Over the last weekend in February, dorm father David McMyne took a van of students on a camping adventure. After driving three hours south they arrived on the edge of the one-million-acre Pine Barrens Forest of New Jersey. They sang some songs and hit the hay after hiking four miles to their campsite and setting up in the dark. The next day they woke up early, had breakfast, and then everyone set off to explore the vast and beautiful forest. Some students hiked the trails or wandered around the pitch pine forest covered with sand. Others went to the great cedar swamps that cover hundreds of acres. After a full day of hiking and exploring in gorgeous weather, they all came back to get ready for the impending thunderstorm. After battening down the hatches and making sure they were ready for the storm, they sang songs till it finally hit with a giant role of thunder. Quickly getting into their shelters, they settled down to wait out the storm. Some boys were singing, others playing cards, talking, reading, or sleeping. The storm with all its power and rain did not at all dampen the spirits of the campers; quite the opposite. After the storm, the students cooked dinner and shared stories of the day before heading to bed. The trip was a great success, teaching the budding woodsmen to appreciate and enjoy whatever nature might offer whether that be a beautiful sunny day or a powerful thunderstorm. Thank you, Mr. McMyne for organizing the trip!
