Back to Wind Creek State Park, and a beautiful weekend ahead for these AHG girls. On our last visit here, the temperatures got down into the lower 30s, which was tough, but this was perfect camping with temps in the mornings maybe touching the upper 40s. We arrived a little later than usual, and had to split up to pick up the girls because Magan and I were both running late. I really don't know how we take so much stuff with us on these 2 nights to stay in the woods. The van was loaded, and we were barely able to fit Ruby into her seat...just had to go under the flag pole sticks and wedge in next to the cooler.
Our arrival put us in some initial confusion as they put us in group spots that were completely separated by a group spot in the middle. Which did not make sense, so I went back up to the front desk and found out that a Boy Scout troop had the campsites in the middle section. Not thinking this was a good idea, I got the name and number of the troop leader and called him up. And they had no issues taking our spots to the left, and we grabbed the middle and to the right. It also put our girls closer to the bathhouse, so while I did not win any prizes for this quick coordination, I did pat myself on the back.
But quickly had to then get things set up for camp. This campout was a first for Ruby, in that she brought her own tent to sleep in, and she brought the 4 man tent, which ended up being the perfect play area for her and some of her explorer friends. Magan and I had the 10 man tent all to ourselves, which worked out as Magan had her queen size mattress in her room, and me on my normal pad and mummy bag in my room. It is nice to have a large area to change in, and being able to walk around in your tent.
I started to work with some of the newer girls and showing them how to tie the flag poles together, and I think this is soon ready to be turned over to the pioneers to lead this effort. And we got three new girls to sign the AHG flag (Ava, Charlotte, and Avery). Magan and Belle quickly found the Rogers baby and took turns holding that cutie. While Ruby joined in the always fun hammock swings. Makayla Nichols always picks on me for my lack of cooking abilities, and I did not disappoint again, picking up Arbys for our supper that night. I did have a fellow Scout dad, Sam Dabbs, as our tent neighbor, so it was good to hang out with him for a bit. The first night is always exciting with the girls having smores around the campfire, lots of laughing, parents arriving late and needing help setting up in the dark, and finally all settling down for some sleep.
The next morning began with a devotional around the fire. I did cook us a really good breakfast from Chick-Fil-A. Sam Dabbs had never seen my cooking routine for AHG, as he is always around me at scout campouts, so he kept laughing and picking on me. But hey, I had hot coffee, and the best chicken biscuits in the world. After breakfast, I quickly went into prep for the day. When planning to come back to this state park, we found out that both the Tenderheart and Explorer leaders would not be there for the campout, and they needed someone to lead those girls. ME ME ME...I jumped into the groupme with a raised hand to volunteer. And it was really pretty simple prep, as I had done this exact same badge and hike with Anabelle's group 1.5 years earlier.
But Magan will tell you, I am not the best gauging distances, and I just assumed we could do the hike before lunch. We were earning the "Search, Survival, and Rescue" merit badge, and were learning how to use a compass and topology map. So each of the girls got to have a compass, and we had maps of the area we were planning to hike, with orienteering symbols that tell them where to find 10 "hidden" targets along the trail. I did save all the girls and parents some steps as we decided to drive to the start of the hike, this was something I failed to do with Anabelle, and it led to an added mile to the hike. Although Anabelle this time was with the Pioneer/Patriots, and they again walked all the way from the campsite. All of the girls loaded into John Dean's truck to ride over, and from the look on all their faces, this was an adventure all in itself. And 5 mommas came with me in my van, where Magan talked the whole time about my stinky van...I guess it does have a wang of something.
I have learned that taking boys or girls hiking is fun, and they will get tired, but in general have enjoyed the hike with no complaints. But I have also learned, that the more difficult ones are the parents. Hahaha, they did well, but I learned to tell all the parents to stay on the trail and wait for us when we had to go off looking for one of the targets. They were quite fine with that. As for the girls, the orienteering targets make this a fun hike, because there are 10 spaced well throughout the trail, and each of the girls took turns using the map, and using the orienteering symbols. I took pictures of the girls at each target, where they would do something silly at each one. My favorite was #7, which was way off trail at the top of the mountain...Ruby's face drinking her water says it all, that was a tough one to get to. But before we got there, we made it to #6, where the PiPas had brought their lunch with them. Hahaha, yeah, I got some looks (only from the parents) when I told them we are half way there, and lunch is back at the campsite.
There was a solar eclipse on this day, so we stayed at the #6 area with the PiPas for a little break, and watched the eclipse. I remember when this happened a few years back, and there was a lot of excitement across the country, and I stood outside my building in Inverness to watch, I am sure there are pics somewhere in a blog post. But on this day, I just sat against a tree, watching the girls smiling and laughing, enjoying being outside with their friends. I mean, I see my shadow all the time, I guess being in the moons shadow isn't all that impressive.
After the eclipse, we continued on our way, leaving the PiPas to some outdoor survival skills, where I think they really had to put some in action when Kessa sprained her ankle. Anabelle and her crew also had to find material within their backpacks to make shelter, then crowd in under that shelter...I am pretty sure Belle would have been very wet. As for the Explorers and Tenderhearts we moved on to the highest part of our hike, which was #7. I don't remember Belle's group being as excited, but we had a larger group of girls with this group, and some were not having it, but staying with the adults. So you will see the #7 and #8 and #9 pictures have a smaller number of girls making it to those targets, but everyone of them had my Ruby, running thru the prickly undergrowth with me to find the targets.
We got a little lost getting to number 8, but Sam, who actually knows how to use a compass directed us right to it. Then after number 9, there was a decision to make that I remembered from Belle's group. I asked the girls..."You have two options...you can go with the adults that will take the next right on the trail, which will lead directly back to our vehicles, or you can go with me past #9 and down the mountain (small hill really) to the extreme way down" Not all were takers, but a good number went with me on the "extreme" route. I loved it when two of the girls started a chant that quickly went to everyone in our group "AHG...To the Extreme...AHG...To the Extreme". Glad magan got a picture of me and those girls at the end. Looks like she also got a picture of her red face too.
Already a little late for lunch, we got to the bottom, and then the girls asked if I was still going to take them to a geocache treasure. So while we were hungry, we took one more detour off into the woods in search for a geocache treasure. Unfortunately, the cache was not there, but we are positive we found where it was, so the girls were happy to make a new geocache bag with notebook and trinkets, and leave where the cache had been previously removed. Now, the ziplock bag will probably not last, but hopefully someone soon will be by with a spare coffee can or something. Anyway...I am hungry, its time for lunch.
After lunch I had brought a surprise for the girls, a giant bowl of Orbeez for a planned playground battle. We went over to the playground, and the girls had captains, and divided up in teams...I think they were the blue freeze and thunder team names. But before the Orbeez battle, we had a giant obstacle course where they had to take a ping pong ball in a spoon and pass it from team member to team member in a race. While not supposed to be biased, I was super excited when Ruby and Ansley's team was the fastest. Then we broke up into different sides of the playground, each girl with a cup full of orbeez, and the battle was on. Afterwards we had some extra, and it became a battle of everyone against Mr. Scott. My favorite! I lost that battle big time. It was fun, and we finally left to go back to camp and get ready for the nighttime activities. We heard later that the scouts there were picking up all the orbeez to leave no trace. Good for them.
Our meal that night was the traditional tacos in a bag. While dinner was cooking, many of the girls helped me prep 3 flags for retirement that night. And the girls divided into their groups with plans for skits and jokes for the campfire that night. I was proud of Anabelle for taking my spot as the MC for the campfire. She did a great job keeping things flowing, and figuring out how much of that girl's story we needed to let keep going. She kept the skits going, got some dad jokes flowing (one girl had me chuckle about a dyslexic man that walked into a rab), and even started some songs. Me and Ruby joined her for "Oh a milkshake". And even though we did it at the last Spring campout, the girls were ok with me bringing back "Hey, my name is Joe", as this year many came up front in the light with me for the actions. And then we ended the night with a flag retirement ceremony. I turned this over to Rashann, who is planning to let one of the girls start doing it in future campouts.
And then it was our last morning. I actually cooked Ruby the chewy biscuits and gravy she asked for, and had grits and oatmeal for Magan and Belle. Rashann led another devotion, and then Magan helped talk to all the girls about the memories they had made on this campout. I loved watching all those hands go up, as each wanted to share a fun story. My favorite was the Mad Lib that Savannah read aloud that including a section about milking Mr. Jimmy. I had read this the night before when MaKayla, Belle, and Savannah were all snickering about it...and it really was pretty funny. And the girls LOVE LOVE Ms. Magan, even when she did not get a chance to curl their hair the night before. She continues to be a perfect troop leader, and both parents and girls love to talk with her about AHG. And finally, it was time for the paper plate awards. Belle got the plate for "Best Garbage Bad shelter building organizer" and Ruby got the plate for "Scare Dad with a Snake Prank" (Her and Evie ... and a few other girls...pranked Mr. Scott by telling him that Ruby was hurt real bad...and when I ran over there, Ruby was lying on the ground with a large snake by her head...if it wasn't for the giggles from the girls on our way to Ruby, and the little smirk on her "dying" face, they might have had me).
No rain the whole weekend, but what happens as we start packing up camp...yep, little rain. So we packed up faster than usual, and got out of camp...Mr. Jimmy slightly beating us out, only because Magan gave him a shout and warning. Our way home was nice, with both girls quickly falling asleep, but we had a great lunch at Vaqueros in Sylacauga. We had tried the Huddle House near the state park, but when the lady said you gotta wait for a table, and we don't have any potatoes or pancakes or anything you might want to eat...we took the hint and opted for mexican on down the road. Another super fun weekend with the AHG!
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