Day 0
December 21, 2012
General
Registration and gathering at Monticle started at 8p.m after
everyone had already ate dinner with our families. Billy gave us our yurt
numbers, and gave us a brief lesson on what to expect once we are in Algonquin Park. When that is all done, we watched
Brave. After the movie, we slept in HQ with lowered temperature as practice and
experience what to expect when sleeping in the yurts. The girls got the offices
while the boys slept out.
Day 1
December 22, 2012
General
Wake up time for today was 7:30a.m. There was a lot of bread
for breakfast courtesy of Crystal’s and Kendra’s parents. We cleaned and packed
up supplies needed for the trip. By 9a.m we were ready to load and by 10a.m we
were ready to leave. We arrived and checked-in at 1:50p.m. By 3p.m we had
arrived at our yurts. We shoveled, we cleaned, and we moved our packs and food.
We had dinner at 6p.m courtesy of Crystal, Kendra, and Edwin, as well as Jane
and Edwin Kwok, our volunteer parents. Three instructors in three yurts:
Billy’s yurt (dibbed HQ) is #36; Kenny’s yurt is #54; and Matt’s yurt is #62.
Day 2
December 23, 2012
General
Everyone gathered at Billy’s yurt (now HQ) at 8am. Yurt 62
was the only group that got there on time. They got a reward of biscuits for
it. At around 8:30, Matt led PT with morning stretches and a jog around the
block for 15mins, while Billy and Calvin drove off to ‘run logistics’ as Billy
calls it. After the jog, the students and instructors cooled down before having
breakfast, which consisted of oatmeal, eggs, and bread. By 10am, we went to
Kenny’s yurt for a lesson on hypothermia, frostbites and how to treat it, as
well as how to build a shelter. After the lesson, we were separated into groups
and did a presentation on what we learned. Team A won. We then had a little
break before the next lesson, and there was a mini snowball fight while some of
us made snow angels. We had more shelter lessons and Matt taught us a way to
treat someone when they have hypothermia. As demonstration, Kelvin got wrapped
in a sleeping bag and cocooned by a sack and tarp. We had fun dragging him back
to HQ while he had a nice and warm time inside the sleeping bag wrap. We had
lunch then cleaned up. At 2p.m we were brought to a secluded area for a snowball
fight. Team B this time won twice. We then learned how to carry someone in a
blanket. Afterwards we had snacks. After snacks, we tried on snowshoes and
practiced walking around in it. By 4:20p.m the hike was finished. And we walked
back and prepared for dinner while others went and showered. 8p.m we finished
dinner and cleaned up. Then we had a discussion and talked about what we
learned in Kenny’s yurt before going off to sleep.
Crystal
Today is the second day at winter camp. We all woke up at
7:30, got ready and arrived at Billy’s yurt for morning PT and breakfast. For
morning PT, we joined Matt and we jogged/ slow ran around the campsite. Then we
“enjoyed” oatmeal, eggs and pieces of bread with Nutella© and jam. But then we
realized that the Nutella was frozen, so we didn’t get Nutella and everyone was
sad. After breakfast, we all went into Kenny’s yurt for a lecture about winter
safety. We had learnt about hypothermia and frostbite – what they are, how to
identify them (symptoms) and how to treat them. Around 12:30, we headed back to
the “dining area” and ate a delicious spaghetti lunch. After lunch, we walked
to a snowy area and had a snowball fight, my team won!!! Then, the instructors
taught us how to safely, easily and properly carry a person who might be
hypothermic to safety. Soon, we were taught how to suit up and travel in
snowshoes. We “hiked” around the area so we could get used to traveling in
different conditions with our snowshoes in preparation for our hike tomorrow.
After that, we went back to our yurts, got showers and had dinner. Then, we
went back to Kenny’s yurt (again) and discussed about what we learned and
talked about suggestions to make the camp even better. We returned back to our
yurts early because tomorrow is going to be very tired and active. I hope we
all have an amazing day tomorrow.
Kendra
Today was a pretty warm day, but at times my hands get
really cold. This morning we woke up at 7:30 and got all ready for the day.
After we got ready, we went with Matt and did some jogging around for PT. We
then had breakfast which consisted of oatmeal and bread with nutella and jam.
Apparently the nutella was frozen so everyone was really sad. After, we went to
Kenny’s yurt and talked about frost bite, hypothermia, and we did our own little
presentations on what we learned. We had lunch which was spaghetti with tomato
sauce or alfredo. There was also vegetables like carrots and celery. When lunch
was over, we went to a very “snowy” area and had a huge snowball fight. Alpha
vs. Bravo, but sadly bravo won. Then, we had a carrying challenge, and then we
had some snacks. We then strapped on our snowshoes and walked around for some
training for hiking tomorrow. It was a very cool experience! Around 4:20 after
snowshoeing, we headed back and started to prepare dinner since it was starting
to get dark. The dinner was really good. Chicken wings!! Tomorrow, I hope we
have a safe and fun trip while hiking. I’m so excited!!
Edwin
Today is the second day at the winter camp and it pretty
fun. We first woke up at 7:30 and suppose to get to our HQ yurt at 8:00 but we
were late by 3minute but still the first group at HQ. We then had our PT
exercise for 15minute jogging around the area and sprinting in the end. Once we got back to the camp site our breakfast
is ready with was Oatmeal, Bread, Nutella, and Eggs. I was happy to see we have
Nutella for breakfast but disappointed that it was frozen. When we were done
breakfast we headed over to Kenny’s Yurt to talk about frost bites,
hypothermia, and how to make a shelter for the winter time if your stranded.
After we were done with the lecture we went to find areas that can be used as
shelter and learned different ways to carry someone who is hypothermic. Also we
got to pull one student who was in a sleeping bag and was covered by a tarp so
it was easier to pull them. After all that we went back to the HQ camp site and
prepared for lunch with was spaghetti and your choice of Tomato sauce or
Alfredo and also Vegetables. When we were done with the lunch we set out to an
area where the snow was deep. We had some activities when we got there which
was a snowball fight between two groups and carrying someone in a blanket.
After all that we then learned how to snow shoe, which was kinda simple. We got
to walk in a basic route and we also walked off terrain which was fun. I’m
excited about tomorrow because we are going hiking all day with snowshoes. When
we were done with the lesson we went back to HQ and after putting all the
equipments away we have our free time until dinner time. Our dinner was Chicken
Wings, Beef, Chili, and some more Vegetables. I hope we all have a safe and fun
day tomorrow. Goodnight!
Peggy
Yurt number 62 is quite warm. We all had a good nights sleep
since most of us dreamt. We jogged for PT then had breakfast. We saw Blue Jays,
Chickadees, and Martins. Birds attacked me. After first I thought it was
because I chased after a bird, (thought they held a grudge which I think they
do), but then I realized they apparently like my hat. Them birds kept trying to
land on my bright pink fluffy hat when I stood still. It’s a strange thing and
quite funny too. We learned about frostbites and hypothermia and how to treat
it. We also learned the logistics of a good shelter. We also learned a way to
take care of a hypothermic person (this involved a demonstration of having
Kelvin in a sleeping bag wrapped in a tarp and strings attached and dragging
him. Everyone had fun.
Andy
It has been quite some time since I last went winter camping
before. True, the last time I went it was a couple of years ago with St. John
Ambulance (which, interestingly, was with the organization where another
Monticle instructor, Raymond, is in charge of).
Unfortunately,
Raymond’s not here this winter. It’s just Billy, the big guy in charge, and his
comrade Kenny. Then there’s this person from Ottawa, namely Matthew. He was from the armed
forces, like Billy, and knew how they did winter survival training with his
squad. So he taught us too.
Enough of
this wasted time here. Let’s get to what we did today, shall we? (If you’re
wondering, yesterday we just arrived and unpacked and ate and broke the ice.)
This morning we gathered after waking up and did P.T. (which, in Monticle
nomenclature, refers to Personal Training). Afterwards, there was the first
lecture, on what to do when frostbite or hypothermia develops. It was a lot to
learn, so when Kenny said it was time to present back to Matthew what we
learned, he judged in favor of the group who knew more, than our group, the
ones who made it interactive.
Before
lunch we sought a location to build a shelter and drag a young kid along the
ground in a cocoon-like structure back to the headquarters. (No, not the
Monticle headquarters, but rather the in-field headquarters at yurt number
thirty-six). And after we ate we were supposed to go hiking but all the
snowfall forbid us to go on the trail. So we went to another location, had a
snowball fight – and we won! Later we got to race in pulling a guy on a blanket
to safety – we struggled a bit but won that too! Now came snowshoe training.
Hard to get used to – I fell down in the process, but oh, was it fun! Bet you
I’ll be ready to hike tomorrow. It’s possible, and I’ll do it!
(After
dinner we just had a little talk about today and then it was off to bed.)
Jason
This morning I woke up at 7:30 a.m. Everyone had to get
ready by 8 a.m. and meet at the headquarters which was in front of one of the
tents. Before breakfast we did some stretches and a light jog for PT .For
breakfast we had oatmeal and boiled eggs. After eating some people cleaned the
dishes while others were getting the ice off the tables. We went to Kenny’s
Yurt to have a lecture about hypothermia and frost bite. Soon after the lecture
Matthew who was a new Monticle instructor showed us a built shelter and told us
how to make one. Matt told us how to save a person who has hypothermia by
putting them in a sleeping bag then wrap the sleeping bag with a blanket and
then tied rope around the blanket and had one person put the string around the
waist and drag them. Later we went to the headquarters and had spaghetti for
lunch. We cleaned up the dishes once again and went to some other area of the
park to have a lecture to how to put on the snow shoe and how to walk with it
in different scenarios. We walked downhill, uphill and around the area to get
used to snow shoeing. Then we went back to headquarters to have dinner. After
the last cleanup of the dishes for the day we went to Kenny’s yurt to talk
about stuff. We were dismissed and get ready for bed.
Brian
Today I eat breakfast, also did snow shoeing and brush my
teeth. I also eat chips, eat chocolate, drink soup and threw snowballs, and eat
broccoli. I washed my face and did work.
Calvin
First I wish to welcome Sharon and Matthew to the Monticle
team. I really appreciate their interest in Monticle, especially Matthew.
Matthew is Monticles newest instructor. Throughout the last two days I have
seen many people make new friends. Also, I was fortunate enough to listen to
Jason talk about his past love interest. For those who have been with Jason at
Monticle before, you know that his stories are never boring.
Today the
students had the chance to practice their snow shoeing skills; tomorrow they
will test their skills for the hike ahead. I hope that they do well because
they all seemed to enjoy the practice hike very much. I hope tomorrow will be a
very fulfilling day.
Andrew
So far,
I’ve been having an amazing learning experience thus far. First off, I would
like to say that the weather and scenery are very extravagant for taking shots
Other than the cold; winter photography looks and feels really amazing behind
the camera. One important thing that I learned is experimentation, seeing what
works and what doesn’t can really help you improve on your vision about
photography. I hope to take what I learned and use it for the rest of life.
Alan
Today we
learned what is frostbite and hyperthermia. We also learned how to cure it. We
also learned how to snow shoe. We snow shoed for about 2:30 hours. Today we
also had a snow ball fight. We also had a good lunch.
Mars
Today we
did some physical training, and then we ate our yummy breakfast. I washed the
eating utensils. After that we learned the meaning of frostbite and
hyperthermia and how to solve this when it happen. I also learned how to use
the snow shoes, and we walked around one hour. On the first day of camping, I
didn’t talk with other students, but today I started talking with them and felt
glad with them.
Kelvin. Junior
Today
I learned the true meaning Hypothermia and Frostbite. I also learned how to
cure an individual of the symptoms. I also learned to snowshoe for the first
time in my life, for snowshoeing I learned how to pivot, to walk and to get
over obstacles with the snowshoes, then Billy guided us to walk for about 1 or
o.5 km with our snowshoes on. My
favourite part of the day was when I was dragged across about 6 min’s . Matt
taught us about how to carry the injured with and without materials. The meals
were great and my favourite was the pasta/spaghetti I loved it even more with
the tomato sauce. My other loved meal was the one Billy made with Beef and
Chicken Wings; I loved to Beef but never got a change to eat the Wings. One of
also my favourite parts of the day was when we got to play in a snowball fight
between me and Alan. Tomorrow I think I am going to die of the long hike. I
will miss Matt.
Dec 24-12
Day 3
General
This morning, the scheduled meet-up time is 8:30a.m.
Everyone was on time except for a few members; as a result there were extra
push-ups for the entire group. We had a hearty breakfast, which consisted of
green noodles, fish-balls and dumplings, and choy sum, as preparation for the
hike in Bat Lake Trail. By the time we finished our breakfast, cleaned
everything, and got readied, it was 10:30. We left the campgrounds and walked
with snowshoes in tow, along with full bottles of hot chocolate milk and water,
and a bunch of buns we still had not finished from the first day. At 11:05a.m
we were at the entrance of Bat Lake Trail and Billy gave a lecture about the
sign posted and why it is important to read them. After the lesson, those with
snowshoes putted them on and those without snowshoes helped checked those with.
By 11:35a.m we were all ready to go. One by one we walked in, each keeping a
distance of 3-5 metres apart. The scenery was fantastic, with trees everywhere
covered with snow. Each student got a turn walking in the front and leading the
group. Breaks were taken at 12:06p.m and 1:16p.m, we refreshed ourselves with
buns and water and hot chocolate. Our photographer took pictures of once in
awhile. The Bat Lake Trail is 5.8km with an average of 3.5hours of walk. We
finished at around 2:45p.m with a walking total of 2hours and 22mins, thus beating
the average walking time. We went back to Billy's yurt, clean ourselves up and
helped out with dinner, a campfire barbeque consisting of all remaining meat,
and rice, vegetables and BBQ pork courtesy of Edwin and Jane (our volunteer
parents). After dinner and everything was cleaned out, we went to Kenny’s yurt
to lesson/discussion about the hike and animal attacks. Chocolate and biscuits
were passed around while we attempted to sing Christmas songs.
Kendra
Today was the big hike through the Bat Lake Trail. We did some stretches before breakfast. We
ate a hearty breakfast consisting of green noodles, fish balls, mushrooms,
dumplings and spring onion. We then did a quick clean up and packed up our
stuff to get ready for the hike. We walked about 400 meters from the HQ yurt to
the trail entrance.
After arriving at the entrance, we read the big sign and
looked at the map of the trail. We then strapped on our snowshoes and started
hiking. I WAS IN THE LEAD (at first)……..
We took a break after 45 minutes and ate some buns and drank
some water. We then started hiking again. When we reached a lookout area, we
took another break. Then from the lookout we walked all the way to the end. The
trail was 5.8 km and we walked for 2:22 not including the breaks. Though we
tripped at times and sometimes had difficulties we still managed to stay safe
and no one got hurt. We also had fun and we were walking in a winter
wonderland. The sight was amazing!! We saw a giant icicle and a beautiful view
from a cliff that was 150 ft deep. When we finished hiking everyone took
showers and whatever they needed. Then, we had an amazing appetizer which was
steak, pork chops, drumsticks and other meats grilled over the fire we made. It
was absolutely delicious! After the appetizer we had bbq pork with rice. Then
we went to Kenny’s yurt and talked about animal attacks and had some chocolate.
That was about it for today and tomorrow we are leaving Algonquian.
Edwin
Well today is our big day, our hiking day through Bat Lake
Trail. Before our hike we had breakfast and it consisted of some green noodles,
some choy, mushrooms, fish balls, onion and dumplings. We had a quick clean up
and had to make sure that everyone had their water bottles filled up with
either hot chocolate. I was in charge of our medical bag which wasn’t really
that heavy. When we were done with the clean up we all got our snowshoes and
set out to Bat Lake Trail which was approximately 400meters south of our camp
area (Mew Lake). Once we arrived at the entrance
we looked at the map board and read the sign and information that was on it.
The board says the trail is 5.8km and it would take 3.5hours to finish it.
After we finished looking at the board we all put on our snowshoes and set out
on our hike. Our first break wasn’t even an hour into the walk and we did not
make it far in, but our second break was an hour or two after the first break.
The second break was around 40min long at a look out area, where had a
beautiful scenery. On our way to Bat
Lake we saw a frozen
waterfall which was awesome and we took a group picture by it. Once we reach to
Bat Lake it was the mid point of our trail
and we did not take anymore breaks from then to the end. When we reach the end
the time we took to walk the trail was 2hours and 22minutes which was a nice
time since we got out before sunset. We all did some stretching and then we all
head back to HQ so everyone can do whatever they need to do before dinner.
Before dinner we had some appetizers which was steak (which I missed T__T),
pork chops and drumsticks and we grilled them over our camp fire. The real
dinner was rice and BBQ pork with some vegetables. Then after we finished the
clean up we head over to Kenny’s yurt and talked about today and any animal
attacks. It’s sad that we’re leaving Algonquian tomorrow but it was fun to meet
new people and work and live with them for a while well that’s all for today.
Goodnight!
Crystal
Today was the third and last full day at Algonquin Park.
We woke up early and ate breakfast so we could be on schedule for the hike
through the Bat Lake Trail. We had a hot heart-warming breakfast: noodles, fish
balls and dumplings. Then we cleaned and packed our bags for our hike. Around
10:20, we left the Mew Lake Campgrounds and headed towards the Bat Lake Trail.
When we arrived, we received a short lecture about the trail. Then we put on
our snow shoes and started the hike. At first, my legs were really sore, but
after a while; I got used to walking with big snow shoes and was walking very
comfortably. We had some short and long rest around the trail, so we could
drink some water or eat some snacks (since we were going to skip lunch). We had
finally finished the hike after a not-so-long time; it took us a total of 2
hours and 22 minutes to finish the trail (excluding rests). We were all very
proud of ourselves since it actually was supposed to take around 3.5 hours to
complete. After we packed up everything, we returned to the Campgrounds to
enjoy some hot showers and a lovely appetizer cooked by Billy: steak, pork, ham
and drumsticks. We had also popped some popcorn over the fire. Then we also ate
our official dinner: BBQ pork with rice and vegetables. We did a major clean up
around the dining area after dinner and headed to Kenny’s yurt for a small
discussion. We talked about our hike and how to react in animal attacks, while
we ate chocolate and biscuits. I’ve had a great time here at Algonquin Park
and I hope to come back here soon!
Peggy
Today was a day of hiking. It was fun and tiring. The
location is Bat Lake Trail; as the others had stated, the trail is 5.8km long.
We wore snowshoes and walked through it in 2 hours and 22 minutes, thus beating
the average time of 3.5hours. It is quite different compared to when I first
walked through the trail in October; the trail then had a colourful set of red,
orange, green and yellow leaves. Now, they all the leaves are gone and they are
covered in snow. It is really beautiful. After the hike, we had a
campfire/bonfire BBQ.
Alan
Today we
hiked for a long time. It was sort of tiring. For the rest of the night we
B.B.Q and talked and washed dishes. I have nothing to say right now, bye.
Mars
Today I
arrived to the HQ on time. We did some warm up and ate our breakfast. After
that we took our gears for hiking. The total distance is 5.8km, people usually
take 3.5 hours to finish it. I only saw many snow and trees while we were
walking but it looked so beautiful. We spent less than 3.5 hours to finish it,
it was faster than everyone thought. After going back to the camp, we returned
our gears and took rest. Half hour later, we ate B.B.Q around 4 hours. It was
really tired today.
Kelvin Junior (KJ)
Today we
hiked at Bat Lake for 5.8km when I first entered I thought I was going to past
out, but after 60min of the hike I figured it was just fine, my mittens weren’t
cold but I also figured that my legs were sore, very sore but knew I had to
hold it in. I fell numerous times
because I had oversized snowshoes, even bigger than Calvin’s snowshoes. The BBQ that Billy made was much burnt with
charcoal lines coming from the beef and chicken. Sadly I didn’t get to
participate in the snowball fight because I was supposed to host it. Did t get
time. I am looking forward to participating in the winter camp where we head up
north to visit the polar bear. Forgot to take an apple yesterday.
Jason
Today was our final full day of winter camp. We woke up at
the 7:30 and had to get ready by 8:30 and get to the headquarters. For Pt this
morning we only did stretch before breakfast. For breakfast we had veggie
noodle, tofu ball, shrimp ball, and dumplings. We some people cleaned dishes
while others were waiting. We got our snow shoes and headed to the hiking area.
Billy told us to always to look at a map and the warnings signs because it will
save our lives. The hiking trail was 5.6 km and take 3 and half hour to hike
but we took 2 hours and 22 minutes to hike through the trail not including the
break time. We didn’t have lunch so we had buns to eat during our breaks during
the hiking. After hiking we went back to headquarters and prepare for dinner.
Billy was barbequing stakes, pork chop and chicken wings for the appetizer.
After eating we went to Kenny’s yurt to talk about the day. Then we were
dismissed and got ready for bed.
Brian
We went to HQ and then work.
Andy
Yesterday there was hardly any opportunity to go hiking as
there was too much snowfall. Therefore, thanks to some clever rearrangement of
our schedule done by our instructors, we were able to go today.
The name of this trail we went hiking
today was called Bat Lake Trail as it passed by Bat Lake.
It was some distance away so we had to depart camp HQ
at around ten so we could arrive at the entrance at around eleven. Warmed up,
we slid on our snowshoes and were ready to go.
It began pretty well, although I
never realized how long the trail was. The sign at the start said it was 5.6 km
long and was supposed to take 3 ½ hours to finish. At one point we stopped to
rest, thinking we had a good distance to go and might not even be done before sunset.
Oh no! What would we do now?
Thank goodness we were faster than
we thought we were. Because we stayed together nobody got left behind. In fact,
there was a lookout point which I nearly ran off! Phew. I was later told that
that would have caused me my life if I wasn’t careful enough. And there was a
descent of an incline of approximately 30 degrees when I couldn’t hold my
balance … oh dear! I won’t say anything else about the trek, except that at one
time I slipped and fell down, stopping the convoy’s movement.
Ending up, we somehow finished more
than an hour ahead of expectations. Wow!
As for this evening, Billy treated
us to a series of “appetizers” which consisted of leftover raw meat cooked to
perfection on the campfire flame. Many of us said it was the best meal they
ever had. I guess so too. In any case, after dinner we spent some time warming
up in the fire and having a chat in the yurt before bedtime.
Too bad tomorrow we’re going home.
In fact, I feel a little bit homesick already… well, sort of, but maybe not.
Calvin
As wonderful as today was it was also very tiring. I hope
that everyone had as much fun as I did. I never had actually expected that the
trail I went to last year during the summer would be so much more difficult to
walk during the winter. It also seems more dangerous as well since many more
dangers, such as ice, snow, and slippery inclines and declines, are present.
Andrew
Everything
wrapped up pretty nicely. I really enjoyed my time at Mew Lake.
Although the hike was very exhausting, I managed to finish in a good manner.
The 150m view at the ledge of a cliff was quite extravagant for photography.
The BBQ was also very enjoyable; we crowded around the fire and enjoyed our
meal with laughs and smiles. Though I am homesick, I had an amazing time.
December 25, 2012
Day 4
General
Merry Christmas! We met up today at 8:30a.m. However,
someone was late and so we did push-ups for punishment. Then we had a hearty
breakfast of macaroni and ham with beans and eggs. After breakfast several of
us washed the dishes while the rest of us packed up and brought our packs out
to HQ to be put into the sprinters. When everything was cleaned up and readied,
we left at 12p.m; Billy and Kenny drove us back. We stopped at a McDonald’s at
around 2p.m for lunch. We came back around 4:30p.m and everyone helped
unpacked. Parents so came and we all went home.
Andy
Everything
in the world, no matter how exciting it may be, must eventually come to an end.
And today, that day has come. We went home and left our memories of our
Algonquin journey behind. Over these past two days we spent our time out in the
cold, freezing snow, keeping ourselves constantly warm during our activities
out in the snow.
For my
third and final blog entry, therefore, a bit of philosophy: survival is an
essential skill for Canadians. Because the north is always winter, if we get
used to winter as we experienced it these past few days, we will be prepared
for the day we all somehow manage to wander off into the wild and never realize
what is in store for us.
True: it
really goes by quickly. Four days can mean as much as a lifetime. Who knows
where we will all be heading for in the coming years? Some of us may grow up in
the city, while others may grow up in the country. Still, we’ll never know who
will grow up in the wild. It’s a mystery that remains deep in those we know
here at Monticle.
At the same
time, our life and social skills matured over this period. We learned to
survive in a challenging situation. We learned to turn to each other when we
needed to and when we had to. We built our friendships and discovered, during
free time, many things we never knew about each other before. And we, in a
word, became young, brave, ambitious people, who, as Billy said to us before,
were the best of the best. There is always a future that lies ahead. Only time
will tell us what really happens.
May all the
challengers in the nation and the world one day realize all their targets and
goals, and may all their dreams come true! And, as it fits for the bitter
sorrow of our departures (as all of us here in Monticle always believe in), God
bless us, every one!
Edwin
Today is the last day of our winter camp and also it is
Christmas day. We all woke up and got to HQ by 8:30. We ate breakfast at 9:00
and cleaned up at 10:00, when we finished our clean up we put all our
belongings in the cars and are ready to leave. We left at 10:30 and headed for
one of the visitor center but it was closed so we just end up taking a group
picture and left. After 4hours or so we had a pit stop by McDonald’s for about
40minutes then we took off again. In around 40minutes we reached back to HQ and
unloaded all our luggage’s and cleaned the Sprinters. That’s all for our winter
camp Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Kelvin Junior (KJ)
Today
I woke up very early, like about 6:30Am. I woke up with Alan and I got up, put
my gear on and went to the comfort station. My breakfast was macaroni and
veggies, my breakfast would be better if it had cheese in the macaroni. Other
than the breakfast we started packing after I finished packing I washed to
dishes and finally I helped the parents cleans two Cabins. Today was a short
day with no exact adventure because today is go-day. We ridded on the luxurious
Sprinters, it toke about 3.5Hours. After we arrived at Main Base HQ we unloaded
everything all the sleeping bags the mattresses ETC. Finally after all the
unloading I wrote my blog which I am writing right now
Jason
Today I woke up at the usual time. We did some stretches
before breakfast as usual. For breakfast we had macaroni with ham and green
beans. After breakfast we cleaned up the dishes and packed up everything. We
brought our stuff to the sprinter and loaded it. On the way back to HQ we had a
pit stop to get some gas and another to get lunch. I had McDonalds for lunch.
Then we went to HQ, then unloaded everything then cleaned up. P.S. Merry
Christmas to everyone.
Kendra
Today is Christmas day and the last day of the camp. Time to
say our farewells …… We had mac and ham
for breakfast and did a cleanup before leaving. Then, we packed up our stuff
and loaded the sprinters. We got on the car and deciding to go to the visitor
center to check out but it was closed, so we walked to the back and enjoyed the
view and took some photos. After, we took a bathroom break and set off back to Toronto. We drove for
about 4 hours and stopped for lunch at Macdonalds. We ate our delicious lunch
and set off yet again. About 30 ~ 40 mins later we arrived at HQ. We got off
the sprinters and cleaned them up. That was about it! Farewell and Merry
Christmas J
Alan
Today is
Christmas. Today for Christmas we ate macaroni and ham. For the rest of the day
we were cleaning up. and then we went home.
Mars
Today is
Christmas. I was late to group up at the HQ, so I needed to do push up.
Although it was my only fault, the other students shared my punishment. After
that we started to eat our breakfast and pack our stuff. We left at 10:30, and
came back to Monticle at 4:30. Tiredddd
P.S Merry Christmas
Crystal
Today is the official last day at winter camp. We woke up at
what-ever time and packed up for departure. We ate a warm breakfast consisting
of macaroni and ham, and then left our campgrounds. We drove for a long period
of time and rested at a McDonalds along the highway. We arrived at Monticle HQ
about an hour and half later. I had a lot of fun and an awesome time at Algonquin Park. Merry Christmas!!! :D
Calvin
I am very tired, too tired to actually put into words. This
trip reminded me of the Niagara walk. The
cause was the snow and incline that we had to traverse during the winter hike
at mew lake….The End? Merry Christmas and a Happy New year
Brian
I eat breakfast, I go in the van, I do work, I brush my
teeth, I play on the computer, I drink soup, I drink hot chocolate.
Andrew
This camping experience was quite an enriching one. Aside
from the things I learned from instructors, I feel that this challenged my
photography skills in a positive manner. The photos I took from this camping
trip gave me a healthier understanding on how us suitable setting s on the
camera to produce a beautiful-looking photo. I hope to continue improving my
photography skills for the upcoming events at Monticle.
Peggy
We woke up, packed, and left Algonquin Park.
Merry Christmas! Too much to type so I’m just going to leave it at that. Hehe J
But I did learn a lot during this trip.
