5 cabins, 8 miles

Today was filled with fun adventures, challenging tasks and greater learning experiences. Around 9:00 a.m., our wolf pack was prepared to take on one of our most difficult tasks – the dishes. For the majority of the morning, our group was in charge of deep-cleaning five cabins at BlueSprings State Park. Although the weather was genuinely perfect, we stayed in the cabins and enjoyed learning more about how “green” the park is. Ranger Jan discussed how it is important for the park to not use insecticide; insects are integral to maintain pollination throughout the environment. Without them, plants cannot disperse as well. Unfortunately, during this cleaning process, some of us discovered several small dead lizards trapped and roasted within the fireplace. This experience reminds us of how humans heavily influence other organisms when manipulating their environments. That is why it is crucial for people to think twice before making a decision. Whether it is merely picking up tiny scraps of trash or checking the fireplace twice, every decision makes a difference.

After deep-cleaning the cabins, our wolfpack took on an even greater challenge – completing the West Pine Trail. 4 miles in and 4 miles out – we endured an 8-mile hike, enjoyed beautiful sceneries and saw more wildlife. During the beginning of our hike, we witnessed a Redtail Hawk snatch a snake off the ground and fly away. Later on, we noticed feral pig body prints on the sand. Despite the exhaustion and bruised up feet, seeing new vegetation and the change of scenery made it all worth it. When we reached the 4-mile point, we took a photoshoot break at the St. John River. Heading back while the sun was setting, we heard a Great Horned Owl hooting to wake up other night creatures. Near the end of our trail, we surprisingly heard the snarls of feral pigs. Luckily, they sounded far away because they would attack people if given the opportunity.

With lots of love and peer pressure, many of us have decided to finally sleep outside of the trailer and not shower like a real camper. Cleaning cabins, treading new trails and sharing (bathhouse) experiences has brought our group even closer.

Nayoung