Teen Adventure
The
Teen Adventure Programs are outdoor adventure programs for
youth ages fifteen to eighteen. Originating from a base camp
in Lexington, VA, trips are three weeks long and are comprised
of twelve campers and two trip leaders.
Campers have considerable responsibility for the day-to-day planning and management of trips, which consist of backpacking, white-water canoeing or rafting, and service projects.
Campers are encouraged in their emotional and spiritual development as they grow through these wilderness challenges in collaboration with their peers. These trips are rigorous and require campers to be in good shape and up to significant physical and mental challenges. TA Leadership Training is offered to the more experienced outdoor camper in the second year, emphasizing outdoor leadership skills and training.
NEW TA BIKE!!!!!
TA Bike will also be based near Lexington, VA, with trips of twelve campers and three staff people per trip.
Base camp on the James:
The first few days at camp will be right on the James River. There will be time for fun in the water as we prepare our bikes, our groups, and ourselves for the Great Wheeled Adventure!
Groups will make their own panniers to carry their personal gear and will practice bike handling skills before we leave, to make sure we stay safe on the roads.
The Great Wheeled Adventure:
The basic route is a loop from camp that travels country roads through the outskirts of Harrisonburg, travels through a few mountain passes to the Greenbrier River Railtrail in West Virginia, follows Adventure Cycling’s Allegheny Trail down towards Blacksburg, and follows National Bike route 76 (also known as the “bike centennial” or the Trans-America trail) back to the base camp on James.
The trips will start with shorter distances the first few days of 20 – 40 miles. As they get accustomed to bike touring the daily mileage will increase to an average of 40 – 60 miles a day. For those groups that want a “hard core” challenge, they may even work up to a century! There will be a scheduled rest day every 4th or 5th day where the campers will participate in service projects, float on the Greenbrier river, and continue to bond as a community. A support vehicle will be assigned to each group which will carry the group gear and food, and will be available to assist in any mechanical breakdowns or health issues.
Different gear campers will need:
The main thing that makes TA-Bike different from TAP or TALT is that it happens on a bicycle! So, each camper will need a bicycle.It is possible to rent a bicycle for the trip. Since they will be traveling on both paved roads and developed trails, a hybrid bike is the best option. A road bike with real skinny tires will be difficult on the trails and a mountain bike with knobby tires will require more work on the roads. It is often possible to change tires, so you might check with a bike shop to see if a 28 – 35 tire size would fit.
The campers will not need backpacks, but they will need a bike rack on the back of their bike. We will be making panniers out of kitty litter buckets with a snap on lid, and if you can locate two empty ones, that would be helpful.
They will also need a properly fitting helmet (which will be required to be worn at all times while riding).
Teen Adventure Bike Equipment List printable pdf
Teen Adventure Session Dates 2012
For campers ages 15 - 18.
| Teen Adventure Program: |
| Saturday, June 30- Sunday, July 22 |
Campers will be accepted on a first come first serve basis. Only returning campers (BYM camping program campers from either Catoctin, Opequon, or Shiloh) with no outstanding debt are considered. The Directors and Secretary have discretion to deny acceptance to an applicant, to give priority to an applicant for pastoral reasons, and/or to give priority to an applicant of color. New applicants to the program are considered only if extra spots are available after serving all returning campers.
Teen Adventure Bike Drop-Off Address:
445 Arnolds Valley RdNatural Bridge Station, VA 24579
TA Bike Mailing Address:
Your Camper/TA Bike
950 Turkey Hill RD
Lexington VA 24450
Camp address (driving & mailing):
Teen Adventure
495 Snakefoot Lane
Lexington, VA 24450
540-463-7234
We would like you to drop your teen off at the start site of Teen Adventure and meet the staff, talk with the directors, and see where the magic begins!
Drop Off is from 2pm - 4pm
Pick Up will be at 2pm
Teen Adventure Equipment Lists - Printable List (PDF)
This list is extremely important; please follow it closely. Proper equipment is essential. Our goal is to provide exciting, challenging and positive outdoor adventures. However, the quality of your camper’s experience can be affected by the appropriateness of the equipment you provide. The misery caused by an ill-fitting backpack or inadequate shoes can color a camper’s attitude toward backpacking, hiking and camping, in general. Please help your teenager enjoy Teen Adventure! All items not listed in the Optional, or Do Not Bring categories are required. If a camper does not bring a required item, TA staff or parents have to drive to town to buy them—and they are often difficult and/or expensive to find at the last minute. For safety reasons, campers are not permitted on the trail without them. Parents—please check that your TA camper has packed all items on the list before departing for TA.
WORDS FROM CAMPERS/PARENTS:
"She came back singing the songs from camp very enthusiastically. She was affirmed in her ability to make friends and cope with difficult physical inconvenience. The camping program
has been a wonderful influence for both my girls. It gave them the
opportunity to experience directly “living in the light”. It strengthened their
attachment to Quakerism. The friends
they met fulfilled a need to know folks outside our narrow rural community."
"... my summer would be incomplete without returning to the camp community. I have made friends under the most trying conditions and those are the type that you remember throughout the school year."
