Traveling with Youth

The youth from our ward went on a pioneer trek.  The logistics of our ward being on an island mean that for the youth to attend a stake activity they have to fly over to the main land.  You can imagine what that means for all those leaders that have to plan for extended travel arrangements.  Our youth get over to the main land once a year for youth conference and camp.  Most years this means that the stake leaders have double duty because they have to plan both of these big events back to back.  Needless to say we need a big travel budget. 

So this year a pioneer trek was planned.  They combined camping and hiking with service projects, stake bonding, and a dance.  From the reaction of our youth it was a big success.  Chad and I volunteered to fly up to Anchorage to act as chaperones for the flight back to Kodiak.  We enjoyed a wonderful Saturday in the big city, ate more than we should have, and went shopping (yikes!).   Armed with photos of the shoes Melanie had to have, our prepaid phone, and a phone book with addresses; we were off.  We quickly learned that neither one of us are really shoppers, but we found the shoes, some workout cloths, and the running store.   Skinny Ravens running store was awesome, and the people were very helpful.  They looked at my feet, (a little awkward if I had not be prepared for that) measured me and suggested several pairs of shoes.  Then I got to try them out on the treadmill.  I know this is the case with most running stores, but this was the first I have ever visited.  We even got to see a movie, which may not be here in Kodiak for a while. 

Sunday morning, snacks in hand, we showed up at the airport to meet our trek weary youth.   We heard all the great trek stories, including that it rained on them the majority of the time.  I have already mentioned Kodiak weather right?  I guess Soldotna weather is not much better.  Those of you burning up in southern climates, think of us and send some warm days our way.  

They were all tired, having been on the road for over 3 hours to get to the airport by 8:30 am.  They wolfed down doughnuts and juice, and roughhoused a little in the terminal.  It was all quite once we boarded the plane and traveled an hour to get back home.  Then it was time to load them all up in the vans and take them back to their loving families waiting at the church.  Did I mention this was a Sunday morning?  Yes, we got them all back in time for  Sunday School, just what they all wanted. 

  

I have to say, even with some of the chaos, it was fun to hang out with these great kids.  The trek would have been fun to go on too, but that may have to wait for the next one in four years.