There were nine in the party heading out this weekend for Dead Horse Ranch to canoe the Verde River – a hardy bunch that handled all challenges coming their way, and had a ball doing it. In other words, a typical T648 adventure! Mere minutes from their destination, a loud clang and subsequent smoke indicated we had a trailer problem. Worse than a mere flat tire, the axel bearings were shot, and the wheel unstable. The boys helped change the tire, and we wobbled the few miles remaining to our campsite. The next morning, a couple of handy adult leaders rounded up the only axel bearing assembly in the county, brought it back to do a field replacement in the campsite, complete with axel grease, and we hit the river with canoes on schedule instead of a lost day of repair shops which had been looming. The rapids were exhilarating, the water invigorating, and together with some football, advancement, excellent cuisine, gorgeous sunrises and sunset, and a warming fire complete with class stories including forensics, culinary, engineering, and robotics that had the adults eager to go back to high school, it was soon time to head back to the valley. But not before hearing around camp:
There’s a 5 sneeze limit. After that you need to ride in the back
This hoody is amazing – I didn’t have to look at you all night
The first time we fell in was fun. After that it was annoying
We should start a new program in T648 for adults called ‘feed the children’
