Day 141: The day after

It's not easy to put Quest to bed for another year, but we're getting close.  Last night, Al backed the trailer into the driveway and we unloaded all the supplies into the garage so we could sort them today.   Extra food, fuel, packs, bags of pots and pans, garbage cans.  Today we washed the gloves, stuff sacks, and food bags.  A few parents delivered packs and tents that student borrowed.  Tomorrow we'll begin to haul the equipment up to school and pack it away.

Showers never feel better than after three days of slogging through mud and sleeping in my clothes.  I was asleep by 6:00, but the phone kept ringing.  One of the things I love best about hiking and camping is the absence of technological intrusions.  Brigetta articulated that ideal so well in our exit meeting.

Steve became very ill with an intestinal flu on Wednesday and had to go home.  For the first time, I was in charge, but the program actually runs itself.  Our team of dedicated and knowledgeable adults and student leaders guarantees that everything runs smoothly no matter which leader is absent.  When Steve returned Friday morning, Kathy took his place in the sag car because she incurred a heel injury.    Mark moved into her place.  When Mike and Amanda had to leave on Saturday, Alex, a senior, stepped into the role of hike group leader.  None of the leadership shifts had any impact on the kids because their main connections are to their cook group leaders.

When we created the junior leader program sixteen years ago,  only five or six students were selected.  Now there are twenty three.  I don't like to turn anyone away who wishes to spend time outdoors supervising eighth graders!  They act as teachers, guides, motivators, organizers and mentors.  They take their responsibilities very seriously, but have lots of fun at the same time.  Quest is a richer experience for every participant because of our cadre of student leaders.