My Last Visit To Camp This Summer

I spent this past weekend at S-F Scout Ranch again.  Once again, it was an amazing weekend.  Every time I go down there it gets harder and harder to leave.  It makes me sad to think that I will not be back there this year.  What’s more, it is unlikely that I will ever be at S-F again with all of my close friends during the summer/on staff at the same time.  We have had so many good times and I do not want that to end.  Nevertheless, life goes on and I must remember the good times fondly while preparing for the future and maintaining those relationships.

This weekend I went down to camp with Tim Weaver and Ray Kreienkamp again.  The three of us stayed with Paul in his cabin at Family Camp, which has been a good time each weekend we have been at The Ranch.  We helped out with the closing campfire before going to Applebee’s for a bit in Farmington (they had good specials and half price appetizers).

Saturday, I helped as a check-out commissioner and actually “closed” Wenzel campsite for the summer – a.k.a. in addition to making sure the site was clean, ALL equipment had to be off the site, signs down, garbax bag holder removed, etc.  It’s more of a lengthy process but it was a good troop that already had all equipment down when I arrived on the site and they were in a pretty good mood.

After the site was closed, Ed Nahlik (one of the most amusing of my favorite people) came down to drive Famous Eagle’s truck run and asked me to join.  I wasn’t sure, but Ray did and so I figured I may as well.  Ed tapped a tree and backed into the loading dock to make me happy (don’t worry, no damage to the truck).  It’s not a real truck run unless you hit something, like a picnic table.  Let’s just say that Ed did not drive slowly.  It was a lot of fun and when I was standing up in the back of the truck at one point (which of course I should not have been doing), I almost flew over the front of the truck.  Luckily there was no problem.  We did move a good amount of equipment during an extremely hot day and got quite dirty – while listening to music: Ed had his iPod in a milk crate tied with rope to the back of the cab.  Awesome.  I like truck runs.

After lunch, the truck run continued but I went with some other people to Huck’s Cove for the afternoon and then went tubing.  I don’t think that I actually went tubing last year at camp so this was probably my first time in two years.  Both Huck’s Cove and tubing were a lot of fun.  It was really hot and a great day to be on the lake.

Saturday evening, we went to Lambert’s Cafe: Home of Throwed Rolls.  It’s a 1.5-2 hour drive from S-F, but definitely worth it.  Our drive down to Fredericktown and then along Highway 72 to I-55 was certainly an adventure (I was reminded of our English friend Jack Caine getting lost on Highway Z (“Zed”) last year).  There were certainly some sites to see in rural Southern Missouri.  I drove with David and we had some good conversations.  We had a hour and forty five minute wait to eat once we got to Lambert’s, but it is most definitely worth it.  They have amazing food and way too much of it.  I ate maybe 1/3 of my meal.  They are a fantastic place for country/Southern cooking.  I think I have gone to Lambert’s every year I worked on staff, beginning in 2004.

This morning, Ray, Tim, and I went back over to staff row to hang out with people before lunch.  After lunch we sang the pony song and helped with a few odd jobs, before relaxing on row again for a bit.  I had to leave earlier this time to get back in time for a Troop 310 reunion this afternoon (more on that in a future post).  I really wanted to stay longer.

Even with the drama of this summer, it is still possible to see the staff come together and have a good time.  I hope that visits in the future will be just as enjoyable.  Perhaps that 1% likelihood of my return to camp will happen.  While it would be different and strange in many regards (and I’m sure I would be disappointed in other ways because of changes), I know I would still love being at S-F and being a part of the staff one last time before meeting the “real” world.

Many conversations occurred this weekend about who would and who would not be returning to staff next year.  People always say things at the end of the summer, but when decision time comes around, the reality is often different.  I am interested to see what next year’s staff will look like.  I’m sure these will be conversations I will be hearing/joining for a while to come.

I did take pictures at camp this weekend.  I’m too tired to post those now, but expect them online soon and I will link to them from the blog.  I have no pictures of the lake though since I was trying not to destroy my camera. 🙂