9/14/13-Learn to listen so you can listen to learn.

"Learn to listen so you can listen to learn."-Jerry Logan

                                                                    Tyler Schrapf

This day of our expedition was not filled with any profound moments of intellectual or spiritual insight. It did not provide what most of us assumed would be in regard to atmosphere with a deep woods back country experience.  No school lessons were taught either, but impactful memories were made, and lessons of life definitely learned. What this camp site did offer, and in a very abrupt way, was an opportunity to reassess our commitment to the group, and to the rules that we all signed our names on that represent what ECOEE stands for. This campground has been filled with temptations from the moment we arrived, and has provided our group with an opportunity to forge a meaningful bond by staying steadfast in our commitment to ECOEE and to each other.

I believe it is days like today that give our group a much deeper faith in each other and in the process that has been developed by WIU, WEA, Jeff, and all his predecessors. . . Aside from all this rules and regulations business, the day went off without a hitch, we transitioned lows for the 3^rd time in the backcountry, I am excited for the group as we progress down the last 80 or so miles of the river. The campsite has provided us with much room to move around and spend some much needed time to ourselves. Some caught up on personal journals; others planned their interpretations for the west. But if one thing is for certain, I know we all took a little time to assess our commitment t the group, and to ECOEE, and in that respect, this final day off on our river expedition has provided us with a great thing.