Trail Life Troop AL 1613

We thoroughly enjoyed hosting Trail Life Troop 1613 out of Whitesburg Baptist this weekend! They were troopers, coming in and setting up camp in the main campground, late in the afternoon on Friday.  

The temps were cool, but not bad ... definitely great campfire weather! They got their "camp kitchen" set up just how they like it.

And were quite prepared to sit and enjoy their surroundings!!

A special shoutout goes to Christian Phillips, who contacted Todd to make the reservation and to organize a service project for the group to complete.  For us it was a no-brainer! Todd needed the limbs and small trees/brush overhanging into the main road to be clipped, trimmed and cleared.

The guys did a great job and worked through most of Saturday afternoon and had it looking real good when they finished up!

We hope to see them back again soon . . . maybe when it's just a tad warmer?!  :)

Trail Life Campers

Trail Life has been coming to the camp for several years now and we always love to have them. 

David Collier was among them doing some cooking and who knows what all else. I asked him about how he slept when I saw him on Saturday morning and he said, "Great!" (I am pretty sure David went home to sleep and came back..:) 

They had a great group for their family camp-out and I also got to see friend Ken Boyd. Ken will actually be running for mayor of Huntsville next year and already he had a crowd of folks around him. I am trying to remember...Ken did you say you had already received a million in donations and were a strong second in the polls? Not sure that is exactly what he said; I will have to double-check. 

Anyway the group seemed to enjoy themselves and we hope to have them back again soon.

Trail Life Troop 1613 & American Heritage Girls 3110

This past weekend we enjoyed the company from not one, but two groups!  The first was the Trail Life Troop 1613 that meets out at Southside Baptist Church. The guys arrived late Friday afternoon -- just in time to see the end of the warm temps we'd been enjoying all week and to get in some 'polar' camping!  In fact, it was so chilly Saturday morning, it took a while for folks to start stirring.  It was too cold to abandon those warm sleeping bags!

Along with the guys from Trail Life, we also had Troop 3110 from American Heritage Girls who also meet at Southside. 

A lot of the families are involved with both groups, so the guys graciously allowed the girls to piggyback on their reservation.  The guys just stayed the one night, but the girls were working on a badge that required a two-night stay.  Their leader told us that since there was ice on the ground Saturday morning, she'd also be looking for a polar camping badge for the girls to earn!

Friday evening there was some friendly girls vs. the boys camp cooking competition. Each group fixed a dinner and then had judges decide which was best (1) tasting, (2) looking, and (3) most original!  Not quite sure who the winner was, but both groups did an outstanding job of serving up camp grub!

Saturday the groups enjoyed a variety of activities including hiking the trails and some archery instruction.  While they were hiking down near the creek, one of the girls spotted a 'critter' on the ground, so of course they wanted to bring it back to show us . . .

A fuzzy, little tricolored (maybe?) bat . . . whom they named "Cheeseball".  The cold was probably a bit too much for him and he ended up on the ground.  By the time the girls brought him back up to the campground, he'd warmed up a bit and wanted to get moving.  They let him go on an appropriate (?) tree.

The girls also performed a service project and repainted all the electric boxes in the campground.  

They're now a very bright orange and highly visible!  We really appreciate the girls taking care of this.

Despite the cooler temps and a little frozen precipitation on Friday night, both groups had a wonderful time.  We hope they'll make another trip out, and soon!

Trail Life Troop 1613

This Trail Life troop out of Whitesburg Baptist made visit this spring and they do camping *right*!  From tents . . .

To hammocks . . .

Well, one hammock, anyway.  These guys know how to camp it up!

They also have some great leaders, teaching them proper techniques in wilderness/survival skills . . .

It's always hard to tell who's having the most fun . . . the leaders or the boys!!  Whichever the case, we're glad the Camp gets to be a part of it!