Camp Quest 2017

We managed to secure Gareth a spot at Camp Quest again this year (it's filling up faster and faster each year, so there's a definite possibility that some year we won't be able to get him registered in time). This year they're doing an X-Files theme, changing "I want to believe" to "I want to follow the evidence". I tried watching X-Files once and I couldn't make it through one episode due to how disparaging they were of the people who were rightly skeptical and demanding evidence of the claims being made.

Anyway, Gareth was excited to head out. Mal was excited because he knew we'd see cows along the way.

Mal insisted on going to meet the gorilla after we got Gareth checked in. The gorilla's name is George, and he's the camp morale officer apparently.

We hung out on the beach for a bit before leaving, allowing Mal to find some shells to bring home. I almost thought he was going to make it all the way there and back without succumbing to sleep. This picture, we thought he'd fallen asleep, but then he roused for a bit and informed me he wanted me to take a picture of him resting. Just a few minutes later he was asleep for real.

Before we knew it, a week had passed and we were headed back to camp to pick Gareth up (and hoping he hadn't broken/lost his new retainers during the week). This time Gareth wanted a picture with George, and of course Mal had to get in there as well. We found out the mother of one of the counselors actually teaches at Gareth's school. And Gareth managed not to break/lose his retainers!

We stopped at a bakery that I've seen along the way every year and always been curious about. Got some apple cider donuts for the ride home and a cinnamon bun and apple turnover to share later in the day, starting a new end-of-camp tradition. Gareth told us about some of the camp activities this year, and that his cabin had stayed up late each night telling each other silly stories. He was clearly tired on the way home, though he said he was only resting:

They handed out solar eclipse glasses at checkout, which was good for us since I hadn't been on top of things enough to get any. They even let Mal take a pair, much to his delight. Another great year of camp in the books. Just three more years until Mal can go as well!