It was another great day here at Timberlake! We started things off with my personal favorite breakfast of all time: Geometry Breakfast! What’s geometry breakfast you ask? Well, it’s a breakfast that revolves around shapes of course. The classic geometry breakfast biscuit is constructed as follows: a circular biscuit (sliced horizontally), filled with a circular egg patty and maple sausage patty, a square slice of American cheese, and an ovular hash brown patty. Put it all together, and you’ve got a breakfast sandwich fit for a king. Some of our campers, of course, chose to supplement with oatmeal, milk and cereal, or yogurt, granola and fruit, but for me, it was all shapes. 

At chapel, we sang some of our camp favorites including “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks”, and then heard a message from Chancellor. Today was a full day of out of camp trips as four different groups headed off on adventures after chapel. The first trip was a day hike and Carter M, Matthew G, Barrett C, Charles F, Alex F, Hudson E, Drew S, William E, Austin I, and Baine B reported it was a huge success. We also had a strong group of Mountain bikers head to the trails in Hickory. Walker D, Matt, R, Harrison C, William B, and Richard B all crushed it. 

The rock climbers didn’t want to be left out on the fun as CJ R, Eric H, Daniel G, Hayden B, Loren C, and Logan W all headed to Little Lost Cove for some top rope single pitch climbing and finally Bryce B, Ryder, B, Case E, Sam H, Wade K, Boston P, Andrew R, Greg S, Aubrey S, Charlie A, Holden B, and Ben H all enjoyed a great day of whitewater rafting on Pigeon River. 

At lunchtime, we enjoyed a delicious meal of stromboli, fruit, spinach and mushroom salad, and baked potato soup (yes you read that right, baked potato soup, dreams really do come true). As lunch came to a close, the campers eagerly awaited the announcement of which cabin was the cleanest. Greybeard reigned supreme again with a perfect 10, but both Big Piney and Hawksbill also had a strong showings, each earning a 9.5. Afterwards, the sultan of fun announced the winner of last night’s game, Age of Empires: the Golden Eagles! The banner race is tightening up as the session moves along and, as always, I am proud to watch our boys learn to win with humility and lose with grace. It will be a back and forth fight for the banner over the next week. 

The campers who didn’t go on trips today did not sit idly by and let this beautiful sunny afternoon pass them by. After a raucous free swim, the guys marched up to afternoon activities where Jack D earned his bronze in airsoft, and McKean K caught his first fish of the year. Lucas O and Brayden C both completed a half Murph in fitness (run a half mile, complete 50 pullups, 100 push ups and 150 air squats, then run another half mile). Henry O climbed his last silver route in climbing, and Brayden C started his gold rocket in rocketry class. 

Over at the Outback, Baylor P made a bowl on the pottery wheel, and Duma M taught our camp puppies to play fetch. All in all, it was a great afternoon, and our campers arrived at dinner ready to refuel for the nightly tribal competition. It was a good thing we were able to fill up on Hawaiian meatballs, rice, carrots, and pasta because tonight the boys are going to be playing perhaps the most legendary of all evening activities: Battleball! The Mark (our gym) will be rocking tonight as Black Bears and Golden Eagles give all they’ve got for their tribes. It’s been another full and fun day at camp. We can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

John Menendez

Director, Camp Timberlake

Former Big Piney, Big Slaty and Greybeard Counselor

Sultan of Fun Emeritus 

Proud Golden Eagle