Cave Dwellers revisit Fragrance Lake trail

As the first few Explorers arrived for Sunday’s Cave Dwelling, Hairy-legged Vampire Bat (Cave Dweller) outing, I started to get concerned hearing the boys remembering their prior experiences at this location. Thoughts of, “Will they be disappointed because we’d already been here?” and “How will we make it new for them?” ran through my head.

I needn’t have worried. Throughout the outing, Mentor Tim and I heard repeated exclamations of “Hey, remember when…….” Their reaction brought back to mind the power of place. In Explorers Club, we get to experience a place with all our senses, and like the smell of that cabin you stayed in as a child or the feel of a lady bug crawling on your skin for the first time, the connection you make is deep and abiding. 

So we got to build on memories such as the deer skull Mentor Tim found a few years ago and the shelters we built near the root-bound boulder last year. This time, we headed first to the view point, where the Cave Dwellers gave voice and motion to their desire to have a pine cone “war”. This distinctively male need to compete and strategize has long been a hallmark of the Cave Dweller cohort. Interestingly, we see maturation even in this most primal of activities. A few years ago, one could safely predict one or two breakdowns in protocol involving actual fighting; not at all this day. 

Another, possibly more significant measure of progress for the Cave Dwellers; their sensitivity to the needs of each group member and willingness to adapt their activity to include all. This focus on inclusion has become a group norm. You can be proud of your Explorer’s caring attitude!

The “wild” in the boys released, it was time for some carving. The boys are past the initial flush of excitement at getting to use a knife and showed mild interest in creating a finished product. They have experience and a degree of skill, though, that we’ll work to integrate into future activities.

Following carving and lunch, we hiked part of the way down to the root-bound boulder for a few games of Spider’s Web. The first game was very short as our focused spider made quick work of getting all flies back the web for a rare spider victory. The second game saw the flies work a little harder to achieve a draw.

Our last circle of thanks for this year was expanded to include a discussion of desired places for us to explore next year. As if to reinforce my point about the power of place, Fragrance Lake was high on their list. They also called out the mud flats (usually a Summer Camp location), old growth forests out SR 542, Clayton Beach, Mount Baker and more. They liked the idea of traverses and of more distant outings that would require bus use. I can’t promise anything at this point, but expect a mix of familiar and new in 2017-18!

Tim and I are deeply grateful for the opportunity to spend quality time with your Explorers. We feel privileged to do this meaningful work; thank you for welcoming us into your lives. Check out the rest of our photos here.

Cave Dwellers lead the way to Racehorse Falls

With the creek rushing by, you're beginning to feel a very long way from civilization. It's raining softly, a bit of a disappointment given the forecast, but not really surprising given your location in the foothills of an area known for wet. 

The setting is one of stunning natural beauty. A quarter mile upstream is the 139' Racehorse Falls, cascading energetically over four drops. Perhaps you've gotten your feet wet in the cold, clear, noisy creek; or you just absentmindedly tossed stones across to the alluring but unapproachable far side. The clouds brighten a little; the rain abates. Will the sun acknowledge your carving project?

A perfect time and place to talk about leadership, no? Based on their responses to the mentor's prompt (What are two traits of a good leader?), the Cave Dwellers are indeed ready to project themselves into the role of leader when given the opportunity. One theme that emerged from our conversation of leadership characteristics was that of teacher. This melded most excellently with our mottos for Saturday's outing: "We're all teachers." and, "The trail is the teacher." 

Our attention to this topic was interwoven throughout our time at Racehorse Falls. After "de-bussing", we hiked the short but challenging trail that involved high-stepping over scores of fallen trees to the creek side site where we dropped packs and struck out to explore. We've had lots of rain; the creek was running high. Not long after our arrival, rain disavowed us of whatever fantasies we might be harboring about blue sky and warm sun. Ever confident that a good day awaited us, however, we harvested wood for skills work. Before long, Atl-atls,digging sticks and other objects were forming out of the raw material of creation that nature provides. 

Learning to carve well, as with any skill, takes patience, persistence and focus - all leadership traits as well. After a while, the boys tired of their work and the rain eased; time to shift gears. Keeping with our theme, we played Guess the Leader a few times, then challenged your Explorers to look ahead to situations in which they could see themselves leading; the boys called out soccer referee, big brother and older classmate as situations in which they see themselves leading others.

A few years ago, these Cave Dwellers (then known as Raccoon Kits) weren't ready to sit on wet dirt and talk about heady topics such as ours this day. With age, experience and your good work, they're changing, literally before our eyes, into tomorrow's leaders. Tim and I are ever grateful for the opportunity to know your boys and observe the magic of this transformation.

Now we switch from exploration to service. Our next outing: 

Sunday, April 23rd, 10:00am-2:00pm

Service: Boys E.C. Connelly Creek Restoration Site, Happy Valley Park

Cave Dwellers "rain" over Stimpson Family Nature Reserve 3/11/17

In our opening meeting, we talked about carving, but
our outings don't always go as planned.

There are several consistent, or “core”, routines that we practice during outings and encourage our Explorers to do on their own. Giving thanks is a good example…we give thanks and share apples at the end of every outing. Questioning and tracking are skills we work on regularly and address more intently when we focus on Tracking and Bird Language. It may seem sometimes that we’re a bit lost or without a destination; we’re actually Wandering, following where our curiosity leads. Each of these is a core routine that we incorporate into our time with the Explorers as appropriate (sometimes what we end up doing isn’t in the plan because the mentors seize on a chance to practice a core routine!).

Wildlife observation is one of the many potential benefit of a
nature based contemplative practice such as a sit spot. 

The Sit Spot is a core routine that we employ more often than some others. This is quiet time alone (but always within “crow call” distance) in a natural setting with no purpose other than to connect. The usual way we connect is through sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. In fact, Senses is one of the 5 S's of a Sit Spot. The others? Solo/Silent/Safe/Still. With the younger boys, we ask them to sit for about 10 minutes. The Cave Dwellers are more capable so we set the time at 15 or 20 minutes. 

A big thanks to the Stimpson family for setting aside
this wonderful site.

I bring this up now because your Explorers sat in a steady rain at Stimpson Family Nature Reserve on Saturday. They gazed through the raindrops at the moss covered logs and irregular pattern of growing circles on the surface of Geneva pond, all the time showing an impressive interest in deepening their relationship with the natural world surrounding them. I was proud of each of them.

Trying to fit close to a dozen boys under a tarp
to carve brings new meaning to the term
"blood circle". We decided against testing it!

Our skill for the spring is carving; our intention was to begin work on carving projects that will run throughout the season. However, the rain got the better of us. The tarp shelter that mentor Tim constructed wasn’t large enough to accommodate a cadre of boys with knives! Likewise, the thought of carving in the rain was unappealing and potentially unsafe. So, in the spirit of following the inspiration provided by the weather, we played an awesome game of Spider’s Web and several rounds of Hungry, Hungry Marten. 

The rain didn't deter the Explorers from playing Spider's Web
and Hungry, Hungry Marten, seen here.

A few boys were bothered by being cold and wet, but all persevered. Soaked to the skin and more than a little muddy, our hike out felt a good bit longer than the walk in. Again, these boys showed resilience and persistence. We were quite late (sorry about that), but left the Reserve a little more connected than when we got there.

The rest of the photo gallery is a portrayal of boys and rain and boys and rain….

We next venture out on Saturday, March 25th, from 10:00am-4:00pm. Note that this is an *EXTENDED OUTING*. We're going to hop in one of Wild Whatcom’s trusty buses and motor out to Racehorse Falls, a beautiful site and a great place for a Sit Spot!

The Cave Dwellers carve, play and lead at Lookout Mountain 11/12/16

We didn’t accomplish everything we planned to do on Saturday. The beautiful waterfall tucked into the lower reaches of Lookout Mountain? Not happening. That epic game of Spider’s Web that is always in the back of our minds? A victim of other priorities. Sounds like the outing was a bit of a bust, no?

Au contrare! An outing design element employed by Boys Explorers Club mentors is known as the 50/50 rule. We plan for the entire day, but anticipate that 50% of that plan will be sacrificed to such factors as the weather and, more important, the inspiration of the group. We don’t want to turn a blind eye to the interests and motivations of the boys so we can check a box on our plan. The plan was: carving; Spider’s Web; Hungry Hungry Marten; waterfall. We carved and played many very fun rounds of Hungry Hungry Marten and came away fairly well pleased with ourselves.

We achieved another important objective on Saturday as well. The Cave Dwellers have lots of experience with Boys Explorers Club culture. It’s time for them to take on more responsibility and to enjoy the associated freedoms. So we made a change; the mentors selected the Tribal Elder, who then assigned jobs and led a discussion of our plan for the day (see above). These tasks are usually handled by a mentor. 

So, we layered up and off we went into the rain, looking for sticks that could be carved into digging sticks. We soon reached our “base camp” with materials on hand; while mentor Tim erected a tarp shelter, mentor Brian organized what turned out to be several fun games of Hungry Hungry Marten.

Steady rain for the first few hours of our day didn't dampen the Cave Dwellers' spirits. Here we get a look at our opening meeting, largely led by our Tribal Elder.

Searching for sticks appropriate for crafting digging sticks, which can be your best friend when nature calls.

What makes for a great Hungry, Hungry Marten location? A mix of natural cover and the fast access of the trail provided several strategic options for the "squirrels" trying to get to the tree protected by the Marten without being "eaten". In this case, the tree in the center of the photo, guarded by the Explorer in red, was excellent.

Thanks to mentor Tim's tarp shelter, we were able to duck out of the rain for some serious carving. 

Great technique! Note how he has good balance, his legs are spread wide to avoid accidental slip cuts, and he's focused on his cut. Awesome work.

The term "dry" is relative sometimes.

Not sure what's happening here, to be honest.

Oh, and several Explorers (and mentor Tim) had fun with a game called Ninja.

Our trail blazing Tribal Leader suffered a few bumps as he adjusted the mantel of leadership looking for the best fit. As our motto points out: We’re All Teachers And all learners! It’s not “ARE you smart?” but “HOW are you smart?” Everyone has much to share, and we're all "smart" in a variety of ways. We draw upon Multiple Intelligence Theory in all our wanderings. Mistakes are teachers too! He’s to be congratulated for embracing the challenge and setting the bar forhis peers.

Note: The mentors were prepared for some soul-searching discussion of last week’s election results. We were prepared to frame our discussion in the spirit of another of our mottos - Build Bridges Not Walls Which are we building in how we speak and act toward others? We endeavor to create a culture of kindness and respect. "Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up." –J. Jackson  However, the election wasn’t front of mind for the boys (as best we could ascertain) so we didn’t press it. 

Photos here. This outing completed our fall season. Remember, though, that we're now operating on a full school year schedule. So, please mark your calendars for Sunday, February 12, 2017 for our winter outing. Not sure of the location and other details yet. Watch for a note with winter and spring schedule and local information and check the Cave Dweller web page for updates. 

The Cave Dwellers Visit Their Namesake on the Rock Trail

On an overcast Sunday morning, the Cave Dwellers were united atop Chuckanut Mountain with a brilliant view of Bellingham Bay as the backdrop. Despite the lengthy drive up the re-vamped road, the view always makes it worth the trip, not to mention the incredible Rock Trail that was the whole reason for coming here in the first place. With some mentors ailing from illness, the Cave Dwellers got to meet a new mentor, Ethan, who would accompany them on their exploration of their namesake: CAVES! Having a new mentor along for the outing was a great opportunity for the Cave Dwellers to demonstrate what it means to be a member of the Boys Explorers Club. We had a lot in store for the day and before we hit the trail we discussed the game plan of searching for caves, playing games, and taking some time to revisit carving. Despite the cloud cover atop Chuckanut Mountain, looking down to the San Juans we could see sunlight breaking through ushering in the prospect of good things to come.

Best view ever for opening circle!

Admiring the sandstone cliffs

Cruising down the trail in search of caves

Once we hit the trail the massive sandstone cliff faces and steep stairs forced us to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the landscape. Water droplets pitter pattering down the mossy rock faces generated a subtle auditory backdrop that was overcome by the laughing and hollering of Explorers as we played games of HIDE!, journeyed alongside the cliffs, and eventually discovered a series of caves. Clamoring inside, boys took turns sheltering inside the deep sandstone caverns and got in touch with their inner Cave Dweller. After the excitement of the caves wore off, our explorations carried over into the surrounding landscape; deep valleys of dense Sword Fern, giant boulders covered in moss and Licorice Fern, and plenty more.

Clamoring into caves

Almost there!

Cave Dwellers in their natural habitat

Next in line for the day was games! Circling up the Cave Dwellers showed off their group decision making skills to Ethan who was thoroughly impressed at the group’s ability to collaborate, compromise, and come to a consensus on how to spend the rest of our day. We decided to jump right into an expansive game of Spider’s Web followed by a quick carving session before pick up. The game of Spider’s Web was a great time to crawl through Sword Fern, work together as a team, and overcome a persistent Spider to win after nearly an hour of intense nature play. Afterwards the group debriefed and this time they impressed Tim with how grateful they were to one another for the great game. Everyone thanked the Spider for how well he played and the Spider couldn’t say enough about how he appreciated the tough, yet fair, competition of the flies who persevered and eventually overcame. Going back a few years, this group would have been quick to get in an argument over the rules or fairness, but today they showed just how much they had grown both as individuals, and also as a group.

Adventuring over boulders

Admiring the expansive valley

Harvesting Licorice Fern

With the end of our outing drawing near, we hustled back up the trail and found a good clearing off trail to re-visit carving. A quick review of safe carving practices, a discussion about different types of wood and their properties, and we spread out for a brief carving session. Despite dealing with a challenging wood in Big Leaf Maple, the boys all demonstrated patience, skill, and a deepened comprehension in the basics of carving as they worked on carving cylindrical, tapered, chopsticks. But before we could get very far it was time for closing circle. Again, Ethan was impressed by the genuine, thoughtful statements of gratitude that each Cave Dweller shared as we passed around the apple slices. Again, demonstrating a depth of character and compassion, the Cave Dwellers left the mentors proud of how much they have grown over the years. This group is truly coming into their own now and it shows in a multitude of ways. With another outing coming up next weekend, we can’t wait to get back out exploring with this incredible group of Explorers! 

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos from our album here!

Sharing our Spider's Web stories and congratulating one another on a good game

Practicing our carving skills

The sun even came out to warm us as we worked on our chop sticks

Cleator Rd closed? No prob. - the Cave Dwellers explore Clayton Beach instead! 5/22/16

We began blindfolded and finished up as the incoming tide threatened to soak our circle of thanks. Sure, we didn't get to go to the Rock Trail, but the Cave Dwellers didn't let that stop their fun. Spider's Web, a serious discussion of vandalism, beach exploration, carving practice and games - check out our packed 5/22/16 Clayton Beach outing!

It's true. We blindfolded your Explorers when we sent them out on a sit spot to begin our Clayton Beach outing last Sunday. When you remove sight, hearing is often heightened. And since we wanted to focus on bird language, we decided blindfolds would help the boys listen for the five voices of birds - song, companion calling, aggression, juvenile begging, and alarm. We followed that quiet moment with a game of Spider's Web.

Before heading off to the beach, we talked about the recently tagged graffiti on the beach rocks. The boys were quick to pick up on positive activism as a healthy way to deal with this sorrowful situation. Know that several of the boys would like to volunteer with a cleanup crew, should one materialize (Turn Problems into Possibilities - Mottos). 

The Cave Dwellers were eager to carve. Mentor Tim demonstrated safe knife use and even showed a few techniques to save time and improve the finished product. Our motto for this is Safety First. Click here to review our safe carving video.

Wiggly creature - click to watch 

The tide was low when we arrived, making for nice beach combing. EMA Jordan led an exploration of sea life such as this Sand Dollar...(I'm pretty sure that's his hand!). Motto - Lose Your Mind and Come to Your Senses.

Blindfolded again! This time one Explorer sits surrounded by rivals intent on stealing his treasure (Sand Dollar) while he has to detect their creeping approach using only his power of hearing. This game rewards stealth and focused listening.

It wouldn't be a Clayton Beach outing without some serious rock scrambling. Our earlier discussion of the graffiti seemed to cushion the shock factor for most of the boys. 

Poof! There goes Spring! The mentors perceive a growing affiliation within the Cave Dwellers, providing a foundation for increasing self-reliance and nature connection through fun, engaging outdoor activities. That is certainly our hope and objective. 

We look forward to seeing you in the Fall (and, perhaps, over the Summer). Click here for the rest of the photos from our outing.