A while ago now I went camping with girl scouts. It was like two weeks ago. I know, I'm so bad. Sorry.
Anyway it was really good. We stayed in the A-Frames at Cedarledge. I always thought it would be fun to name the different sites at girl scout camp with the fake indian names and such. Kiamecia. Tanda. Ahwenasa.
We did horses and got a tour of the barn and learned how to groom a very pretty horse named Phoenix. All the wranglers are really nice. Fun. The horses are so old and used to the trails you barely have to direct them. Seriously. It was still a really nice time.
So then we went canoeing. It drizzled. Bree (who has her own blog now but I like her fake name so much I'm keeping it) and I basically just paddled out into the middle of the lake and watched the rain fall and make circles because it was really really amazingly beautiful. And not that wet either.
We were supposed to have archery Saturday too but Kiamecia missed their time at one so they stole our time. Everything worked out okay; we got to do it the next morning instead. But. That was not really very nice or fair of them to do that. I was a lot better this time, though. I popped like seven balloons! I also figured out that I shoot better left handed. Which make total sense since I'm left-eyed. Duh.
Overall it was really good. Besides the rude people at Luckystone right across from us and the archery mix-up, it was nearly perfect. The weather, the people (I like the people that were in my cabin; it turned out good), there were like no bugs.
(Bridgett and Bree both wrote about this too, about two weeks ago)
Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts
Monday, September 24, 2012
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Camping!
Finally! I know, right? This is the post you have been waiting for all of your life.
Or maybe not and you've just been thinking, "Hey, I wonder if Emma has said anything lately. Oooh, she went camping in the Smoky Mountains!"
Anyway, I just got back from camping in the Great Smoky Mountains. There were just five girls and all of their moms so it was a really nice mother daughter trip. We stayed at the Cosby campsite. The bathrooms were really really nice with flush toilets. Although no hot water and no showers. There was a bathroom lady who cleaned it everyday!!! Which was nice because the bugs were really attracted to the light at night and the millipedes crawled in through the drain and vents.
There was a nature trail right by us and also an amphitheatre where Ranger Richard led a talk about the history of the park.
But the food had to be packed back into the car every stinking night (bears).
We went rafting, not whitewater but just more of a float trip. We didn't even paddle. That was the chosen special thing that cost extra money.I think we chose well. Extremely fun.
The name of the creek right across from our campsite was Cosby Creek I think. We did a creek walk up that which was fun and refreshing. Except for the Great Laurels, with their branches all spread out and low right through the path. There was also a swimming hole which was FREEEEEZZINNG.
One day we hiked 4 miles round trip to Grotto Falls, very beautiful. That one was cool because the path actually goes behind the waterfall. It was beautiful. The hike wasn't too tough either and not even that long. Also at the top of the mountain it was much cooler than at the bottom probably by like 15 degrees.
The rest of that day was spent at the Cades Cove auto tour loop but trust me, we weren't the people there who just drove around loops and never got out of the car. When we stopped at the Sugarlands Visitor's Center (air conditioned!!!) my mom got me a GSMNP t-shirt, a GSMNP pin that I put on my Girl Scout sash and some things for my sisters.
On the loop it was cool but also sad to see the cemeteries at the old churches. There were lots of babies and young people buried there. The saddest one was twins, I can't remember the names, one lived to be old and one died the day she was born. There were lots of Olivers buried there and there were also some very new additions to the cemetery like in 2011. You could really tell who was poor because the headstones were very home-made.
Also on the road by our campsite was Gunther Cemetery. It was reeeely ooooolld. Most of the headstones you couldn't even read but the ones that you could were from like the early-mid 1800s. Old.
Also something sad was all of the dying Hemlock trees. Stupid foreign bugs that are bad for them. The only way to save a tree once it has them is to either inject it's roots with tree medicine(too expensive to do every tree so they only use it on the really old ones) or cover every single needle of the tree with dish soap to smother the bugs, only for small saplings.
One night there were barred owls. They say who-cooks-for-you and its sooo freaking annoying at 2 in the morning. They don't even sound real. Then the crows came and were almost equally annoying at 6 am.
Then it rained alllllll night one night and stormend and stormed. Our tent was collapsing and leaking and thank goodness my clothes didn't get wet because I would have been so mad. Poor Clarity and K who moved to the bathroom floor and then to the truck. My mom and I moved to the van at 3a. Uhh in the morning everything was wet. I'm glad that I didn't go on the 10-mile hike that day with Bridgett, Fiona, Zelda and Bree. I didn't sleep at all the night before so Ann, Trudi, Clarity, K and my mom and I all stayed behind and hung everything out to dry. Everyone on the hike was pooped when they got back. I can't even imagine hiking up a "three mile staircase."
Clarity read Anne of Avonlea to K almost every night. It was adorable because she was making different voices for all of the characters and it was just really really cute.
Even through the rain and no sleep, the trip was still really fun and I can't wait to go again to another national park. Thanks to my wonderful troop leaders, all the moms, and everyone who bought cookies and helped to fund the trip. It was really awesome.
Or maybe not and you've just been thinking, "Hey, I wonder if Emma has said anything lately. Oooh, she went camping in the Smoky Mountains!"
Anyway, I just got back from camping in the Great Smoky Mountains. There were just five girls and all of their moms so it was a really nice mother daughter trip. We stayed at the Cosby campsite. The bathrooms were really really nice with flush toilets. Although no hot water and no showers. There was a bathroom lady who cleaned it everyday!!! Which was nice because the bugs were really attracted to the light at night and the millipedes crawled in through the drain and vents.
There was a nature trail right by us and also an amphitheatre where Ranger Richard led a talk about the history of the park.
But the food had to be packed back into the car every stinking night (bears).
We went rafting, not whitewater but just more of a float trip. We didn't even paddle. That was the chosen special thing that cost extra money.I think we chose well. Extremely fun.
The name of the creek right across from our campsite was Cosby Creek I think. We did a creek walk up that which was fun and refreshing. Except for the Great Laurels, with their branches all spread out and low right through the path. There was also a swimming hole which was FREEEEEZZINNG.
One day we hiked 4 miles round trip to Grotto Falls, very beautiful. That one was cool because the path actually goes behind the waterfall. It was beautiful. The hike wasn't too tough either and not even that long. Also at the top of the mountain it was much cooler than at the bottom probably by like 15 degrees.
The rest of that day was spent at the Cades Cove auto tour loop but trust me, we weren't the people there who just drove around loops and never got out of the car. When we stopped at the Sugarlands Visitor's Center (air conditioned!!!) my mom got me a GSMNP t-shirt, a GSMNP pin that I put on my Girl Scout sash and some things for my sisters.
On the loop it was cool but also sad to see the cemeteries at the old churches. There were lots of babies and young people buried there. The saddest one was twins, I can't remember the names, one lived to be old and one died the day she was born. There were lots of Olivers buried there and there were also some very new additions to the cemetery like in 2011. You could really tell who was poor because the headstones were very home-made.
Also on the road by our campsite was Gunther Cemetery. It was reeeely ooooolld. Most of the headstones you couldn't even read but the ones that you could were from like the early-mid 1800s. Old.
Also something sad was all of the dying Hemlock trees. Stupid foreign bugs that are bad for them. The only way to save a tree once it has them is to either inject it's roots with tree medicine(too expensive to do every tree so they only use it on the really old ones) or cover every single needle of the tree with dish soap to smother the bugs, only for small saplings.
One night there were barred owls. They say who-cooks-for-you and its sooo freaking annoying at 2 in the morning. They don't even sound real. Then the crows came and were almost equally annoying at 6 am.
Then it rained alllllll night one night and stormend and stormed. Our tent was collapsing and leaking and thank goodness my clothes didn't get wet because I would have been so mad. Poor Clarity and K who moved to the bathroom floor and then to the truck. My mom and I moved to the van at 3a. Uhh in the morning everything was wet. I'm glad that I didn't go on the 10-mile hike that day with Bridgett, Fiona, Zelda and Bree. I didn't sleep at all the night before so Ann, Trudi, Clarity, K and my mom and I all stayed behind and hung everything out to dry. Everyone on the hike was pooped when they got back. I can't even imagine hiking up a "three mile staircase."
Clarity read Anne of Avonlea to K almost every night. It was adorable because she was making different voices for all of the characters and it was just really really cute.
Even through the rain and no sleep, the trip was still really fun and I can't wait to go again to another national park. Thanks to my wonderful troop leaders, all the moms, and everyone who bought cookies and helped to fund the trip. It was really awesome.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Highlights of Summer
June: I made a new blog, I left for a while, it was sad.
July: I went to vacation bible school by my grandma's house, my blog reached it's 100th post, I turned 12!, we played bananagrams.
August: it got HOTTER, it finally rained.
Now summer has 5 days remaining until school starts. So sad.
July: I went to vacation bible school by my grandma's house, my blog reached it's 100th post, I turned 12!, we played bananagrams.
August: it got HOTTER, it finally rained.
Now summer has 5 days remaining until school starts. So sad.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Since I left...
I've been gone for awhile, haven't I?
So...
I went to a bible camp from Sunday the 12th to Friday the 17th. Everyday we would:
7:00-wake up (& get dressed etc.)
8:00-quiet time(read bibles and respond)
8:45-breakfast
9:30-chapel with Aunt Sue
11:30-activities (I did boating)
12:45-lunch (really good food!)
1:30-swimming
3:00-recreation time (boating, craft, mini-golf, snack)
4:00-free time in cabins
5:45-dinner
6:30-chapel
9:00-prepare for bed
10:30-official lights out
It sure was fun, but phew was it exhausting!
For boating you could either go in a paddle-boat, a row-boat, a canoe, or a kayak. The kayaks were my favorite! They were a little tippy though, and I did fall in. But it felt good! Except for the bottom of the lake was like up to your ankles in lake slime. Y-U-C-K-Y spells yucky.
The food was also really good. Not as good as like thanksgiving food, but pretty good.
For free time I mostly did boating but I also had snack and went mini-golfing.
So...
I went to a bible camp from Sunday the 12th to Friday the 17th. Everyday we would:
7:00-wake up (& get dressed etc.)
8:00-quiet time(read bibles and respond)
8:45-breakfast
9:30-chapel with Aunt Sue
11:30-activities (I did boating)
12:45-lunch (really good food!)
1:30-swimming
3:00-recreation time (boating, craft, mini-golf, snack)
4:00-free time in cabins
5:45-dinner
6:30-chapel
9:00-prepare for bed
10:30-official lights out
It sure was fun, but phew was it exhausting!
For boating you could either go in a paddle-boat, a row-boat, a canoe, or a kayak. The kayaks were my favorite! They were a little tippy though, and I did fall in. But it felt good! Except for the bottom of the lake was like up to your ankles in lake slime. Y-U-C-K-Y spells yucky.
The food was also really good. Not as good as like thanksgiving food, but pretty good.
For free time I mostly did boating but I also had snack and went mini-golfing.
••○••
So, right when I got home from camp I litterally ate lunch, used the bathroom, grabbed a book to read and went out the door to go to Illinois.
Now I sit in my grandma's living room listening to this annoying TV show my cousins are watching typing on my blog surrounded by lots of flowers from the funeral.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Ten on Tuesday: Things to Bring Camping
Again, sorry I totally took your blogging idea, Mrs. W.
1) Water bottle. And maybe a caribbeaner to clip on to your pants in case you don't have a backpack on a hike.
2) Bandanna. You use it to dry your hands on. This might also come in handy for a number of other things--bandage if you sliced your arm open on something, sling if you broke your arm, and of course to tie your hair back or keep ticks off.
3) I think baby soap is a good idea, like instead of shampoo and all of the other soaps. You can use it for hair, body, face, AND it won't get all gross like bar-soap.
4) A piece of rope or bungee cord. I like to use it to tie my pillow and sleeping bag together so everything is easy to keep together and carry.
5) Mess kit. You put all of your non-breakable food stuff (plate, bowl, cup, cutlery...) in a mesh (dunk) bag. After you've rinsed all your dishes off, you sometimes dunk the whole bag in water/bleach then hang it on a line to drip-dry. Caribbeaner or clothespin to hold it to the line. Best camping idea possibly ever.
6) Shoes for inside tent or lodge. Really, the floors are gross, so you want something other than your poor socks on your feet.
7) Poncho/raincoat and rain boots. Especially if you're going camping with our troop, it's bound to rain. Although we've broken our bad weather streak this past weekend. Yea.
8) KEENS if you have them. They're like the BEST SHOES EVER. Waterproof, SUPER comfy, and great for hiking. I've figured out that they don't smell if you rub them with tea-tree oil.
9) Always jeans for the fall, winter, and in spring with a backup pair of shorts.
10) A book to read/activities to do in case it rains.
1) Water bottle. And maybe a caribbeaner to clip on to your pants in case you don't have a backpack on a hike.
2) Bandanna. You use it to dry your hands on. This might also come in handy for a number of other things--bandage if you sliced your arm open on something, sling if you broke your arm, and of course to tie your hair back or keep ticks off.
3) I think baby soap is a good idea, like instead of shampoo and all of the other soaps. You can use it for hair, body, face, AND it won't get all gross like bar-soap.
4) A piece of rope or bungee cord. I like to use it to tie my pillow and sleeping bag together so everything is easy to keep together and carry.
5) Mess kit. You put all of your non-breakable food stuff (plate, bowl, cup, cutlery...) in a mesh (dunk) bag. After you've rinsed all your dishes off, you sometimes dunk the whole bag in water/bleach then hang it on a line to drip-dry. Caribbeaner or clothespin to hold it to the line. Best camping idea possibly ever.
6) Shoes for inside tent or lodge. Really, the floors are gross, so you want something other than your poor socks on your feet.
7) Poncho/raincoat and rain boots. Especially if you're going camping with our troop, it's bound to rain. Although we've broken our bad weather streak this past weekend. Yea.
8) KEENS if you have them. They're like the BEST SHOES EVER. Waterproof, SUPER comfy, and great for hiking. I've figured out that they don't smell if you rub them with tea-tree oil.
9) Always jeans for the fall, winter, and in spring with a backup pair of shorts.
10) A book to read/activities to do in case it rains.
Monday, May 9, 2011
GS Camping
This time I have pictures.
My daisy friend was Laney (not her real name...) . She was so cute!
The beds. I was next to Abigail and on the other side of me were the Bridget[t]s.
The shower house was next door. But, if you use the shower house, you have to clean the shower house.
We stayed at Petite Chalet, which according to Genevieve means small castle in french. I think that is hilarious for whatever reason.
The fake Indian names are pretty funny too. Like, we stayed next to Tanda, Ahwenasa, and Kiamecia, all permanent tents. Heh.
The daisies came out for the day but didn't stay the night. We climbed up a 'mountain' on Pioneer Trail, elevation like 815 feet or something. Poor daisies. Then after that we went on a creek walk where most girls found interesting rocks and fossils, which of course had to be shared afterwards. Molly found a wolf spider, so of course everyone had to crowd around and get their look at something that might bite them and really hurt. Bah, who cares about safety?
So then the daisies went home and there was an all-camp campfire. Luckily, I got to stay behind with one of the Bridgets. Phew. And that was fun.
In the morning it was fantastic because nobody got up and stomped around and slammed doors or whispered so loud that you would be able to hear them with your fingers in your ears. It was good. Then we (the juniors, not brownies--that's against the rules) did archery. Mrs. Wissinger was happy with Cedarledge's equipment, I think. They actually had a bow stringer, unlike Tuckaho who had a bucket with everything thrown in it. Good. Only thing was, the targets were SO easy to hit 'cause they were only like less than 15 feet (or something, I'm bad at judging distances) away. But it was good.
And I had fun. That's the important part, right???
PS My science project got a blue ribbon!!!!
My daisy friend was Laney (not her real name...) . She was so cute!
The beds. I was next to Abigail and on the other side of me were the Bridget[t]s.
The shower house was next door. But, if you use the shower house, you have to clean the shower house.
We stayed at Petite Chalet, which according to Genevieve means small castle in french. I think that is hilarious for whatever reason.
The daisies came out for the day but didn't stay the night. We climbed up a 'mountain' on Pioneer Trail, elevation like 815 feet or something. Poor daisies. Then after that we went on a creek walk where most girls found interesting rocks and fossils, which of course had to be shared afterwards. Molly found a wolf spider, so of course everyone had to crowd around and get their look at something that might bite them and really hurt. Bah, who cares about safety?
So then the daisies went home and there was an all-camp campfire. Luckily, I got to stay behind with one of the Bridgets. Phew. And that was fun.
In the morning it was fantastic because nobody got up and stomped around and slammed doors or whispered so loud that you would be able to hear them with your fingers in your ears. It was good. Then we (the juniors, not brownies--that's against the rules) did archery. Mrs. Wissinger was happy with Cedarledge's equipment, I think. They actually had a bow stringer, unlike Tuckaho who had a bucket with everything thrown in it. Good. Only thing was, the targets were SO easy to hit 'cause they were only like less than 15 feet (or something, I'm bad at judging distances) away. But it was good.
And I had fun. That's the important part, right???
PS My science project got a blue ribbon!!!!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Girl Scout Camp
This weekend our Girl Scout troop went camping at camp Tuckaho. It was very fun.
At the lodge we stayed in, there were no beds, only mattresses. I slept in the same row as SW, PW, FL, and GC. We were all early birds, which is good, otherwise I would of been awake all night.
On Saturday we basically just hung out. Some people went out to play in the snow. We tried to sled without sleds, which didn't really work, so we just rolled down the hill (which was awesome) instead. When we got back I did some knitting (I'm making a scarf) and then me SW, PW, and FL did some tumbling on our beds since they were on the floor. We also played Bananagrams, which is a really fun game where each person basically is making their own board out of the tiles they have.
We also earned some badges.
First we worked on the 'sew simple badge.' We decorated socks and made fun things. I made a sock puppet out of mine and my baby sister Esther is afraid of it.
We also earned the theatre badge. We played group scherades and it was really funny. After that we split into groups and made up skits. My group (me, JB, MB, NS) made one about a crazy teacher and two students who won't stop picking their noses. I played the teacher, MB and NS were the students, and JB was the principal. It was so fun.
Overall, it was really fun and I'm really glad that I went.
At the lodge we stayed in, there were no beds, only mattresses. I slept in the same row as SW, PW, FL, and GC. We were all early birds, which is good, otherwise I would of been awake all night.
On Saturday we basically just hung out. Some people went out to play in the snow. We tried to sled without sleds, which didn't really work, so we just rolled down the hill (which was awesome) instead. When we got back I did some knitting (I'm making a scarf) and then me SW, PW, and FL did some tumbling on our beds since they were on the floor. We also played Bananagrams, which is a really fun game where each person basically is making their own board out of the tiles they have.
We also earned some badges.
First we worked on the 'sew simple badge.' We decorated socks and made fun things. I made a sock puppet out of mine and my baby sister Esther is afraid of it.
We also earned the theatre badge. We played group scherades and it was really funny. After that we split into groups and made up skits. My group (me, JB, MB, NS) made one about a crazy teacher and two students who won't stop picking their noses. I played the teacher, MB and NS were the students, and JB was the principal. It was so fun.
Overall, it was really fun and I'm really glad that I went.
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