After: ALYN Heels of Love Hike, part 2
Setting up camp
Our group arrived at camp first. The rain had just ended and the logistics team had put our bags under a tarp to keep them from getting (too) wet. They had started to put up tents in 3 different circles, with foam mattresses inside, but most had collapsed in the wind. They were simple pop-up tents and our guide went around pulling up the ones in one circle.
Some mattresses were dry, some were moist, some were soaking. Any that were only moist we tried to separate from the really wet ones, in the hopes that the remaining sunlight (and wind!) would help dry them for the night.
Hot vegetable soup was served upon our arrival at camp, and later after everyone started settling in they laid out a great dinner of a chicken stew (plus a vegetarian one), rice and salads. Oh and wine and whiskey - apparently two donors provide cases for the bike ride, and now the hike.
The wine and whiskey started making the rounds early, but its real purpose was for toasts and stories around the campfire. A toast to a couple who had recently married, second time each, and designated the trip as their honeymoon. A few miracle stories from the hospital. Some inspiring thoughts from different participants.
One of my favorites: When we had the choice to climb up Har Shlomo or turn back, I thought about the kids at Alyn. They don't often get the choice to turn back. They have to face difficulty and fear - so I felt since they have to do it, I will climb this challenge and think about them. (Whoever said that, forgive me - I know my summary doesn't do your words justice :-) )
I had turned back - it was too hard. So hopefully sometimes they also find other ways to help kids get where they need to, when it's just too overwhelming the first way.
More wind
Our guide said the desert wind usually calms down in the late evening, but the stormy weather we had can change that. Sure enough it was windy and cold all night. I was glad I brought an extra blanket to use with my super-warm sleeping bag.
Thanks for the headlamps
And they definitely thought of everything. We got a sort of "goody bag" at registration - of course the group hiking shirts, but also a pair of cool hiking socks, some paraben-free sunblock, hand cream, and headlamps to wear at night. The headlamps make walking around at night (and finding my glove that flew away, and going to the outhouses in the middle of the night) actually possible.
I love camping - but this is hard!
The wind and cold didn't let up. The tent sides were flapping, the zippers rattling. And somehow my tent was too short for me (5'2" me!) to lie down completely straight.
Shivering, and tossing and turning, I looked at this camping experience with complete patience. It was because of all the great camping experiences I had in my life, and all the great associations I have with being outdoors, sleeping in nature. It wasn't about now. But all my past helped me connect with the nature that was now, appreciate that I was camping even though I didn't think I was enjoying it physically.
I really thought I would sleep like a log, getting up at 2 that morning, and hiking all day. Not so simple. (Some people actually did sleep like a log, because I heard more than one story of others who walked to the latrines in the middle of the night but mixed up which circle of tents to walk back to - "and thank goodness whoever was there was sleeping soundly when I zipped the tent back up and looked for my group of tents...")
Finally I remembered my ear plugs. They did a great job of eliminating the zipper rattle and reducing the overall noise level. I slept for about 4 hours, right up until the morning, when I pulled them out and the camp shacharit service was up to kriat haTorah.
[In the morning I realized that the camping challenges had sort of "sealed" my impression that this trip is great but I'm not likely to try it again. Hiking yes, but camping in the winter isn't so necessary. But then the next day when I was back home, I caught myself thinking about "the trip next year." I guess similar to what they say about women forgetting the difficulties of childbirth (ok, ok - it wasn't that difficult). ]
Our group arrived at camp first. The rain had just ended and the logistics team had put our bags under a tarp to keep them from getting (too) wet. They had started to put up tents in 3 different circles, with foam mattresses inside, but most had collapsed in the wind. They were simple pop-up tents and our guide went around pulling up the ones in one circle.
Some mattresses were dry, some were moist, some were soaking. Any that were only moist we tried to separate from the really wet ones, in the hopes that the remaining sunlight (and wind!) would help dry them for the night.
Hot vegetable soup was served upon our arrival at camp, and later after everyone started settling in they laid out a great dinner of a chicken stew (plus a vegetarian one), rice and salads. Oh and wine and whiskey - apparently two donors provide cases for the bike ride, and now the hike.
The wine and whiskey started making the rounds early, but its real purpose was for toasts and stories around the campfire. A toast to a couple who had recently married, second time each, and designated the trip as their honeymoon. A few miracle stories from the hospital. Some inspiring thoughts from different participants.
One of my favorites: When we had the choice to climb up Har Shlomo or turn back, I thought about the kids at Alyn. They don't often get the choice to turn back. They have to face difficulty and fear - so I felt since they have to do it, I will climb this challenge and think about them. (Whoever said that, forgive me - I know my summary doesn't do your words justice :-) )
I had turned back - it was too hard. So hopefully sometimes they also find other ways to help kids get where they need to, when it's just too overwhelming the first way.
More wind
Our guide said the desert wind usually calms down in the late evening, but the stormy weather we had can change that. Sure enough it was windy and cold all night. I was glad I brought an extra blanket to use with my super-warm sleeping bag.
Thanks for the headlamps
And they definitely thought of everything. We got a sort of "goody bag" at registration - of course the group hiking shirts, but also a pair of cool hiking socks, some paraben-free sunblock, hand cream, and headlamps to wear at night. The headlamps make walking around at night (and finding my glove that flew away, and going to the outhouses in the middle of the night) actually possible.
I love camping - but this is hard!
The wind and cold didn't let up. The tent sides were flapping, the zippers rattling. And somehow my tent was too short for me (5'2" me!) to lie down completely straight.
Shivering, and tossing and turning, I looked at this camping experience with complete patience. It was because of all the great camping experiences I had in my life, and all the great associations I have with being outdoors, sleeping in nature. It wasn't about now. But all my past helped me connect with the nature that was now, appreciate that I was camping even though I didn't think I was enjoying it physically.
I really thought I would sleep like a log, getting up at 2 that morning, and hiking all day. Not so simple. (Some people actually did sleep like a log, because I heard more than one story of others who walked to the latrines in the middle of the night but mixed up which circle of tents to walk back to - "and thank goodness whoever was there was sleeping soundly when I zipped the tent back up and looked for my group of tents...")
Finally I remembered my ear plugs. They did a great job of eliminating the zipper rattle and reducing the overall noise level. I slept for about 4 hours, right up until the morning, when I pulled them out and the camp shacharit service was up to kriat haTorah.
[In the morning I realized that the camping challenges had sort of "sealed" my impression that this trip is great but I'm not likely to try it again. Hiking yes, but camping in the winter isn't so necessary. But then the next day when I was back home, I caught myself thinking about "the trip next year." I guess similar to what they say about women forgetting the difficulties of childbirth (ok, ok - it wasn't that difficult). ]
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