Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Adventure Camp Open House

A few weeks ago, we took advantage of a free Open House at an Adventure Camp. I am so glad we did it! I asked the guy if this was the first time they had done it, as I thought it was too bad that my older boys had not had the opportunity.

He told me that they do it every year! Can you imagine? I have missed this for the last 11 years. Well, no more. The amount of fun that my kids had that day was worth at least $50 each for a Day Camp Day! The day came complete with field games, a story, climbing wall, high and low ropes, and a very hearty lunch of baked potatoes with the toppings and a delicious meal of chili! We will be going every year from now on!


I was super impressed with Cooper because he had never been on a climbing wall before. I kept encouraging him on, not realizing just how difficult climbing a vertical wall was! You should have seen his proud little face when he got to the top!



Austin had done a climbing wall before and he got to the top in record time. Must be those strong little arms from all that log hauling!



Knowing my little tom-boy Savannah, I figured she would want to try the wall, and sure enough, she did! She got suited up and began the climb:


  • First she hung there and swung around for a bit.
  • Then like a little monkey she got a handle on the first rock.
  • And then she was off. Bit by bit, she made her way up.
  • At one point, she sat back and hung onto the rope. I told her she was to use her hands and not the rope, so off she went again. What a little climber!
  • She got over half way and then decided she had had enough. What an effort for those tiny little arms!


Briton was a riot! He was going to try anything the big kids would try. We got him wrapped up in his harness, and wrapped up it was! One of the instructors had a giggle when she told him, "Don't rip over your harness." Because of course, your harness should be about 24 inches *off* the ground and not dragging behind you! lol

The first thing the male instructor said when he looked at Briton was, "Can you reach the first handhold?"


Briton just looked at him and grinned.

The instructor then decided it might work beside if he winched Briton up the first rock.

Once there, Briton grabbed the handhold and held on.... He didn't know what to do next.

For a moment the instructor was not sure what to do next. I am assuming he is used to people either climbing the wall, or being too frightened to climb the wall. It is probably not every day that you get someone wanting to climb the wall who has no clue how to do it! lol

Finally, he says to Briton, "Do you think you can swing over there to that rock?" as he pointed to a handhold on the left. He looked at me for what seemed to be confirmation. Nope, I had no problem with that.

Briton looking pleased that he has made it to the first foothold! (grin) He agreed to being swung and let go of the rock he was holding, leaned back, and slowly swung to the left.

There he grabbed a hold of a new rock, and hung on for dear life. Pleased as punch he was! His audience of people waiting for their turns showed their verbal approval.

He did need a little help from his instructor to get that little foot up to a rock.

And then his big moment... He took an independent step up... and then...

"Mum, me done." A little too scary for this tough guy!

But look at that proud little face! You'd have thought he climbed the entire wall!

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