End of a Good Week

This morning was delightfully cool and certainly made those camp bunks far cozier. It took a vigorous bell ringing and the promise of a hot breakfast to get most of camp stirring on time. As we head into the weekend of the session, the sounds of camp in full swing have normalized delightfully into the daily cacophony of fun that we associate with the place. There is a steady hum of noise and energy about camp that just feels right!

At the end of the “work week”, our campers have found a rhythm to their day that allows for individual agency across camp. Campers know the next steps in their day (though they may not know what day it is) and are a major part of moving the program forward. It allows them to build some ownership of the experience which can take shape in them putting equipment away, picking up trash, or just looking out for another member of camp who might need a helping hand. 

Friday is also the culmination of a lot of effort on part of the campers and counselors both. They have been building new skills and refining learned ones with goals to get on trips, advance in shooting ranks, or begin trotting/cantering. As camp goes along, they get to experience some of the payoff to that work as things that were once hard come more naturally now.

Today saw a fair number of trips heading out of camp as guys were ready to begin putting their skills to the test. Mountain biking did a morning mission to Dupont with a group pedaling for the Wintergreen Falls. After a series of slow climbs which had our guys puffing, Wintergreen is quite the reward as a beautiful waterfall and cool pool below that allows for feet to be cooled before the return journey. Climbing had a morning group bound for the High Rocks and both Outpost and Sprucepine had their turns on the High Ropes course!

In camp things were also cranking before the weekend. Canoers were speeding around the endurance course, doing competitive BLTs, and “accidentally” flipping their boats towards the end of each class. Horseback riders were enjoying stretching their legs on some trail rides throughout the day. It always gets a rider’s attention with they leave the security of the outside rail and suddenly have a thousand acres to negotiate with their steed. A busy day indeed!

With the skies clear and a gorgeous sunset in the making, our youngest cabins marched out of camp for their cabin overnights. Hillside, Connestee, and Foxhollow are even now enjoying a campfire and s’mores after pita pizzas, before playing some campfire games and then getting settled in for a night at one of our shelters. We will look forward to seeing their triumphant return in the morning for a hot breakfast in civilization once more!