On The Road Again

Glenn Breazeale | Jul. 17, 2026

One of the highlights of the term happened yesterday. About 7:30AM Central time, just after a breakfast of scrambled eggs, hot grits, and toast, 7 chartered buses rolled down the steep hill and parked in line along the main road. Facing towards the front gate, ready for a day of adventure.

Campers were ready too! At lunch on Wednesday we announced the trips to cheers and chants in the Dining Hall. Wednesday evening each age group was briefed on the itineraries and safety plans, along with what to bring.

Trip Day is a longstanding tradition at Alpine. In the 1960’s, my dad and his fellow campers were driven in cattle trucks to downtown Chattanooga, given a little spending money and turned loose for the day. We still have the machate he bought with his spending money on one of those trips. Can you believe that? Needless to say, times have changed. Cline Tours safely ferries our boys on their adventures and there’s way more structure and no need for spending money anymore!

The Hunters loaded their bus for a day full of fun activities in Chattanooga. First stop: Rock City, atop Lookout Mountain in Georgia. Our good friends, the Chapins,have been providing memories in this iconic Southern spot for generations. From there it was down the Mountain to Coolidge Park on the banks of the Tennessee River to enjoy some Chick-Fil-A sandwiches. The Hunters then spent the afternoon rock climbing at High Point Climbing & Fitness for a few hours. They finished off the day trip with a tour through the Tennessee Aquarium, viewing giant tanks of fresh water and salt water fish. Warm Domino’s pizza awaited these boys and their counselors when they arrived back at camp yesterday evening.

The Hunters weren’t the only ones who had a full schedule of trip day plans. The Trappers and Scouts spent the day in the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee as they enjoyed their day at Dollywood, seeking all sorts of fast thrills. Rides like the Tennessee Tornado and the Wild Eagle were sure to provide a rush of adrenaline. For those wanting more chill vibes there were plenty of games and entertainment to enjoy. Carter accompanied these guys and even rode a few roller coasters!!

It was off to white water raft for our older age groups. The Warriors headed to the Nantahala River for their rafting trip. After enjoying a sack lunch, they were briefed with safety instructions and off they went. The Nantahala is near Murphy, NC and is a perfect beginner rapids course. The river is cool and refreshing and Nantahala Falls, at the end, provides a big thrill. On their way home they enjoyed a piping hot pizza dinner from a local pizza place in Murphy, NC.

For the Braves and first year Chiefs, it was down the Ocoee River. They enjoyed floating down the river, surfing the rapids, and riding the waves. The Ocoee is a dam controlled river of the TVA with more adventurous runs. After their rafting run, they headed to The McCallie School in Chattanooga for some swimming and Mr. T’s pizza (a local favorite in Chatty).

Our Chief 2’s safely arrived home from their grand 4 day adventure on the Appalachian Trail. Carter and I greeted them late last night as they walked their final 1/4 mile from the front of camp to a warm shower in the Ridge cabins. Consensus was “hard but worth it”. We can’t wait to unpack all of the stories and anecdotes from their trip. We’ll have them down to our house for a steak dinner later in the term.

This weekend promises to be a full and fun one. As I write this each age group is enjoying an individual night activity. I may have to go join the Hunters, who are currently roasting marshmallows for S’mores over a campfire! There are groups playing floor hockey in the gym, capture the flag on the field, and even enjoying a night swim at the pool to top off this warm, mostly sunny day (the pool is lit inside and out and lifeguarded at night as well).

I should also mention that Gail and company provided a special treat for our return from Trip Day this morning - pancakes and sausage! And Roderick let us sleep in about 45 minutes later after our late evening return on the buses. Tomorrow will continue with regular activities. And we’ll look forward to a second Sunday to worship and enjoy a bit of rest and cabin time.

Thanks for reading and good night for now, Glenn

Glenn Breazeale
Glenn Breazeale

Like his own father, Glenn grew up as a camper at Alpine for six summers, coming from Jackson, MS each summer. He has served on staff at Alpine since 1997, working full time as Assistant Director from 2003 to 2005 and Director since 2006. Prior to that he gained experience serving in various capacities including cabin counselor, Head Counselor, Head of Project Adventure (Ropes course), Horseback instructor, and Program Director. Glenn’s love of camping and his desire to preserve the traditions of Alpine drew him back to camp to offer young boys the same opportunities he experienced. He met and fell in love with Carter during a Square Dance with Camp DeSoto.