- Expedition: Apr 3-8, 2016
- Tatum
- Kingsburg High School
- Yosemite National Park: Hetch Hetchy
Monday:
We learned how to pack our heavy duty backpacks (which took a couple of hours). We also played many group challenges, which got us all closer together (and were a lot of fun!), like:
The log one: All 13 of us were on a log and we had to arrange ourselves tallest to shortest without talking or falling off the log. We had to move around each other and hold hands and hug (plus many other strategies!).
Camouflage: One person, the predator, was inside a circle of water bottles and had to find people (prey) who were hiding. We had 30, 20, or 10 seconds to hide and the person who got closest to the predator won.
Rope: Alejandro made us all hold a rope and make shapes with it like California, square, circle, equilateral triangle. He then made us find locations off of the California that we made.
Whistle: One group is in a circle traveling one way and the other a different way. When the whistle was blown, one partner would pick up or get on top of the other and the last group/partnership to do so would be out.
Tuesday:
There was an hour and a half drive just to get to our starting point.
We started hiking around 11am-12pm.
I had no idea what the trail was going to be like. There was nice flat parts, easy to cross, and there was very steep parts, where I thought I may not be able to keep moving forward. The first part of the trip I was focused on hiking alone. I made sure I put my foot in the right places and that I was distributing obstacles evenly for each foot. Halfway through the 6.5 mile hike, I started realizing how much attention I was spending on my muscles. I took off my hat and looked farther out from time to time. I started noticing landmarks and small, almost fragile things. I realized that hiking wasn't about actually hiking, it was about being some place and being apart of it, not conquering it.
Wednesday:
Today is a relaxed day and I am very grateful for that. Jack and Alejandro asked that we separated and wrote in our journal in nature. We all get ot pick where we were going to reflect. I chose along the outskirts of a tiny meadow-like space. I did not want to sit too close to this opening, but a tree or to back so that I could see all of its glory. It is absolutely the perfect temperature, there is a slight breeze, and everything is on its own, careless, and free. there are small flowers that are yellow, which seems so appropriate. Yellow is a happy color, I believe it symbolizes hope. Watching nature reminds me of this article I read once. the author was a Vegan man arguing why nature is so important to leave alone. He said that if all the bees in the world were to die, the world would fall apart, but if humans were all go extinct, the world would take care of itself. Nature doesn't needs us, people do, people need each other, to see better, and we do this in an unreasonable way. I believe that people get to concerned with themselves, and somehow that's okay because it is after all human nature. However, sitting here is incredible with noticing life other than myself. The grass sways whatever way it wants, the breeze shifts without permission. The bugs fly around carelessly, not avoiding me yet not coming to me. the little stream flows freely on its own path aht it itself created, not because they need to, or were told, not because we made them. Nature doesn't need me, in fact, it doesn't even notice me, but I need it. I need its freedom, its comfort, I need its nurturement and its rejection. But in all, nature loves me without end, even as much as we have hurt it it, still continues to sway.
Why I Walk
I walk to nowhere
I walk to find my place
I walk wihtout a trail
I walk without a trace.
I walk to find something,
and I walk to replace
I walk and do not run
because I know it's not a race.
I walk because I'm quiet
I walk because I'm shy
I walk because I'm adventurous
and there's nothing I won't try.
I walk to feel mighty
like a lion's roar
I walk without stopping
through walking, I soar
I walk with confidence
I walk without hesitation
I walk to compliment
my dreams and fascinations.
I walk with no worries
because I walk with a smile,
A picture's worth a 1,000 words
my journey's at least a thousand miles
I walk without a place to go to
because I know I'm free
I walk with no rememberance
of who I used to be.
I walk with pure intention
because when push comes to shove
I know that in my heart
I will always walk to love.
