The weary Adventurers awoke early on Wednesday and sprang into high gear.  The camp was broken down, pack and all the students were prepped for the day by 7am!  Bill had planned the route and everyone was focused on the same goal, getting home.

The team did and amazing job, once again.  All stops were well planned and not a moment was wasted.  We arrived back at CMRC in time for dinner.  Everyone beyond exhausted and very happy to be home.

Even though they were all desperate to go home to their own beds, the team made one more miracle happen; they fed and cared for their students and unloaded all of the gear.

Speaking as the leader and organizer of this trip, I want to recognize the staff that gave so much of themselves to make this trip happen.  All of them left their lives and families behind.  Some of them took time off from thier other jobs and lost money.  This was an amazing Adventure and every one of the students had a fantastic time; the staff enjoyed themselves as well, but they all worked.  The word ‘work’ doesn’t express the gargantuan effort these guys put into every day of this adventure.  Please help me thank them for makng this dream of a vacation possible we could not have done it without you:  Anthony Torres (nurse), Ashutosh Bisht, Bill Lacroix, Chris Schmidt, Craig Adkins (3rd shift), Dan Young and John Tanner.  I would also like to the thank the two parents that joined us, Dann Nerich and Harold Stevenson; they were a tremendous help all week long and helped to take some of the responsiblity of carring for their sons away from the regular staff.

THANK YOU to everyone that helped make this trip possible, the memories and joy will last everyone a lifetime.

Please enjoy the pictures.  Have you noticed our mascot?  He kept popping up in the strangest places…

We broke camp and got on the road ahead of schedule.  The team was highly motivated to get moving.  Everyone was tired and looking forward to heading home.  After a little misunderstanding on a confusing exit, we all managed to arrive at the campground around 6:30pm.  A very tired group of students and staff had a short discussion and quickly decided to forgo the chocolate factory tour and head for home as early as possible on Wedensday.  We set up a skelaton camp and went to sleep early fot the first time on the trip.

The day began with beautiful sunshine once again, and we split into 2 groups to visit the safari park.  The tour was short, but fun and all the guys were amazed to see wild animals sticking their heads into the van looking for food!  A few of them even fed the animals.

The rest of the day was spent packing and organizing the RVs, since we wanted to get on the road as quickly as possible the next morning.  The teams were efficient, as usual, and we had everything prepared early enough to enjoy a nice quiet dinner that night.

Day 3 dawned with a glorious sunrise. There was enthusiasm in the air as everyone ate breakfast. Unfortunately, we again had our plans foiled. Two of our young adventurers had to see a Doctor because they developed conjunctivitis. We tried to salvage the day and save gas and parking fees by only taking the wheelchair van to the Park. The thought process used to make these decisions was good, but the actual application was ineffective. The whole first part of the day was wasted as the group was split into 3 parts and all anyone was doing anywhere, was waiting.

We managed to reconnect and all be ready (together) for an afternoon meal. After trying several places, we finally found somewhere that we could all eat together. It was just in time too, because as soon as we received our food, the sky opened up, and Mother Nature’s fury was loose. The rain came down in sheets as the thunder rolled and lighting flashed. The team didn’t want to give up and waited for over an hour and a half, but the storm wasn’t letting up. All the rides were closed and the decision was made to leave. Disappointment loomed over everyone, like the black clouds above us. The terrible irony of this frustrating day is the sky finally cleared and the sun came out as the second group left the park; but by then it was too late. Everyone was cold and wet and wanted to leave.

That night, after all the students were in bed, the staff had a meeting to discuss how to improve on the plans for the rest of the trip. After some discussion, everyone quickly decided on a plan to make the most out of or second park day.

Day 4 dawned as beautiful as the rest; and a well rested crew went to work early. Everyone proved why they were chose to staff this Adventure. They pulled together and made it happen, we were through the park gates at 11am and the fun began.

With one RV with us, the guys were able to rest during the hot part of the afternoon and recharge their batteries for a big finish. And it was! We walked out of the gates after dark, but it didn’t matter! We had a fantastic day and everyone was tired but smiling as we left the park.

(NOTE: These pictures are rather large so they may take a bit to download)

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Here we are at Niagara Falls!!!

It was cold and damp on the top of of Crotched mountain as the caravan drove away from Redwood Manor.  The group was sleepy but anxious and excited to begin their Adventure.

As we drove over Hogback Mountain, we were treated to a valley illuminated by a magnificent view.  It was a picturesque Vermont morning and a perfect moment to set the tone for the beginning of the Adventure.

We knew the miles ahead would be long and hard with a few mishaps.   Our best laid plans had already been compromised.  The team persevered and we arrived at Niagara Falls.  Everyone was awestruck by the enormity of Mother Nature’s splendor.   The Falls were an inspirational first stop in the Great Adventure.

Next Stop OHIO!