Wow. I remember my first day of work at day camp thinking how much summer was ahead of me - so much time to spend at day camp, spend getting ready for China. It's been a summer full of new experiences, challenging adventures, growing friendships, and unforgettable moments. I'm forever grateful I had the opportunity to live in the Rockies for a second summer and call this magical place home.
Also, I had like the best summer job. I'm so glad I decided to be a teen counselor - it's been a growing opportunity for me for sure because I'm used to working with K-6th graders more. The teens were sassy at times, but I also made really great friends with them and learned the best way to balance fun and camp rules.
Monday
My last week of camp I was placed with the Adventurers which was exciting because I had only been with them once before (and it means I get off early on Friday which is nice for packing and check out). We did the high ropes course in the morning and the teens finished really early, so we headed up to Reucsh porch to eat then play Nuke em at the volleyball courts. They tired of that pretty quickly too, so we played cards for awhile then went to minigolf.
After work I went to a Rockies game in Denver with Abby, Suzy, and Brady. I love going to baseball games - even though it wasn't the Rangers and I spent most of the game looking around, I love the atmosphere and all the action going on at a stadium. We sang to the players batting songs and danced trying to get on the jumbotron and just had a fun night hanging out; totally worth getting back at 12:30am.
Tuesday
Ziplining was in the morning, and once again my teens did that really fast. They're a really low key group that just likes hanging out and talking instead of playing games or doing activities for a long time. We had our cookout and then went mountain biking in the afternoon. I was dreading it at first, because I love biking but am by no means a pro. Our instructor Caleb was super cool though and took us on an awesome horse trail behind the stables and around to the zipline and the front of the YMCA. The hardest part was getting back up to Sweet Memorial from Outpost, that hill is the worsttttt.
After work I took the shuttle into town, hung out in Starbucks for a few hours, and went to the book shop again. I seriously love this little town and the people watching in it is the best.
Wednesday
On Wednesday the teens went climbing at Mary's Lake, an outdoor place 10 minutes from the YMCA. We finished that early and just hung out by the lake for an hour and a half - lakes in Colorado are SO cold! I wish they were warmer for swimming. The teens literally felt like doing nothing in the afternoon so we just grabbed cards and games and hung out on the hempel lawn for an hour.
That evening Suzy, Brady, Abby and I went to Sweet Basilica's in town for Italian food. I'm so sad it was my first time going there because it was so good! (The company was great too, it was sweet hanging with the EXO interns where I was last year)
Thursday
Thursdays are fun day - swimming and horseback riding. And for the first time all summer, ALL of my teens went horseback riding! Which meant I had a little free time in my afternoon :). I started packing after work (bleh), then met Abby, Kiely, and Cathrine in Rustic cafe for pizza and cards. The Republican debate started after that and we watched for a short time before playing volleyball with a group from Sweet and visitors. I MISSED VOLLEYBALL SO MUCH THIS SUMMER. I'm still so sad they never had a tournament and that people didn't come out and play much.
Abby and I left to go to Amanda's house for ice cream sundaes after that and I started getting all the feels. Just thinking about this summer and last summer, all the people I've met and the things I've done, and it was Abby's last night. We had a campfire at the staff ring after we ate sundaes, surrounded by smores and friends and beautiful stars. (Amanda, Elizabeth, Kiely, Cathrine, Valerie, Donovan, Kristina, Rachel, Brian, Abby, a few others and me). On the way back Abby and I jammed to House Party (on the radio right as we got back into the car - it was meant to be) and said our sad, tear filled goodbyes.
Friday
I was up at 5:40 for rafting with the teens - we met at 6am and left at 6:30am. My 3rd time rafting was awesome! Our guide was Caroline this time, and Emily and I were in the front of our boat and got soaked. I actually jumped in at the "swimming" place, where you just jump off a rock into the freezing water and let the river pull you downstream a short way.
After work I finished packing and cleaning for check out at 4:15pm, then I was able to get the 4:35 shuttle into town. I wanted one last evening with my little Estes Park before I had to leave in the morning. I got more gifts for my sisters, talked to Candace for an hour, and enjoyed walking around, watching people fall in love with the town the way I did last year. It was really bittersweet.
Saturday
I was scheduled for the 5am shuttle to the airport, so I was up at 3:50am to drop my bedding and room key off at the RA office and be ready for the shuttle at 4:30am. My flight isn't until 10:30, but I wanted to make sure I had enough time and wasn't rushed. I slept the whole way to the airport haha and now here I am, waiting for the plane that will take me to Texas, and on to the next adventure.
It's been an unforgettable summer. Definitely different than the first, but things never happen the same way twice you know (as the wise Aslan said). It's sad that I won't be back for awhile, because I won't be back from China until the end of June. So it's so long to the Rockies for now, but not goodbye for forever - I'll come back one day. Maybe to do Long's Peak again (LOL), maybe to work at the Y again, maybe just to visit.
We'll see. For now, Estes Park will hold another little piece of my heart and will be a place I call home.
Also, just an updated total hike count:
Eagle Cliff (3 miles) twice
Bible Point (2 miles)
Moraine Park (3 miles) four times
Moraine Park/Cub Lake trail (9 miles)
Nymph, Dream and Emerald (3.6 miles) twice
*Mills Lake (2.8 miles) three times
Gem Lake (7.6 miles)
Sprague Lake (6 miles) three times
*Fern Lake and Odessa Lake (9.5 miles)
Bierstadt Lake (3.5 miles) twice
*Black Lake and Blue Lake (11.5 miles)
Cub Lake (3 miles)
Twin Sisters (7.4 miles)
Sky Pond (9.5 miles)
Bluebird Lake (13 miles)
Chiquita (5 miles)
Long's Peak (15 miles)
= 151.1 miles hiked, not including all the other random hikes around camp, etc
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