Elements - X-Games

WELCOME TO THE ELEMENTS!

No - We weren't body surfing in the snow this week - but I came across this pic of my Sheila and thought it appropo for the tag line of "kids, outside, in winter. . . embrace them!'

With that, we did indeed have our own interesting week in the elements.  We got the full spectrum from Tuesday's clear and cool weather to Wednesday's rain, sleet and snow and finally Thursday's - snowy wonderland.  The weather kept us on our toes and we adjusted and adapted the X-Games according to the conditions.

On Tuesday- we moved from event to event.  We had the Bucket Brigade Race, the Wounded Comrade Race, the Frisbee Golf station and finally the Everest White Out Simulation Station.  Each station had the kids working as a team.

In the Bucket Brigade 2 teams lined up on the banks of the stream.  They each had one cup and at the end of the row a (bucket). They had to fill the bucket by passing the full cup, person to person, thus practicing speed with precision.

In the Wounded Comrade Race, they were introduced to a bit of Wilderness First Aid by learning  how to properly and carefully carry a "wounded comrade'.   As a team they had to safely get from point A to point B while carrying one of their mates.

Frisbee Golf was played with various trees being the 'Holes'.

At The Everest White Out Simulation - they were (2 at a time) blindfolded and set on a rope course that wound through the woods.  We had them use their imagination and pretend that they had just summited Everest but a huge storm has come in (foreshadowing indeed) and they have to use a 'set' rope to feel their way back to their tents.  The kids were quite amazed at how different it feels to be manouvering the woods and terrain without sight.

Pumpkin Catapult

The Hike up Everest.

The Everest White Out Simulation (w sea level oxygen)

The climber arrives safely to base camp.

Award Session for the X-Games!

Speaking of Everest. . . .as I said to the Wednesday group "I feel like the lead sherpa of an Everest expedition who has to make the decision as to whether summiting can safely happen or not."  As I made the 'weather call' at 2:30 we were all systems go but at 4:00 what was forecast as snow manifested itself as a hard-driving sleet which, as you all know, built up on the roadways in a matter of minutes.  So a last minute 'call' was made that Elements was off.  The pictures below are what my kids made of the ingredients that were provided that Wednesday afternoon.  Considering that most of the Wednesday kids were already dressed, I hope they too got out and made the best of it!  And my utmost apologies to the one family that did not get the call and trekked on over to the park.

Really packable snow!

Almonds for teeth, a carrot for a nose and my favorite straw sun hat will never be quite the same after exposure to those elements!

By Thursday,  we were back in business.  Those who had passable roads made it and we had a full and hearty group of X-Game athletes.  The woods were blanketed in a snowy cover and the soft, pink glow of the setting sun made for a spectacular finale to our X-Games 2011.

As is apparent from the photos below, the events of these X-Games were altered for the snowy conditions.  We had The Slalom Race, the Snow Shelter Stations, the Snowball Sniper contest and needless to say there were variations on all of the above.  Great fun!

Lots of practice for the 'Snowball Sniper Contest"

Some serious strategizing happening here.

This team was incredibly proud of their shelter from Shelter Week and decided that they could provide good insulation with packing snow on the exterior.

Work on roofing material. . . 

More roofing material.

The slalom course and races underway.

The Builders.

Our Academy Award winning Wounded Comrade.

Wilderness first Aid in action.  

Wow - Steady and stable!  Very Impressive.

The Wounded Comrade Station evolved into the Joke Station.  Here the joke is being presented.

The reaction was good laughs

Setting sun

The younger teams were not quite so delicate with their Wounded Comrade!

More Slalom Courses were established.

En route to our shelter.

Me protecting myself from the in-coming snowballs in the Sniper Contest.

Sometimes one doesn't have to build a shelter but nature provides the perfect one for us.

Snug as a squirrel in a tree!

Thursday Shelters

ELEMENTS: We had ice, rain and cold but mud reigned superior this week.

Elements Shelter Week -

Similar to week #1 - we split into our small peer groups.  Our hope is that the kids are making new pals and getting in the Elements groove.  The first few weeks of Elements can be overwhelming for some - the cold, the dark, the terrain, the activities  - are all a lot to absorb.  So we intentionally keep the groups small and give them a chance to adjust to the stimuli with a cozy couple of pals.  In the weeks ahead we will start to mix ages and sizes of groups - they will be ready for it.

See pics below as the creativity and ideas come together. . .

Brett's Group - checking out the lay of the land.

Kate's Group  - WIg Wam

Fodder for the fortress.

Head West - No South.

Ready to take on the bears!

Hunting and gathering

Who needs to build shelter when this tree provides the perfect one!

As far as the shelters, the creativity and effort were mind-boggling!  Each one was a bit 'Andy Goldsworthy' mixed with an element of 'Man vs The Wild'.  Each group used their imagination as they pretended that they were winter-hiking and had gone too far from their base camp.  We talked about how you can survive for quite a while without food, less time without water - but that if it is Winter and you are in the elements- you must build shelter.  They got into the moment and created masterpieces.

At the end of the day we went on a "Shelter Tour".  Enjoy the pictures and by all means get back to the park to continue enhancing/building/decorating/insulating these shelters.

Elements Shelter Week - Wednesday

ELEMENTS: We had ice, rain and cold but mud reigned superior this week.

Elements Shelter Week -

Similar to week #1 - we split into our small peer groups.  Our hope is that the kids are making new pals and getting in the Elements groove.  The first few weeks of Elements can be overwhelming for some - the cold, the dark, the terrain, the activities  - are all a lot to absorb.  So we intentionally keep the groups small and give them a chance to adjust to the stimuli with a cozy couple of pals.  In the weeks ahead we will start to mix ages and sizes of groups - they will be ready for it.

As far as the shelters, the creativity and effort were mind-boggling!  Each one was a bit 'Andy Goldsworthy' mixed with an element of 'Man vs The Wild'.  Each group used their imagination as they pretended that they were winter-hiking and had gone too far from their base camp.  We talked about how you can survive for quite a while without food, less time without water - but that if it is Winter and you are in the elements- you must build shelter.  They got into the moment and created masterpieces.

At the end of the day we went on a "Shelter Tour".  Enjoy the pictures and by all means get back to the park to continue enhancing/building/decorating/insulating these shelters.