Drafted to Lead a Hike - At MY Park - No Problem [Mini-Blitz at Berry Springs]

I received a "last minute" request (Cub Scouts) to lead a hike at Berry Springs. It's supposed to be tomorrow. So I began my preparation. Mike, Zelda, and I headed to the BSP this morning to "take the hike" and see what we could see. I didn't make this "method" up. I learned this from my mother when I was grown and commenting on how I was always so impressed that she knew all the wildflowers when she took us for a hike (Girl Scouts). "Well, I always went out the day before and identified everything I could so I would be ready for the hike," she confessed. Wow! Of course she did. And I have followed suit.

But with Berry Springs it always seems that a weather front of some kind arrives between the reconnaissance and the actual hike - every single time. We are expecting some wild weather - rain, thunderstorms, hail, maybe tornadoes, and more rain.

I'm in pretty close communication with the scout leader and suggested that we could always meet somewhere with a big table - library, restaurant, whatever - and I could share the information the scouts need for their badge/arrow points and maybe give them a virtual hike.

So, These observations are duplicative - some of my last trip to BSP. But I am keeping them together for the purposes of this hike and hikes to come. After this weekend I will have 1) Early Spring virtual hike in the can (on a thumb drive), 2) the start of a wildflower/bird/insect guide for this park for Spring, 3) the start of an Invasive Species at BSP and what we are doing about them, and 4) Why I am a master naturalist, what that means, and what we do.

This is what happens when you say "Yes!" Always say "YES!"

[And we saw a number of new things (to us) and "firsts" for some of us. It's always a good day for a hike.]

Posted on 06 April, 2019 02:56 by alflinn329