Trip News

Upper Left Hand Corner: Sunset from our campsite in Florida

Read about our adventures. Maybe they will inspire you to go on such a trek.

Finding the Keys to the Reef
Read about our Ecology Camp in the Florida Keys where we learned how important one tree can be. Look at our pictures of camp in the mangrove swamp and underwater photography in Looe Key Reef.

Lake Superior Discovery Tour
Read about our first trip to the west coast of Lake Superior where we tried several great outdoor activities like Kayaking and backpacking with the bears of Stockton Island. Enjoy the pictures of a replicated Fur Trading Fort from the 1790's , lighthouses and waterfalls.
      Yellowstone
We wanted to enjoy some outdoor activities and study geology. Included are the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Wind Cave, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Dinosaur National Parks. Itineraries, packing requirements, recipes, service projects and badge plans are included.

Examining the Contents of a Plankton Net Under the Supervision of a Marine Biologist from the National Marine Sanctuary,.

January or earlier:
The girls start by choosing a destination and selecting a couple activities using the internet. Some of our favorite websites include the National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/, Historical societies like this one http://www.mnhs.org/sites/nwcfp.html and state parks http://www.mindspring.com/~wxrnot/parks.html. Call the destination's counsel for suggestions and get their expert opinion. We then start arranging transportation and locating campsites or hotels while building a trip budget and itinerary.

February:
By looking at the activities we chose, we can then select some interest projects. The requirements in the interest projects give us ideas for activities to fill in the rest of the week. Plan fundraisers and set a schedule.

March:
We purchase a video, usually from a national or state park, prepare parent fact sheets and refine the trip budget and itinerary. Next is the parents meeting when we show our video which gives everyone a mental picture of the activities and the area. Continue fundraising.

April:
Using Safety Wise and experts who have "been there-done that", we start to prepare for the trip. Plan lots of practice sessions. Continue fundraising.

Summer
This is the most exciting part. We finalize fundraisers, review all the plans and pack for the big trip.

Backpacking along the beach of Stockton Island in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Cadettes love to travel and explore their world. The girls have grown and learned so much on these trips. All the work will be just a blur when you catch them whispering wow or watch them intently listen to a ranger talk about the ecology of the area.