Registration Day.
One hundred and thirteen anxious students and their families arrived yesterday to register (whatever that means,) move into dorms, and prepare for Wilderness Orientation. Steve delivered his witty speech (a Lettermanesque Top 10 Reasons we orient by hiking in the mountains)...revealing the contents of a backpack containing a turntable, Big Macs, etc. For "old" students--back for athletic camps--it was an opportunity to relax, enjoy Steve's stabs at humor, and feel territorial.
George and Carter paid polite attention, but Merlin was busy distracting Lee Carvalho and others.
It was a glorious day, charged with the emotion of a fresh start, new friendships, and tearful good-byes. This morning, the reality of heavy backpacks and the prospect of five days of hiking set a different tone.
