Global RoverA

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Photos by Stu and Articles by Matt Lurrie

Campus Kids is not a secretive institution.  It does not keep campers in the dark about any activities, as demonstrated by Stu's methodically-planned schedules.  But for one day, the second annual Global Rover, things would be different.

You may remember last year's surprise: a trip to the delightfully air-conditioned cinema to see Cars during an oppressive heat wave.  This year would be different.

Flyers were posted throughout the camp, with hidden clues that could have help the reader figure out where we would go (and I assure you, though capital letters do spell out 'LAKE HOPATCONG', it was purely coincidence).

Yellow buses arrived, and some clever campers and staff members asked the bus drivers where we were going.

Then, after a lengthy bus ride, campers got their first glimpses not of the Liberty Science Center, not Lake Hopatcong, and certainly not the movies, but Mountain Creek Water Park.

And the bear statue, which had apparently been used for a giant game of ring-toss, greeted excited campers.

After a brief stop at the staging area, the chairs near the wave pool, there was little left to do than take full advantage of the millions of gallons of water.  Many began simply in the wave pool, getting used to the frigid yet soothing water.

The Colorado River was a fast favorite (no pun intended) for campers and staff alike, who were not deferred by long lines.  In a tube of up to four people, riders went down a long trail of gushing water, through tunnels and up walls, which culminated in a big splash at the bottom into a basin (filled, of course, with  water).

 As far as my childhood memory goes, Tarzan rarely if ever swung from a metal bar into a man-made lake.  Nevertheless, the Tarzan ride attracted many thrill-seekers.. 

One of the more high-anxiety rides was, ironically, High Anxiety, in which groups of four people would sit in a tube and slide, rather fast mind you, down a tunnel making a 99-foot drop, and sliding back and forth until you go through the narrow end of the funnel.

By now you're probably thinking "With all that water fun, wouldn't you get hungry?"  You, concerned reader, would be correct.

But a quick sandwich was all that time allotted for--not because of constraints, but because the thought processes of campers, staff, and web photo journalists was the following: maximizing the number of rides before it was back to the cheese buses.

 As CK-ers continued to frequent all of Mountain Creek's attractions, thunder was heard in the distance (though many thought it was the thump of tubes falling from the ski lift-like contraption that brought the tubes up the hill).  Soon, rides would be closed as a safety precaution.

As ominous storm clouds approached, hopes of getting back on rides diminished.

Though once lightning was seen off in the distance, the water park's safety plan kicked in and it was time for us to go home.  We were glad, however, that we had some solid hours of riding before the storm.

We boarded the buses in the rain and began the journey back to Centenary College...

...where it was 84 degrees and sunny, with a BBQ dinner waiting.

A few times.