Outdoor Youth Adventures (OYA) - 2002

Going back to OEFY had been one of my main goals almost from the moment I left. Two years later I did make it back, and I brought my younger sister Lindsey with me. During those two years Ricks College had changed to BYU-Idaho and the name of Outdoor Especially for Youth was changed to Outdoor Youth Adventures (OYA) to avoid confusion with the Especially for Youth program.

Some other things had changed as well. All four ropes course events were rebuilt. Also a lake was put in on the Badger Creek property so canoeing could be done on site. Other than those small cosmetic changes the program remained essentially the same. Here is my journal from that week. As will last time I've added things in brakettes to clarify what I wrote 9 years ago.

July 22, 2002 Monday

We woke up at 5:00 [at our campsite in Yellowstone] and hurried to pack everything up. I kept saying I would change from my sandals to my tennis shoes but I kept having other stuff come up. I finally changed them though. I drove out of the park. We got gas in West Yellowstone and mom started driving. She got pulled over for driving 40 in a 25 zone, but she only got a written warning. It was the first time she'd ever been pulled over.

We booked it across highway 20 and finally I saw Rexburg's water tower. When we got to the college I was so worried we weren't registered, but we were. They gave us t-shirts and name tags that had schedules on the back. Two girls were already sitting in the group D area. They were Kim and Talia from Orem, Ut. We just clicked. Two Jamies came separately and were tones of fun. Ashley and her cousin Cassie were also there. Me and Lindsey were in the same group and I was so glad I hadn't changed groups. [I had thought that since I was 17 and she was 15 we wouldn't enjoy being in the same group. As it turns out I was the oldest in the group and she was the youngest, and we had a great time.]

The girls in front of our teepee.

The boys in front of their teepee.

We had trouble telling which boys were in our group but eventually we met Max, Dave, Andrew, Marty, Logan, and Briant. We had orientation with a funny guy who said, “I hope yours will be the first session to not lose anybody.” Instead of calling us O.Y.A. He called us “Oh Yeah.”

We had lunch at the Manwaring center and played Uno as a group. There were 14 of us and we all got like 2 cards each. The cards had Winnie the Pooh characters on them. We got loaded up on the bus and started driving to Badger Creek. Our bus over heated and we had to stop and say a prayer. One guy from another group used the buses speakers and told us jokes.

When we got to the Outdoor Education Center we found out that our group D, or “Q” as they joking called it, had three counselors. Curt, Erica, and Diana. [Erica was the group leader for the week which meant she had lots of other responsibilities besides just being our counselor. That's why we had three counselors]   

Our counselors.  They slept under the handcarts. (For real!)

We also found out that our campsite instead of being up the steep hill like we figured it would be was actually right next to the eating pavilion. [About half of my group had been to OYA before so we'd been speculating based on our prior experiences] Because of that we didn't take our handcarts there right away, but went and played games. It started to rain so we moved to the lower pavilion We played a name game where everyone added an adjective to their name. We had:

Crazy Curt

Amazing Andrew

Mountain Biking Marty

Loopy Logan

Babos Bryant

Tacky Talia

Kool Kat Kim

Loveable Lindsey

Valiant Valerie

Awesome Ashley

Courageous Cassie

Maniac Max

Dashing Dave

Jumpin Jamie

Jazzy Jamie

Extravaganza Erica

Daring Diana

We played the duck game next. [Everyone stands in a tight circle. One person is in the middle of the circle. They have to bend over, grab their ankles, quack like a duck, and try to knock someone out of the circle with their butt. This game is a huge ice breaker] Then we went to Survivor Village and Curt showed up how to make fire. [He'd been a counselor at a very primative camp called Anasazi and so he showed us how to make fire by rubbing sticks together – I'm not kidding] We played in the mud and helped build a wikeeup [that every group worked on all summer long]. Kim and I got mud all over each other's arms. We shot bows and arrow. The bows were just sticks. And we shot Atalatals. We then had to hurry to dinner without our handcarts. We got to the pavilion just in time.

For dinner we had chicken, rolls, cobbler, mashed potatoes, and green beans. [One of the best parts about OYA is that the food is cooked for you.] We took our handcart to our teepees and set up our stuff.

Inside the teepee.

We had family home evening and made goals to work as a team and challenge ourselves. We all were assigned a devotional. I was pared up with Andrew. We went to the pavilion for staff skits. They did a skit where the guys wore black plastic bags and sang, “It's the raisins that make Kelloggs Raisin Bran so great” over and over. A guy with a giant spoon on his back would come and grab them one by one. They would all yell, “SPOON!.” They also sang another song that went like this, “Black socks they never get dirty the longer you wear them the blacker they get.” After the skits we all went on a nature walk. We all sat in a circle in the middle of a field of daisies. It was very spiritual. After that we went to bed.

Brushing our teeth at the water spigot by the pavilion.

July 23, 2002 Tuesday

We were supposed to wake up around 6:20, and we all did on our own. We had our mini devotional and then went to breakfast. [We loved that our tee-pees were right next to the pavilion. We could wake up later than the other groups that had to trek in from their camp sites.] We had french toast, fruit, bacon, and hash browns. After breakfast we did map and compass. We were split up into two teams and we raced each other. We met up at the “electrical fence.” When I did this [event] before it was very hard, but since there were two teams on each side we helped each other over with only a few casualties. Everyone here is always quoting the Princess Bride, the Emperor's New Groove, and other funny movies. Since we did map and compass so fast we had extra time. We played Indian Jones. [Everyone is blindfolded and crawls around on their hands and knees. Lots of soft things like rolled up socks are on the ground. The object is to throw one of the soft things at other people and hit them. Whoever lasts the longest is “Indiana Jones” and is the winner.”] That is a fun game.

Me on the inclined log

We did self defense moves that were really stretches and then we were onto Ropes Course A, the Inclined Log. We all got Brooklyn accents and 1920's mobster names. Erica was Doll face, Diana was Yvette, Curt was Snaps, Lindsey was Bobby, Dave was Squints, There were others but I don't remember. We all had a job such as spotter or rope tender and we all coached each other through the course. When there was only one person left it started raining but we were able to wait it out and send him up.   

Lindsey on the inclined log.

For lunch we had chicken, rolls, and other good stuff. Then we went and did initiatives [team building activities]. [The first event was where we had to swing on a rope onto a board about 3 feet square. We all had to hold each other on this board] We started playing like we were pirates and our ship was sinking and we had to get all 14 of us onto the tiny board. I've done this before but this time we had people that were also blind. I lost a leg [when I stepped off the board into the “lava”]. After we talked about how it was difficult to reach out and grab people who we'd barely met. We also picked pirate names. Mine was Marina Maria. Other names were One Eyes Pete, No Eyes Pete, Captain Red Eye, and Stinking Steve. We had a bathroom break while some people tried to do the two person log [Each person stands on a log and they have to support each other while moving down the logs that are spreading apart]. Then we went to a large blue barrel of fun. We were put into teams, mine was the Fantastic Four. 

Lindsey's group with the barrel.

Another group with the barrel

We had to move the barrel without touching it with our hands, and we had to have it off the ground at all times. The 3 boys in my group laid down and I rolled the barrel over 2 of them and then one would move and I'd roll the barrel again.

My group with the barrel

After everyone did that we all squished into a circle and all sat on each others laps. It held all of us up. 

Everyone playing with handcuffs

 We played with rope handcuffs, and I had a hard time figuring out how to get mine off. Once I knew the trick it was easy. [Sorry, I've since forgotten the trick.]

The two Jamies and Curt.

We were done with initiatives so we went up to the Lodge and started making lead bullets and paper targets. It started raining hard so we had to scrape shooting black powder rifles. We played games like the Sign Game, Zip Bong, Dippidy Dippidy Dip, and Human Knot. We went to dinner which was barbecued chicken, rolls, blueberry cheesecake, corn bread, and even the lima beans were good. Also Jello stuff.

After dinner we went up the high hill to a devotional that was really informative about the fall of Adam. After that we had skit planning time but we had no really good ideas, but a lot of fun. Me and Andrew did our little devotional. I got ready for bed and then found out that everyone was going to play capture the flag. I had my shoes off and my pajamas on so I fell asleep.

Lindsey standing on top of the steep hill we all climbed up for the devotional.  Over her left shoulder you can see our tee-pees and the pavilion.  The lodge is in the distance behind the pavilion.

July 24, 2002 Wednesday

We woke up and packed up our handcart for our trek. [One day we woke up to all the horses stampeding next to our teepee. I don't remember which day that was so I'll just say it happened this day] We went to breakfast and then did “Ty Chi” to stretch out. We did Ropes Course B, the climbing wall. Lindsey didn't have much trouble, but I did. I had to just wait and hang while I rested my arms. I feel bad for Kim who was belaying me. I made it to the top and Repelled down. I like belaying. And I like doing the commands like On Belay, Belay On, Climbing, Climb On. The wall was new and higher, but I liked it. 

Me on the climbing wall

Lindsey repelling down the other side.

Belayers and rope-tenders

As soon as B was over we did Ropes course C, the Jungle Gym. [Two years before Ropes Course C was my least favorite event.  It was a long obsical course in the trees. This year it had been rebuilt into a jungle gym. You didn't have to do every event to get to the end. Our counselors had us each do three events.] Dave was my partner. [Ropes Course C was different from the other ropes course events in that the climber didn't have a belay rope. Instead they were supported by two ropes called Lobster Claws. The climber would clip and unclip the claws as they moved through the course. Each climber had a partner on the ground who was incharge of making sure they clipped and unclipped in the right order and into the right places.] He never could get hes harness on right the first time. [Dave always seemed to get twisted in each harness, the harness for the lobster claws was no exception.] He went first. He did the M&M, the zip line, and the Charlie Chaplin. I did the Bridge, Postman, and Heebee Jeebees. Everyone did great. After those tiring courses we had a great lunch. We had stew in bread bowls.   

Me on the bridge

Another jungle gym event.  (I think it was called the M&M)

Everyone was tired at lunch but we still had the rest of the day. We walked down with our handcart and played in a faucet. Then [we started doing initiatives] Curt and Diana told us they were really secret agents and they needed our help to save the baby. [First] We had to walk with all of us on the two trollies[basically multi-person skis], crawl through dirt with the fire escape [a rope web respresented smoke. If our heads or anyother body part touched the smoke we passed out and had to be pulled out by other team mates] (I got very dirty because I was wet when I did this) The new prison wall [we had to lift/pull everyone over], and the switching log [everyone stands on a log and has to switch the order they are in without stepping off the log] that we did over water instead of in a hot clearing. [We got through most of these event pretty quickly because so many of us had done them before. After we achieved the log we played in the water. Then we all realized at the same time that we were on a mission to save the baby. We ran in squishy shoes to the next challenge.

Max going up the prison wall.

This is the exact moment everyone remembered we were supposed to be "saving the baby" instead of playing in the water.

It was the actual save the baby [event]. [A flour sack “baby” was up against a tree.  A pool of “lava” prevented us from reaching the baby. All we had to use to rescue the baby was a rope.] Most people who came last year knew how to solve it so we were done pretty fast. [I wont give the secret away – I'm not sure I could even describe it right anyway] We wrote a book about our experience. [This was the counselors was of getting us to process why we had worked so well together.] Some of us ran back to our teepee to get dry socks. I grabbed some and even though they were dirty I planned to change into them once my shoes dried. [Since I'd been camping in Yellowstone the week before I'd had to pack for two separate camping trips. Some how I ended up with only 5 socks in my OYA bag. Not 5 pairs of socks, just 5 individual socks] We got back to our handcart and I pulled the tiniest rock out of my shoe.

The Sisters in Zion pulling our handcart.

Our handcart was first because Erica was group leader. We pulled it fast. About halfway the boys got called on the Mormon Battalion. [They had to leave with all the guy counselors.] Us 8 girls were left to move the handcart. We went through a huge mud puddle. It was stinky. We had to go up huge hills and at the top of one were the guys watching us. [We were singing “As Sister's in Zion as we pulled the cart and the guys later remarked how cool were were to pull and sing] We couldn't have been so happy to see them. The boys finally helped [they were supposed to wait til we passed them.]  

         We finally got to the top [of the hill where the overnight campsite was]. We ate steak, baked potatoes, fruit, cake, and broccoli. We ate forever. I had to go to the bathroom and so did Jamie. We spent forever finding the perfect place for her to pee. [Back at Badger Creek the bathrooms were all pit toilets. Here on the overnighter you just went where ever you could dig a hole. An area was designated as the bathroom area and boys were on the left and girls on the right.] While we were gone the group planned our skit. It was a hospital where everyone caught other peoples diseases. I had a runny nose, Lindsey had cheerleaderitis, and Marty had Badger Creek Counseloritis. It was very funny. We had a group devotional and leg wrestling. Lindsey beat several boys.

This is the girls tarp, the boys tarp is in the background.

We slept on tarps under the stars. [Boys on one and girls on another about 10 feet away.] I woke up to a couple raindrops, but they stopped and I went back to bed. All in all it was one of the best nights sleeps ever. This was one of the best Pioneer Days.   

July 25, 2002 Thursday

Taking the handcart back down

I've been camping a week. We had a good breakfast of sausage, pancakes, potatoes, and cereal. We walked back to Badger Creek so fast that I often had to run to keep up with the handcart. We got back about an hour earlier than planned.

We hung around then we went canoeing in the new pond by the upper pavilion. Jamie was my partner. We played water polo in the canoes. It was very fun until Kim got hurt. She actually developed a concussion. I got wet again, but was out of dry socks. My feet look like brains they are so shriveled. I changed my pants, but stayed in the shirt I wore yesterday and last night. For lunch we had sandwiches, chips, brownies, and candy bar salad.   

Lindsey and Jamie ready to get wet.

After lunch we did ropes course D, the Power Pole. I jumped under my own power which was an improvement from last time, but I didn't get the tennis ball. I actually enjoyed belaying more than climbing.

Lindsey on top of the pole

Me jumping off

Lindsey jumping off

We did horses next and me and Jamie didn't ride. [Horse back riding had not been fun for me the last time I came to OYA. I told my counselors I had no intention of doing it again. I think they were a little disappointed, but they understood this was something they couldn't talk me into doing.] We whittled. I made a snake and a light saber.

For dinner we had spaghetti noodle salad, garlic bread, carrots, and apple cobbler. We went up the steep hill for part two of the fireside. [It was on the atonement] Then we had solo time I wrote a poem and my feelings for a letter that Diana will mail to us.   

The group on top of the hill.  The Grand Tetons are in the background.

Making ash cakes

After solo time we sat around the fire. The smoke was in my eyes. I looked like I was bawling, but I was actually having a good time talking to Logan. We talked about dating. I told him he had to ask the girls. We also got our commitment bracelets. My commitment is to be more outgoing and nice with people. We made really good ash cakes. I didn't want to go to bed but I was very tired. I will miss this group.

July 26, 2002 Friday

We woke up to a very heavy rain. We skipped devotional and ran to the pavilion We had breakfast, biscuits and gravy that were kind of yucky. [I guess one meal had to be bad, everything else was great!]

Eating at the pavilion

We did leather work and Dave screwed his up (of course). We also took showers and I changed out of my OYA shirt that I wore Wednesday, Wednesday Night, Thursday, Thursday Night, and part of Friday. The shower felt so good. We helped Curt clean up the lodge. I mopped our the bathroom using skills I learned by being a janitor (which is how I paid to come here) isn't that irony?  

After showers

We had testimony meeting in the logistics center. We went back to the teepees and played soccer and packed up and took pictures. We left our area and pulled the handcarts. Curt got a water gun and soaked us. Then we got Erica. We got on the bus and gave our counselors goodbye hugs. They came on the bus a little later and we had a gum party and played Uno. We road back on the bus and Lindsey sat by Max. [She had a huge crush on him all week] At BYU-Idaho we gave more hugs and me and Lindsey were picked up by Mom, Billy, Emily, and Hillary. All the way to Grandma's we relived the week telling mom about it. At Grandma's we ate. I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up later and we watched “The Kid” Then we went to bed.

The group