Mountain Day Memories
It might be a normal July Wednesday where you are. It’s a holiday here at Alpine! Mountain Day, that is. All normal activities were suspended today to celebrate, Lookout Mountain, Alabama style.
Mountain Day begins with a wake up call by the head counselors. Today’s wakeup held a special treat. One of the gentlemen on our maintenance crew serves our community on the North Lookout Mountain Volunteer Fire Dept. Gene was able to bring one of the fire trucks. Decked out in costume, the head counselors hopped on the fire truck. Riding through camp with sirens blaring, the head counselors eagerly woke up each cabin area.
What you would expect is that boys would sleepily stroll onto their porches, rubbing eyes and wondering what is going on. But what you see is boys that are prepared. Boys spill out of their cabins, decked in any costume they could piece together. Word spreads quickly that it might be Mountain Day. So they are ready. Sometimes a costume is preplanned and put together, mostly it’s an inside out shirt with shorts on head and sunglasses, or something of the like. A few of my favorites today (there are so many great ones I could never list them all): a blow up Stay Puff Marshmellow, an orange Sumo wrestler (also blow up), a hot dog, a piece of bacon, and quite an assortment of horse heads.
Country band Alabama is the music of choice for Mountain Day (the hometown boys hail from just down the mountain in Fort Payne, AL and still reside in the area). Dixieland Delight and Mountain Music swirled through the air as we enjoyed our pancakes with chocolate chips and blueberries, along with sausage patties.
Our Team Sports staff brought us a full morning of Olympic competition, tribe vs. tribe. Field events, tug of war, and some relays kept us busy all morning. And yes, there was music there too. That’s the beautiful thing about being unplugged for a time period. It makes you appreciate so much more. A little recorded music on Mountain Day gets us all excited.
Lunch could not have come sooner. Mrs. Gail’s Mountain Day special: BBQ chicken awaited us. She slow cooks it all night in our camp ovens. It is so tender and juicy, falling off the bones. Served with green beans, mashed potatoes, salad, and strawberry shortcake, we feasted.
In the afternoon, we split the camp in half, due to chances of rain and our large number of campers. The Hunters, Trappers, and Scouts watched Princess Bride at Deerfoot Lodge. Tonight the Warriors, Braves, and Chiefs will do the same.
The best part of the whole day (and maybe the term) also camp this afternoon and evening. The Alpine County Fair. With snowcones, cotton candy, and ice cream I probably need not say much more. But there was so much more. We arranged for an ice cream truck from Doodles, an ice cream shop in Birmingham, to arrive. Parked at the back of the gym, they offered flavors like Cookies and Cream, Oreo Mint, Birthday Cake, and Ninja Turtle (a blueish concoction that seemed to be very popular with the younger boys).
Currency at the fair is dried pinto beans for games and a limited number of tickets for food items. Loaded with an envelope full of beans, boys are turned loose in the gym and field to play fair type games to their heart’s content. A particular favorite is the line to toss a softball at the dunking booth, both camper and counselor alike hoping to dunk their favorite head counselor.
Warriors, Braves, and Chiefs enjoyed the county fair this afternoon. The younger boys this evening.
To top it off we all enjoyed a brilliant fireworks show on the Team Sports Field.
Tomorrow we’re back to our normal activity routine, enjoying all that camp has to offer for just a few more days. Thanks for reading and good night for now,
Glenn
