10/20/2014

To start off this journal; Anthony, Kenny and Josh just took down an entire tree trying to hang the bear bag. Before the tree broke we enjoyed too much spaghetti. If you asked me this morning for a prediction of the day, it would have been much different than reality. This morning I ran from one ridge to the other figuring out where we were. I shed a few tears, but that might have been the fact that I had not eaten or drank anything prior we eventually figured out where we were and Kenny took off as scout on a so called trail. Switching off roles and taking way too many stops is a good description of our hike today. It was at our destination that we took our extremely steep trek down and split into our groups. I was so eager to split into groups that I split my pants. This gave the group a laugh which lightened my heart given that laughing has been sparse the last day and a half. My group stuck to our original route which we received a high-five for. I have never seen josh so excited. Our group went up the ridge instead of around it. As we were taking our break at the top we saw papa smurf coming up over the horizon, smashing any karens that were in his line of vision. This made us laugh and also made us realize that our group did amazing. The boys finally got the bear bags hung and are getting into their sleeping bags; So I am done writing.

-May we all be well, happy, and peaceful.

Haley Brasile 

10/19/14

Today we will be venturing to the Sierra Nevada mountain Range for our second back country journey as we will be hiking through snowy and rocky terrain.

 Goodbye and we will post the blog as soon as we get back!

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." — from Our National Parks (1901)

10/17/14

Day 63 

Awwww! Big. Comfy. Couch. I don’t even know how long I’ve been sitting here but I don’t care because I’m sitting on a couch. Seriously, is this some sort of alien technology? How could something so soft and comfy exist?!anyways you get the idea. We’re spending the next couple of nights here at the Summit Adventure lodge near Oakhurst California. We got to utilize their kitchen and dinner table tonight to make dinner which was chicken noodle casserole. Yummah. In a couple of days we hit the trail in the Sierra Nevada mountains for the second backcountry portion of our expedition. We still need to get all our own packs packed but tonight we manage to get all our food portioned out. I’m excited to be able to each much more summer sausage and candy bars per day than I got to eat on the river. Anyways today we got to check out the giant Sequoya trees before leaving Yosemite. It was not easy to wrap my mind around just how big those trees were. I’m glad I got to experience that especially after learning about how those trees came to be protected. How John Muir took Teddy Roosevelt on a camping trip and slept in the presence of those giants. Thinking about it I imagined how the president must have felt about the importance of preserving those trees and the whole of the Yosemite area. It makes me thankful that people cared enough back then to preserve all of the national and state parks we have visited on this expedition. Anyways I need to get to bed. Tomorrow looks to be a busy day and sleep is a crucial element of this expedition. Night yall.

- Curtis Stark

10/16/14

Day 62

October 17, 2014

            I’m lounging out in a rocking chair at some sort of porch lodge in Curry Village, Yosemite National Park. Most of the group has wandered back to camp to score some sleep, but I’m enjoying the free time here and sort of pretending I’m actually vacationing here rather than walking to this campground to sneak wifi and the good showers. This is real survival right? Well, for a 20 something year old going for a minor in outdoor leadership. For those of you back home… sneaking wifi and scoring the good showers means heading into a better campground, or maybe not better but more modern, to pick up signal so that we can get onto the internet or even just find outlets to charge up so we can knock out our homework. The scoring good showers part relates to Yosemite mostly so far because everywhere else we’re either blessed with decent ones or we’re casually going a week without one. The other day we ran into an Outward Bound program while shadowing Nature Bridge outdoor education program and they were a few days shy of completing their 60 day course… we were on day 61 of 120. ECOEE might not be as recognized as other programs, but we’re just as good or better, we work hard, we travel plenty, and we’re lead by the best. We’re something else, we’re something great.

-Greg Strobel

10/15/14

We are in the magnificent Yosemite National Park. Eh-Co is in Yo-se-mite! It doesn’t have the same allure that the Upperfalls of Yellowstone had or the canyons of Bryce did. But at least it doesn’t feel as crowded. I don’t feel like all our neighbors hate us for banging pots together at 6 a.m. Good morning, park!

            Yosemite has this super cool program for middle schoolers called Nature Bridge and they take kids out of school for a week to put them in cabins and experience Yosemite in a sort of camp-like environment. The counselors show them teambuilding activities, leadership skills, outdoor education, and how to be a successful group- very much like what we are doing. The kids get to venture through the sequoia trees and granite cliffs and experience something completely alien to their lives back at Malibu.

            Shadowing the kids today was a nice break from my fellow classmates. We were able see a group one on one as an outsider looking in- making observations and judgments, and correlating things we’ve been learning about with things happening before our eyes. When the tables have turned, it’s amazing the things you’ll notice and think, “whoa, do we do that?”

            The first thing you notice is the cootie separation. The lack of hormones in eleven-year-olds is obvious. They refuse to admit that standing next to the opposite sex is cool. The second thing I noticed were their personalities, all so different and so distinct. Each of them knowing what they like and what they hate, when they are happy or angry, when they feel left out, unfairly treated, or outcast. They don’t even have to think about why they are this way, they just are. They were all so simple-minded. There was no over analyzing a situation or dwelling on the little things like we are known to do. Everything is natural. Jason, a boy in my program, was victim to actions and words from the other kids and adults in our group. He helped me realize that the only thing holding me back is myself. He helped me realize other things, too. We are those kids.  We’re being thrown into new experiences, not knowing what to do with them, making mistakes, having meltdowns, whining like little babies… but we aren’t quite there yet. We cannot think like these fifth grade students can. We have a way of making our thoughts so complex we lose sight of the important stuff- like being a kid, getting yelled at, yelling at each other, crying… you can get the idea. So I think the solution to all our problems can be fixed if we all just act like fifth graders! Nah, just kidding. Let’s focus on being ourselves and not think about it too much.

Cassidy depoy

10/14/14

Day 60

October 14^th, 2014

Well… with us reaching day 60 there were bound to be many mixed emotions knowing that we have made it halfway through our expedition, but something was lingering with our group and it needed to be discussed. When we pulled into Yosemite National Park my face was glued to the window of 514. As we were driving into the park we saw many lodgepole pines and ponderosa pines. With many trees burnt to the ground from fires in 1992 and 2013. Many burnt and ashes and barren land and little was left, but being in a National Park and the national park services and nothing can be done. You can kind of say this was our group after a activity Jeff had us do this morning. We have some how become those burnt up trees in the park, but the difference is we can pick each other up, be there for support and maybe just to listen and fix everything. Though we all have hope as a group that we can move forward and continue to grow. There is always room for improvement. Hey we have sixty day to reach our potential and even continue growing from them. Everyday you are presented with a new challenge and your thrown curveballs. It’s all about how you react to it, and you can’t let it destroy you. Today I have learned a lot about what it means to be in a group, and that it is no way similar to any sports team that I have ever been on.

“I am thankful for my struggle because without it I wouldn’t have stumbled across my strengths”

-Vickey Benhart

10/13/14

Aint nothing but a bathroom party as I would say. If you have never been on ECOEE you will never understand the late nights with friends feeding off the sparse electrical outlets. Moving on to a clever note now in our day. Today we ventured to Red Cliff Ascent which is a program that rehabilitates troubled teens and adults. How they run the program was really interesting from their rewards and prizes for accomplishing goals to letting the adults walk out of the program if they feel the need to walk away. As our day progressed we soon found ourselves at Marve’s eating milkshakes and as Calvin Broadus would probably say “But to what we loved that shake.” So today we leave the beautiful state of Utah and as Sean “Diddy” Combs would say “I’ll be missing you.” My experience in Utah was something that I will never forget. But we must move on with our journey. Our short journey in Nevada ended at Cathedral Gorge State Park. Yeah I’d say this place is pretty cool and all it just has freaking sweet caves. Well I need to leave this bathroom and go now until next I will see you later.  

-Kenny Bambini

10/12/14

Day 58

October 12^th 2014

As Jill, Haley, Josh, and I sit here leaning against a rock that was perfectly made into a couch I write this journal reflecting on the free time we have had. Last night we got to hike into the town of Springdale, with our laundry in hand and our homework on our backs. As soon as we got our laundry started, we went our merry ways. A couple of us enjoyed delicious ice creams cones, browsed local shops for stickers, goofed off outside the laundry mat, or did our inevitable homework. When our laundry was finished it was time to head back to camp. I am sure that anyone could small the delightful scent wafting from our clean clothes.

This morning we had yet another delightful low debrief. I always try to retain all of the information that I can grow from. Each week we make plenty of mistakes but it is all about the growth. Each day we strive to do better than the next. “ A man should never be ashamed to say he has been wrong, which is but saying in other words that he is wiser today than he was yesterday” –Mike Stratton

Cheyenne Wilson   

10/11/14

An ECOEE Fairytale

by Jillian Ross

Once upon a time, there was a merry band of adventurers. They loved the outdoors and desired to see the world. They yearned to travel to distant lands to see fantastic sights and to become more than merely adventurers. More than anything, they desired to be true Expeditioners, leaders in their own right. One day, this merry band heard of a wise, old man, who had done it all and knew the secret to becoming a true Expeditioner, for he himself was one of the few.

            “We must go!” the merry band exclaimed, “This may be our best chance to become true Expeditioners.”

            So the adventurers came to the wise, old man and they asked him, “How do we become true Expeditioners? Please, tell us what to do.”

            The wise, old man replied, “What do you think?”

            The merry band stood confused, dumbfounded, for this was not at all the response they were expecting. If they knew how to become true Expeditioners, they wouldn’t have sought the advice of this man.

            “Just tell us what to do,” the merry band insisted.

            The old man shook his head, but eventually said, “Come with me.”

            And so, the merry band began their travels with the old man. They traveled far and saw many fantastic sights. For many days, they canoed through the Canadian wilderness, facing cold, rain and snow, charging rapids and walking long portages with heavy gear.

            “Surely now, we must be true Expeditioners,” they exclaimed. Yet, the old man just replied, “What do you think?”

            They explored those beautiful places, lands that had been set aside to be protected, unimpaired, for all generations henceforth. And they insisted, “Surely we are true Expeditioners.” But the man just shook his head and said, “What do you think?”

            The band of adventurers repelled into the canyon of the Narrows in the land of Zion, scrambling over rocks and swimming through muddy pools. Venturing out from the towering red walls of the canyon, they cried, “We certainly must be true Expeditioners after all this! What more can we possibly do?”

            When the wise, old man turned and said, “What do you think?” the merry band of adventurers realized that perhaps becoming a true Expeditioner, a true leader, was not a task to be completed, but a process of growth and development that would extend far beyond their travels. And when the man said, “Come with me,” the adventurers did not hesitate, but followed with the new knowledge that they were already Expeditioners and, yet, there was so much left to learn.

10/10/14

10 October 2014

                One of my favorite lines from the recent, modern reboot of Sherlock Holmes is, "You see, but you don't observe." We are recreation students in a national park; are we simply seeing the park, or are we observing it?

                It is 11:04 PM and I am sitting between two of our campsites, watching the moon come up over the canyon at Zion. It is a gorgeous sight. The rock walls were glowing as the sun set, a very particular shade of red. Now, under the moonlight, they are a pale canvas in front of the sky, a sky filled with stars.

                The people around me seem oblivious. Most of my fellow expedition members are asleep, or doing class work. The other visitors are either in a deep slumber or still having a good time by fire and lantern light. It seems that all but me are oblivious to the show the natural world is putting on.

                What does that tell me? It tells me that some people have a big day ahead of them tomorrow, so they are in bed early. Maybe they must catch an early shuttle so they turned in just as we were starting to tell Alex Barajas some of our canoe expedition stories. Perhaps a few of the rowdier groups are old college friends reuniting for an outdoor adventure. Perhaps a few people here are big fans of bird watching. And maybe others are just some college students that are out here to blow some steam off before midterms. I am here for school. And I am sitting here to see how the moonlight changes this canyon's look, yet still leaves the carnival-like atmosphere intact.

                Regardless, we are all people here in Zion. We all come from different walks of life., and are all out here for different reasons. Those reasons dictate how we view this place and how we want it to be taken care of.

                What I am observing is the National Park Service. One agency that is given control of a lot of land and told, "Keep all of this intact so others may enjoy it." They are trying to cater to the wants of all the people around us. That has to be tough.

                Butt I suppose it is a little bit easier knowing that all of the people here find this place to be special, and a place worth investing some of their time and resources. Which I guess helps me understand why land like this was set aside to begin with.

                                                                                                                                Most Respectfully,

                                                                                                                                Anthony Killion

10/9/14

Day 55

10.9.14

            Today we woke up in yet another great place, Bryce Canyon National Park. We were able to do some exploring and go on a hike on Queens Garden Trail, which was actually more exhausting than all of us expected… so the Sierras should be real piece of cake, right? I also stepped a little out of my comfort zone and made it out to a place called inspiration point with Haley and enjoyed the view… even though my legs were wobbling it was well worth it. That’s what this trip is though, stepping out of your comfort zone and dealing with whatever wobbles come your way, and realizing that it was all worth it. But even aside from this expedition, that’s what life is about. What we’re doing is certainly not easy but something that keeps me humble and helps me get through each task and day with the best attitude possible is acknowledging real life outside of ECOEE is plenty tough too. I have a tough brother, Frank, who wakes up around three or four a.m. to drive over an hour to job sites to put in an 8 to 10 hour work day of hard labor Monday through Friday and doesn’t turn down Saturdays. I have an amazing sister, Lindsay, who somehow found the patience to teach high school punks that she found out she loves. A caring mother, Laura, who cooks amazing food for people every day and finally understands you cannot make everyone happy. A wise man, Pops, that repossess cars during the graveyard shift six days a week. So that’s a shout out to my family for working their hardest so that they can live the best they can and instilling in me the desire to work my hardest for the things I need, but most importantly, the things I love. I said this quote at breakfast but I would like for everyone to have the chance to think about it: “The mark of a great fighter is how he acts when he’s getting licked” –Sugar Ray Robinson

-Greg Strobel

10/8/14

Day 54

October 8^th 2014  

My soul arose within these mountains and when I am gone it will reside in these mountains. The mountain sun wakes one up with urgency; it beats down on your back letting you know there are mountains to be explored. We woke up in East Canyon State park around seven o’ clock for a meeting with two ECOEE alumni. “What this group is experiencing is unique”; we have been told this often enough. Some might call us crazy but I think we are doing something beautiful. Experience’s with other human beings where complicated decisions are being made is hard to come by. “The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Nate and Rose (the two alumni) reminded us once again how important it is to suck the marrow out of this bone which is ECOEE. After leaving the University of Utah, we drove to Bryce Canyon National Park. I had some in-depth conversations in the van about life, death and moderation. Nothing is set in stone even the sedimentary rocks we all saw driving up to the park. The ponderosa pines are easy to identify by their black tinted bark. Faint clouds blanket the moon that is hiding behind this big ponderosa pine tree. My headlamp is not needed because through the clouds and around this tree, the moon is especially bright tonight. I learned by listening today, a lot more is learned within a few hours of silence than a few days of talking.

May we all be well, happy, and peaceful

Haley Brasile

10/7/14

Day 53 

Today we got the heck out of dodge! And by that I mean Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone, I love ya, but, with your boardwalks crowded with tourists, your lack of common amenities like showers, wifi, and water spigots, and your freezing cold mornings it was time to say goodbye. Don’t get me wrong, you were without a doubt the most beautiful and majestic piece of nature that I have ever seen in my life. From your soaring mountain peaks that stretch far over the horizon to the roaring water falls that pour into your enormous canyons right down to your lowest bubbling mud pots, you had it all. No wonder they call you and the national parks that followed you, America’s best idea. I loved seeing and learning about your geysers and steaming crystal blue ponds. Ponds that seems so warm and inviting but were full of acid and scalding hot water. Your wild life was also amazing, too. I have never seen so many or been so close to bison in all my life. Nor had I ever seen a wolf before that early morning we all set out to see your most beautiful and elusive creatures that roam your vast wilderness. So thanks Yellowstone, its been real, but now we must all continue our adventure elsewhere. Our itinerary beckons us to leave with the same urgency that it brought us to you with. Tonight we will be resting out bodies on Utah ground. Just one of the three new states that I have never been in before today. If feels wrong but I still count passing through the corner of Montana without stepping foot on it as being in the state of Montana so I’m crossing it off my list. So, with nothing more to say other than Idaho is a pretty state to drive through, I’m gonna wrap up this journal. Tune in tomorrow for more adventures of ECOEE 2014! To be continued….

- Curtis Stark

10/6/14

Day 52 October 6, 2014

This Morning we woke up hours before the sun rose for the day, which happened to be around 3:45 am. Around 4:30am we all pilled into the vans and took a 2-hour drive towards Lamar Valley, in hope to see some wolves. We arrived at Lamar Valley way before the sun rose over the mountains, which was absolutely breathtaking. It was unforgettable to watch all the colors arise from the horizon and mountain. I will never forget the colors. Once it was a little bit lighter out we took a drive down a twisty and curvy road. As we made the journey down this road the many beauties of Yellowstone showed up. We began to see many colors pull over to the side of the road. So we did the same in hope to see a wolf. I really didn’t know what as running through my head except I wanted to see a wolf. As we pulled over we all slowly got out of the vans and went to the ridge top and waited a while to see some wolves. We kept looking through Jeff binoculars and they finally emerged from behind the aspen trees and we got to see wolves. Let’s just say it was well worth waking up at 3:45 in the morning. Later in the day we also got to see a Red fox. Tomorrow we pack up our home of 5 days and start the journey to Bear Lake State Park, for our next journey in becoming outdoor leaders. So I will leave you this quote…

“Without a sense of the unknown and unknowable, life is flat and barren.”  

–John Burroughs

Vickey Benhart 

10/5/14

I often wonder what ECOEE will look like when it is all over. Where will the group be in regards to group development? Where will I be as an individual? What will I take away from this experience? What will I remember come December?

            Will I remember all the times we laughed during debrief? Or all the times we argued?

            Will I remember the fantastic sights like roaring rapids in Canada and Old Faithful’s mighty blow? Or will the quiet moments stick out more vividly? Those moments when I feel like I truly connected to someone else.

            Will I remember all the OE lessons and the interpretive presentations and advice from professional visits? Or rather all the life skills that come from living in such close quarters with 12 other stubborn individuals for four months?

            Will I remember all the stories told along the river as we shared our lives with one another? Or will I let those memories and those people slip away?

            I often wonder what ECOEE will look like when it is all over. But, beyond that, I wonder what life after ECOEE will look like.

            Will I be content to sit in a classroom? Will I be able to hold my tongue and just go along because it’s “easier?” Will my feet ever be warm and dry at the same time?! Will I be content to communicate via text messages or Facebook after experiencing a month of face-to-face contact? Will I be the same person I was on August 16? And do I even want to be?

            To my fellow expedition members: If you are finding yourself in the same place as me, wondering what will happen when we say goodbye, then I extend to you this blessing. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know that life does not end with ECOEE, and so:

            May the road rise up to meet you,

            May the wind be always at your back.

            May the sun shine warm upon your face,

            And the rains fall soft upon your fields,

            And until we meet again,

            May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

- Jillian Ross

            

10/4/14

So here we are with the rhymes again

And here I am waiting for my mind to begin.

We’re getting deep into ECOEE so deep I hope you can swim

We’re treading water now don’t give up on a whim.

Oh the places we visit, oh the places we’ll see

Guaranteed wherever we go we’ll hear from the lady of the trees (Haley).

As for Endangered and Invasive Species I’m sorry

You’d be better off with a guide on a safari.

I’m spending my time doing homework and not seeing the sights

This really sucks and is a constant fight.

But it is what it is and here I am

I do not like these green eggs and ham.

I do not like them not one bit

But im trying hard to be on top of it.

Its probably true when we say that the rest of our time will fly by

And by the end of this class we will have grown so high.

It’ll be hard NOT to think more of ourselves

Ask anyone else at Western to pack the trailer shelves.

Sure it doesn’t seem like much but at first it was hard

The flop has been laid , in your hand are the cards.

How will you play the hand you’ve been dealt?

Will you work harder to be better or simply just melt?

Like what apparently Mr. Wetmore said, if you’re not getting better you’re getting worse

So will you choose to live and get better or submit to the hearse?

This is OUR group OUR time don’t you want to be performing

Because it seems like everyone’s content just storming.

In the notes in my phone I had wrote something crazy

We could be the best group in the world if we stopped being lazy.

We’ve reached that point where we’re getting use to things being hard

But we need to dig deeper and go harder than hard.

If you’re not working on something you’re not helping the group

You might as well be off in the woods taking a poop.

So this is me asking nicely to constantly be working

Be working as much as Miley is twerking.

Be working on the group but more on yourself

And if you don’t know what needs work, maybe ask for some help.

I’m finally done I am now going to sleep

The rocks were really cool at the eaters of the sheep.

10/3/14

Today was our first full day at Yellowstone National Park, which was the first established national park in the United States and the world. It is crazy to think people have been enjoying and adventuring this park for 142 years, but it didn’t just start there.  For years, trappers, hunters, and explorers had been coming out of Yellowstone telling tales of spouting water, stone forests, glass mountains, and boiling lakes, but they were just ignored as rumors. Imagine seeing this vast beauty and no one believing you that it was here. It finally took three prospectors and 36 days of exploring to confirm all the wild tales. They tried and tried to get their findings submitted into a magazine, but these three men were ignored as well. Editors thought the account was so fantastic it couldn’t be true. This reminds me of a quote I saw whole visiting Gator at Cornerstone; “The greatest barrier to the molecules to mans idea is that science has never discovered anything truly simple” –Dean Ohlam. It is awe inspiring that we are here today seeing these natural beauties. When we go home we are going to talk and tell tales about the wonders we have seen to our family and friends are not going to understand. These stories we will share with others will not be enjoyed as much as we will enjoy them with each other.

“And there at the camp we had around us the elemental world of water and light, and earth and air. We felt the presence of the wild creatures, the river, the trees, the stars. Though we had troubles, we had them in true perspective. The universe as we could see any night, is unimaginably large, and mostly dark. We know we needed to be together more than we needed to be apart”

-Wendell Berry

10/2/14

Today was a day full of adventure. I woke up at the crack of dawn with a realization. You know the realization that we were going to visit NOLS, the National Outdoor Leadership School. You know “The leader in wilderness education.” I couldn’t be more excited about the experience we were about to embark on. We met with the lovely Elyse and we about the history of NOLS with it beginning in the late 60’s, early 70’s. with Pat Tapely and Paul Petzolt. Elyse talked about how NOLS started small then a special on T.V. aired then NOLS exploded as a non-profit organiztioin and today NOLS is recognized worldwide. After our splendid visit with Elyse and NOLS we headed to Yellowstone. ( Lets just say I got to cross this off my bucket list. ) But before we hit Yellowstone we had to get thorugh Teton National Park. As we were nearing the Tetons John and I misidentified the Tetons at first. We were like those are cool I guess. BUT BOY WERE WE AWOKEN QUICKLY by something off in the distance, these monstarous mountains stood guard in the distance and they were the mighty Tetons. They were something I have not seen sinceI came across Mount Kilimjaro eight years ago. This quote I found by Francis Bacon said it best “ All beauty has some strangeness of proportion.”  That’s how I felt about the Tetons and I couldn’t stop staring at the vast beauty of these mountains. (Kudos to you Jeff for climbing one of the peaks) So as I leave you right now I will leave you a quote from Abraham Lincoln to keep your spirits up.

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or we can rejoice that thorn bushes have roses

-          Kenny Bambini   

10/1/14

Today was a day built for contemplation. We got our first look at Wyoming. When we got in to our campsite last night in all of the wind, cold, and rain, I fully expected to wake up to a bleak, barren wasteland. Instead I woke up to gasps and "Look at that sunrise on those rocks--get a picture!" from those that woke up before me. And when I emerged from the tent, I realized that Wyoming is a big, beautiful place.

                The van ride was not bad, either. Some of the landscapes and views that we drove through were remarkable. Wyoming has hills, that is for sure. But then you reach places where you look out and can see farther than any person alive should be able to. Those views made me think.

                I thought about my friends back home painting our local graffiti corn crib (it's not a barn) in memory of Andy and Danny, and how improper it is for me to not be there. I thought about that Boy Meets World episode where Mr. Feeny moves to Jackson Hole, and I could picture Jeff living out here whenever (or if-ever) he hangs his blue fleece up and gets out of Macomb for good. I thought of my nephew, Maximus, and the teeth he has coming in.

                Those are, for the most part, trivial concerns. I got a bigger one when I saw a beat-up copy of Catch-22 in a bookstore today. I love that book. And as I flipped through it, a particular scene came to mind.

                The Chaplain, a timid, quiet, polite man had been living through some tough times. He was worried about his family back home since he was stationed in Italy. He had been seeing his friends come back dead, killed in action. He had been bullied by Colonel Cathcart and General Dreedle. And finally, at the end, his new best friend, Yossarian, is leaving. Leaving the Chaplain to live through the rest of WWII. Leaving him with his bullies. And leaving him with death. And leaving him alone.

                But the Chaplain isn't beaten into depression. Just as Yossarian realizes that he can solve and escape the madness of war and his own life, the Chaplain makes the decision to persevere. He'll stand up to what is bringing him down and he will make it out, just like his friend is.

                I've always found that to be hopeful and uplifting. It's something I can apply to ECOEE. After our weekend off, I've taken my foot off of the gas, so to speak. It's time to put on my big boy pants and buckle up for the longest part of ECOEE. Just like the Chaplain, I will persevere. And I'll be a better person for it.

                To quote Eric Mathews, "Life's tough, get a helmet." Life is tough; ECOEE is tougher. ECOEE will be the helmet that I put on to weather life.

                I hope that you all find your helmet and inner Chaplain. And if you can't find yours, I'll share mine with you.

                                                                                                                                Most Respectfully,

                                                                                                                                Anthony Killion

9/30/14

As I lay here, back in the bunk beds of Horn Field Campus, my emotions are everywhere. I thought that I couldn’t wait to have a free day when we were back at Horn Field. I thought once we got to leave we were all going to go our separate ways, boy was wrong. I didn’t want to separate from the group at all. The first night off I was not really sure how I felt. I am not sure if I was feeling depressed, but I was not sad and was not exactly happy either. I could laugh and joke and smile during that, but on the inside I was confused. The next night went much better until the end and all I wanted was my new family. Even waking up without them was difficult. I had to fight through a lot of emotions, but I was learning form them as well. Everything that I had learned about myself in the past month was all flooding into my brain and making a lot of sense.

                Today I got to spend special time with my family and friends. It was the first time I had felt normal the whole time. The only thing was I couldn’t stop thinking about getting back to Horn Field and hitting the road. As I arrived back at Horn Field today ii knew I had made the right decisions in my life. I could feel the stress and anxiety leaving my body, my mind, and my life. There is honestly no better feeling than being thrown into a situation with complete strangers and in learning who they are; their quirks, personality dreams, and most importantly you learn about yourself. Then there is going to be that day when you leave them and you lose that bit of self-awareness, which I felt a bit of this weekend. It is going to be hard when we have really have to settle back into routine after routine Then we are going to be right back to where we started, starving for another adventure.

Cheyenne Wilson

9/29/14

I said goodbye to Macomb today. I said so-long to my family, friends, and everything I’ve known of as “home” for the past twenty years. As great as it was to be reunited with everyone, I’ve never been more ready to get the flock out of there. The anticipation of being out West has been haunting my memory ever since we set out for the river. We have conquered the mighty waters of Ontario, and we are now ready to climb MOUNTAINS.

So again, we are on the long winding roads to our next destination- Yellowstone National Park. The excitement takes a while to sink in when you are sitting in a van with six or seven other people for twelve hours day after day. We woke at about 5:55 a.m. today, hopped on in, and slept. Whoever said that road-trips were “fun” are sadly mistaken. I slept for a good amount of the day, regardless of all the homework I still had to catch-up on. Writing and typing in a bumpy vehicle is unexpectedly difficult. And after my computer died, I also died. We live a life of EXHAUSTION. So the lesson plans to be made, research to be done, groceries to be bought, and journals to catch up on do not seem that important while I’m struggling to stay awake. My urgency to do my homework has also not set in yet because, well, I am a procrastinator. Boy, will I be hating myself in a few weeks.

We may be away from campus, but we still live the same woes of a college student; showing up class still half asleep, forgetting your pencil but especially your brain, not making connections between the real world and the lectures/philosophies being drilled into our heads, because hey- it doesn’t really matter right now. It’s fairly easy to say that we experience all the same things that the other kids do, because we are in college just like the rest of them. We experience things the other kids could never even imagine. And they won’t. We will never be able to explain our ECOEE to anyone. Everyone else’s problems may seem small and petty in comparison to ours. “Your feet hurt from walking all the way to your 8 a.m.? Oh, I’m sorry, I can’t imagine having to wake up after 5 a.m. to walk less than 3 miles to sit in chairs that aren’t covered in mud and sap.” In all reality, it will be US who struggle to understand THEM. I have a certain something that comes to mind when I think about approaching the world after these long four months.

“Two things define you: your patience when you have nothing, and your attitude when you have everything.”

Cassidy Depoy

Day 42

"The sun is shining. The birds are singing. It's a great day to be alive."  - Doc Lupton

I had heard of Doc Lupton before. After all, he was the founder of ECOEE. If it hadn't been for him, none of us would be here. This expedition wouldn't exist. And the unique opportunities it offers in the areas of outdoor living, leadership development and professional networking would cease to exist as well.

But today, we met the man behind the legend. Dr. Frank Lupton, affectionately referred to as Doc, is what our professor would call a person of character. His humble nature, positive attitude and sincere spirit were obvious upon our first encounter.

Sitting together before the fundraising event at Horn Field, we were able to talk to Doc, ask him questions, hear his stories and dig into his wealth of wisdom. He shared stories from ECOEEs past. He told us about Paul Petzoldt  and the origin of the ECOEE program. He was engaging to listen to and simply a joy to be with.

He told us about how ECOEE struggled to find support within the department, especially in the early years. In order to ensure the future of the program, a program in whose mission he firmly believed, Doc applied to become Department Chair, giving up his opportunity to lead the program in the process. For me, this story drove home just how lucky I am to be here and how hard people - Doc Lupton, Paul Petzoldt, Mike McGowan, Jeff Tindall - have worked to continue, improve, promote and grow this one-of-a-kind experience. An experience that has touched generations of students. I am blessed to be a part of this legacy.

Doc Lupton left us with many wise words, reminding us that "the shortest distance between people is a smile" and that "no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care." In short, leadership is about relationships. These simple, yet profound thoughts are ones I will remember as I embark on our adventures in the next 3 months and far beyond. Thank you, Doc Lupton

Jillian Ross

Day 41

This journal goes out to all of the people back at home,

Some that follow our blog may be reading from their phone.

There is a sense of community you cannot find at home,

With your rooms and your doors and your time to be alone.

At home you can hide, you ignore texts and calls,

But out here you face your fears and your emotional withdrawals.

Not all groups had free days in between expeditions like we did,

It was odd to me and ironically if I wasn’t with the group all I wanted was to be hid.

Because it was culture shock it was going from the people in our group back to those distant other real people,

But we had grown so close our tight knit group like a group you’d think you’d find more of in the churches under their steeples.

See that’s the problem with the people in society today,

We talk crap behind backs but face to face we’ve nothing to say.

You’d rather cower behind “what-ifs” and never tell them what you’re thinking,

But how will they ever know what needs changed is your words to them are shrinking.

So coming back into society was much harder than I’d thought,

Because now I know more things, I see their faults, many criticisms sought.

But most of all it was hard because no one understood, Just some college kids on a river in the middle of the woods.

You can’t ask me to define a trip like this you won’t understand what we learned,

You can’t understand that we feel further along that we have more pages turned.

Like the books we’ve read, the maps we follow, and everything else metaphorical,

I get the most out of the questions Jeff ends, with “this one is rhetorical.”

Now back to my group, in our free time I missed you guys a lot,

One morning I cried, felt like throwing up, I just wanted the anxiety to stop.

This free time made me think about things I hadn’t yet,

So many thoughts with mixed emotions that I want to get off my chest.

But for now it’s time to end this journal so I’m saying goodbye,

If you’re holding a bee in your hand then what is in your eye?

(beauty, is in the eye of the “bee-holder”)

 - Josh Baughman

Day 40

We started the day off waking up around between six and six thirty AM for a seven AM chow circle. The skillet was amazing even though the potatoes could have been cooked longer. After packing up breakfast we headed off on our drive back to Macomb. I wrote my first two newsletter articles in the first half of the drive and then switched seats with john so he could write his. Being navigator is fun for me because I love following along on the map. Arriving in Macomb was weird for me, somewhat of a culture shock. I think the shock was a mutual feeling for others in the group. Unpacking started a little slow but by the end of the day we were working efficiently. Overall I think we all should be proud of the work we got accomplished. Working in the sun was my favorite part; there is no better feeling than getting the day’s work done in the hot sun. The hard work is going to pay off. I will leave us all with this quote: “we delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty” –Maya Angelou

p.s. it is Jeff’s birthday tomorrow.

-Haley Brasile