Spruce Lake Outdoor School

I spent 3 days last week enjoying the wilds of northeast Pennsylvania with my 10 year old. OK, it wasn't really very wild. We slept in beds and used flush toilets and ate food cooked in an actual kitchen, but it was fun - and very educational.

That body of water in the picture? It's the lake. That speck in the middle of the picture? If you look very closely, you'll see that it's a 10 year old boy wearing a harness and a helmet and flying over the lake on the zip line. I think it was the high point of the trip -- well, that and playing air hockey with a friend during his few free moments.

My son learned quite a bit about how deer impact their environment and about how farm land returns to its previously forested state over a period of many years. I learned that while I can keep up with 10 year olds for about 2 hours in the mountains, 3 hours is a little more than I can handle without more advance preparation (training). Tripping over that log didn't help much.

We also had great fun studying "Skins and Skulls" and doing a little forensic study in a CSI format (Critter Scene Investigation). My son made his first attempt at the climbing wall and was very proud that he made it halfway up. Next year, the ceiling!

I learned some new techniques for redirecting challenging 10 year olds which will come in very handy in my Cub Scout den this year. I also learned that bifocals are a BAD idea when walking on uneven ground. I've fallen several times since getting the bifocals. Two falls in 2 days finally got my attention. Call me a slow learner. My knee will recover, according to the orthopedist. He advised me not to fall on any more big rocks. He didn't even snicker when he said it. Maybe I should try knee pads while I'm waiting for the new glasses.