Gathering 42 Trip/Workshop Descriptions

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THURSDAY

2:00 pm - Silent Auction

The silent auction is Open. Check back all weekend and bid on your favorites. Bidding closes Saturday at 4:30 pm.

3:00 pm - Barber Falls Hike #1This is a 1.5 mile hike. We will spend approximately 1 hour hiking and 1 hour traveling round trip. Bring water and good hiking shoes or boots.

7:30 pm  Game Night 
Join Alice for a fun filled game night. Alice will provide: Twister, Rumikube, Triominos, Tok, Skip Bo, Marbles, Tase 10 and an array of card games. Will you be the next Twister Queen or Rumikube Champ? There is only one way to find out-JOIN US!! Alice would love for participants to bring their favorite games to share. Alice will have the games available for all to use throughout the Gathering Weekend.

7:30 pm - Yoga

Yoga-moderate level one with basic poses and a lot of stretching. Bring a mat or towel to sit on.

8:30 pm - Slide Show-Women Outdoors: Unleashed in Peru 2022

This past June, three of our Women Outdoors members traveled to Peru. While there, they provided 3-1/2 days of service to two families in a small Andean village. They also visited Machu Picchu and various other Incan sites during their ten-day trip. Come hear stories of their adventure and see photos of their travels and service projects.

Jump to:   Thursday    Friday    Saturday    Sunday

FRIDAY

7:00 am - Nature Namaste Yoga
Participants will be led on a short Mindfulness walk/hike to a nice flat spot and then lead participants in a gentle flow outdoor yoga class (1 hour total). Participants will need to bring their own yoga mats and/or blanket. The leader is a trained and registered yoga teacher (RYT-200 through Yoga Alliance).

9:00 am - General Leader Training

1:30 pm - Paddle Leader Training
Be prepared to get wet. We will practice rescues. If you have a wetsuit, or a dry suit, please bring them.  Topics include pre-launch talk, group signals, maintaining the group, safely entering and exiting boats from shore or dock (3-point entry and exit, straddle, paddle behind and leaning on shore), holding a paddle, core rotation, basic strokes: forward, backward, sweep forward and reverse, draw, stopping, angling into waves,  towing -long tow and close tow, Rescues (assisted and self-rescue).

1:30 pm - Peebles Island Hike
Enjoy wonderful views of both the Mohawk and Hudson rivers on the plain sailing trails of Peebles Island State Park! We’ll start off on the 2 mile Perimeter trail and take in sweeping views of the mighty rivers and rapids. We’ll also watch for eagles, herons, owls as well as beaver, foxes and deer. We’ll go at a leisurely pace so that there is plenty of time for bird watching and pictures of the lovely scenery. If there is interest we’ll also walk on one or more of the trails that cross the Perimeter trail. The total mileage will be between 2 to 3 miles and we’ll spend about 2 to 2.5 hours there. We’ll carpool from Camp Scully and leave at 1:30PM and return back to the camp around 4:30PM. Wear a hat, sunglasses, hiking boots and moisture-wicking clothing. Bring your adventurous spirit, binoculars, sunscreen, bug spray, plenty of water and a light snack.

2:00 pm - Rock Painting
Let’s paint rocks together. Paint and brushes will be supplied. We will look for rocks on site nearby.

4:00 pm - Leaf Collage

We will be making beautiful framed collages from fresh leaves, paper, and paint. (Previously titled "Bookmaking with Nature.)

4:30 pm - Converting a mini-van to camper van on the cheap 
Come gather and swap ideas for creating your own #vanlife. Join us for a tour of our Toyota Sienna minivan that we temporarily convert to a camper van in the summer for outdoor travel adventures and then back to a minivan in the winter.  Vanna White, as we’ve dubbed her, is outfitted with cots, curtains, lights, screens, storage space and more. We’ll share tips and ideas we’ve garnered from books, websites, YouTube, and our own creative juices, including for example, how we answer nature’s call in the middle of the night. Whenever possible, we used gear and materials we had lying around at home and repurposed them. Our makeshift conversion cost us less than $200.  We’ll also discuss helpful tips for planning your adventure as well as must-have apps that will help make your travels easier.

7:00 pm - Swing Dance Lessons

Get your groove on with some fun and easy Swing dance lessons! Beginners are welcome! Within 15 minutes you’ll be dancing to some 1950s songs from Elvis, Martha and the Vandellas, Bill Haley and the Comets, Connie Frances and Chuck Berry. Do you think you have two left feet and cannot dance? Do you think your dance moves are like something from outer space? Don’t worry! We will go slow and make sure everyone’s “swinging” to the music and having a blast!

8:00 pm - Goofy Icebreaker Games
Meet your fellow Outdoors Women in fun games that get everyone talking, sharing, and laughing. Games may include 2 Truths and a Lie, What’s My Name, 10 Things in Common, and/or Charades.

8:00 pm - Slide Show-Women Outdoors: Unleashed in Peru 2022

This past June, three of our Women Outdoors members traveled to Peru. While there, they provided 3-1/2 days of service to two families in a small Andean village. They also visited Machu Picchu and various other Incan sites during their ten-day trip. Come hear stories of their adventure and see photos of their travels and service projects.

9:00 pm - Sock Hop Nouveau

Come dressed in your favorite 1950s outfit or just come as you are in your comfy clothes and shoes and dance your bootie off! We’ll be swinging to some popular 1950s songs as well as some newer, popular songs by Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga, The Beach Boys, Taylor Swift and many others! Impress everyone with your best poodle skirt, your coolest of cool leather jacket or your bedazzled bowling shirt! There will be something for everyone including an easy line dance and hula hoops for even more hip action!

9:00 pm - Campfire 
Catch up with old friends and meet new ones.  Chat about the weekend activities, sing songs, tell ghost stories, or just sit back, watch the flames dance and spit, and listen to the fire crackle and pop. Bring your drums and other musical instruments.

Jump to:   Thursday    Friday    Saturday    Sunday

SATURDAY

7:00 am - Pre-Breakfast Bird Walk 
Join Beth as she walks the grounds near Camp Scully listening and watching for birds.  Bring binoculars if you have them.  Cornell Lab's Merlin app (iPhone & Android) is also very helpful.  

9:00 am - Beginner Kayak

9:00 am - Rynards Roost Hike

5.2 mile moderately challenging loop Hike with windy ups and downs, elevation 755 feet, delivering amazing views!  Rynards Roost via Valley view, vulture view in Grafton Forest. Estimated hiking time 2 hour 16 minutes, (longer for stopping and taking photos ).  Trailhead is 1/2 hour drive from Camp Scully. Rough road near trail head, will carpool in vehicles with good ground clearance. Recommend Wearing boots, bringing water and sunscreen.

9:00 am - Yoga

Yoga-moderate level one with basic poses and a lot of stretching. Bring a mat or towel to sit on.

10:00 am - Craft & Chat: Navajo weaving

10:00 am - Barberville Falls Hike #2
Explore 3 trails at Barberville Falls Preserve. The Falls Trail has a steep but short descent to the viewing area. The other two trails have some up and down but no significant changes in elevation.  The shortest trail gives a view of the falls. Total hiking of the 3 trails is approximately 3 miles. However, participants may choose to try only 1 or 2 of the trails. Dress for the woods with hat, water, and bug spray.

1:30 pm - Group Photo

Let's gather after lunch to take a photo of all of us for Gathering '42!

2:00 pm -  Bird Talk - "Basic of Beginner's Birdwatching" 
Beth will discuss basics of beginner’s birdwatching followed by Q&A (1 hour)  

2:00 pm - Canoeing 

2:00 pm - Mohawk Trail Bike Ride 
Join us for a scenic 19-mile ride along the Erie Canal and Mohawk River. We meet at Colonie Trail Head Park alongside the Mohawk River, head west for 9.5 miles on the Mohawk-Hudson Bike Trail, stop at the Blatnick Park Pavilion in Niskayuna and return. This trail traverses through residential neighborhoods, woods, and fields, with a significant portion riding parallel to the Mohawk River and resulting in some beautiful views. Landmarks along the way include Lock 7 on the Mohawk River, as well as an old train station building at Lions Park in Niskayuna. We will ride on roads for brief portions of the route then back to the dedicated bike path. The terrain of the Mohawk-Hudson Bike Trail is relatively flat in most portions. There is plenty of parking at the Colonie Town Park Trail Head and facilities along the bike path. The Trailhead is approximately 20-25 minutes from Camp Scully.

2:30 pm - Learn to Crochet
Learn this fun and relaxing craft from a teacher who has been crocheting for over 40 years.

4:00 pm - Theatre Games & Improv

Do you have a hidden talent for acting? Join to find out. Laurie will be hosting a workshop which will include theatre games, improvisation and developing a skit or 2 for Talent Night. Are you ready for Prime Time? We will start with some sound and movement warm-ups. Then we will use some theater structures to improvise using words, sound, and movement. We might create skits and possibly one for the talent show. This is intended to be creative and fun. No experience needed---just a willingness to experiment.

4:30 pm - Poetry Reading
Published poet Pat will offer an informal reading from her work followed by open mic: bring 1 poem of your own original work to share - five minute limit.

5:00 pm - Intro to Backpacking
Learn the basics about what it means to take everything you need to spend a night in the woods on your back! We will talk about gear, clothing, sanitation, and more!

8:30 pm - Talent Show
We are excited to bring back the Talent Show to this year's line up of fun at the Gathering!  Do you sing, dance, play an instrument, write/recite poetry/stories, are you a comedian, magician or have a talent you'd like to entertain us with? Or create a skit with others when you arrive! There will be a prop box with fun and interesting items. Look for the sign-up sheet at the Gathering, please sign up for a 5 minute slot. See the organizers, Stef and Monica, for questions.

9:00 pm - Campfire - Singing and S’Mores

Relax after an active day with your old and new friends. Join Alice in singing old songs and new. Bring a song you would like to sing with the group.

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SUNDAY

8:00 am - noon - Birding Field Trip to Peebles Island/Cohoes Flats 
This is a field trip with the Mohawk Hudson Bird Club.  The wooded areas of Peebles Island are good for seeing a variety of songbirds. The river area and rocky flats around the island are usually good for Peregrine Falcon, Osprey, Bald Eagle as well as shorebirds, herons, egrets, Chimney Swifts and ducks. From the meeting place, we will check out the Cohoes Flats and then consolidate vehicles before proceeding to Peebles Island since there is a fee for each car entering.  (See https://hmbc.net/event-4568471?CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=8/19/2022)

9:00 am - Intermediate Kayak 

9:00 am - Beginning Djembe African Drumming
Bring your own drum and join Za in learning how to use it.

9:00 am - Yoga

Yoga-moderate level one with basic poses and a lot of stretching. Bring a mat or towel to sit on.

Jump to:   Thursday    Friday    Saturday    Sunday