Ranger Camp

I drove north from Tampa, Fl to Dahlonaga, Ga over the last two days in order to pick up my daughter Kelly at the end of her week of Ranger Camp. My mother drove up from Savannah, GA to meet me there and see it too. The Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) puts on a one week program for scouts at the U.S. Army Ranger School at Camp Merrill in the North Georgia Mountains.  

This year, about 50 youth, including only one young lady (Kelly) and a handful of adults completed this very rigorous program.  As soon as I arrived, people asked me if I was Kelly's mom.  They all had great things to say about her leadership abilities and toughness through this very difficult and demanding course.  

It's not just the physical aspect of the training, it's the ability to come together as a unit to complete several challenges such as land navigation and the rope bridge as well as climbing and rappelling.  Scouts come from all over the country to do this. Kelly was one of 6 recognized for their work as First Sergeants this week with a small Ranger Patch, called a "Drive On Tab". It is seen inconspicuously somewhere on the uniform, under a pocket or in a hat, to motivate the wearer.  She also was one of 2 to receive the MSG Mike Howard Leadership Award, based on the vote of her peers!

For Kelly, she said the best part was the friendships formed over the week with scouts from other councils.  She said she has never laughed so hard in her life.  They traded contact information and I am sure will stay in touch. 

They were trained by BSA staff and 4 very tough Ranger instructors (RI's) that I greatly admire for their abilities and service to our country. I loved getting to talk to them before the ceremony.  The Rangers also gave Kelly the staff of leadership that they made, seen in the first picture. 

The location for graduation was beautiful with cascading waterfalls and thundering streams.  It was so peaceful that it was hard to fathom what the ranger candidates have to endure to go through the full blown US Army program.  I do know from an Army medical staff member that it includes a great deal of sleep and food deprivation.  

Kelly had great stories of adventures with her friends, beating the Ranger Instructors at the rope competition (the RI's were blindfolded), and having to complete a challenge were she could only talk to her teammates and not touch the knots they had to tie (because she could do them all herself, but had to learn to lead others). They climbed and camped on Mt Yonah the last two nights.    I did find this curious pile of spent ammo while looking for critters along the stream. 

Before graduation, mom and I toured the Gold Museum in the old Lumpkin County Courthouse in Downtown Dahlonaga.  Here, I learned that my maternal great grandmother was born in the house of John Ross, leader of the Cherokee Nation.  

Afterwards we drove to Helen, GA were we met my brother and this wife and their son for a wonderful dinner along the banks of the Chattahoochee River at the Troll House. Kelly said in was 100,000 times better than any MRE (military version of a backpacker meal)!  

Helen is a beautiful place, with its Bavarian shops and German atmosphere.  It is well worth the trip, if just for the German food, but the mountains are breathtaking, especially for this flat-lander from Florida!

Many thanks go out to my mom, who knows how to bring family together for a celebration.  I loved listening to her stories and spending time with her and the rest of my family.  This was a day we will always remember. 

Leason from Ranger Camp;  "Success is not owned, it's rented, and that rent's due every day."

Semper Paratus (Always Ready)

So many things have happened at camp the last two days!  One of my campers, just 12 years old, summed it up today when he said to his team "We are actually getting along today. I am so proud of all of you!" as they put together their tinder, kindling, and fuel, in a teepee shape for the fire competition. 

They may not have won this particular challenge (burning a string drawn across the top of the fire barrel), but their team, #SwagNation, won the overall Survival medals!  They were followed closely by The Wolf Pack, The Super Survivors, and the Banana Slugs. (I love their team names!)

One of the young ladies who also happened to be very petite said to her classmates; "Small things make a big difference, just like small sticks make a big fire."  I am not making this up!  Wow.  They are amazing.  I can't believe our week is over.  They learned so much and really came together as a group.  

Another student started listing all the beneficial uses of fire that she remembered from her 6th grade teacher's assignment after reading the book "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen.  I love that book and highly recommend it and the sequels to anyone who loves the survival genre.  I hope that teacher's ears were "burning" as she spoke about the difference she made in her young life.  

We played another game of "Predator-Prey" and they got creative (see above). They also begged for another round of "Otter Steals Fish" And then got the "fish" (a squishy ball) stuck in a tree. I thought about giving them another "fish," but decided to let them problem solve. They threw sticks and water bottles up (I kept the area safe) and they cheered when the fish came back to earth!  I am so glad I did not deprive them of this experience!  We should give our kids more opportunities like this.  I recalled all he frisbees I had to get down from the trees of my childhood. 

We had a great map skills competition this week too.  We are using maps of the State of Florida donated by AAA and laminated this year to make them last.  One student said "MAP competition? Whew, I thought you said MATH competition!" (Little did he know there would actually be math involved. Heehee)  

One of their quiz questions was "You are traveling from Tampa to Tallahassee to go to an FSU football game.  What two Interstates will you take?"  They scrambled to find the answers and I heard them frantically asking  each other "What's an Interstate?"  "Where's Tallahassee?"  They figured it out with the help of the Index and the Legend.  Map skills are sorely lacking in this digital age.  

We went into the animal compound where we looked at skulls and checked out our large collection of live animals we have there such as panther, bear, deer, fox, and more.  When I tossed a piece of carrot to the deer they said "So you are like the trainer?" after which I did my best Chris Pratt imitation from Jurassic World. They laughed and said that the guides at Busch Gardens are doing the same thing. 

We saw lots of animals in camp too; a Southern Toad (whose eyes captivated my students)...

...and a beautiful dragonfly.  Together, my students and I were able to capture the deagonfly up close. I zoomed in on it while one tapped the screen to get this iPhone to focus. They wanted to show you the cartoon-type face of this deagonfly.  He looks like you might draw a dog's nose, mouth and eyes.  

We finished off our week with a great cookout and they were reluctant to leave.  I will miss them, but many have said they are coming back next year!  They love getting dirty! (See knees below) 

Lastly, when I quizzed them about the Coast Guard motto (Semper Paratus / Always Ready) they struggled, until one student said "Swim or like die or something!"  That sent us all into waves of laughter.  Great kids; terrific week!

Playing Outside

We have started our second week of Survival Camp at Nature's Classroom and it's always a pleasure to be with kids who love the outdoors.  The thunder has been rumbling in the distance, making the kids' shelters feel all the more important.  Some have made addition to their shelters, complete with ponchos (for additional rooms), swings, chairs, benches, play grounds, garbage bags (an important addition after an ant invasion) and places to hang their bags.  They call them their "survival mansions" now!  They are learning by doing and they are having fun outside.  

I asked one group to tell me how they would respond to another kid who said it was more fun to be inside.  They laughed at that "silly question and here is heir response;

 - "you can do more"

 - "you can create stuff"

 - "you can find new things"

 - "use your imagination"

 - "jump around"

 - "destroy things"

 - "do anything"

 - "the world is your home and playground"

 - "find more bugs"

 - "get Vitamin D from the sun"

 - "make cool things"

 - "find friends"

 - "build things that would normally be expensive by making them out of things you find"

I loved their words and their enthusiasm. It's great to hear this from kids going into 5th-8th grade.  

One of the kids in my camp was in the triathlon that I competed in last weekend.  He gave me great advice during our hike. He also didn't let me fool the kids into thinking the number in permanent marker on the back of my calf was my race number; it's my age.  I also couldn't get away with saying you read up, as in 25.  It's 52. Busted!

I laughed so hard when one asked me to fix the lighter so it was easier to use; basically wanted me to take the safety off!  Ah..no. They have a tough time with the lighters as they are used to the BBQ trigger kind.  The small compact ones are great survival tools and the flint and steel is still useable even after the fuel is gone. 

We spent some time holding the animals in our collection at Nature's Classroom and they loved the Chinese Water Dragon. While not a native, it's scale pattern is fascinating, with tiny little "pixels" (their words) of camo coloring. 

Speaking of camo, the other class is practicing their tracking on us and these kids picked up in it right away, although a few screamed at first. One of the other camp's kids showed us his gilly suit up close.  It is very effective.  

We are all having a great time.  Even the ones who were afraid of snakes, finally conquered their fears and touched one of the many we have in captivity. 

Some kids held the millipede we found during orienteering. They said its feet tickled. 

Others saw ants and even a moth get eaten by antlions (larval form of the lacewing). It's the circle of life. 

Despite the soaring temperatures of the hot Florida sun, it's great to be outside, everyday.  It just makes you feel good, but maybe that's the Vitamin D talking!

Teachers that Tri

My son, Ryan, and I travelled to Sebring, FL this weekend for a triathlon.  He is 17 years old and is usually busy with friends, so it was nice to spend some time with him.  We both competed in the Sprint distance; 1/4 mile swim, 14 mile bike, 3.1 mile run.  We enjoyed ourselves, outside!

We swam in Lake Jackson, which was full of algae this year.  It reminded me of pea soup!  It was pretty thick and somehow made it inside all of our Lycra clothing as we were covered in green when we took our showers back at the hotel.  I love the swim, get pumped on the bike, and then suffer the run in order to get to the finish line.   

The City of Sebring goes all out for this event and it draws over 1,000 athletes to the event.  I hope to go back next year for the Olympic distance; 0.93 mile swim, 24.8 mile bike, 6.2 mile run.  I loved a shirt I saw while I was on the run; #TeachersThatTri. I also liked the shirt that said "This seemed like a good idea three months ago".  I agree and silly me was so pumped after the race that I signed up for another triathlon next month.  

There is just something I like about Multisport.  It is an adventure, and it makes me push myself harder than I possibly can during my training.  It's also more fun to train for than just one sport because you get to mix up your workouts. I also love the sunrise on the water at every race.  The best part has to be the finish line though; when it's over!  No, the best part is sharing the experience with friends and family!

Florida's Fabulous Critters

Thanks to my students this week and my CGA classmate Scott Ehrhorn, I had two critters to identify today.  I used some field guides my mom sent me for my birthday this year on insects and another set of books that I dearly love called the "Florida's Fabulous" series. Here is one by one of my favorite authors, Dr Mark Deyrup of Archbold Biological Station in Florida.  Thanks to my boss, Karen Folsom, I got to meet him, thereby putting him in favorite author status!

 I love field guides and thanks to my parents, I had my own "Golden Guides" when I was growing up.  I sat for hours during the rare snow day home from school in Atlanta watching the birds outside at the feeder. When I had the chance to go on a "Wider Opportunity" (now called "Destinations") with Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia Council, I went to a biology camp at Sanibel Island, Fl where the famous Dr R. Tucker Abbott sat with us and helped us identify our finds along the shoreline each day.  He was so kind and he would sit with me looking at and turning over my collections.  He signed all three of my books, one of which was he Golden Guide to Seashells of the World. Next to his signature, he wrote the year; 1977. Wow.  Almost 40 years ago.  Imagine the impact he had on so many young people.  He was one of my favorites too. 

Adults simply have to take an interest in the critters that the kids find in order to stimulate a love for nature and a desire to learn more.  I just read a Facebook post by my friend Mike Mullins who had a teacher whi took him and others to hunt for sharks teeth on the beach in Venuce, FL.  That teacher enthusiasm and passion for shark's teeth had a huge impact on Mike's life. 

My students brought me a toad in camp this week, among many other things, and it was fascinating.  By studying it, they noticed not just that it was brown, but that it was several shades of brown and had orange feet!  I did not have a field guide with me, but it did not matter.  We named it, loved it, cared for it, and returned it to its home.  The kids connected with that toad and begged that it's picture be added to the blog. So kids, here it is;

The next ID came from Scott on Facebook, where he posted this picture of a beetle that crawled out of his woodpile near Lynchburg, VA.  This critter is known as a "Fiery Seeker" or Caterpillar Hunter" (Calosoma scrutator) and is native to the Eastern U.S.  It eats lots of pests, so it's great for your garden.

I loved how Mark Deyrup described beetles in his Florida's Fabulous Insects book as the "Velociraptors in the Jurassic Parks of our soil". With Jurrasic World released last week, that is so appropriate.  Mark also writes that of all of the 1.4 million names species on earth, ONE QUARTER of them are beetles!  We are talking all animals, including birds and mammals!  According to Dr. Deyrup, when J.B.S. Haldane, a noted British biologist was asked, presumably by "some stuffy theologian", about what he would conclude about the nature of the Creater after studying creation, he replied "An inordinate fondness for beetles."  I love that.  We need to all continue that inordinate fondness for any critter, rock, plant, shark tooth, or seashell these kids bring to us.  You never know where your excitement will lead them!  Share your field guides with them and encourage them to begin their own collections. They are priceless.  

Graduation Day

Today was the final day of our week of survival camp.  We started with a trip through the animal compound, where we have live deer, panthers, bear, skunk, bobcat, and more.  They loved the aviary and our collection on Raptors (Birds of Prey, not Velociraptors).  One of my students said "Barrd Owls are cool, unless they are eating my chickens!"  Nice to have a young lady in class who has her own coop at home. That is very rare indeed.  The students loved checking out our new display of life sized wing spans;

We checked out some skulls, both real and plastic.  Not a one said "eeww".   They were fascinated with the real ones. 

In camp we built fires and had a competition to see who could burn the string first. Kelly had done such a nice job of teaching them the lean-to, cabin, and teepee style, as well as how to properly light a match, that every team was able to get a fire with one match and feed it well enough to burn the string, some faster than others.

While we waited for the fires to become good cooking fires, we wove mats out of saw palmetto for placemats and coasters.

The hot dogs were delicious, but these kids, used to microwaves, had a tough time waiting for their hot dogs to finish cooking.  Those that did were rewarded with the best tasting meal ever!

While we were having lunch we were invaded by the "Woods and Wildlife" camp that had made Gilly Suits out of burlap bags and snuck up on us. They said they had our campers walking back and forth right next to them, not knowing they were there!  They could have reached out and touched my campers!  It was awesome!  See if you can see 3 of them in this photo;

Our graduation ceremony was complete with watermelon, paper plate awards and  medals to the winning team, "Nature's Havoc."   This is the only team composed completely of strangers at the beginning of the week.  They rocked the competition...maybe because they did not know each other?!

One of my students, halfway through her 2nd slice of watermelon, asked "What do you do with the seeds?"  "You spit them out on the ground" someone said while another demonstrated.  "Oh" she said "I ate them."  Remember the first time you ate watermelon seeds and your parents told you a watermelon was going to grow in your belly?  I did not tell her that tall tale, but maybe I should have!  

Big thanks go out to my daughter, Kelly, who volunteered in camp all week.  Here she is with the award my students made and gave to her "Best Helpful Person";

As a young man said to me this morning, "it's the little things in camp that make the difference", referring to the opportunity to build a swing. He can't wait to attend with his younger brother in two years.  I hope he does. This next and final photographis a leaf that a young lady found.  Thanks for a great week campers!  I loved every minute of it!