A case of the Monday’s isn’t so bad when you’re living life in The Realm! As we begin the second half of camp, our groups are gearing up for excursions. This is such an exciting time for our campers! We won’t divulge too much information because campers don’t know when or where they’re going. What we can tell you is that so far, our Foresters and Shires have headed out to Boston for a 4 day excursion and have already seen and done so much! Yesterday they enjoyed Faneuil Hall, a Duck Tour (quack quack!) and dinner at Fire + Ice. Since we became friends with people at the Red Sox Foundation and hosted them during this year’s Robin Hood Gives Back, we were lucky enough to send our Foresters to Fenway Park for a game and a chance to run the bases last night! Our Shires enjoyed a day at the New England Aquarium, dodgeball at SkyZone and an evening at Blue Man Group. Both groups, after spending years of excursions at campsites, are spending their time in hotels in Boston proper. More on their excursion in the days ahead.

Today, we’ll be sending four more groups out on trips. Lancers, Arrows, Bards and Friars will make their way out in the morning and explore different areas of New Hampshire and Massachusetts with lots of adventure along the way!

Junior camp has run of The Realm while our senior campers are away. All of their favorite activities are available to them! Waterski, boating, tennis, riflery, soccer, art, woodshop… you name it, they can do it! We’ll even be offering more choice to our campers with the addition of POWER HOUR in the afternoons.

Time to run… the Bards are the first ones to head out!

It truly was a BIG day in The Realm today! Families arrived around 9am to spend the day with their campers. The best part was how involved everyone got with land sports! Gaga, Ultimate Frisbee, Spikeball, Softball, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball… Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, all joined in on the fun for a day of activities!

The weather was perfect… not too hot and not too cold! Campers showed off their swimming, waterskiing and sailing skills on our beautiful Lake Ossipee. Sounds of laughter filled Camp Robin Hood as families were reunited today. Spending time with the people you’ve missed for the past four weeks is so magical and the feeling of family is so strong that those campers who didn’t have visitors never felt alone.

Lunch on visiting day is quite the scene… Nicky (who returns for a PVD special appearance,) Yensi and his crew, run the most incredible dining experience. Beautiful bagged lunches with delicious sandwiches, pickles (the real deal!), homemade red skinned potato salad and fruit allow for a quick and easy pickup before enjoying a relaxed lunch on our quad or beachfront! And the cookies! Oh the cookies… Oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, double chocolate, M&M’s… cookies as big as your head! Usually dessert is reserved for Sundae Sundays, but today was an exception. (Hey – it was Sunday in Australia today!)

The afternoon continued and before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye. Some of our campers will be heading home tomorrow and new campers will be arriving. The first half of the summer has gone by so quickly, it’s amazing to see the bonds that have formed among campers, both new and old.

We are so thankful that parents and families were able to join us today and see how happy their campers are! Robin Hood is a special place. As one mom put it “a secret gem.” How right you are… and we’re so thankful that you share your precious jewels with us.

Today started off with our Saxons and Scribes heading off to Katahdin, a four-day mountain trip! They will spend the next few days camping out, cooking for one another, hiking and making memories that will last a lifetime! More on their trip when they return home…

Our 10U Girl’s Soccer team headed to Forest Acres and, like our 10U Boy’s team, dominated the tournament! We placed 2nd overall and the girls came back beaming with pride.

Junior campers from every boy’s group enjoyed traveling to Camp Winaukee for their annual Swim Meet. Medleys, relays, individual stroke competitions… our boys placed 5th overall out of 12 teams!

The Arrow’s hosted a play-date for Birchmont for 13U Softball and Soccer. They had a lot of fun and it was great prep for Green & White!

Our intensives are going strong with Bootcamp with Erzy, Mountain Biking, Jewelry Making, land and water sports. Dances are being practiced for our Parent’s Visiting Day Talent Show and tonight’s sunset was as beautiful as any other!

A BIG thanks to Bruce Fleming, acclaimed high school tennis coach, for hosting clinics today on our tennis courts! The campers loved working with you and your expertise and enthusiasm was felt all day! Of course there were groups at riflery, archery, gaga, soccer, games on the quad, swim lessons in the lake, waterskiing, sailing, too.

It’s crazy to think that tomorrow we will have been here for two weeks! Where is the time going? Thankfully, we can always refer to what Dick says… “Make Every Second Count.”

The morning began at 6:30am for about 40 Hooders, all from different groups, who made the first swim to the island of the summer. Accompanied by lifeguards in canoes and kayaks, some even made it there and back! They all returned home in time to be honored at flag-raising.

Leaving directly from breakfast was our 15 and under soccer team for a tournament at Indian Acres and our 11 and under softball tournament at Birchmont. This afternoon our 16 and under girls played volleyball followed by basketball here at home against Forest Acres. Our teams did an amazing job – some wins and some losses but EVERYONE had a great time!

The Yeomen left mid-morning after bunk inspection for a mountain trip. They climbed Mt Chocorua. It is a great mountain with excellent views of Lake Ossipee. The mountain is bare on top so it offers great views of the area. They did the Champney Falls Trail and were back for dinner.

Also departing mid-afternoon for some time out of camp are the Bards. They are going to Rocky Gorge to enjoy the natural rock slides, swimming, and time in the sun. The slides are on the Swift River with a natural pool at the bottom. It is ice cold mountain water coming down from the White Mountains. There is even a small waterfall that you can duck under. A great time in our beautiful New Hampshire wilderness!!

Our Shires had an evening out in North Conway, enjoying dinner and an ice cream birthday party.

Kids in camp enjoyed tie-dying at art, softball clinics with Woody, lots of waterfront activities and more! The evening ended with fields full of activities, kids swimming at the waterfront, and a few groups enjoying candy canteen. Another idyllic day has ended here at Robin Hood.