Hot Times on the Mountain
June 23, 2015 by Dan Noland
Today was forecast to be the hottest so far this summer. I don’t think we made it above the mid-80s, which is still hot enough, but the heat fazed nobody.
We started the day with another amazingly popular breakfast of cinnamon toast, link sausage and grits, though some of the guys stuck with familiar Lucky Charms and fresh fruit.
Then activities took over, with the full range of in-camp instruction all day long. Following on the heels of the first group’s challenging success (embellished by melodramatic stories of opening canned food with a butter knife, sleeping on dirt, listening to strange night noises), another group left camp at lunchtime for an overnight “survival” trip. We can’t wait to hear how they top last night’s tall tales!
The climbers went to Cedar Rock, the less famous but equally rewarding neighbor of John Rock and Looking Glass. In addition to the rock itself, the guys got to hike in through one of the most beautiful stretches of Appalachian Cove Forest around. The advanced paddlers left on a culminating trip to spend two days canoeing the Tuckaseegee and Nantahala Rivers. They will be mighty tuckered out on their
return tomorrow evening.
After lunch, the Mountain Bikers went to Guion Farm in DuPont State Forest. Its seventeen-mile main trail allows for an equal amount of ascending and descending on a single track. Meanwhile, the horseback riders were having a grand time out in the woods on trails of their own.
Perhaps the noisiest event of the day was The Return of the Rock-it to the waterfront. It’s astonishing to see (and hear from almost anywhere in camp) up to eight campers rocking and rolling that large rolly-polly ball to their hearts’ content. Staff and campers alike left free swim beaming but a bit bowed with fatigue.
Finally, we ended the day with this session’s Movie Night. All of camp eats supper a little early, gets early showers as well and then comes to the gym for a relaxing and restorative sit down (with popcorn while they watch). “Big Hero 6” was tonight’s offering, a Disney animation that appeals to our oldest and youngest alike.
The waxing crescent moon cast shadows as we all walked back to our cabins afterwards, looking forward to a well-earned sleep and exited about what tomorrow will offer. May your evening be as fun and as peaceful.
Dan