From the 2010 Apprentices (a brand-new program)

We, the new staff of Journeys, made a group flag before our 3 day orientation trip out to the coast. A tradition shared by all Journeys trips, the flag flies at each campsite with our values we want like to create together plus the outline of our hands symbolizing our agreement tattooed on its side. During our trip, our many intentions to create a safe space in which to learn, experience, and perhaps make mistakes became flesh and that process created some of the most moving shared moments. There's really no substitute for feeling the sand of Third Beach in between your toes or transitioning from beach to green and soggy trail via a gnarly yosemite ladder but we'll try to recreate it for you!

We wanted to create CONNECTION

In only a few days, we were visited by small deer bounding up and down the beach, heralded first by nickle-sized tracks in the sand, a rainbow of starfish, huge white seals, bald eagles, a snake, and a river otter. The multitude of slugs and their inherent funniness captured our delight as well as tracks from both raccoons and bobcats. It seems crows narrated each part of our journey with raucous caw caws. Through these visitations and our contact with the beauty of off-shore haystacks or the pale night sky directly after sunset, our connection with the earth was deepened.

We wanted to bring GRATITUDE

Our connection to the earth lives close to our gratitude for it. Truly, that night of crescent moonlight under a sky full of stars silhouetting the small mountains of rock and fir standing in the waters of the Pacific reflected our own thanks at the chance to witness it, a first for a few of us. We found ourselves grateful for the immense wisdom and gracious support of both Darcy and Jason, our two Journeys veterans and guides without whom there would've been no trip. We would also be remiss if we didn't mention the tasty trail meals (You should ask Jason for his (in)famous mac and cheese recipe.) We celebrated each one with blessings beforehand.

We wanted HUMOR

We found as we grew closer to one another and especially in the last 12 hours of the trip, we felt more comfortable displaying the creative and zany parts of ourselves. Or perhaps the added humor preceded a tighter bond between us. Whatever the order, the last 24 hours saw us beginning to work together on a new level.

Laughing and smiling, we came together the last night to cook dinner, all 7 of us with a hand in this pot or that or doing the terribly important work of telling jokes and supervising. The next morning, our day started at 3 A.M. (got to get the van back to Songaia) with a record breaking 45 minute camp pack up. We hiked the 1.4 miles back to the van in the dark, head lamps slashing the deep black of the woods. Perhaps due to sleep deprivation, the van ride back was hilarious and full of light hearted joking. Still laughing, we enjoyed a delicious base camp breakfast and the powerful welcoming back of Journeys community.

Looking forward to a summer on the trail,
Stephanie, Melissa, Leah, Mallory, Nevada, Darcy, and Jason