“Hello!I just wanted to share with you how proud I am of the Outdoor Adventure kids. As many of you know we had our on-campus overnight on Friday night (May 16th). I have heard a number of students joking that OA had to sleepover on campus, but I want to make sure that people fully understand what they did.
Each student was provided three 8’ to 10’ staves, twine, and a blue tarp and was asked to work with a peer or by themselves to construct their own shelter for the overnight. They did not have tents with floors to separate them from the ground or specialized rain gear. These students utilized their knowledge of lashings, knots, and shelter construction they learned over the course of the term to build structures that would weather the eventual storm. You may recall that a steady rain began falling at about 4 pm and kept falling straight through until 8 am the following morning! The students started a fire without matches or lighter in the pouring rain, cooked their own supper, and then proceeded to stay out the entire night despite the fact that it was a cold and wet 45 degrees!
While this display of acquired skill makes Dan and me very proud… the upbeat attitudes and sunny dispositions that the students wore through the entire event was truly a credit to their individual and group spirit.
To quote the kids- “Huzzah OA!”
Thanks!
Mr. Mertz”
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OK, so yesterday only 4 people came to sports and it was all GIRLS!
We read about 1st degree, 2nd degree, and 3rd degree burns . Then we got to go outside to ACTUALLY make… FIRE!!!! It was awesome, except for the fact that none of us could really make a fire… ha ha. But we tried and, it’s true, Mr. Mertz really does make it look easy. Too bad that today we couldn’t make a fire because of a local fire ban, but tomorrow the rest of the people who didn’t do it will get to try. It’s fun- and maybe I’ll bring my marshmallows!!!! Can’t wait!
The ropes course was a lot of fun. We started on the low ropes course and then later in the week moved on to the high ropes course. We completed many obstacles including crossing an imaginary acid river using only a rope to swing between two platforms. On the high ropes course we went on the Burma Bridge which had one wire in the middle and two ropes on the sides to hold onto. We also went on another with “vines” or ropes hanging down that we could use to cross a second wire. The ropes course was a lot of fun and I hope I’ll be able to have an experience like this again.
Today we were climbing on the trails of Mt. Wachusett and boy, was it hard!!! To those who wanted to go on something steep, you definitely got it today! Am I right? I thought it was very hard, but fun too. I thought it was great to have some laughs afterward. So what did you think about the hike this afternoon? Did you like the climb up the “RoCkY mOuNtAiNs” or the trail down to the amazing and wonderful bus? … just kidding! Though the arriving at the top was a relief, the view was hidden by blowing rain and cold weather at the top of the trail. The forest sheltered us on the way down though, so it got better. So, tell me what you think about this whole experience?
This week, we worked a lot on the high ropes course. We started last Friday on the Swingshot and worked are way through the week with elements such as Burma Bridge and Hanging Vines. When trying these elements, we soon learned which one of us possessed acrophobia. (I am definitely one of them.)
Acrophobia: an abnormal fear of high places (definition from dictionary.com)
Until you’ve tried it, you can’t even begin to imagine the adrenaline and fear that you get from hanging by a rope about 40 feet off the ground. It’s exhilarating and stressful simultaneously. When you finally get onto the wire, it suddenly starts to shake in the breeze and you can’t let go even though you want to get to the ground desperately. All in all, I am thankful for all the support that everyone gave me (and for making me finish Burma Bridge). Even if it takes years to get over my fear, this is a pretty good start.
It was a nice day out when we went to the low elements ropes course on Tuesday and Wednesday. We were able to learn different ways of working together and problem solve. Although communication is key in certain activities, sometimes it is best just not to talk at all. Afterall silence is golden. In activities such as the Mohawk walk, teamwork is essential. One person cannot simply just walk across the lines by him or herself. We each needed to help each other not only to balance, but also to spot each other and make sure no one is hurt in the process. Overall it was a fun experience and hopefully we will be able to do more of this type of activity soon!
P.S.
Don’t forget to check for ticks!
We had a GREAT time today on the swing shot element on the ropes course. I would say that this is probably the most fun of all of the activities we have so far done in the program. We were hooked up to the swing apparatus and were then lifted by the rest of the group as high as we could go (or wanted to go in most cases), and were then dropped, to fall and swing back and forth. I felt extremely safe in the two harnesses with numerous extra safety knots and carabiners. I would also like to say to all of the people who are afraid of heights that no matter how high you went up on the rope you did a great job, I understand how hard it can be to over come your fears.
So yesterday we went hiking in Sudbury. When we arrived there, there was no desert in sight. It was a forest! We began our hike, and after a few steps, I took a spill. Luckily, I am quite used to falling, so I was not hurt. So we continued walking. We came to these planks that were precariously perched over a beautiful, lush marsh. The water was a muddy blue. As we walked further and further, the signs of man began to become less prominent. We could not hear anything but the birds chirping and the soft trickling of water. Soon, we began to walk back. it was odd walking back on the path, because it was almost as if we were slowly walking back into civilization. You could see, slowly but surely, the signs of man came back. It was a chilly, but beautiful hike.
We took a hike on Wednesday of this week on a near by parcel of 615 acres that contained a variety of habitats. Activity by beavers has flooded some portions of the property creating swamps and marshes while other areas remain pitch and red pine forests.
Notably, the students were provided a map and a series of compass headings to follow and did not receive any guidance from the faculty. They were able to navigate the trails confidently and find their way back to the van with relative ease!
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Click here for the original map from the Sudbury Valley Trustees or here for more information Desert Natural Area / Memorial Forest Reservation.
Because we frequently hike in areas that are tick habitat, we have compiled a bit of information about the most common ticks in our area. Take minute to read and learn how to identify and protect yourself from these tiny parasites.
click here for information on Ticks
