Last weekend is the last weekend at ACA camp for the year. I took Columbus Day off from work to make it a long weekend. Originally I planned to take Friday off but changed to Monday in hope of spending more time with my friends at the lake before take down the tarp and the cabin tent for the season. It work out well. Let started with Friday night.
It was raining in the evening when I get home from work. I decided not to drive to the lake on Friday, and come drive up early on Saturday. The weather report say the rain should clear by 8:30 - 9 PM but it make do sense to drive up just to go to bed. No point in going up if I can't get a fire going. I was in the middle of pickling my lime for the winter and cooking dinner when I get a called from Tiffany, my friend Peter Peterson's daughter at 7:30PM. Peter get on the fun and tell me he have an emergency. Peter, Linda and Tiffany were driving up to the camp when their car break down in the Lincoln Tunnel and is now waiting for a tow, and if I can come and pick them up. There was no question of saying no. I need some time to clean up my half cook dinner and pack my food. I get out of the house by 7:40. The drive on the FDR and across the Battery Tunnel was fast, I was across the river to Manhattan by 8:10, then hit traffic. It seem not none of the light on the West Side "Highway". I putted higway in quote because you can't call something a highway when it have traffic light. I take my 20 minutes to drive to the exit for the Lincoln Tunnel. I find out what the problem is when I get to 40th street. The two traffic polices give up on directing traffic as the crucial crossing and let cars block the intersection so when the light turn green no one can move. I hope those two traffic officials go to hell when they die. Its another 20 minutes on the ramp to the tunnel and a slow 5 mph drive across the tunnel. Pete called me while I am stuck in the slow crawl to the tunnel. I was informed that the tow truck drive is nice enough to drive them off at t gas station off the first exit getting out of the tunnel to Hoboken, just stay to the right and the gas station is on the left.
There was only one tunnel open, going both direction. When I get out I see the exit for Hoboken exit right away but I am 5 lanes over and the exit is 200 feet right off the tunnel. By the time I make it over 4 lanes I missed the exit. I get off the next available exit and call Pete for the address. I putted the address into my GPS and quickly meet up with Pete, he was waiting out at the corner. I parked while Linda get some coffee. My car is dead when Pete try to start it, lucky I brought the battery jumper with me. We boosted the car, loaded up their supplies and headed to camp. We stopped by the Pete's favorite restaurant Rhode's for dinner. Pete bough my dinner. I appreciated that. We get into camp at 11:30. Nothing to do but unload, brush my tooth and hit the sack.
Wake up on Saturday and realize there nothing for met do on the tent platform since I need everything till at least Sunday evening. I did organize some stuffs. I already take some stuffs back home last weekend so this weekend its mostly the can foods and whatever is in the fridge, all of which and by back in 30 minutes. I don't want to turn off the fridge till Monday morning. Taking the tarp off and taking down the tent have to be done on Monday because I am still using it.
Peter is teaching a kayaking class on this weekend and he need some help. Saturday morning was cold so Peter get all the on land stuff done before they get on the water. He have 6 students so he can handle the class by himself but an extra instructor would be handy. I let the group get in to water before I joined them. Pete tended to talk a lot so I like to missed that part. I join them for the rest of the day. It always surprise my how much I enjoy teaching.
Tod and his daughter Pearl come out in their canoe to visit us on the water while we instructed. I have to be on my toe with Tod on the water. He always keep you on alert for a capsize. I was waiting for them to show up. I enjoy hanging out with them. Pearl is a very affectionate girl and like to cuddle. I love a good cuddle.
Since I was instruction for a bit I get to eat dinner with the students. Free dinner is always good. After the class I hang out with my other friend Stevie. He talked my into buying hammock and tarp. He help me set it up behind his tent platform to try it out and teach me how to tie up the tarp. I did not take pictures. After I set up the hammock and try it out I went back to my place and started a fire. I get a good bonfire going by 6PM. I love a fire when I can get a fire going. Stevie and his hiking friends over to enjoy the fire.
There is also a fireside gathering at the camp only tenting camp site. I stopped by to say hi to everybody but prefer to be in smaller group by my fire. At 9 PM I decided to call it a day and crawl into my hammock for the night. I was out before I know it, which is surprising since the party is stay going strong near by. I wanted to be asleep before Stevie go to bed because he snore.
I get up at 2 or 3 AM to go relief myself. I did not sleep as soundly as I did before I get up. I wake up at 7:30AM. I promised to go to breakfast with the Peterson. Stevie told me that the Peterson already left. Oh well. I need sometime with my other favorite family anyway! I stopped by to say hi to Tod and Pearl. Mia, Tod's wife come up late last night and is out in front of their tent platform tending to their fire with their neighbor, Beth. Tod is inside cookin gup coconut pancake. I loved coconut. Tod wanted to go on the water so I told him to use my boat since I want to work on my tent platform and going sailing. While we were hanging out having breakfast Pearl camp friend come by, Abby. Abby is a lovely girl about Pearl age. She is full of entry and pretty as a button. He father is dropping her off to pay with Pearl while he go to work. I have two cute girls to keep me distracted.
end of part 1 of 2015 Camp Closing
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