I enjoyed the first glance of the lake this morning in a bit of a mountain fog as it slowly lifted into the sky. Not too far behind was the first wake-up bell of the season. It is almost always followed by a primal “Good Morning High Rocks” that echoes through the hills. Soon after, camp comes alive. The first morning is always a lot to take in, even for some of the seasoned veterans. Some of the boys are so excited that they have probably been up for a while. Nonetheless, it was time to get dressed and ready for the day! We have about 30 minutes to clean up our own mess like our bed, clothes, wet, towel, and various shoes. Finally, we have to get on to the group chores of the cabin.
The breakfast bell rang soon after. The boys were ready to eat! Our breakfast is always assorted cereals, hot bar items, and an amazing fruit bar. The hot bar today included scrambled eggs, scratch-made blueberry muffins, sausage, and oatmeal. The fruit bars had sliced the tiny mandarin oranges, blueberries, and strawberries. The smaller berries are usually near the Greek yogurt. Typically, I like to take a little house-made granola, Greek yogurt, and a pile of berries all together in a bowl. I went for eggs and sausage and some fruit.
We headed out to our first assembly, where we all bounced around and got excited about the day. I heard several guys (and even some staff) singing Yellow Submarine throughout the day.
Finally, off to activities we went. The boys hit all five of their selected activities today. Our first day of activities set a baseline that will springboard into some real learning through the session. The boys were eager to get started. I saw the first glimpses of the model rockets coming together in crafts. Others were making their first shots at archery. Speaking of activities, you should have received an email with your son’s schedule and a few details this afternoon. I hope that is helpful. The boys will typically keep those for the session, but they can change if they want. The first couple of days has a little movement.
It was another delightful mountain day. Just warm enough for some swimming, yet not too hot for mountain biking. I enjoyed seeing the first guys hitting the waterslide and rope swing during choice period.
Our oldest age group headed out tonight for the first round of cabin overnights. I always enjoy catching a few shots while hanging with the boys. I queried the guys on how many cabin overnights they had been on and how many of the five open-air shelters they have slept in through the years. It was great to hear many of the boys spout out that they had been on 3 or 4 and some even 5 or 6. It brought up memories of some of their favorite overnights. It is always a fun event for the boys to cook some pita pizzas, enjoy some time around the fire, assemble a few smores, and then camp out in the woods for the night. We will see them just before breakfast in the morning.
We are off to a great start! Don’t forget to write. I love that summer camp still keeps the traditional letter alive! Tomorrow is going to be another big event!
-Don Gentle
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