There's Nothing Like Spring Outing!

Wow, what a Spring Outing!

First off.

It. Rained. A. Lot.

I bet we got 4-5" (or more!) overnight Friday through Saturday night. It finally stopped raining and we actually saw this orange disc in the sky Sunday morning. I'm not sure what that was.

It may have rained, but it didn't see anyone let that keep us from having fun. We still hunted for sharks teeth. We shot BBs and archery. We rode down the zipline into the wonderfully warm water :-) We had a break in the rain for our campfire, had our songs and ghost story. Sure, we had to dodge lightning from time to time by running into our cabin, but it was great fun.

This year's theme was Arapahoe National Treasure. We've been working on the theme since January and I think it worked really well. What did you think? Give us your feedback. What other themes would you like to see?

The shirts are outstanding! You'll likely see a color poster of the shirt design near the camp store that's really cool. I wish we could sell posters of the design.

Spring Outing is so special. There are few places where you get to spend this much quality time with your son or daughter. You and your child will remember these shared experiences for years to come.

Is your tribe getting ready for Spring Outing? Here are some tips that might help.

• Make sure to have rain gear. Ponchos, rain jackets, etc. Weather changes a lot on the coast. Make sure to have another pair of shoes to wear in wet weather. Crocs or surf shoes are perfect. Bring more changes of clothes than you think you need.
  
  
• Bring some cabin games & activities if it does rain. While most outdoor activities will continue if it's not lightning, there are are times when storms will run everyone indoors. Make sure to bring a deck of cards or board games.
  
  Would I bring a laptop to watch movies in case it rains? That's a tough one. I think this may create the temptation for your son or daughter to want to sit inside and watch a movie with other kids in the tribe instead of having fun outside when it's not even raining. Same goes with hand-held video game systems. I'd personally leave them at home. Just my opinion.
  
  
• Make sure you know what your tribe is doing for dinner on Friday before you leave. Tribes are on their own for this meal. There's not much to choose from fast food-wise in the area, so everyone needs to pick up something on the way there or plan on cooking out when you arrive at your cabin. Our tribe is fortunate to have a dad who cooks. Jerry sat on the porch and cooked up hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, kraut and tons of French fries. It was great! Every tribe needs a "Jerry."
  
  
• This year's Arapahoe National Treasure theme activities are for dads and children and tribes to do together, after you receive your first clue after breakfast on Saturday morning. Work together with the kids to figure out the clues and riddles and help them if they get stuck.
  
  
• Bring your completed Chief's Challenge flyer with you with the items you completed checked off. I'll be at Camp Seafarer this weekend to meet you, hear what you've accomplished and give you your Chief's Challenge patch. If you forget your flyer, you can still get your patch. I'll simply talk to your son or daughter on what they've been doing to help the environment.
  
  
• Spring Outing can be tiring. If you've been, you know how you can run out of gas around 2:00 pm on Saturday. It's even more tiring for your son or daughter. They're so excited about being at Spring Outing with the cabin and all their friends, and the running around, and the activities, and the staying up late and the getting up early and the running around more, AND, AND, AND!!!!! (CRASH!) Eventually they run out of gas and just get moody. My son Aaron would turn into the grump monster Saturday afternoon, which would finally break on the way home. They do better as they get older.
  
  My solution. Just expect that it's coming, smile when you see it and try and find a way to live with it. Don't get angry. Just find an activity that they want to do. If they want to play in the cabin quietly for awhile, let them. It'll might give you a chance to take a short nap or shower.
  

This weekend I'll be staying at Camp Seafarer with Salty Dog and Big Hare. I'll be visiting Camp Sea Gull at lunch on Saturday.

I hope to see everyone this weekend! Let's have a great time!