We left Friday for Sheridan, IL. where we were going to home base from for the six days we were gone. Our favorite place to escape to in the area, Fox River Resort, right next door to Starved Rock State Park in Ottawa, IL. We arrived around 4pm and I was told that our condo wasn't ready yet but if we wanted to head over to Member Services they would update me on the recent changes Silverleaf has made and I would be compensated $50 for my time. I told the young lady, Joy, at the desk that I felt guilty taking their money since we were here to use bonus time (FREE 2-bdrm condo for 6 days/5 nights!) and I had just recently been over their 'updates'. I said I felt bad enough taking their $150 that they gave me last time I was down. She looked at me and said "Don't feel guilty! I was told to extend the offer to you and so you should NOT feel guilty about taking it!" She looked in her system and saw I had been there in February and said "Well, I can't give you $150 but I can do $75!"
Forty-five minutes later I left Member Services with $75 and picked up the keys to our condo and was praising the Lord for His goodness and His grace towards us that once again He amazed us!! Jennifer and Jordan were not surprised and they said that I am the only one they know that gets paid $100/hr to do nothing but talk to people and share the love of Jesus. They don't get out much! God is SO GOOD to us!!
The kids immediately unloaded the car and got things put away in the kitchen as soon as we got to the appropriate building.. "Can we turn on the TV???" You would think they were deprived or something!
They watched Disney and Cartoon Network while I relaxed for a while before heading to the Super Wally World for groceries. Swimming followed supper by barely 30 minutes and then they settled in for more mind numbing television while I packed for the Adventure Racing Camp that I had Saturday and Sunday.
The kids were happy because they got to go swimming, watch T.V., and eat at the snack bar or from the wide variety of 'healthy' snacks I picked up at Wally World. While they got to relax, I was feeling every bit of my youngness as ever!
I have to admit I am an adventure junkie! I LOVED every minute of the camp especially the rappelling and the orienteering. There were some great fixed ropes set up at the camp and they were so much fun and for the first time ever I did an Ascend on a fixed rope. That was challenging and painful.. I have bruised knees as I couldn't figure out how NOT to hit the cliff side as I ascended. I did a total of 3 ascends, each one over 40ft. I felt great for having done it but I am so glad it wasn't during a race or something out of Primal Quest. I couldn't imagine doing a 400 ft ascend without LOT's of practice!!
Sunday we had more ropes and then we ran a mini-Adventure Race. I joined up with two guys, Fredrick & Scott, from Peoria and raced with them. They are phenomenal orienteer's who really put me to shame. They were great to race with and I felt bad that I kept them from winning first place. They hadn't done three ascents the day before and so their legs weren't feeling like Jell-O during the race! I know, excuses, excuses!! We came in third overall and if they deducted the time we were held up by the ropes we would have tied for first place so I don't feel too awful bad although I did have to walk more than I would have liked to. I will definitely look into getting some sprint gear like Scott has for my next race. Running with a full size PFD under your pack is NOT fun! Okay, explanation on the hold up. We arrived at the first Ropes section in the race and the team ahead of us by less than a minute was still going down the ropes when we arrived. Easy as pie! We can overtake them on the ropes! NOT!! The guy on the rope got stuck! After his third attempt to get down the Staff decided to move the rope from one rock to another for safety sake. So we waited... and waited... meanwhile the team ahead of us (which came in 1st!) were off and running to the next checkpoint. While we still waited... Finally we were allowed to go down and continue.. We lost so much time there and were told that it would be deducted from our overall finish time.. (Uh, you can probably guess from the earlier statement that it wasn't)
The race was not 'official' and doesn't count toward any standings but the team that placed first did get their entry paid into another race at the end of the month. I wouldn't have been able to race it anyway but the competitive side of me was really bummed at the outcome. I didn't take pictures while I was there because I was too excited in packing to think of taking a disposable camera. I was paranoid of ruining my digital so am stuck with looking at others doing the same things I did! Photos from the camp at Camp Benson
Sunday, late afternoon, I took the kids swimming again and recovered from the excitement and physical exertion. We had a delicious frozen pizza for dinner and wished we had bought ice cream. Monday morning Jordan, Jennifer and I all went for a run. I think they were pumped up too after the adventure camp! We ended our run at the Activity Center where Jordan and I played pool and then the three of us played a game of Yahtzee. We went back to the condo and changed clothes before heading to Wally World (ice cream, remember?) and the gas station.. We stayed inside the next 24 hours with the exception of going to the indoor swimming pool. Wednesday we drove home and kids are back at their school work and I am back at my job and life goes on with just a little less adventure.
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