Camp Hosting is What You Make Of It

NEWS FROM LAKE WEBEGONE

Only two days into learning the ropes, we are finding the service part of our stay here to be quite rewarding. Our Ranger (who works Friday through Monday) works long hours and obviously does this out of caring about the people and the forest he is working in. It is inspiring. 

So far, meeting, greeting and helping newcomers to the camp fits our temperament well. And, at least for now, the routine of checking out the latrines and campsites feels grounded and simple. It will be interesting to see if that feeling continues through the whole summer.

Amongst our residents, we have had several campers who have been coming here for years and seem to be delighted to have a camp host. As it turns out, apparently there was not one here last year. 

They also lament the fact that we are not well-compensated for our labors. But, this is a Forest Service camp, and it is struggling under cutbacks. They are short-handed and have had to economize, so we do not get any compensation for our labor. But we knew that coming in, and we deliberately sought this kind of off-the-grid experience.

Here, there is no electricity, no water, and no dump stations. We do not have wifi or cell service. Living off-the-grid in this way, that is the experience we wanted to have. We chop wood for our fire and carry up our own water, and we find that satisfying. Of course, we do not have to prepare for a long winter! Ask me that again, if we did!