June 1st, 2009 | 
Author: Ow. I’m forced to admit that I’m not as young as I used to be. After two nights in a tent and a 5km hike on Saturday afternoon, I’m in pain. Ow.
But, we had a good time. It may have rained both nights, but Saturday was beautiful and even with chilly temps on Sunday, we covered everything that we had planned. The boys even packed down their own tents this year, so we were all able to leave at a reasonable hour.
One problem was the loss of one kybo got creamed by a maple earlier in the spring. It was the nicest of the bunch, too. 
I’d never seen a luna moth before I photographed this one on Saturday.
Normally, we encounter next to no wildlife on our hikes. You can imagine the amount of noise that 20 boys, aged 8-11, can make. This poor Eastern Milk Snake didn’t see us coming. It was just laying across a tree root and one of the boys had just told the rest of them that they can bite when threatened and it decided it had had enough. It rapidly coiled up into this position. Every one of the kids quickly levitated to the other side of the trail. 
Just as we were packing up, one of the boys brought this hairy fellow over to visit. We’re pretty sure it’s a wolf spider, but I’m open to corrections. Including legs, it measured a good 2 inches across.
Phil and I arrived home about 2:30 and I promptly took part in what’s becoming a post-camp ritual: a 2½ hour nap in the recliner. This time, I managed to finish my beer, though. 
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You’re a good man Gord….
Ohhhhh – Spiders and snakes and bugs – My favorite!!!
Thanks for the closeups, Gord!
I like the way your tents are arranged and with the huge tarp overhead! When I was in Girl Scouts, we slept in damp cloth tents and if you touched the canvas roof, it would drip!
Sounds like a good time was had by all!
Sounds fun—although I have a thing about moths (eeeeesh) and would have RUN from that Luna—they used to come around camp when I was a kid and I was horrified at them (and all moths) back then—and I still am…. I know, sad….
Any time, Kate. Any time.
Susan, there was a moth incident. Two of the senior cubs were finishing up their Canadian Camping Award before moving on to Scouts. What they had to do was build and sleep in an “improvised shelter”. With the help of a leader and one fo the parent-helpers (the fathers of the boys), they built a lean-to just behind the big tent in the picture.
About 11:30 Friday night, the adults sitting around the fire heard a scream. Doug recognized his son’s holler and went running to find out what was going on. Apparently, upon turning in, the boys were almost immediately attacked by mosquitoes and black flies. Then, teh tent caterpillers started dropping on the tarp and them. The final straw was a luna landing on Dean’s forehead in the pitch dark. He screamed and sat bolt upright, only to whack his head on one of the lean-to supports. The two of them started swinging at the moth. Brandon whalloped Dean on the other side of his head in the process.
Doug got there to find the two of them hunkered down in their sleeping bags. Sitting in the grass outside the lean-to. There were less bugs there. They got their awards.
(Forgive me, I can’t resist…)
I don’t like spiders and snakes…
OMG – that story is way too funny!!! I’m sitting here cracking up!
Bummer on the loss of the best outhouse.
That tarp covering all of the tents? Brilliant! (I’m guessing this means you had rain?)
I do miss camping –it’s been over 2 years– but cripes! I don’t miss the bugs. Ugh.
Those poor scouts… I’m trying not to laugh… *snort*
mother of devine…that spider…I..no words.. h o r r o r ..