Picnic - Saturday and Sunday
I awoke early on Saturday - around 8am. That's basically when the entire camp woke up. I was still feeling pretty bad from dehydration. I found out that the night before, while I was sleeping, my friend Aaron had hit a deer on the way to the campsite. Some people talked him into going back and getting it, which he did, and they gutted it that night. Saturday morning (it was cold the night before so the meat kept), they got the meat off the carcass, cut it into steaks and put it in a cooler. The deer was a yearling, so fairly small, but still provided lots of meat. I bowed out on a trip to Newberry's (my favoritest cave) because I was still feeling crappy. That's two years in a row I've missed the opportunity to go there. But anyway, I stayed outside in the warm air and sunshine. Samantha (Sam) borrowed some trainees' Jeep Wrangler and we drove around through the field. To show our appreciation for the landowner allowing us to party on his land every year (and him being the local sherriff at that) we do chores around the farm every year. Pulling up wild rose bushes is a favorite, and that's where the Jeep comes in - you throw a chain around the base of the bush, attach it to the back of the Jeep and drive it to the fire pit to be burned, thus entertaining yourself, doing something good for the Thompsons, and playing with a Jeep, all without getting stuck and scratched by briars.
Sam drove for some time, and her boyfriend Chris hung out with us. We drove over to the entrance of Buddy Penleys and they let me drive back (nice of them considering it was not their car in the first place). But I drove anyway. It's the second time I have ever driven a stick/manual/straight and it was FUN! The only times I stalled were when I was completely stopped and forgot I need to keep the clutch engaged for the engine to continue running. I was happy with myself that I could do it.
We stopped at lunchtime and hung out for a while. I drank bunches of water, which made me feel better, then the Woodchuck Cider keg was tapped! W00t! Two 32-oz Nalgene's later, and I was feelin good! I maintained for the rest of the evening. At dinner, some guy cooked up the venison road kill from earlier, and it was GOOD! Bailey was well behaved and low maintenance all weekend. I had I have officially become a redneck by eating roadkill, but that's ok. I liked it. The FIRE was started a bit later and the evening was just chatting with old friends, listening to four guys play guitar and sing, and keeping warm by the fire. God, I miss that. I was just good fun. I finally crashed at 4am, satiated.
Some trainees had filled a large metal trash can with popcorn and vegetable oil and put it on the fire at some point. I think their idea was that the fire would pop the popcorn and it would come out of the lid. It turned into a raging inferno instead, but every once in a while, an unsinged piece would pop out. Entertaining, though.
Sunday I headed back to Atlanta. I was tired and had to stop at a few rest stops for a cat nap, but that was ok.
Sam drove for some time, and her boyfriend Chris hung out with us. We drove over to the entrance of Buddy Penleys and they let me drive back (nice of them considering it was not their car in the first place). But I drove anyway. It's the second time I have ever driven a stick/manual/straight and it was FUN! The only times I stalled were when I was completely stopped and forgot I need to keep the clutch engaged for the engine to continue running. I was happy with myself that I could do it.
We stopped at lunchtime and hung out for a while. I drank bunches of water, which made me feel better, then the Woodchuck Cider keg was tapped! W00t! Two 32-oz Nalgene's later, and I was feelin good! I maintained for the rest of the evening. At dinner, some guy cooked up the venison road kill from earlier, and it was GOOD! Bailey was well behaved and low maintenance all weekend. I had I have officially become a redneck by eating roadkill, but that's ok. I liked it. The FIRE was started a bit later and the evening was just chatting with old friends, listening to four guys play guitar and sing, and keeping warm by the fire. God, I miss that. I was just good fun. I finally crashed at 4am, satiated.
Some trainees had filled a large metal trash can with popcorn and vegetable oil and put it on the fire at some point. I think their idea was that the fire would pop the popcorn and it would come out of the lid. It turned into a raging inferno instead, but every once in a while, an unsinged piece would pop out. Entertaining, though.
Sunday I headed back to Atlanta. I was tired and had to stop at a few rest stops for a cat nap, but that was ok.