Father Child Day 1

Hello, and welcome to the Second Annual Father Child Camp! *Crowd cheering*

Today was a wonderful day, and I expect it will continue! The sun was shining all day out at the beach, and the families have been enjoying it!  After the families crossed in, we had a BBQ buffet lunch, with hamburgers, brats, chips, beans, grilled pineapple, and salads. After eating, the families had time to spend at the beach.

We took a camp photo!  It will be available on Ultracamp.com later this week.  After a bit of kids group time, families reunited to have some fun at the art palace, challenge course, archery and elimination court! We followed with flag and dinner.

After dinner, we had a visit from Fran & Han, who helped lead our campfire.  If you don't know Fran & Han, they are "Austrian" body builders, who LOVE bananas.

Well, time for bed before another amazing day here at the beach!

Travel Camp

Gumwall

So much has happened! I am writing as we wind our way down Oregon's Highway 101 to Westwind. Since Yellowstone, we have covered an astounding amount of ground. Immediately after, we drove to Missoula and camped at a plush KOA campground where we all took showers and did laundry. It was a nice opportunity to refresh and rejuvenate between major parks. The next day we set off for Glacier National Park where we stayed at a pre-reserved campground for two nights. Every day we have passed around a journal where each camper was able to write down their reflections. Gabe had the journal for the day following our time at Glacier National Park and wrote a really incredibly thoughtful entry. With his permission, I decided to share it with you:

“We spent the last two days in Glacier National Park. It is incredibly beautiful, the scale and simultaneous detail are astounding. The abundance of life and unbridled power of nature were on display and it rejuvenated and recharged me, restoring my faith in humanity.

We started two hikes, one in a summer-like setting, the other only a few miles away in the snow. We finished neither but both were incredibly beautiful. The chiseled, snow-dusted peaks, cascading down in a hundred streams, careening down the steep mountainside into lush valleys and a picturesque river flowing beneath us. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Glacier was the fact that the higher you got, the next hill you climbed, all you saw was another peak in the distance. The sight felt infinite, unshakable, so above me, yet so familiar. Who needs a God, religion, a higher power, when there is nature? The mountains are my Gods, the rivers are my angels, the forests my heavens. I believe in the power and beauty, the balance and pain, the patterns and chaos and it is the only faith I need. Last night I talked with Platy about my life philosophy and about the world. I believe in perfection, that the only way to be the best you can be is to hold yourself to perfection because the moment you acknowledge and believe you'll make mistakes, then you slip. I also believe in firm belief with an open mind. When we strip our values of all rationality and justification you come to an arbitrary idea of what's right and while I am convinced that I am correct I must also recognize that beliefs are arbitrary.”

I am astonished at the introspection that has come out from each individual camper. Gabe, as seen through his writing, is one who thinks deeply and critically about the issues, places, and relationships around him. He is a pristine example of the intelligence of so many youth today and both Cloud and I feel extremely lucky to be stuck in a car for 13 days with teens who are able to think so intimately about their thoughts and feelings, especially in the context of the beautiful nature that we have been so lucky to see.

Glacier National Park really took our collective breath away. Although we were still wishing we had had more time in Yellowstone, the mountains, views, and landscape of Glacier were unlike any of us had ever seen. It was refreshing to be out of the hot places we had spent so much time in and rejuvenating to be surrounded by such inspiring peaks. We drove up the Going-To-The-Sun Road almost as far as it would stretch and experienced two different sides to Glacier. We never thought we would have such intense snow-ball fights in June! Up at Logan's Pass, we also had some solo time; we thought the incredible weather in a beautiful place would be an ideal opportunity to separate from each other and breathe by ourselves for a while. We all went our own way while keeping an eye on a common point and spent some quality time with ourselves, reflecting on the “abundance of nature and unbridled power of nature.”

Wild Walls

When we left Glacier, the dynamic in the car had shifted. By then, we had spent 9 days together in close quarters doing and seeing some amazing things while interpreting it all on our own individual levels. We felt closer but definitely more tired and dirty – we were ready to embark on the final stretch home.

We drove straight to Spokane where we found a campground at Riverside State Park's equestrian area and then departed for an evening at a local rock-climbing gym. We had been so disappointed that we were unable to make rock-climbing happen in Boise, so when we arrived at Wild Walls in Spokane, excitement was in the air. Everyone tried it; for some, it was their first time. For others, (Max and Jose specifically), it was a familiar playground. Those two scrambled up the walls like monkeys and attacked every wall with a Parkour-fueled vengeance. Milleena, trying rock-climbing for the first time, successfully reached the top to several walls and was followed by Gabe and Daron. Shannon, Cloud, and I also climbed, pacing ourselves and snapping photos of the others. Everyone was sore and tired by the end, but filled with adrenaline and the feeling of a good workout after hours of sitting in the car.

After Spokane, we set off for Seattle. We stopped for a brief walk around Leavenworth, the Bavarian-like town in central Washington that Travel Camp stayed at last year. Reaching Seattle by dinner time, we checked into a pre-reserved International Hostel and took off for a Mariners-Red Sox game. For some in the group, this was a first MLB experience. The crowd was electric; the experience of a baseball game can't help but put a smile on one's face. We left before it was over – we were predicting it to run into overtime – and walked back in the warm Seattle air to our hostel where we all took showers, made a late dinner, and slept like rocks in clean, comfortable beds.

Now we have one more night left. Where did this trip go? It has dissolved into a whirlwind of mountains, deserts, highways and country roads, songs and car dance parties, campfire meals and value sessions. We are all sleepy, sore, and tired, but filled with an energy that only comes with an invaluable travel experience. Tonight we dine, sleep, and dream at beautiful Westwind and tomorrow we experience what Westwind has to offer and then we come home. Oh how Cloud and I will miss these kids!! This is our last on-the-road blog, but after a hot shower, a soy latte, and a big salad, I intend to sit and write a reflection on what has been a truly incredible 13 days.

Until then,

Platy

Travel Camp

On a hike. 

Ahhhh, Yellowstone. What an enchanting place. When we entered the park early Monday morning, it felt as if we were driving into some sort of special, unique bubble of nature, wildlife, and unusual landscapes. We held our breath as we entered the park and within moments, joined the traffic of excited buffalo-viewers and picture-snapping tourists and soon after, saw our first bison grazing peacefully by the roadside! We decided to immediately turn north to try and snag a campsite in the non-reservable Mammoth campground and then return to the sites. We did stop and take photos at various viewpoints along the way and managed to make it to Mammoth just in time to take one of the last remaining campsites. After setting up, we took off to explore the park, heading back towards the way we came. We started at the Norris geyser and then ate our lunch at a picnic area nearby. While eating, we were warned of a giant grizzly bear heading rapidly towards us. Alarmed, we threw everything into the van and awaited his presence. No bear was seen, and so I ventured out to see if I could find anything and was soon joined by Max, Jose, and Gabe. We found tracks, skat, fur, but no bear, although the tall, rickety shore pines made us question our safety as strong winds blew through them.

After bear-tracking we departed and headed towards another part of the park where we went on a beautiful hike chosen by Gabe. We decided the hike was a good opportunity to split the group up into pairs so they could learn some more personal facts about each other. We have a very specific group dynamic this year – half of the group (three out of six) know each other well and came to travel camp together. While their pre-existing friendships have added to the overall group dynamic, we recognize the importance of challenging social comfort zones and hiking through the beautiful Yellowstone forest provided a perfect opportunity. They were required to learn at least three new facts about each other while also noticing unusual things about the environment around us, such as animal tracks, regrowth, and other idiosyncrasies unique to Yellowstone. It was a successful social experiment; we all learned new things about each other that helped to solidify the growing friendships within our group.

The hike was beautiful, uphill but not too difficult. The viewpoint at the top encompassed Lake Yellowstone and the surrounding area. We were spellbound. After the hike, we continued slowly towards Old Faithful. We had made plans to meet up later with a veteran Westwinder Aidan Beers aka “Zephyr” (who is also Pippin's older brother) who is currently working on wolf conservation around Yellowstone. But as we made our way towards Old Faithful, we realized we were extremely far from Mammoth, which was our meeting spot with Aidan. Instead, we stayed at Old Faithful and ended up making dinner in the parking lot on our stove. The geyser during sunset was phenomenal; we were all transfixed on the explosion of steaming water. The earth works in such unusual ways!
We were disappointed we couldn't meet up with Zephyr -- there was no way we would have made it back in time – but driving through Yellowstone at night was a surprising treat. It finally felt as if we had the park to ourselves. Although we couldn't see the buffalo sleeping in the meadows, our senses were wide awake (at least of those who weren't sleeping), and we were taking in the park through new eyes as it bathed in stark, golden moonlight. It just amazed us how unique Yellowstone's ecosystem is. Every time we passed thermal steaming ground, we couldn't take our eyes away. The presence of the animals is stunning – we definitely got the jitters. Then there are those mountains, those canyons, those waterfalls, the fields...

It really amazed us how unperturbed the animals were despite the intense human presence. In a way this makes us a little sad - it has come to the point where a day full of photo-snapping, SUV-driving sight-hungry tourists are expected. The peacefulness of the animals also really ignited an appreciation – we found ourselves feeling so grateful that the animals were letting us drive thru their home and encroach upon their livelihoods.
The scenery was just amazing. Even though Yellowstone is a tourist attraction (which many of us found to be disturbing), it remained clear how wild it was. We were very clearly in country that wasn't ours, didn't actually belong to us. The relationships between the animals and the wild landscape felt strong; there was a clear symbiotic understanding and the whole time, I found myself wondering what it would have been like to be a human participating in such a synergetic atmosphere. What would it have been like to live, hunt, fish, exist in such an incredible place? The resources are abundant but it takes such an extensive comprehension.
It was hard to leave Yellowstone. We were so taken with the park that when we drove past the gates and into the brown hills of Montana, we were all feeling like we didn't spend nearly enough time in beautiful Yellowstone. Regardless of our sadness, there was a revived excitement in the car – more road ahead! It was as if Yellowstone was the crux of our trip; we needed to see such grandiose beauty to 1. really get a grasp of how special this trip is and 2. get even more pumped for the second half!


More on Missoula, Glacier National Park, Spokane, Seattle on Westwind ahead!!!
-Platy

At Yellowstone

Session 2 Day 7

Today was a glorious day!  We woke up, and guess what..... THERE WAS NO RAIN!!!  Woohoo!! It was our second sunny day of Session 2, first for Mini Camp B! It was a great day, I can't tell you enough.  

This morning, Uncle Bliss (Alpine Boy's Cabin) led flag with a laugh circle to celebrate all the fun times we've had this session, followed by a few songs to get the blood flowing.  Breakfast was next! Chocolate chip pancakes, sausage, apple juice, and the usual bread, cereal & breakfast bar.

Campers did our camp good today by doing service projects around camp.  Alpine rearranged the elimination court (on the beach), making it more even for both sides to play.  Highlands & Sherwood worked hard creating some plaques for the cabins.  They aren't quite done yet, but some cabins worked on them after campfire tonight as well.  Teens spent time pulling scotch broom to clear trails.  

After a good lunch of grilled cheese, cream of broccoli soup & salad bar, campers were at it again!  Teens headed down to the barn for some archery & soccer time.  They were REALLY into their soccer game to, it was great!  Best game of soccer I've seen played down there. They didn't do too bad at archery either. 

Alpine didn't join us in the Lodge for lunch today, instead they did a pack out lunch and hit the trail.  Which trail you may ask, but the Cascade Head trail of course!  The Alpine unit packed their lunches, grabbed the kayaks and hiked up mountain. I took a walk on the spit today, and was able to see the campers on the hill.  :D  

Sherwood cabins had a ton of fun today as well! Hidel (ZigZag's cabin) spent some time in the cove playing games and cards, and then at the beach.  They didn't just play at the beach though, they dug a massive hole.  So big intact, that they reached water! Mycelium & Peep's cabins went kayaking, river dipping, spent time in the cove where they had a mini dance party! 

Highlands had a lucky day of showers! Yes! They also spent the day relaxing in the cove and playing games. 

Dinner today, as one camper said, is "bittersweet."  It's their favorite meal, but it's the last one... Can you guess what it was?  That's right, if you said BBQ you're right! And, they definitely got their fill of burgers, chips, macaroni salad, beans, fruit mix & lemonade.  '

This evening, was closing campfire lead by our Teen Lead 1's.  They created a party themed campfire that included a dragon, jokes, dragon expert, and songs by other campers and staff.  

Oh, I forgot to mention!  Travel Camp joined us for BBQ dinner tonight and campfire!  They had amazing adventures across the states they went to, and had an amazing time.  They were so hungry by the time they got to camp, that some of them had FOUR hamburgers! 

Sadly, tomorrow is the end of another amazing session, and the end of Travel Camp 2012.  

Session 2, Day 6

After a great flag ceremony led by our teens lead 1 group and an amazing breakfast, we gathered on the lodge steps to find out what interest groups the campers would be in.  Today’s interest group choices were, Modern Art with Ness and Zorro spent some time on the beach and ended this time in the art palace to escape the rain. Seaworthy with TK and Bandit even though it started raining all the kids had a great time on the estuary and floating on the raft they created. Relaxation with Rohi and Aramara the campers did some yoga and had a nice facial. Stock Market with Goggles and Pi the campers learned about trading and selling stocks. Meteorology with Pooka and Mycelium did some building and burning and also spent some time in the art palace.  From the campers I talked to at lunch, they all had a great morning even with the showers.

After lunch Highlands spent time in the cove making cookies along with Nottingham Palace.  Robin Hood and Hidel along with Maid Marion created masterpieces in the Art Palace.  Robin Hood, Hidel and Highlands participated in the “Amazing Race”, while Maid Marion made fairy houses. Teen Leads planned the closing campfire for this session; they also spent some quiet time in their tents before dinner.  Alpine hung out in the Art Palace to finish out the afternoon. 

Tonight we will be playing a camp wide game of Capture the Flag, even though the rain has stuck around, they kids are enjoying it. 

Today’s Menu:

Breakfast:  Waffles, Strawberries, Whipped Cream, Bacon, Cereal Bar, Orange Juice, Water, and Toast/Bagel Bar

Lunch: Chili, Salad Bar, Water, Fruit Punch

Dinner: Chicken Pot Pie, Water, Salad Bar, Milk, and Cherry Cake for dessert.

Session 2, Day 4

Today has been crazy!  Campers made it through their overnights last night in the rain.  Alpine & Teens experimented with tarp shelters, which worked well and kept them mostly dry. Sherwood/Highlands slept in the Cove last night, to stay dry and warm but were still able to cook their own dinner (in the fire place), and played on the beach until after 9!

Today, while the were all coming back fro their overnights, our 13 campers for Mini Camp Session B arrived at Knight Park for crossing.  Imagine, all the luggage, staff and campers made it across on ONE boat! That's pretty good I think! Fastest crossing ever!

Sherwood enjoyed some time on the challenge course, headed to the barn for some soccer and archery.  Highlands enjoyed some tie dye and art palace time before spending the afternoon with Blinker learning how to outdoor cook.

Lunch today was delicious!  Corn dogs, fries & salad! Mmm! The kids liked it too, because we hardly had any ort (leftover food that we weigh at the end of the meal). This week, we are up to a horrible amount of ort, 21.5 POUNDS in 5 days! That's a LOT of leftover food waste.

Despite the weather raining off and on today, it was quite lovely.  I sat with some Alpine boys at dinner, who had a great day! The came back from their overnight, unpacked, played a game in their cabin, played Elimination, build and burn, disk golf, went to Westwind Spalala (I've mentioned it before, but it's our version of a spa) and had TONS of fun at the Estuary kayaking, river dipping, and soaking their counselors in the river!

Currently, I'm listening the the laughter and screams (good ones of course) of the campers enjoying our Hunger Games all camp.  Learning combat skills (by playing Ninja), outdoor cooking (s'mores), archery, finding the best outfit, and doing their faces for the "Capitol." I think the s'more station is the most popular though!

'til tomorrow, have a wonderful night!

Camp in the CITY!

Hello from Camp Westwind in the City!

We’ve been super busy these last two sessions in the city! Filming movies, growing sprouts, swimming at local pools and fountains, visiting Powell’s, checking on our giant zucchini in the garden and singing camp songs in Pioneer Square (in costume!) are just a few of the things we’ve checked off our lists already!

During Session One, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, our campers successfully completed a scavenger hunt each day. They raced through the city looking for clues, solved riddles, discovered Portland legends, became rulers of Camp Westwind in the City and even found a missing program director!  Between scavenger hunts, campers also learned about Greek and Native American myths. Jam, Rolo, Lil’ Frog and Mowgli gave a stellar performance of the myth “Eagle and Nature’s Lessons” on Tuesday, and all of our counselors were outstanding tour guides for campers at the Portland Art Museum on Wednesday. 

A highlight of the week was touring City Hall and meeting with City Commissioner Dan Saltzman. The Commissioner regaled campers with stories about the vault that used to store gold in City Hall, the flag of Portland, and City Hall ghosts. Unfortunately, we didn’t find the ghosts, but the tour guide helped us find the time capsule buried there. One camper said he couldn’t choose his favorite activity for the week – swimming at Dishman Pool or the City Hall tour!

Our theme for Session Two, “Freeze Frame”, had campers thinking about composition, balance, and lighting. Their biggest challenge for the week was to create their own films in their bridge groups. Luckily, Blinker came in from the beach to provide lots of acting classes, improv games, and songs. Campers also got some help from Emilie, a filmmaker from Hollywood Theatre, who taught them about flip books, vintage cameras, and stop motion animation. The movies turned out great! Parents and YWCA staff are gathering tomorrow during the Freeze Frame Film Festival to watch the movies, munch on some popcorn, and view the polaroid photographs and sun prints in the camp art gallery.

Portland finally had some sunny, warm weather on Wednesday and campers celebrated by frolicking in Keller and Lovejoy fountains and by tasting samples at the Farmer’s Market. All the sunshine also assisted campers in making sun prints in the garden this morning, and in having a blast at Peninsula Pool this afternoon. We’re looking forward to the rooftop BBQ tomorrow and watching all of our movies!

Stay tuned to hear about Westwind in the City’s Session 3: We’re the Kids in America next week!