December 15, 2009

Up high, near the top of the world, the conditions are just right for wholesome outdoor activities. There's a whole array of things you can do when you happen to find yourself living at ten thousand feet- hiking, camping, sightseeing, and, as we all did last weekend, running ten miles! The Fun Run was an amazing adventure that began away from HMI and ended up right at our doorstep.  And, it turns out it was actually very fun braving the wind, cold, and slippery stretches (and earning the bragging rights that come along with those things). We were definitely challenged by the run, but it was a confidence-building experience for all of us.

On Sunday morning after the Fun Run, we woke up to a winter wonderland as we bundled up in layers and packed our packs for solo. We headed out into the woods near campus at 9:30 in the morning and walked around to find the perfect place to spend a day in the snow. After we set up our tarps and got situated in our sleeping bags, we spent the day exploring the woods right around us, reflecting on the semester and writing our full circle speeches. Most of us dozed off and on during the 9 hours and when we awoke we were surprised by the 10 inches of new powder that had fallen around us. Around 4:30, the sun began to set and the wind began to blow, creating a spooky experience. However, when we returned to campus at 6:30 we were all satisfied with the time we spent alone on our solos, which made a great end to the semester.

Monday was a big day for all of us. "Super clean" perfectly describes the task we were set to that morning.  We all met in Who's Hall at 8:30, and Karl was in charge.  He explained to us that everyone's personal things must be out of the main building.  "If there is something in your mailbox..you're wrong!  If there's something in your cubby...you're wrong! Are there any questions? NO! (There shouldn't be)."

Soon, the smell of 409 and Windex filled the air.  Every corner of every room was wiped clean, and the girl's bathroom crew even used a box of Q-tips cleaning the bathroom fan.  Everyone's Super Clean chore centered around their original chore area, but when finished, we were assigned somewhere else!!  

After lunch, we were set to random housekeeping, and then it was off to the cabins...the most daunting job of all!  Our task: to move every personal item from our area. This is much harder than it may sound. Four months of accumulation filtered out of the cabins in boxes, and suitcases, and trash cans. The mood was bittersweet. Although it was nice to finally get organized and maybe find a few ‘lost' items of clothing, this marked the end of our stay at HMI.  

With the facilities all ready for the RMS XXIV, this is RMS XXIII signing off.

By: Elio Icaza Milson, Cassie Ali, & Caroline Leahy