Summer Blog Post July 29th

Today is one of my favorite days of the summer.

Biathlon/Triathlon Day is when campers, from the youngest to the oldest, compete in a race that wraps around camp. It’s not easy, and it takes a certain level of fortitude to complete. The participants, who must all qualify, swim, bike and run across campus in a grueling test of physical and mental endurance some have been training weeks for.

There are lots of races during the course of a regular CGL summer, but this one always gets me.

It’s not easy. Especially for the little ones. So most of the camp lines the roads and the fence around the pool to cheer on friends, cabinmates, siblings and relatives. Each racer is also allowed to have someone run alongside them for support, creating a space for some remarkable shows of encouragement.

As the participants charge down the road next to BBI with each lap, you can see the intensity on their faces. Even on the youngest campers, you can see how determined they are to finish. The sweat. Tears. Holding hands. You can see how difficult the race is to complete.

So we cheer them on. They find another gear. Inspiring music plays on the loudspeakers. It’s quite moving. It’s even more special when brothers and sisters run together, cousins and counselors all working and sweating together in support of the racers. Sometimes entire cabins will run behind one of their own, as you have seen in the pictures from today and previous years.

And for the runners and even their coaches, it is an experience they’ll take with them forever: the day they accomplished something they didn’t think they could.

There was a lot of pride on display today and it’s always special to witness.

We shifted gears in the afternoon for our annual Halloween celebration.

Cabins have been working on their costumes for tonight’s dance. They also were carving watermelons like pumpkins in the dining hall for a summery twist on the October tradition.

All this is a perfect prelude for what’s to come.

Intensity. Drama. Competition. Creativity,

The air is so thick with Color War anticipation, you can cut it with one of those carving knives.

When’s it gonna break?