Lorikeets: This week in the Lorikeet group, new challenges were faced and overcome through team work and honest self reflection. The Lorikeets were able to hike 9 miles with packs, the Sunday hike being 5 miles. They improved their bow drilling skills by being vigilant and dedicated during the allotted fire making hour. In a bittersweet ceremony, they said goodbye to a Lorikeet and honored her with a farewell gathering. Two Lorikeets earned their trail name, Methodical Wave and Melodic East and two other Lorikeets were honored with Vital Fire and Strong Cord tokens to mark their growth and strength. The group was able to take mental breaks with fun games, which sparked many laughs and cherishable moments. Overall, this week in the Lorikeets was productive and exciting.
Goannas: The Goannas experienced many changes this week. The group said goodbye to some senior members of the group with high hopes for the future. 2 long time Goanna staff members had their last shift at outBACK, which made for a bittersweet goodbye. The remaining members of the group focused on determining their new group culture moving forward and establishing new personalized boundaries. The group also submitted Red Pine, resulting in two peaks in two weeks! The Goannas are a well-oiled hiking machine. The group worked together to become efficient, delegating tasks amongst each other to get out of camp early each day. A student was honored by the group with their trail name, Relentless Ram. Other students were also honored with the tokens Peace Walker, Winged Heart, Letting Go, and Openness. Games were played throughout the week which helped create a strong sense of comradery within the group. It was a very eventful week in the Goannas!
Ulurus: The Uluru began their week with a send off of a fellow member and welcoming in some new members to the group. The group hiked tremendously this week, hiking a total of 15 miles and peaking Indian Mountain! We held a ceremony at the top of Indian giving two students their trail names, Trusting Owl and Steadfast Ox. Our final hike of the week had the group saddling a mountain and leading us through an oasis of flowing water, grassy fields filled with flowers and a variety of trees including cottonwood, willow, mahogany, pine and chokecherry. The group focused on building their busting abilities and supporting one another. The Leaders of the group were great teachers to the new members, and helped them both successfully transition into the Uluru. The Uluru has a strong bond with one another, and working through their challenges has created a productive and powerful group dynamic.
Brumbies: The Brumbies started the week by saying goodbye to some key members of the group and began to re-envision what it means to be a Brumbie. The group continued hiking around the base of Indian Peak, and honored two Brumbies with tokens. One member received Solid Ground for the foundation of understanding and determination that he sets in the group, while another received Vital Fire for their work in spurring the group on in camp set-up. A new member joined the group and The Brumbies welcomed him in with excitement, then soon created an intentional space to honor an old member with their trail name “Powerful Canary”. The Brumbies enjoyed a hike to a point at the base of Indian Peak where they could reflect on the meaning of an echo, the heart reflected, tried busting on a giant group busting set, and continued to build group culture.
