Day 15 June 12

We’re baaaaack…

Hello Happy Trails followers…we are ready to begin writing the blog again. In real time, we are relaxing in New Orleans and will hit the trail again tomorrow. I kept some notes at camp and will try to reconstruct the last few days of my camp experiences and then on to Ozark, Alabama and then on to New Orleans.

Dear Happy Trails Followers,

We left Scottsboro around 9:30 today (Sunday). The drive was gorgeous. We first went through Double Springs (very small town with no activity seen). We noticed all the churches with parking lots full of cars. By the way, I have never seen so many Baptist churches…this is indeed the Bible Belt.

We drove along a windy country road and into forested hill country and finally found the turnoff for Camp McDowell.  I took a few pictures but by this time it was about noon and we were not to register until four so we left and headed a few miles south to Jasper, where Richard had decided to stay while I was at camp. We found a great place to have lunch…Jasper restaurants were alive and hopping. Many of those in town appeared to be families who had  just gotten out of church and had stopped for a Sunday meal before heading home.

Richard drove me back to camp and dropped me off.  I registered, got issued 3 T shirts (with Camp FaSoLa insignia), instructions on which color shirt to wear which day and received my room assignment. My room at camp was in Holy Comforter Lodge (although the camp is owned by the Episcopal Church, it is used by many different groups for various activities). I was happy get there before my roommate so I could lay claim to the side of the room I wanted.

I went out to the common area of my lodge and met the others who were staying there. After I returned to my room, I heard a voice I recognized.  It was a woman from my Berkeley shape note group. I was so happy to see a familiar face. After camp, she told me, she would be going to France for a month.

 Dinner was scheduled for 6 and orientation for 7. Dinner was good old-fashioned country food. Over dinner I met a woman from Ireland whose luggage had been lost by the airlines.  After dinner, we sang in the chapel for about an hour. By 9, we headed back to our rooms and whew…a long walk. I’ll definitely get 10,000 steps in. The walk back was pitch dark and spooky. I tried to stay close to others.    

After I got ready for bed (still no roommate) two women from England arrived in the room across the hall from me. They seemed nice but were clearly exhausted.

Happy singing to All,

Linda