Tomorrow, Wild Basin.

Tuesday night was the end of the first three-day (which is about 48-hours) camp session, and it was INSANE trying to get all the girls able to do everything they wanted in every camp, every unit, every session. We still didn’t wash our dirty dishes through the sanitizer from our cook-out, so we’ve got to do that. Any way, the next five days I have off, and I am thrilled. It’s exciting because it’s for my birthday weekend, and I can just chillax, which is something also not really associated with being a trip leader, outdoor specialist, and unit leader. Another kicker was I’ve got three whole weeks with Buddy, my Aussie tabin-mate with a sunny disposition. Yesterday, my first full day off since this crazy Colorado experience began, I hiked with my friend Tumbleweed (I go by “Magpie,” in case you were wondering) about 6.1 miles. Our goal on the outset (after appropriately raiding the kitchen) was to climb Meadow Mountain, the mountain after which our camp is named, however when we got to the Allenspark trailhead, which begins Rocky Mountain National Park, we couldn’t find the trailhead to Meadow Mountain (we followed the border to the park, which would have taken us there, but it was too hard-going considering last Wednesdays winds and all the debris they caused.) Instead of hiking to the top of Meadow Mountain, which is an 11 (meaning 11,000 feet above sea level at the peak), we hiked 3.1 miles each way to Calypso Cascades and back, which was one beautiful journey, truly. I think it’s probably a mile or two up to the Allenspark trailhead from our back 40 acres, which we share with Rocky Mountain National Park, so in theory it’d be about 8 hours instead of 6, but you could do it straight from camp and you’d pass “Hercules,” a 15-foot-circumference Douglas fir. The hike was rough going at first, considering the asthma and altitude, but by the end it was smooth sailing, and I got the added bonus of getting to wear a tank top, shorts, and my Keens without socks. I also realize that I need to either replace the waist-clip on my Jansport backpack or get a new daypack, maybe even with a camelback. Have to deposit my paycheck first. So, as a staff we’ve been raiding the kitchen, doing a lot of sitting around watching movies, and keeping one another company in our scary, scary tabins. This morning I went riding, fell off slash got bounced off of a horse, and got right back on after a hard bounce to the rump. My thighs are killing me. But, as far as having an active and relaxing vacation on-camp for the next few days, I am well on my way. Stand by for photos, and the interweb at camp is dial-up. Sincerely, LindsayMagpie Also, don't forget to check my mobile photo blog for updates when I get into Estes or Lyons or wherever I get reception.