You’ve heard the saying "Neither sleet nor snow nor wind, nor rain" well......

Campers are a hearty bunch with lots of optimism. We started out in the rain Friday, June 14, and traveled the whole length of the Thruway in the teeming rain to arrive at our destination, Delta Lake (outside Rome, NY), to a slight drizzle. We thought, "This isn’t too bad, let’s set up quick before it pours again" (that’s our optimism and experience showing!). As soon as we finished putting up tents and tarps, it cleared up for the rest of the group to come in and set up.

It poured after we went to bed and lasted part of the next morning. The afternoons and evenings were overcast but we got to do things. The boats and canoes went in the water. Gary, Mike, and Denny fished. Since Mike can’t get a brighter hat, maybe he needs a bigger one. Others biked, hiked, or shopped. Joyce and Richard (our hardy Huggers) even went for a swim.

Because the rain was so heavy at night, potty trips for some groups were from the tent to the car to the bathroom, back to the car, and back to the tent. Now mind you, the bathroom was right across from the campsite! The tarp on the group’s base camp site blew or fell down from the weight of the rain and Carol, Jon, and Gail helped put it back up the next day in time for breakfast. That took place after brewing a quick pot of coffee in the bathroom.

All campers on both Friday and Saturday night shared a dish-to-pass supper. The toasty warm campfires were a lot of fun with topics such as what’s going on in the world, what Hugger events we’re doing over the next year, and catching up on our lives. Ingrid served us perfectly cooked marshmallows and s’mores. Ask Jon about his ability to burn rubber.

Saturday night at the campfire, we heard the thunder overhead. Having had a hard rain the night before, everyone said "Good Night" and scattered for their tents! Of course, the rain didn’t happen until hours later and a few brave campers stayed at the fire for another hour or two before calling it a night.

The campground had a movie Friday night and stargazing on Saturday. Ask "Starman" Dave B. how he combined his astronomy lesson with pedal power and about finding his way home in the dark. Everyone loved the campsites and had a good time in spite of the weather. All expressed interest in returning to the Park again next year. The campsites are big with lots of room between each one. Jon drove his SUV through the site and around three tents! Best of all, Rochester’s only two hours away from Delta.

- Kari, Cindy & Group