We are all back and very tired and grumpy!

Eagle Bluff was a great experience. Qatar and I hurt everywhere and are both very tired. But, what a great time we had. We hiked, rock climbed, zip lined, walked across wires 35 plus feet in the air, orienteering up and down a ravine(for over 2 hours), tried to start a fire with no matches, built a winter survival shelter and started a great fire to boil water with only few matches, learned about the Oneota Indians, the environment, recycling, food waste, reptiles, raptors, how wintergreen certs when chewed will light up in your mouth and how to work as a team. We hiked miles in 10 inches of fresh powder and in thirty pounds of winter gear.

The teachers were great, the kids were great, it was a wonderful experience and I am glad I was able to go with Qatar. Thanks Amanda for your help and I am sorry you did not feel well. We have a great 7th grade at Ellis. The group I was assigned to had 15 kids and 3 adults. Mrs. Gosha was our advisor teacher and she was terrific to work with. I got very tired and it took everything I had to keep going at one point, but I did not want to look bad in front of the kids I was with, so I kept going. I even at one time thought about faking an injury, some soft tissue injury they could not see but would have to drive the gator out to pick me up for. I fell enough while orienteering, in the forest with all the fresh snow we could not see the fallen limbs and other obstacles in our way, that it could have looked authentic. What a great adventure to have with Qatar. I sat with Qatar and his friends at meals and they are wonderful kids, lots

of fun to be around. I enjoyed the kids and the other adults. The beds were hard, but the second night I was almost unconscious when my head hit the pillow so I really do not remember. The food was OK, but we ate lots to keep us going. Food helps keep you warm. (We all had hat head and looked pretty rustic at the end.)

David returned from DC today also. Qatar and I arrived back at Ellis at 2:20pm we drove to get the kids at Banfield and then dropped some off at home and then to the airport in Rochester to pick up David. I am really looking forward to my bed tonight.

It was a wonderful, terrific, spectacular experience for me to spend time with the 7th graders(and Qatar) working hard and having fun. I have a whole new appreciation for these kids. I encourage anyone that has the opportunity to go as a chaperon to jump at the chance. Iwould love to go again next year.(Maybe with Connett or Charley or Caleb-Hint- Hint.) Thanks to all the people that helped with my kids while David and I were gone. The Whites, Amanda, Sarah and anyone else I may have left off. THANK YOU!!!

The big group shot is the amount of 7th graders we had on our trip and then the second group came in as we were leaving. Great kids.