Early Sliding Rock

For today’s cabin day, that weekly day when we change from our activity schedule to whole-cabin events, we reached into our bag of tricks for the Middlers. The Pisgah National Forest is still quite crowded this week, and we wanted to take the girls to sliding rock. Avoiding the crowds is important when you need to bring 85 people, so what did we do? We went when there was nobody else there, when, we might say, nobody would be crazy enough to go— in the morning before it officially opened! We have a relationship with the Ranger to allow us to go “at our own risk,” but we always bring several lifeguards, staff members trained in wilderness first aid, and of course plenty of strong counselors. We had the place 100% to ourselves from 9 to 10am. So was the water cold? Oh yes, but no colder than usual, and the air temperature was in the 70s, so it really was fine, and super fun for everyone. Then to add even more chill (a creamy, yummy chill) to the equation, we stopped at Dolly’s Ice Cream Bar so everyone could have a cone of the their favorite flavor. I asked the girls if it was too early for ice cream or if they were too cold to have some, and they of course screamed “No!” This was one of those completely surprising, very fun group events we love at Rockbrook.

During the first free swim period and during rest hour, the mini session campers packed their luggage so we could move their trunks. Tomorrow is their closing day and we have to say so long for now, so a little preparation is needed. The afternoon activities moved indoors when it started to rain (another of our afternoon thundershowers), but this gave all the age groups extra time to finish up projects and just spend time together.

At dinner, the Hi-Ups decorated the dining hall in an “Under the Sea” theme for a “mini-banquet.” This a special dinner that brings together skits, costumes, dance performances and food… a themed party for the whole camp. The campers and counselors wore their red RBC t-shirts making the whole dining hall almost glow with red.  Looking around the dining hall, I was reminded again just how great these girls are with each other and how close they’ve grown over the last couple of weeks.

After dinner, the mini session girls and their counselors gathered in the lower line Lodge for their closing evening program (counselor impersonations) and a fire in the fireplace. Like the Spirit Fires that close our main sessions, this one, even though it was inside due to another spell of rain, included traditional songs, a few girls talking about their favorite moments from the session, and Sarah relating her thoughts about Rockbrook and what it means for us all. In the old stone lodge and before a beautiful crackling fire, it was a very nice setting to think back and recall all the fun we’ve been sharing. There are always a few tears at these closing campfires, but they are the good kind of tears. They are born from our camp friendships and connections, that while marked by a period of separation during the school year, will certainly last until next summer, and beyond. This is definitely good stuff.