The plan was to lead an Adventurous Young Mazamas weekend in Redwoods National Park. My hope was visit for a third time and check out the Boy Scout Tree in addition to some other favorite spots. Alas, as I monitored the weather report the past week, I knew that it was not in the cards this time. I did not think it was worth driving six hours to be wet and cold, so I canceled the trip.
They say that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. So four refugees from the Redwoods trip headed to the Mazama Lodge to help prepare for the winter. I spent most of Saturday putting up the rope hand line that borders the trail from the road to the lodge. Never again will I walk along this hand line without appreciating the effort that went into setting up it.
Sunday I was cutting and stacking wood. As I swung the axe I was having flashbacks to that summer when our family cut 10 cords of wood. I was also reliving my childhood as we stacked the wood that had been cut. I also found myself pulling on a rope, guiding a dead tree as a arborist cut it down.
But is was not all work, as we paused for an Throwing Axe contest. Who knew that a bunch of mountaineers would be throwing axes about? During the first round all of my throws ended up in the dirt. However I had a great second round, with all three throws hitting the target for 40 points.
This weekend had the same feeling that I get from the volunteer work parties at Camp Parsons. Not only do you enjoy the fellowship, but you leave having invested a little bit yourself in a place that is dear to you.
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