Rain came today, and then went, and then came back, and then went again. That meant flip-flopping between rainy day and regular schedules. Of course there’s nothing wrong with playing in a drizzle, but we do need to be mindful of what might be slippery. We subbed in Pickleball, Golf, Ping Pong, Chilltop and giant bubble-making at Yellowhorn.
The weather was actually fine for the Seniors, who had an overnight trip to Franconia Notch, New Hampshire. They hiked the trail to Lonesome Lake, set in the valley of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains.
It was a two-hour trek, so there was time for leadership positions to be rotated. The person in the front carried the lifeguard tube, and he set the pace for the group. The person in the back carried the football and was responsible for encouraging and keeping tabs on everyone.
At the top, they went for a dip in the frigid cold lake (hence the lifeguard tube). They talked about the importance of slowing down in life, as opposed to scrolling through it. Everyone got the message and took in the moment.
They spent the night in the AMC hut. It’s one of eight rustic lodges run by the Appalachian Mountain Club, that provides hikers with a hearty meal and an overnight stay. The AMC “Croo”, as the staff is called, prepared a dinner of stuffed shells, vegetables, focaccia bread and chocolate cake. Somehow even the pickiest of eaters are satisfied with whatever is prepared when it’s served in the Hut.
Phyllis, a 74-year-old naturalist, befriended the boys and told tales of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail twice, as well as the Pacific Crest Trail. Our guys showed genuine interest and respect for her and asked lots of good questions.
After a hearty breakfast, and a hike around the perimeter of the lake, they paused for some writing. They wrote three letters: One to their future self, which they’ll get next year on the last day of camp; one to someone who gave them the opportunity to be at Skylemar; and one to someone who made their Skylemar experience special.
Once down the mountain, they had a Chipotle picnic in a park, where they invented a game called Ultimate Football Basketball. They stopped for ice cream, and then home sweet home. It sure felt good to be back in their own bed.
Meanwhile…
The Cubs had a trip of their own this afternoon. They went to the Gem and Mineral Museum in Bethel, Maine. The guided tour was exceptional, especially because the founder of the museum was there, in-person. Upstairs was a world-renowned collection of meteorites, and in the basement, a research facility. On the floors in between were fascinating hands-on displays of assorted gems and minerals, many of which came from South Africa. This was a celebrity moment for camper Anton, because he’s from South Africa too.
Especially memorable was that each boy got to hold a piece of the Moon as well as Mars. As a matter of fact, this museum is the only place in the world where you can touch both of them at the same time.
The boys were so into the gems that they didn’t want to leave. That meant that they had to skip stopping for ice cream on the way home. We owe them one.
