Stomping Ground: Summer 2020
While only a two week trip for Pam and me, there was a lot of progress with six people from camp working all summer and a volunteer crew for several weeks. We also took extra pictures to capture a look at camp knowing I was putting these pages together.
Satellite image with GPS points plotted from building survey and rough boundaries. You can see that the camp while already large will be surrounded by accessible State Forest lands. The west lake is full in this image while the East lake has been drained, The camp property includes both lakes
Jack with the new pump and chlorination system, a tiny fraction of the size of the old non-functioning system
Close-up of pirate ship on the banks of the east lake
Lean-to with doors and screens
New functioning industrial dishwasher
Temporary kitchen set up in dinning area while main kitchen appliances are brought on line
Hot and cold running water and flush toilets in dinning hall
Dual cisterns are kept topped up by the pump in the well and provide source water for the pump that supplies the rest of camp
Docks drifting in the East lake
Spillway keeps lake plenty deep for mid lake diving
New mural on the mezzanine of activity center
Mezzanine overlooking stage
Stairs from stage to mezzanine
Hot and cold running water and flush toilets in activity center
Vegetables in garden and newly painted lodge in background
John M. got his company to regularly park their heavy equipment at camp and taught George, in particular, how to operate them. He and George did a lot of earth moving, brush clearing and boulder removal
John installing one of several new circuits to power the new laundry room
John adding circuits to the new dining hall box to power the laundry room
Of course the breaker box and the laundry are 60 feet apart across the 16 foot high entrance to the kitchen
At the end of most days we jumped in the lake
John on deck of pirate ship
Jack and Ray clearing brush
Painting the bath house (flush toilets and hot showers)
Spray painting bath house
Jay cutting flooring for activity center
Dylan working on mezzanine
Erin painting stage walls
Jack clearing view to lake from dining hall
Temporary work table from mezzanine
John and Jack discussing where to add circuits, switches and outlets throughout activity center
Erin painting stage wall
George moving boulders
George sharpening chain saw
Chris and Jay in shop at new work table
Erin and Rachel sealing boards for new tables
Lots of grass to cut with new mower
Twenty tables makes for lots of boards to seal
First cabin with roof and siding started
Still painting bath house
Cabin front being sided
Jack checking out the kitchen appliances coming on line, including the giant walk in refrigerator in background. Pam got to clean it and John ran power to the lights
George and Jack take a swim after an afternoon of chainsaw work
The crew celebrated Jack's birthday with steamed clams and old Bills games
Siding almost done except gables
These new big cabins will start as sleeping cabins but will likely be activity space as more of the lean-tos are replaced with proper cabins
Still painting bath house
First of the new tables
First cabin sided
One side done
Infirmary painted and plumbing functioning.
First cabin complete and pad for another in foreground
Still painting bath house
Stage with main activity area in foreground
Stage and mezzanine and activity rooms below
Lodge ready to go
Pirate ship with brush cleared on lakeside, thank you John M.
A beautiful spot
Pirate ship with brush cleared
East lake from spillway
Nature center with new siding where corner was repaired and new porch/stairs built
Staff 1&2 cleaned, painted, and power restored
Dining hall taken on path from lake
Lake from dining hall
View to lake from dining area
Dinning hall, kitchen is through doors at back
Dining hall toward lake side, fireplaces to either side of window wall
Much of the commercial kitchen was successfully brought on line while we were there.
Propane, water, drains and power for four washers and dryers in the space available in the pump room due to the small size of the new water system
Pam putting the final coat of seal on some of the new tables
A fitted out lean-to
Stop to remember it is a beautiful place
Trail from Banker 1 to infirmary
Infirmary
Main drive into camp
Garden, storage shed and lodge
Mowed playing fields
Front entrance with welcome garden and the white house in background. The white house is an 1830s farm house with reasonably intact framing but in need of everything else. Its future was unclear. There was no immediate need for it for camp to function.
Camp entrance and the start of George's boulder wall
Garden starting to yield
Stephen fixed dinner so we could spend our last night together at a new table in the dining hall
Erin doing touch up work on stage
Pam and I largely distanced from the crew and their communal meals and had lunch at the lake due to Covid precautions
Not a bad gig
Half the tables ready for campers