Calvin Camping - August 2010

For the past several years Calvin has hosted a weekend of camping in August.  Last year we were rained out, but this year the weather was just beautiful. 

I love camping, and I think camping with a church community is a great way to build community within it, so that is why I keep offering it each year.

Each year we do it we get different people coming out and I like watching everyone getting to know each other as the weekend progresses.  Camp fires are a great time for socializing, but our hiking and beach times are good too.

This year we travelled to Lac Philippe to group site #3.  It's the only site that takes tent trailers, and that is a must for this camper.  No tent for me, but bless those who use a tent.  : )

Below are many pictures of the weekend.  Enjoy as you look at them and read about them.....

Our family arrived first on the scene.  It takes about an hour to set up our trailer and other paraphernalia but once set up, it's slick.  : )  Here Chris and Joycegina sit reading and waiting for the others to arrive.   

Eventually more of the group arrived. Here is Wilma showing off as her site is set up.  I didn't even have to drive the trailer backwards, eh Wilma!  There were a few things I had to help her with, but they were minor.   

There were several shelters provided by yours truly to keep the sun off of us.  Not much shade on this group site.  Here is community at work. 

Evert and Annet and their daughter, Linda,  came out for the weekend.  They had just gotten rid of their century old tent trailer, and were experimenting with tenting for the weekend  JUST to see if tents were for them.  They borrowed Pastor Ken's tent.  I think he blessed it and everything.  Here you see them trying to put it up.  They did ok.  You'll have to ask them if they liked the tent or not.....  (tee, hee). 

Here is Linda attempting to put up her tent.  It's been a while, apparently, but eventually all the poles and clips ended up in the right spots.   

A wheel walker is needed by one of our members, and it sure was interesting to watch how it was used during the weekend.  Here it doubles as a water carrier.  Christopher, that's very creative, AND lazy of you.  : )   

As people got settled in, some of the younger folk took to playing.  Here a game of monkey in the middle broke out, with my son being in the middle. 

Part of camping is food and it's always fun to watch what people bring camping.  We have a pretty standard menu when we go, and so do others.  Wilma and family brought some REALLY good food.  These steaks come from a "happy" cow, as did the milk they brought along.  And there were vegetables and other healthy things.  I really wanted to taste the happy cow, and was promised a piece if there were extras...... 

It seems that Wilma is a very hard worker when camping as well.  She probably is at home and work too.  She would be either cooking or cleaning, or organizing, or cooking, or cleaning.  I think I saw her at the campfire a couple of times for a brief moment or two, and then it was back to work.....

The only place to use the facilities on the site were these two very clean outhouses.  No lighting in them, which was a bit odd, but certainly the cleanest I've seen in a long time.  

Christine and Joycegina set up Christine's dining shelter while Stuart takes care of the kids. A pretty nice shelter at that.  Christine and Stuart are slowly accumulating camping equipment and I was giving her some pointers, when she told me to stop....here I am stunned, wondering what to say next... : ) 

Something interesting on this trip was the fact that several families present had one spouse keen on camping, and the other, well, let's just say not so keen.  It all worked out ok, but it was interesting to watch.  Oh, and you are getting really good camping stuff Christine, you just need kids that love camping more than watching TV, eh!  

Stuart and baby Luke slept in this tiny little tent for the weekend.  I have no idea how Stuart fit into this tent without squishing Luke.....

Here's a cool story.  Doug and Louise said they'd be coming camping.  You are only allowed 8 vehicles on the site so she said they'd bike into the site reducing the cars by one.  I thought she meant they'd be biking in from the overflow parking spot, and emailed her to thank her.  What I didn't realize was that they were going to bike from HOME!  So, they showed up about 6 pm ish on this great looking tandem bike, with everything they needed for the weekend packed on it.  I was truly amazed.....

Getting back to that "happy" cow.......this was all that was left of the meal.  Must have been a delicious happy cow.  : ) I wasn't happy, however.  

After many of us set up camp and had dinner, it was time for a camp fire.  Here is Evert, Annet and Linda getting ready to relax for the evening.  Evert's sipping his coffee (or was that tea) looking really relaxed.  

The group settled in for the evening.  It was a cool evening the first night and the fire was nice.  Lots of talking took place.  Nice to see people getting to know each other better.  

Everyone went to bed about 10:30 ish 

The morning was crisp and cool.  Time for a morning coffee and to sit and watch the sun come up.  

Remember that bike from Doug and Louise.  Well, all that stuff on the benches, and a tent, and sleeping bags, and more, fit into those packs.  I was amazed at how little impact on the environment they made, as opposed to me. They biked, I took my van. It was cool to watch them over the weekend.  I could/should learn some things from them.....

Here are Sonja and her kids getting things ready for the day.  I ended up giving them a shelter as well, or they would have become tomatoes.

Here is my family enjoying our breakfast of bacon and eggs - a must have when camping. I do most (not all) of the cooking during camping.  The trade off b/c Joycegina is the not so keen camper. : ) 

After breakfast we gathered together to talk about what we would be doing for the day.  The options were to go hiking to the caves, go to the beach, or stay there and sleep.  

This group decided to go hiking to the caves.  It was about a 6km hike, one way.  We started off about 10:30 am and arrived at the caves by 11:30 am. 

Once we arrived at the caves, people prepared to go in.  

There is an opening that we who don't like caves can look through to get some pictures of those going through.  I have a few phobia's in my life.  One is a fear of heights, and the other is a fear of caves.  Hence, I was not one to go into these caves.  

There is a 1/2 way point where those who don't want to go completely into the caves can get out.  Sarah was one of those 1/2 way people.  

Here's the exit point for the 2nd half.  Not much room.  The thought of that puts a lump in my throat. 

Here's a flashlight reflection off the water.  Someone's coming out.  

Here's Louise.  You're braver than me.

So was Christopher. 

Here are a bunch of us waiting for the rest of us to finish off playing in the caves. 

Once our time at the caves was completed we made our way back to camp.  I tagged along with Evert, Annet and Linda.  Man, do they walk "briskly!"  I was pooped by the time I got back, and my legs hurt for 3 days after that hike.  I need to walk more.....

When we came back, Eric and his children were setting up their tent for a one night stay with us.  

The rest of the group went off to the beach.  Here Donna-Lee is helping Caralynn with beading.  Lots of fun was spent doing crafty stuff at the beach.  

More got into the act as the day wore on.  

Some took to the water to cool off, or to watch their children in the water.  Eric and Stuart are catching up on life.  

The boys are making something in the dirt.  

My daughter, Sarah, didn't want to go to the beach after the hike, so I stayed back with her.  Eventually everyone came back for dinner.  Here is Luke walking around the campsite after a long time at the beach.  I think he wants to fall in that hole to see what's in it.  

Luke saw Sarah taking a picture and took her picture with his own camera.  

This is a nice picture of Luke and mom.  I'm not sure who's copying who here.  

Cheryl's stove has fire issues.  I was about to call the fire department, but soon things were under control.  

Others came for the day only.  Here's Joanne munching on dinner. 

I'm usually the one behind the camera, so there aren't a lot of pictures of me when it comes to events that we do.  My son, however, snapped this one of me without my knowing it.  Not a bad picture actually.........

Leo and Cathy (not pictured here) also came for the day.  Leo is one crazy man, but I love him.......

Tube steaks may not be from "happy" cows, but they sure made Corey happy. 

My son likes to take scenery shots, so I just had to put one in that he took. 

There was a nice climbing tree on our site and I think Daniel was in that tree for most of the weekend.  Every time I looked around all I saw were these yellow crocs hanging from the tree.  

Here are Doug and Louise eating dinner.  No picnic table necessary and dinner a la king (and queen)!

Katrina came over to talk with Doug and Louise for a bit.  How did they fit that tent and towels, etc., in such a tight space.  The expert packers for sure.  

In the wee hours of the evening, several people took to playing games.  One game was to try to shoot arrows at the youth pastor! : (  

Others played bocce ball 

While others played this strange game involving sticks and throwing other sticks to put down other sticks.  I couldn't figure it out, but everyone had fun!

 

Simon showed off his juggling skills.  

For those who weren't into playing games, there was socializing to be done.  

...and more socializing

Chris was our fire starter expert for the weekend.  One minute there was just wood......

. . . and the next there was fire.  

More socializing took place, but it was a much warmer evening and the fire was more for aesthetics (and roasting marshmallows and making jelly filled bread thingys).  

Here is Eric making his jelly filled thing a ma bobs....I forget the name, but they were GOOODDD.  Thanks Eric.  

Eric and Chris and I closed out the fire time at about 11:30 pm and then it was off for a bit better nights sleep. It was a bit warmer that night for sleeping, however. 

Church was set for 9:30 am and here are Evert, Annet and Linda eating another leisurely breakfast.  Hey, they have the same table cloth as we do for camping.  In fact, many of us had the same one.    

Church was around the campfire, minus the fire.  It was shorter, but no less interesting.  I brought along a book of stories that were designed to describe parables and stories in the Bible.  I've used them on the youth group before, and they loved them, so I thought I'd try it here.  Seemed to go ok.

After church everyone packed up and headed for the beach or home.  We packed up, went home, and I then took my two daughters for a couple of days to Bon Echo.  Wonderful weather. 

So ends the tales of Calvin's camping weekend.  We were thankful for great weather and great fellowship.  We hope to do this again next year in August and we hope to see more of you come out and enjoy a time of fellowship together.