Another Wild Ride

It’s hard to believe it has been five days already! Our Mini I boys leave in a week!  It sure was another great day out in High Rocks Land!  We started the day with eggs, bacon, grits, a fruit bar, yogurt, and assorted cereals. Up to eat early were our typical padders and climbers.  They like to be first in and out so they can get out of camp to their destination and make a day of it. I took advantage of watching the boys roll in from their overnights.  My favorite was the boys from Connestee! They were one of the last to come in but had a lot of stories to tell.  Their shirts and faces with little remnants of last night’s adventure.  Just a little sauce here, some marshmallow there…

I like that every boy has the opportunity for an overnight camp experience here at High Rocks. For some, it sparks an interest in more camping trips. Others see it as just some time to hang out with friends and tell stories around the fire.  There isn’t a whole lot of time for that during the school year for these events typically. While the sleeping event is never perfect, it certainly doesn’t take away from the need for this sort of adventure.  My thought is that it actually helps them appreciate the simple mattress they have in the cabin once they return.

Speaking of trips, our hikers headed out to DuPont today for an all-day adventure of waterfalls, rocks, and trails. DuPont State Forest is truly a gem.  The 15-minute ride certainly makes it easy for us to make that trip often.

Around camp, the boys continued to work on skills in their activities.  I enjoyed seeing boys work on their kayak rolls and rip it up on our private bike trails. The quieter moments down at pottery and crafts certainly had a lot of activity as the boys continued to work on their projects.

The last of our cabin overnights headed out. All the cabins of age group 3, and then Hillside took to the woods tonight.  Again, I enjoy seeing the little guys make the journey.  These tiny guys with their crazy creek strapped to the back and their water bottles swaying side to side as they walk into the wilderness forging new trails of excitement.  It takes a lot of steps to get where they are going on this big property. But the tenacity is what gets them there faster. My favorite was the stuffed animal just barely peeking out of the top of the backpack.  You could almost hear the little creature say “what the heck are we doing now?”  Hang on little buddy, it’s going to be a wild ride! I hope to catch a glimpse of these guys in the morning.

Enjoy all the great pictures! Mary has been doing a fantastic job!  She has tomorrow off, so you will have to make do with my efforts for the day.  As you can see, I am already discounting my results. 

Have a great night!

Don

Today’s Pictures