One of our mottoes in Explorers Club is the following: It’s About the Journey, Not the Destination We describe that classic adage this way - The point is to awaken to what’s around us, to revel in discovery every moment, not to arrive to a particular place. We are where we are going!
Apropos for the Jumping Mice’ last outing of their first season together as we first changed our planned
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. This outing was no different. With high winds forecast, we decided to play it safe and switch from our planned exploration of North Galbraith to a trek through Whatcom Falls Park to the relative safety of the open fields ofBloedel Donovan Park. 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.
We were living in the moment as we continually made decisions with a literal eye to the surrounding treetops. Decisions are difficult in the best of conditions; factor in the age of the boys and add in the fickle weather and the decisions get trickier. A great
example was the conversation we had about weather the “spider” for our Spider’s Web game should be a mentor, our Explorers Club Apprentice (EMA) Xavier, or one of the explorers. Underlying the conversation if the question of weather the Jumping Mice were up to the challenge of being the spider. Stepping up to that role is a bit of a rite of passage in Explorers Club; the Jumping Mice are just finishing their first season together. We discussed; we voted; we made suggestions; we voted again. This went on for 20 minutes or more. Frustration started to set in. Our circle got less and less circular. With no resolution in sight, nature stepped in as the tips of the conifers were seen to sway more dynamically. We decided not to decide, but to move along to be closer to Bloedel Donovan Park. The boys might understandably see it as time not well spent; you and I know the boys matured a little in that half hour as their edges were stretched in their common effort.
example was the conversation we had about weather the “spider” for our Spider’s Web game should be a mentor, our Explorers Club Apprentice (EMA) Xavier, or one of the explorers. Underlying the conversation if the question of weather the Jumping Mice were up to the challenge of being the spider. Stepping up to that role is a bit of a rite of passage in Explorers Club; the Jumping Mice are just finishing their first season together. We discussed; we voted; we made suggestions; we voted again. This went on for 20 minutes or more. Frustration started to set in. Our circle got less and less circular. With no resolution in sight, nature stepped in as the tips of the conifers were seen to sway more dynamically. We decided not to decide, but to move along to be closer to Bloedel Donovan Park. The boys might understandably see it as time not well spent; you and I know the boys matured a little in that half hour as their edges were stretched in their common effort.
Another Explorers Club motto, The Trail is the Teacher, states: “On the trail, as in life, the lessons emerge as we walk our individual and collective journeys. Everything that appears and unfolds along the way – whether happy or sad, joyful or difficult – is a teacher. Lessons are often unexpected (and sometimes unwelcome) but we learn to use them as opportunities to learn and grow.” Frustrating and inconclusive as that experience was, the lessons it taught were apparently fresh in the boys’ minds when we soon stopped at a crossroads to address another question: Do we go left to our stated goal of Bloedel-Donovan or right, which promised better Spider’s Web locations? This decision we reached in about two minutes when an explorer suggested we might
be able to play the game and then double back to the park. So, to the right we went in pursuit of the game we’d been anticipating for a few hours. Spoiler alert: we never doubled back!
be able to play the game and then double back to the park. So, to the right we went in pursuit of the game we’d been anticipating for a few hours. Spoiler alert: we never doubled back!
Unfortunately, our reward proved elusive once again as our search came up empty and it began to feel like we were going to go home frustrated. Showing admirable resilience, the boys opted to play a few games of Fire in the Forest in the grassy area near the fish rearing ponds. It was following those games that mentor Finn came to the rescue by suggesting we could play Spider’s Web in the trees behind the toddler playground, a classic case of mindful attention to place. To be honest, the playing area for the first game proved inadequate, so we pivoted the course deeper into the trees. Our next game lasted just a few minutes as the spider (mentor Brian) forgot where the “food source” was! Hmmmmm. The third time proved to be the charm as all players turned it up a notch, with much darting through the trees and even some slow, steady progress as the Jumping Mice starting catching on to the natural advantages of camouflage and stealth. By this time, the rain had begun again (note: the wind never was a significant factor) so our walk back to the N. Galbraith trailhead was true to the saying on Wild Whatcom apparel: It’s raining, it’s pouring, let’s go exploring!” A fitting end to the Jumping Mice’ first season together.
As I plan the spring season, an exploration of N. Galbraith is top of mind. For now, it’s time to bring a close to a fun first season. Over the next few seasons, I expect the Jumping Mice to morph from a collection of individuals looking to play and learn in the outdoors to a cohort of mindful young men. Unfortunately, they’re going to have to do that without mentor Finn, who has moved on to full time work with the Department of Natural Resources. My thanks to Finn for his naturalist knowledge and dedication to the explorers.
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