Geology Trip Notes by Nancy Candea

The car rides to Glenwood Springs were filled with singing and poetry. Our homes here are beautiful cedar kit cabins with a kitchen, bedroom, foldout couch and loft. The girls and Courtney are staying in one and I am
with the boys. We are tucked in around canyon walls very close to a river. Everyone has had an opportunity to explore around our cabins. Adelin, Sam and Dylan made quinoa/mushroom stuffed squash, bean salad,
green salad and cherry and berry pie for dinner. This morning Phoebe and Cameron, with help from Davis, are making banana pancakes, strawberries, eggs, cereal and yogurt for breakfast. Some of us got up and did a short
work out and some yoga this morning. They will all pack their lunches and we will be off to go caving by 8:30.

Caving- everyone had an excellent adventure. 3 hours in a mountain is life changing. I think that everyone became a bit more fearless. We also enjoyed some of the amusements at the wildlife adventure park where the
caves are located. Cameron and Phoebe cooked a stir fry and peach cobbler for dinner.

Tuesday:
Davis and Maya cooked French toast and eggs for breakfast and pizza, collard greens and homemade ice cream for dinner. At 9:00 we started a hike to Hanging Lake. It was 1 steep upward mile leading to a tropical looking paradise in the Rockies. We spent a few hours climbing around the area, testing, once again, the boundaries of our fearlessness. The highlight for me was when I heard a noise above me and saw the whole class 100ft above me singing their repertoire of beautiful songs. We enthusiastically hopped down the hill and then went to the hot springs to play some more. They had a very fun geology lesson starting at 9:00pm. Everyone slept very well.

Wednesday:
Hanna, James and Shelby cooked Belguim waffles and turkey bacon for breakfast and delux burritos for dinner.
9:00 am the bike rental company dropped us off passed Carbondale on the Rio Grande Bike trail and we biked back to Glenwood Springs. The trail was easy, the wind was strong and we made it back in very good time. When we got back to camp the class played capture the flag and then the girls went off the the Hot Springs with Debbie. The boys got some wood ready for a fire to roast marshmallows and cookie dough this evening. They had their
last geology class before dinner.

Thursday: we hoped to leave here before 9:00 after eating Eggs Benedict
cooked by Sam, Dylan and Adelin.

In between everything we did we ate, played tag, ate, worked out, ate, and
ate a little more.....

It was a great trip and I was grateful to spend time with all these children and with Courtney. They wore me out. I took a lot of naps recovering from all the playing and eating.
My best,
Nancy