Into the Night...

   To get back to the story on how I ditched my fear of the dark, Buddy's Uncle Joe said to only bring what we could carry in our pockets or on our belts. NO BACKPACKS. Man -- I don't like to go anywhere without my backpack. I've got all my survival stuff in there. But --  hey-- we were going with a real Wilderness Expert, so we went with it. We ended up taking our emergency fire starter, a pocket-knife, our map (stuffed inside Buddy's shirt), and a flashlight clipped onto my belt.

   But here's the weird thing. The day before we were supposed to go, we had to bury the clothes we were gonna wear on the night expedition in the dirt overnight. Can you believe it? We also couldn't use any soap or shampoo in the shower before we went, either. On account of animals can smell that perfumed stuff a mile away. That's why we all smelled like dirt when we met up at the observation post the next day. We didn't look so good, either. But -- like I say -- after a while, it was too dark to notice, anyway.

   The first thing we did was tromp down to the creek, pick out a tree that hung over it about ten feet, and climbed up there. At least, Buddy and I did. Uncle Joe searched around below until he found some animal tracks leading down to the water. He said it was a major drinking spot, and all we had to do was wait around until we heard noises down there, click on our light, and we'd see whatever animal it was. Then he told us to keep quiet (or nobody would come around), don't waste our batteries (or we wouldn't have any way to see anything once somebody did come around). After that, he told us to meet him back at the Observation Post in two hours.

   Two hours in the dark by ourselves? If I hadn't been so worried about getting called a chicken, I would have hollered, "No way!" right then. To tell you the truth, I wish I had. Because he hadn't been gone ten minutes before something way scary happened. Like I dropped my flashlight in the water. Which is how I ran head-on into PANIC ATTACK #1.

   But I'll have to tell you about that tomorrow. Right now, I gotta head on over to WKC and make my last Mystery Guest contest entry. I really think I know who it is, this time. Heh, heh, heh...

   Later,
   W.K.

Back to WKC

A Confession...

   Yesterday, I said I was gonna tell how I ditched my fear of the dark. Since I'm trying to be be a man of my word (hey-- as Captain of our patrol, I've had to make some changes in my personality, or nobody would respect me), I guess I'll have to do it. So, here goes. It happened on our first night patrol, when Buddy and I were still the only members.

   We had documented all the wildlife that lived in our area, but we had no idea what sort of creatures came out at night. So, we figured we better do a night patrol. First off, Mom said, "No." She wasn't gonna let us go tromping around in the woods after dark, and that was that. Mom never changes her mind. And since you can't pick your mother, I just have to live with it. Anyway, we thought of setting up a camera with a motion-sensor, instead... but we didn't have one, so, that was out.

   Then Buddy's uncle agreed to go with us. Which made Mom agree, on account of he was an adult and that changed things. I'll say it did. And I'll say something else, too. Up until then, what we had been doing in the wilderness would mostly have to come under the category of playing. Sad but true. Because the truth is, we didn't know what we were doing out there. And we sure didn't know what we were getting into when we decided to do a night patrol with Uncle Joe.

      We should have known something was up when he gave us a list of things to bring. Then he started handing out rules. Some really strange ones. I mean, if Mom would have heard some of those, she'd have said, "No," all over, again. Only she didn't have a clue. Neither did we, or we wouldn't have taken off with more excitement than leaving for summer camp.

   It was not like summer camp. But you'll have to come back tomorrow if you want to hear the rest, on account of tomorrow is the LAST DAY OF THE MYSTERY GUEST CONTEST over at WKC, and I have a little more research to do tonight before I make my last guess. Gotta make sure I win a copy of that FIRE BOOK for my field journal. Heh, heh, heh...

Later,
W.K.

Back to WKC...

This is Important...

   Now, we are really getting down to some business. Because -- as a Wilderness Protector -- you absolutely have to know how to get yourself in and out of places. Without scaring yourself. Seriously, if Buddy and I hadn't known a few basic things when we first started all this, we never would have had the courage to claim a piece of wilderness for our very own.

    Look at all the adventures we would have missed! Look at all the cool -- and I mean way cool -- people we never would have met! Not to mention I'm not afraid of the dark, anymore. But that's another story. Right now, I have to remind all you Wilderness Protectors out there to get your whole patrol over to WKC and read What To Do If You Get Lost. You might be way glad you did.

I know I was.
   W.K.

PS... OK, so come back tomorrow, and I'll tell how I ditched my fear of the dark...

Change of Pace...

     OK. So, I made a deal with the staff over at WKC to slow down a little bit. That's on account of we need way more time to try out some of the stuff we're learning over there. They said, all right -- under one condition. Our patrol has to share some of the expedition gear we made ourselves, so other kids could make some of their own stuff, too. Like the map case Buddy made for our map of the wilderness.

     The cool thing is, it's waterproof. It had to be. Because we tromp around out here even when it's raining, and we're always making important changes to that thing. Like adding where all the ant colonies are. We actually had to re-draw it a couple times because it was always getting soaked. Until Buddy came up with that brilliant map case, that is. So, he's gonna share how he put it together sometime next week.

     Meanwhile, we're practicing some of those "360 stops" they talked about on the WKC Feature, yesterday, so we can improve our landmark navigation. We're downloading a couple copies of the WKC Big 10 for the girls, too. On account of the only thing they've been bringing in their backpacks is snacks and film equipment.

     Which did not help out the other day when we needed way more band-aids than Buddy and I brought along.

     Like I say, we need some changes around here.

     Have a great weekend!
     W.K.

I Give My First Order...

   OK. Now we are getting down to what really matters in the wilderness. Like How NOT to Get Lost... which is today's feature over at WKC. I wish I had known this stuff last year, when Buddy and I were wandering all over the place trying to find our way out of here. Before we got familiar with our territory, I mean. It definitely would have saved me having to do so many chores when I was late for dinner all those times.

   Which is why I've decided to make it a priority for our whole patrol to get in on all the survival features in this series. Even C. and S., who keep saying they're way too busy editing the Ant World documentary. So, I guess I'm gonna have to insist. On account of I'm the Captain around here, and I get to do that. Heh, heh, heh...

Don't you miss it, either.
W.K.

The Need to Survive...

   Hey-- our experience, yesterday, made us realize something. We need way more information on tromping around in the wilderness. Even in our little piece of it. That's why I am really glad they are starting the new feature series on SURVIVAL IN THE WILDERNESS over at Wilderness Kids Club, tomorrow.

   I had fun finding out all that cool stuff about ants, all right. In fact, I seriously think THE NATURE CHANNEL would like the video footage we got, yesterday. That is, if we could take out all the screaming and hollering (C. and S. are working on that, now). And Hey-- did you get a look at that amazing ant city video? I'm just glad we didn't stumble into one of those on our expedition! Sheesh.

   You can bet I won't be missing, tomorrow's survival feature. On account of I want to survive long enough to win a Mystery Guest Contest prize. I bet I'm the only one who can figure it out. Heh, heh, heh...

   Later,
   W.K.

Run for your lives...

   With all the planning we do before an expedition, I don't know why we keep getting caught off guard. But that's what happened to us, yesterday. It was bad enough having to tromp through a sticker patch to follow the ant trail, but we don't have any wimps in our patrol, and even the girls did it. The trouble happened when we decided to pick up that rotten log over the top of the ant hill so we could see better.

   We saw better, all right. Man-- we saw better than TV. Ants running all over the place to save their kids (OK, they were still just eggs -- but you wouldn't believe how they all worked together to carry them away safe somewhere). It was way amazing, and C. and S. were getting it all on film. I mean, we were really into it. Only just about the time I was figuring this was gonna be so good The Nature Channel would probably want it...

   The ants attacked! And I'm not just talking a bite, or two, here. I'm telling you -- they had to be mobilized like a regular army, or something. Because they sneaked up onto our feet and legs by the hundreds before we even realized it, then bit us all at the same time. No kidding. They must have been soldier ants. Probably had to go through some kind of training to learn that stuff.

    Anyway, we hauled off to the creek to get rid of them (more stickers, but we didn't even feel it till later). Had to go in up to our knees before we finally got everything under control, again. It's a good thing I had the first aid kit in my backpack, so we could take care of all those scratches and bites. Which -- being the Captain -- I felt pretty good that I was prepared for all that.

   I'm not way proud about how much I hollered, though. But I'll tell you something. The next time we go busting into some ant city, again...

   I'm gonna keep my eyes on the soldiers instead of the babies.
   W.K.

PS... I think maybe Buddy hollered even louder than me. He said next time he goes in, it'll be with armor. Hey-- I wonder if they know anything about ant armor over at Wilderness Kids club...

Headed for Disaster...

   When the call came that we had an ant sighting in our piece of the wilderness ( I gotta admit it was the girls that saw them first, because they were out practicing with the camera) -- we were all ready. I grabbed my backpack, Buddy stashed the map in his back pocket, and we were on it.

   There were thousands of them! Swarming all over that piece of granola bar (Buddy's bait plan worked), with a long line of even more ants disappearing into the grass. So, we headed out to find their city. Buddy and I went first because C. and S. were moving a lot slower so they could get some action footage of everything that was going on.

   The ant city wasn't too far away. Only a couple hundred feet, actually. Except it was smack in the middle of a sticker patch (I wonder if they did that on purpose?). And under a rotten log. We couldn't really see much except a bunch of ants coming and going. Some were carrying things -- but, hey -- we really wanted to see the door, and maybe catch a look at some of the carpenters at work. So, we decided to move the log.

   Big mistake. I mean, REALLY big mistake. But I'll have to tell you about that tomorrow, because we're trying to set up a first aid station here...

   Sheesh.
   W.K.

P.S.... Maybe you better just head back to Wilderness Kids Club...

Oooops...

   Hey -- I forgot to mention something really important about how we do things over at WKC this year. WEEKENDS ARE FREE. That means we have all of Saturday to get outside and go on expeditions for ourselves and stuff. Which I think is way cool, because I can get over to the Observation Post earlier (after I do my chores).

   Sundays are off, too, because most people have family things going on then. So, I'll see you back at WKC on Monday. I'll finish telling about our Ant World Expedition, then, too. Because we're headed out on that right now. Buddy's plan worked, and we are off to find the city of ants. C. and S. said we'll actually be able to see them better on the video they take...

   But I'll believe that when I see it.

   See you Monday!
   W.K.

The Importance of Everybody...

   OK. Here's what we decided. Everybody on this patrol will have a certain job to do, and that way we won't all be trying to make the same decisions. I'm the Captain. Hey-- that doesn't mean I push everybody around. It just means I'm responsible for communicating with WKC (headquarters), keeping the rest of the patrol updated on the latest information I bring back, and making sure the important stuff gets into  our backpacks before each expedition.

   Buddy is our Wilderness Guide. On account of he's the best at hiking in and out of the woods, and getting us out of the kind of fixes that always seem to pop up out there. Besides that, his Uncle has the old Indian Scout book we get a lot of tracking tips from.

   C. and S. are the Film Crew. They really know their stuff, and having video documentation is way important to scientific research these days. Not to mention they're the only ones with a camera. They're also in charge of keeping the outpost organized -- but, hey -- Buddy and I weren't doing any of that stuff, anyway.

    That's how it happened that we were all working away at our own jobs (instead of arguing) up in the outpost -- Buddy was making some notations on our Wilderness Map, I was checking the batteries in our flashlights, and the sisters were practicing close-ups on the granola bar Buddy tossed out the window-- when we heard the holler. "We got ants!"

    Then the real excitement started. But I'll have to tell you about it tomorrow, because it's my turn on the watch, right now.

    Back later.

    W.K.

P.S... If I hadn't known what to look for after reading part 3 of the WKC Ant feature, today, I wouldn't have been able to figure out what we were looking at down there. Which makes me way glad I didn't miss that one. Now that I'm Captain and everybody is depending on me to know this stuff.

The Best "Ant-ser"

   Even though we only have half a patrol so far, we're organizing our first expedition. Calling it the Ant World Expedition. Not that I care that much (Buddy and I never named any of our expeditions before) but C. and S. are insisting on it. Long as we get out there and do it, is what I say.

   There's been a lot of changes around here since the girls joined up (especially on the observation post). Which doesn't matter to me that much, either (not yet, it doesn't). Because it's all stuff I never really thought about. The important thing is to document the ants out here in our piece of the wilderness. Right?

   So, then we had this big discussion on how to find them. I mean, in ant terms, this place is bigger than the moon. Heavily wooded, too. So, they could be anywhere. Could take hours to find some. I said we just have to slog around in the brush -- even crawl around in the dirt if we have to -- until we find a trail of them going somewhere. Ants are always going somewhere. Like, let's get to it, already.

   That's when Buddy (who hadn't said much of anything, so far) tossed his half-ate granola bar over the rail -- our observation post is about fifteen feet up in a tree -- and piped in with, "I say we let them come to us and then follow them home."

   Is that guy brilliant, or what?

   I'll let you know how it goes.
   W.K.

P.S. ...And if you think ants are boring, head on over to the Wilderness Kids Club Magazine and read Part 2 of The Ant Boy. Oh, yeah, and don't forget to enter the Mystery Guest Contest, if you think you know who he is, now.

Wilderness Kids Club is back!

   With more things to do in the wilderness than ever before. There's probably a few things I should let you in on before we get started. Like the new links (check them out as soon as you finish reading this). Each one has something you can take into your own piece of the wilderness every day. No kidding. But it's sort of like dinner. People can fix it for you (thanks, Mom!) only nobody can eat it for you. Have to do that by yourself.

    We are way about doing things for yourself around here. Mostly because of what happens to your brain when you do that. It wakes up! Nothing feels as good as a wide-awake brain. Did you know you can train your brain to wake up on demand? Comes in real handy when you have to get yourself out of a fix. Or help someone else to get out of one. Which is all part of being a Wilderness Protector.

    Hey, I never said it was easy. Which is why we're gonna get help from some of the best experts in the field. Real survivors who are willing to let us in on how they survived. I don't know about you, but surviving has been on my mind a lot, lately. Probably from walking through the living room too many times when my parents are listening to the news. Anyway, I am seriously into practicing my survival skills.

    If you are, too, stick around.
    W.K.

P.S.... Looking for the Mystery Guest clues? They're over at the Wilderness Kids Club Magazine. Because the contest is officially open, now. Just click on the Mystery Guest link at the top of the home page, and you'll find out how to enter. I'm gonna enter it, myself. Because I really, REALLY want that prize. Heh, heh, heh...

Before we take off...

  ONE MORE DAY AND WE'RE ON! Tomorrow is the actual day Wilderness Kids Club Magazine will go live, and I hope you like all the changes. I know I sure do. OK, so I like being the center of attention -- but who doesn't?

   And by the way, if I knew how much fun it was to share my piece of the wilderness with a Wilderness Kids Club patrol, I would have got with that a lot sooner. Which is why the very first thing I'm zeroing in on, next week, is how to join up and start your own patrol. Seriously.

   But in the meantime, here's the last clue I'll be giving out for the Mystery Guest contest. Listen up, because you could win it with this one...

   He has a nickname. It's B-P. Just like that. At one time, it was so well-known that he published one of his books using just that nickname.

   There, how's that?

   See you tomorrow.
   W.K.

This is the week...

   TWO DAYS TO GO... and Wednesday the Wilderness Kids Club Magazine will return with something new every day. Not to mention I get to start sharing my latest adventures right here in my journal.

   Our Mystery Guest Contest will officially kick off, too, and you'll be able to enter by following the Mystery Guest link from the WKC home page. Feel free to scroll back through all the clues I posted here in the journal every day (they're in red), to give all my special friends a head start. Hey -- Wilderness Protectors have to stick together. On account of it's the only way we'll ever get this big of a job done. 

   So, today's clue is...

   Our Mystery Guest has about 300 MILLION followers around the world. So, even though he's not THE most famous person in the world anymore, that's still not too shabby. Heck, I'm having a hard enough time trying to get four more kids just to fill out my patrol. So, you can bet I'm gonna be paying some really close attention to how this guy does things.

I'll let you know how that goes.
W.K.

Our first recruits...

   THREE DAYS TO GO, and we have officially doubled the size of our patrol. Almost by accident, really. See, we get a lot of company around here on Sundays, or I never would have met them. The Warner sisters. C and S. Don't ask me what that stands for because they won't tell us. They just caught our interest on account of they were wearing identical shirts (but they're not twins) that said, C.S. Warner Film Studio on them.

      Turns out they do wildlife documentaries (and they're just kids!). So, we figured we better recruit them. Because we really need people like that on our patrol. Which just goes to show you how much you DON'T know about the people in your neighborhood. But more about all that, later. Right now, let's just say our Wilderness Kids Club patrol is growing before it even gets started. Seriously.

   Which I am way happy about.
    W.K.

  P.S. ... And the Mystery Guest clue for today is... He has camped out in almost every country of the world -- and written about it. He wrote lots of books. Mostly for kids. Pretty cool, huh?

Getting ready...

   Day four on the countdown... and it's Saturday! I love Saturdays. Mostly because I can have the whole day to myself if I feel like it (if my chores are done). Today Buddy and I have a lot of work to do getting the observation post ready for the new patrol.

   Yep, you guessed it. We're going to start a patrol in our own piece of the wilderness. Because -- hey -- like I said, we can't do it all by ourselves, and protecting the wilderness is a really big deal, now. And kids can do a lot more than you think. Than adults think, even. But I don't go around bragging about things like that, on account of it's way easier to prove your point just by doing it. Then nobody can argue with you. Heh, heh, heh...

   Gotta go. Buddy's waiting for me.
   W.K.

P.S. Oh, yeah... the Mystery Guest clue for today is: He's an expert on camping and outdoor stuff. Which is the whole reason he got invited to be a Mystery Guest over at Wilderness Kids Club in the first place.

Look at this...

    Day five and counting! Why am I excited? Because the real stuff starts after September 15th, when the Wilderness Kids Club Magazine goes live, again. For one thing, I get to tell all my adventures, here on the journal, and --man-- have Buddy and I been having some good ones. We have way more to share with other wilderness protectors now that we've had more experience. Hey, you can get a lot of experience in one summer, believe me.

   The Mystery Guest clue for today is the picture. OK, so it's an old one. Taken from the time when he was a hero. Did I mention he was a true-life hero? Well, he was. I'll get some more recent ones posted next week, when the contest officially begins.



   Meanwhile, this should keep you thinking.

   See you tomorrow!

   W.K.

Best Clue Yet...

   Countdown -- DAY SIX. Now, we are really getting close and I better get serious with these Mystery Guest clues. I'm looking for winners, here. Today, I'm going to tell something that hardly anyone knows about him. But it will really help the ones who are hot on the trail. Ready? Here we go...

  Our Mystery Guest did some time as a spy. Can you believe that? He most often worked undercover as a butterfly collector and encoded important information in the drawings of butterfly wings. How cool is that? He even wrote a book about it.


   OK, that one ought to hit the jackpot for somebody out there. Especially if you're up on your research skills. But if you're still stumped, don't worry about it. Tomorrow, I'm actually going to post part of a photo.

    If the sponsors over at Wilderness Kids Club will let me, that is.

    Better cross your fingers...
    W.K.

 

The Next Clue...

Day seven on the countdown until Wilderness kids Club goes live, again, and I'm pretty excited about it. I've got my own journal page, now, and Buddy and I -- hey, you remember Buddy, don't you? Well, if you're new around here, he's my best friend. The one that helped me stake out a piece of the wilderness to personally protect.

   Then we decided to do it together because it's more fun to have company. After that, we thought we should start a club to let other kids pitch in. That is, if they were brave enough to stake out a wilderness piece of their own. Because things happen out there. Really.

   Like the time Buddy's uncle helped us set up a camp so we could do some night tracking. Only something happened when we -- oh, yeah -- I'm not allowed to tell any of our adventures until  after we get started. Right now, I'm just  supposed to do the countdown every day and give out clues about the Mystery Guest.

   Hey, I almost forgot the clue. OK. So, here it is...

    The Mystery Guest was born in England, and became an expert tracker. I mean, so expert he got famous for it. Really famous.

   Sheesh, I hope that doesn't give it away.

    See you tomorrow,

   W.K.

The Big Mystery...

   Countdown day eight. If you've stopped by the Wilderness Kids Club lately, you've probably noticed we've got some new links. That's because we've had a lot of kids write in about finding out some things, so we're trying to make that happen. Anyway, one of my favorites is the Mystery Guest Contest.

   I'll be giving out a clue about the Mystery Guest every day until October 1, and anyone can try their luck at a guess in the box on the Mystery Guest page (after September 15, that is). The prize will be announced then, too. But in the meantime, I'm going to give some clues out right here, so my journal readers can get a head start. On account of I like sharing what I know with my friends.

   Ready? Here's the first clue...

  This man was once the most famous person in the world, and was welcome in almost every country.

   Hey, that ought to at least keep you thinking until tomorrow!

   See you then.
   W. K.

This is it...

The real thing. Nine days from now the new Wilderness Kids Club will go live, and we're opening it up for more members. In fact, the whole world, because there's wilderness in every country on the globe. Not only that, but we've got letters from kids everywhere who are willing to pitch in and help. How cool is that? Way cool. So, stay tuned. Because this is where you'll hear about it first.

Like the Mystery Guest Contest I'm going to talk about tomorrow, so don't forget to stop by. Hey, maybe you better bookmark this page, or something, so you don't forget. Did I say there's going to be prizes? There's going to be prizes for everyone who guesses right. Don't worry, I'll be giving out clues. Heh, heh, heh...

Later,
W.K.