It’s Merel’s. What more needs to be said? Well, actually it’s Merel and Carol’s boat. Together they were kind enough to extend an invitation for our Gulo Adventure Clan to join them last Wednesday; the last day of July. It’s just that Merel is an official member of the unofficial group of guys who have ties in some way, shape, or form to the Prairie Hill School District; either in the past or currently. The invitation was to join them on a lake that used to be an old sand quarry, but has since filled with water from its exposed springs. A dredged outlet creates a link to a long, narrow, backwater channel that empties into “Old Man River;” a.k.a. The Mighty Mississippi. In short, it’s the perfect getaway, both for those who are summer residents, as well as those who stop in for a visit. And so it was for us.
We were ten strong, from an assortment of various positions once held within our district, but the crux of the matter was that we were simply ten guys coming together to celebrate the summer, our friendships, and our chosen occupations. Working with children and the future generations is what we do. Teaching at its heart is simply about developing relationships and trust as we learn and grow. Water was the venue we chose as a place to celebrate those efforts; it usually is, although during other seasons throughout the year, the body of water we visit is often times frozen. It wasn’t on this warm, sunny day.
We gathered in front of my house at noon, condensed into two vehicles, and headed west. It’s about a two hour drive, so we had ample time to discuss life, sports, and anything else we could think of. We traveled with four to a car as we met two others already waiting at the boat.
 |
| Relaxing To A Cruise On The Mighty Mississippi River |
Once on board, we were able to talk, catch-up, and relax as we traveled down river for a spell. Several took turns “manning the wheel,” until we had to maneuver around a barge. Merel took the helm at that point, At the same time, he gave us a quick lesson on the barges that travel in this section of the Mississippi. Tugboats typically push fifteen barges at a time in this Northern section of the river above St. Louis, Missouri. Fifteen barges is equivalent to about 225 hopper cars that are pulled by a train. That’s a massive amount of tonnage, and pretty amazing!
 |
| Justin & Mike Guiding The Boat Through The Main Channel |
 |
| Wes, Ted, And Carol Talking And Catching Up |
The water was amazing too. Once we were back and tied down at the marina, some of us jumped off the bow, dock, and mat to swim and cool off. Others zipped around in a smaller “Boston Whaler” boat. Since it was Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, and since bull sharks can often be found swimming upstream into freshwater areas, we joked about finding one swimming in our getaway lake. It was not to be on this day, however, so that was most definitely “a good thing.”
 |
| Swimming In The Lake |
 |
| Louie & Mike Cruising In The Little Boat |
 |
| Andrew & Wes Talking While The Steaks Are Grilling |
 |
| Yum! |
 |
| Eating In The Shade Of The Docks |
 |
| Scott & Justin Opening Their Gifts Framed Pictures From A Past Gathering Of The Gulo Adventure Clan |
For dinner we had farm raised steaks and burgers, courteously brought and cooked by Wes. It was a fitting way to finish out our afternoon as we presented a membership card to one of our new inductees, as well as a Gulo Clan framed picture to two of our members. Those two members are moving on to administrative roles and need to have both a wall hanging for their new office, as well as a constant reminder of where they first cut their teeth in the realm of education. As we sat in the shade of the dock, eating and talking, I reflected on the basic idea behind a quote that I’ve heard a friend of mine say several different times; “You can’t orchestrate relationships. It’s got to be part of the culture.” It’s a reminder that no matter where our paths may take us, all of us have had trails that have wandered through our school district. Deep down we all “Bleed Blue;” the colors of the Prairie Hill School District. Today those paths met up and meandered along the backwaters, just off the Mississippi River. With school close to starting up in the next few weeks, it was a classic getaway.
See you along The Way...
 |
| Ten Members Of The Gulo Adventure Clan From Left To Right (Top Four) Scott, Tyler, Justin,And Andrew (Bottom Four) Wes, Ted, Merel, Mike, Louie, And I |
 |
| A Perfect "Getaway" On The Water Thank You Merel & Carol! |
