Dad, Skittles, Cheerio Nation and the Mountain - A Weekend to Remember

Searching for salamanders at Cheerio

Skittles (my oldest daughter) and I hit the road this past weekend for our bi-annual Father/Daughter weekend in the Mountains. We are fortunate to be a part of the YMCA Indian Guides/Indian Princesses program. The entire program is centered around the motive of kids having quality time with their father away from the daily routines we have at home.

We head up the mountain to Roaring Gap, the home of Camp Cheerio. I set up the tent that we will call home for the next two nights while she gets dragged away by her friends for some free play in the woods.

We are all part of Cheerio Nation and separated into tribes. So, our tribe, Comanche, has about 20-25 Dads with their daughter(s) ages 5 to 14. The majority of the time is spent one on one with our daughters, but we do eat meals as a group and we have a big "Fire and Water" ceremony Saturday night for all of the tribes together.

There are some really special memories made over this weekend. Through my experiences, I observed some things that really stuck out to me. They are not specific to my weekend and can be applied to any father/daughter or mother/daughter scenario. So, I thought I would share some of those important ones that really enhanced my experience with my daughter.

• Let her lead. We did everything she wanted to do. We went canoeing, we hiked, we fed the horses (she did not want to ride them), we hit he waterslide into the lake and we walked through the creek searching out salamanders and crawfish. Man that water was cold! I was completely at her command and it was awesome.

• Let her explore. This was the hardest thing for me to do at first, but during the time we were together as a group I let her go with her friends to free play. At Camp Cheerio, it is a somewhat controlled setting that allows kids to roam to a certain degree. We don't really have these types of settings on hand at home. I let her follow her friends and older kids as a group while they explored the woods, played ball games and had talent shows. I wish I could bottle the laughter and energy that this group possessed. 

• Listen to her. This was one of those unique times where cell phones, TV and computers are not present. Conversation is at a premium. Take advantage. Skittles, being in the youngest age group was asleep in the tent earlier than most of the older kids and I made it a point to hang around the tent while she is sleeping. I noticed my tent neighbor hanging out at his tent as well. He had his 3 daughters with him and they were all just hanging out. The strength of their relationship was radiating from them. He really listened to them and in turn, they listened to him. 

• Talk to her. I really made sure to tell her every chance I could why we were there. "I love you and I want to spend time with you". This will never change and I know that she will grow to appreciate these times we have together (maybe not so much during the teenage years, but a Dad can hope).

Next year, my youngest daughter, The Doobs, will be old enough to join us in the program. I cannot wait to share this experience with her as well.

A little about Camp Cheerio...

Camp Cheerio offers summer residential camping for children ages 7-15. During the five weeks of girls camp or the five weeks of co-ed camp, Cheerio offers campers the chance to participate in over 35 different activities that help them explore and develop their potential and their lives as young Christians in an environment that is safe and supportive.

For the more adventurous spirits, Cheerio Adventures offers a more extreme outdoor experience.

I was a Cheerio camper in the early 80's and all of my siblings as well. I am fortunate to sit on the Cheerio Board of Advisors as an adult.

Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh My!

There have been a few news stories of late that paint a picture of the riskier side of outdoor adventure. As with any adventure, risk has to be considered before embarking on your trek. There were two very different stories in the past couple of weeks that caught my attention and had my mind spinning and my heart hurting.

Encounters with wildlife are to be expected when entering into the wild. Whether wild animal or civilized, we all share this space we call Earth. The Great Smokey Mountains National Park has had to close some trails lately due to bear activity in the area. GSMNP Trails Close After Recent Bear Attack. While rare in the grand scope of things, it can still be scary to read news like this.

Knowing your surroundings and educating yourself on expectations and how to deal with certain situations will help tremendously. To be clear, the bear attack that happened most recently is not an example of human error or negligence. Gabriel Alexander and his father were experienced outdoor enthusiasts and victims of a random act of violence from a wild animal. you can read the story here.

Unfortunately, most of the bear activity that happens in the park is caused by human negligence. Bears have become conditioned to hang around backcountry campsites and shelters because we leave our trash and food remnants behind too often. Just like us, they look for the low hanging fruit (so to speak).

Greg Alexander did the correct thing when confronted with a bear attacking his teenage son and it probably is a big reason his son survived and is expected to make a full recovery. Here are some helpful tips to avoid unpleasant encounters with bears in the wild.

Helpful Tips to Avoid Bears

The other story that dominated the news was of a missing woman being found in the park. Jenny Bennett was an outdoor enthusiast and fellow blogger that was known to hike the backcountry and go off trail many times. You can read her story here.

This particular story saddens me because of the chance it could have been avoided. Let me preface this by saying we do not know how she died. There is no way to know right now if it was avoidable, but I am only pointing out some precautionary steps that seem to have been missed.

First, Jenny did not let anyone know where she was going. While she was an avid hiker in the area, she was hiking alone. She had been missing a couple of days before anyone knew according to the news story. This certainly impacted the search and rescue efforts in regards to precious time.

I know that some frown upon hiking alone, but I can see and respect both sides of this argument. Solo hiking or adventuring can be extraordinary and a great experience to get close with nature. On the other hand, the danger of being on a solo adventure does exist and should be acknowledged.

Jenny liked to hike off trail. This is a touchy subject for sure. While sticking to the trail lessens the environmental impact we put on the wild, there can be great adventure waiting "off-trail". Again, the fact that she was alone is probably the real issue here. Staying on the trail certainly raises the chances of interaction that may help save a life. I do not recommend hiking off trail alone.

My biggest fear is that stories like these deter people from enjoying our national parks or just the outdoors in general. These are isolated incidents and rare in the grand scheme of life. Being prepared and knowing how to practice proper trail/camp etiquette will serve you well and help you enjoy your time in the wild. Get outside - the more you practice the more you will be prepared.

Camping is Cool: Tips and tricks for a successful first outing

This is a really good article for families looking to enjoy a camping adventure. Thanks Outdoor Family Magazine!

Click here: Camping is Cool: Tips and tricks for a successful first outing

(Photo Courtesy of Brad Mendenhall)