Tie-Dye Tuesday

Today started with a cool dawn over camp, dry and sunny like so many days before. The wakeup bell cranked out its 7:45 call and man was it answered by all of our Mini II guys now in residence!

The excitement of the first full day of camp was obvious from a distance as those cabins began their first round of morning chores. It is quite the feat for a crew of young guys to not only wake up in a shared space and get ready for the day, but also make their beds and learn a rotation of chores done in concert with their cabinmates. All in thirty minutes no less! To say that today went perfectly would be an overstatement. Nor did everyone come in under that 8:15 breakfast bell, but slow is smooth and smooth will, eventually, become fast!

Breakfast after all that morning labor always is welcome. Bagels with cream cheese, scrambled eggs with sausage, fried skillet potatoes, fruits, yogurts, and a plethora of cereals filled the crowd up nicely. After tables were wiped down and chairs turned up, it was off to assembly in the gym for the camp band’s renditions of well known pop songs mixed with classic camp favorites. This morning Twist and Shout by The Isley Brothers was easily heard all over camp.

Morning activities went smoothly though it was a first time for a number of our campers out there. It was great to see some 4 Weekers and returning Mini guys helpfully guiding new campers in the direction of one activity or another. Down in the pottery studio some guys were practicing throwing on the wheels while others continued perfecting other projects. Mountain bikers were working their new classes through braking, down hill positioning, and general control of their bikes. Some of the older guys were fine tuning some time trials down the Shrimpers Trail in preparation for the Upper Senior Challenge this coming Sunday.

New canoers were singing their hearts out to the T-Grip song, the better to know not to let go of it while paddling to avoid unpleasant knocks to the head. Others were practicing their rolls in a kayak or putting in a little canoe partner time at the gates course. Sailors were moving well across the lake and I even saw our Old Town sailing canoe making a wake as a faster (and tippier!) option for guys experienced in the Aqua-Finns.

All over camp, activities were moving apace. As the morning turned midday, a lunch of tacos seemed just right for some serious consumption before retiring to the relaxation of rest hour back in the cabins. The day is full of such steady action that a time to unwind for a bit helps maintain that speed into the afternoon. And maintain they did. Before you knew it, the 5:00 Choice Period was upon with many things in camp open for a camper to choose in the moment what sounds good to him. Some guys were swimming or boating, plenty were sweating it out on the tennis courts or the gaga pit. Crews of friends were making the disc golf rounds with eighteen holes scattered across all of main camp. The enjoyment of that kind of freedom is clear when you chat with any camper roaming such a wide area.

The dinner bell is an effective summons to the next community gathering. BBQ, mac-n-cheese, hushpuppies, coleslaw, a salad bar, and caramel bars were on offer. We had two early crews eating before dinner began. Age Group 3 for their Chill Night and some of Age Group 6 for a local twilight golf outing. As dinner commenced, a cool wind blew in and with it brought some much-needed rain for the next hour or so. In a pivot, our younger two age groups in camp headed to the gym for dodgeball, four square, knock-out and more. Our older guys gathered in the dining hall for a big game of bingo complete with ridiculous prizes. Agreeably, the rain relented just in time for an evening snack and a return to cabins for showers.