We could sense it was going to be a good outing when we found ourselves basking in cool sunshine as we gathered for a different kind of adventure on Sunday. What a great day for the Jumping Mice to begin their spring season!
After a last minute change of drop off location (thanks for being flexible, parents/guardians), we set out to traverse from the Lost Lake trailhead to the Larrabee State Park camp area along the west side of Chuckanut Drive. After crossing Chuckanut, Mentors Jedidiah and Brian talked with the boys about tracking...they wanted to play in the creek. In fact, there was considerable “antsiness" in the ranks. Opening and decision circles were marked by repeated talking over of the speaker. We talked with the boys about respect; of course it didn’t help that Mentor Brian forgot our “Talking Stick”, an important tool in our efforts to bring a tone of decorum to our circles. We are, each one of us, continually working to improve how we treat each other.
So, after some free exploration, we hiked north intending to play Spider’s Web along the way, but chose instead to try an unknown trail. It led us to a spectacular overlook of the islands and Salish Sea, a bonus on this clear day. We took a break, then participated in a tracking activity, which seemed to sharpen the Explorer’s focus. We then finished our traverse to the camping area, where we were joined shortly by parents and friends for a pot luck dinner/campfire. The weather contributed to a fun, safe social time.
I think the Mentors learned an important lesson with the change in the boy’s behavior when we introduced the structured tracking activity. We should do more of this. We saw a similar response to a navigation activity last year. We’ll try to incorporate this approach more in future outings.
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| Perhaps the view should get credit for calming the Jumping Mice. It was just after we took in this spectacular vista that we tried our hands at tracking and the tone of the outing improved. |
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| Scanning through these photos I noticed that there was more interaction that didn't involve physical contact, a sign these boys are getting older. In fact, yesterday was Archer's tenth birthday. Happy birthday, Archer! |
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| One of the Explorers is into geo-tracking and knew of a geocache along our route; needless to say, we couldn't not investigate. |
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| In the camp area, the boys spied a rabbit, a few nests and investigated a stream. This curiosity is a critical foundation for tracking. Now, Mentors Brian and Jedidiah just need to stoke that curiosity! |
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| Parents and Explorers work to set up our potluck. |
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| Congregating around a campfire provides an excellent place for socializing and relationship building. |
Our skill for the spring is Tracking and Bird Language. As Mentor Jedidiah introduced our tracking activity, one of the boys asked, “I’m an animal; should I track myself?”, to which Jedidiah responded, “That’s the end of the trail.” I’m pretty sure the boys thought he was joking, but there was wisdom in the question as well as the response. As Jed pointed out, whether tracking animals or one’s self, it helps to begin by slowing down and becoming more aware of yourself and your surroundings. No illusions here that the Jumping Mice are going to “get it” any time soon, but be assured that our purpose doesn’t end when we find “scat”, exciting though that no doubt will be for the boys.
More photos here. We next get to explore the Stimpson Family Nature Preserve - on Sunday, March 26. Thanks for all your support with the potluck/campfire gathering — great fun.
