Adventures at Galby Lane with the Grey Fox Kits

It was a blustery Sunday afternoon as the boys gathered at the Galby Lane parking lot. It was no secret this was a beautiful day as numerous cars packed the tiny parking lot and many mountain bikers made their way over to the Galbraith trails. However, for the explorers, all our adventures awaited us just beyond the stand of young alders that separated the parking lot from the mature forest wonderland full of mystery and adventure. With all the boys present and accounted for we were ready to begin the outing.

The outing began as all good outings do: with an opening circle. These opening circles are of the utmost importance to set our intentions for the day and get us all back into the Explorers Club mindset. We chatted for a bit about our earth skills focus for this season; The Art of Carving. Each boy either brought their carving project from last outing, or picked out a fresh piece of wood to begin a new project. In order to get the boys in the right state of mind for carving, we decided to begin the outing with a sit spot.

Once we got a ways back into the woods, we hopped off trail and found a cozy place to set up shop. Each boy shared what they wanted to carve, and then all the boys found a quiet place to settle down, calm their minds and bodies, and begin envisioning their masterpiece. It was a great thing to see this group of boys so calm, quiet, and focused. They set strong intentions for their carving time and transitioned seamlessly from sit spot to confident and composed carvers exhibiting superb technique and concentration.

Everything was going well until we heard a loud CRACK off in the distance, followed by a rush of rustling leaves and resounding boom as a large tree was brought down by the persistent winds. It was a ways off, but still a strong reminder to this group of boys of the power of the forest. The Grey Fox Kits are no novices when it comes to widow makers having had a close call last fall with a tall cherry tree. All the boys came together with the mentors and upon inspecting our surroundings, felt it best to find a better clearing to carve, away from any potentially hazardous trees.

We were faced with two options: return to the parking lot and carve beside the cars and mountain bikers for another three hours, or hike further into the woods to a deforested strip of land that had been clear cut to create a tree free path for the power lines. Both options were not ideal but we decided it was time to move and we’d rather remain surrounded by the green of the forest and ferns than the grey of metal and gravel. So we headed out down the trail towards the clear cut where we hoped to resume our carving without the hazards of our current location.

Along the trail we marveled at the beauty of the forest with a keen eye focused on the trees. Although we were scanning for widow makers and other hazards, we began to notice more patterns and intricacies within the trees than we ever had before. It’s beautiful when the old adage holds true: the more you look, the more you see. But despite all our looking and seeing, it was what we heard that caught our attention.

Another loud crack, but this time not off in the distance, a sound that was felt as much as it was heard. We all looked up in unison as a large branch from an alder burst from the canopy and began descending upon us. There were only moments to take action but the boys drew upon their past experiences and reacted with the swiftness of a sparrow to swoop out of the way. When the branched landed on the trail next to us it was a moment filled with adrenaline, emotion, and amazement. There is a lot for a person to process when faced with such an experience. Many of the boys were scared, as they should be, because they were faced with the reality that bad things can happen to anyone, including themselves. Many of the boys were overcome with a flood of emotion as would anyone, young or old, in such a situation. And many of the boys were filled with an exhilaration and rush of adrenaline that left them bubbling over with excitement because they were touched by the vast awesomeness and immense power that is imbued within the natural world. No matter how the boys reacted, however, it was time to get out of the woods, and fast.

We all hustled back down the trail headlong for the parking lot. Despite the chaos, something magical happened in this moment. All the boys were running. Some even still had tears on their face; evidence of the extreme emotions within them taking physical form and being released through their tear ducts, but all the boys kept looking back. They may have been excited, scared, or flooded full of so many other unexplainable emotions, but they still looked back. They weren’t looking back to see if more branches were falling, or if something else was coming to harm them, no, they were looking back for their fellow explorers. They were looking back for their friends, their brothers, their family. It was in this moment that it was undeniably apparent these boys care deeply for each other. Perhaps they won’t admit it, or even be fully aware of it themselves, but it was clear to the mentors that these boys share a deep bond with one another. They may all be incredibly unique individuals but they will forever share experiences like the one they shared today and will forever be able to come together as the Grey Fox Kits, or perhaps the Widowmaker Warriors would be a better fit.

Upon arriving at the parking lot we rallied together, checked in with one another, and formulated a game plan for the rest of the outing. We decided to ferry the boys carload by carload to the big field next to the Lake Padden dog park where we could finally relax and revel in the glorious wind. We laughed and played and celebrated our wellbeing. Our circle of thanks at the end of the day was filled with a sincerity that can only be felt while reflecting upon such a powerful experience. All in all it was an incredible day. Incredibly focused carving, incredibly emotional experiences, incredibly relieved to be alright, incredibly happy to get lost in play, and incredibly thankful for our well being, the well being of those close to us, and the powerful experiences mother nature provides us.

Grey Fox Kits Explore the Art of Harvest at Galby Lane

The Grey Fox Kits arrived at Galby Lane and quickly circled up by the trailhead. The boys were excited to see that three returning Mentors would be joining them. On behalf of the Boys EC we’d like to thank Adnan for his caring heart, spirit for exploration, and ability to step outside his comfort zone and Stretch his Edges. Throughout his internship Adnan set a strong example for the boys by providing them thoughtful Mentoring while also offering them a window into a new culture of people, explorers, and a community halfway around the world. We also thank Tim and Soren for their long-term commitment to the Grey Fox Kits and to community building.

As we chatted the Mentors took the opportunity to tell the Explorers that in the fall the group would start the Earth Skill Journey the Art of Carving. Passing around hand carved utensils the Mentors talked about the responsibility and weight that comes with this powerful tool. The boys are definitely excited about this prospect and it will be their continual awareness and respect for our tool culture that dictates if they are ready.

Important note! Every Explorer must watch the knife safety and usage video before starting this skills journey. If your son does not have a knife already, he'll need to come with his own. We have a number of suggestions for his first knife in this Introduction Letter to the Carving Journey.

Leaving the parking lot we wandered along the trail and quickly got inspired and veered off it. Hiking among towering Hemlocks, Spruce, Cedar, and Maple we climbed over the maze of nursing stumps and logs. Finding an opening in the canopy we rested in the sun, lounging on the loamy Earth as we ate.

As we handed out jobs we brought our attention to our skills focus for the day, the Art of Harvest. Approaching harvest from a seasonal focus we recognized that as spring turns into summer the landscape is rich with food and medicine; in order to take part in the harvest we must be able to identify edible and hazardous plants. Challenging the Explorers the Mentors split up the group into four parties giving each three bandanas. The challenge was to find three wild edibles, tag them with pipe cleaners, and be able to track their way back to them.

Spreading out into the land the boys turned their eyes and noses to the ground, whispering amongst themselves they investigated and explored their curiosities.

After five minutes the Mentors gave a Crow Call and the groups trickled back in. Circling up the Mentors did a head count and there was one Explorer missing.  Getting back into our parties and adding a Mentor to each we tracked the Explorer back to the trailhead. He had not stayed with his group and ended up getting turned around. Calling the groups together we met at our randevú spot and circled up to talk about the importance of staying together. At the start of each outing we revisit our culture of safety and it is easy for this message to go in one ear and out the other. It is only when issues arise that the lessons really sink in. Our gift is that we have safe spaces to practice and engage in this group culture.

As we sat, we listened to a story about two backpackers who were split up in the Pasayten Wilderness when one went off to fish at a lake. Knowing the first rule to being lost, the backpacker without the food waited for the other to return. After waiting a day the backpacker decided that she was going to follow her friend. Tracking the boot prints and direction of travel she followed her friend for another day and found that she was not the only one tracking him. Fresh Cougar tracks followed his boot prints. On the third day they reunited and shared their resources, rejoicing. The story really hit home for the Explorers after their experience that afternoon.

Finishing our harvest challenge we walked around to each tagged edible and studied their forms and textures with all our senses. Using multiple senses to get to know these edibles is one of the best ways to remember them. The Explorers really did well, identifying: Red Huckleberry, Salmonberries, Oregon Grape, Sword Fern, Maple, and Alder. We examined them for their defining features and looked for their propagation throughout the landscape to understand the ecology that each thrived in.

After a very focused activity the group was ready to play. We set up bandanas, outlined the boundaries for Spider’s Web, and started sneaking around. Getting into our animal forms we crawled through the Sword Ferns and Oregon Grape dodging behind nurse stumps. From the Spider’s vantage point he quickly trapped flies on the web. In the end our game provided quite a challenge for the boys. Circling up we debriefed the game and went around the circle sharing our powers and challenges.  This event was truly unique in the Grey Fox Kits history as a group. The boys processed the experience together as an authentic, genuine, and caring community. They practicing focused listening skills while learning to be vulnerable and speak their truths in front of their peers. This form of connection is vital in a supportive and functional community, and it makes the Mentors hearts sing. Sitting in the woods Walt Whitman’s words echoed through one Mentors head, “Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the Earth.”

Breaking our circle we connected back with the trail only to get off it again on another exploration. Our mission was to track down a location where some of the older groups had built shelters last fall. With focused navigation we found Matt Fogarty’s old shelter, which was a burrow dug into the remnants of an old growth stump. The Explorers nestled into the duff and mulch feeling their deep desire for shelter. From there we tracked down the rest of the structures, which were all flattened. Thinking back to the heavy lowland snowfall in late March we realized the culprit. With all the abundant building materials the group sprang into action. In twenty minutes we had a solid framework, had woven twigs throughout, and piled on about a foot and a half of leaves and downed Hemlock bows. What an effort!

We ended our season with one final circle sharing apples and giving thanks. The Grey Fox Kits over the last few seasons have become a highly functioning and caring group that values one another as community members. They know how toCollaborate and Compromise while Speaking Their Truths. This group is ready for the Art of Carving this fall and all the adventure which lies ahead for them this summer. On behalf of the Boys EC Mentoring we thank parents for their trust and support and look forward to the long summer days and outings.

Remember to check out our summer camps if you have not already done so.

For more pictures please visit the Grey Fox Kit’s photo gallery.