27 October, 2016 (Emily Smith)

Holy smokes, what an unreal day! It started off as our earliest day yet, with the crew taking off at 5:00 am. Well, it was supposed to be 5:00 am but Jeff decided to sleep in a little bit, delaying our departure time by a few minutes. Oh, it was only minutes until everyone in the van was fast asleep again as we rolled on through the state of California towards the much anticipated lands of Mexico. We have all been waiting for this leg of our journey. It was one of the first parts we talked about last spring - originally being worried that we wouldn't be able to make Baja, California happen. After a lot of thought and a lot of talk, we more or less decided to make Baja, California our mission. And we did it! Well, we're about to do it anyway. Getting here was an adventure in and of itself. It was all smooth sailing right up until we actually got to the border. It was already a much slower process than what we've experienced in Canada, and then we were of course asked for our registration for the trailer, which I thought, "Why in the world would we have it?" Jeff and Ryan scrambled to figure out this dilemma while we were approached by officers letting us know that we had to turn right back around to the states. A quick stop at Church's Chicken to print the registration and another go at crossing the border proved successful. Just barely though, as our printed registration was just a cell phone picture taken by Bryan from Transportation Services back in Macomb. It just barely let us slide by, probably with the help from Jeff's charismatic charm. We trucked through Tijuana, all of us noting the vast differences between where we came from and where we were. Finally getting to Ensenada, we met up with Jeff's pal Francisco who led us the long way to his ranch house where we would spend the night. We discovered that our adventures were not over... The winding and uneven roads were a little much for our trusty van and trailer to handle. With three of us riding along with Francisco and the rest of us in good ole' van 63, those of us in the ban all piled into the very back seat as we attempted to get our mobilized house up the hill. Surprise! We got stuck... Now all of us are behind the trailer, pushing it up the hill as Jeff applied the gas. Once we made it up, we celebrated with smiles and laughs and allowed Jeff to give us a lesson in backing up a trailer. As exhausting and eventful as today was, I couldn't imagine entering Mexico with this bunch any other way. Be grateful.

26 October, 2016 (Kolin O'Keefe)

Another day spent at Summit Adventure after a long night of homework. I awoke to the smell of french toast and bacon, none of which was burnt! After doing some cleaning and various chores, we went into town for a couple of hours to send out newsletters and to get supplies four out trip to Baja. We hit up Radio Shack and a couple of thrift stores. I bought a bomb pair of sandals. However, they ended up being orthopedic sandals, more than likely worn by someone who is dead now. I shall carry on their legacy. All jokes aside, it was great to be able to spend on more day at Summit before leaving for good. We ate a conglomeration of leftovers for supper and we were treated to an XXXL brownie cake monster. Solid choice on the pecans and the size of the brownie. Cody got to teach us on his "Mountain Lion stalks group" incident scenario and Liv taught the group on her "Lightning Strikes" incident scenario. Her topic sparked discussion and curiosity as we found out that Jeff had been struck on 3 separate occasions. Now we know that Jeff is a great conductor of electricity. We also got to hear about how a deer jumped over his shoulder and how the mountain lion chasing it almost ran over Jeff. Luckily the lion applied the brakes and did a 180 degree turn before reaching Jeff. I doubt that lion wanted a piece of Jeff, it probably knew better. I got to finish watching my B class movie last night, "Attack of the Herbals." It was so God awful that it came back around, full circle, and ended up being a pretty comical movie. (highly recommend that anyone watch it). I shut my laptop and got ready for bed. As I lay there, I remember the conversation I had with my father the night before. My sister got engaged, my other sister got a second job as an artist in Minneapolis, my brother was back in Wisconsin with his wife and 2 daughters (one of which I haven't got to see yet), and my youngest brothers college football team is top of the conference his first year as a starter. I am reminded that so much happens in the span of a couple of months, especially when I don't have many means of talking to people. I can't wait to tell them all what has happened on my side... but that will have to wait. Still got another month of traveling and adventures ahead of me.

"Short cuts often lead to long delays"
     ~ J.R.R. Tolken

25 October, 2016 (Liv Smith)

Waking up to the clanging of pots and pans never sounded quite so beautiful this morning, especially when the previous morning we were all awoken by the intense thunder and lightning above us in the Sierra Mountains. After a hearty breakfast, we all went straight to work on our group chores. From airing out megalight tents to cleaning out Nalgene bottles, we all worked together in order to make the tedious jobs go all the much faster. The chores seemed to go a lot faster than they have had been before. Maybe it was the brief dance parties, the warmth of the sun, or the fact that there was still cold pizza to be devoured, it was just great to have the work done and be given some free time. Time was set aside for newsletters, journal entries and critiques to be done which everyone took full advantage of. Many of us even had time to run up the hill to get sodas and souvenirs from the small Bass Lake shops. The night is young, and many of us have homework to complete before we cross the border into Mexico this Thursday. When I look across Summit’s Lodge and see nothing but smiles and hear only laughter, it’s hard to be anything but grateful. How can we only have a little over a month to go? From steep mountains to sandy beaches, this will prove to be a very challenging, yet exciting week.

“Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire!”

J.R.R. Tolkien

24 October, 2016 (Nick Walberg)

After several days in a row of nice weather, everything changed last night. Last night it started raining and snowing throughout the night. Around midnight lightning began to rattle the tent and went until after sunrise. By the time that everyone started getting up Liv had spoken with the rest of the LOW's and decided that we are leaving the mountains and heading back to the trailer. It was a necessary move to allow everyone to dry off and warm up. The girl’s sleeping area ended up being a drainage area and Emily was floating on the water in the morning. We walked our way out of the wilderness while keeping our eyes on the sky to see if another storm was going to roll in. slowly but surely we walked out to the van only to have to stay out a little longer to do a debrief of the back country. Because we hadn’t planned to be eating in the front country yet, we needed to go grocer shopping tonight and we were then treated to pizza. Even though our adventure ended early, the bright side is that we now have the time to get completely ready for our next adventure into Mexico.

            “Beware the Jabberwocky” Lewis Carrol       

23 October, 2016 (Tommy LeGrand)

Today was all in all a pretty cool day, in reflection that is. When we started the day we were in the normal routine of, debrief the old lows, brief with the new lows, switch the tent groups… hold on switch the tent groups?! Great, new people, new food bags, new tasks. Well that will be fun to work with but what’s this? Meet back at 2pm with water and a bit of food? OK Jeff is up to something, and indeed he was, as we were given the chance to do our solo we spent the next 24 hours to ourselves. Plenty if time to think, think about everything but especially a few prompted things. Here goes nothing, and it was an early night with no light or watch, just a pen, sunlight and the light of the half lit moon. Well… Goodnight Moon. Until tomorrow.

22 October, 2016 (Tyler Gebel)

Today we woke to an easy start after a hard day of winding to Lady Lake. We had our LOW meeting this morning and enjoyed a nice breakfast between our tent groups. My group had a scrumptious breakfast of hash browns and veggies, and Nick was able to replenish his need for a hearty meal. My feet were looking a lot better this morning too. After the LOW group debrief we were summoned to another meeting with Jeff and Ryan as a group. Only able to bring things like our thermarests, sleeping bag, and whistle, we packed carefully and considered what may come ahead. We were also told to not bring our watches and our headlamps. When we arrived we soon found out we were partaking in a solo. We were told to only bring what food could fit in Jeff’s mug, and some chose to fast during the reflection even so. After we were all ready to go, Jeff and Ryan escorted us to our spaces. After reflecting for a while and thinking a lot, I decided to go to bed. The next day I woke up a bit later than I normally do and hung out drawing pictures and reflecting a bit more. Due to the weather coming in, we were brought back for debrief a bit earlier. I never got to experience a solo before, but from my experience I was definitely glad I had the opportunity to do so in the Sierras. I know this experience will be good for the group and what is to come ahead. 

21 October, 2016 (Cody Hardy)

After another long day of backpacking we finally made it to Lady Lake. Who knew a couple of miles could feel like such a long distance. Today started off with the group splitting up into smaller groups of five at Lower Jackass and heading off thirty minutes apart from each other. My group consisted of Alex, Tyler, Joel, Kolin, and myself. Our group was the first to leave and we had a great time today. Slow and steady we marched on. Everything went fairly smoothly until we reached the top of a steep ridge with what looked like no way down. After an hour of searching, we finally found the route down that we decided to take. Once we reached the bottom it was all laughs and high fives. Again we marched on slowly but surely making it to camp around 2:00 pm. When we arrived at camp we found a note to Jeff from Ryan saying, “He had not seen us since 10:30 am so he was going to go looking for us, and he would be back before dark. We stayed put and began to set up camp. Shortly after that Ryan arrived back at camp. He was both happy and mad to see us. As afternoon turned into evening there was no sign of the other group and the worry level began to increase. Luckily they arrived right before dark and I found out that Nick had gotten sick. I have not had a chance to see how he is doing because he is already in bed, but I hear he is doing better. I hope that is the case. Overall yesterday was one of the best days I have had on ECOEE so far. I can only hope the rest of the week goes just as well!

20 October, 2016 (Mariah Von Bruenchenhein)

What a long day. However, sitting on this rock looking out at the view makes today totally worth it. I’m having a hard time keeping up with the pace while mountaineering. I’m writing in this journal and can barely keep my eyes open. I’m completely exhausted. I going to try to eat a lot of food tomorrow morning so I don’t need to carry it tomorrow morning so I don’t have to carry it. Too bad I’m never hungry in the morning. I’m hanging out with some pals right now working on journals and such. We haven’t don’t this since Canada! There just never seems like there is enough time in the day. Glad to have gained friends like these. Joel just fixed his compass! Pretty exciting stuff. Emily hasn’t gotten anywhere with her journal. Good friends and good laughs seem to cause that. Well going to hit the hay soon. Onto Lady Lake tomorrow. Maybe Mister Lake is around there somewhere. 

19 October, 2016 (Alex Olson)

As I sit here writing this tonight I can’t help but look at the horizon lit up by the stars to see the peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Just being here is everything I’ve ever dreamed of plus a little more.  Our day started at Summit Adventure with an early morning at 7am.  With lots of things to get done, we got on task right away after breakfast.  Cleaning out anything and everything in the trailer was a must as I could not even imagine the stench of what it would be like when we will see it again next week after already smelling like it does.  I guess you could say we have a very distinct smell that follows us around.  After group chores were finished up we all had to somehow get all of our things in our packs which ended with me realizing that 85 lbs. is a lot to carry around for a week.  Needless to say, I will be getting my workout in this week.  When we finally left Summit Adventure, our route had us going through narrow and windy mountain roads which was uphill the whole way there.  Once we got parked and unloaded, we had another uphill battle, but this time on our feet.  We had our newly learned trail positions assigned and after a brief lesson reminding us on navigation from Jeff, there was no turning back.  We had an adventure ahead of us for the whole way to camp but the best way I could describe it was that we just took the scenic route.  Eventually our hike came to an end as we reconnected with Jeff and Ryan to discuss how we were doing and we finally called it a day short of our intended destination.  Looking forward to what tomorrow and the rest of the week will bring so I will be needing some sleep to be able to get through the day. Hopefully our bear bags hold up well!

“I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it” -William Shakespeare

18 October, 2016 (Nick Walberg)

Today we had the luxury of waking up bright and early before sunrise to eat breakfast before leaving for Nature Bridge. Even though we could have walked there, Jeff allowed us to ride in the van to make sure we got there on time, each member of ECOEE got the the chance to follow a different instructor around to see how he or she teaches. I got lucky and was able to spend the whole day with a veteran instructor named Dan. Watching him work with a group of nine students taught me a lot about patience and adaptability. He was able to dance the line between schedule and the abilities of the kids. After a fun day with rambunctious 6^th graders I walked back to the office to meet up with th e rest of ECOEE and Rebecca Ryan, Ms. Ryan sat with us for a little while and told us everything she about about Nature Bridge that she could. We talked about the history of the company, hiring procedures, and company culture. We stayed at Nature Bridge till about 6:00 pm and we still had a two hour drive to Summit for another night with electricity. Although we didn’t get dinner until late at night, it was well worth the wait to get to meet the amazing people and students in the Yosemite Valley. After dinner we had another easy night to work on assignments at Summit and time to get ready for the Sierras. If the weather holds out tomorrow, we will be heading out into the  Ansel Adam’s Wilderness area. Else, we will be staying even longer to work on additional assignments. Fingers crossed that everything goes well tomorrow.

“I’d rather walk with a friend through darkness than alone through the light”

17 October, 2016 (Emily Smith)

Happy Monday, folks! It was certainly one of the better Mondays that I’ve had, anyway. We got right back into the swing of things by waking up bright and early to a tasty breakfast of oatmeal, peaches, bacon, sausage and banana & walnut pancakes – which I was overly enthusiastic about, seeing as bananas are my favorite fruit but Mariah monitored my intake of due to my unfortunate banana allergy. Anyway, during breakfast prep and after our meal, we all banded together to make Summit Adventure as spotless as we found it since they so graciously gave us a place to crash for the past two nights. I think we all really enjoyed our time there, but boy, were we excited to make it into Yosemite today! I expected it to be beautiful, but I really don’t think I could have prepared for all that it was. We attempted to make the most of our short time that we have here – we entered the park and stopped first to snag some photos and gawk at the scene that laid out the iconic El Cap and Half Dome before us, then making our way to the visitor’s center where we had the opportunity to explore that, a general store, the Ansel Adams Gallery and a museum depicting the first people of Yosemite. After spending a few hours doing that, we caught a ranger-led walk that taught us about Yosemite’s first people too. Even after packing our day pretty full and seeing and doing as much as we did I still find myself wishing we had more time. I feel like there is still so much to see and do here. We aimed to make it to a night exploration of sorts and due to some complications that didn’t quite work out for us. I did overhear quite a bit of conversation on our shuttle ride back to camp though. Cody and Tommy seemed to make two friends that they spoke of our travels to. These two ladies seemed to be on their own life adventures from the conversation that I heard. Cody that that he loves waking up in a new place every day and learning all the new that there is new be learned that day. Their new friend said some things about that being what its all about. Every day brings a whole new set of chips to the table for us to pick up and figure out how to use. I love it. That idea might be hard to deal with sometimes, but there’s a whole lot to love, and without love in the dream it’ll never come true.

16 October, 2016 (Kolin O'Keefe)

Woke up today and kind of forgot where I was. Took me a moment to remember I was on the front porch at Summit Adventure after a late night in the van. I awoke to the shuffling of feet and decided to join the march. It lead me to inside the cabin where I saw the cooks of the day preparing a breakfast consisting of pumpkin pancakes and fresh fruit. It was quite the treat and made my stomach happy. I got the chance to relax a little bit before Tom Smith, a colleague and good friend of Jeff’s, arrived to give us a professional tour/visit. He had a lot of great info to share and a lot of funny stories to tell about when he and Jeff used to work together. We also got an insight to “swampy” (Jeff’s nickname). After some time, Tom showed us over to his office where the “auction” would be taking place. There was so much sweet gear he was selling. We were just lucky that we got first dibs on all this priceless camping equipment. There were several items I would’ve particularly liked to get, but my wallet said otherwise. After Tom left, our LOW’s decided to stay at Summit for another night. I was happy by this decision in that it gave everyone the chance to work on their journals for the blog and other homework that needed to get done. The cooks made a delicious supper at a stationary kitchen which consisted of goulash, green beans, and cupcakes. It has been quite a relaxing day that has consisted of talking to family, taking free time to myself (that was much needed), and getting caught up in my coursework. I like the Summit Adventure Lodge and I wish we could stay here a bit longer. Perhaps someday I will have to stop and make a visit here outside of ECOEE.  

15 October, 2016 (Liv Smith)

Waking up to a large gust of wind at my tent door made me a bit anxious about the day, but not hearing rain on my fly made me jump out of my tent to greet the sun. We were served an interesting dish made by our head chef of the day, Nicky Crocker. The meal was called “Dutch-oven Babies,” which made a few of us laugh and others cringe. It was a filling meal all the same. After breakfast we had two book reports given by Emily and Nick. Its hard to get the ball rolling in the mornings, especially on “days off,” but I think we learned quite a bit from the two. From Emily we learned how a bit of therapy can be worked into ECOEE, and how Nick sees us as nothing but conflict solving animals. We had some free time after our lessons, finally! Some of us hopped back into our tents for a quick cat nap, others explored the campground, while others just enjoyed basking in the brief sun. Low debrief followed soon after, to where we got our new LOW's for the week. With visiting Yosemite, Summit Adventure, and beginning our Sierra trek, this week will be quite the adventure. Jeff and Ryan left into town for dinner, or whatever trouble those two get into, leaving us to roam and play. Pretty much leaving us to be an obnoxious as we wanted. Just as dinner was starting, our speeding professor turned into our campsite and gathered us around. Call it a sixth sense if you will, but I knew something was up. We were told that snow was coming in quick, and we needed to get over Tioga Pass soon if we wanted to make it into Yosemite tomorrow. We all kicked it into high gear and were all packed up and in the van in an hour. Upon seeing that the Yosemite campsite was full, we headed to Summit Adventure. We continued through tunnels and winding roads around the mountains. Just as we turned a corner, the wildlife signs proved to be true with a deer standing in the middle of the road. Luckily no one was hurt, and no venison was to be had for a meal the next day. When we arrived at Summit Adventure we couldn’t really make out what we were actually looking at in the dark, but when we walked into the beautiful lodge, and overwhelming feeling came over us all. The only word I can think to describe it is “homey.” I can hear the boys giggling in the showers, while us girls sleep and do work. I guess we’re just not as high maintenance as them. California is proving to be quite the confusing landscape, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. Although it’s been windy, rainy, and even snowy, I can tell by all the nose prints on the window just how excited everyone is to be here.

14 October, 2016 (Joel Davis)

Well, the wind was still blowing this morning and just as much as when I went to sleep last night too. Breakfast was French toast casserole and so good that even Jeff went up for more. After everything was packed up and the camp sweep was done, we set off yet again for our next destination, California. To get there though meant another long day in the van. I’ve grown so accustomed to these that I think I will find it odd when we are done and the scenery doesn’t change every day. The drive was broken up by having lunch and Tommy’s book report on “Where the Wild Things Were” at a nice rest area. After the book report it was back in the van for the second half of our journey. When we got to our campground for the next two nights, it was raining, clearly we aren’t in California, because it never rains there. We went about setting up our tents and the group tarp. After that task was finished we sat down to hear Mariah present her book “The Closing Circle.” Next on our plate was dinner, haha. A feast of chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes, corn, bread, and a late, post debriefs carrot cake. Debrief turned out to just be feedback for Mariah and Tommy and a brief for what to expect out of tomorrow. As I lay here in my tent, listening to the patter of rain falling from the trees onto my tent, I can’t help but reflect some on what all we have done so far this semester, and think on what all is yet to come. As excited as I am for what is next, I’ll enjoy what we have, while we have it.

13 October, 2016 (Tommy LeGrand)

We started in Macomb and now were… here? Geographically speaking at Ward Mountain State Recreation Area, emotionally speaking, on the same page, I think. Today was good, good in the sense that there was a lot of thinking happening. Toes might start to get stepped on here if they haven’t already, but that’s what the storming stage is all about. (Trust me its good) Any who, we began our day at Craters of the moon National Monument in Idaho, super cool! I felt like I was walking on the moon. After a lesson/ book report by Alex we hit the road. As are many days we spend on the road, somewhat productive. I got a little further in my book and had some time to process everything. Before I knew it we had made it to Twin Falls and got out (after being turned around) for a groceries stop. As Alex says we love our Walmart! An hour later and we are back in the car, but this time armed with snacks salad and things from Walmart, I myself got some ultra-medicated foot powder (starting to get a little funky inn my boots) Now to Vegas! Just kidding we now are headed to Ward Mountain Recreation Area. A booming campground, (haha) Oh well at least we won’t bother anyone (aside from Jeff and Ryan) J With a feast of pork chops, hog rotten (au gratin) potatoes, yogurt and fruit salad (yummy yummy), salad with NO anchovies and desert cake it was hard not to pass out right after dinner. As we finished debrief the wind picked up and blew our tent away! Well now it’s 11 pm or for those of you keeping track at home 1:00 am. This wind will put me to sleep for sure. J Until next time!

12 October, 2016 (Tyler Gebel)

Today we left the Gros Vantes Campground to visit Exum this morning. We were greeted by Cindy who was more than willing to tell us about the climbing business Exum had been for so long as well as the background information that could be said about such a company that has been around for so long. After that and Joel’s lesson, we said farewell to the Teton Mountains and traveled even further west. Over the Teton Pass we went and without any brake trouble. Our trouble-free drive didn’t last that long actually as an hour later our passenger window magically combusted into many pieces of sparkly glass, whoa. No one got hurt so we had a good laugh that this happened 40 years after Doc Lupton’s incident the first ECOEE had; pretty funny when you think about it. After we had our van back in shape with a new window, we were on the road again and eventually made it to Craters of the Moon Campground. Such a neat place with a volcanic history. Our dinner was delicious tonight, but after cleanup we had some things that significantly needed to be addressed. A reminder of what we contracted for coming into ECOEE and what we knew what was expected of us was discussed and heavily thought upon. I know I am myself accountable for actions not taken within the group just as everyone else is, but we can get through this and held even other more accountable in the future. We are all in this together and with group effort we will move on and learn from our mistakes. I look forward to tomorrow as a new day and hopefully another day of discover while we are here at craters of the Moon. 

11 October, 2016 (Mariah Von Bruenchenhein)

The wind was crazy this morning. It felt like the tent was on a roller coaster with all the loud wooooshes coming from outside. Thank goodness our tent stayed put. It was another early morning. We had an appointment with Teton Science School and was on the road at 8:00 am. The group tried to sing because Jeff refused to play music but we really couldn’t come up with a solid song. Once we go there we were greeted by a friendly guy, Andy. He showed us around a bit and offered us some coffee. He instantly had my heart. After that we split up into groups. One group would go out into the field and the other stayed with Andy who taught us about place base education. What I got from his lesson was that place base education is sort of like experiential learning. Taking your surroundings and using that to evoke the student’s interest. We moved into the field after lunch. That was probably the best part of the day. It’s incredibly more fun being taught outside. Although Andy’s lesson was informative, I had a lot more fun outside with the kids. Anyways, I’m sick of writing about the day and want to move onto what’s happening right now. I’m cranky and I honestly don’t’ know why. I want to punch my book bag. Also I’m in the boy’s bathroom with most of the gang doing homework. Nick was about to poop in here but Liv and I demanded him to go to the girl’s bathroom. That’s not why I’m mad, it’s just super gross. I’m ready from bed and a new day. Trying to remind myself that I’m mad at nothing and I should just smile. Today was great. I think I just need a bath. Goodnight. 

10 October, 2016 (Tommy LeGrand)

Well, now I get to sit here in the bathroom. At least the campground is pretty empty so there isn’t a lot of “traffic” haha. Today was pretty cool though, we got to see the “Craig Thomas Visitor Center” which gave some background on the area as well as the history of the Tetons. I only wish I had a little more time in the center to catch the rest of the informational video. Now on the road again, but not for an educational center, but for the town of Jackson Hole! I said it that I don’t like living in city’s but if there was one I wouldn’t mind living in it’d be here. There’s a lot going on, and at the same time a lot of green area. I think I counted five of six VW Buses ! Mostly Westifalias, but still more than I’ve seen anywhere else. There’s only one downside, it’s one of the most expensive places to live… Oh well I am sure I will see many other places with my name on it, we will see. Other than a few cool thrift stores, I didn’t get much chance to see a lot, but it was still an awesome visit. Now we are headed back to camp, and finishing the night with BRATWURST! All in all a good day!   

09 October, 2016 (Emily Smith)

Sitting in a bathroom with my pal Liv, working on some homework, jammin’ to some Wood Brothers because this if the first time I’ve had my cell phone on in quite a few weeks, and my mind keeps traveling to tomorrow morning when I get to crawl out of my tent and the first thing I get to see is the Tetons. How rad is that? Today was pretty rad in and of itself, the gang traveled to Mammoth Hot Springs, where we’ve been trying to get to during our whole week in Yellowstone but couldn’t due to road closures and weather. Well, we finally made it. The lot of us followed a trail that took us through the springs and up to an overlook that let us see across the entirety of Mammoth Hot Springs. From there we all made our way to the visitor’s center. I thought the coolest part was seeing an actual journal and sketchbook from expedition artist, Thomas Moran. I’m finding that those historical artifacts are becoming my favorite parts of what we’re seeing at the parks. After a quick lunch and leaving that area we shot over to Lamar Valley, another part of Yellowstone that we’ve been trying to get to all week. This area of Yellowstone is special because wolves in the park were extirpated in the 1920’s and were only reintroduced about 20 years ago. The reintroduction was a success and we set out to try and see some. That unfortunately was not in our cards today but we were lucky enough to spot a coyote and watch him run around a hillside for a while. After that, we headed for Grant Teton National Park and it is here that we are making our home for the next few nights. After about a week in Yellowstone it feels good to have uprooted again and continue the adventure with these guys. I still feel so lucky – I still feel like this is exactly what I need to be doing and where I need to be at in my life.

“In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy”

08 October, 2016 (Tyler Gebel)

Today is our last full day in Yellowstone National Park. I have been so blessed to see all the geothermal wonders we got to see. I have never seen so many bison and elk in one place. Today we switched leaders of the week and now Nick, Tommy, and I are up to the podium this week. After the LOW debrief, we all made our departure for Old Faithful. After we got there we had our lunch as a group and parted ways. I was ready to check out the showers at the Old Faithful Inn and I wasn’t disappointed. Complimentary towels and shampoo, conditioner, and body wash was a treat indeed. I grabbed a root beer brewed locally and met with Tommy and Nick for LOW business. I am honestly excited for what this week will bring the group. Nick and I went to check out the grill and had a cheeseburger and enjoyed the fireplace at the lodge. I didn’t see Old Faithful as I had seen it before, but I am always amazed by it nonetheless. Tomorrow we are hopefully headed for Mammoth Spring. Grand Teton National Park will be our place to rest our heads at Gros Ventre. A lot of traveling is coming up this week, but I know the group is ready to travel on and see new and exciting things.

07 October, 2016 (Kolin O'Keefe)

Woke up at 0300 this morning to the sound of my alarm, waiting to see if we were going to go to Lamar Valley as this would be my first chance to see wolves in the wild. However, the “Call of the Wild” this morning was to sleep in some, so I wasn’t “barking” about it to terribly much. Got up later around 0700 for chow and heard that we will be getting to see more hot springs and geysers along with other hydro thermal activity. I was excited to hear this because I love this landscape here and it never seems to get dull. Our first hike turned out to be a nice little adventure with a grand waterfall at the end. It was a bit longer than anticipated, but fun nonetheless. We also got to experience the Yellowstone Grand Canyon which was quite a sight to behold. The visitor center we hit up did not disappoint either. It was incredibly interactive with the high quality exhibits that allowed you to pull drawers and push buttons to your hearts content. I think my favorite part was the upstairs exhibit that laid out the history of the park in a very artistic fashion. I got to learn a little bit about the first official government expedition lead there. Thomas Morane, the artist, and William Jackson, the photographer, interpreted the park in ways that drove passion that so many share in the park today. The artwork was incredible and only made me fall more in love with this place. I got to pick up another sticker at the visitor center shop and then we were off onto other adventures. Before supper, I got the chance to go down to the river near the camp with Cody, Emily, and Liv. We all got to see a ½ dozen fly fishermen fishing the river. All I could think about was putting on my waders and joining them. I also observed a young bull elk sitting in between all of the fishermen. Where else in the world will you be able to see that? Came back to write in my academic journal before supper and got a surprise visit from a furry four legged friend. A least chipmunk (ground squirrel) kept scurrying up to the log where I was sitting at, took a moment to visit, and then darted in another direction to explore more. Counted three times he came up next to me and sat by the log for a couple seconds each visit. It’s the little things in life. Debrief went smooth tonight and it was an overall good day. Time for some shut eye.

06 October, 2016 (Cody Hardy)

Today is a day I could never forget because 19 years ago I was blessed with both the best and worst gift a big brother could ask for, and that is a little brother. Today I had the opportunity to call him and tell him happy birthday which meant a lot to me, and I’m sure him too, because we are pretty close. I have not seen him since he left for basic training in May, I am very proud of the man he is becoming and it meant a lot to hear that he has been doing fine and graduates at the end of this month. With that being said, today will also be unforgettable for me because I will never forget the view we had today. As we hiked the trail at Biscuit Basin to the overview and to Mystic Fall in the snow, it was absolutely beautiful. No matter how much someone might hate the snow or the cold, if they could have experienced what we did today, they might change their minds a little. After our hike we moved onto another small hike to view Fountain Paint Pots where we were able to learn more about the geothermal activity here at Yellowstone and how there are several different ways in which gasses and pressure are being released from below the Earth’s surface. We then headed back to camp which took a little longer become some bison were blocking the road. It is amazing to see all of the wildlife in the area and how they don’t seem to care one bit about all of the human activity. After a short stop at camp we headed to West Yellowstone where people had the opportunity to go out to eat, get groceries, and even buy gifts for family and friends back home. The people around town where super helpful and friendly. It just goes to show that there are still good people in the world today. Once we got back to camp debrief took place. It was a long one as usual, but another lesson was learned about improving our skills. I can only hope that we all do our best to make those appropriate improvements. 

05 October, 2016 (Liv Smith)

Today started on a lovely note with me getting to sleep in till 8:30 am. Breakfast was served with hash browns, sausage, bread, green peppers, onions, hamburger meat, and probably the kitchen sink. There were a few weird looks at the dish, but was devoured none the less. After moving our campsite to the F loop, we began our day with a short drive to Roaring Mountain through the snow covered peaks. It’s almost upsetting to think a picture will never do this beauty justice. We received a lesson from Nick on fumaroles, who had one of the best backdrops I’ve seen yet. It’s all in the presentation! While traveling back, we stopped at the Norris Geyser Basin overlook to hear Tyler’s outdoor education topic on the lodge pole pine tree. Once the presentation was finished, a snowball was thrown by Jeff at Tyler for using wrong terminology on “tree breeding.” I now fear giving my presentation here in snowy Yellowstone. Again we stopped at the lower basin to see a scenic view of the land. We were taken aback by the amazing geysers and the cool colors made by the bacteria. Many of us took pictures of the sites, while others started a snowball fight. Even though temperatures are low, it’s nice to see that spirits have remained high here in the mountains. When we got back to the Madison grounds we quickly set up camp and went straight into lessons. After not having lessons for so long, the time seemed to drag on and on, but then it was dinner time! Tyler made yet another strange mash up of food, which a few people seemed to turn their noses up at. I actually liked the pinapple-ie chicken. Warm bellies mean warm people. We then went into feedback and then debrief which mostly revolved around our NOLS visit yesterday. The snow is now falling gently around my tent and glittering around my headlamp light. For someone who normally hates the cold and snow, I’m having a hard time seeing it as anything but beautiful.

04 October, 2016 (Nick Walberg)

After quickly rescheduling, the group gets to have the honor of touring NOLS with Kevin. We got up early to get everything ready for our day with the National Outdoor Leadership School. Kevin is one of the most enthusiastic people I have ever met, sorry Mariah. His energy turned a cold and wet morning into an exciting day at the NOLS Rocky Mountain campus. We found out that NOLS is currently undergoing a re-branding and is in fact only an acronym. We got the chance to tour the map room, rations room, and equipment storage room. We didn’t get the chance to tour the administrative buildings because the board is coming into town soon to discuss the companies re-branding. Our time with Kevin ended with a question and answer section. After our tour we got the chance to shop the NOLS store as well as Wild Iris down the road. Several members of the group were able to get the sleeping bags they needed to keep warm as the weather is expected to get worse. At Wild Iris I was lucky enough to find a solar Halloween lantern that is bright enough to read in the entire tent. Liv got a similar lantern and the plan is to put them on color strobe mode to party on Halloween. While in Lander we found out that the weather was holding out and we needed to move out to Yellowstone. Jeff drove through the beginnings of a snow storm near the south entrance to get us to the park around sunset. Seeing Yellowstone in the winter is one of the most beautiful things that I have ever seen, and I have been dreaming of this day for years. I am finishing this journal up under the last moments of the solar lantern slowly dying from a discharged battery.

03 October, 2016 (Alex Olson)

After a long day and a late night of discussing alternative options of what today would be, we set our sights on Lander, Wyoming for the night.  With weather coming in as we were tearing down camp, we made short work of our daily chores so we could stay as dry as possible.  As we hit the road towards our destination I would soon become the only person awake besides Jeff and Ryan.  If only I had a camera I could be the photographer of the official “people sleeping in a van” album starring our lovely ECOEE members.  I admire some people’s ability to fall asleep in the most awkward and uncomfortable positions imaginable.  Like how can your neck still be in tact after sitting in a position like that for an extended period of time?!  I’m guessing that drivers passing us on the road just think we have a van full of life sized bobble heads as they go by.  As we were along our route today we stopped in Casper, Wyoming to go to yet another Walmart.  I’m still wondering if we realize that there are more grocery stores in the world than just Walmart.  We were greeted coming into town with 60 mph wind gusts according to the National Weather Advisory for the area.  Needless to say, we had a few things blowing away including my own hat I was wearing which the wind caught twice before I finally decided it wasn’t worth the hassle so I put it away. After groceries and a short break for lunch, we continued on to eventually get to Lander.  We went downtown to take a look at where NOLS all started and where it still stands today.  Tomorrow we will get the chance to see for ourselves what it is like to run programs such as they do.  Our coldest night so far awaits us but I can’t imagine being anywhere else!

02 October, 2016 (Joel Davis)

Well, it’s a day late, but better late than never. I started this day off with high hopes and a list of all the stuff that I needed to get done. We started the day with cinnamon rolls and eggs with sausage. It wasn’t until I started eating that I realized just how long it had been since I had cinnamon rolls, way too long. Feeling full and ready to conquer my list of chores for the day, I dove straight in with my LOW team to finish typing up our plan for the rest of the week. This took a bit longer that expected as we decided to shuffle some things around as we finished it up. Before we knew it, it was lunch time. Lunch was simple with yogurt, fruit, and granola that everyone could mix to their hearts content. After lunch the LOW team sat down to discuss our plan for the week with Jeff and Ryan. They pointed out that we had over looked one very important aspect, the weather. After having gone over what the weather was predicted to look like with them, they left us alone to rework our plan for the week. Knowing how important Yellowstone was to everyone, both academically and personally, we decided to see how we could work around the weather and still stay in Yellowstone. Just before dinner we presented our new plan to Jeff and he informed us that the weather would make staying in Yellowstone all week miserable, to say the least. We all met up for dinner just in time to have to scramble to try and prepare for the rain that was coming in to late. With the rain we had our second thunderstorm of the trip. They seem to know just when to come around in order to disrupt out meals. After the storm passed we all for out of the van to try to clean up camp and finish our talk we were having in the van about how the weather was going to affect out week. Jeff took this time to inform us that we were in no way prepared to handle a week in the freezing temperatures and snow. After this it was back to bring up formerly decided against ideas for the LOW team. What a day! After finally having come up with a plan that we think is best for the group it was time to move onto my personal chores. First and foremost on the list laundry, after all you never know when the next time you’ll get to do some is. I got most of my homework done while my laundry ran, the rest I should be able to get done in the van tomorrow. For now, I do believe that my pillow is calling my name.

01 October, 2016 (Nick Walberg)

And so it begins, another week as leader of the week and another trip to Yellowstone. Today we moved from our unexpected campsite we found yesterday after attending to our business. The morning started off with meeting with Jeff and Ryan starting with the new LOW's and then then Jeff and Ryan met with the old LOW's. Surprisingly, Jeff and Ryan ran LOW feedback this week in place of Joel and me. We all got the chance to see how a well facilitated feedback session should go. After not getting to visit the cave on Friday, the new LOW's decided to schedule the cave hike today so that the Group would get the chance to experience a cave after driving out of our way to the cave. The cave followed what seemed like a ridiculous amount of hiking up. The cave is not what I expected at first, it was full of trash and graffiti. I had imagined this clean area that was a secret spot where we could see what a cave is supposed to look like. Even with all of the markings on the walls, the natural walls of the cave were intact allowing us to enjoy in the spectacle of this little cave that most people didn’t know about. We were able to see different geologic formations and we got to dip our hands in the water from the waterfall in the cave. After we got out of the cave, we quickly grabbed the trailer and left for Ranchester, WY. Everyone seemed excited to have hot showers and Wi-Fi again. I am sitting here watching Joe Dirt for the first time hoping that I don’t wake Jeff and Ryan.

30 September, 2016 (Kolin O'Keefe)

Devil’s tower, a sight to behold. Before leaving our campsite at Devil’s Tower, we got to get a close-up view of the monument and check out the visitor center. Also got to see a couple of climbers on the cliff walls of the tower. Looked like an intense climb and I would need a lot more experience/years before I attempt anything like that. After this, we hooked up the trailer and hit the road again. We made a quick pit stop to get gas and fill up our propane tanks before leaving to change our oil. We arrived at a Grease Monkey and we had one hour to roam before meeting back at the van. A few of us decided to go to Petco and Walmart. There were quite a few animals and it really makes me want to get a pet when I get home. Browsed Walmart for a bit before having to head back. After gathering our belongings, we hit the road for a short drive to get to our destination, only to find out that is was closed. What a bummer. Was looking forward to charging my laptop and finishing my first critique, but that will have to wait. Alex and the other cooks however made a delicious meal that improved my spirits, like that chip dip. You are going to have to send that recipe my way Alex! All in all though, I can’t be too disappointed. This campsite has a lot to offer. Not facilities wise, the toilets already proved that. The aesthetics here are just so incredible and easy on the eyes. I know I will have a chance to get my homework started again soon. Just gotta keep my chin up and my spirits high. Until next time.

29 September, 2016 (Tommy LeGrand)

The road continues, the bonds between us grow and as a leader? Well as a leader I couldn’t ask for a better group of adventurers… no, friends. Today was awesome, we started out in the Bad Lands for a second morning greeted by an awe inspiring sunrise. After which we all gorged ourselves on some good ole' “Spaceman – thanksgiving stuffing” which was just what I needed to get my furnace rolling. As my furnace began rolling we rolled out of camp and made our way to watch a brief but interesting video at the Bad Lands visitor center followed by a tour and our exit loop. My goodness, words could not describe the views. I’m not too sure pictures could do it much justice either. While taking in these breathtaking sights and even some tid bits of knowledge, both on the signs and from an experienced tourist / guide (the world famous Jeff). Most of us also got to start teaching quick lessons on our Outdoor Ed topics which could use some more practiced timing (haha!). Eventually we made our way, or more so got ripped out of our sightseeing tour, to adventure onwards to the land of 5 cent coffee and free ice water! Yep Wall Drug! A sight to see in itself. We all enjoyed a bit of time away from each other and then made our way back for some more R & R, roads and reading. The change in scenery was pretty immediate from South Dakota to Wyoming and just as breathtaking. Not to mention getting to see Devils Tower from a distance as it grew. As we got in to camp with high spirits, we realized it would be a long night. It was, but I think everyone is excited for tomorrow.

28 September, 2016 (Mariah Von Bruenchenhein)

What a day! What a day! It was such a great morning and an extremely beautiful day! However, I woke up sort of pissed because I had to pee really, really bad and did not want to get out of my sleeping bag. Thank goodness I did because the night sky was absolutely gorgeous! It pepped up my mood but I still went back to my sleeping bag to sleep just a little big longer. But something even better happened after that. Emily was completely cocooned in her sleeping bag. She stuck only her nose, one eye, and half of her mouth out to ask me how much time she has left to sleep or something along those lines. I answered about twenty-five minutes and she literally squealed with joy. Probably the cutest thing I have seen in a while. That girl makes me smile so much. Instead of going back to sleep we chatted for the rest of the time. After breakfast we set off on a hike throughout some of the badlands. I was amazed at the landscapes. Liv told me she is already planning a trip back to this place and I hope I’m invited when she does. I got many beautiful pictures of the landscapes and also a few with my instructor, who I can also call my very good friend. We moved on to the location of the Wounded Knee Massacre which was a few hours away. The ride was wonderful. It included great views, awesome music, and writing to loved ones back at home. It is hard to collect all my thoughts after visiting the location of the Wounded Knee Massacre. Just being there moved me in a way I cannot explain. I really do not know how to put my feelings into words. It’s a lot different learning about the incident at the actual place instead of from our textbooks. All I can say is education yourself. It is the most powerful thing one can do. Goodnight South Dakota. 

27 September, 2016 (Tyler Gebel)

At last we are here, the Badlands. We have traveled all the way down from Canada to our Macomb headquarters and now we are officially in the west. I feel like our transition to this area had great significance, when we stopped at the Dakotas Museum and the Lakota Museum to receive a tour, I felt an immense surge in more understanding of the culture out here. The Native American culture and the sad past they have endured moved me in a way that I believe changed my perspective of what I have been told through my education. WE discussed today that there is always more than one side of the coin between culture to culture and textbooks may only show the side of one coin. When we were done with our visit to these museums it was off to our campsite of the night. We knew we were in the Badlands once we saw the rugged landscape and its beautiful architecture sprawled out as far as the eye can see. I was really excited to see a group of fairly good sized prairie dogs when we were close to the entrance too. The flora and fauna has definitely changed dramatically as we have crossed the Great Plains. Two bighorn sheep greeted us when we passed through the main entrance. Our campground here at Cedar Pass isn’t too far into the park but the surrounding views makes me so glad to be in the Wild West. As the sunset began, beautiful colors streamed on the horizon and the blue sky darkened. When the stars came out, we could see more than we could count. The silence out here is peaceful and makes me reflect on all that I have experienced in the past few days. I am truly appreciative to be where we are and what lies ahead here in the wild and rugged Badlands. 

26 September, 2016 (Emily Smith)

Well guys, so it begins.

The meat and potatoes. We’ve conquered what we could in Canada and made it back to home base; a time that we were all looking forward to. Then it was right back at it this morning with more miles on the road and the Wild West toward our windshield of good ol’ Van 63. We successfully made it to Lewis and Clark Recreation Area and posted up right beside the water. We’ll only call this home for a very short while as we dive into the Badlands tomorrow. Words can’t describe how excited I am to finally get to ECOEE 2016’s first National Park and truly begin another leg of our storybook. As time passes and each day presents a new set of challenges to overcome, I’m reminded of the incredible growth that is happening here. With troubles ahead and troubles behind I can only take each overcome obstacle as a new notch in my belt. I’m learning so much day to day, I know that we all are. There is one lesson, however, that keeps appearing in my forefront over and over again – and that is that I better not blink. 

25 September, 2016 (Liv Smith)

The weekend at Horn Field Campus has come to a close. We met together at 5 o’clock after our much needed break. Most of us spent time with our loved ones, or at least doing what we love, like hanging out with friends or gorging ourselves on fast food. As soon as we met together we had a short brief of what was to be done for the night and then straight to Wally World. As chefs ran about getting our groceries, Emily had the master plan to go and buy Jeff a surprise birthday cake. A simple chocolate cake was decided upon, but only because we could not afford the one with smiling dolphins on it, or the pink princess cake. On our way back to Horn we made a quick stop at Currens to drop off and pickup books, and Horrabin to get Mariah a new water filter. I guess that’s the end of DB. Later in the night we all knocked Jeff’s cabin door to surprise him with cake, coke and candy. Hopefully Jeff had a good birthday, even with us involved. We start our trip tomorrow at the early time of 8:00 am. I look forward to the day’s travel, and my long nap in the car.

24 September, 2016 (Joel Davis)

Well, after all of the work that we managed to get done yesterday, this morning was left to basic chores and cabin clean ups. Breakfast was at 8 am and was some sort of Mexican breakfast burrito. After that everyone moved to get the last of their chores done while we waited for the LOW debrief. That started just after 11 and ran for about an hour or so. After that we were told that we were free to go if we had all of our chores done. Kolin, Nick, and I all stuck around Horn and relaxed until lodge and libations. This was a great event where we got to mingle with ECOEE’s past, people within the department, and even our parents if they came. It was great getting to see my parents and talk to them about everything I had gotten to experience in Canada and everything that I hoped to experience in the months to come. I cannot wait to get on the road and get to see what all awaits us out west and down south for the rest of the semester.

23 September, 2016 (Alex Olson)

Today was almost like our first few days together at HFC as we all had our individual along with group chores to accomplish except now we all had a good idea how to get them done.  Our day wad filled with task after task until we got most everything done.  This afternoon we had a surprise visit from the one and only Doc Lupton which led to introductions from everyone along with a good talk with him about the history of ECOEE and how different it is from 40 years ago to how it is now, but also how some aspects are still the same.  It’s crazy to think that a program founded 40 years ago has impacted 100's of student’s lives while preparing them for their future careers.  I am grateful to be part of the legacy of what ECOEE has become and look forward to all of the memories and experiences that will be in the next two months.  As we finished up most of our chores to be done for the day, we had a delicious dinner of beef stroganoff that we had the pleasure of sharing with Doc Lupton. Many stories were shared between us tonight with so many more to come tomorrow during Lodge and Libations.  It’s gonna be a hot one tomorrow so I’ll be thankful for the opportunity for the air conditioning at HFC while it lasts since there won’t be any for a while once we leave on Monday!  Hopefully my parents will recognize me when I finally get to see them or else they will be asking Jeff what happened to their son.

22 September, 2016 (Cody Hardy)

Well guys, we made it back to Horn in one piece, so we can all give ourselves a pat on the back for that! We had our ups and downs but hopefully we all learned from our mistakes and will use those lessons to become better outdoor leaders. We experienced so many amazing things in such a short amount of time and most of those things many people will never experience in their entire lifetime. We are seriously some of the luckiest people alive. As much as I hate to admit it, but none of this would have happened without Jeff and we will forever be in debt to him for that. He would go out of his way to make sure we are all safe and to ensure that we take away as much as we can from this program. I could go on and on about the things he has done for us but I don’t want his head to get to big, so I will just say Thank You from every one of us Jeff. Now, about today, it was a long hot day in the van, but excitement levels were high for our return to Horn. After a short but fun visit to Storer YMCA we finished the rest of our drive back home. Storer YMCA was an awesome experience. We had the opportunity shadow staff and observe how they teach and interact with children. I think we had just as much fun, if not more fun than the kids did. We got to god hold several different reptiles and some of us even got to make candles. I was even lucky enough to teach a group of kids about how the Ball Python got its name. Based on the amount of fun we had with our visit today and the others over the past couple days, I cannot wait to see what the rest of our professional visits have in store for us. After we arrived back at Horn we are greeted by Mindy and a few members from last year’s ECOEE for pizza and to share our adventure with them. This is only the beginning of a once in a lifetime adventure and we better cherish every second of it. 

21 September, 2016 (Nick Walberg)

We started off the day by once again saying goodbye to the Gates and Jeff’s parents before we left for the Battle Creek Outdoor Education Center. Before ECOEE I never knew such  program existed in the United States. I was amazed to find out that Battle Creek was the first facility of it’s kind and was created thanks to the generosity of the Kellogg foundation during the Great Depression. Battle Creek had a beautiful facility that featured a high ropes course and a rock wall for older students to try. It made me wish my schools had offered me the chance to spend up to a week learning about the outdoors   in a place where nature matters. I was also glad that over the decades budget cuts and other hardship hadn’t prevented this place from giving children the chance to understand instead of reciting information. After we finished our tour we got the chance to talk the staff in training and learn about how this place operates a well as how each instructor got the job. Largely we heard the same phrase that has been recited to us every year of our lives, It’s who you know, not what you know. Although I have trusted this statement to be true, I was surprised how many people at the camp had gotten the job through word of mouth instead of merit based. I was reminded today of how thankful I am to have this opportunity to see how the world really works.

20 September, 2016 (Tyler Gebel)

A fine morning waking up in Newaygo State Park. Today we went to our first administrative center now that we are back in the United States. Breakfast burritos started us off right and then on the road we went. Howard Christensen Nature Center was really neat to visit, and we learned a lot about the history of the center itself. Our friend David told us about the interpretation and outdoor education programs they have for young elementary kids all the way up to high school kids. We got to to learn more about the public relations aspect of their business too and how they bring in different school districts to their site. Getting a tour of the place was really neat and I think we all enjoyed seeing the free-range chickens as well as the pot-bellied pig and two male billy goats. So many displays of birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects flocked the interpretation center and gave us all some insight into how many species really belong in the surrounding ecosystem. After our exciting visit we were on the road again and made our way to the Gates house once again for a warm welcome stay and a delicious meal consisting of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and other delicacies that included even a German chocolate cake. So delicious! A lot of us were able to work on some homework too which we have all been in desperate need of accomplishing. I even got a good start on the first part of our ECOEE 2016 documentary. Yay! It has been a nice first full day in the states again and I have been learning a lot my first week of being a LOW. I would say that this has been a great birthday for me as well and I look forward to our arrival at Battle Creek tomorrow. 

19 September, 2016 (Alex Olson)

As everyone was waking up this morning from a short night’s sleep from all of the cleaning done last night, we encountered something we have not come across yet during our expedition.  The moon and stars were visible as the cooks woke up to prepare breakfast but only until the storm moved in with thunder and lightning which caused some delay in our departure from camp.  Most of us were still in our tents so we got a little extra sleep until it was safe to come out while the rest of the group waited the storm out in the van.  After the first front country meal in about a month filled our bellies with eggs, bacon, and potatoes, we loaded up and got back on the road to the good ole U.S.A.  A short drive from Pancake Bay on the coastline of Lake Superior put us on the international customs bridge in Sault St. Marie.  We got through border patrol without any hassle and were finally back on American soil.  Once we were in Michigan, we made our way down to St. Ignace for a lunch break and to visit some museums in town that featured the Ojibway tribe history which has historic roots in the area.  We met back as a group for lunch featuring BLT sandwiches following our look around at the coastal town on Lake Huron at the North end of the Mackinac bridge.  Crossing the famous suspension bridge for the second time took me back to our first week of the expedition as we had no idea on what to expect in our previous four weeks spent together in Canada.  With hundreds of miles being covered today, we only made a few stops with our last one being in Big Rapids, Michigan, to fill our trailer up with groceries up at Walmart.  Our final destination today is a campground in Newaygo, Michigan where we had dinner that filled our bellies with hot dogs, baked beans, and topped off with Tyler’s surprise birthday ice cream cake.  We will be heading to our first professional visit tomorrow to Howard Christensen Nature Center so we will try to look as “professional” as possible with wearing our sharp looking polo shirts that we received at Horn Field Campus.  Looking forward to hearing from some experts in the field besides hearing Jeff and Ryan all day every day.  Early morning ahead of us with lots to do tonight but we will take each day as it comes. 

18 September, 2016 (Kolin O'Keefe)

Woke up to the sound of rain hitting the rain fly. Early start to the morning and I don’t know about anyone else, but my motivation to move was pretty low. We all still managed to get moving, got all of our gear packed, and hopped into the van, a familiar yet forgotten feeling. To me, it was exciting because I love to go on long car rides (like a big puppy). We drove for several minutes till we got to a Tim Horton's to pick up breakfast. Realizing I had forgotten my wallet in the other trailer, Tyler graciously bummed me some $$$ so I could get a hot chocolate. It was our first time in 28 days that we had eaten something other than back country food. It warmed my insides as well as my soul. Got to stop at a gas station after about 1 hour of driving to go to the bathroom, load up on snacks, and stretch the ole’ legs. I got my diet coke which I have been craving for over 1 month now! It was delicious to say the least. Later we arrived at Wawa, a small Canadian town of 3,700. We got the opportunity to walk around and get groceries. Tyler, Cody, Joel, and I stopped at a small food vendor called Mona’s Kitchen. We all got poutine, a mix of fries, gravy, cheese, peppers, pepperoni, and mushrooms. It may or may have not been the greatest thing I have eaten in a long time. Afterwards, we went to Pancake Bay to where we would be camping for the night. We later conducted a debrief about our 28 day adventure. For the most part, it seemed like we were all conscious of our goals we had set for ourselves at day 1 of paddling as well as working towards them. After some time, we set up camp and got ready for Jeff to take us out for dinner, his treat. We went to a gift shop while we waited for Jeff and Ryan to make reservations. I ended up buying some 100 percent Canadian Maple Syrup and a post card for my parents. I bought myself a Baja Joe. Guess I’m a true hippie now. We went to the Voyager Lodge for supper and on our way we saw our first black bear trying to cross the road. After we passed it up, we backed up our van to get a closer look. It took off in the other direction after that. We were all convinced that Jeff scared it off. After this, we were treated with yet more poutine and appetizers galore. We ate to our hearts content. I had a grilled chicken wrap with fries. Some individuals had “The Meat Pie.” Which seemed like quite the Canadian delicacy. Also, I have never seen someone eat more fries than Alex did tonight. Have mercy on your soul Alex… and your lower intestines. We get a bit of a later start tomorrow, so getting to sleep in a little bit will be refreshing. Until next time!

17 September, 2016 (Joel Davis)

Today marks the beginning of an end. It is officially the end of our time on the Missinaibi River. Jeff had us do an end of expedition where he and Ryan left us alone for about 24 hours with one simple set of instructions. We leave Glassy Falls in intervals and have the last boat get to Mattice by 1 pm at the latest. As the first boat left at 8 am, we all joined in on one loud, long whistle blow to satisfy our itch most of us have had since day one of wearing them. With this as our send off, we all started our staggered departures. Tyler and I were the fourth boat to take off and we left a little after 9 am to begin the few miles to our destination. We talked for a few minutes then decided to do a 30 minute reflection where we were only allowed to talk if it was essential for navigation purposes. Good thing we allowed that since we went through some rapids during this reflection time. After our silent reflection was over we reflected out loud with each other, asking questions and attempting to find a good answer. With so much to reflect on and so little of a paddle to do it in, I found myself wishing that I had more time, not just to reflect, but to be on the river as well. I’m sure that many have said it, but few have meant it. So when I say that this is not a good bye, but an until next time, it isn’t just words, but a promise to myself that I will someday return to the Missinaibi River. After getting off of the river, we went about our usual Saturday routine of feedback and LOW transitions. This was also accompanied by a list of chores that we had to get done so that we would be ready to leave tomorrow morning. With our transition from back country into front country well underway and my transition from LOW back to group member, I can’t help but to think that it’s all going to be different from here on out; fun, exciting, educational, and nerve racking, yes, but different none the less. As I lay here in my tent, listening to the patter of rainfall, I can’t help but to think back upon what all has happened and how the waters have been a part of it all for the last month or so. The Missinaibi River, the rain, all of the different lakes, and even the fog; these are the waters that have shaped us all over this time. They have helped us grow, helped us learn, helped us experience what few can say they have, and even helped us to stay hydrated. This is not and experience I will soon forget, and the best part, is that there is still so much more to come.

16 September,2016 (Cody Hardy)

Well Guys this is it, twenty-eight days on the river have come and gone. Twenty-eight days ago we stood at Hawk Junction what we had gotten ourselves into and wondering what the next twenty-eight days had in store for us. As we stand here today all of those questions have been answered for us. We have had our ups and downs, but overall I can say this experience will forever be in all of our hearts. We have all grown so much in such a short amount of time and we have grown stronger as a group. I don’t know about you guys, but today was full of emotion and thoughts of, “will I ever be back here?” for myself I hope the answer is yes. Part of this place will forever be a part of each and every one of us. I could go on and on about this place and what it has done for us, but there are not enough pages in this journal so I will move into the events of the day. As we arrived at Glassy Falls we were again reminded of the first half of the twenty-eight days with a soft sandy beach which we have not seen in quite some time. We set up camp and gathered for a group meeting. We were granted the best gift ever with a night without Jeff and Ryan. As we watch them paddle off we all stood there asking ourselves, “do they really trust us to survive by ourselves out here?” We had an amazing afternoon. Some people took naps, some played Frisbee, and others took personal time to reflect, while Kolin, Alex, and I went fishing. The afternoon was full of smiles and laughter by everyone. The evening consisted of a community supper of fresh fried fish and hash browns with veggies. After the group split apart after dinner, Joel, Alex, Kolin, Tyler, Nick, and I sat around under the tarp, in the rain, and made hush puppies. All I can think about is how tomorrow is our last day on the river which will be the beginning of the next chapter of ECOEE. Only one way to find out what is going to come next. All I can say is, “it has been real, it has been fun, and yes it has been real fun!”

15 September, 2016 (Liv Smith)

Another lovely day here on the Missinaibi River. We paddled early in the morning. But were first greeted by a French man (Tommy) with quite the colorful outfit on which included tall socks under red shorts, three layering shirts and a curly mustache. Needless to say, it woke us all up with some much needed laughter on such a cold morning. Looking around it seemed as though the trees had changed in color overnight. It felt like fall was beginning here in Canada. Once we arrived at Big Beaver, we were all delighted by the sheer beauty of the campsite. The steep rocks, rolling water, and colorful moss seemed to put us all at ease. After a long break, we met up after dinner at the end of the portage trail where we were greeted by a spiritedly Irish man (Kolin). We were given a brief history on what the fur trade used to be like and how all the portage trails were used before us. With some catching theme music we all left smiling. As I sit here on the rocks under the light of the moon, I am reminded of just how fortunate I am to be here. I have never seen such gorgeous landscapes, and will most likely never see them again, or at least in the same way. I think back to day one of our trip to the river mumbling to myself “What the hell have I gotten my elf into? How can I do 28 days of this?!” And now I am deeply humbled by the fact that I have almost completed this section of the expedition. To imagine how this trip will affect me for the rest of my life, and is now a part of me.

14 September, 2016 (Tommy LeGrand)

Lessons are being taught, rapids are being run, and food barrels seem to be getting low. We are closing our chapter on the river, and with only a few days left, thoughts drift towards front country dreams. I know I am dreaming of some Mac Daddies. It is hard to not think of these things I am missing… I also know I will be missing the river and the back country life as soon as were out of the woods, so I have been trying not to get too lost in my front country dreams. Any who I guess I should talk about today a little, haha. We successfully navigated our way from Two Portage Falls to a nice large camp”SITE” on a hill next to a gravel pit. Many names have been said for it tonight, but I will dub this site personally as the three loaf site (haha three dog night?) Any who there was a lot of portages today, quite a bit of rapids running and a little bit of tension between everyone as some decisions were made. The night started with a lesson by Em and ended with most everyone in a circle screaming, “DOUBLES!” I think it had something to do with cheesecake? So that was today, I think it is time for a little bit of bread and coffee before I knock out.

13 September, 2016 (Mariah Von Bruenchenhein)

Laying in the tent right now with Liv and Joel. Joel and I are about to make a Liv sandwich! It’s a tight tent but so dance cozy. Speaking of sandwiches, hot dogs are not a sandwich. We paddled our longest mileage today with a total of 21 miles. Pretty cool stuff. It misted most of the day but I still did not have any room for complaints. Although I’m extremely exhausted and can barely keep my eyes open, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here. I am falling asleep to 2 Portages Falls in the background. I’m having some awesome tent talk with my good buddies. I get to paddle under blue skies and white cotton balls on a daily basis (well most days) and last but not least, I can call this my classroom. Funny thing is, I have learned more out here than in a normal classroom setting. I’m really nervous to leave. I’m really sad to be leaving soon. However, the many lessons and memories will last a life time. This is not a goodbye Missinaibi River, it’s a see you later. Now a night filled with cuddles and well deserved rest.

12 September, 2016 (Emily Smith)

Another day, another dollar!

Just kidding. We’re not getting paid for this at all. Anyway, it was another beautiful day on the river. We may not be getting monetary gain but I think I can speak for everyone when I say that I have already gained so much more than I could have imagined in the short month that we’ve spent on this endeavor. Today felt like a long one for all of us, lucky for me I got to spend it in a canoe with one of my dearest friends. One of my favorite parts of our day-to-day paddling is the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with whoever we’re paddling with that day. Days are long and busy for all of us, so I took full advantage of the chance to finally catch up with Mariah. With just a few more lessons to be taught while we’re here in Canada, I’m looking forward to having some time to reflect and consider my appreciation for this place. Our time on this leg is almost through, but man, there is still so much more to see…The music isn’t stopping, my friends!

11 September, 2016 (Kolin O'Keefe)

Another day on the river. We paddled from wavy rapids to split rock today and made decent time despite our slow start to the day. That may have been due to our groggy day we had yesterday with all the rain. At least we made the most of it. However, today was a welcome reminder that this Canadian weather is very temperamental and tends to turn on a dime. Today was nothing but sunshine. We went through several rapids and had a blast getting splashed by the large waves. Tyler and I had a great time as paddling partners, laughing and making goofy impersonations the whole way. We also got to experience Greenhill portage. I never really seemed to mind portages, I actually slightly enjoy them. Nonetheless, Greenhill was a challenge and it pushed me as an individual. I am ½ way used to the ruck sack marches, but this is much different and challenging in its own exciting way. Going along these lines, Tyler asked if I knew any marching songs to sing while we were carrying the canoe. I knew of “Jodies” that I used to sing while doing ruck marches and it brought back a lot of memories for me. I had a blast singing them and at about the same time, I was ironically reminded of 9-11 and took some personal time out of my day to reflect and was reminded of the tragic events and all the lives that were lost. I decided to redeem myself for Nick tonight by cook supper. The last time I made him dinner was during Cody, Nick and I’s LOW debrief. It was going so well that night till I spilled noodles in front of my fellow LOW’s… as well as Jeff and Ryan. Woops! Anyways, tonight I made a delicious stir fry, but it was too spicy for Nick. Harsh critique! Next time brother. These mosquito's, also known as “skeeter’s,” are nasty but the beauty of the campsite makes up for it. Till next time.

10 September, 2016 (Nick Walberg)

Today is our day off at Wavy rapids and we got  up to a rain storm and chilly temps that barely broke 50 degrees. Liv and Tyler quickly set up the group tarp for everyone before heavier rains came in. while most people slept in, the LOW team of Tommy, Mariah, and Kolin met with Jeff and Ryan for LOW debrief with Jeff and Ryan. They only cried a little and the rain hid it well. When the rest of us did get up, we made a huge pan of hash browns. We were lucky to have breakfast get done as the LOW's got ready for the feedback section of the day. This week feedback was led by Liv and Joel, they started off with constrictive feedback then ended with positive. After feedback, Jeff announced that he wad postponing tent evals until the weather got better. All we had to do for the rest of the day was stay warm and well fed. Everyone congregated under the group tarp to hang out for the rest of the day, it turned into a huge party. People began to cook all kinds of food and drinks to keep us warm. Kolin cooked one of ECOEE’s famous delicacies, pancake loaf. Shortly after we finished cooking Tommy and I took naps. I awoke to an ECOEE concert staring Tyler on the harmonica. We had people playing the spoons, wash board, and pots and pans. Even when the weather gets bad, we grow closer together. For the rest of the day different snacks were made until we bean to make dinner.  We made dinner as a group with Tommy and me each making a different dish. Tommy made a tvp chili for half of the groups and I made a rice spaghetti with pepperoni. Everyone was to able to have as much of either dish as they wanted get ready for a cold night in the woods.

09 September, 2016 (Emily Smith)

Another day of thrillage and cool experience points as we added a few more rapids to our list of conquered obstacles. We had a few people flip their canoes entirely, but I’m sure it was just all in an effort to take a quick, impromptu bath. After all, we are beginning our 4^th week out here in the woods. Woot woot! I could really see the progression in everyone today. As we scouted rapids, though we weren’t always right, I heard the confidence growing in everyone’s voices and the discussions moving from “this looks dangerous” to “I know we can do this, lets just see how.” One of my favorite memories of the day was hearing the boys laughing like school girls as they ran the rapids just outside of camp. Once again, just a reminder of how lucky I am that this is my classroom. And even luckier that these are my classmates. Things may get rocky at times – in fact they will get rocky. At the end of the day, there’s nothin’ left to do but smile, smile, smile.

08 September, 2016 (Cody Hardy)

Well guys, this is the final stretch. Only eight more days left on the river. No, I am not saying that as a good thing. We had better make the best of what we have left. Now, about today, it started out as a wet morning, which turned into scattered showers throughout the day. We have been very luck with the weather we have been having up here so we should all be thankful for that. The rain put a damper on the day and the LOW's decided it would be best for the group if we hunkered down and spent another day at Peterbell. After an hour and a half and the help of just about every member in the group, we were able to get the group tarp up so we could start lessons. Lessons were pretty short today. Nick and Emily taught us two more knots and Tommy followed them up with a lightning strikes campers scenario. After that Ryan followed him up with a more in depth lesson about lightning and we ran a quick lightning protocol drill. Shortly after that a group discussion began which allowed people to express their emotions and get things off their chests. Although Jeff said he believes we have now entered the storming stage, I believe the final outcome of the discussion was a positive one. I believe we can all work together to make this stage as short and sweet as possible. The rest of the day was a free day to allow people to stay dry and get caught up on sleep/homework. Debrief was pretty short as well and was followed by us all biting our tongues and saying three nice things about another member of the group. (Just kidding). As we left the circle at the end of the day, there was a rainbow awaiting us. A beautiful site for a crappy wet day. Just remember guys, no matter how bad things may get, there is always a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

07 September, 2016 (Alex Olson)

Today had quite a few obstacles that we all had to face. Some of them came in the form of rocks while other obstacles came in ways that better ourselves as outdoor leaders. What seemed to be a shorter day according to the map turned out to be one of our longest days on the water when we finally arrived to our campsite this evening. After all was said and done, a lot more was said than done. We all took in lots of valuable information on reading currents in moving water and we all had some great experiences out there running the rapids. Deciding what to do in certain situations can be one of the most important skills as we each develop our decision making process and figure out how to lead our peers throughout the semester. I think that we are all still constantly working on decision making that we sometimes overlook or over think things but that will come with time leading. When our roller coaster of a day came to an end in Peterbell, Nick had his interpretation to give us on the abandoned logging town. It’s crazy to think that this very piece of land we are on tonight looked much different back in the day.  There are still signs of settlement visible even today as we saw remnants of the past such as old railroad ties and even an old truck and boat.  Speaking of railroads, it’s almost like we are back in Macomb with them passing by! One of the few bridges we cross under on our journey reminds us that our “classroom” out here in the wilderness can be much more than we would be getting in a four-walled room. I’m not sure about anyone else, but I can’t wait until we can get several more rapids conquered tomorrow as we continue our journey through the historic Missinaibi River.

06 September, 2016 (Emily Smith)

What a fantastic day. We started the day off on a good foot with being earlier than our expected time for departure. I’d like to say that we’re just that good at packing our things up, but I think that the anticipation of our first sets of rapids had a bit to do with it. We ran both Cedar Rapids and Long Rapids and kudos to Tommy and Cody for being the only two to not get held up on some rocks. I’m marking that down as an ECOEE 2016 win.

            After coming off the river for the night and finishing our daily and evening routines of lessons and dinner, I was feeling some emotion that I didn’t quite know how to express – or even that I needed to. Turns out debrief was exactly what I needed. More than letting out my own feelings, I totally needed the conversation about where everyone else’s heads were. It was great to realize that I’m not the only one feeling some things like anxiousness or tiredness. It was even better to realize that I’m not the only one feeling some really great things too – like strength and gratitude. While this was such a powerful reflection time for me we all were also reminded one thing about this river experience. There are nine more days. Just nine. Only nine. I’m left with a repeat line running through my head. 

05 September, 2016 (Liv Smith)

This morning we started off before sun rise in order to be ready for today’s paddle. With the stars above us we started making breakfast and packing our bags. After hashbrowns, a small hike back to the beach where our canoes waited for us and journal, we were on our way to the Missinaibi River!

The paddle started off slow, following the lake and it’s many bays. Crescent moon after crescent moon, we tried to cut our time down in order to get off the lakes sooner with the wind picking up. We decided to cross a large bay together as fast as possible with our best interests in mind. WE all moved efficiently and made it safely across, no t-rescues required. We had a short break on a sandbar which later turned into a longer break while we searched for the Brunswick House. We never did find the dilapidated building, but we all enjoyed the trek through the tall grass with a brief dance party in-between. Before continuing onto the river, Tommy was able to pint out some racoon and bird prints in the sand. From there, we traveled through more tall grasses until we paddled onto the beginning of the river. We landed at a small campsite just before the portage. While we camped beach side, Jeff and Ryan chose to stay on the other side of the portage. I guess we really do stick. After lunch we went over to the rapids to receive a white water lesson from Jeff. We watched as Ryan slipped through the rocks so easily, we did not expect to get as banged up as we did on our way down. We planned to show off bruises later. With bruised elbows and sore butts, we went back to our site to cook dinner. Most of us decided to stick to a warm meal of soup. Our included a tasty treat from Alex. More Walleye! WE had a short debrief and a brief for what tomorrow will bring. Though most of us look very tired from the day, I can sense the anticipation between us as we embark on our journey down the river.