12 Questions - the adults...

Here are the answers to same 12 questions asked of the students in the previous post, but from the adults on this trip:

Patty Littlejohn
1. Most interesting or educational of the sites we visited: the mammoth site because even in our day and time, we’re finding that history is being revealed constantly, and at a new pace.
2. Least interesting site we visited: Evan’s Plunge – and my reason – I find it hard to believe that there is really 5000 gallons a minute coming into that.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget – listening to the students in awe as they could see all the animals and sites.
4. Everyday I looked forward to: the upcoming sites and scenes that the kids had never seen before.
5. I got tired of: the possibility of rain, so often.
6. It was a “bummer” when – I would see the orange signs that said “road construction ahead”….
7. A “pleasant surprise” was being prepared for the rain at one point – and it didn’t rain!
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Old Faithful, because it still amazes me that we have such hydrothermal activity underground.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all? My swimsuit.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? A warmer jacket.
11. What about this trip would you change? Maybe not to pack so much activity into a day.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? The possibility of going out west and for the kids to be able to see a whole new world that they’ve never seen in Franklin.

Kristi Jefferson
1. Most interesting of the sites we visited: I thought it was at the Fishing Bridge Lodge at Yellowstone Lake, where the ranger gave us an explanation about Yellowstone Lake, and the geysers, and the formation of the area. He explained about the Continental Divide and many other things.
2. Least interesting site we visited – Cabella’s – it didn’t have a historical or real-life value to add.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget: How everybody worked together – mosquitoes! – the beauty that exists in our country.
4. Everyday I looked forward to: seeing how all the students would react to something they had never seen before and how they grew as individuals on the trip.
5. I got tired of: mosquitoes, mosquitoes, mosquitoes.
6. It was a “bummer” when the kids weren’t able to go horseback riding when they were anticipating it – two times.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was getting to meet the gentleman who had worked on Mt. Rushmore, and also when Mary, Jeff, and Brant Littlejohn came to visit.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? It’s a toss up for me between all the sites in Yellowstone and Custer State Park – we couldn’t do one without the other!
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all ? Poncho – never touched it.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? More long-sleeved shirts and pants for the cold.
11. What about this trip would you change? Not a thing – it is a wonderful educational opportunity and we are blessed to have Patty arrange it, organize it, and lead it for each of the past 21 summers.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? It should remain a camping trip and one where the children are involved in all the everyday activities in addition to the sites. I think the technology addition should continue too.

Cas Jefferson
1. Most interesting or educational of the sites we visited: The Fishing Bridge – where we learned how the lake was formed and all the information related to that.
2. Least interesting site we visited: - Wall Drugs – it was alright, but it was more touristy – but the kids liked it.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget: The scenery is breath-taking, every turn you don’t know what you’re going to see next, the historical information about things we saw, and the kids – how they interacted with each other – it was good thing all the way around.
4. Everyday I looked forward to what we were going to do next!
5. I got tired of the mosquitoes!
6. It was a “bummer” when – I really didn’t have much disappointment on this trip!
7. A “pleasant surprise” was when Patty’s family surprised her, and the interaction between all the kids with little Brant – both the girls and the boys.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? It would be a toss up between Yellowstone and Custer – Custer because of the remoteness and being able to see the stars, and Yellowstone because it is such a large area with so much more to explore –we need more time to see everything!
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all? the poncho
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Maybe more warm clothes, maybe some stronger bug spray.
11. What about this trip would you change? And 12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? First, I wouldn’t change anything on this trip because the kids need to do the chores and all the interactions that help them mature.
The other part of that is – this is the Northwest – don’t ever lose the Southwest trip either, because both trips are totally different. Both trips are awesome, awe-inspiring. It is a great experience for the kids and for the adults who come. What I’ve heard from adults who have done this for a number of years is that each time there is a different experience even if it changes a bit. If you have the opportunity, a company that you work for that will let you have 16 days off, to make this trip, I would recommend it to anyone. This is a camping experience, a four-seasons, not-getting-waited-on type of deal, but the rewards are immeasurable.


Abigail Reynolds:
1. Most interesting: Devils Tower - It’s unlike anything else.
2. Least interesting: Cabela’s - I’m not big on hunting/fishing, but I know some of the kids really like it—and this trip is for them. :-)
3. I’ll never forget: The hike to Inspiration Point. It’s my favorite part of the trip! Also going to the brink of Yellowstone’s upper falls – we had never done that before on this trip.
4. I looked forward to: Seeing the students’ faces when they saw something new.
5. I got tired of: Listening to the X-Men movies—they’re hard to follow based on dialogue alone.
6. It was a “bummer” when: The mosquitoes attacked!
7. A “pleasant surprise” was: Jeff telling me that he wanted to surprise his mom—and the fact that we pulled it off.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Grand Tetons—they’re just amazingly beautiful
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Nothing—after 8 times, I’m pretty good at packing for this trip.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Aloe
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Maybe add one more day in Yellowstone, but there’s nothing I’d want to cut to make that possible.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? That it exists. The kids (and adults) get so much out of it. I would hate to see it end.

Carole Grooms
1. Most interesting: I thought the Grand Tetons and Hayden Valley in Yellowstone were the most beautiful places. The mammoth site was the most fascinating because it was the “real deal” – no facsimile here! Devil’s Tower was the most amazing geological thing to me – how that formed, the formations in the rocks, and the sheer size of it. And Yellowstone – how it is still such an active thermal area, living and breathing and changing right before our eyes.
2. Least interesting site we visited was Wall Drug – just Tourist City to me – nothing to learn, only money to spend on junk.
3. I’ll never forget: the wildflowers all throughout the Rockies – the flowers that we work so hard to make grow in our gardens at home grow wild everywhere and the colors were just amazing – and the cold weather that we were not expecting!
4. Everyday I looked forward to the next new site - and laying down at night, going to sleep. I slept really well every night because we were so tired.
5. I got tired of the competitive arguing and bickering that went on in our van on a regular basis.
6. It was a “bummer” when I forgot I had been cutting up jalapeno peppers then took out my contact lenses (then dealt with three days of uncomfortable contacts), when I broke my big toenail in half the second day of the trip, and how hard I hit the ground when I fell off the horse. And, everyday we were at Flagg, I kept hoping for an opportunity to walk down to the Snake River and just sit, put my feet in, watch for wildlife, but we never had time.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was not having to pack up camp and move for the last night at Flagg Ranch as expected, finding a great pair of shoes at Cabella’s for about 75% off. A really special moment was at Jackson Hole, when Patty’s family was leaving us. Brant was laying on his stomach, playing in the grass, when someone said “kids, come say by to Brant” to our students. Our kids, boys first, all raced over to Brant, and joined him on the grass, on their stomachs, chins supported by fists, all in a little circle studying whatever bug Brant was looking at too. It was a really sweet moment.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? The Grand Tetons – amazing views, beautiful mountains, and Yellowstone – which is like four parks in one. I would love my sisters and I to come back and hike some long trails.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all ? Too many summer clothes, my knitting project, even as small as it was, I just didn’t have time to fool with it. And – other lenses for my camera and a backup battery, already charged and ready to go.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? My Tilley hat. More socks. Binoculors.
11. What about this trip would you? I would love more time to just sit – time to watch for animals. Also, would love more hiking, like the hike to Inspiration Point – I wish we had a hike like that on five or six days of the trip, maybe even longer ones.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? The kids doing most of the work – they gain soooo much independence on this trip having to take care of all of their equipment and the camp equipment in general, doing the cooking, prep work, clean-up, etc.


Rita Oakley
1. Most interesting or educational of the sites we visited: The visitor’s center at Yellowstone Lake – where we got the scoop from the ranger on the Yellowstone caldera, the continuous changing of paths through the mudpots area, the windstorms, the catching of invasive lake trout, etc.
2. Least interesting site we visited: Cabella’s was interesting because of the 32 point deer displayed, so I’ll say Corn Palace - because it wasn’t a buffalo 
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget: being so close and buffalo sneaking up on me one morning, and the incident on the horse trail ride (in all seriousness). The scenery and all is beyond belief, but it is the kids which gives this trip its special touch and memories – the kids, the leaders, and dynamics of each group are unique. Also – the kindness of strangers on the trip, like the man who sold us gas in South Dakota when we were too far from a gas station.
4. Everyday I looked forward to everything that was coming up! All the possibilities – seeing the things I might not have seen on the trips previously.
5. I got tired of telling kids to wash their hands before you cook, touch food or eat!
6. It was a “bummer” that the trip is so short! There is so much to do in so little time!
7. A “pleasant surprise” was – how well these kids got along. They all had moments, but there were no blowups. They all tried to behave well.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Custer State Park (South Dakota) because we saw the buffalo in the mornings coming in, we could see the trees where they rubbed against them to shed their fur, where they left spots on the ground where they had been laying. The fishing was wonderful there too – we ate fresh trout!
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all? My bandanas for sweating (because the trip was cool).
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? A smaller tote for my souvenirs.
11. What about this trip would you change? I would extend it – more days.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? It should never be turned into a “motel trip” – it should remain a camping, kids-do-the-work trip, where kids are able to experience all of these things and responsibilities.

Debbie Alcorn
1. Most interesting or educational of the sites we visited: Mt. Rushmore – because we had the opportunity to meet one of the men that actually worked on Jefferson’s and Lincoln’s head.
2. Least interesting site we visited: Evan’s Plunge – I expected the water to be warmer, a little hotter, than it was.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget: the memories it brought for me for when I took this trip with my parents and my siblings.
4. Everyday I looked forward to seeing my children experience something I experienced when I was their age.
5. I got tired of re-tying fish hooks!
6. It was a “bummer” when Sean’s five-pound trout got away.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was when the grizzly bear was so close to our car.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Yellowstone park because there are so many things to do within the park itself.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all ? Two fanny packs.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? My husband.
11. What about this trip would you change? I honestly can’t think of anything!
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? The number of diverse sites and activities that are included in the trip.