Finding New Adventures at Lake Padden

As residents of the Bellingham area, we are lucky to have Lake Padden in our backyard.  I have hiked the trails there so many times, but there always seems to be new pockets left to explore.  It was my pleasure to share a winter adventure at this location with the Alligator Lizards.  They are a young group, but they are meshing together and internalizing Explores Club practices with each new outing.  These boys love to play in the woods, and that makes for rewarding day outside. 

 

Grabbing a quick snack

After opening circle we hiked back into the forest above the lake.  The mentors had a specific spot in mind, but along the way we came across an interesting area with huge and ancient fallen trees pushing up against the hillside.  The explorers decided that this would be a perfect place to deviate from the game plan.  They decided as a group to check out this area before heading onward to the next spot.  The group crossed a small muddy area where some chose to spend there time building a bridge to keep out of the mud.  The others spent the next 45 min. exploring and playing in the “Ewok Village.” 

 

Fun in the forest

Our next stop was a basecamp set in a little draw.  This spot provided much to explore while at the same time creating some very defined natural boundaries that kept the explorers within “crow call” distance.  Here the boys played countless rounds of hungry, hungry martin and hide, and there were some who focused intensely on building a fort between two fallen trees. 

 

Hungry, Hungry Martin

After a couple of hours of free exploration and games, the mentors felt it was good time to switch gears a little bit.  We hiked down the trail a little ways and found a good spot to have a “sit spot.”  Sit spot is an important part of Explorers Club.  The participants find a spot away from their fellow explorers and sit still and quiet for a set amount of time.  It is a good time for reflection, observation, and learning to be comfortable with your own thoughts.  The Alligator Lizards did a great job with this activity.  They were silent and respectful for the full 10 minutes!  When time was up we got in a circle and talked about some of the things we observed.  There were many incredibly insightful observations and thoughts shared. 

Finding great spots for reflection

As the outing was coming to a close, we found time for one last area to explore.  We played a couple more rounds of hide and drank some hot chocolate before we ended our adventure with a closing circle.  Thanks Alligator Lizards for bringing such enthusiasm, interest, and creativity to our day at Lake Padden.  Click here to view the rest of the photos.