BRX 3 is awesome! There is no better way to sum it up. This group of expeditioners has had a blast. They returned Tuesday morning after a fantastic backpacking trip on the foothills trail. The terrain was extremely pleasant, lots of rolling ups and downs and not too many steep sections. The best meals while backpacking were chicken Alfredo and stir fry! Yum yum!

Wednesday and Thursday Stephen and I had the pleasure of taking the group canoeing on the river. Wednesday was spent on a section of the French Broad, learning basic strokes and getting used to the feeling of moving water. We saw multiple blue herons, an otter, a couple of cows, and a hawk being chased by a group of crows. Everyone had a great time and showed lots of improvement throughout the day.

Thursday, all of our practicing from the day before paid off with a fast and challenging experience on the lower green river. This section of river has a combination of class II and III rapids. Expeditioners took the plunge, and eagerly ventured on this 6 mile stretch with lots of smiles and even more laughs. Overall, everyone did amazingly! They cheered each other on, learned how to push their limits with a canoe mate, and conquered the lower green!

Friday the crew will spend the day at Reasonover base camp having an awareness day and preparing for their final day with the sweat lodge. Everyone is excited to sleep in a little and take it easy after a busy, fun filled week. Here are a couple of pictures from their backpacking trip. ENJOY!

BRX 3 is in full swing. Campers have spent the first couple of days settling into Reasonover base camp, getting to know one another, planning their backpacking trip, and taking adventures to Big Bradley Falls in Saluda, NC and Hooker Falls in Dupont State Forest.

Tuesday the group ventured to Dupont State Forest to explore the gorgeous Hooker and Triple Falls sights. An unexpected creature greeted them in the parking lot: LlAMAS! That’s right…Llamas. A llama outfitter was posted in the parking lot waiting for a “pack-out” trip. He was eager to see our expeditioners and invited them to pet and meet his animals. After getting to know one another for a few minutes, the outfitter engaged the group in some Llama races in the parking lot. The expeditioners jumped on this opportunity and quickly demonstrated that they were “lama worthy” with their team-working skills. As you might expect, no other expeditioners have had the pleasure of enjoying such an activity in a mere parking lot! After their time in the parking lot with the lamas, the crew hiked to the falls, played in the water, and many became polar bears for the summer season.

Wednesday was spent at Big Bradley Falls near Saluda, NC climbing and swimming. Stephen and Evan, our climbing experts, set the expeditioners up with 4 different climbs varying in difficulty. Each person had the chance to challenge themselves on the surface rock, and many were successful in reaching personal goals. After a morning of climbing and a picnic lunch, the team turned their attention to the beautiful waterfall and river immediately next to the climbing site. Expeditioners were eager to swim, relax, and test out the bouldering site which could only be accessed from the water. After fulfilling their aquatic needs, the group hiked out of the gorge and headed back to their home, Reasonover base camp.

Today, the crew is planning, packing, and preparing for their backpacking trip. The expeditioners were presented with 3 different options.  After discussing the options, the group consensus will determine where they will be going for the next 4-5 days. We will be sure to keep you posted on the trip and the details! The weather has been beautiful and looks good for the weekend as well!