and of course, each Fall and Spring we dedicate one outing to service to the land at Connelly Creek. So, when is it ok to take from the land?

The answer is nuanced as each of us constructs a relationship with our environment. One thing is clear, though. When our survival is on the line, we can feel empowered to respectfully call on the land to provide shelter and more. The boys learn the survival rule of 3’s: 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without SHELTER, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food (read more). When faced with hypothermia in just 3 hours in rough weather, the ability to construct a shelter from the resources around you can make all the difference. This fall, the Barred Owlets are working on shelter building and our work began on Saturday.

First things first, however. Our opening meeting was highlighted by the welcoming of a new member to our group and a review of summer fun. I was interested to learn that 4or 5 of the dozen Barred Owlets visited Canada this summer. Migrating owls? The mentors also tried to set the scene for our skills work by painting a picture of a group needing to spend an unplanned stormy night in the Cascades, creating the need for an earth shelter, or debris hut. Not sure the boys were transported to a place of urgent action by my scenario, but I’m hopeful something registered in the deep recesses of their minds that will come in handy some day….one can hope!

On our way up Stewart Mountain, we played a few games of Hide! as the explorers were eager to return to our treasured activities after a few months away. Before long, we reached a place where a different explorers group had tried their hand at building a shelter. We reviewed their work as a way to examine the traits of a well-constructed shelter and put forward the group’s task for the fall - construct a shelter that can withstand an explorers weight.

Take a moment to reflect on what a humble shelter can do for you when you find yourself stranded (and likely panicked) in the backcountry. It can:

* warm you

* give you rest and comfort

* keep you grounded by reducing your tendency to wander

* help you slow down and plan, create tools, store food and water, etc.

* build your confidence and morale in a survival situation

For more detail on building an earth shelter, or debris hut, click here.

So, the boys had an example and instructions. It was time to get to work. The tendency at this point is to start gathering “Y” sticks, ridge poles, rib sticks and the like but, as we say in Explorers Club, fast is slow and slow is fast (more on Explorers Club mottoes here). So, we began by deciding on a good place to construct our shelter (free of “widowmakers”, close to resources, clear of water running off a hill, etc). Then off to collect those materials. 

For this first experience, we focused on building the framework of our shelter. The insulation will come later. We examined the materials the Barred Owlets collected for those that worked for the size shelter we needed and then struggled to interlock the “Y” sticks and ridge pole to provide the strongest frame possible. An explorer volunteered to lay under the ridge pole to help us size the structure as others set out to gather “ribs”. A few sticks failed in one way or another, necessitating an excursion to locate better materials. That accomplished, they moved on to lining each side of the ridge pole with ribs that would be needed to support an arm’s-length layer of leaves, fern fronds, cedar branches and the like in a finished shelter.

The boy’s efforts on Saturday put them a step closer to competence and the accompanying confidence. Our next outing is focused on service and our third outing is a challenging traverse, so we’ll revisit this skill on December 6, when we explore Galby Lane. 

Their work for the day complete, it was time for more games. We decided on Hungry, Hungry Martin, in which the martin needs to protect his food from several hungry squirrels. Picture boys dashing from the ferns and trees to try to reach the martin’s “food cache” without being eaten (tagged) by the martin. The game provided a nice balance to the earlier difficult skills work.

Time now to head down the mountain. Along the way, we stopped for a needed reflection on the wonders and gifts of our splendid natural environment in a sit spot. The Barred Owlets have matured past the point of the constant restlessness characteristic of sit spots with the younger groups, a satisfying development as their nature connection deepens. (Also nice for the mentors who get a more meaningful sit spot themselves, thanks to not having to monitor the group as much!)

It was great to be back out there with the Barred Owlets and to hear them giving thanks in closing circle once again. The mentors are looking forward to a year of growth and fun!

Check out other photos from our shelter-building outing here. 

The Barred Owlets traverse Padden Creek to Connelly Creek

As the old saying goes: The best laid plans.....

Our intention for our first traverse as a group was to follow the lifecycle of the salmon by hiking from MarinePark to the Connelly Creek service site on the trail that follows the creek through Fairhaven Park. You may remember we began the spring season by talking about the water in our bodies. Of course, mother nature complemented our conversation by providing all sorts of water in the form of a steady downpour! On the next outing, we talked about estuaries when we visited Clayton Beach. Then, we worked hard to restore the Connelly Creek service site to foster the salmon traverse. So, it made sense to tie it all together with this nicely organized hike.

But, like I said, the best laid plans....

We took off from Marine Park and headed to the estuary where Padden Creek empties into the bay. We talked about the near shore habitat as we observed the low tide, then crossed over to the south to follow Padden Creek. So far, so good. 

We hadn’t gone 50 yards, though, when the draw of the creek proved too powerful for the explorers. Several boys dropped down from the trail to the creek and splashed in. Can you feel the nice, neat plan falling by the wayside? A few more boys in the creek and we faced a decision as a group...should we abandon the trail and hike the creek bed? Thanks to our dry spring, the water level is low, which tempted even those without water ready footwear to try rock-stepping, rock-hopping, trail-side wandering and otherwise following the water without getting too wet. Or so we thought...

The explorers were excited to venture off the beaten path. A few saw a trout, all figured out how to vault over the log lying across the creek and several tested the echo-level in one of the tunnels. We were feeling pretty good about ourselves when we got to a spot that was a bit deeper - a bigger challenge for the boys trying to stay dry, more excitement for those who were OK with getting wet.

Of course, we don’t shrink from a reasonable challenge at Explorers Club (check out our Stretch Your Edge and Challenge by Choice mottos here). And that’s a key takeaway from this outing. We challenged the boys to accomplish their first traverse and then raised the stakes by dropping into the creek for much of the hike, and they responded. It’s nice to see their connection with the land deepen with each outing. And just as nice to see them stretch their edges to accept the challenges that come with spending time in the outdoors. They’re doing great! So, all’s good, right? Well......

Back to our intrepid explorers in that higher level water. A few were doing their best to keep their boots and socks dry by edging along on what turned out to be wet clay, not the Chuckanut sandstone they thought (hoped?) it was. Quicker than you can say, “It’s raining, it’s pouring; let’s go exploring!” they were in the creek up to their navels! 

By now, everyone was wet to varying degrees. Fortunately, the boys were ready to deal with the consequences of our adventurous nature, the weather cooperated (I wouldn’t wanted to have this happen on that first outing!), and we still had enough time hiking to dry most of the pants, socks, and boots. 

When the creek and Interurban Trail parted ways, we climbed back up to the trail and headed east toward the Connelly Creek service site. Hiking the trail was a nice break that lasted until we crossed Old Fairhaven Parkway. Connelly Creek is in the tall grasses, but access is limited at this point. So, back off trail. This time, we bushwhacked our way to Connelly Creek and back into the water!

Amazingly, we arrived at the service site right on time to make some tea and enjoy the cookies Steve made to atone for forgetting the apples at Clayton Beach. A sit spot to reflect on nature’s wonders and a round of thanks in our closing meeting, and the Barred Owlets’ spring 2015 season passed quietly into posterity. 

Sincere thanks to you for entrusting your boys to our care during the spring. Try as we might, we couldn’t keep them dry (even when the sun was shining) but we believe their time in the outdoors is therapeutic. We look forward to spending more time with them at camps over the summer and back to Explorers Club in the fall. Check here for photos from our traverse.