The Tigers went to College!  Bates College that is, where Blake Shep and several former counselors attended.  Blake also worked as a teacher at Bates, so he has inside access to bring our guys to campus. 

It’s about a 40-minute drive from Camp, and the first thing they did was hit the turf.  Rachel organized a really fun relay race on the track, while others played a massive game of Steal the Bacon on the lax field.

As college students for the day, they swiped into “Commons”, which is the name of Bates’s award- winning cafeteria.  It’s ranked 6^th in the nation for “best food” by Princeton Review.  The Commons was a pretty amazing experience for these guys.  Seven stations of the kinds of food that boys like, plus international offerings as well.  The fountain soda was super fun because you could mix your flavors.  Best part:  the all-you-want soft serve ice cream with assorted toppings.  After filling his bowl Declan O said, “I’m gonna go to Bates.”

All eyes were on the Tigers, since it’s not every day that 40 guys in Skylemar shirts take over the place.  The manager complimented our behavior, as did a table of professors. 

To walk off all that ice cream, they split into groups to tour the campus.  They have a beautiful pond there, with ducks you can feed.  Next the group headed to the nearby movie theater for “Minions & Monsters”, and counselors made a wise decision – no more sweets.  The movie got thumbs up from the kids, and down from the staff.

The Appalachian Mountain Club Hut trip for the Seniors has returned!  They’ve been hiking in New Hampshire the past couple of days.

At Carter Notch (a mountain pass in the White Mountains), they covered about four miles of gradual incline, which was about a two-hour hike.  Every time they took a break a “refreshed” leader was selected.  He set the pace, decided when to rest, and when to get moving again.  He also shared what he thought made a good leader, and then picked the next one.

Once at the top, they enjoyed fishing, exploring, and playing assorted games outside of the Carter Notch Hut.  This High Mountain Hut is part of a system of eight, very rustic buildings along the Appalachian Trail that provide warm beds and hearty meals.

The huts are maintained by workers known as “The Croo”, who carry in supplies and prepare the meals. Dinner was lentil soup, kale salad, honey roasted chicken and focaccia bread.  And guess what – they ate it and they loved it.  Especially the chocolate cake!

There were two small ponds nearby, as well as a tremendous boulder field called “The Ramparts”.  Some fished (Trout caught a trout!) while others climbed through the ancient rocks.  By 8pm they headed to their “bunk house” with bunkbeds inside.  No turn down service here – just a couple of blankets and a pillow on the end of each sleeping surface.  There’s no electricity inside, so a flashlight is essential, especially for getting to the bathrooms which were located outside.

Counselor Kyler read pages of a book he found, and the 14-year-olds eagerly listened, clamoring on his bed like the old days.  Before long, all were asleep.

At 6:30 AM the Croo starts singing the wake-up song.  The yummy hot breakfast was followed by the Croo’s skit, which explained how to clean up.  All trash had to go into your backpack to be carried out, and blankets needed to be folded in a specific way:  hotdog, hamburger, hamburger, hot dog (think about it next time you fold a blanket and it will make sense).  The idea is for the Hut to be welcoming for the next person who comes along, just as it was for you.

A two-hour hike back down, some time for soccer and frisbee at a local park, pizza and then a movie.  Yes, it was “Minions & Monsters”.  Once again, there’s no need to rush out to see this one.

Back at camp, all were welcomed back with a favorite Skylemar dinner.  Wing Night — 480 pounds served!