Welcome 2009 EARTH Lodgers!

The new Lodgers and a few grizzled vets off to a great start having already gathered for a movie & pizza night and a scouting trip for our pre-semester retreat in the fall. Though it was a bit over the top, Idiocracy by Mike Judd was a hilarious vision of a future whose frightening seeds can be recognized even now.

Our trip to Mill Creek in the Blue Ridge mountains was enlighting and an unexpected challenge that y'all met with impressive cheer and ingenuity - and a few wet feet! Though I had honestly forgotten that we had about four stream-crossings (one way), and the challenge proved the mettle of this group!

In my decades of trips to this lake, I've never seen it this dry:

But after skirting the lake on a rough, unmarked trail....



Molly leads across clear flowing water with a delicate balance....our first crossing of four!
....and we saw plenty of small, clear swimming holes on this creek.



Along the way we saw signs of man...

...and beast

Sometimes crossing on the rocks....

and other times attempting construction....

time for a much-needed refeuling!

Stay tuned for details about our camp out in the mountains before classes begin in the fall....
Until then, please share some of what you are doing this summer by posting some of your adventures to this blog.