Exploring Routes - Day 2
This morning started with an opportunity to take a refreshing dip in the lake before getting dressed for the day. We then ate breakfast together and packed our backpacks for hiking.
Today’s hike was Bald Mountain. We started hiking in the rain and took many breaks to rest, snack, drink water, and learn about different plants we came across. The first part of the hike was in the woods but eventually it opened up and the second part was on rock that was entirely exposed. Just as we came out of the trees, and clouds began to lift and we got our first view!
Sure the view was nice, but the main focus at this point was in the wild blueberries scattered everywhere along the trail. It was very hard to keep hiking and pass them by but we were determined to reach the summit for lunch.
We relaxed at the top of the mountain in the sunshine and just as we were getting ready to hike back down, the clouds rolled in again. It was all around pretty perfect timing. We hiked down and then inspired by our mountain top blueberry feast, we drove to a local blueberry farm and picked berries to make a blueberry pie.
When we got home, the campers went swimming and then enjoyed a much deserved rest time. There was a LOT of reading during this time. Among the group, two books have already been finished this week! A favorite spot to read is the day bed by the big window looking out at the lake.
After rest time we tie dyed shirts and the learned how to fold and bind our own journals. We then played Anomia and ate snack. The campers had free time next and could do whatever they wanted — shower, read, journal, play games, make bracelets, etc. It was a quieter free time than yesterday given how much energy was exerted on our hike today!
Some campers chose to use their free time to learn how to make a blueberry pie. One camper even taught the counselors how to do a lattice top!
For dinner, we cooked pizza over the fire and ate it with a tasty salad! We played some more card games (a big hit with this group!) and then ate the blueberry pie and talked about our plan for tomorrow. The campers were each asked to share how today went and what they would like out of a hike tomorrow. We then had one-on-one check ins to make sure all voices were heard in the process of making a decision.
Finally, it was time for our bedtime routine. The campers actually asked for an earlier bedtime today - yay! We sat together and did a shoutout circle and then drank tea while Chloë read out loud. It was a sleepy evening after a day they should all be proud of!
