Great question! It is quiet for a few days…and really clean. But then come the dancers! We run rentals most weekends from August to the beginning of October (before the first freeze). Camp apparently is greatly sought after by dancing groups who want to put on “dance camps”. All of them are wonderful, but the old faithful of our groups is Old Farmer’s Ball, which put on an event called “Splash Dance”, a contra dancing weekend that actually runs from Thursday to Sunday. They are amazing and fun people who have their program down to a science! My wife and I love to sit up in the balcony of the Mike and just watch the dancing. Now I’m no dancer, but it is truly beautiful! The dancing looks a lot like a cross between old ballroom dancing and country style square dancing. Lots of spinning and circling with fiddle music and a person “calling” the dance.

After the Old Farmer’s Ball we had another group in August that was the Stiletto Dance Camp. These were a group of Salsa dancing ladies who were also delightful. They had workshops during the day and then big dance parties at night. I made some fires for them at the tepee where they made s’mores and had a “camp experience” in the midst of salsa lessons.

Then last week we had Veritas Christian School stay at camp for three days. We ran activities for them like swimming, battleball, archery (I taught this), and the original sultan of fun, Steven Owens, even ran Sockwar for them! Then we took them on trips one day to kayak, to play in swimming holes, to climb, and it was just like a normal camp day (but in September). It made me miss camp a lot.

Just this past weekend we held a fish fry for Jay Watson, who is running for a judge position locally, and that was a lot of fun too. He is a friend of mine and he loves to camp! We usually go fishing together once or twice a year. Great guy! If you live in Black Mountain, you should vote for him! I certainly will.

Other groups that we have had in the past have been Volvo employee picnics, various men’s weekends (from churches), A group of Girl Scouts from the Piedmont area, various weddings, an African dance camp, a belly dance camp, and a group of herbalists (who loved all of the flora and fauna on camp).

So we stay busy when you aren’t here to keep our minds off the fact that we miss you guys.

Happy Camping,

Director Dan

The roof is almost complete

Seminole and Iroquois Chiefs!

Closet space is so valuable to us! I'm really happy.

Tall ceilings eh?

It is really happening people! Once again, Robert Sulaski is my hero.

Director Dan

He's not worried!!!

Guys, it is looking good. The weather has been holding off for us, the floor is laid, and as of today the beams are going up! We are all just a little giddy this afternoon. And as you can see from the opening photo, as usual, these guys are cool as cucumbers. Here are some more shots of the progress.

Getting power lines in place. Sorry soccer!

Beams all around

A side view of the Mark

Needless to say…At this point we are thrilled!

Director Dan

New lake? No guys. That is a footer!

Doing things the easy way is apparently not a very “campy” way to be. So we decided to start a major building project within a month of summer camp actually starting. Mostly the fun is in watching our contractors sweat and develop hives, but the hives usually become contagious after a while.

Well, not with our contractor. Robert Sulaski laughs in the face of deadlines! He is like some sort of superhero. “No no, that carved native American totem pole simply will not do! Take it back and do it again….We still have time,” he sneers at the artsy man from somewhere in Kentucky. Even in the face of numerous April showers and sketchy soil quality because of moisture Robert is undaunted! “Dig a trench here to funnel the water away from the site,” he tells his graders. Truly a master in his craft! What do you think campers? Are we going to make it? Here are some pictures.

Look at those huge logs! Nice eh?

lumber arrives and is painted

Footers are poured. This is happening people!

Any thoughts? I think it will happen! Robert means business.

Director Dan

I also got to ride a mechanical bull at the conference.

Not many people know this, but I was actually born in Texas.

Happy Camping!

Director Dan

The Mt. Mitchell marathon has camp representation once again!  A camp Timberlake legend, James Michael Wilson Sanders, is going to do battle with the elements and run from Black Mountain to Mt. Mitchell (and back) in what is forecast to be around 5 degrees and running through what is said to be almost 3 feet of snow!  (Maybe we should all observe a moment of silence to lift up our crazy brother, James Michael!)

Last year our beloved Ryan Carlson the director of Black Mountain Expeditions placed second in the marathon.  (Which I am still amazed by) The conditions were really bad then as well, pouring rain!   He decided not to run this year due to the fact that the much needed training time was replaced with time spent on home renovation work on a new house he and his wife Annie have purchased here in Black Mountain.

Go James!  We’ll be praying for you.

Director Dan

The layout of our new pavilion

Our new Pavilion at Spencer's