Oh the Places You'll Go

The morning here in the mountains was cool, cloudy, and with a nice breeze all day. After rustling themselves from bed and cleaning their cabins, the camper hordes arrived for a hearty breakfast of chocolate chip scone/muffins (aka Scuffins), sausages, breakfast potatoes, boiled eggs, cereals, yogurts, and the ever-appreciated fruits-n-berries.

Not long after the wake-up bell, three groups of guys arrived for an early start to breakfast before heading out of camp on all-day trips. One crew was bound for Section 8 of the French Broad river for an all-day, five mile run of fun and rocky whitewater. It is an excellent chance for our boaters to develop their skills in catching eddies, ferrying, and communicating with their partners in a time sensitive manner! The water level was up which made those maneuvers even more fun. Our boaters had the river entirely to themselves except for a number of osprey, swimming cows, and turkey as well. Whew did those guys look whupped when they made it back for dinner this evening, and clearly felt proud of themselves as well.

Just after breakfast, a mountain biking trip popped over to Dupont for a solid pedal to Wintergreen Falls and back. As always on that stretch, berries are discovered and impromptu breaks are taken to enjoy the find most thoroughly. About the same time, a crew of young climbers headed into Pisgah National Forest for some climbing at Cove Creek. It was apparently a motivated group with over 40 pitches climbed between them before approaching rain clouds sent them packing.

This afternoon, a small crew of our hikers summited Rich Mountain for another perspective on big mountain views with those same cool breezes whipping at them up on top of the tallest mountain near camp. Storm clouds were rolling by in the distance and made for a rather dramatic scene to enjoy a snack before descending back into camp.

In camp, campers were busy. Chalet and then Lakeside had their crack at the high ropes course and jumped all over the opportunity. Potters were glazing their finished pieces in preparation for firing as early as this evening. There were lots of mugs in the works when I passed through. All day the sailors were taking advantage of the conditions. It became a common sight to see the boats whipping back and forth across the lake, accompanied by big smiles and the occasionally startled look as a boat capsized. It was a good day to be counting on the wind!