Day 137: Quest Wednesday

Day 136: The day before

A year of recruiting, public relations, classes, planning, packing and preparation and we are finally ready for Quest to begin.   Our gear is packed and our clothes laid out.   There wasn't any time to walk or take photos today because we had to pick up the perishables from Tops, pack them into the coolers for each day, meet with some parents, teach the last class in Brocton, update the roster again, and pack our own gear.

We're relaxing and watching NCIS, the best show on tv because the next four days will be near round the clock watchfulness, hard physical challenges, problem solving and of course, lots of natural beauty and fun.  I won't post again till Saturday night, if I can stay awake long enough.

Day 135: Count down to Quest 2012

Only two days left till the 2012 Quest four day expedition begins!  Today we held a work party and the students helped to pack the supply bags for 16 cook groups with stoves, utensils, pots, trail mix ingredients and staples.  Next we loaded all the supply bags, tarps, extra packs and tents, medical supplies, repair kits, trash cans supplemental food and activity equipment onto a utility cart and hauled it out to the entry where we would load the truck.

Al was right on time.  He has been volunteering his time for at least ten years.  Even though his youngest son was a camper and student leader many years ago,  Al keeps coming back to help.  The same is true for Pete who operates the water truck.  Both men have been incredibly supportive and loyal.

Quest is truly a community effort and wouldn't be possible without the assistance of hundreds of community members.  Thirty-five private landowners grant permission for us to cross their property.  During the year of preparation, we interact with forest rangers, DEC officers, the police and sheriff's departments, fire departments, school boards, principals, secretaries, store managers and clerks, adult volunteers, parents and of course, hundreds of middle school and high school students.

This year, the expedition is made up of 34 Fredonia 8th graders, five Brocton 8th graders, 21 student leaders from Fredonia and two from Brocton, 13 adult volunteers who hike and a team of 8 adults who operate and staff the support vehicles.  This is our smallest group of 8th graders ever, but last year was the largest group with 71.  We are hoping that next year for the 25th anniversary many more students will participate.

Day 134: Mother's Day on the Ruttenbur Trail

Steve's mother passed away in 1994 and my mom died in 2000, so on Mother's Day we remember their many gifts to us.  Since our sons live far away, we filled the day with hiking along the Ruttenbur Trail.  Because it was timbered last season, we had to assess the damage and see if we can take the kids along the trail or if we have to stick to the truck road.  Fortunately, the trail is stabilized and marked and all the debris has been cleared away.  The campsite we occupied for so many years is not recognizable, but we have found another lovely grove of pines where we will camp this Thursday night.

The wildflowers are different from what we usually encounter on the hikes.  I found only one red trillium blooming.  The rest have gone to seed.  We did not see any wild leeks, so we may not be able to make potato leek soup.  Jack in the pulpits are at their peak, though, so the kids will enjoy seeing them.  

After we left the trail, we drove down Housington Rd. to see if the gates were open so the supply truck can reach us.   Suddenly, I spotted a pepsi dispenser standing in the woods about twenty feet away from the road.  It was real, not a mirage!  So many times while hiking, we are dying for a pepsi.  It's not on our route, but it would have been hysterical to encounter that machine on the trail.

The weather forecast is for 70 degree days and only a little rain on Wednesday.  It should be a glorious expedition.  Tomorrow, we will be packing the food bags for each cook group and loading Al's supply truck.  A year's preparation will all come to fruition this week!

Day 133: Sunny Saturday

Three gardens are already weeded and mulched!  All morning and afternoon we worked getting some of the back gardens in shape,  weeks earlier than usual.  I transplanted forget-me-nots into the woods in the hope that they will prosper and create a blanket of blue next spring.  If they could only snuff out the poison ivy.

Day 132: Frank's Alpacas

This afternoon we visited a friend's alpaca farm.  They had about ten alpaca of different ages, several small goats, three dogs, a few cats and kittens.  One of their dogs is a pyrenean mountain dog, a huge white drooling creature that acts as protector for the alpacas.   He never made a sound, but drooled over both of us.   A 15 year old crippled mixed breed struggled to round up the alpacas.  In one stall, two older alpaca hung out with the camera shy goats who scampered around them.  In the corner of the barn, bales of hay formed a secluded hideaway for two week old kittens.  In a few weeks we are going back to see them sheared.

Our next destination was Cockaigne.  We had heard that the property was being logged and were concerned that our campsites had been damaged.  Walking up the mountain without packs was still difficult, but our reward was discovering our campsites untouched!  The caretaker, however, told us the property is being sold very soon, so we don't know if we will be able to use Cockaigne for the 25th anniversary Quest next year.

Dinner at the Mustard Seed topped off a terrific day!

Day 131: Sleeping in the lilies

After the final Quest class, I retreated to the garden.  Molly spent the sunny afternoon sleeping amid the lilies while I pulled weeds and leaves from around the azaleas and lupine.  Glen Acres delivered a steaming pile of black mulch which we will be moving around the yard over the next few days.