Summer Super Activity!

[Today is one month until I go into the MTC. I knew time would go by fast!]

Last Thursday through Saturday was my ward's summer campout. It was at Lava Hot Springs in Idaho. I got there Thursday night and people were playing games so I joined while I waited for food. We played the question game. Then Brother Smith got back with more food so I made my dinner and when I was done it was dark, so there was a fire and people started roasting things. A few marshmallows, mostly Starbursts. Mmmmmmm! I had a few unroasted too (I couldn't roast them fast enough!). Then me, Emma, and Danny had a long movie discussion that started with Batman and eventually ended up at horror films. Of course, I hadn't seen most of them, uncultured swine that I am. I attempted the big dipper thing again, and got much closer to the right answer, except when the clouds were in the way. When they weren't, I could see the Milky Way again. That is so amazing! I don't remember seeing the Milky Way since I was at Lake Powell, and that was when I was 3 or 4, I mean, other than in movies. But, I've seen it a few times this year! What awesomeness.

Friday was the fun day. Apparently the main attraction in Lava Hot Springs is the swimming pool. But, it's a pretty amazing swimming pool, so I guess that's okay, just not what you expect from a place called Lava Hot Springs. I probably spent most of the day at the pool. It even has diving platforms: 5m, 7.5m, and 10m in addition to the 1m and 3m springboards (there is a 2m springboard too). If you want to jump off a platform, you have to sign your life away first. I did not choose to do this, knowing how freaked out I get just on the 3m springboard. But, I enjoyed watching all the other people be scared and such. Thay also have a rock climbing wall coming out of the pool which a few of us tried out, that was different. The pool time was also filled with chicken fights and swim races (can I tell you how sore my back and shoulders are??!!) and much general amusement.

After lunch we went tubing on the river, which is quite shallow. I only nailed my butt with a rock once, but it still hurt. Other than the shallowness, it's a good tube ride. After that we did go to the hot pools that the place is named for. If you ever go, don't take the word "hot" too lightly. That water is hot!!! It took a while to get in because you have to go gradually, but then it was pretty nice. Until you sat still for a while and then moved again, because then you would feel the heat again. I guess when you sit still, your body temperature, being lower than that of the water, lowers the temperature of the immediately surrounding water, and then when you move, your body comes in contact with the higher temperature water again. While there, a thunderstorm decided to roll in. We saved our towels and then some of us went back to the water, because how cool is it to be half hot and half cold? Okay, probably not THAT cool, but it is fun. It even hailed a bit, so that may not have been the smartest choice to stay out in that, but it wasn't bad.

After the storm, which really wasn't long, we decided to go back to the pool. Except, after all the hot water, our bodies didn't really want to move very much . . . but that's okay. A bit more diving, and some tackle football of a very non-football variety, then it was dinnertime. Or so we thought. Dinner wasn't ready for at least an hour after getting back to the campsite, and then it was rudely interrupted by a more stormy thunderstorm. I saved my scriptures and towel out of my chair, and everyone sought shelter under the pavillion or in cars. A few of the tents did not do a good job of keeping people's stuff dry. That night a lot of people went out to the hot pools, but a good number stayed behind and tried to dry out stuff. I held my chair over the fire, and the unlucky people whose sleeping bags got wet held those over the fire, and we enjoyed watching more lightning at a distance. Stars came and went a few times. A true camping experience.

Saturday I went home after breakfast. That's about it. Except: very random: driving home, there was this Oldsmobile. I didn't think much of it until we really began passing it, and I realized it was Chelsea! I rolled down the window and waved at her and it was exciting. That really is about it now.