An October Campout

The SAILs held their first club campout in early October, out at Muleshoe Bend. It was a hot and dusty weekend, but the SAILs persevered. For some SAILs this was their first campout, for others it was coming back to one of our annual camp sites. We studied the river, observing the plants and animals that lived in the riparian zone, compared to those in the nearby scrub and hills. We were able to cast a few nice animal tracks, though the river was higher than past years, leaving little of the normally wide muddy shoreline. The Pathfinders enjoyed night hikes, without flashlights, just navigating by the moonlight, and listening to the sounds around us. The second night several members of the club slept outdoors under the moon and stars. On our last morning, we headed down to the river to complete our basic rescue training, practicing tossing a 50 foot line to someone stranded in the water (in this case floating in a kayak), but the experience proved more memorable and challenging than just throwing the rope on land. Although it was a tad toasty (there were record high temperatures set), the SAILs had a great time, enjoying nature, learning and practicing new skills, and spending time together. 

A few quotes from some of our Pathfinders:

“Camping under the vast sky, the stars sparkled like tiny jewels, each one a reminder of God’s incredible artistry, connecting me to the divine in the beauty of creation.” 

“Camping with the Pathfinders was a fantastic adventure; the stunning views all around us made every moment unforgettable, reminding me of the beauty in nature.”

“The stars were beautiful while sleeping outside for the first time and I had fun teaching basic rescue skills even though I'm not the best at teaching ,it was a great experience all around!”